AN: This kind of reads like a final chapter, but it's not. So, don't you worry! We've still got like, two and a half months of college left. YAY. That actually doesn't seem so long, but this is chapter 30 (!), so it makes sense.
Before you jump into this chapter, I need to beg you all for something. Maybe I have no right to ask this, but I'm going to do it anyway. If you don't like Andy McNally as she is on the show or this story, that's fine and it's your prerogative, but please keep the negative reviews to yourself. I rarely have issues, but there have been instances and it really makes writing difficult because it's got me second guessing every Andy element in my stories. Reviews shouldn't have that control over my writing, but for some reason they do. So, please, respect the goddess that is Andy McNally and please respect my story.
End rant. (And thank you).
Sam jolted awake at the sound of his cellphone ringing. He turned toward Andy's side of the bed, looking for her body to hide against, but found it empty. He wasn't crazy; he remembered falling asleep next to her. He'd been falling asleep next to her and waking up with her there for days. Spring break was great that way—they had five nights to themselves in total, only two left before he had to bring her back to Toronto to spend the rest of the week with her dad.
He settled against her pillow when the ringing stopped and started to wonder where she was. Then, the phone rang again. "Come on," he sighed, turning back toward his bedside table where his cellphone charged at night. "Hello?" He answered, clearing his throat.
"Sam?"
He sprang up at the sound of Andy's voice—so small that it made his heart race. "McNally, where are you?" He asked, swinging his legs off the side of the bed and standing up. His phone was still plugged in, though, so he got dragged back down. "Andy?"
"I, uh, oh my god," she said and it sounded like she was in pain. He couldn't get his phone unplugged, his hands were fumbling while his heart and, now, his mind raced. "Ow, Sam."
"Andy, where are you?" He asked, finally releasing his phone from the death grip of its charger. "What's wrong?"
"Don't laugh at me," she said and he relaxed a little while he searched his floor for a pair of pants. The one morning there wasn't one lying around, of course.
"I'd love a laugh right now, McNally," he said, honestly. While he kept his phone wedged between his shoulder and his ear, he dug through his drawers for a pair of sweatpants. "It would be much better than the thoughts running through my mind, so do you want to tell me what's going on?"
"Boo!" She yelled, her voice staining by the end of it and he busted through his bedroom door to confirm that neither she nor his dog were in the apartment. "Sam, can you come get me? I'm just- don't laugh- I'm outside."
She hung up and Sam stood motionless in the middle of his living room for a second. This girl did things to him that made his whole life turn on its axis. He'd never felt that kind of pull with anyone, but when she called—out of breath and panicking—he answered. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he always would. So, he wiped his hand over his face, tucked his phone into the pocket of his sweatpants and left his apartment—in the freezing cold snow with no shirt on.
When he got to the main entrance of his building, he didn't see her, but then he pushed the door open. She was lying flat against the sidewalk and he quickly skipped down the short staircase to reach her.
"What happened?" He asked, taking Boo's leash out of her hand. She turned her head, which was covered by her hood, and looked at him.
"You really didn't trip on any of the ice?" She asked and he shook his head before stuffing the end of his dog's leash into his mouth. "I think I broke something."
Sam nodded, sliding his hands beneath her and the cold, hard ground, so she could hold onto him from around his neck. While making sure Andy was secure against his chest, he moved the leash into his hand and stood. He slowly walked up the steps again, with Boo in tow, and brought all three of them inside.
"You could have put a shirt on," she told him when he was certain she could hear his teeth chattering and feel his breathing hitching from the cold.
"You could have told me what was wrong," he said and she smiled sheepishly as he pushed himself into the apartment.
He dropped Boo's leash and rested Andy on his couch. When he sat on the coffee table, he situated both of her feet in his lap and slowly pulled off one boot. When she seemed okay, he started on the other and she lurched forward to grab his hand.
"Don't," she said, eyes watering, and he slowly let go of her foot.
"Okay," he said, leaning forward to cup her cheek. "I'm going to get dressed and then you and I are going to the hospital."
"Call me a cab," she said, collapsing against his cushions. "You don't need to come. I'm sure I'm fine."
"I'm sure you're insane if you think I'm actually going to send you to the hospital in a cab," he laughed.
The emergency room chairs were uncomfortable—just as uncomfortable as any emergency room chair Andy had ever been in. She hated waiting, she hated pain, but most of all, she hated feeling weak. And that's exactly what she was feeling. Sam's hand ran soothingly across her shoulder blades while she was hunched over with her face in her hands. Every so often, he'd run his hand higher and scratch her scalp lightly before running it back down to her shoulders. She'd smile against her palms and then remember why he was being so kind and bite them to rid herself of the embarrassment.
"So, you want to tell me what happened this morning?" He finally asked and she turned her head, still holding it in her hands, and looked at him with a blank stare. "I mean, there was ice, I get that. But… What happened?"
"It's dumb," she answered quietly, sitting up so his hand would fall.
