A/N: My apologies for the 6+ weeks of waiting for a new chapter. I have no excuse except a busy life and serious writer's block. This is probably the hardest chapter ever for me to write. Thanks to DCJ for her daily encouragement for me to move my ass. Should be two more short chapters after this. I won't promise any short timeframe for updating; we all know I would be lying. :)

I Think You Might Be Superman

Chapter 6-Panic, a Puzzle and a Poem

Four more days. He wasn't sure, but as THE day got closer, he felt like all the days leading up to it seemed to get much longer. Sarah had called him that morning and asked what his plan was for the big "Suspension's over, let's go lock ourselves in the bedroom for a week party!"

"Nice Sarah, you're so funny."

"Joking. …..So little brother, what are you up to today?" she continued before he could answer. "The girls have off from school and we were thinking of taking a ride up to see you. What do you say?"

"Sounds great. I'm slowly going insane here. There's only so much cleaning I can do and I finished up at Jerry's last weekend."

"Aw, poor Sammy, missing his girl." Hearing him practically growl at the other end she changed tactics. "So, are you nervous…about seeing her again?"

"No." he said more confidently than he really felt. "Not nervous….ok, maybe a little. More anxious than anything. It's gonna be even stranger since I'm sure that Frank will be letting us ride together anymore."

"Well,….. You could go back to being just friends?" she smiled into the phone.

"Not a chance, Sarah. I'd rather be partnered with Epstein every day than go back to being friends." It came out a little more panicked than he wanted to let on.

"Geez,….. kidding….you are so touchy...more so than usual." she added.

"Sorry Sarah. I don't mean to be short with you. I would love for you guys to come, what time should I expect you?"

"I'm thinking that we'll be there around noon,…. sound good?"

"Sounds great. Be safe."


A couple of hours later, Sam heard knocking on his front door. Sarah stood back while her two daughters were swept up into their uncle's arms. Twelve year old Bailey was Swarek through and through. Dark hair, dark eyes, overly protective of her sister and already held a senior license in sarcasm. Hannah was ten with her mother's dark eyes but her father's sandy colored hair and a smile that never seemed to leave her face. Sam adored the two of them and his heart soared every time he got to spend time with them.

"Uncle Sam!" they both yelled as he gave them a squeeze.

He held them at arm's length, "You guys are growing up way too fast. I'm starting to feel old." He said

"You are old." Sarah said with a smirk.

Sam hesitated before replying with a grin, "I''ll always be younger than you."

Sarah raised her hands in quick surrender. "Okay, you win …..Listen, the girls and I are hungry, so before we do anything you need to feed us." She grinned.

"I can do that." Sam smiled back "I know just the place."


Sam pulled Sarah's SUV into the parking lot of Hamptons Bar & Grill. Jack Hampton was a retired NYPD cop. His wife, Dottie, was Canadian and longed to go back to her native home. After he handed in his papers they packed up and headed North. Jack ended up loving Toronto. The city was amazing and the people were great. His only regret was not being able to fraternize with his old cop buddies and talk about the job. With Dottie's encouragement he invested in an old bar/restaurant not far from 15 Division. Coppers frequented the place and would stop in daily to grab a bite or a drink and shoot the bull with him. It was a win win in his book. Sam had taken an immediate liking to Jack and the two had become fast friends. It was actually Jack who had first called Sam out on his feelings for Andy.

Flashback

"Okay Swarek, what's her name?"

"Who's name?" Sam looked around.

"The gal that has put that big grin on your face."

"I dunno what you're talking about." He looked down at his menu.

"Uh huh." Jack said under his breath.

Andy, who had gone directly to the ladies room upon their arrival now hopped up on the stool next to Sam. Sam still did not look up from his menu.

"Well, hello beautiful,... what can I get you?" Jack

Andy blushed and looked over to Sam.

"Jack meet my rookie, Andy McNally. Andy this is Jack Hampton. Jack is retired PD from New York."

"Nice to meet you Jack." Andy shook his hand and looked at her own menu.

"They didn't look like Andy when we were in the academy, eh Sammy boy?"

Sam rolled his eyes at Jack for lack of a better response. They gave Jack their lunch orders and he walked away.

"Thanks again for last night by the way." She flashed him a genuine smile

"Huh? Oh yeah anytime McNally. Glad to help."

"I'm grateful and I know Bennie's mom was too…I actually had a lot of fun despite the circumstances." she smiled again.

"Of course you did, I'm always fun."

"Yeah right, I must have missed that side of you these past few months."

"I am. You just haven't had a chance to enjoy my fun side yet."

Andy whipped her head in his direction. Sam stared at her with his mouth open, ready to insert his foot. Fortunately, their food was placed in front of them and they resigned to eating.

