Welcome back! Thanks for all of your reviews and follows, and of course for reading this story! FYI, this particular story assumes that a lot of events from season 1 and the beginning of season 2 took place. The only major difference is that I'm saying Andy's been a cop for about two years at this point, yet Luke and Andy are still together and Luke didn't cheat on her with Jo.

Recap: Andy wakes up in the hospital after having been shot in the back of the head – she soon discovers that she's suffering from severe memory loss and can only remember the events from the day of the accident. When Tommy finds out that Andy doesn't remember him, he asks Sam to take care of her, but when both Sam and Traci fail to answer Andy's questions, she gets mad and kicks them both out of her room.

Andy woke to a nurse checking her chart and updating her information. Blinking away the sleep, she looked towards the chairs, her heart sinking when she realized they were empty.

The nurse gave her a small smile. "He's out in the hall; hasn't left since you were admitted."

"Sam?" Andy asked, perking up slightly despite the grogginess.

The nurse nodded.

"Has my fiancé come?"

"I'm afraid not," the nurse replied.

"Can you ask Sam to come in… please? If he wants… I mean, he doesn't have to..."

Again, the nurse smiled. "I'll let him know."

Andy fidgeted slightly, her stomach suddenly a bundle of nerves. She'd kicked him out, but he'd stayed.

Sam stopped in the doorway and watched her, biting back a smirk. "How are you feeling?"

"I thought you left," she said quietly, staring down at her hands.

"And leave you here to wake up alone?" Sam asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Her eyes traveled from her hands to where her partner stood in the doorway. She gave him an appreciative smile. "I'm sorry," she blurted out.

Taking that as an invitation to enter the room, he walked towards the bed, stopping a few feet away from her. "You have nothing to be sorry for," he said gently. "I know you want answers, but there are some things you're better off figuring out with time."

"I guess," Andy said. Unable to think of a better response, she tried to ease the slight tension in the room. "TV?"

He shrugged, then took up a spot in the chair again. As Andy flipped through the channels, her focus on finding something semi-interesting to watch, Sam took the opportunity to study her.

"Oh my god," she shrieked.

Sam stiffened. "What's wrong?"

Andy pointed to the TV where an oddly shaved poodle was helping to promote an upcoming dog show.

He couldn't help but chuckle at the horrified expression on her face. "Ugly, huh?"

She turned to look at him, her mouth falling open. "Sam, I look like that dog."

A full-blown laugh erupted from his throat. "McNally, you look nothing like that dog."

"Yes I do," she insisted. "Come here." She held out her hand so he'd come closer, then rather abruptly, pulled it back and held it up to stop him. "Actually, no, you don't want to see it."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, bewildered. He sat back down in the chair and stared at her.

"They shaved part of my head where the bullet hit," Andy said. "I know it hit low so it will really only noticeable when my hair is up, but underneath all of the bandages it looks awful…" She shuddered. "I saw it when the nurse came in, and I'm telling you, I look like that dog. Worse than that dog."

He tried really hard to keep the grin off his face but it was just one of those moments where Andy looked so exasperated that her face and eyes came alive. His heartbeat sped up a little.

"You're laughing at me," she accused, eyes narrowing.

"McNally, you look nothing like that dog. Absolute nothing like it," he emphasized. "And even if you had random patches shaved off, or your entire head was shaved, you'd still look gor… you'd still look fine."

Her eyes narrowed a little more.

"Uh, good?" he said, sensing she was waiting for more. Still, her expression hadn't changed. For the first time, he found himself almost squirming under her gaze. "McNally, you'd look great regardless… you do… and if it really bothers you that much I'll shave my head." Wait, what? Had he really just said that?

She grinned. "You would?"

He ground his teeth slightly. "Yeah."

"Okay," she said and he silently cursed. "But don't shave your head. I like it like that."

His eyes widened slightly – she'd been teasing him all along… or testing him? "You know what?" he said, crossing his arms. "You do kind of look like that poodle." His face split in a grin.

Her jaw dropped. She grabbed her sweater off the nightstand and threw it at his face, a smile breaking out on her own face as he snatched it mid-air.

Setting her sweater over the back of the chair, he said, "Alright McNally, don't wear yourself out too much. I have to go back to work tomorrow and I'd rather have my partner back sooner rather than later. So rest up, watch your cousin on TV—"

"Watch it," Andy warned, though she was grinning as her eyes scanned the nearby area for something else to throw.

"—and get back to work as soon as possible because the longer it takes you to come back, the more likely it is I'll strangle one of the rookies."

She rolled her eyes but laughed a little. Resting her head back on the pillow, she handed him the remote. "If I fall asleep, will you still be here when I wake up?"

