Gail Peck set her glass down with a thud and stared for a long moment at Nick.
She smoothly slid onto a stool next to him and nodded at the bar tender.
"Tequila."
Nick just stared ahead without a glance at her.
Gail leaned in.
"That was sweet, what you did."
Nick looked at her.
"Don't pretend you didn't think I deserved it."
Gail was hurt.
"You know I didn't. I actually felt sorry for you. I guess that was my mistake."
She threw back the shot and walked away.
Nick took a sip of his drink.
This is not my week.
It has started out promising enough…he had been happier than ever in his life…with Andy. And then stupid Kevin Ford had happened.
He had sensed it throughout the day…at least with Swarek…that the cold front he had put up was fading in the glow that was Andy. He closed his eyes saw it again.
Him walking out of the office…Ford pointing the gun and saying his name…Sam yelling and getting shot…him shooting Ford…and Andy…running to Sam…Holding Sam. She hadn't left his side…she hadn't turned to say goodbye to Nick or explain…and she hadn't needed to. He realized when he saw her next to him…at that moment…when all thought was gone and it was just instinct…Sam was that instinct. He wished Sam had just let him take the stupid bullet…he had had a vest on. But just like Sam was Andy's instinct…protecting Andy by protecting him had been Sam's.
He had seen it before…but it hadn't meant much because he was with Gail…they had a pull on each other Andy and Sam…a seeming magnetic attraction that no matter what they did kept drawing them back together.
The worse part though…that part that really got him was…he had known it. He had seen it…but somehow when he was with Andy he convinced himself it wasn't there. That Sam was just another ex to her…like Callaghan…that he didn't mean anything anymore. She had had doubts…from the beginning and it seemed like she got over them…but as he thought back he remembered her with Sam before…and there had been no doubts. She had been crazy and deliriously in love with the man.
He remembered one day shortly before Jerry died he had been partnered with Swarek…
Sam was getting aspirin from his locker and as he slammed the locker door Andy was behind it making him jump. She had doubled over with laughter at having scared Sam and as he smiled at her she had leaned in…"I love you! I told you, I'm just going to keep saying it."
Nick took another sip of his drink. He remembered thinking it was weird…Sam not saying anything back but he had been holding back a smile the rest of the day. And at the end of day before going into the Penny….Nick could still see it…he had been one of the last ones to get there. Sam had called Andy over to where he stood by his truck. He had lifted her to sit on the tailgate and then kissed her.
Nick took a long drink now…he needed to erase the memory of that kiss.
Did we mean anything? Or was it just…just because she couldn't have Sam?
He had barely seen her since that night…just as the hospital and in passing the day he was cleared for duties. He had hoped to see her tonight…he knew Swarek had been released today….what did that mean? Were they off somewhere together already?
Was I that insignificant to her?
Andy sighed at she shut the door to Sam's truck. He had insisted she keep it for the night…probably because he wasn't feeling good enough to drive her home and he hated it when she walked.
They had postponed their drink to the next night…she knew he would have tried to make it through but it was obvious from how pale he was that he had overdone it with the long drive, sitting in the cold and just not relaxing at all.
She had wanted to stay with him…watch him until his sister was back but he wouldn't hear of that either. Andy was not going to wait on him hand and foot. That was clear.
He had let her get him to his couch but that was it.
Andy sighed and started the truck. For a moment she debated where to go…she knew everyone would be at the Penny including Nick who she should really talk to.
But this day had been Sam filled and finishing with a talk with Nick didn't seem right. In fact finishing without Sam didn't seem right.
Andy leaned her head back against the seat and thought hard…she needed to do something…something to make things better...suddenly a thought occurred to her. Andy sat up and grinned.
She revved the engine and headed away from Sam's house.
Now this was perfect.