Thank-you to everyone who reviewed, favored and followed this story. I'm sorry I didn't update earlier. I work part-time as a bartender at a private Golf and Country Club. Usually I work two days a week. Last week, due to short staff, I ended up being called in to work extra shifts. I worked 10 hours a day for 4 days in a row. Even though I plotted everything out I was too tired to write. I apologize. Please enjoy this chapter.

Sam stood at the bar and watched as Andy bopped around the dance floor with Diaz.

"If you're lucky I may save you a dance." He smiled to himself as he remembered their conversation from earlier in the day.

His gaze followed her every fluid movement on the dance floor.

"It would be so simple to walk over to the DJ and request a slower song. It would be so simple to walk over and ask her to dance with him to his song request."

Silently he watched as she and Diaz finished dancing and walked off the dance floor to chat for a few moments on the sidelines. His eyes followed as she parted ways with Diaz and navigated her way through the crowd to the bar. He noticed every single sway of her hips as she slowly returned to the sidelines of the dance floor with her glass of wine. I moment later he downed the rest of his drink and walked over to speak with the DJ. Unfortunately, when he turned around again she was nowhere in sight.

When he finally located her his song request 'Kokomo' had finished playing. He never did get his dance. She spent the rest of the evening talking to Collins and eventually dancing the last slow song, of the evening, with her UC partner.

Two weeks later

For some reason, over the last two weeks, he could not get the image of Nick and Andy dancing together out of his head. There was something different with the two of them that evening. Actually there was something different with them lately.

Three weeks ago Sam knew...well he knew he was in turmoil. He thought simple was the best choice. His childhood was complicated. His adolescence was complicated. His adulthood was not complicated. Thanks to a cop he met named Charlie Walsh. The guy was rough around the edges, much like Sam's dad, but unlike his father Charlie was pleasant, calm, understanding, fair and as Sam would soon learn 'simple'. Charlie lived every aspect of his life 'simple'. He didn't express his feelings, he didn't discuss how he felt and he didn't involve himself with women who wanted needy emotional relationships. They are up, they're down, they laugh, they cry, they're a complicated mess and Charlie felt they would take him down. The concept fascinated Sam and so he reinvented his life. Everything was much easier when you live your life 'simple' he felt. Six years ago he thought he had met the perfect girl in Monica. It turned out he was wrong. He broke things off with her, but she didn't take the break-up well. She kept calling and leaving messages. Well the 'simple' solution to his problem was to take a long-term UC assignment. It worked. By the time he returned to his 'real life' Monica was no longer a problem. He returned to 'real life' and was living his 'simple' life perfectly fine until Andy ended things with Callaghan. She was now available. He thought he could handle her single status. After all Andy was not 'his type'. She was complicated. When he almost kissed her at that crime scene he knew he was in trouble. She was not 'his type'. The 'simple' solution was to take another long-term UC assignment. It didn't turn out well. When he returned he decided, against his better judgement and tried to have a relationship with Andy. He was unsure of the relationship and never fully immersed himself. Then Jerry died. All the emotions, feelings...it was too complicated. His system shut down. He thought the 'simple' solution was to break everything off with Andy. It would 'fix' him. It would 'fix' how he felt. It didn't work. Well the 'simple' solution to his problem was to tell Andy how he felt and everything would be fine. It was not so 'simple'. Two days later he discovered Andy took a long-term UC assignment. He took it to mean Andy was ending things permanently. After all it is what he did in the past to end things with women. While Andy was gone he met Marlo. She was funny, smart, easy to get along with and 'simple'. They both understood and wanted 'emotional distance'. They entered into a 'perfect' relationship. When Andy returned he was still annoyed at her leaving. He threw his and Marlo's relationship in her face. It was a silent type of revenge. He wanted her to hurt. He wanted her to try to talk to him and leave messages. Turns out he read Andy wrong. She expected him to wait for her and when he didn't she accepted his and Marlo's relationship and walked away. Over the next few weeks he ignored her, he threw Marlo in her face and he was nasty towards her at work. He wasn't sure why...he...was living his perfect 'simple' life. Turns out 'simple' is not...it's not what he expected. All he and Marlo ever speak about is the weather and "How was your day?". "It was good. How was yours?"."It was good." Lately he wanted more than a meaningless-conversation-bed-buddy. He craved a complicated-meaningful-life-partner. He knew he was in trouble.

Today started out well for Sam Swarek. He arrived at work early and completed some way overdue paperwork. Afterwards he located a solid lead to a cold case he was asked to review. Things were going great until a missing child report came through.

Andy stood in front of her open locker staring blankly. Today was, without a doubt, one of the most gruelling days of her life. It was on par with the day her mother walked out on her and her dad. Yet the day started out perfect.

Buzz, Buzz!

"Hello?" Andy said into the intercom for her condo.

"Hey! It's me! Buzz me up!"

"Nick?"

