Sorry for the long wait!

But working 40 hours a week and keeping up with my social life is getting in the way of managing two stories at the same time. And I have to admit that inspiration is lacking too..

But here is the next chapter, I hope I won't disappoint you!

XX

The next few days were calm for everybody. Andy was able to make her peace with the case. She still didn't understand how people could do stuff like that, but she knew that there wasn't anything she could've done to prevent it. She and Nick had done what they could. Unfortunately that hadn't been much.

Andy walked into the barn with a coffee in her hand. She noticed Sam getting out of his truck as she made the way to the door, so she held it open for him. ''Hey,'' she greeted him.

''Hey,'' Sam said back to her. ''Are you ready to go back out there?'' Sam knew that Andy was the kind of cop that took cases home with her. His fear was that one day that would become too much for her. One day she might not be able to handle feeling everybody's feelings.

Sam knew he wouldn't be able to stand on the side lines if she would lose herself. He knew how that could end. He had seen it too many times.

''I'm fine,'' Andy promised. When Sam gave her an unimpressed look she smiled sadly. ''I know that we did everything right. We did everything we could. Nothing we could've done would have changed the outcome.''

''You're right.'' Sam slowed down a little and looked at Andy. ''I called child services. The boy will stay with his grandparents. They are solid and are able to look after him.''

Andy was slightly surprised at Sam's confession. She didn't think he would call and check. Sam noticed her surprise and looked away. ''I figured that you would want to know. So I decided to check.''

''Thanks.'' Andy smiled and held Sam's gaze for a moment. ''I appreciate that.''

''Sure,'' Sam answered. He kept looking at Andy until she nodded her head in the direction of the locker rooms.

''I should go,'' she said. ''Don't want to get stuck in booking for being late.''

''Of course.'' Sam nodded. ''Have a good shift McNally.''

''You too.''

XX

Andy was thankful that she was partnered with Oliver that day. He was like the uncle she never had. He always seemed to look out for all of the rookies. Maybe it was because he was a father, but Andy had a feeling it was just who he was.

Oliver really was one of the good guys.

Their shift was calm and quiet, something Andy appreciated on a rare occasion. Normally she loved the thrill her job gave her. Right now she felt like she had had enough excitement for a year. A few hard shifts and six months of undercover could do that to a person.

''You okay there McNally?'' Oliver asked when Andy hadn't said a word for thirty minutes.

''Why?'' Andy asked. ''I'm fine. It's a quiet day.''

''It is,'' Oliver agreed. ''Hope you didn't jinx us again McNally. But seriously, the fact that you're not talking while you're riding shot gun has me a little bit concerned.''

Andy smiled and looked at Oliver. ''Really am fine,'' she promised. ''How have you been? How are the girls?''

Oliver swallowed. He knew this question was going to come up a lot more. He might as well rip the band aid off. ''I filed for divorce,'' he admitted. ''She's in love with someone else and there's nothing I can do to change it.''

''Oliver. I'm sorry.'' Andy's voice was filled with sympathy. She really wished that Oliver would have his happy ending.

''I'm fine,'' Oliver immediately said. ''It was inevitable. The girls are the first priority now.''

''How are they?'' Andy asked. ''Do they know already?''

''We told them together. They probably already suspected it. Izzy seemed to be relieved.'' Oliver took a deep breath and shook his head. ''It is for the best.''

Andy looked at Oliver and smiled sadly. ''Do you have a place to stay?'' Andy's place wasn't big or anything, but she would offer Oliver her couch in no time.

''Staying with Sammy,'' Oliver answered. ''I'm going to look at apartments tomorrow. I need a place where I can have the girls spent the night.''

''I'm sure Sam wouldn't mind..'' Andy said. She knew that Sam was a good friend. He would let Oliver stay with him for as long as he needed to. If that involved Oliver's kids too, than he would do it. On the few cases where Sam and her had worked with kids or teenagers he had proved that he was good with them. It always melted her heart a little when she saw him interact with the younger citizens of Toronto.

''He probably wouldn't mind,'' Oliver agreed. ''But I don't want the kids to see me living on uncle Sammy's couch.''

Andy nodded. She could understand that. ''You're a good father,'' she said. She said the same words to him a year ago after his whole world was turned upside down too. ''When my mom left us.. At first I felt relieved.'' Andy never really talked to anybody about this, because she was so ashamed.

''The fighting stopped,'' Oliver filled in.

''The fighting stopped,'' Andy confirmed. ''I was just happy that they couldn't be at each other's throats constantly. Of course I didn't think she would not look back for the next fourteen years..''

