A/N: Well, it turns out I'm not good at open ended one-shots. So here's more.

After she speeds away on the bike, Collins right behind her, Sam doesn't see them until that night at the Penny. No doubt they've just finished their eight day rotation, four days, four nights, and are on their days off. Why not go out on the town. But Sam's still wildly confused about the Andy he'd seen this morning.

Taking off on a motorcycle? She used to call them mobile organ donors. Well aware of traffic accident statistics that were drilled into them at the academy, but clearly she had enough faith in Collins. They did live together for six months, from what little intel he had gathered about their job. Her hair was darker, bordering on black, and she was wearing more eye makeup than she did when she was going out.

Knowing what Andy's like in the morning, she probably just started her routine half awake, and by the time she noticed what she'd done she figured she'd better commit. This wasn't Andy, it was some hybrid version of Andy and her undercover identity. She was struggling, and he was sure she'd have questions for him. But they're not at a place where she feels she can. She left.

It's a difficult transition, that first one. You know how the job is supposed to make you feel, but there's a void. It's not as satisfying to slap the cuffs on a burglar as it used to be. You're looking for something that'll give you a rush again.

That's why most UC cops stay UC cops. But Sam had managed to find that balance. He flirted with the boundaries, staying within them most of the time, but he wasn't afraid to take risks. He wasn't afraid to break the rules, if he had to. Until Andy. She was his turn around. No risk was worth putting her in danger. It had been different when he operated alone.

But there they are. Partners, enjoying a beer together. Traci, Chris and Dov were hovering, constantly rotating in shifts back to the table where Gail sat in protest, making sure they were still somewhat a group of friends.

"Hey brother." Oliver says, pulling Sam out of his thoughts. "Pull up a chair. How was your trip?"

Sam waves Liam down for a beer, before turning his attention to his friend.

"It was good. Sarah's good. Kids are good. Everybody's-"

"Good." Oliver chuckles. Knowing that Sam's head is still elsewhere. "She had her first shift back last night. Frank wants to ease them back into it,"

They'd be switching over to days in the morning, same as Oliver and Noelle, try to keep them with the same shift. Easier transition back to their old lives.

Oliver was tired of wondering if he should wait for Sam to ask, or if it'd just be better to tell him, whether he inquired or not. He called him a week ago to let him she was home, but nothing. He had very little response, told him he was headed to Saint Catherine's to visit his sister, see him when he gets back. Sam may be a man of few words, but even that little surprises Oliver.

Sam steals another peak at her from over his shoulder, and notices that her eyes have been scrubbed of their original raccoon likeliness.

"That so?"

"Yup."

Across the bar, Andy has eyes on Sam from the minute he comes in. And once she notices that he's already checking to see if she's there, she turns her attention back to whatever Nick was talking about.

"I have a confession." Nick says, strained when he notices Sam shooting him glares. "Swarek was pulling up when we were gearing up to leave the station today... that's why I let you drive."

Andy's face snaps up to his once the words are out of his mouth. He never, never, never let her drive Lucy when they were under. And yeah, that was probably a good choice. In their spare time he taught her, but Andy didn't look to badass on the bike. But it was really curious when he was letting her drive when he didn't have to anymore. After a moment of thinking about, however, she doesn't understand how those things go hand in hand.

"I don't get it." She says, scrunching her eyebrows together.

Nick scratches at the back of his neck, the way he does when he's nervous.

"Kind of thought it might piss him off a bit. Cause him to pay a bit of attention to you. I mean, he did leave town once you got here."

"We don't know that. Okay? He probably left before we got home, he went to see his sister. Whatever. He doesn't owe me attention, he doesn't have to come racing back because we're done." She defends Sam, but she's not quite sure why. She just knows she doesn't want Nick making a mess of things, before they even have a chance to talk, or more accurately, fight.

"Jeez Andy, I'm just looking out for you."

"How is that looking out for me Nick? Not all of our relationships are going to fall apart." She feels bad, throwing his situation with Gail back in his face. But he over stepped.

Dov's approaching with a fresh pitcher when Nick blurts out the last remark, grabbing his coat.

"Oh yeah? What relationship Andy?"

His remark is a dig at the fact that Sam and Andy weren't even together. They'd almost been broken up for as long as they were together. Andy's red with anger. They were friends, and partners, and had to work closely together. But it was getting old, even a month ago. They were beginning to push one another's buttons. Which was, whatever. It just wasn't ideal, and it was putting a strain on their friendship.

Dov sets the pitcher down in front of her hesitantly, waiting for her to acknowledge him so he can sit. And Gail gets up from her table and brings Chris and Traci along with her.

"What was that about." Gail tries to say casually. She doesn't care, after all.

"Oh, nothing." Andy covers quickly. Nick and Andy may be a bit sick of each other, but she wouldn't talk him down to Gail. Unlike him, she had common courtesy. "Minor disagreement."

She figures that while she's got Gail's attention, and the conversation on Nick, she better start laying some ground work.

"I'm going to miss that kid." She says, just loud enough for Gail to catch during the lull of the move between tables.

Gail raises one eyebrow questioningly, and cocks her head to the side a bit.

"What are you talking about Andy?" She questions.

Andy supposes that if this were before her op, they would've seen right through her. But her lying had become quite convincing, she's actually quite proud of herself. Had this been six months ago, she would have probably thrown in a heavy sigh, over kill.

"I don't know if I'm supposed to say anything-"

"Spit it out McNally!" Gail snaps, losing her formerly cool and careless approach.

Andy takes a minute to down some beer, making Gail wait after her little slip. Also still pretending like she's not sure she's going to tell.

Everyone's watching her now though. Dov, Chris, Traci, even others at the tables close by, Oliver. Sam must've slipped out during her spat with Nick.

"Nick's going back to Afghanistan." She drops the bomb, the hard truth, before softening the blow. "Well, he's got two weeks to decide before his troop ships out."

They all turn to Gail once Andy says it, and rather than see if her plan works or backfires, she slips off her stool and excuses herself to go to the ladies room.

She's on her way, and turns the corner, door in sight, when she notices that Sam was already standing there.

"Hey." She croaks uncomfortably, wishing she'd had a minute to prepare, to put on a facade, or just become Poppy, her UC identity. Right now, she wants to find a hole to burrow into, and never come out.