Title: Feel It Now
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rookie Blue. This is for entertainment only (and something I would love to see happen).
Pairing: Andy/Sam
Summary: With Sam gone to Guns and Gangs will Andy cope on her own?
Notes: This is my first Rookie Blue fic and it was set after 'In Plain View'. I have changed the opening a few times to fit with what was happening and I was going to change it again but I will never post it if I keep doing that.
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Friday 7:40pm
Andy had transferred everything from the boxes into garbage bags. Moving the box twice already was hard enough; garbage bags she'd learnt as a child were much easier. She dropped the last bag on top of the pile just inside the entrance to Sam's house. The clip of her heels seemed to bounce off the walls in the completely silent house. The only sign off life was coming from the hall light she had turned on when she entered.
Moving into the kitchen she realised that when Sam left he knew he wouldn't be back for months. Everything in the house was turned off and unplugged. She opened the fridge to find it clean and empty; the cupboard next to it held a few tins, a jar of coffee and container she guessed was the sugar. A few letters sat on the counter but nothing seemed out of place.
She hadn't seen any of this the first time she was in his house. Really on her way to his bedroom she was on a high like she'd never felt before and was focused on Sam and his mouth. On her way out she passed a still shirtless Sam leaning on the doorframe that lead to what she now knew was the kitchen. With her back to him just as she was about to pull the door closed behind her he said he was here if she needed to talk. Andy still drew in a sharp breath every time she thought about the look on his face.
It hit her; 'where was she going to sleep?' With that she took the first few steps towards the back of the house where his bedroom was when she noticed the stairs. At the top of the stairs she guessed would be the spare bedroom. After finding the light switch for the stairs she saw the plastic sheeting that was hanging from the roof at the top of the case.
Lifting the sheeting up on one side Andy felt for the switch and stepped through to find the opposite to the ground floor. The area was completely empty with the exception of tools and toolboxes that lined the floor on one wall, and rolled on the far wall was the old carpet that exposed the floorboards. Unlike downstairs they weren't polished, the walls weren't freshly painted and bathroom door was leaning up against the bath on its side.
'This is what Sam did with his free time.' Now Andy knew where he had leant to fix plumbing. As she stepped into the first bedroom it still had the brown and cream swirl carpet in place. It was easy to see why he was pulling it up. The walls were pink and she guessed at some point they were most likely covered in posters; the next room had light blue walls. Only one of the walls had holes in it; at some point someone had punched the wall.
Slipping back under the plastic she realised she'd put off his bedroom as long as she could. She hesitated at the door for a moment; looking in it was just as she remembered it. The thick charcoal duvet looked as welcoming as it had felt that night. Wanting to focus on something other than the bed the framed photos above it caught her eye. The photos were clearly this house, two shots of the ground floor, the first with just the internal frames standing and the second was the front. The signature in the bottom corner simply read Sarah.
His sister had taken the photos and framed them for him. Now they rested above his head. They showed just how much work Sam had put into his house. It also explains how he afforded to live where he did. Not many single police officers could have afforded to live in this area in a three-bedroom house. Andy stopped next to the tallboy and opened the top draw then instantly closed it. He hadn't given her his keys for her to riffle through his things.
Andy turned on more lights as she moved through to the lounge room and she smiled to herself. It was simple, just like the image he projected. Not really at all like Sam and yet it seemed to fit him well. The couch was in the middle of the room with the television remote neatly placed on the glass coffee table. A bookcase that held mostly CDs was on the far wall with a single chair and an acoustic guitar resting on a stand next it. The only thing that didn't seem to belong was a tattered notebook and pencil that lay on the chair.
It had only been a few minutes and Andy realised just how much of himself Sam kept hidden behind the wall he'd carefully built. She wondered for a moment if it came from his undercover work. Only letting people see what you want them to see, only letting them know as much as you want them to know. Andy ran her hand along the middle shelf of the bookcase trying to get a feel for what he listened to and she noticed for the first time that despite the wall of CDs she couldn't see a stereo of any kind. It was the one thing that did fit with her picture of Sam; him sitting quietly alone with his thoughts. And that note pad held them, she was sure of it.
Consequently she now found herself pacing around the chair solely focused on the notebook. In the cruiser she would have paid to know what was going on behind those eyes. 'I shouldn't read it.' She thought to herself, 'I can't read it.' She repeated as she picked the book up from the chair and walked back in the kitchen.