''Her loss,'' Oliver promised. ''Zoe and I already agreed that the girls are most important right now. They shouldn't have to suffer for the things that went wrong between us.''

Silence filled the car for five minutes. ''Sometimes separation is the best thing,'' Andy thought out loud. ''Clean slate.''

''I have to admit that this isn't what I had in mind when we got married, but yes,'' Oliver agreed. ''For us this is the right thing to do now. Doesn't mean that separation is always good. Some people do work together.''

''You want to grab lunch?'' Andy asked. ''I'm starving and I'm in the mood for something very greasy. I'll even pay.''

Oliver smiled and nodded while he turned the cruiser around. ''You have always been one of my favorites McNally. A girl after my own heart.''

XX

That evening Andy walked into the parking lot. She saw Nick standing besides his truck. He waved her over so Andy walked into his direction.

''Going to the Penny?'' Nick asked. ''It's been a while since you've been there. Time to start living again McNally.''

Andy smiled faintly and shrugged. ''Guess I haven't been in the mood lately.''

''How was shift?'' Nick asked. ''Probably quiet considering the fact I haven't seen you in booking all day long.''

''Yeah,'' Andy confirmed. ''It was a pretty slow day. Which was nice for a change.''

''After the last case we dealt with that was probably something you could use.'' Nick leaned against his truck and sighed. ''Days like that I wonder why I'm doing this job in the first place.''

''We learn from it,'' Andy repeated Sam's words. ''Maybe next time there is something we can do to help. And there was nothing we could have done differently that time. They were already dead before we arrived.'' Andy shuttered when she thought back to the sight that she still had fresh in her mind. ''I think it will take me a while to get over the sight of that girl.''

''Me too,'' Nick agreed. ''You didn't answer my phone calls. I tried to call you, wanted to know if you were okay.''

''I didn't answer anybody's phone calls,'' Andy admitted. ''Just spent some time by myself and with my father.'' Andy closed her eyes and also leaned against the truck. She raised her face up to heaven and took a deep breath. ''I love summer nights,'' she softly said. ''Being outside in the fresh air.''

Andy stood there with her eyes closed for a few moments. The parking lot was extremely quiet and the air was fresh. When Andy opened her eyes, Nick wasn't leaning against the truck anymore. He was standing right in front of her. Andy let out a nervous laugh.

''You look beautiful in this light,'' Nick said softly. He brushed her hair from her face and let his thumb linger on her cheek.

''Nick,'' Andy warned. She knew where this was leading towards and she was dreading it. Nick was such a good friend and she felt like she couldn't afford to lose him. She couldn't give him what he wanted either.

''Why don't you let me in?'' Nick asked. ''We are good together Andy. We work together well, we have fun when we are together and obviously we have a spark.''

''Nick,'' Andy repeated. ''Come on, we talked about this.''

''You never gave me a good reason for why it can't happen,'' Nick said. ''Just a date and I'll show you that we make sense together.''

Andy shook her head and sighed. ''Nick, I care about you so much. But not in that way. Please don't do this.'' Andy really didn't want to hurt Nick, but she knew it would end up like that either way. She wished she could go back in time and take back the night they spent together. Obviously that was poor judgement on her part. She gave him the wrong idea because of that night and she hated that.

''One kiss,'' Nick said. ''One kiss and then look me in the eyes and tell me you don't feel the same way.'' He was determined on letting her cave. He knew she would return his feelings. He could make her forget about her crappy year. He could make her see that he was better for her than Swarek ever could be.

A sigh escaped Andy's lips while she shook her head. ''No good is going to come out of that.'' Andy crossed her arms in front of her chest. ''It won't change anything and it will only cause more trouble.''

''It's my own suggestion,'' Nick dared her. ''I'm a big boy. I know what I'm saying. One kiss Andy. One kiss and I won't mention it again. You can't pine away for Swarek forever. He doesn't deserve you.''

''This is not about him,'' Andy angrily said. ''I'm sorry that I gave you the wrong impression, I am. But I don't want to lead you on. I don't have feelings for you.''

Nick smiled and stepped closer. ''Prove it.'' He saw Andy roll her eyes at him, but that didn't stop him. ''Prove it,'' he repeated.

Andy let out a long breath. She knew that no winners would come out of this situation, but Nick needed to face the truth. So she took a step forward, cupped his jaw and slammed her mouth against his. Nick's hands immediately found her waist and pulled her closer. His hands moved over her backside while their mouths moved together.

