A/N So I've kind of been on a month long Rookie Blue fanfic binge. Pretty sure I read every story longer than 1000 words to do with Andy and Sam. So…apologies if anything I write in the next little while is a strange amalgamation of…57 pages of fanfiction. Anyways, the meet with Sarah as I originally imagined it (before we met her on the show), hope you enjoy!

He was driving, she was fidgeting. She played with her hair. Adjusted her seatbelt. Wrung her hands and bit her bottom lip.

"McNally, breathe."

Her head snapped over to meet his eyes before letting out a small laugh and noticeable exhale.

"They will love you."

"Yeah, but what if they don't?" she asked, sounding like a kid on the first day of school, all nerves and uncertainty.

"I don't care," he declared, "I like you, isn't that enough?"

She sighed slightly, eyes turning apologetic, "Of course it's enough. It's more than enough. It's great Sam."

He raised an eyebrow at her briefly, before turning back to the road, staying quiet.

"But I want them to like me too."

They pulled in front of the house and he turned off the truck, looking at Andy beside him.

This girl. She looks like the perfect mix of casual, formal and just beautiful. He pulls her in for a kiss, before telling her firmly, "Andy McNally. Stop worrying. They will love you. I haven't met a person who doesn't."

Andy smiled, his words easing her nerves a bit then playfully pouted, "Boyd doesn't."

"Yeah, well all things considered that's probably a good thing," Sam replied, rolling his eyes.

"Uncle Sammy?!" a little head suddenly popped up just barely reaching the window then disappearing again.

"You gonna come out of the car, Uncle Sammy?!" the voice called out again, which he soon realized was his little niece jumping up from the curb to try and see in the window.

Andy and Sam shared a grin. It was going to be a great weekend.

By the end of the day, she didn't know if they loved her, but she knew she loved them. The girls were quick to invite Andy to their tea parties and secret pillow fort – a prestigious invitation to say the least. Owen, Sarah's husband was warm and endearing, balancing Sarah in a way that kind of reminded Andy a little of herself and Sam. Sarah was…well, everything and nothing she expected from Sam's sister. Protective but kind, cool and sarcastic like her brother with a sharp wit, sweet laugh and of course the dimples that accompany the trademark Swarek grin.

The day had passed quickly, as vacations tend to. Laughs, food and stories had all been shared (Sarah and Owen were particularly interested in the rookie who tackled and tried to K-I-S-S Sam). The dishes had been put away, the kids asleep and the men had burrowed into Owen's 'man-cave' to watch the hockey game. Andy wandered by the front door, stopping when she saw Sarah sitting out on the steps.

"I don't mean to intrude, but is everything okay?" Andy asked quietly, opening the front door.

Sarah smiled, holding her wine glass up, gesturing at the sky. "It's a beautiful night. Come sit with me, Andy."

Deep breaths, Andy reminded herself as she sat next to Sarah. You've faced down Anton Hill and Brennan, this is just Sam's sister. Nothing she couldn't handle.

Sarah took one look at her and laughed. "Andy, it's fine. I don't bite."

Andy blushed, but grinned anyways.

"I guess you think this is the part where I tell you if you hurt my brother, I'll hurt you?"

Andy nodded and Sarah looked at her, almost through her, with appraising eyes. "I like you, Andy. I think you bring out the best in him."

"Well it definitely goes both ways," Andy replied sincerely.

"Listen, Andy. The Swareks…we're a little messed up. We're not so good at the talking bit. What I'm saying is, even if Sam feels something incredibly strongly, he's not going to just come out and say it."

Andy nodded again, "I know. But he shows me. He tries. Which is more than I could ever ask for."

"It's what you should ask for." Andy's head turned to face Sarah, brow furrowing in confusion. Sarah sighed slightly, and took another sip of her wine.

"Sam's a protector. He'll try to protect you on the job, but also from himself. He had to grow up way to fast, but sometimes he just falls back to that angry kid, wrapped up in this dark place with guilt and anger and pain. And you make him lighter, Andy. Anyone can see that. But he needs to talk about it. And you deserve that from him."

"I guess I just want to give him space…But I hate space! I wish he would talk to me," Andy finds herself blurting out.

"He will," Sarah smiles, "I did."

"Owen is great."

Sarah's grin widened in agreement, "It sounds corny, but I wasn't sure I could love someone at all but looking at us now…Sometimes it's hard to believe how much you can actually love."

