I'm SO sorry to keep you waiting for this chapter.. I really am!

I'm having some personal issues at the moment.. For quite a long time now, (say about 1.5 year) I'm having these terrible daily headaches. It started around the age of 16/17 (I'm now 20) , every now and then I had migraine, but now every single day, I have these constant headaches. And after visiting so many doctors, specialists and nothing that works.. Perhaps you can understand how unhappy I feel.. And besides that, my relationship just ended after 5 years. It's for the best, we were too different in too many ways, we just didn't work out but it still stings..

That being said..

Thank you all so much for the many favs, follows and reviews!

To one 'Guest' out there; in this story Andy never asked for Gail her blessing for her and Nick. I thought it was pretty much clear that in my fanfic Andy and Nick slept together 'cause she was drunk, he took advantage of it and Andy regretted it. And that's all that's happened between them. Nothing more and that she doesn't want a relationship with him.
Besides that, I know that in real life they don't send police officers to do undercover assignments in other countries.. but as you say yourself.. it's a fanfic. So I'm not changing that.

Enjoy!

After almost two hours of playing, laughter and a lot of beers, Andy threw her cards up in the air and shook her hands in denial.

'No more! I keep losing, God I'm really bad at this', she giggled and stood up.

'Nahh McNally already? Never saw you for a quitter' Sam said, a big smile on his face, looking at his cards and then putting them down. 'Raise!' he cheered.

Dov and Chris let hear a loud 'oohhh no he just didn't!', looking at their own cards to think of another strategy.

'I fold.' Oliver said and stood up too, about to follow Andy to the kitchen. 'Anddd…' Oliver started, his hands motioned to the others and the cards, chips and beers at the table. 'I think we should stop playing man. This goes on forever.'

'aah come man! I was about to win!' Sam showed his disappointed face but when the others agreed too he put down his cards. 'So.. what's next?' he asked.

Andy and Oliver were in the kitchen, grabbing some snacks and Oliver studied Andy carefully. 'Feeling a bit better McNally?'

She looked up from grabbing chips and she slowly nodded. 'Yeah..' she began quietly, not entirely sure yet if she was okay. But thinking about it, she had fun now and talking to Chris and Dov really helped to clear her mind. 'Yeah, I'm okay now.' She followed with more confident.

Oliver nodded and smiled a bit. 'Alright then,' he patted her lightly on the back and looked at her. 'But don't hesitate to come to me when it's not, okay? You know you can tell me anything.' He said, still looking serious at her.

'I know.. thanks Oliver.' She smiled. Then she looked back at the bag of chips in her hand, little too quietly, and then looked back at Oliver. 'I uh… I.. I just wanted to say Oliver..' she swallowed and then went on. 'You are a great father to your kids. I know you're going through a difficult time but you're making the right choice with Celery. She's great, perfect for you in fact. Don't ever think you fail as a father just because things didn't work out with Zoe.'

He smiled and grabbed the bowl with chips from her. 'Thanks Andy. You have no idea how much that means to me. Come on, let's get back to the guys. Before they start another round.'

When they walked back in the living room, Andy saw a very curious Dov looking into her bag, holding up some DVD's. 'I didn't know you were into Disney Andy?' he joked.

'Shit, must've grabbed the wrong ones. When I looked after Leo I bought some to watch together. ' She explained, grinning while she hid her face in her hands. 'I feel so stupid right now.'

'Heyy don't be! Finding Nemo is actually a great… GREAT movie. Watched it so many times now, you'd be surprised!' Oliver said laughing and took Andy by the hand to let her sit down.

Sam tried to hide his smile, but he wasn't doing a very good job at it. The thought of Andy spending time with Leo, watching Disney and all fascinated him. He knew she was good with kids. He saw her holding Olivia a few times when Noelle took her to the station to show her around. And saw her too with Leo and Christian. He remembered she told him one day she'd like to have kids on her own. He shook his head. That seemed like a lifetime ago..

