**authors note: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLTHE WONDERFUL REVIEWS! I will most definitely try to post longer chapters, it is hard to keep up with all you great writers also, I posted that this was set after episode 7 I was wrong, it is set as an alternate ending for episode seven. Sorry!

DISCLAIMER: still don't own rookie blue, unless the screenshot as my desktop background counts

Andy didn't know she wouldn't have to wait until the Penny tonight.

When they got back to the station, Best was trying to get everyone to radio Diaz and Epstein; no one was able to get in touch with them. Gail texted Chris repeatedly, with no response.

"I know where they are. They're at Archie's Storage Facilities, I asked them to go there, after seeing that Sophie Lewis had a storage locker in her name. Sam said he had mountains of paperwork, so I figured he would want to get that done before shift was over." Andy said, praying Sam would back her up on this lie.

"It's true, boss, I've been taking some hints from my friend Shaw here and have been letting my paperwork build up." Sam agreed, cementing Andy's lie. Andy felt relieved, then kind of stupid. Of course Sam would agree with her on this, he always had her back. He was there when it mattered. But he wanted space. She sighed audibly as she and Sam made their way back to their desks.

"What is it, McNally? Worried about how you're going to give me space? I am rather irresistible." Sam joked, but, like usual, he was right on target.

"Funny, Sam. "Andy replied, hoping he wouldn't press the issue.

"No, seriously, what is it?" he prodded. He knew something was wrong. He always knew. Andy loved this and hated this. On one side, it was so amazing to have a partner who understood her, who respected her, who let her persuade him to trust her. But he already trusted her. He was just a great partner. A great guy, in general. He wa-

"Andy! We need to talk." Luke said, stomping towards her.

"I thought you went home, Luke. You should have stayed there." Andy shot back, so not in the mood to talk to him right now, if ever, especially now since a lot of people had figured out that she and Luke weren't just 'taking a break'.

"Look, McNally, I'll meet you in the paper room." Sam said, looking angry and uncomfortable.

"No, Sam, stay. There's no need for you to leave, because Luke was just passing by. Right, Luke?" Andy said frostily, ice in her voice. Sam sensed her anger, and wondered if he was angry because they couldn't be together without her looking stupid, or if there was something else. He figured the latter, because he could usually read Andy pretty well, and he though there was something else in that pretty head of hers.

"This isn't over Andy. You can't avoid me forever." Luke said, miffed.

"Try me, Luke. ''

``Yeah, McNally, let`s go. You don't need this`` Sam said, pulling her into the women`s locker room.

``Andy, I want you to tell me what`s going on in your head, and I want you to tell me now. I don`t like seeing you this way. What he did to you was wrong, but it can't affect your actions on the job. Okay?" Sam spoke quietly, putting his hands on either side of her head, like he had done after Andy was shot. Butterflies went nuts in Andy's stomach whenever he was this close to her, and it made it hard to concentrate. But she wasn't going to show that too easily. Then again, knowing Sam and how easily he could read her, he had already figured it out.

"McNally, do you plan on answering me any time soon or should I just focus on trying to figure out why your breath hitched when I put my hands near you?" Sam asked, in a serious tone, but his face was smiling, his dimples doing things that they really shouldn't do to her insides.

"Sam, I just don't want everyone to look at me like that. With pity. So far you are the only one who hasn't looked at me like I need help, like I may not be able to handle myself. But you keep looking at me and I'm not sure why. Oh, and my breath did not hitch. "Andy said, half smiling. Her breath didn't hitch, did it? She didn't let herself show her feelings, did she? Because if she did then this situation became very different. She couldn't stop staring at his eyes. Oh god….his eyes! Andy thought she might go insane. Sam was having the same thought, deciding there's no better time than the present to discuss what he was trying to talk to her about in the cruiser.

"Andy, I haven't been able to stop looking at you for a while now. And it has nothing to do with Callaghan. "