CHAPTER 17

Sam was coming close to Andy's hospital room door when Tommy walked out with a doctor by his side. They looked serious so Sam fastened his pace towards them. But they parted ways before Sam got to reach them. Tommy turned seeing Sam just a few steps away and called for him to come closer.

"What did the doctor say?" Sam asked before Tommy had the chance to open his mouth.

"Andy is asleep. She had a bad head ache, but everything seems fine. She'll be able to go home later today." Tommy said as they walked pass her door.

Sam wanted to go in, but knowing she's asleep he didn't want to disturb.

"Mind me asking why is the side of your face a nice shade of red?"

Sam touched the side of his face where his father had hit him. He had forgotten about that.

"It's nothing. Just had a bad encounter with someone I knew."

Tommy had been a cop and a really good one before he had gone down the bottle, so he wasn't stupid enough to believe it had been nothing. Andy would also know something was going on.

"She's going to be pissed that you went after someone like that."

"I know, but I had to do it."

"My daughter spent the night in a hospital room because someone had invaded your home, I'm not going to complain about what you did, but Andy will have something to say on that matter I believe."

They stopped by a coffee machine and hanged on to the silence that had settled between them. Sam and Tommy weren't big fans of talking, they barely spoke to each other, so this was something that happened often when they were left alone. Soon after that they went back to the room where Andy was asleep and Tommy said his goodbyes.

Sam sat in a chair next to her bed and picked up one of the many magazines Tommy had gotten for her. They were all gossip and fashion ones that shared no common interest with him, but the last one on the pile got his attention. It was a real weddings magazine. It could be an innocent thing, like she wasn't making a big deal. A lot of women had gotten a wedding magazine once in their life, or so he thought.

Putting it down he didn't know what to make of it. Was she expecting something? Were they even ready for something like that? She was engaged once and we all know how that turned out. He didn't mind it seeing as though he was already way too deep in love with her, he just didn't know how deep it was at that time. But how would she receive such request?

His mind was brought back to reality when he felt a hand brush where he had been hit.

"What did you do, Sam?" she asked in a low voice.

He didn't answer right away and they both knew that he didn't need to say it out loud. It was clear what Sam had done and Andy just shut her eyes and stared at the ceiling.

"You shouldn't have done that." She said brushing her hands on her face.

"Don't say that."

"We don't know if it was actually him." Andy looked at him serious. "There is no way you can accuse him of this based only on what I said. It wasn't even a statement, Sam."

"You're over thinking things." He couldn't look at her. Sam knew she'd act like this, but even now he couldn't handle someone telling him that his father might have been innocent.

"No. You're blinded by this. Tunnel vision, right? You're so caught up on the hate you fed for him that you can't even acknowledge that it might have been someone else."

"He wants to hurt me and he found a way through you!" Sam raised his voice at her and took a deep breath. He was in a hospital and he needed to remember that.

"Jay has been out for months and nothing happened. We make enemies on the job, anyone could come after us for something. Even the smallest things set people off. You better than anyone should know that."

Deep down Sam knew she was right, but what good does that do now. He and his father already had their little reunion yesterday.

"Let's hope he doesn't bring this into the station and Sam…" she waited for his eyes to meet hers "I don't want you on this case anymore. The photos, as bad as they are I think maybe Tracy should take over."

Sam doesn't respond at first but nods his head after a few moments. He already knew he was going to be pulled off of it. Frank wouldn't let him be involved in it after what happened to Andy. Like she said, he'd gotten tunnel vision.

The rest of their morning was quiet and she was going to be cleared to go home by the end of the day. Little after their lunch Chloe and Nick walk in to get their statement. Sam moves to the hallway with Chloe reporting how everything had gone down and Nick stayed with Andy. It was hard for Sam not to stare at the window where he could see Nick comforting Andy while she gave her statement.

"You know they were really good friends before they had gotten involved and now that it's all gone they can maybe go back to that. But you need to give them space for that to happen. Andy doesn't want to hurt you, but she also doesn't want to let go of their friendship." Chloe said after finishing up the statement.

"Sure." Sam said plainly.

He kept looking at them but this time there wasn't jealousy 'nor questions popping up on his mind. He knew her and he knew they were together for real this time. That magazine had maybe been a message for him.

"Can you stay here for a while? I gotta call someone." He said when he started walking down the hall with his phone in hand.

Before he could make the call his phone started buzzing. Best was calling and he knew this couldn't be good.

"Swarek." He answered the call.

"Can you come to the station? We need to talk… Now." Best said and ended the call.

Sam took a deep breath and went back to the room to tell Andy he'd be back to pick her up by the end of the day.

Arriving at the station Sam walked into the barn where Frank was waiting for him. They quickly went inside his office and Best stared at him and a few notes on his desk.

"Someone came here today and he didn't look very good." Frank said.

"Frank…" Sam was cut off when Frank lifted his hand.

"He didn't file a complaint against you. He actually didn't do anything. He just came here gave a statement to Nash so he could provide an alibi for what happened last night to McNally." Frank stood up and leaned on the glass wall. "I want you to pass the case over to Nash, go over everything with her and then take the week off with McNally. When you both get back you can – maybe – help out on the investigation if nothing comes up while you're both out."

"I can't do that." Sam said in a hurry.

"You can and you will. Sam, you've been through a lot. You and McNally both have, so take the week off and take care of each other. Go see your sister, go camping, I don't care just take some time to get your ducks in a row."

It wasn't something Sam wanted to do, but he knew Frank well enough to know there was no discussing this with him any further. He made up his mind and nothing would change that.

Saying their goodbyes Sam went out to find Nash and then head back in time to pick up Andy from the hospital and get their one week off started. He might not like it now, but if he was forced to leave work for a week he was sure going to look forward to enjoying it.