A/N Hey guys! I'm sorry about the delay in releasing an update. I was on vacation and just got back into town yesterday. I rushed to get down the ideas I thought of while I was gone and put this together in a bit of a hurry for you guys. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, and, we should be returning to a more normal release interval. Enjoy :)

The rush of emotion hit Gail like a truck. Thoughts of Sophie threatened to overwhelm her. Barely holding all of that within, she instead put on a smile on embraced the social worker.

"Gail, it's so nice to see you! How have you been?"

Gail opened her mouth to say something biting, not directed at Lauralee, but in general. After all, she was Gail Peck. Instead, she reconsidered and said she was doing well, all things considered.

"Lauralee, this is Detective Anderson and Detective Epstein."

"A pleasure to meet you. Are both of you working the Carson case?"

"Uh, no. Just me," Dov said and Gail elbowed him almost immediately. "Oh, and many other fine officers. Like Officer Peck, here."

Lauralee smiled and said, "I'm glad this case is in such competent hands."

"Yeah, well, we'll let you talk to Epstein so you can get on with your night," Gail said. "It's really great to see you again." She could feel the façade she had put on beginning to crumble and wanted to rush out the door before it happened.

"Right, well take care of yourself, Gail."

Gail nodded then walked out the front door, Frankie trailing her. Outside, Gail leaned up against the wall and placed her hands on her knees trying to compose herself.

"What just happened? Were you and she ever…?", Frankie asked.

Gail breathed deeply a couple times, straightened, and wiped tears from her eyes. She shook her head," No, it's not that at all. It's different, about a girl named Sophie. I'd tell you but I'd rather do it with a drink."

"The Penny?"

"No, just the two of us."

"My place, then."

Dov pulled a chair up to the side of his desk and invited Lauralee to sit down.

"Thank you, Detective. So, who is Detective Anderson to Gail?"

"Uh, well…"

"I know she's a Lesbian, if that's what you're worried about. Remember, I was her case worker when she was trying to adopt Sophie."

"Right, no, it's not that. It's just that I'm not sure how to describe them. They definitely have a relationship. What that is, that's tough to describe. I'm not even sure they could."

"Ah, well, I'm happy for her. She deserves it after Holly, her brother, and then losing Sophie."

"Yeah, that sucked for her. I know she really cared for Sophie and wanted nothing more than to be a mom to her. But you have to understand how upside down her life was then. It was a horrible time for her and just really unfortunate."

"The important thing is that Sophie got placed in a great family and is doing wonderfully."

Dov nodded. "Well, not that I'm excited about it or anything, but it looks like you're getting another chance to work that magic."

"You really don't think there's any hope in a relative taking custody of Lacey?"

"No." Dov handed her the file her had on Lacey and her relatives, with focus on the uncle in Buffalo. "But, maybe you'll be able to talk it through with them so they see things differently."

"Yeah, hopefully. But if not, there's somebody out there who will want to have a daughter in their life. Somebody that will see her as a loved addition, not an unfortunate burden."

"Definitely, there is."

Andy woke up, groggy, felling distant from what she was seeing, blurry, almost like she was looking at it from afar. Then she felt something squeezing her hand.

"Hello darling."

"That voice snapped her too and she realized she was in a hospital bed and hooked up to a bunch of machines."

"How are you feeling?"

Andy rolled her head towards the voice and Sam ran a hand through her hair. "What happened?", she asked.

"You don't remember? You were in an accident."

Andy shit her eyes and processed that information. She was trying to work through the fog in her mind to remember what happened. But the after effects of the anesthesia were hindering that. "What happened?"

"Well, from what I understand, a car hit you and then a bus hit you."

Andy popped her eyes open, she was beginning to remember bits and pieces. "Is everybody okay?"

Sam appreciated his wife's selflessness. Caring about everyone else first. "The driver of the car died. A lot of people got hurt on the bus but nobody died. A lot of injuries like you."

"What do you mean?"

"Some broken bones, mostly. You broke an arm and a leg. No head trauma, so that's good. You also apparently had a pretty gnarly gash on your forehead. Might get a nice scar out of that."

Judging from her reaction, Sam thought the notion of a lingering scar bothered her more than the broken limbs. "We had units there very quick. Gail and Chloe were just around the corner when it happened, so that was good."

"Sam! Our lunch, with Mia. I'm sorry. I was going to meet you two. I remember that."

"Andy, are you kidding me? Don't be sorry. We're just happy you're going to be fine."

"How is she?"

"She's good. I left her with Nash when the hospital moved me up here. Marlo came and picked her up. Speaking of Nash, I have to call. She and Oliver have been waiting downstairs."

"For me? For how long?"

"Yeah, just until you woke up. It's been a little while," Sam smiled and grabbed his phone. I'll go get the nurse, tell them you're up." He stopped at the door and turned around. "Andy, really seriously, I'm so happy you pulled through this so well. If anything happened to you I'd completely self-destruct. I'm just lucky you're so tough."