"But he didn't try to fix me." Sarah's words interrupted Andy's thoughts. Knowing she had Andy's attention, she continued, "We know we're broken, Andy. But we don't need fixing. Owen just…softened the edges. You do it for Sam too."

Andy bit her bottom lip, thinking about Sarah's words. After a few minutes, she spoke. "I'm really glad I got the chance to meet you, Sarah. And if tonight was any indication, you're pretty great at the talking thing." And it was true. Aside from the obvious – the chance to meet Sam's sister – she had forgotten what family felt like, even though it wasn't her own. Maybe it will be someday.

"I am too. Besides, I needed to thank the rookie who burned him. He needed to come home."

Sarah got up, "I should get to bed. My children like to get up at the crack of dawn on the weekend. I will never understand it. Then Monday rolls around and they're suddenly nocturnal."

"Oh, and Andy?"

"Yes?"

"Hurt my brother and you will have me to deal with," Sarah warned, sending her a trademark Swarek smirk as she headed for the door.

She walked into the house, shutting the door quietly behind her and moved towards her kitchen to put her glass away. She bumped into a dark figure and let out a small shriek before flipping the lights on and realizing it was Sam.

"Jesus, Sam!"

"Sorry, Sar. Have you seen Andy? I can't seem to find her."

"Yep," she replied, not bothering to elaborate further.

"You didn't kill her did you?" he teased, "I know she can be chatty sometimes, but I really do love her." The words slipped out of his mouth and Sarah's eyebrows flew up.

"Love, Sammy? Big word."

"I know. And she knows too," he told her quietly.

"You told her?"

"Yes, Sar. I actually do talk to people occasionally," he quipped, pretending to be annoyed but couldn't be when he saw her sister smile at him.

"Good. You need her. And now, what I need is a kiss from my husband and some sleep."

Sam smiled at her, matching her dimples with his own, "Night, Sarah."

"Hey you," Andy smiled at him as he joined her out on the porch, "We're just playing musical chairs on this porch tonight, huh?"

"I guess so," Sam replied, placing a chaste kiss on her lips. "You okay?"

"Mmhm, I am. Sarah's great. The kids are so cute!"

Sam laughed, "They're the secret to my vast knowledge of Disney."

"Damn, and here I thought you were just a closet Pocahontas fan. The rule breaking, doing your own thing, colours of the wind, you know?" Andy teased before allowing a comfortable silence to fall.

"I love the stars. I used to watch them for hours as a kid. Even after I realized wishing on them was a waste of time," a hint of sadness crept into Andy's tone. "Just reminds you how small you are, as cliché as that sounds. And they're always there, just in the sky. Even when it's daytime, they're just covered by something else until nighttime when they get their chance to shine."

"Kind of like you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I know you feel the pressure of living with the McNally name. But you've proven that you are a good cop, regardless. Whatever your father left behind is gone, and you get to show how great you are," Sam explained.

"Huh. I guess that is true. People really are resilient. I mean, look at Sarah."

Sam nodded, "It wasn't easy. She used to cry for days, lock herself in her room. My dad…dad was in prison. Again. And my mom was too busy working to really pay attention." His fists clenched, "I don't think I've ever felt so useless. Or helpless."

Her warm hand slipped over his fist, rubbing gentle circles with her thumb. "Sam, you weren't useless. You were the only one there. Even if she never said it, I'm sure she appreciated it."

"So I became a cop. So I could do something about bad situations."

She leaned into his side, lacing their fingers together, just listening as he spoke, doing her best to make it easy for him to share.

He took a deep breath before continuing, "Sometimes you make it hard though." He felt her tense beside him but wouldn't let her pull away. "Andy, sometimes I still feel helpless. Watching you get shot outside of Supernova. Standing outside the Laundromat. Hell, watching you hold a bomb. Andy, I love you. I just want to make it better, and I…don't know how."

She squeezed his hand before turning to look at him. She called his name, once quieter then louder again until he met her eyes. "You are incredible. I know you don't do the talking thing. It's okay. You show me every day. I know the job makes it tough, and I worry about you all the time too. But Sam, you make me feel better even when you and I both don't think you can. You're here. I'm here. We finally figured our shit out. And I am not letting go of that any time soon. Sam, I am not letting go of you."

A/N So that's this chapter! Reviews make my day! Thank you in advance! Love ya =)