Glancing around she muttered to herself, "Where would the pots be?" Andy opened the drawers nearest to the oven without luck and started to move around kitchen. She moved from drawer to drawer in the kitchen until she found what she was looking for. She dropped the notebook in with the things she was guaranteed not to use and slammed the drawer shut.
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Sam sat watching as the lights in his house turned on and off again in each room. He'd sat in the same spot last night waiting for her to come but she didn't. He wanted to know that she was safe. He couldn't be sure she would be okay in a motel, and he had been more careful in coming here the last few days. He made sure he wasn't followed, but he couldn't keep coming here every night. He couldn't risk it, but he couldn't risk not checking on her.
So here he sat, his cover phone in his lap waiting. He'd never known Andy to be quiet for so long; Sam picked up his phone and dropped it again. This was killing him, she was just there, in his house and he was trapped in a world of gangs.
It had been almost two hours and he had seen her walk past the front window twice. The last time over an hour ago; since than it was only the flickering light from the television that indicated anyone was in the house. He smiled to himself at the thought of a home with Andy in it. As he watched, the front room went dark and a few seconds later a shadow of light cast from his bedroom hit the window.
Sam started the car satisfied that she had somewhat settled in when the front room filled with light. From the street he could see her outline as she passed back and forth. The room plunged back into darkness and again the dim light from his room fell on the window only to have the main room fill with light seconds later. 'She wasn't settled.'
Sam picked up his phone and started to type in a few words before drawing in a deep breath. He debated if he should just call. He hated text message, it was so impersonal but he thought that is what they both needed right now. Impersonal was certainly what he needed. He was already in enough trouble.
Sorry about the mess. 1st floor not finished. No spare room, you'll have to use mine.
He thought he could see her jump and at the same time he knew he was just over thinking everything at the moment. Last time he was under he didn't have anything to come back to. Sarah had just gotten married and didn't need him anymore; really she hadn't needed him for a long time. He loved how well she was doing but at the same time Sam knew he had lost something that gave him purpose. So it didn't matter to him how long he was under as long as he got his man. In the end he didn't get his man and this time he was left hating himself for running away.
Mess?
The return message made him smile as he began his reply.
The first floor is the same as when I was a kid. Got a lot of work to do.
Kid? Did you grow up in this house?
I brought Sarah's half off her a few years ago. Been working on it ever since
So you do have a plan.
No McNally I have a house.
Sam waited a moment before sending a new message. If he didn't leave soon he wasn't going to make the meeting.
Go to bed.
Nite
Sam ran his index finger over her reply before deleting the conversion trail.
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Sunday 4:30pm
"So … you're livin' with Swarek's." Traci said from the other side of the kitchen bench.
"No." Andy noticed she wasn't really asking. "I am just staying here until I find something." Andy held out the glass of wine for her to take. "Here."
"You said you had something." Traci replied as she walked into the living room.
"I do. It's just not permanent and as a bonus I don't have to listen to you and Jerry." Andy said sarcastically as she cut the cheese.
"Who's this?" Traci pointed at the framed photos on the wall opposite the bookcase.
Andy walked up behind her and pointed to largest of frames that had been grouped into a pattern. It was a simple photo of Sam at about 30 leaning on a railing with a waterfall in the background. Next him was a woman with the same dark eyes and black hair. "Sarah. I think."
"Sarah?"
"His sister, she's a few years older." Andy really looked at the photos in this room for the first time. Two were older style photos of his parents if she had to guess. He never talked about them and from his comment about buying Sarah's half of the house she guessed they had both passed. "She must be married now." Andy said all of a sudden as she pointed to a photo at the bottom of the group. The same women with an older man, his hair mostly grey and between them was a young Asian girl about three.
"Is that her kid?" Traci asked.
"Must be. Sam's only mentioned her once."
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Monday 7:30am – The Barn
By the time they had watched the movie, ordered dinner and drank the bottle of wine Traci had brought with her it was almost midnight. So Andy had made the couch up for Traci and for the first time she would be the one driving them to work. It was also the first time that Andy had taken up Sam's offer to use his truck.
"Does Luke know where you're living?"
"No." Andy replied as they both slipped into the locker room.
"You gonna tell him?"
"Tell who what?" Gail asked as she entered the room.
"No one. It's got nothing to do with them." Andy directed her answer at Traci before she finished tying her bootlaces and left.
On her way from the lockers to the coffee station she noticed that Best, Jerry, Oliver and Luke were all crowded in Best's office. They seemed to be focused on whatever Luke was holding.
"What's going on?"
The sound of Dov's voice without hearing him approach almost caused Andy to drop her foam cup. "I'm not sure."