"Hey, how many girlfriends have you had that could walk away from a bomb and an accident like that?"

Sam thought about it then held up two fingers before slipping out the door way.

Andy could only shake her head.

"You were that close to adopting her? And then I met you? Right after that?"

Gail nodded, "Yeah, pretty much."

"Wow. I'm so sorry I ripped you so hard that day. I wouldn't have if I'd known."

"How could you have. It's fine. I've accepted it. Sophie is in a great family now. Knowing that gives me solace and enough closure. In the end that's what I wanted most for her. I only wish I was the one providing it."

"Is that something you'd consider again."

Gail took a sip of her drink and pondered for a moment. "I don't know. Maybe. If I met a kid in a situation and I felt a real connection. Then, maybe. Not a great answer, I know."

Frankie said nothing but stared at Gail for a while.

"What?"

"I think you know you would. Not only that, but you want to be a parent still."

"How…Why…?"

"Gail, you've got that maternal side to you. You may keep it hidden to most. But those you let in close, we see it. To have you realize that and be so close, I think this is something you don't want to give up on. But you're trying to play it cool because you're Gail Peck."

"Oh yeah? What about you?"

"Being a mom? Yeah, I don't think that's my thing. But hey, who knows, right?"

"So, you think I should try to adopt again?"

"I think you still want to. And that's what matters."

"What about us. What would that do?"

"I don't know. We'd have to figure that out."

They both sat silently, sipping their drinks, unsure of what any of that meant.

The next day, Chloe and Dov came to visit Andy in the hospital.

"Hey guys, you didn't have to come visit me. They say I'll be out of here later today anyway."

"Ah, it was no problem," Dov said. "How're you feeling?"

"I'm feeling pretty good, considering. Not thrilled with the casts and immobilization. I should be out and back in a couple months or so. Maybe longer with rehab."

"Could have been worse," Dov said.

"Yeah, you would not believe that you're this good if you saw your truck," Chloe added.

Andy smiled, "Yeah, Sam said I told Sam I was tough. Maybe I was just lucky. Chloe, you and Gail getting there so quickly. Not getting hurt that badly. It's like someone was watching out for me."

"Maybe you're tough and lucky," Dov said. "Where is Sam, anyway?"

"He's down in the cafeteria getting some food for us."

"Okay, I'm gonna head down there, have to run something by him."

Dov left leaving Chloe and Andy alone. "So, only a couple months and you should be out of those things?", Chloe asked.

"Yeah, that's what they say."

"Good, good. Because I wanted to ask you something." Chloe began pacing for a moment. "Would you be my maid of honor?"

Andy smiled wide, "Me?"

Chloe nodded anxiously.

"Why me?"

"Well, you did save my life that day in the park. And I caught your bouquet at your wedding."

"There wasn't much challenge there," Andy remarked.

"Still, there's the tradition that goes with that and now that I'm getting married I figured I owed it to you a couple times that I'm here."

"I see."

"So, you'll do it?", Chloe wore a huge smile.

"I'd be honored. Do, you guys have a date in mind?", Andy was barely able to get the question out before Chloe wrapped her up in a gentle hug.

"Not specifically, something in May or June probably."

"That sounds lovely."

"It does, and it'll give you time to shed the casts, so you can look great and do some dancing, too."

"Definitely."

Oliver sat in his office, on the phone with the Sergeant of Drug Squad. "Let me get this straight, you're telling me you have nothing on any of these guys?"

"That's what I'm saying. Who told you we did?"

"You guys. Detective Blackstone came in to talk to some of my detectives about the case. He said the roommates, Parker and Fisher were subjects of an ongoing Drug Squad investigation," Oliver said, getting a little frustrated.

"Well, there's nothing in our system with those names. And nothing on their address either. What was the name of the guy your Detective shot at the scene?"

"Reese, Matt Reese. We see it as he killed Fisher at the house. Parker killed himself when two of my officers pulled him over on a simple traffic stop. He also had a bag full of money in the back. Cash in small bills mostly. Lots of it."

"Yeah, that all sounds pretty interesting, like there is something going on. But we got nothing on those two guys. Reese, has some priors, but they're pretty old."

"Yeah, that's what we're seeing too."

"I'm sorry Staff Sergeant, but we have nothing. And I'll have to ask Blackstone about that whenever he comes in."

"Wait, wait. What do you mean 'whenever he comes in'?"

"Well, he went home early yesterday and called in sick today."

"Huh. Listen, can you let me know what he has to say when you talk to him. Because he basically told us to take a hike and leave it to you guys. But now you're telling me you guys have nothing going on."

"Will do. I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Sergeant Becker."

"No problem, sorry we couldn't be of more help."

Oliver hung up and called Traci's desk. "Hey Nash, I just talked to Sergeant Becker at Drug Squad. Why don't you assemble the team and meet me in my office? I've got something you'd all probably like to hear."