'So, a dog. Your own car. All those Disney movies..' Oliver raised his eyebrows while looking at Andy. 'You got the whole package McNally. I would say you were thinking about settling down with someone? Start a family? '

Sam almost choked in his drink and coughed, Oliver patting him on the back to get him out of it. 'Don't drink too quick there, brother'

'Yeah well, that's not gonna happen for me.' Andy said and grabbed a chippie before she continued. 'Not anymore.'

'Why not? You were always great with Christian!' Chris spoke up and nodded. 'I'm sure you'll be a great mom someday Andy.'

'Well, I don't have the best examples.. A mom who left me, twice now. It's funny that somebody..' when she was speaking the words her eyes looked a second at Sam, 'tried to warn me for it, that it might happen again and I shouldn't trust too easily, but.. I didn't listen, of course. And a dad who fell of the wagon.' She sighed deeply, her smiles and laughter from seconds ago suddenly completely gone.

Dov stood up, walked over the couch where Andy was sitting and gently motioned to Boo to get off it, sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug. 'YOU are gonna be a great mother. ' He said and Chris also nodded to that.

'He started drinking again? Oh Andy I'm sorry, I thought he was doing so good?' Oliver was very surprised to hear about Tommy. He really thought he had turned his life around and even had a new girlfriend. He shrugged and let out a disappointed sigh and had to fight the urge to stand up and also give Andy a hug. He couldn't stand it when she was hurt or sad.

'He was. But Tina left him and short after my mother took off again, which made me miserable and he couldn't handle it. Next thing I knew I got a call if I could please pick him up at some random bar he went to..' she paused and you could see the disappointment written all over her face. 'He was drunk.. Very drunk..'

'When did this all happen?' Sam tried to keep his voice steady and normal, but inside it was killing him that Andy's parents walked out on her again. He wanted to help her, comfort her and make things better, but for now he had to stay low.

'Only a few weeks ago.' She answered, not looking at him. It hurt to admit she should've listened to Sam before, when he tried to warn her about her mom. '3 weeks.' She added, after some thinking.

Dov and Chris shared a look and Dov seemed to be counting something down with his fingers.

'What?' Andy fired at them, wondering what was going on in their heads.

'Oh.. it's just that.. it explains a lot you know. Now you're saying this all happened just 3 weeks ago.' Dov shrugged and Chris nodded in agreement.

'It explains what?' Sam wondered, but he wasn't only thinking it. But really saying it too.

'Well that with..'Dov tried to speak up, but Chris raised his pointing finger up and gave him a very hard look. Stopping him from continuing before Dov would blurt out something they agreed not to spit out.

'It's just that you weren't yourself back then, but you didn't want to talk about it. And one night at the Penny you were very eager with the tequila shots you know.. got drunk and all, talking crazy, acting all weird and funny.. maybe afterward doing something you'd regret but is very understandable and nothing to be ashamed of..' Chris spoke and while saying the last words he kept his eyes fixaed on Andy's.

'Ohh..' She knew he was talking about sleeping with Nick, and was thankful he stopped Dov from completing his sentence. They all had a few beers now so it was really just a matter of time before Dov made a slip. 'Yeah, guess you're right. Still regret that night though. It was a very stupid thing to do..' she paused shortly but immediately added 'the drinking, I mean..'

'I hope that was the only night you drank too much McNally?' Sam said sharply.

'Drinking doesn't solve anything Andy. So don't become like your dad.' Oliver added, looking a bit worried at her.

'No, no.. I also had a tough shift that day, and then my dad and mom.. so it went a bit wrong.. was the only time, I swear. I'm good now.' Andy's sincere tone in her voice made Oliver and Sam relax a bit. She was alright..

'It's getting pretty late..' Oliver said while he looked at his watch. 02:17 a.m. '.. or early. Whatever you like better. ' he grinned and stood up, reaching for some empty beer bottles to clean up the mess they made throughout the night.