Sam took the remote from her and nodded. "I'm not going anywhere."

A smile touched her lips as she closed her eyes, her breathing evening out as sleep tugged at her consciousness.

"You can go now."

Sam looked up as Luke Callaghan entered the room, but made no effort to get up.

"You can leave," Luke said a little firmer this time.

"I'm not going anywhere," Sam replied. "I told her I'd be here when she woke up, and I will."

Luke sat down in the other chair, folding his arms across his chest. "She doesn't need you."

"You're going to wake her up," Sam warned, seeing Andy stir.

Sure enough, seconds later Andy's eyelids fluttered open and her gaze landed on them. She looked from Sam to the other man, recognition slowly dawning upon her as her mind went back to the photos Traci had shown her. It was her fiancé. Her eyes flicked back and forth. Neither man looked happy. Luke in particular looked like he was sending daggers at Sam with his eyes.

As she shifted a little more, both men turned to look at her.

"Hey Andy," Luke said getting to his feet and slowly approaching her.

She stared at him, but said nothing.

Turning back to Sam, Luke said, "I'd like to speak with her alone."

"No," Andy cried before she could stop herself, her hand shooting out in Sam's direction as the word slipped from her mouth. Despite the sudden and obvious discomfort that washed over his features, she kept her hand out.

Sam hesitated. Luke looked furious. Then again, he really didn't care about Callaghan. Andy had a pleading look in her eyes. Biting back a sigh, he forced himself to his feet and took her warm hand in his, allowing her to pull him right up to the edge of the bed.

Luke rounded on him. "What did you say to her?"

"I've said a lot of things," Sam replied, keeping his eyes on Andy.

Luke laughed dryly. "I should've known you'd be here, feeding her crap you don't even know the first thing about." He walked around the other side of the bed and took Andy's right hand in his.

Her eyes widened. "Sam hasn't said anything about you."

Luke laughed in disbelief. "Yeah, well I'm sure he's had plenty of things to say about himself."

"No, he hasn't," said Andy, frowning.

"Either way, he can go now," Luke said, using his other hand to tuck some hair behind her ear before leaning forward and kissing her on the forehead.

Andy couldn't help but pull back. Even if they were engaged, she didn't remember him, so having a stranger kiss her made her uncomfortable. She was so thrown off that she didn't notice the unconscious tightening of Sam's hand. Trying to shake off her discomfort, she said "Where have you been?"

Luke looked at her, surprised. "I've been buried under a major case."

"And you couldn't step away for a few minutes?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I was doing it for us," Luke said.

"I don't even remember us," Andy said. "So is working on a case really more important than helping me remember?"

"What do you want to know?" Luke asked.

Sam finally managed to pull free of her grasp. "I'm going to get coffee or just go… it's getting late and with work tomorrow..." He left it hanging. He could see her pleading look, but all he could do was shake his head. He didn't want to leave, but he couldn't be in here and listen to Luke recount their relationship. Stepping out of the room, he closed the door softly behind him, then leaned up against the wall, sighing as he rubbed his face with his hands. It was several minutes before he kicked himself off the wall and went in search of coffee and something to eat, knowing that he didn't have much in the way of groceries at home. He was just getting up from the little table in the café when he saw Traci.

"I thought you'd be up there," Traci said, frowning.

"Callaghan finally made an appearance," he replied. "I wasn't going to stick around and witness that."

She smiled. "Even if she doesn't remember your history, how you guys were, it's obvious she still feels a connection with you. The way she looked at you when she saw those pictures, I'm pretty sure she knows you're more than just her partner."

Sam shook his head. "We were only ever partners."

"Technically, yes, but I know you wanted more and even if she wouldn't admit it, I know she did too."

"None of that matters anymore," Sam said, waving his hand. "She doesn't remember anything before the day of the accident, and even if she did, she'd still be on her way to marrying that guy."

Traci smirked. "Maybe, maybe not… but she remembers you, not him. She remembers me because we were talking that morning… about you. And you said she remembers Oliver, and, well, he's not exactly a Luke supporter either."

Sam frowned. "So? What does any of this matter?" When her words started sinking in, he turned to look at her, an eyebrow quirked. "Why were you talking about me?"

Traci grinned. "I think it's time I have a little girl chat with her, see what's going on in that head of hers."

"Really?" Sam said angrily. "That's it? You're not going to tell me?"

"Not yet," Traci said. "Let me talk to her first. But don't go anywhere. I have a feeling you're going to want to stick around and hear me out. That is, if she isn't still mad at me."

Sam hesitated, then gestured to the table at the café again. "I'll be here."

Traci grinned. "Good."

