Chapter 3 - A Simple Twist of Fate

As they drove towards the SRU building Sam turned and looked at Jules. There was a definite glow about her; he was sure the others would guess right away she was having a baby. God, the very thought petrified and elated him at the same time. He hoped he would be a good father: He wouldn't allow his own childhood memories to stop him from being the best father he could be. He could never; would never inflict his pain onto his child the way his father had. The scars of his past will remain in the past; forever buried and forgotten.

Sam looked over to Jules and wondered if baby thoughts were running through her mind too.

"You OK?"

"I'm OK Sam - just please be careful, no taking any…."

"Stupid risks" Sam interjected "I won't, I promise; I'm going to be a dad" He looked at her with the broadest grin. "When are we going to tell the team?"

"Not yet Sam, it's still early stages; at least let me see the doctor first and then I'll decide"

"Jules, you will have to tell them soon; it's not like we do a normal 9-5 job".

Sam looked at Jules and imagined what it would be like to have a son or daughter "Do you know when the baby is due?" Sam realized he hadn't even asked her. How something so important could have slipped his mind and then he remembered the events of the day: A child had died; a child he should have saved. Jules would understand - she always understood and that was why he loved her.

"I think May/June time, but the doctor will be able to tell me more accurately. Are you really happy, Sam, about the baby I mean?"

"I couldn't be happier, but you have to promise me you will be careful too".

"I will; I'm carrying very precious cargo". Jules replied, releasing one hand from the steering wheel and rested it on her tummy "I will keep baby Braddock safe I promise".

Sam leant across and kissed her cheek - it made her smile - he loved seeing her smile.

"What about names?" Sam asked

"Sam; too early" and then she smiled "maybe we can talk about names when we get home".

They both knew they could not continue the conversation once inside the SRU building, but Sam knew they wouldn't be able to stop talking about it once they got home.

Sam and Jules met Spike on their way into the building.

"Any idea Spike why we've been called back?" Sam asked the SRU's resident technical expert and best friend.

"No, just got a page - no doubt we'll find out soon enough."

Ed was already seated at the briefing table along with Greg and Leah.

"Sorry guys to call you back in - Sam do you feel OK? We could manage without you if you're not feeling up to it."

"No, I'm good Boss" Sam replied. He sat at the briefing table next to Jules; Spike took his seat opposite.

"OK guys, sorry to call you back in but Team Two has been delayed on an armed incident so we have the assignment of issuing warrants" Greg smiled, he knew this was not what the team was expecting and the groans from all of them confirmed it.

"Boss, I think my arm is playing up" Sam started to say and everybody laughed. Jules jokingly slapped his arm.

"Sorry Sam, you said you were OK so you're not getting out of this". Greg replied smiling and then continued "You two sorted out your differences?"

"Yes Boss" they both looked at each other and replied simultaneously; Sam gently squeezed her leg. They were happy; they had a secret and that secret made them both unbelievably happy.

"Good, we leave in 10; suit up and let's go and keep the peace". Greg said to his team and they all stood and headed for the locker rooms.

The three SUV's left the SRU parking lot - Greg with Leah, Ed with Sam and Spike with Jules.

"You two really OK?" Spike asked Jules once inside the vehicle.

"Yeah Spike, we're fine" Jules replied. Spike knew not to push the point - if Jules said they were fine, it was good enough for him. Radios on; any conversations of a personal nature ceased.

Ed asked Sam the very same question and was given the same response. They were fine - drama over.

Sam hated issuing warrants; he would rather run drills than drive around the city for hours arresting low life drug dealers and other unsavory characters.

Finally, at 2.30 am Sam and Jules returned home; exhausted they fell into bed. Sam drew Jules close to him and wrapped his arms around her. It had been a long, emotionally charged day, but they were finally where they loved being; home and with each other. The only upside to the long shift would be that Team 2 would now cover their morning shift, so they could rest and recharge and could visit the doctor without having to make up an excuse as to why they were late for work.

Sam and Jules were blissfully happy; her pregnancy confirmed and they had a preliminary date; Baby Braddock was due June 8th and everything was well; Jules was in good health. Her ultrasound appointment booked for three weeks' time, when her actual due date would be confirmed.

Team One was ten minutes into their shift when the call came which would effectively devastate them all, but Sam especially.

"Hot Call Team One, Officer down at Team Two's location". Winnie announced.

Greg and the others immediately gathered around the desk; they needed to know who it was and what had happened

"That's all I have Boss; John Sullivan put the call through and will meet you on the scene - Corner of Bookfeld Place and Sheridan".

Everyone was worried; officer down was the call every SRU officer feared - one of their own was injured, possibly worse.

As the three SRU vehicles arrived they knew it was bad; EMS was on scene so too was SIU. There was a wide perimeter with uniformed officers protecting the scene. Greg was the first to disembark from his vehicle; his face tense - he made his way over to John Sullivan who looked visibly distressed.