Chris yawned and Dov spoke up: 'yeah, you're right. Glad I don't have to work tomorrow.'

'Well, I do. Just like Chris, but in the late afternoon, so I don't have to worry about lack of sleep but..' he motioned to his own head. 'With that much beer I'm sure I'll have a headache tomorrow.' He grinned and Chris started laughing. 'It will be a hell of a day if we also got paired up together man..'

'Make sure to bring some painkillers then,' Andy smiled back at them and was glad to have a few days off until.. the undercover job. She suddenly doubted if it was a good thing to do. Well, sure it was the most dangerous UC she could think of but that was not the reason she started second guessing it.

She looked around at her friends who all stood up and said their goodnights, going to get some sleep, while she and Boo slept at the couch. Andy grabbed her bag and went to the bathroom to change quick into her sweatpants and a warm sweater, then headed back to the couch and spread out the blankets. She walked to the kitchen, searching for a little … to fill with water and put it on the ground so Boo could drink whenever he wanted throughout the night. She hopped on the couch and when she was under the blankets, her legs just a little bit up, she patted the couch so Boo would jump up at the end and lay down at her feet.

Andy let out a sigh and thought about the undercover job. Would people think she ran from her problems again if she went under? She definitely would.. But, she didn't want to run anymore. It wasn't gonna fix anything! Yeah, it was a huge mistake to sleep with Nick and then thinking they could still be friends, while she knew he had real feelings for her. But maybe after some time they could just forget about it. And then there was Gail.. She never thought Gail would be so angry at her. But then again, it was Gail. She could be so unpredictable sometimes. Cold hearted one second, then suddenly all worried and caring like a real friend the next.

In one of the other rooms, Dov was already snoring out loud but Chris and Sam were still awake.

Sam was just lying on his back, staring at the ceiling and Chris tossed and turned around and threw with his pillow out of frustration. 'Damn it Dov can you snor even louder?' he mumbled, but Dov didn't response and was far away in his dream lands about Chloe.

Chris growled, looking at his pillow which was now at the other end of the room, which meant he HAD to get out of bed to get his pillow again. When he stood up, he saw Sam looking up at him.

'For a little guy he sure can make a lot of noise' he stated.

'Yes, he can.' Chris shrugged and grabbed his pillow, getting back into bed again. 'He keeping you up too or is there something on your mind Swarek?' he asked suddenly, knowing that Dov would sleep through their conversation anyway.

'Nothing.' Sam just said.

Chris waited a while, turning around again and closing his eyes, but sleep wouldn't come while Dov was making noise like he was cutting down a whole forest. So he sat straight up, his back against the wall and he looked at Sam.

'She's leaving for an undercover job again. That one in Mexico.' He blurted out. 'She can't be around you and Marlo anymore.' He added. He knew he shouldn't have said it, but he thought Sam needed to know. He was team McSwarek, always was and always will be and Andy leaving for this dangerous assignment.. probably bringing her back badly wounded or even worse, dead, was killing him. He'd do anything to make her stay. Earlier, when he told her to change division, he wasn't kidding either. He'd rather see her leave the team, but still seeing her sometimes around the Penny and hanging out with friends, than never seeing her again.

Sam sat straight up and his eyes popped almost out of his head to this revelation, completely shocked. 'WHAT?!' he 'whispered-yelled' at Chris, not wanting Dov to wake up.

Chris just nodded his head and looked at Sam.

'Sh- she.. she can't, n- nno, that job.. it's.. it's way too dangerous!' he stumbled over his own words, raising his voice a little. His hands were waving crazy in the air until he clenched his fists and began to turn white. 'And what do you mean? Can't be around me and Marlo anymore?'

'Because she's still in love with you.' Dov told him.

Chris's eyebrows raising up, crawling to the side of his bed, popping his head down to look at Dov, who had the bottom of their bunk bed. 'Hey, you're up?'

'Well, yeah Mr. Not-Over-Andy-And-Faking-His-Relationship-With-Marlo woke me up.' Dov smiled carefully, hoping he hadn't just made a comment that would get him a punch in the face.