"Yea! Let me in...I have treats!"

Andy smiled to herself as she pressed the button to let Nick into the building.

Knock, Knock!

"Hi! I have two café mocha's with whip cream and chocolate sprinkles on top." Nick said smiling as he handed Andy a cup.

"Nick, it's 9:30 in the morning on our day off. I'm not even dressed yet! I wasn't expecting you until 3:00 this afternoon."

"Yea well...I woke at 6:30 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. I guess my system is programmed for that time in the morning. I finally got up, showered, dressed and decided to surprise you with 'treats'."

Andy shook her head smiling as she raised her cup of coffee to her mouth.

"Oh!...And I have...an apple for us to share." Nick said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a 'Red Delicious' apple. "I know you like apples Andy. You use to buy them all the time when we were undercover."

"I do!" Andy replied as she reached for the apple.

"You still watching Christian for a couple of hours later?"

"As far as I know...Chris said he and Denise would drop him off around 11:00 this morning and pick him up a couple of hours later. They're in the city to sort out some banking. I guess Chris is having his accounts transferred to a branch in Timmins." Andy replied just before she took a bite of the apple and handed it back to Nick.

The day started off so well.

Two hours later Nick and Andy were at a local park playing with Christian. Together they played in the sandbox, slid down the slide, climbed the jungle Jim and swung on the swings. Forty minutes later they were all ready to leave the park and return to Andy's condo for some lunch. Nick went to collect Christians pail and shovel from the sandbox while Andy walked Christian over to Nick's vehicle and carefully buckled him into the built-in car seat in the back seat. I minute later she locked the car, took a few steps and met Nick as he approached with Christians toys. In the next few seconds the day went from great to really bad. They heard the sound of glass shattering, a child crying and then...Nick's window was broken and Christian was gone.

The next few hours were a whirlwind of chaos. Andy was yelled at by Chris and Denise, questioned repeatedly, separated from Nick at one point and...

Sam was the lead detective on the case. In the park he was professional but, back at the station he separated her from Nick. Until then, Nick repeatedly protected her against Chris and Denise's personal attacks, the sarcastic remarks from some of the officers at the crime scene and from her own over thinking. He assured her different times that Christian would be found safe and comforted her when she felt overwhelmed and was about to panic. Once they were at the station though Sam sent Nash to question Nick while he escorted Andy over to his desk. His questions started out professional but they quickly turned personal. It was obvious he wanted to know why she and Nick were out together on their day off. He became sarcastic and nasty at one point until she asked him why he was making things personal. He stuck to the facts after her comment but...she was...she needed Nick's emotional support and he wasn't there at the moment.

Christian was located a few hours later. Thanks to good police work and the photos and videos from a couple of moms on the playground. They unintentionally captured Christians kidnapping on their cell phones while taking pictures of their own children at the park. The images provided an image of Christian's kidnapper as well as proving Nick and Andy's story. Turned out the perpetrator was more than an acquaintance of Denise. Based on Christian's birth date the guy was positive Christian was his son. His repeated requests, over the last few months, for Denise to allow him access to Christian fell on deaf ears. The guy just wanted to get to know Christian. He reached his breaking point and when he saw an opportunity to have Christian to himself he acted.

Andy slowly did up the zipper on her coat and quietly walked out of the women's locker room. Nick said he would meet her just outside the doors and they would take a cab back to her condo.

"Andy!" Sam said as she exited the locker room.

"Sam...please..." She replied as she tried to walk around him.

"Look...Andy...just wait a moment." He said as he moved to block her.

"Sam..."

"Look...I just want to say I'm sorry for earlier. I was trying to solve the case. You know what it's like when you interview a witness."

Andy stood and gently shook her head. "No...you weren't interviewing me as a witness...you...you...it was...I was a suspect."

"Look...I'm sorry. The important thing is we solved the case."

"What do...what do you want Sam?"

"I was going to offer you a ride home. I mean were friends and it's been a long day."

Andy shook her head gently as a tear trickled down her face. "We're not friends Sam. I don't know what we are anymore."

"Andy..."

"A friend doesn't treat a friend the way you have treated me since I came back from undercover. I don't...I don't think...we're not friends. I'm sorry."

"Look! Can I give you a ride home and we can talk."

Andy stood perfectly still as more tears began to trickle down her cheeks.

Nick walked around the corner and saw Sam speaking to a very visibly upset Andy.

"Collins!" Shaw said as he ran up to Nick.

"Here...take the keys to my car. Your truck's impounded for the next couple of days being combed for evidence. Take the keys to my car. You can have it for the next two or three days. Go out to the parking lot and wait beside my car. I'll go over there and get Andy and bring her out in a couple of minutes."

Nick glanced over to where Sam was talking to Andy. She needed help.

"Collins! Let me handle this situation. It has been a long emotional day and you don't want to get into it with Sam. Andy has dealt with enough today. She doesn't need you and Sam at each other. Go and wait by my car."

