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Chapter 3

Andy headed into Franks office when he waved her in as soon as she arrived. "Officer McNally, it has come to my attention that Officer Swarek abandoned you while on duty. I have sent him off shift to clear his head as his personal issues do seem to be affecting his current mental state as well as his ability to perform his duties properly. What I cannot understand however Officer is why you did not report this. You stayed out on patrol alone without a partner because he deserted you & yet you did not report him. I cannot reprimand you for this as it is not your wrong doing but as your superior officer I can only advise you that if that ever happens again you are to report back to the barn immediately. Do you understand?" Frank asked leaning back in his chair to give Andy a gaze of disappointment but she felt it was directed at the situation rather than at her.

"Yes sir" she whimpered out barely audible.

"Ok then. On a personal note, as a friend I'm sending you to do your paper work now then home to clear your head too. Take the time to have a good break. Leave Swarek alone for now; let him get his head straight. Do you know what his issues concern?"

Andy was shocked to say the least to see this side of Frank, a side she never knew existed to be honest. It was a human side.

"No sir, I...I was hoping to ask you about that?" She was fishing & they both knew it. She was hoping that he could shed some light on what was going on with Sam but found it highly unlikely but she tried anyway.

"Sorry McNally you know I can not divulge that kind of information. I was just curious. You may go now" ha said waving her to leave.

As she walked out Frank's office she felt eyes watching her. Looking around as she walked she found the eyes belonged to Luke who was standing in his office door glaring at her. She shook her head & made her way over to her desk sitting down to start her paperwork. She began filling in reports from the call they had this morning & catching up on overdue paperwork. It was five hours until her shift ended although Frank said she could leave she did not feel like going home & sulking alone. She felt a presence close to her & looked up to see Luke hovering over her.

"Hey" she said rather timidly not managing a smile.

"Hey Andy. Can we talk?" He asked sitting on the edge of her desk like a perched vulture.

"Sure" she said flatly.

"Um...about last night, I'm sorry I was out of line & had a few whiskeys... I figured you didn't mean what you said about us... You probably just had a bad day... So..."

"No Luke I did not have a bad day & I meant what I said, we're done. Now excuse me I have work to finish" Andy said standing up & picking up a pile of papers to take nowhere in particular.

As she leaned forward & reached for the papers her sleeves pulled up & her stunningly hard to miss bruises were revealed.

Luke seeing them reached out a Hand to take hold of her arm & pulled it closer for inspection sending the pile of papers she held crashing to the floor in a muddled mess.

"What the hell happened to you?" He asked loudly enough to draw the attention of everyone in the pen.

"Nothing Luke & it's none of your business anyway" Andy hissed back annoyed by everyone's gaping stares. She pulled back her arm & tried to move around him but he stepped in front of her blocking her escape.

"Andy you can tell me who did that to you" he said quieter than he had before.

"Luke it's nothing ok."

"Andy if this has something to do with Swarek & last night all hell will break loose. I will..."

"Oh give it a rest already! What is it with you & Sam?" Andy now rolling her eyes tried to push past Luke as she was desperate to avoid any more confrontations today.

"That's it, isn't it? That's why you broke it off last night. It's all got to do with Swarek hasn't it!" He spat fumes of anger could be seen billowing out his ears as his face reddened at his own statement.

"So what if it has Luke? We're done, finished, over! Get used to it, get over it & move on" this time she was successful at getting past him as she stepped over her papers still strewn on the floor & made a frantic break for the locker room.

Andy sat on the locker room bench for easily fifteen minutes before returning to her desk, picking up her paperwork & trying to start working through it. Sam kept crossing her mind & she felt better for having admitted to Luke that part of the reason she dumped him was because of Sam. She felt a sense of relief at being rid of that crap to be honest.

She fumbled for her phone & hit the re dial button. It rang several times before going to voicemail. She hung up with a heavy sigh & decided a text would force him to at least read what she wanted to say. She went to create text & started typing.

-Sam I'm really sorry! I was over thinking it again. Please can we talk? I didn't mean what I said-Andy.

She hit the send button & put her phone back in her pocket before shuffling through the pile of papers she retrieved from the floor with new meaning in her actions.

Sam heard the phone ring while he was in the shower. Not bothering to rush out to answer it he knew that if it was that important they would call back.

When he was done in the shower & dressed he heard his phone signal a text message. Walking over to the half-moon table in the hallway that stood perfectly fitted against the wall he picked up the phone still connected to the charger & surprise etched his face as he saw it was from Andy.

Staring at her name he was tempted to ignore it as she probably had another mouthful of hurtful things to throw his what if she needed him? Or if she was in trouble? He couldn't let that go so against his better judgment he opened the message

-Sam I'm really sorry! I was over thinking it again. Please can we talk? I didn't mean what I said–Andy.

Running a hand through his hair after he read the message he let out a sigh that sounded slightly like a growl. Suddenly he was half regretting the decision he made earlier while the other half of him now needed to follow through with that decision more than before. Closing his eyes he leaned against the wall trying to decide which fork in the road to follow. Suddenly Andy's words rang through his mind- Luke asked me to move in with him.

Shivering at the cold thought he knew he could not stay & watch that happen. It would kill him for sure or drive him to do something crazier than he had in the last 24 hours like kill Luke Callaghan.

He thought over Andy's wrists & what he had done to them. The way he had hurt her physically bruising the perfect tanned skin that was so fragile.

Remembering the look on her face when she told him that he was the one that bruised her wrists he though he saw real, raw pain for a split second almost the pain that you would describe as heartache before her face was covered by a mask of anger.

Never hatred just anger.

The anger he felt towards Luke Callaghan for having the one thing he could never have was surpassed only by the pure rage that the felt towards himself for actually doing what he did to her.

What if he did it again?

What if there was no way to stop from hurting her ever again? He was not worried about physically hurting her, just the emotional hurt he was scared of inflicting on her.

That was not an option, his mind was made up he would stick to his decision earlier- he had to follow through with it not only for her but for himself & his sanity.

Contemplating on whether or not to say goodbye to her he settled on the former took the phone off charge grabbed a beer from the fridge & went to sit in the lounge & figure out how he would do that while keeping the peace.

"Plus facile à dire qu'à faire" he muttered under his breath knowing that it was far easier said than done.