A/N: Thank you so much for all your reviews. I read them all, it means a lot. I'm trying to keep everyone happy with the balance between McSwarek and McCollins, but it's a little difficult as you can imagine. I hope I'm doing the story justice.

Leave me a review, tell me your thoughts, I'll include any ideas where I can!

Thank you to 'Misfits 1-3' for part of the idea for this chapter.

*Disclaimer* I do not own Rookie Blue.

Andy rolled over and spread her arm out across the sheets. Cold. Sam was gone. She sat bolt up right. Maybe he was in the kitchen getting coffee? He could have gone for the paper. He wouldn't have left, surely?

She threw a t-shirt over her head and padded out of the bedroom. No Sam. She sighed and plonked herself down on the sofa. He'd left her a note. A simple sheet of paper, folded, with her name scrawled on the front in his familiar messy script. She reached for it, but couldn't bring herself to read it. She didn't want to know what it said.

A sadness crept up from the pit of her stomach. He'd come to her house, forced himself back into her heart and her bed, just when she was starting to get over him. Just when Nick was making it easier, was making her forget him, slowly. How could he do that, and then just leave. Wasn't it her that was supposed to run away?

She plucked up the courage and opened the note.

Andy,

I am so sorry to do this to you.

It almost broke my heart to leave you sleeping in your bed this morning.

You are so beautiful.

But I had to go. Last night was a mistake.

Marlo deserves better than this. And so does Nick.

I'm sure you're feeling guilty, and I don't want to make that worse.

We have to get our shit in order.

I'll see you at work,

Sam.

As she read her heart crumpled a little bit more. A mistake. He'd said last night was a mistake. How could he think that? It had felt so right, so natural, easy. She couldn't bring herself to deny it. And yet he had a point. What about Nick? She'd slept with two guys in two days. That was so not Andy. She didn't want to hurt either of them, especially not Nick. He was such a nice guy. But how could she not hurt him? She was gonna have to choose at some point. Was last night her choice?

Andy dropped her head into her hands and breathed heavily. It was gonna be hard, but she had to talk to Nick.

Andy got to the station early. She was waiting in the gym when she heard Nick's voice in the corridor outside. She opened the door and called him over. His face lit up at the sight of her and he gave her one of his enormous smiles. She took his hand and dragged him in to the room behind her.

'Sit down, Nick' she said, shuffling uncomfortably on the bench, waiting for him to join her. He sat and turned to face her, a worried look crossing his eyes.

'What's wrong Andy?' he asked of her.

'I need to talk to you, about the other night.'

'It was amazing' he said with a smile.

'Yeah,' she said and smiled tentatively, the thought of his hands on her body crossing her mind. She blinked and shook her head to rid her thoughts of the image.

'Was it a mistake?' she asked him. Immediately he looked hurt.

'A mistake? Why do you ask that?' he replied, confused.

'I just need to know if you regret what we did? I have a lot going on in my head right now, most of it involving you, and Sam. I need to make some sense of it, starting with whether you think we made a mistake.'

'Andy, the other night was perfect. I wouldn't take it back for anything. We're good together,' he implored of her, raising his hand to cup her face.

'Don't Nick,' she said leaning away from him.

He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.

'This can't happen,' she continued, 'not until you talk things through with Gail. I know you don't want to, I don't blame you! She can be a rottweiler at times. But nothing can happen between us until you talk to her. We're both gonna need time.' She said.

'You want me to tell her about us?' he asked.

'No.' she practically barked at him. Taking a breath and calming herself down, she said 'Ask her how she feels, tell her if you don't want to be with her, once and for all. But don't tell her about us. That has to come from me. I just need to wait for the right moment.'

He didn't look convinced.

'Andy, I've already told her its over between us.'

'Tell her again,' Andy said, getting up to leave.

'Wait,' he called after her. 'Why now? Why today? Did something happen Andy?'

'No, I just want to sort out this mess. I can't live like this.'

'You're lying to me,' he probed, turning her round to face him. 'Tell me what happened Andy.'

'Nothing,' she tried. He just stared at her, not giving up.

She caved, 'Sam came round last night.' Nick's eyes widened.

'What did he want?' he asked.

'Nothing, just leave it Nick,' she said, shaking him off and rushing to the door. She was gone, leaving Nick lost for words in the middle of the room.

Andy heard shouting from the yard as she made her way outside at the end of her shift. Not again, she thought to herself, hurrying around the corner to see what was happening. A crowd was gathering, but even through the sea of bodies she could make out Sam throwing punch after punch at Nick, who let them fall before letting his own fist make contact with Sam. Sam recoiled instinctively, tripping as he did, falling flat on his back. Nick didn't pause before landing a deafening kick to Sam's ribs. He groaned and rolled on the floor. It went quiet for a moment. Sam made his way back to his feet and was about to lunge again for Nick, when Oliver barged his way through the crowd and took hold of his friend by the arms, drawing them behind his back. Some of the other officers took that as their cue to restrain Nick too. Andy was glued to the spot, unable to move, unable to speak. She couldn't quite believe what she had just seen. They were still shouting at each other, as Oliver tried to calm them down.

