Chapter 6

„Sam?" the doctor asked „Can you hear me?"

He opened his eyes and raised his hand to touch his face. It was too bright so he kept his eyes shut.

„Yeah," he cleared his throat „ Where's Andy?" he said with a groggy voice.

He felt Jerry pat his shoulder and say „Andy is fine, she is sleeping"

Doctor smiled and continued „Sam we have to talk about you for..."

„Is she alone?"

„No, Oliver is there" Jerry looked at the doctor „Sorry Doc"

„I understand, Sam how are you feeling"

„Uh... I'm in a lot of pain, especially my stomach, but nothing I can't handle" he looked around a bit confused.

„Okay, that's good" he nodded and his eyes turned serious „You had internal bleeding and luckily we could fix you up pretty good, but you have to be very careful when I allow you to move. That means no big movements for now. You also have one broken rib and of course all the cuts and burns that need to be cleaned often. But you will fully recover from this..."

„How long will I have to stay here?" he cut him off

„At least for a week, then 2 weeks at home..." he understood that Sam wanted to ask something else „It will be awhile when you can go back to streets"

Sam sighed loudly. Doctor looked at Jerry and then back to him „I'll come back later when we have your test results back, we can talk more then, okay?

„Thank you" he closed his eyes and sighed again. „How is she?"

Jerry sat down on the chair „She has a mild concussion, but so far ..."

„What?" Sam looked at him trying to stand up a bit but gave up 'cause the pain was too much.

Jerry quickly stood up again „Whoa, Sammy" holding his hand on his shoulder to keep him down.

„She has a mild concussion, emphasis on the word mild. She'll be fine. Carlos hit her on the back of the head 'cause she wouldn't stop helping you. You should be glad, that he was such and idiot, otherwise he would have shot her too„ he continued looking at him.

„How's your pain?"

„I can take it. How's my face?"

„Like shit"

„Feels like it too" he grinned and Jerry joined him with a smile.

„Alex?"

„We got all of them, turns out they wanted to use you as a distraction, when they tried to steal the drugs back. They managed to get back half of it"

„How is that possible? They are idiots."

„Not the ones who stole it." he frowned „We are still looking into this, but seems like Alex just wanted some revenge and his boss or partner wanted the drugs."

Oliver stepped into the room. He looked tired and sad but he smiled for Sam.

„Hey Sammy, you look like shit."

„So I've been told" he smiled back „How's Andy?"

„She is sleeping, her dad is with her but he has to leave soon" he turned to Jerry „Can we switch"

„Sure" he started to move towards the door.

„She wanted me to wake her when Sam is out of surgery, but let her sleep for at least a half an hour."

„Okay"

„And when she starts to move around in her sleep hold her hand or but your hand on her back or something... She'll calm down then" Oliver sat on the chair and sighed.

Sam was mad that he couldn't go and be there for her. He was supposed to be there to hold her hand. He had to make sure that Jerry made everything he would do.

„Jerry, could you..."

„I know Sammy."

„Don't leave her alone and give her what she needs but don't make her feel like she can't do anything ..."

„Don't worry Sammy..." Jerry laughed „I got this" and closed the door.

Oliver sat on the chair, elbows on his knees and head in his hands. Sam and Oliver were great friends for a very long time. They always joked with each other but they had their moments, when they were completely honest with each other and them selves. Sam had a feeling that they were about to have one now.

Oliver sighed deeply and looked at Sam.

„How are you?"

„I'm fine. How's Andy?"

Oliver chuckled. „Of course you're fine"

„The pain is more annoying than painful. I'll be fine."

He nodded to Sam and his eyes turned serious. „She looked a bit scared when she woke up and confused. She kept searching for you. I calmed her down, but she then started crying." he put his head back into his hands „Those assholes wanted you and me, not you and McNally. I feel like it's some how my fault, I know it's not but I still feel like it."

„Trust me, it's my fault. I was distracted at the warehouse... I could've avoided everything, but I was thinking about her and..." he saw that Oliver wanted to cut him of so he raise his hand at him „Never mind... we can argue about it when we are drunk"

Oliver nodded and half smiled to him eyes turning sad again.

„It broke my heart to see her so sad... But I think she felt better after that, I'm glad I got to be there for her. You know she is going to kill you for almost dying." he looked at Sam again and saw how this information was affecting him.

„I'm sorry but I know you want to know everything." he paused „Actually it was better that it was me there when she cried, not you" Sam frowned at Oliver „Have you seen her cry?"

Sam thought for a second „After the shot...„

Sam understood where Oliver was going with that. Seeing Andy crying and helpless made his pain ten times worse. Fact that he couldn't help her and maybe leave her, even more worse. But still, it was him who was supposed to be there, now and then. He looked at Oliver and knew that what he did was partly for him.

„I was there for her this time, you will be for the rest of your lives" Oliver sat back smiling sadly at him.