Nick looked over at Andy and nodded to Oliver before turning and walking towards the front doors.

A few moments later Oliver escorted Andy over to where Nick was waiting. Together Oliver and Nick helped Andy into the car.

"Take her home Collins and don't leave her alone. I know Andy and she will need to talk this out."

'I will...are you sure you don't need your car for a couple of days?"

"I'm sure...I phoned Celery. She is going to swing around and pick me up tonight. We're going out for dinner. My new apartment is only a twenty-minute bus ride from work. I'll be fine for a couple of days."

"Thank-you!"

"Your welcome...now go!"

Back inside the station

"Chris! Wait up!" Dov called.

"Where are you going? Did you see Christian?"

"No! He's not my son. Everything was a lie."

"Whoa! WHAT? The room over there...get in there NOW!"

"Look Dov..."

"NO! No look Dov. In there NOW!"

"Do you remember the day you found out about Christian?" Do you remember what I said to you?"

"Um..."

"I told you to get a paternity test. You told me you didn't care. If it didn't matter back then why does it matter today?"

"Denise lied...she set me up!"

"Okay fine Denise did whatever...this is not about Denise. This is about Christian. He is the same boy he was yesterday. That has not changed. You are the same person you were yesterday. That has not changed. Circumstances may have changed but you and Christian have not. This other guy. If he is Christian's dad then maybe he should meet Christian and get to know him but, in Christian's mind he is not his dad. You are his dad. The earliest memories we have are from the time we are 3 or 4 years old. Christian is 3 years old. He may remember you for the rest of his life. Do you want him to remember you...the guy he called 'Dad' for the first time as the guy who walked out of his life?"

"No...no I don't."

"Good...then get in there and see your son. Take him back to the hotel tonight and look after him like you have been for the last year. I'm going to arrange for you to speak to a lawyer tomorrow and I'm going to find a child advocate lawyer to represent Christian and his best interests."

Chris nodded.

"Now go see Christian."

"I need to apologize to Andy."

"Yea!"

"He was going to take Christian at some point. Andy just happened to get caught up in the mess."

"Yes, she did...go see her tomorrow."

At Andy's apartment

Nick opened the door to Andy's condo.

A few moments later he was sitting on the sofa with Andy on his lap sobbing on his shoulder.

He held her and rubbed his hand up and down her back. He knew Andy and he knew she needed to this cry to let everything out. He watched her throughout the day and saw her fight back tears at least a half-dozen times. Twenty minutes later she calmed down and they talked. Later he left her on the sofa and went to prepare them something to eat.

"Okay! Here you go...one Nick Collins special tomato omelette." Nick said as he placed a plate on Andy's lap.

"Nick...I..."

"Andy you need to eat. We agreed earlier you need to eat."

"I know...it's just I'm not..."

"Andy it was not your fault. It was not my fault. The guy was going to take Christian at some point. It's a huge mess that Denise created. Ultimately it is her fault." Nick said as he sat down beside her on the sofa with his own plate.

Andy nodded as she took a small bite of her omelette.

"How is it?"

"Delicious as always."

"Wait till you see what I have for dessert!" He replied with a small smile.

Back at the station

Sam sat at his desk contemplating the day's events.

Marlo asked him to go home with her but; he declined telling her he needed to work late.

"How did I make such a mess of everything with Andy? Why did she take the UC assignment if it wasn't to end our relationship?" Sam thought as he stood up and put on his jacket.

Andy's apartment

"Keep your eyes closed till I tell you to open them." Nick said.

"They're closed."

"No cheating!"

"They're closed!"

"Okay...open your eyes." Nick said as he handed Andy a dessert bowl and a glass of Brandy.

"Wow...Nick..."

"Okay! First you take a sip of the warm Brandy from your glass."

"Then you take a bite from your dessert."

"Nick...this is amazing. I mean I knew you were good with food...but...why didn't we ever have this while UC?"

"I invented it tonight."

"What?"

"Honest! I looked in your fridge and came up with the idea."

'Really!

"Yes, really...you had vanilla ice-cream, caramel sauce, apples and...I started by placing a couple of scoops of vanilla ice-cream into two bowls, covered the ice-cream with warm caramel sauce, topped with thin slices of a 'Granny Smith' apple and sprinkled the top with a dash of cinnamon sugar. Perfect comfort food."

"Thank-you!" Andy whispered as Nick leaned over and placed a small kiss on her lips.

"Would you like me to stay with you tonight?" He whispered.

"Nick...I..."

"I just want to stay Andy...I'm not expecting..."

"Stay!" Andy whispered as Nick kissed her once more.

It was the second time today they shared an apple. The original 'proverbial fruit' shared by another couple from a time when the earth was new, fresh and virgin.

The question now is, "Who is the serpent?"

Perhaps one of the two sets of eyes gazing up at Andy's window from the street below!?

Would you like to read a forth chapter?