'You are unbelievable, Swarek. You make me sick!' Nick threw at him.

'Ha!' Sam retaliated, 'You're a fine one to talk!' Sam quipped, 'Why don't you take a long hard look in the mirror before you accuse me of cheating.'

People were whispering, looking around to see if anyone knew what he meant. Nick's eyes sought Andy out in the crowd. He spotted her, leant against the wall a distance away from them. She looked defeated.

'You slept with her, didn't you?' Nick asked of Sam.

Sam smirked.

'You slept with her too,' was all that Sam said in reply, before shaking Oliver off and limping over to his truck. Andy watched him climb inside and start the engine, before tearing out of the car park. Her eyes travelled the crowd.

Gail. She was stood right there, watching the whole thing. Her face blank, Andy couldn't tell what she was thinking. She willed her legs to move and headed towards her friend.

'Gail,' she said when she was a few feet away. Andy raised a hand to rest it on Gail's shoulder.

'Don't touch me' Gail said hollowly.

Andy tried again.

'I SAID DON'T TOUCH ME!' Gail screamed at her.

'I'm sorry,' Andy said, 'I didn't mean for this to happen.' Nick had loped over to join them, and stood at Andy's side.

'You stay away from me,' Gail threatened, raising a hand to prevent them reaching her. 'You stay away.' She choked as she said it, and turned on her heels, walking away shakily.

Andy went to follow. She closed a few feet of the distance before Gail added, 'You don't deserve him, you bitch.'

Andy stopped. She didn't know what to say, or what to do. Gail was right. And it hurt.

She turned after a minute, and found Nick in front of her, an empty look in his eyes.

'Why, Andy?'

She said nothing.

'You told me nothing happened.' He said simply.

'I'm sorry,' was all Andy could manage.

'Sorry? After what I said to you, what I told you. You're sorry?'

She bowed her head.

'Sorry isn't enough, Andy,' he said, and walked away.

She stood alone in the yard as the crowd dispersed. Her expression was blank but inside she was crying. No one approached her, not even Oliver who had watched from afar. She was completely alone, and it hurt more than anything else.

Sam paused outside the condo to collect his thoughts. It was Marlo's day off and he presumed she would be waiting for him on the other side of the door. He hadn't seen or spoken to her since the revelation in the car lot the previous evening. He was dreading seeing her now. But he owed her an explanation and a chance to tell her side of the story at least. He knocked and held his breath until she answered. Marlo opened the door a fraction and peered out. She was wearing sweats and a tank top and her hair was a mess, piled on top of her head. She looked rough, like she hadn't slept in days,

'Hi,' she said meekly.

'Can I come in?' Sam asked.

She stepped back and opened the door fully, allowing him to slide past her into the hallway. He made his way to her bedroom and perched on the bed. The newly pink walls made his eyes hurt as he sat squinting, waiting for her to join him.

She stepped into the room tentatively. 'We need to talk, don't we?' she questioned.

'When were you planning to tell me?' he asked her.

'About my bi-polar? Probably about the same time you were planning to admit your feelings for me.' She replied.

'What?'

'I'm not stupid Sam. Yes, I should have told you about my condition. But I'm handling it. I've been handling it for years. It's not a problem. The problem is you, convincing yourself everyday that you can live a lie.'

'But you've been acting weird lately, more stressed. I figured it was because of your illness.' He suggested.

'I've been acting weird because my boyfriend has been sleeping with me while he's in love with someone else.' Marlo bit at him. 'Anyone would act weird!'

'I'm not in love with her Marlo.'

'Don't lie to be Sam, I'm not an idiot. Anyone that cares about you can see it. The moment she walks into the room your eyes follow her. You bring her up in conversation more times than I like to notice. You kiss me like you're holding something back,' she accused.

Sam sighed.

'You've been sleeping with her, haven't you?'

'No.'

She raised an eyebrow.

'Once,' he qualified.

'When?'

'Last night.' He said.

Marlo drew in a breath. She was quiet.

'Why?' she asked.

'Because she slept with Collins,' Sam replied.

'And you were jealous?'

Sam looked conflicted. He didn't say anything.

'Why are even with me Sam?'

'Because I like you,' he said simply, 'because its easy.'

She watched him closely.

'Because I couldn't have her,' he added ashamedly, looking past her.

'And there we go! The truth!' Marlo exclaimed. 'I knew it, deep down. But I kept telling myself that you wouldn't do that to me.' She paused. 'It's always been her, hasn't it?'

Sam raised his eyes to look at her, a pitiful expression on his face. 'I hate what I've done to you,' he said, pained.

Marlo slumped onto the floor, her back against the wall. He hadn't denied it.

'I'm done, Sam,' she said limply. 'I'm so done.'

He moved to comfort her, but she just closed her eyes and turned her head away.

He took one last look at the broken woman at his feet before walking through the door.

It was a restless night. For all of them.

I really had no idea where to stop for this chapter. I'm not completely happy with it, but then it's a tough situation and tough to write. Let me know your thoughts. There's more to come from Gail next chapter! Which way will Andy finally turn?

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