They made small talk when Jack came over to them but the subject of fixing Bennie's mom's sink or anything surrounding that night was never brought up again. Jack and Dottie watched them from the corner of the bar. Sam would occasionally rest his arm on the back of Andy's stool and Andy would touch Sam's arm almost every time she went to tell him a story. The looks and smiles between the two were obvious. No one could deny the fireworks between the two partners. The only question was why weren't they together?

As they got up to pay the check, Jack asked Sam if he could talk to him for a minute. Sam handed the squad keys to Andy and told her that he would be right out. She bid goodbye to Jack and headed for the car.

"What's up?" Sam already knew by the look on Jack's face where this was going.

"So,... the gal's name is Andy huh?"

"Knock it off Jack, she's my rookie, I'm her training officer. …It's a losing proposition. Besides, she's dating Callaghan."

"Sam, I've known you for years. I've never seen you so… caught up with someone."

"Jack…."

"Don't Jack me; don't let life pass you by because of a silly rule."

"And the boyfriend?" Sam questioned with the raise of his brow.

"A technicality. She's too sweet and too smart to stay with that stiff."

"You don't think it might be a sign….that it's not meant to be?"

"Come on Swarek, we're cops. We don't believe in signs, just facts and the fact is, you're crazy about that girl."

It was Dottie's turn to chime in. "You know Sam, you can't help who you fall in love with, but you can help yourself by doing something about it."

"Appreciate the thoughts guys but I really have to go."

End flashback

Sam couldn't help but smile as he put the car in park. The foursome walked into the busy restaurant. Sam gave a nod to Jack as they were led to their table. They had just shrugged off their jackets when Jack approached the table.

"Hey Swarek, haven't seen you in ages and all of a sudden you're keeping company with three beauties. Lucky man."

"Yes I am Jack." He shook the older gentleman's hand and went to introduce his family.

"This is my big sister, Sarah and my nieces, Bailey and Hannah."

Jack grinned at the girls, "Helloooo ladies. So nice to meet you." He shook each of the girl's hands and Sarah's as well. "Don't you two have school or did you just play hooky to see your uncle?"

"We have off today for teacher development day." Bailey explained.

"Well how lucky for your Uncle Sam. I actually haven't seen your uncle in a couple of months." He raised an eyebrow to Sam.

"We're here to help Uncle Sammy plan a perfect first date with Andy. You see, he loves her and mom thinks he's gonna mess it up."

"Hannah." Sarah said under her breath.

"And I heard her telling daddy that she really wants to be an aunt." Hannah added.

"Hannah!" Sarah rolled her eyes.

Sam shot a glance at his sister and let out a sigh. "Everyone ready to order?"


They ate their meals talking mostly about school and the girls' many activities. Dottie came over to say hi to Sam and to meet the girls. She took the girls into the kitchen and let them make their own ice cream sundaes.

"Last I knew you had gone undercover." Jack commented as he straddled one of the girl's vacant chairs.

"It was supposed to be need-to-know, who told you?" Sam questioned.

"Andy told me….. She came in one night after shift. She had a rotten couple of days and looked really down. When I tried to cheer her up, she told me that the day before, there was a car fire. She had saved the woman only to find out later that the woman had died at the hospital. She kept rambling about not taking chances, missed opportunities and how you were gone and now you would never know. Apparently she went to your house that night but you weren't home. The next day at roll call Shaw told her that they had moved up your UC assignment. She looked…heartbroken. Did something finally happen between you two?"

Sam had felt terrible leaving Andy at the accident scene especially when he came back and saw it burned to the shell. He was so relieved to see her he almost hugged her. She looked happy to see him as well. There was a moment there, they both leaned in and he really thought it might happen...a kiss. And then the moment was gone. He would swear that it was her who pulled back but the look on her face as she walked away was one of regret. So when Boyd came looking for him to go early, he knew it wouldn't be an issue. He looked at his cell phone and turned to Jack.

"When she left that message, I had started my assignment already. I only got it when I came home. We ran into each other during my op and well…..I think we're on the same page now." He grinned.

"Heard about the suspensions from Shaw." Jack glanced over at Sarah and winked. "I think if ever there was a reason to get in trouble, I'd say that's the way to go." Sam hung his head and actually felt himself blushing.

Perfect timing had the girls walking back to the table to eat their ice cream, extra spoons in hand. Fifteen minutes later they were on their way back to Sam's house.


Sarah and the girls put together the blank puzzle that Sarah had bought on her previous trip. Sam went into the kitchen drawer and pulled out a folded map of Toronto. The girls, quite professionally, glued the map onto the puzzle board. Once it was dry, Sam used a sharpie marker to outline and number a few local stops in the area. Sarah used a craft knife to recut the pieces. She placed them in the box and wrapped it with a bow. Attached to the bow she tied an extra set of car keys from Sam's truck. That being done, she and the girls went to work on the dinner invitation.