"Whoa," Traci said as she entered Andy's room, her eyes widening upon seeing Luke kissing Andy. She was suddenly very thankful that Sam hadn't been the one to enter the room.

Luke pulled away from Andy and smiled down at her. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Andy nodded slowly, biting down on her lower lip.

The second the door was shut Traci put her hands on her hips. "What was that?"

"He kissed me."

"Yeah, I saw that," Traci said. "And you let him."

"I didn't know what to do," Andy admitted. "It's just really confusing. I mean, I'm supposed to be marrying him, right?"

Traci nodded, then sighed. She had to tone it down if she wanted Andy to hear her out. "How was it?"

"Confusing," Andy replied. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Was I happy with Luke?"

Traci sat on the edge of the bed. She'd tried not to say too much before, but all that accomplished was making her friend mad. Now that Andy had met Luke, maybe she should try being a little more open. "Yes and no." She paused. "I think you tried to be. You tried really hard. I mean, he loves you and I think part of you loves him too, or at least the idea of him." Seeing Andy's eyebrows furrow, she continued, "You had a lot of problems though. I mean, he was sweet and there was a time when you thought he was perfect. Even I thought he was the right choice, the good choice." She chuckled slightly. "You even admitted that you always seemed to pick the bad boy and wound up getting hurt, so when Luke seemed interested, I encouraged you to give it a shot because he seemed like a good guy… he is a good guy, but now I'm not so sure I was right."

"What do you mean?" Andy asked slowly.

"You spent so many nights alone because he was too busy with work. He always chose work over you. Even when you needed him the most, he just wasn't there. Like now… he did it again and you could have died."

"Then why did I stay with him?"

Traci sighed. "Andy, you're the kind of person who wants to fix things. If something's broken or damaged, you don't want to throw it away, you want to fix it… I'm not saying it was wrong, but your relationship wasn't perfect and, well, we've used the term 'fake it 'til you make it' before and it sort of just applied. You care about each other, and I think you truly wanted to believe that you were making the right decision, but you hesitated a lot too."

"He doesn't like Sam," Andy said. "Luke accused him of telling me things, like I was going to be swayed or something."

"They don't get along," Traci replied, shrugging.

"Why?"

"A lot of reasons, but you'll have to ask them."

Andy hesitated. "Were Sam and I ever more than just partners?"

Traci smiled slightly. "You were always more than just partners."

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?" She was having a hard time digesting everything.

"Sweetie, why are you asking me about Sam?"

Andy shook her head. "I just… well… It's just that when Luke held my hand, and even when he kissed me, it just felt ordinary. Not bad, I don't think, but just…" She paused. "It's not like I'm expecting fireworks or anything, but there just really wasn't anything." She sighed. "I thought maybe my initial impression from the pictures was wrong, that it would be different in person, but I don't think it is."

"Picture," Traci corrected.

"No," Andy said firmly. "Pictures."

"There was only one with you and Luke," Traci said.

"I know," Andy replied.

"You mean the one with you and Sam too?"

Andy nodded and Traci was barely able to hold back a grin. "I'm just so confused. How can I be engaged to Luke when I don't feel anything and don't remember him? And then… and then there's Sam. I remember him from that day. I remember talking to you about him, and being on shift with him… the way he looked at me, the way we bantered… how he knew exactly how to make my coffee… everything."

"You've worked with Sam for a long time," Traci said.

"Yeah, I guess," Andy replied. "But that doesn't explain why when I was looking at him that day, really looking at him, I…"

"You what?" Traci pressed, trying not to sound too hopeful.

Andy shook her head. "I just don't understand how I can feel so distant with my fiancé, but want my partner by my side all the time. I don't get why it feels so warm when he holds me hand or why I feel so safe when he's around… why I even feel anything when he's around."

"He's always been there for you."

"But what were we?"

"Complicated," Traci replied.

"Because?"

Traci hesitated a fraction of a second before throwing all caution to the wind. "Because the timing was never right. He was your training officer and there's a rule against and rookies being in relationships. So, you went with Luke because he was the safe choice. That's always been your fall back point, that Luke is the safe choice – he can hurt you, but he can't break you."

Andy's eyes widened. "And Sam can?"

"Maybe," Traci replied. "But you have a clean slate now. You've gotta figure things out on your own. Do what's best for you.

Ten minutes later, Traci was back down in the café, sliding into the seat across from Sam. He had his head in his hands and she suspected his eyes were closed. If she'd been sleeping in a hospital chair for that long, she probably would have passed out a long while ago. "Come with me."

Sam opened his eyes, blinking back the sleepiness as he followed Traci out of the hospital and towards a bench. When she turned to face him, she was grinning. "That accident, that may have been the best thing to happen to you."