The others got out of their vehicles and stood and watched as the two sergeants spoke. The team watched as Greg placed a comforting hand on John Sullivan's shoulder; a deep sadness had washed over their faces. The team waited for Greg to return and let them know who it was and their condition and what the hell had happened.

Sam looked at Greg, as he headed back to his team. Sam instinctively knew it was the news he didn't want to hear; the news everyone was dreading. Greg took Sam by the arm and moved him to one side.

"Sam, it's Andrew - I'm so sorry he's dead Sam; I know he was a good friend of yours".

Sam did not believe what Greg had just told him. He was wrong, he had to be. Andrew wasn't dead; he couldn't be. The others had overheard and Jules put both her hands to her mouth and gasped. "My God; not Andrew". Tears filled her large brown eyes and had started to fall freely down her cheeks. Everyone was stunned into silence.

Sam could barely speak but had to know what had happened to his friend.

Greg advised the team that the incident happened just over an hour ago. Andrew had set up a sierra position on top of a building; when the hostage negotiations had broken down Andrew was given the scorpio order and had shot the individual. When Team Two were ready to leave the scene, Andrew had still not returned and when Benton and Daniels went to investigate they found Andrew dead; shot through the head. There was no evidence of anyone else on the roof top, no spent cartridges. It was only preliminary, but it looked like Andrew had been shot by a sniper shortly after he had shot the subject. The area was cordoned off in case the sniper was still active, but it had been an hour and no further shots had been fired. It was believed the scene was safe to commence a search of the surrounding buildings and for the paramedics to remove Andrew's body.

"What do you want us to do Boss?" Ed asked, still visibly shaken by the news that they had lost a colleague. Ed had grown fond of the young officer when he was seconded to Team 1 while Sam was recovering from his injuries. Andrew had reminded him of Sam when Sam had joined the team; green, but eager to learn. He was a good cop and with Sam's help had become an excellent sniper and didn't deserve to have his life cut short in this way.

"All the surrounding buildings need to be checked for any sign of a sniper, but stay safe; it may have been an hour but let's not take any chances."

Sam saw the body bag being carried towards the waiting ambulance and stood rooted to the spot; he needed to see his friend - he wouldn't believe it until he saw him; saw for himself that Andrew was gone. Jules stayed too; her hand resting on Sam's arm. There would be time to carry out a search, right now Sam needed her.

Sam slowly walked to the vehicle "Can I see him?"

The EMS paramedic nodded and unzipped the black body bag. A single hole in the middle of Andrew's forehead; the only sign of injury. The blood soaked wadding Andrew's head was resting on signified the back of his skull had been shattered into tiny pieces.

Sam tried to speak; tried to say something meaningful to his friend. He couldn't find the words; his brain screaming that this was wrong; a nightmare that he would soon wake up from. Andrew, his friend, was dead. At the age of 28 his life cut short by an unknown assailant.

The paramedic zipped up the body bag and put Andrew's body into the ambulance. As he watched the ambulance disappearing from view, Sam knew there would be one more job he had to do; he had to tell Olivia.

"Boss - who is going to tell Andrew's parents?" Sam asked.

"That, unfortunately, will be John's responsibility" Greg said remembering the time he had to tell Mr & Mrs Young their son had been killed attempting to diffuse a bomb which had been booby-trapped with an IAD. He recalled how totally devastated they were and how he had cried along with them feeling the loss of Lew so acutely. Even now, after all this time, his heart still ached whenever he thought about his young officer.

"I need to tell Olivia, Boss - can you manage without me?" Sam asked. Greg knew Andrew had a girlfriend; but that was as much as he knew. He had not really known anything about Andrew's private life, but knew Sam had formed a firm friendship with the young officer. He knew too that Sam would be the only one who could convey the news.

"We can manage Sam, take the SUV - we'll meet you back at the barn".

Sam wrapped his arms around Jules and kissed her forehead "I've got to tell Liv - she needs to hear it from me". Sam and Jules would never normally show such a visible display of affection while on duty, but right at that moment Sam didn't care, neither did Jules and under the circumstances, knew their teammates would understand.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Jules asked

"No, Jules, the team needs you here, I'll meet you back at SRU".

As Sam watched Jules start to walk away he called her name. He wanted to run after her and hold onto her. He didn't want her looking for someone who could extinguish her life and their unborn baby's life without blinking. He wanted her at home and safe and nowhere near anyone with a gun.

Jules turned to look at him.

"Be careful Jules".

"I will; precious cargo" Jules mouthed back to Sam. Jules then ran off to join her colleagues to search for someone or something that would give them answers as to why this had happened.

Sam climbed into the SUV and sat looking out at the scene. The rain, which had always threatened to fall from the dark oppressive clouds, was now falling and fast becoming torrential. A cruel twist as any forensic evidence was rapidly being washed away by the unforgiving weather.

This should have been Team One's call - it would have been him on the roof top and Andrew should have been safe at home with Olivia; only fate had intervened and now lives are about to be irrecoverably changed forever and hearts unbearably broken.