After a few seconds Andy broke away from him and removed his hands from her waist. She looked Nick in the eye. ''I'm sorry'' she started with. ''But, I don't feel that way for you and I don't think that will ever change.''

Nick looked truly defeated for two seconds, but then composed himself. ''That's fair,'' he said. ''I'm gonna go home.''

''Nick,'' Andy said as she reached for his arm. She was afraid that this would happen, but Nick needed to understand that he didn't have a shot with her. ''Please.''

Nick swallowed and smiled. Anybody could tell that the smile was fake, but he tried anyway. ''It's fine. You warned me. I just thought that you were wrong.'' Nick's gaze turned to the ground and then he searched for Andy's eyes again. ''It's still him, isn't it?''

Andy chewed her bottom lip and nodded. ''I wish it wasn't. Things would be much less complicated if it wasn't.''

''But it is,'' Nick filled in.

Andy nodded and shivered. ''I don't want to lose you,'' she softly said. ''I can't lose you.''

''Hey,'' Nick said as he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. ''You won't. I agree that this wasn't the finest moment for my ego, but you're still my friend.''

Andy laughed at Nick's attempt to lighten the mood. ''If it helps, I wish I did feel the same way.''

''I know,'' Nick agreed. ''I'm going to head home. You should go inside and find Nash, have drinks. You spent too much time holed up in your condo.''

Andy nodded. ''We'll see. I'll see you tomorrow?'' she asked.

''Of course.''

As she watched Nick drive by Andy thought about how easy it would be if she could chose who she loved. She wished she could return Nick's feelings because that would be easier. It would be easier to be with someone she didn't have history with. It would be easier to be with someone who didn't have any trouble confessing his feelings for her. It would be so much easier to be with someone who didn't have the power to completely destroy her.

But she didn't feel that way. She still had feelings for the guy she had more history with than with anybody else. She still cared about the guy that couldn't voice those three little words until it could literally be his last chance to say them. She still loved the guy that broke her. Months later and she was still picking up the pieces.

There was no denying it.

No matter what happened between them, she still loved Sam.

XX

''Hey,'' Andy said as she walked into the D's office after a few minutes. Traci was the only one left in there. Apparently it wasn't just a quiet day on the streets. ''You almost finished here?''

''I am,'' Traci promised. ''You okay? You look sad. Did you talk to Sam?''

''No,'' Andy answered. She sat down on Sam's chair and rested her elbows on his desk. ''Why?''

Traci put down the file in her hand and sat down too. ''He said he needed to do something when he saw you leave. I guess I was wrong,'' Traci said. ''What's wrong then?''

''Nothing,'' Andy didn't want to be complaining about her man problems every time she talked to Traci. Especially considering the fact that Traci was still mourning for Jerry. ''Just tired.''

Traci sighed and put her head on her hands. ''You don't have to lie to me,'' she said. ''I wouldn't ask you if I didn't want to know. I'm not some sad little bird and I want to know what's going on in your life.''

''It's nothing important,'' Andy insisted. ''You want to go out to the Penny? Or maybe to my place? I bought a brand new bottle of red that has our names written all over it.''

''Sure,'' Traci said. ''Give me five minutes and I'll be ready.'' Traci knew she would get Andy to talk if they had some time alone together. Andy could be very predictable. So Traci quickly finished the last things she had to do and turned off her computer.

Together they walked to Traci's car and thirty minutes later they were on Andy's couch, each with a wine glass in their hand.

''You talked to Nick lately outside of work?'' Traci asked. She had a few ideas about what could've happened with Andy and was determined to find out the truth.

Andy nodded and took a sip of wine. ''Sure. We talked today.''

''What happened Andy?'' Traci asked a little more firmly. ''It's me. We tell each other everything.''

''It's nothing serious,'' Andy promised. ''Nick just cornered me again about having feelings for him. And I don't, I really don't.''

''You told him that?'' Traci asked. She knew that Nick could be persistent. He had spent the better part of the year before trying to win back Gail. She had to admit that the guy didn't give up easily.

''I did. On multiple occasions. Then he told me to kiss him. He would leave me alone if I still didn't feel anything after that.'' Andy stood up and turned on the radio. She let the music play in the background while she finished her story. ''I told him that it was a bad idea, but he kept telling me to do it.''

''So you did it,'' Traci guessed. ''And?''

''Nothing,'' Andy replied. ''I don't feel that way for him. I told him that again, but he seemed kind of hurt. I hope things between us won't be awkward.''

Traci leaned back against the couch and shrugged. ''You didn't do anything wrong,'' she promised. ''You warned him. You told him how it would play out and you were right. He knew what he was getting into and maybe he will get it now.''