Sam frowned and looked more confused than he already was. But he didn't know what to say or do next, so he just stayed silent, for one of the two to continue.

'Everybody can see it. Marlo and you are not gonna last, it's always been Andy for you and always will be. You two belong together and you better do something about it before she's gone for good.' Chris said.

'Or change her mind and decide to give her and Nick a go,' Dov added and the instant he spoke the words, he was glad to be down and not right next to Chris, ohh he would have punched him so hard for it.

It looked ridiculous from upside down, but Chris indeed gave Dov a deadly look and tried with his left arm to reach Dov so he could give a smack on his head, but Dov easily backed away missing it. 'DOV! And I thought I already said too much, but you just had to make it worse!'

Sam felt like he had ran and smashed into a thick wall, his heart stopping a moment and finding it hard to breathe. He had seen Nick and Andy a few times at the station, laughing and teasing each other but he hoped it was just friendship. 'What do you mean, her and Nick?' he had to hear it for himself to believe it.

'Sh- she uhhh.. – ' Dov hesitated and looked at Chris, who looked back at him with a face just spill it out already, damage is done anyway now. 'She and Nick slept together. Andy was drunk, because of her whole family fucked-up kind of situation, he took advantage of it 'cause he has feelings for her but she doesn't. She was trying to get over you by getting under him. But immediately regretted it and now neither Nick or Gail are talking to her.' Dov took a deep breath and then let it all out, apparently really relieved. 'So, glad that's out there.' He said then with a little giggle in his voice. Probably because of the amount of alcohol he had.

'Dov, better shut up now and get some sleep. I think Swarek has a lot to think about right now.' Chris told him and turned around to get comfortable in his bed again and so did Dov.

Sam just stared into the room, sitting there numb 'cause he didn't know what to think right now. They were right about faking it with Marlo. He and Oliver had talked about the same damn thing earlier… And when Andy came over and his heart skipped grew warm and skipped a beat when he saw her, he knew he had to end things with Marlo.

He didn't have to work tomorrow, so when they would get back home in the morning the first thing he knew he had to do was stop by Marlo and just confront her with it. He then wanted to take things slow with Andy, doing anything to make things up with her, just as he promised he would right before she left. He didn't want to rush into things anymore. He wanted to make it real. Wanted to make them last.

But the thought of Andy going on an undercover job again.. and in bloody hell Mexico! When would she leave? Tomorrow? In a couple of days? Weeks? He didn't know. He looked at the backs of Chris and Dov who were already back to sleep now. He shook his head. No, he wasn't going to wake them up again to ask if they knew. Maybe she told them, maybe she didn't. And even IF she told them.. he remembered his last UC. They told him it would be a couple of weeks, but before he knew it plans changed and he was gone within days..

And then Nick.. Nick and Andy.. sleeping.. NICK! He wildly shook his head to get the image of them together out of his mind.

After a while of tossing and turning around, Sam just couldn't get to sleep and was only thinking about Andy and how he should handle things.

He stood up and quietly walked to the door to enter the living room, he wanted to sneak through it to get to the bathroom on the other side without Andy waking up. Just as he was about to open the door, he thought it would probably best to put on some sweat pants and a shirt.. walking in with only boxers didn't seem such a good idea.

After a quick change, he slowly opened the door and tip-toed through the living room. His eyes were set on the couch, expecting seeing Andy asleep with Boo next to her, but the couch was empty. Her blankets were still there and so was her bag on the ground, but she wasn't there. Where did she go? He wondered and looked through the window, seeing her sitting down on the porch with her back facing the front door while Boo was running and playing around with something that looked like a stick, in front of the cabin.

Slowly he opened the front door, trying not to make a sound and took a few steps forward just to stop at a distance from her and just looked at her. Thinking of what to say, how to start. Would he do the serious talk or just casual? He hadn't decided yet.