"They found a body on Saturday morning." Gail said as she arrived with Traci. "It was really gross, no hands, smashed face. They even cut his tongue out. It was dumped at the main gates to High Park." What she said seemed to have no impact on her as she sipped her coffee. "I mean they dumped him in a park. A little kid could have found it."
"That's not in our division." Traci said as she filled her cup.
"Yeah well all I know is they wanted Luke's help." Gail replied.
"Really!" The tone in Traci's voice was not lost on those around her. "And how do you know that?"
"What? I get in early." Gail waited a few moments before continuing. "Not all of us stay up drinking on a school night."
"Boyd's here." Traci pointed as the undercover detective took the steps to Best's office two at a time.
"McNally." Oliver stepped out of the office long enough to call Andy up.
"Yes sir?" Andy pressed herself up against the glass wall next to the door.
"Have you spoken to Sam?" Jerry asked
Her eyes darted from person to person in the room not really sure who she should focus on. "No." Andy wasn't really lying she hadn't spoken to him, but she was getting worried.
"McNally." Frank waited until she looked at him before he continued. "Sam hasn't checked in since Friday lunchtime." Frank lifted his finger a little off the desk to point at Boyd. "He told Detective Boyd he was going for a meeting on Friday night a club. The surveillance team never checked him going in and no one has heard from him since."
"The body? Gail said they found a body." Andy couldn't concentrate on what Best was saying as Gail's words replayed in her head. "Is it Sam?"
"McNally I need you to focus. Have you had any contact with Sam?" Jerry asked again.
"He text me on Friday night-"
"On your phone?" Boyd cut her off.
"No on a phone he gave me."
"Of course he did." Boyd said as he turned to face the glass wall that looked out over the main floor.
"Where's that phone?" Jerry asked
"At his place."
"You're living at Swarek's?" Luke spoke for the first time his tone sharp.
"What did he say?" This time it was Oliver who asked ignoring Luke.
"Nothing."
"Andy this is important." Oliver continued.
"He really didn't say anything. He didn't say anything about where he was or what he was doing. He just..." Andy trailed off.
"He just what?" Jerry pushed.
"Nothing he just apologised for the mess and told me to go to bed."
Jerry tapped his hand on the doorframe a few times before his head shot up. "What time was that?"
"Almost midnight?"
"Did you tell him you were up?" Jerry asked.
"What?"
"Did you tell him you were up? How did he know you weren't already in bed?"
"I don't know." Andy said her voice only just above a whisper.
"He was watching you." Jerry said more to Boyd than Andy. "He told you the meeting was at the club at eleven."
"Yeah." Boyd answered.
Jerry turned his attention back to Andy. "Are you sure about the time?"
"Yes."
"So Sam missed the meeting or." Jerry stopped talking as he tapped the door again.
"Or?" Andy asked with a raised voice.
"Or the meeting time or place was changed." Oliver finished for him.
"Sam couldn't have been concerned or he would have checked in." Andy said more hopeful than confident.
"Or he wasn't thinking straight." Boyd snapped at Andy.
"I don't think this is her fault." Jerry jumped in.
"You don't?" Boyd continued to stare at Jerry as he raised a hand to point at Andy. "She's texting an undercover and you think this isn't her fault."
"Well maybe if you'd kept your mouth shut like I told you to! Sam wouldn't have wanted to see her in the first place." Jerry dropped the volume of his voice before he continued. "This could have all been avoided."
"Thanks McNally." Frank said as he stood. "Officer Shaw is going to take you to get that phone."
"Sir." Andy addressed Oliver once they were out of the office. "Is it Sam?"
"They don't know." Oliver looked over his shoulder at the office they had just left. "All we know is they found a body on Saturday morning."
"They must know." Andy was now almost pleading, her eyes only just holding back the tears.
"Andy." Oliver grabbed her arm once they were out of sight. "You really haven't heard from him since Friday."
"No."
"The body they found matches Sam's description, white male, dark hair-"
"That could be anyone." Andy cut him off.
"Andy whoever killed this guy made sure he couldn't be recognised, but then left to body in a very public place." Oliver seemed to shift his weight from one foot to the other, "They cut his tongue out."
Andy shock she head not understanding what that meant.
"It's a message. Dead men cant talk."
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Thanks for reading and thank you to everyone that has commented so far.
I cannot wait for Thursday! I also think that it is going to be Andy that ends up in trouble. I think Sam will talk his way out of it and Andy will end up in the car with the 'devil'. But that is just what I am thinking anyway.