He stared at her in disbelief. His partner had almost died… Andy had almost died. In what world could that ever be considered the best thing to happen to him?

She shook her head, waving her hands around. "Don't you get it? She doesn't remember him. She told me Luke verbally attacked you, so right now she doesn't exactly have a good impression of him. And he actually had the nerve to kiss her, but the best part is, she admitted she really didn't feel anything. She doesn't even understand why she was with the guy. She only knows she's with him because we told her. But that's the only thing – that idea that she was with him – that has her holding on." When Sam tried to interrupt, Traci held up her hand to silence him. "Before she was so stubborn and she kept making up excuses, but right now, she doesn't know him and she doesn't have those memories or those excuses. It's going to take a miracle for Luke to win her back."

"Yeah, well, with the hit she took, she should have died, so you could call that a miracle too. And since that happened, I wouldn't say Luke winning her back is out of the question either."

"Seriously?" Traci asked, exasperated.

"Nash, McNally isn't going to leave him. No matter what she thinks about him right now, she's going to keep reminding herself that there had to have been a reason she was with him in the first place, and she'll hold onto that, even if she doesn't know what it is."

"Maybe for a bit," Traci admitted. "I think she'll hold onto him for a bit until she can really come to terms with not remembering her past, but sooner or later she's bound to realize that she can no longer live based on what may or may not have happened; she has to live based on what she knows now. And right now, you're in luck."

He frowned.

Smirking, she continued, "Look, you saw her face when she was looking at the pictures. You saw the way she wouldn't let go of your hand… She felt something. She felt something with you when she didn't feel anything with Luke. She senses there's more to her relationship with you than just being partners… So here's what we're going to do…" She leaned forward and whispered in his ear.

Sam stared at her, his mouth falling open. "I'm not breaking them up," Sam said in disbelief.

"You won't have to, you just have to do what you've always been doing. Show her you're always there for her. Show her you know her and what she needs."

"It's not that simple," Sam argued, looking away. "What happens if she remembers? What if she remembers why she stayed with him? She'd resent me. Regret everything."

"No she wouldn't," Traci argued. "She just needs a little push. That's what she's always needed. Once she realizes you've always been the right one, she won't think twice about Luke."

"This isn't right," Sam said uneasily. "She chose him."

"Because you didn't fight for her," Traci snapped, before clapping her hand over her mouth.

Sam turned to look at her again. "What?"

Traci shifted uncomfortably. She hadn't meant to say that, but she supposed it was better if he knew. Letting out a breath, she explained, "Andy told me what happened the night she killed the guy. She told me she went to you… told me what almost happened."

"Yeah, a mistake," Sam said, his teeth clenched.

"She felt guilty," Traci admitted, "But she called it the best mistake of her life. But then you had to go and tell her 'it was what it was'…"

Sam laughed dryly. "What was I supposed to say? She was going to Callaghan's fishing cabin for a romantic night alone with him. Something she suggested."

"Yeah, but not by choice. She was trying to get out of it, but Luke told her he'd already talked to you and that you'd agreed to make sure she was done shift on time. Oh, and she suggested it at least a month before the shooting, not after it."

"She still could have gotten out of it if she really wanted to," Sam said after a long moment.

"At that point, why would she have? She wanted to talk to you and you shut her down. You rejected her, so of course she went with Luke. He wanted her, and he wasn't afraid to admit it… And you," Traci said, jabbing him with a finger. "You made it seem like you wanted nothing to do with her."

He remained silent.

"All you had to do was fight for her, tell her what you wanted," Traci said. She waited a moment for it to sink in. "There were so many times you pushed her away. After the Gabe and Edie incident, you pushed her back to Luke... After the prisoner transport, you lied to Luke for her and you pushed her back to him... We all know the way you look at her, and the way you get when she's in danger. It's obvious how you feel about her, but anytime she starts leaning more in your direction, you just push her away, so of course she went to Luke, got engaged to him. His priorities are wrong, but he's a good guy, and in her mind, there really wasn't anyone or anything to hold her back."

It was true, he had pushed her away a lot, but he didn't want her to regret anything and, for the most part, she seemed happy with Luke, as much as it killed him to think that.

"She spent more time talking about you than about Luke," Traci continued, giving him a pointed look. "She'd occasionally talk about something sweet that he did, or about how he was never really around anymore, but whatever it was, whatever she said, the way she said talked about him was never the same. It always lacked the same passion and emotion as when she talked about you." Traci paused. "You know, she'd kill me if she knew I was telling you all of this, but you need to understand. You can't push her away again. You have a clean slate now and you know her. You know what you need to do, and you can't let her make the same mistake again. You can't make the same mistake again. You need to fight for her."

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think. Hope to see you back for Chapter 4.