''I hope so,'' Andy softly said. ''It will probably be okay. He should just find some nice girl somewhere else and then he'll realise that we are better off being just friends.''

''When did this happen by the way? Sam and I saw you leave and you were back fifteen minutes later.'' Traci refilled her glass and took a sip.

''In the parking lot,'' Andy answered. ''He wanted to go out to the Penny and then the whole thing came up.''

''You kissed him in the parking lot?'' Traci asked. ''I thought you were going to be a little more professional.'' Traci smiled wickedly and raised her eyebrow.

''Oh my god,'' Andy put her hands in front of her face and shook her head. ''There was no one there,'' she said after a second. She sat up straight. ''I'm sure that there was no one there.''

''I was kidding,'' Traci said. ''You are young and single. You can do whatever you want.''

Andy rolled her eyes and puffed out a breath. ''I already have an awesome reputation,'' she said. She was still hurt because of Marlo's words. ''I don't need to add to that.''

''You worry too much about what other people think,'' Traci said. ''You're a good cop.''

''People don't care about that as long as there is drama to gossip about.'' Andy downed her glass of wine and slammed it on the table.

Traci put down her glass too and stretched out. ''People are idiots. They should care about your abilities as a cop and nothing else. Your life, you decide how to live it.''

''I know,'' Andy agreed. ''I know. The parking lot was really quiet and we were behind Nick's truck. There is no way that anybody saw what happened. I would've noticed.''

XX

Oliver sat up when he heard the door slam closed. Two seconds later Sam walked into the room with a clenched jaw. Oliver knew Sam for a long time and he knew that the look on his face meant nothing good.

''What's wrong?'' Oliver asked.

''Nothing,'' Sam said as he threw his duffel bag in the corner of the room. Without looking back Sam disappeared upstairs. Oliver heard the shower running and knew that Sam needed some space right now.

Twenty minutes later Sam was downstairs again. He had changed into grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt. He walked into the kitchen and Oliver heard cabinets open and slammed close again.

When Sam appeared in the doorway again he had a beer in his hand. Without saying a word he sat down on the couch and turned his gaze to the TV.

Oliver kept his eyes on his friend and noticed that he formed a fist every five seconds. ''I'll go out for a moment,'' Oliver said as he stood up. ''Take a walk. The weather is nice.''

Sam huffed. ''Don't leave on my behalf.'' He took another sip of his beer, but didn't look away from the TV.

''Why would I leave because of you?'' Oliver questioned. ''You have such a fun personality.'' Oliver knew that he was pushing the limits. If anybody else would talk to Sam that way they would pay. Oliver could get away with it though.

Oliver walked towards the door and grabbed his jacket. He walked back into the living room to grab his keys and was just about to leave when Sam spoke up again. ''I lost her,'' were the three words coming out of his mouth.

Of course Oliver knew that he was talking about Andy, he didn't even have to ask. ''You two had a fight?'' Oliver asked.

''No,'' Sam said. He was still looking at the TV while he was sipping his beer. He stood up and returned with a bottle of scotch and two glasses. ''Sit down,'' he said. ''Don't be an idiot, you don't have to leave.''

Sam poured scotch in the two glasses and handed Oliver one. He sat back in his chair and ran a hand across his face. ''She's with Collins now,'' Sam said. ''Saw them together in the parking lot. I wanted to talk to her, but I missed my chance.'' Sam took another sip and shook his head. ''Again.''

Oliver shook his head and frowned. He knew that Nick and Andy were close, but he saw no sparks there. Most of the time he was aware of stuff like that. But maybe right now he had other things on his mind. Maybe he missed a few things. ''What did you see?'' Oliver asked. ''They are good friends, maybe you are reading things the wrong way.''

Sam let out a sarcastic laugh and shook his head. ''He basically had his hands on her ass while she was shoving her tongue down his throat, so I'm pretty sure I'm reading things the right way.''

Oliver was silent for a while. He did not see this coming. He really thought that his friends would work things out. So Oliver did what he did best. He looked for a positive thing about the whole situation. He raised his glass and nodded at Sam. ''Who would've thought a year and a half ago that we would both be single now? At least misery loves company.''

Sam didn't answer Oliver's question. He just kept thinking about everything that he did wrong. He thought about everything that he should've done differently.

He lost her again.

He lost her when he didn't even had her.

It was over.

XX

I know, it's mean..

But things always work out in the end.

I'm stupid enough to even have some hope left for the end of this season!

Please review to let me know how you feel!