Days soon turned into weeks, the weather growing colder & snow becoming a frequent sight every day. Christmas was also drawing closer leaving both Sam & Andy with a heart of ice & feelings of winter inside where they had before had warmth.

Sam now heavy into his cover Sam would sneak calls to Shaw & Jerry to check up on Andy as he was genuinely worried about her keeping herself out of trouble. He felt reassured that two of the people he trusted most in the world had his back by watching over Andy in silence.

Until he heard that Stone was now not only Andy's partner but close to becoming her friend as he was now taking her home & having drinks with her at the Penny. Her & everyone else he reminded himself shutting out the idea of Andy seeing someone else quickly out of his mind as he felt his jealousy turn to anger & hatred- directed to a man he had never even met.

Andy having spent most of the last few weeks since Sam left trying to keep herself busy, to keep her mind off things. She found it depressing that Christmas was just around the corner. She had not even thought of Christmas until the lights & decorations had started going up. She was out on an off day & had decided to do some Christmas shopping so headed off to do just that- retail therapy she thought.

While shopping she walked into a music store to get some new music to cheer up her life.
Slowly moving into the store & browsing through new releases she heard a familiar song start to play

"All night, staring at the ceiling
Counting the minutes, I'm feeling
This way, so far away and so alone
But you know it's alright, I came to my senses..."

Great she thought just what she needed. Moving to the salesman behind the counter to ask sweetly "This song- the cd? Can I have it please?" This would be her Christmas present to Sam even though he was gone- words were all she had to give now.

Briefing the next evening before shift was able to cheer Andy up though she was being swopped out to ride with Chris, bringing her a sense of belief that things can still be normal.
"So Andy? Ready to bust some bad-asses?" Chris said jokingly as they made their way to the cruiser.

" Oh & how" she replied as she climbed in glad to be able to ride with a friend for a change.
The night was pretty slow, a few cars slipping on the ice & snow, a drunk & disorderly outside a liquor store & that was all. After booking their drunk they returned to the streets patrolling for any signs of adrenaline waiting for them.

"Still early, little after midnight, feel like a coffee?" Chris asked heading towards their usual coffee shop.

"Sure!" Andy exclaimed desperate to warm up now that the snow had started falling again.

"Great" Chris smiled obviously as keen as her. They made it halfway over the green light just before they were to turn into the coffee shop when a car skidded slipping on the icy road.

As Andy looked up she felt like a scared dear trapped in oncoming headlights. Then she heard the metal on metal sound of steel scraping steel followed by a dizzy sensation of spinning & rolling & hearing Chris shout out for her in pure petrified fear before she felt sudden pain burning through her... Followed by a flash of light & then a silent darkness waved over her... & then nothing...

"Andy! Andy!..."She heard the familiar voice but it was so far away..."Hang in there Andy... Helps on the way" a tormented voice said to her...

"What the hell!" Sam exclaimed disgusted that someone dare to call him at this time of the morning. "Yeah"He answered not opening his eyes.

"Sammy..."

"Shaw? What's up?" He asked confused by this call, they were not supposed to call him while he was deep undercover.

"Sammy... I know that I'm not supposed to call you, but I think you need to know..."His voice trailed off with fear of saying something.

"Spit it out Shaw it's 2-30am!"

"It's Mcnally" Shaw exclaimed.

Sam sat bolt upright now fully awake & shaking with fear. "What happened Shaw? Is she okay...? She's okay right?" He said in a voice filled to overflowing with fear & raw emotion.

"She had an accident on patrol, out with Diaz, she was taken to hospital. Sam she's in ICU... A car skidded on the ice & hit Andy's side ... They rolled. She's pretty banged up. But she's stable"

Sam could not breathe, his head was spinning & his heart was pumping so loudly he could hear it in his ears. "What hospital?"

"Mercy" Was all Shaw got out before the line died in his ear.

Sam slammed the phone down racing for his jeans & jacket he knew he had to go see her, just to see that she was okay, alive. To hell with the op, he thought as he headed out the door slamming it as loudly as his heart was slamming in his chest.

Just a look just a peek he thought as he hailed a cab & got in.

"Where to buddy?" The driver asked.

"Mercy General." As the ride progressed into the city & noticing Sam's need for silence the cabby turned up a song as it came on the radio-

"Skies are crying
I'm watching, catching teardrops
In my hands Only silence as attending
Like we never had a change
Do you have to make me feel
Like there's nothing left of me

You can take everything I have

You can break everything I am

Like I'm made of clouds like I'm made of paper
Go on & try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground

Like a skyscraper..."

Andy's ring tone began to play on the radio a song which she had loved so much she would let it play before answering a call. This plunged Sam into a dark place, a place he didn't know existed a place he might now face without Andy.

Asking at reception for her room number he was only successful after flashing his badge that he had hidden under the floorboards of his cover apertment. He headed towards the lift to the third floor ICU, CRITICAL CARE. Waiting until the coast was clear he slipped quietly into her room heaving in a breath of shock when he saw her. Looking so pale & fragile & so broken there where she lay he felt a tear rise in his eyes brought on by the pure emotion he felt seeing her there, monitors, tubes, an iv that clearly had blood in it.

Walking over on shaky legs he moved closer lost in awe of how she was hanging to life by a thin thread & still managed to look so beautiful. "Andy.." He whispered so only he could hear, gently leaning over to move a lock of hair that had fallen over her face in her deep slumber. Letting out the breath he didn't realize he was holding until he did, he leaned over & gently kissed her on the forehead moving to take in a last look before leaving as silently as he had entered.

Every night for the following three nights he visited her in the early hours of the morning. Waging a war with himself for leaving her, for missing her for loving her. This is not how he wanted to spend the rest of his life anymore, away from her. He wanted to have & hold her, to keep her safe. Call her his Andy. He had been creeping in & out of her room & standing just watching her sleep until Shaw had phoned to tell him she was being moved to a normal recovery ward. Pretending to be surprised by the news he was grateful to him & Jerry for keeping him updated although he had read her file every night he had been to see her.

Most nights he could not sleep, not without seeing & knowing she was ok.