I didn't really know where this was going but I figured it was worth sharing, so thanks for reading.
It had been six weeks. Six weeks of hospital checkups, paperwork, lying in bed with Sam, lying in bed without Sam, generally being bored for six whole weeks.
Andy didn't like not working but right now she couldn't possibly imagine getting back in to a squad car. Every time she thought about it her mind sabotaged her and brought back strong memories of almost drowning, the way the water was ice cold, the way it forced itself down her throat, the distinct overwhelming feeling that she may never see Sam again. That's what scared her the most. Since the accident that almost took her life they had spent many nights holding on to each other confessing secrets in the dark.
But tomorrow was supposed to be different. Tomorrow was the day when the paperwork would stop and she was expected to get back into a squad car for an eight hour shift. It was scary to even imagine.
Last week they had her go to the wrecker yard and catalogue everything that was salvageable from the car they pulled out of the water, which was basically nothing.
"I'll go with you." Sam offered as she got dressed. She thought about it for a moment, looking at his face as he sat on the bed watching her. He had really been a saint these past few weeks but Andy though she needed to do this alone. Maybe she would be stronger if he wasn't there waiting for her to break down again.
"Thank you Sam, but I think I should do this by myself."
When she stood in front of the car an hour later she had no idea how she managed to get out. The whole side was squished; she couldn't even read the police decals on the car. Flashbacks and hazy memories flooded her mind as she opened the door that was unscathed. The smell was horrible. Salty and reminiscent of the murky water she almost died in. She took another minute to compose herself before opening the glove box. Everything was soaked.
She spent another hour cataloging the wet mess for internal affairs, who insisted that she was the only one who could do it. Maybe it was their way of making sure she was fit for duty after the accident, either way, Andy hated every minute of it.
When she got back to their house after dropping of the paperwork at the station she wanted to do nothing more than to shower. She walked in to their bedroom and heard the water already running. Sam must have gotten off his shift and come home early. She hesitated for a moment before deciding to join him. Standing by herself any longer and she might fall apart right there.
She went in to the bathroom quietly as to not warn him of her presence and pulled off her clothes, which she though smelled entirely too much like that fateful night. She opened the door and Sam felt a gust of cool air and turned around.
There were no grand gestures of togetherness while they were in there. Something told Andy that someone must have phoned Sam after she left the station about how distant she seemed because he didn't force her to talk. He stood idly as she fussed with shampooing his hair and insisted that he return the favor. He always did know exactly what to say. Before they got out she pulled him into a hug and they stood there together under the stream of water that was beginning to run cold.
Andy tried to force the memory from her mind. After their shower they laid on their bed and Andy had what she was determined to be her last breakdown. Tomorrow she needed to be ready to move forward.
When she woke up Sam was already out of bed making coffee she could smell from down the hall. She laid there staring at the ceiling until he came in and told her she was going to be late. She went through her morning routine like nothing had happened and before long they were in Sam's truck on the way to the station.
"It will get easier." He said after he put the truck in park. "It's like riding a bike; it will come back to you."
"Fake it till you make it." She gave him a smile and hopped out of the truck
That's it, I wasn't really sure where I was going to go with this, actually I never really planned on writing a sequel.
Please review, it means a lot, and check out Empty Cradles if youve got spare time.