Twenty minutes later Sam pulled up outside the house Andrew and Olivia had just moved into.

Olivia Garton was gorgeous, 25, tall; slim with long, dark brown hair and skin; a silky, soft light brown.

Olivia had met Andrew when he had to give evidence in the Otis Saunders trial - she was a paralegal working with the Prosecutor and Andrew was instantly smitten. The trial lasted five weeks and on the final day when the jury was sent to deliberate she knew she had fallen in love. She was in love with the handsome SRU sniper with dark brown hair and amazing hazel eyes. They started dating immediately and on their third date Andrew knew she was the one; she rocked his world.

Sam sat in the car remembering their engagement party just eight weeks before. He smiled slightly recalling Andrew; drunk, beer in one hand; his other arm around Sam's shoulder "Do you remember" Andrew said slurring his words into Sam's ear "you told me that when you meet someone that rocks your world - you need to hang on to them - Liv rocks my world, Sam."

Sam now had to tell her he was gone; Andrew wouldn't be coming home; would never be coming home. He slowly got out of the car and headed to the front door.

"Sam, hi - Andrew's not here…."

Olivia was puzzled ; why would Sam be here; he knew Andrew was working.

"Liv, can I come in?"

Olivia knew instantly from the look on Sam's face that something was terribly wrong; her heart began to beat so fast she thought it would explode: She knew she didn't want to hear what Sam was there to tell her.

Her brain went immediately into denial mode: "He'll be home soon".

"I need to speak to you Liv". He didn't want to be there anymore than she wanted him there, but this had to be done - he had to tell her.

Olivia stood aside and let Sam through the doorway and into the lounge area at the front of the house. The Victorian style house; still with unopened cardboard boxes containing the memories of lives not yet lived; of dreams not yet fulfilled and hearts about to be forever broken.

Olivia knew the news was going to be bad, but they would cope; coma they could deal with, if he was paralyzed they would deal with that too. Whatever it was they would face it together.

"Liv, please come and sit down, I need to tell you…"

Olivia stopped Sam from continuing the sentence, her brain knew what he was about to say, but her heart would not let him say it.

Olivia couldn't move towards the sofa, her legs had lost their ability to hold the weight of her body. She knew now what people meant when they said 'their legs went to jelly' because that is exactly how her legs felt; she could feel them start to buckle from under her.

Sam saw Liv about to fall and quickly held onto her and helped her to the sofa.

"Please don't day it Sam, please".

Andrew is not dead - he can't be. He had phoned her not 2 hours ago; he told her he loved her as he always did and told her not to move any of the boxes without him.

"I'm so sorry Liv. Andrew was k…..he's gone."

Olivia's life ripped apart by one single sentence. Andrew was gone, her life; their life no more. She didn't ask why or how, she couldn't speak; she couldn't breathe. Andrew, the only man she had truly, honestly and completely given her heart too would never walk through the front door of the house they had just bought. Would never kiss her sweetly on the lips before he left for the morning shift. Would never hold her hand and tell her how beautiful she was and how lucky he was to have found her. Would never tell her again how coming home to her made all the crap of his day worthwhile.

She didn't even comprehend she was screaming until arms enveloped and cradled her. Olivia had cried many times before; at Pretty Woman when Richard Gere climbed the steps to Julia Roberts, when Andrew had given her the most amazing engagement ring and asked her to marry him and when her pregnancy test had two blue lines. But the tears falling from her eyes now came from a different place; a place deep inside her soul where only broken hearts were allowed to be.

Sam held onto her for the longest time - unable to speak, unable to summon up any words of comfort. What could he possibly say that would undo

what had already happened. He wanted to tell her that he would find the son of a bitch that had ripped her life apart. He wanted to tell her how great Andrew was and how he adored her and spoke about her all the time, but that would just make the loss more acute - nothing could be said so he stayed quiet and gently rocked Olivia until the sobs had subsided and the tears fell silently onto his uniform.

"Sam", Olivia finally spoke "are you absolutely sure - he could just be really badly injured?" She knew what she was saying was insane, but her brain kept telling her to be sure; that maybe there was still just the tiniest glimmer of hope Sam was wrong.

"Liv, don't do this sweetheart"

"What am I going to do? I won't be able to cope without him - Oh Sam," Olivia's crying intensified once more "he will never see our baby".

Sam closed his eyes and wished for one fleeting second that it had been him on the rooftop and not Andrew.

"Oh God, Liv; you're having a baby?"

Olivia nodded unable to speak. Sam held her more tightly; it was his heart that was racing out of control. How could this happen - how could a simple twist of fate decide whether you live or die; whether you see your baby being born or you don't.

Sam knew that bullet was meant for him; it should have been Team One's shift and it should have been him, not Andrew lying on a cold slab in the mortuary with a bullet in his head.

How could he tell her? How could he explain why he got to live and Andrew had died; why he would see his baby and Andrew would not? He didn't know how to tell her, he only knew he had to.