„Thank you, for being there for her.. and me."

„No problem" he stood up and took Sam's food and started to eat it.

Sam laughed and then winced in pain „You are more than welcome to eat my food"

„Mhm" he nodded his mouth full.

„Heard that she put up a hell of a fight"

Sam nodded „Yeah, she created a distraction by making us fight so she could take the gun from Alex" he smiled proudly.

Oliver chuckled „Sounds like McNally" he took another bite „Did you tell her?"

He waited for a second and said „No, not yet"

Half an hour later a nurse walked into the room.

„Officer Sam Swarek?"

„Yeah, that's me"

„If your girlfriend arrives could you give her this." she handed him a visitor badge.

„With this she can bend the visitor hours a little"

„Girlfriend?"

She was confused „Officer Andrea McNally"

Oliver laughed „Wow, Jerry really wants to keep his money"

Sam frowned at Oliver and then turned to the nurse „Yes of course, I'll make sure she gets it"

When she left he turned to Oliver again and looked at him questioningly.

„You really don't know? I'm not supposed to tell you... it's against the rules..."

„Oliver!"

„Fine, we have a bet going, who will... you know..."

„About me and Andy?" he remembered their fight „She mentioned it when..."

„She knows?" Oliver's eyes were big, he stood up and he started to talk quickly „Sammy, I have a lot of money on this, I can't have Jerry win this. The moment she walks into this room you have to..."

Sam chuckled and closed his eyes, still hearing Olivers theories. My girlfriend Officer Andrea McNally. I can't wait to see her.

Later when Oliver went to get himself a coffee he saw Jerry and Andy walk out of the elevator. When Jerry noticed him they stopped a few feet from the room Sam was in.

„They let you out already?" Oliver smiled

„Yeah..."

Jerry knew she wanted to talk to him so he went to talk to Sam.

„Oliver... about earlier... I'm sorry that I ..."

„For what?" he said matter of factly „I have a wife and two girls, I repeat...two girls" he made a face "this was nothing. Don't worry about it." he smiled.

Andy frowned not sure if it was true, but then hugged him. „Thank you... It meant a lot to me."

"I'm happy that it did."

They let go and he smiled „If you want to thank me, you can do my last months paperwork"

She laughed and when he just smiled, she stopped „Seriously?"

„It was worth a shot" he grinned and then looked into the room.

„Jerry" he yelled „Let's go, you're buying me food"

They heard laughter inside the room and Jerry came out „I'm guessing you don't want hospital food"

„Nah, I already ate McNally's food, wasn't that good, neither was Sammy's"

„Did you eat the dessert too?"

„The weird white one? Yeah"

Jerry looked disgusted „What was it?

„I don't know" he shrugged his shoulders

„Was it good?"

„Not really"

Jerry frowned

„It had maybe some banana in it, but I'm not sure"

Andy started to laugh and Jerry just shook his head.

„What? Food is food... and I'm still hungry so let's go" Oliver started to go.

Jerry followed him, then turned to Andy walking backwards „We'll bring something back for you guys"

„Thanks" and walked into his room.

„Sam?" she walked next to the bed.

„Andy..." he smiled softly.

Their eyes locked on each other.

„So what is it like to be a hero again?" she said mockingly.

„I should ask you that question" he grinned.

„No, I don't think so. You literally took a bullet for me. Can't really top that" she looked for a chair and pulled it closer to the bed.

„Yes, you can. By saving me." he looked at her and she looked down. She looked back up almost angry.

„You almost died... in my arms."

„I'm sorry" his eyes soft.

„I'm sorry too" she said silently.

„For what?"

„For a lot of things." she sighed „Sorry I yelled at you, I could've handled that a lot better"

„Not true, I pushed you... I should apologize"

She backed away angry „Don't make ..."

„I know... I'm not." he touched her hand. „It's just that I let all of this go so far... I should've said something a lot earlier"

She looked at their hands and came closer „How early?"

„Well... I have no idea why I let you out of my bedroom?" he looked a bit frustrated.

Andy blushed. Sam stared to continue but they heard a knock.

„Sorry to disturb you, put I have to increase his pain meds" she said walking to him turning to Andy „Visitor hours are almost over on this floor and he really needs to sleep so..."

Sam showed Andy's visitor badge.

„Oh, he still needs to sleep but you can stay then...let me know if you need anything" she smiled at Andy. When she left Sam handed her the visitor badge.

„Apparantly this belongs to my girlfriend"

Andy smiled and attached it to her shirt. „Okay with you if I use it for awhile?"

He laughed „Sure, no problem" but groaned in pain. „Can't really laugh yet without hurting myself"

„Sleep, get some rest. I'll be here when you wake up."

„You can go home and come back later"

„No, I belong right here..." she leaned closer to Sam „...with you" and kissed him as gently as she could, trying to not hurt him.