Andy hadn't noticed him. She was deep in thoughts and with her fingers she slowly stroke over her phone which was in her hands. Like if she wasn't sure to text somebody or not. For a moment she shivered, it was freezing outside and she'd been here a while now. Only wearing her sweatpants and her sweater. First, she just wanted to catch some fresh air and quickly go back to get some sleep, but she knew Luke had night duty and the thought of calling him and saying she changed her mind about the undercover job crossed her mind.

Boo stopped playing with his branch he had found on the ground, huffing and puffing while lying between the fallen leafs. His ears popped up, moved a bit and then he looked back in Andy's direction, to see Sam standing behind her. He stood up and walked closer, giving a quietly bark so Andy looked up. Seeing her dog intensely looking up at her, she looked closer and it was like Boo was staring straight pass her.

Suddenly Andy turned around and saw Sam standing there. 'Ohh uh.. hey. Couldn't sleep?' she asked him.

He walked closer so he was standing next to her. 'No, not really. May I sit down, McNally?'

'Yeah, sure.. of course..' Andy nodded and her voice sounded hesitantly, but she moved a bit to the left so he could sit down next to her.

Sam sat down and looked at Andy, now having a better look at her sweater, he started to smile.

'What?' Andy frowned.

'Your sweater.' He said, pointing at it. Still smiling, a bit awkwardly. 'Didn't know you still had it, since you've stolen it from me like over a year ago.' He joked, loving the sight of her seeing wearing his sweater. He remembered her coming over one night, when it was also pretty cold so he offered her his sweater and she'd taken it gratefuly. After that, Andy wearing it became a regular thing on cold nights and Sunday mornings. It was too big for her, she didn't even have to wear a sweatpants underneath it. The sweater was like a dress for Andy, covering her ass just right and looking great on her.

Andy looked down to it, then her cheeks turned a bit red when she tried looking back at Sam again, but instead looked down at her hands and started playing with the phone in her hands. 'I'm sorry… it's just very comfortable and I forgot to give it back.'

'Don't worry, it's okay. You can keep it.' He told her and petted Boo on his head who had gotten closer. 'It still looks good on you.' He softly added, not sure if she heard it but she was still blushing.

It stayed quiet for a bit and Sam decided to just ask the first question that popped up in his mind. 'Who are you texting, calling.. or whatever it is what you're doing with your phone at a time like this?'

'I uhh..' she hesitated and then looked him in the eye. 'I wanted to call Luke. He's on shift now.. '

'About the undercover assignment?' Sam asked.

'How did you know about that?' Andy was a bit startled.

'Well, because Luke is on it and everybody keeps talking about how dangerous this one is and who they're gonna pick and all…' he told her and meanwhile continued to pet Boo, who seemed to like it while his head hang low and his eyes were almost closed from relaxation. 'Andy..' he started. 'Are you taking the job.. or not?'

'I'm not sure yet.. I said yes, I was short of begging him for this job. To get away but..' she shrugged her shoulders and looked straight forward, just into the forest. Not being able to look at him. 'Now I'm not so sure..'

'What changed your mind?' Sam asked, not changing his tone but inside he was happy to hear she was maybe staying. He didn't want her to go.

Andy licked her lips, then bit on it. Frustrated, not knowing if she should tell the truth or not. Or which part she should tell.

Sam didn't like the silence, afraid the name Nick would come out, he slowly tried again to make her speak. 'Andy..?'

Finally she turned her head around and looked up at him. Her eyes looked like they were about to burst in tears...

Soo… yes, this conversation will continue in the next chapter. Just hang in there.
I'll try to update this as soon as I can, but I hope you understand that I'm dealing with some issues and my friends are trying their hardest to cheer me up, taking me out, spending a lot of time together and I love them for it. Don't know how I'd get through this on my own. But it can be a while for the next chapter is up, but I'm trying to get it done before Christmas!

Reviews, ideas for the story and correcting spell/grammar are still welcome.

Cynn.