Sarah's original plan was to only write a short note and they would drop it off at Andy's house. The girls decided it should be a poem, that rhymed no less, and they wanted to bring it to Andy. Sam was not jazzed about the poem idea but he didn't dare argue with this nieces. He appreciated their enthusiasm and could not deny those faces.

Two hours later the girls read the poem to him and damn if he wasn't impressed. They typed it up on his computer and sealed it in an envelope. Not before enclosing one of his uniform lapel pins with his badge number on it. Sam would make the appropriate stops tomorrow and set everything up for Monday. He knew that Andy would be on a regular day shift. He on the other hand had to report to guns and gangs for a brief meeting in the morning, then be weapon cleared and finally he'd end up on desk duty since he still had to wear his brace for a few more days. Even though he probably wouldn't get to see much of Andy during the day, at least it would afford him the opportunity to put the box in her locker and then he would catch a ride home.

By five o'clock, the girls were saying their good byes and wishing their uncle good luck. He promised to visit in a couple of weeks. They made him promise that the visit would include Andy. As always, he conceded to their terms.


Andy stood in the doorway and looked at the first finished wall of her bedroom. She was covered in denim blue paint. It seemed like there was more on her person than on the walls but she had been rushing and there it was, a little on her cheek, a streak through the messy bun of hair her. Not to mention the spatter on her t-shirt. As she stood admiring her work she heard the doorbell ring. She put down the paint roller and tried not to track paint through the rest of her place. She opened the door and was surprised to find two young girls.

"Hi there." She gave them a megawatt smile.

"Are you Andy?"

"I am. Who's asking?" she grinned.

"Wow, you ARE really pretty." Hannah blurted out. Bailey shot her sister a look and then looked back to Andy.

She chuckled at the girl, "Why thank you honey."

"We can't tell you our names but we have a very important delivery from a very special person."

Bailey handed her the envelope. Just then Andy noticed a dark haired woman standing by the sidewalk in view of her house.

"Is that your mom?"

They both looked over their shoulder and then back to Andy.

"Yes." They said in unison. Andy waved, immediately recognizing the delivery woman who had dropped off her gift basket from Sam.

"Well, thank you girls for the delivery."

"You're welcome."

"Bye." Then she added with a yell,"Bye Sarah."

The three laughed and headed for their car.


Andy closed the door behind her and carefully opened the envelope. A TPS pin fell into her palm, the number 6114 engraved in gold. She unfolded the note and began to read:

Roses are red, Violets are Blue, we've organized a treasure hunt just for you.

On Monday night after your shift open your locker and you'll find a gift.

Attached to the gift you'll find some keys, take the truck, and drive safely please.

Solve the puzzle and wear the pin, the map will tell you where to begin.

You'll make a few stops, then its dinner for two, destination is Pine Street, just him and you.

This note is from us, our special guy is too cool, but he said you liked puzzles so we knew what to do.

Rhymes aren't his style but he'd do anything for Andy.

So have fun at dinner and don't save the good candy.

It's been a long three weeks. He wasn't sure what to do,

Of one thing we're certain, he's crazy about you.

Andy grinned and note in hand skipped back to her bedroom to finish painting. She couldn't wait until Monday.


Sam was just getting ready to shower Friday morning when the phone rang. It was Jerry, sounding a bit panicked. Jerry explained to Sam that Leo's birthday was the following week and he had started building a tree fort for him but was running into a few snags. Sam could only imagine what constituted a snag when it came to Jerry.

"I have a few errands to run this morning but I'll come by this afternoon."

"Thanks buddy. By the way, next Saturday night we are having a birthday party for Leo, I think he would love for you to come to his birthday dinner. He has really taken a shine to you." Then he added. "Of course McNally will be there as well."

"You don't need to bribe me. He's a great kid. I've enjoyed hanging out with him. I'll be there."

"See you later."

"You got it."

As Sam hung up the phone he couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Leo was a smart kid, he was eventually going to figure out that he was the character in Andy's stories and she in his. They would have to make it a point to sit down with him that night and tell him the truth. That issue resolved in his mind, he headed for the shower. He made his stops and talked to each of the owners, all who have known him for years and were happy to help their very own Officer Swarek with his special request. Finally he headed over to Jerry's. There was no answer at the front door so he walked around back. Jerry was sitting in a deck chair staring at a partial frame, extra planks of wood and a plethora of tools. Jerry had done a great job building the frame, the only problem was that he didn't start building it IN the tree. Sam chuckled and shook his head as he approached his friend.

"Soooooooo, what exactly was your thought process here?" Sam started to laugh.

"I know Sam, dumb idea. I figured it would be easier to build it and then somehow hoist it into the tree. I guess I didn't think it all the way through. You know I'm not good at this stuff, and stop laughing at me."

