CHAPTER 18

Coming over to Oliver's Sam had gotten their stuff together and moved everything back into the truck. They needed time and space away from everything that was going on. He had talked to Oliver and for that week they were spending it in the cabin. That could give them the space they needed to breathe and organize their lives.

"Do you need anything else?" he asked Andy when he got back inside the truck.

"No. I'm okay." She said messing with the zipper of her coat.

The ride was quiet and slow due to the amount of snow there was still around. The cabin was freezing cold and they worked to get some heat going. Sam and Andy weren't exchanging many words and the tension between them was obvious.

They had gotten dinner ready and soon sat together under a blanket by the fire place.

"I'm sorry about how I acted." Andy blurted out.

Sam wasn't expecting her to apologize since she was right about some things. Even though his actions had not backfired on him didn't mean they couldn't have. But Jay wasn't going to rat him out. He'd probably just find a way to get back for what he'd done.

"I was just nervous that maybe you had done something that wasn't quite right. I don't know, it could have been him."

"He has an alibi." Sam said without looking at her.

"Doesn't mean he's not involved somehow. You said it yourself he threatened you. It's just that I can't remember anything to help us and I don't want you to do something without thinking it through."

Sam stood up and looked straight at her feeling confused. What was she saying? That he was right to hit his father? Wasn't that just the opposite of what she had said at the hospital?

"I can't understand you now. What are you trying to say?"

She stood up in front of him. Andy felt like a mess, there wasn't a moment where she could think straight.

"I'm saying that I don't know if you hit the right person, but I don't care. I'm going to be by your side no matter what. You did what you thought was right and I know that your gut feeling is smart. It was stupid and selfish of me to say some of the things I did. But thank you for what you did. I know part of the reason was to protect me."

Andy wasn't crying, but she sure felt like it on the inside. Everything she said at the hospital wasn't meant to make them fight, but she couldn't see anything good coming out of what he did. But then she had time to think and time to see things from his point of view. If the roles were switched she might as well have done the same thing.

Sam opened his arms and she walked right into them. In front of the fire they stood there in each other's arms. Everything around them was a mess, but moments like these felt like maybe things would work out in the end.

"We're okay." Sam said breathing in her scent.

The next morning they rushed to get a hot shower together and make breakfast.

"Omelet or pancakes?" Andy asked.

"Whatever doesn't burn down the kitchen." Sam said coming inside the house with more wood.

Andy sent him an angry glare and Sam gave her his crooked smile she loved so much. Damn him and how sexy he was in so many simple ways. He was the only one that could make the shitty days they had go away.

"Since when do you know anything about fire wood? You're not much of a wild person."

He looked at her amused and she turned her back to him blushing.

"I've had some wild days." He said amused at how Andy laughed at him.

Even though Andy couldn't walk much and her side still made hard to move around and carry weight Sam was right there to help out. They had gotten movies and even a few board games. Andy soon figured out that Sam was a mean monopoly gamer, but then she beat him at poker four times.

Part of the afternoon Andy spent sleeping because of the painkillers she took. Sam took that time to talk to Nash who briefly said they went over the footage he'd gotten and had a lead. She couldn't tell him everything, but she said enough to set his mind at ease.

Looking at the person next to him he knew that he needed their life to be in calm waters before he made any decisions on their future together and it had to be soon. He had texted Oliver that he'd be needing his help over the weekend and to keep it quiet.

Later that night when Andy went to the bathroom for a shower Sam called Nash to check on the case. It seems there was really a Jack involved in all of this. A 45 year old man that had been brought in a couple of times for small thefts, but Sam had never been involved in any of the cases this guy was in the middle, much less McNally. Jack also said he was paid anonymously to take pictures of them and have the apartment bugged with microphones and cameras.

This was stressful since now Nash didn't want to share anything else. Sam knew she had shared a lot more than what she could with him and he was grateful for that, but it still bugged him that he wasn't a part of the case. Nash was great, but she was new and sometimes played way too much by the book. Sometimes you gotta paint outside the lines.

The next morning Andy felt a lot better. Her ribs still hurt, but she felt like herself. She was able to walk properly and even move around better without hurting her side. The morning sex might even be a proof of that.

Leaving early Sam and Andy walked a little around the woods, but the cold soon became too much and they settled for hot chocolate and card games for the time being. It was nice seeing that they were feeling a lot more comfortable out here in the woods, even Sam was beginning to see how this had an upper side.

After lunch they had washed the dishes together and even ended up getting a little wet during one of their playish moments, but even with the heat on and the fire place the cabin was still chilly for them.

"Shower together?" Andy asked as Sam took off his clothe.

"Yeah, I'm not going to stand out here wet while you use all the hot water." He answered getting inside the shower followed by a naked Andy.

"This is nice. Maybe we can do this more often." Andy said wrapping her hands around Sam's torso from behind and playing with his chest hair.

"We'll make a deal with Oliver." He answered leaning back and turning around so he would face her.

He held her face between his hands. There were still bruises on her face and her side, but he could see how beautiful she was every time.

Their lips met in a loving pace, it wasn't rushed, hungry and desperate like it was most of the time. It was kind of the missing piece they needed to get back. The peace they found in this place might as well have been the biggest plus they had in a long time.

One of Sam's hand brushed down cupping one of her breast in his hand and playing with her nipple. Andy pushed her head back hitting the tiled wall. Her moans were low and raspy. Her hand moved down and rubbed Sam where he most needed attention.

Sam moved his hands between her legs and felt how wet she was so pulling her up he made sure to have a good balance with her on top of him and pushed himself inside of her. Keeping a steady rhythm he pushed her onto the wall and soon let go of his control pushing himself further and faster 'til they both reached their high.

Andy settled her trembling feet on the floor and held onto Sam as they caught their breaths and finished their shower.

That night was one of the first in a really long time Sam and Andy both got a good night of sleep in each other's arms.