A week slowly dragged by. Everything had changed.

The demeanor at 15 Division was solemn; all the cops mourning the 'loss' of one of their own so soon after Jerry's death. Andy's close friends, the 'rookies' and Oliver, were hit especially hard. They constantly made their way to the hospital after their shifts to drop off flowers, balloons and other pointless things that Andy wouldn't normally care about if she were conscious. Everyone tried to avoid talking about it. They still couldn't believe it was really real.

Andy's mother and father felt the need to feel closer to their daughter and they visited, just not as often and not at the same time. They grieved in their own way. But neither one were that close to Andy as of late.

Sam stayed at the hospital almost the whole week. He couldn't bear to be apart from Andy for any length of time. He was convinced that she was going to wake up and he wanted to be there because he hadn't been able to be there when the hotel exploded.

Best had given Sam as much time off as he needed with the open invitation that if he needed anything, to call. Oliver helped take care of some things, like bills, that had already begun to pile up at his house. After a couple of days, Dov had brought Sam a clean tee shirt and some sweatpants and the nurses that cared for Andy let him use one of the hospital showers because they felt so bad.

Everything had changed, but life went on. A new routine was created and followed. The Earth kept turning.

It was early in the morning. Light flooded through the one window the hospital room had. It shone across Andy's face, warming her.

Another day. I'm sick of rotting away in this bed.

Andy had tried every day to get out of whatever was holding her in the darkness. But the blanket that covered her was just too thick and heavy. She could tell everyone was starting to give up on what little hope they had that she was going to wake up.

But not Sam.

Sam kept talking to her, trying to urge her to wake up. He read to her and stayed by her side. He never gave up hoping and that's what helped her to keep trying. If it wasn't for him, she might have given up by now and succumbed to the ever present dark that was beckoning her.

Andy heard one of the nurses fiddling with the IVs and checking her vitals by her head. "How are you doing today, Andy? It's just me again, Nurse Stonewall."

Nice to hear your voice again, Stonewall. How are you? How is your husband and kids?

Andy wasn't sure why she kept up conversations that she knew no one could hear. It just made her feel better; as if she were still a part of the land of the living.

"Things with me have been going okay. Little Tommy still has his ear infection poor thing and Harry, that's my husband dear, is still suffering from PTSD but improving. I wish you were, too." She sounded sad.

Andy had come to really like this nurse, Theresa Stonewall. She has learned that her husband just returned home from Afghanistan and her son got sick a lot. She was a very happy woman though, always rolling with the punches. Listening to Theresa talk sometimes made her day. Andy was glad to hear that they were both improving.

Andy couldn't help wondering what Teresa looked like. Andy pictured a pudgier woman with a kind, round face and a big smile. A mother, but one of the ones who would wrap their kids in a hug at any time. Andy never had that, but she always yearned for it.

"Alright, Andy. You are all set for a bit. I will be back to visit after lunch later today." Andy felt Theresa pat her hand and then she was gone. Andy was alone again because Sam had gone to the cafeteria while the nurse was in the room.

Not too long after, Andy heard someone come into the room, but she knew it was too soon for Sam to have returned from the cafeteria. Her second thought was a nurse, but Teresa had just come in and fiddled with her tubes not long after Sam had departed.

Her heart started to pick up pace and the heart monitor beeped erratically. She was in a hospital, what could possibly go wrong? She chastised herself for being so afraid.

The footsteps sounded heavy. She had gotten good at recognizing who came and went from her room, just by listening to the tread of their feet. But she couldn't recognize this set. It didn't sound like any she had heard. Maybe someone had the wrong room?

But they kept coming closer. Slowly, as if expecting to get caught.

Hello? Who's there? Andy was truly freaked. If she had been able to defend herself, that was one thing, but being unable to move and open her eyes to see any potential danger caused her to panic at even the slightest unrecognizable noises and her cop instincts go into hyper-drive.

Hel- …?

She cut off as she felt strong hands wrap around her throat and squeeze. She heard the monitors go crazy as air stopped entering and leaving her lungs. If she had been able to move, she would have gone crazy, twisting her body to dislodge the threat. But she could do anything.

Help! Help somebody! Please! Since she was only screaming in her head, hands squeezing the life out of her didn't hinder her ability to call out. She kept trying, knowing all the while that it was futile. But she wasn't ready to die. She didn't think she would ever be. She certainly didn't want to go out this way.

Just as quickly as the hands had appeared around her neck, they disappeared. The assailant bent close to Andy's ear and whispered, "I'll be back. And next time, I'll kill you." Then, they were gone.

By the time Sam and the nurses had rushed into her room, her breathing was back to normal and there was no trace of the person who had attacked her so everyone went back to their own business.

Sam was tense, fearing that something had gone with Andy. He had no idea.

Andy couldn't concentrate even as Sam sat down next to her and took her hand. Not even when he began to sip his coffee and read her the newspaper like he did every morning.

Instead, Andy kept trying to place the voice, to figure out who the person who attacked her was.

The voice was undeniably male. It was low and raspy and oddly familiar. She couldn't place it though at the time and that was all she had to go on. Given the chance, Andy would have bet money that this person was also involved in the hotel explosion. In that case, coming to the hospital so soon after the explosion and attempting murder was really stupid. He had to have some vendetta against her or maybe Sam, but she couldn't think of anyone in particular.

It was then that Andy had a new resolve on waking up. She was going to before that bastard had a chance to catch her off guard again. She would find him and he would be thrown in jail and she and Sam would be safe once more.

She was aware when Sam stopped reading. His voice sounded tired when he next spoke to her. "I love you, Andy."

He had been saying it a lot lately. She never tired of hearing it, but she was scared that maybe he was losing hope, too.

I love you Sam. I'm coming back to you.

Hope you enjoyed the update! Sorry it was so short, it just made sense to end it here. More on the way! Who do you think is trying to kill Andy?

Just wanted to mention: For those of you who are interested, feel free to check out/follow the community I'm managing The Life and Times of Swarek And McNally. It's a compilation of some really good stories I've seen floating around and I just started adding more to it. Mine are on their as well for easier access. If anyone has any stories they'd like me to consider adding, feel free to PM me and I will do my best. Thanks guys!

Xoxo
Janelle