"Don't worry Jer, we'll figure it out." Sam tied his tool belt onto his waist and started to carefully unattach the sides of the tree house from its base. They established the limbs that it would rest on and painstakingly balanced it. Sam immediately started building supports to attach it to the tree. Now that it was sturdy, they were able to reattach the wall sections. At this point it was starting to get dark so they gathered up everything in a corner of the yard and headed inside to clean up. Traci was just getting home from shift after stopping by her mom's to pick up Leo.

"Hey Sam." Leo approached Sam as they partook in a very intricate handshake.

"Hey buddy, how've you been?" Sam smiled.

"Great. I got my report card today and I got 3 A's and 2 B's."

"I don't doubt that for a second."

"Hey Sam. Traci and I are making dinner, why don't you stay?" Jerry yelled from the kitchen.

"Thanks. That would be great. I'm gonna get cleaned up and then I'll help you."

"No way. You can hang with Leo and we'll call you guys when it's ready."

"Hey Sam, wanna watch Transformers with me?" Leo yelled from the den.

"You know I do. Set it up, I'll wash up real quick."

Sam used the bathroom and headed back to the den. A still frame of Optimus Prime was paused on the TV screen.

Jerry brought out a beer to Sam and chocolate milk for Leo as they hit play on the DVD remote.

Leo was quite animated as he commented on the cars and trucks in the movie and discussed the plot in detail. Obviously this was not his first time watching the film.

There was a particularly action packed scene which included multiple explosions and hails of gunfire. Sam felt Leo jump in his seat. He turned to Sam and asked matter of factly, "Do you ever get scared doing your job?"

Sam contemplated that for a minute. He felt the need to be honest but at the same time did not want Leo to be in fear of his mother's safety.

"There's a certain amount of danger that comes with the duties of our job on an everyday basis. We're trained how to be safe and how to protect ourselves but sometimes situations can come up where things go sideways and we have to think quickly on our feet. For example, a few months ago, my partner and a bunch of other young cops were working over by the SuperNova Arena."

"Isn't that where they have concerts?" Leo asked.

"Yep. In fact, there was a concert that day. Generally those are a pretty easy gig. Unfortunately, the concert people promised more tickets than there were seats in the place. There were hundreds more people there than they could fit and it got a bit out of hand. People were fighting and pushing and things started to get crazy. Anyhow, I had just walked away from my partner to help with the crowds when I heard gun shots. I ran to where the shots came from and saw two people lying on the ground. One of them was my partner, the other was a young woman who had come with her friend to the concert."

"Did the woman survive?"

"No bud she didn't …..she died. Fortunately my partner got hit in the vest. That was the most scared that I've been in a long time."

"Were you scared that someone was going to shoot you too?"

"No, I really didn't have time to consider that, all I could think about is that I almost lost her." Sam swallowed thickly just recalling the day.

He had to go be the boss. He knew she was in good hands. Oliver would take care of her. He couldn't get the vision of Andy out of his head, blood spattered across her face, lying on the ground. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest that it seemed to mute the chaos around him. When Kate's friend came charging toward the scene, he had jumped in front of her. He hugged her, not really sure if he was trying to calm her down or trying to calm himself down.

"You must really care about her."

"I do. I definitely do….. Partners have a special relationship…. they work closely together….they have to rely on each other…."

"Is she your girlfriend?" Leo interrupted.

"Excuse me?" No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get the smile off his face.

"I was just wondering. I mean I heard Jerry and mom talking the other day about your suspenders and that soon you would be smiling again when you finally got to see your girlfriend and I see you smiling about your partner alot."

Sam smiled with the intent of avoiding the discussion but Leo gave him an out.

"What happens when you get shot in the vest, does it hurt?"

"You definitely feel it and it leaves a big bruise."

"Like a black and blue?" Leo asked, an oddly curious expression on his face. He turned to look back to Sam, studying him for a moment and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but then chose not to.

"Yep. Better than not having the vest though right kiddo?" said Sam

Suddenly Traci was in the doorway, "Leo, wash your hands, it's time for dinner."

Leo eyed Sam up and down and then made his way to the bathroom.

"What's with him?" Traci asked.

Sam shrugged and headed to the kitchen.


Leo was not his usual chatty self when he sat down at the table for dinner. Instead, quiet and curious. Sam replayed their conversation in his mind trying to figure out what might be the reason for Leo's sudden change in demeanor. Before Sam could comment, Jerry brought up the Brennan case and they started to discuss the progress that had been made in the investigation. Every once in a while Leo would shoot Sam a curious look. Finally, Leo looked over to his mother and with a grin asked, "Is Aunt Andy coming to my birthday dinner?" Yeah, that definitely got Sam's attention.

"Of course she is. Andy would never miss your birthday."

Leo's grin now was fixed on Sam, "Great. This is gonna be my best birthday ever."