"I doubt it," he said gently and she sighed before looking at him again. "Come on, McNally."
"Boo was whining," she started and he nodded because he knew how Boo got in the mornings. She leaned her head on his shoulder—mainly so she wouldn't have to look him in the eye—and relaxed when his arm held her tightly against him. "So, I did what I always do when he's like that—I got up, got dressed, and took him outside. Apparently, it got really, really cold last night and, since it was so early, no one had thrown down the rock salt. There was ice all over the steps. I still don't understand how you missed it," she sighed and she felt his cheek fall against the top of her head. "Any way, I fell, obviously. But it kind of shook Boo up and he jumped a little when I stood again and I tripped over his leash and made my way all the way down the steps. Hence that beautiful, swollen ankle I've got there."
"That's not dumb," he told her and she scoffed. "It wasn't your fault. It was icy."
"Yet you made it down the stairs with no problem," she reminded him and he laughed. "It's not funny, Sam. I feel like an idiot. My big, strong boyfriend had to come and save me from my own two feet. Pathetic."
"Andy," he sighed and she twisted herself out of his grasp to lean on the opposite arm of her chair. "You fall and I pick you up, that's kind of the deal here. That's why you have me around. And who knows? If I was the one to wake up and take Boo out, I could have fallen."
"You didn't, though, remember?" She asked and he tentatively reached for her hand. She let him take it, but let it lie there limply. "You made it down the stairs on both of your feet. I ended up on the sidewalk on my ass."
"If I were half asleep, like you probably were, I wouldn't have," he told her and she slowly began to lace her fingers through his. "The only reason I was conscious enough to make it to you was because when you called me and I heard your voice I woke up. My mind was on overdrive—I had no idea what I was walking into. I just knew you needed me and I got there."
Eventually, her hand was snug in his and she leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I just hate being the girl who can't take care of herself," she admitted quietly. "I've been feeling like that so much lately and I don't even know why."
"Andy, you've been taking care of yourself and your old man since you were twelve years old," he said and she squeezed her eyes shut willing the tears—both from the pain in her ankle and from the harsh memories—to stop. "I have no doubt you can take care of yourself, but sometimes I'm there to back you up. And, I know, you're there to back me up when I need it."
"See, you're better at everything than I am?" She said, laughing through her tears and he laughed.
"No, I'm really not," he promised and she ran her free hand roughly over her face until he peeled it away from her. "And if I am, it's only because of you. You've got to know that, McNally."
Before she could say anything else—mainly profess her love to him again—a nurse called her name and he pulled her gently to stand. Together, with her arm over his shoulders while he held her up, they walked into the exam room and waited for the doctor.
His living room felt smaller when Andy wasn't in it with him. He wasn't sure how that worked, but he didn't like it. Even with Boo laying on the couch with him, he wasn't pleased. He sat up and climbed over the dog and made his way toward his bedroom.
Andy was sleeping—passed out from the pain pills they gave her at the hospital—and her foot was being propped up by one of his pillows and a blanket. Her hair was falling over her face and her arms were stretched out at her sides. He watched her chest move up and down with every breath and then as a couple of her fingers twitched her sleep. He tried hard not to focus on the air cast on her ankle, but it kept drawing his attention. She'd only have to wear it for two to three weeks, but he felt worse for the way it made her feel—like a fool, according to her. He wanted to help, but knew she was insecure about it and didn't want to push it on her.
"Can you come here?" She asked groggily when he was staring at her sprained ankle and his eyes flew to hers like he had just been caught. He sighed and walked around the bed to get in next to her.
"You need something?" He asked and she pulled on his arm until he was lying next to her. He turned onto his side, paying close attention not to touch her anywhere below the belt.
"I'm sorry," she said, tugging on his arm again. He looked down at her ankle quickly before deciding to move closer to her so she could feel his chest against her arm. "I was a jerk. It was my fault, I shouldn't have taken it out on you."
"Shh," he said, kissing her forehead and he saw her smile with her eyes still closed.
"No," she insisted and he settled deeper against his mattress and pillows to get closer to her. "I was a jerk. And you were right, you know? You had my back just like I would have yours. I overreacted, but really, I just wanted to thank you. You were a huge help this morning."
"That's what I'm here for," he reminded her and she snuggled against him while keeping her leg properly elevated.
"You picked me up when I fell—literally," she laughed and he nodded against the top of her head. "I'm a lucky girl."
"Please," he laughed, reaching over her torso to run his fingers down her arm. "I'm the lucky one, okay? I thought you were—I don't know—a lot worse off than this. Something happens to you, McNally, and I don't know what I'd do."
"You're the strong one, remember? If something happened to you, I'd never make it out alive."
"Don't-" he sighed, pushing her hair out of her face so he could place his palm on her cheek. "Let's not even think about that stuff, okay? I don't want to think about it."
"Okay," she said dreamily and before he knew it, she was back to sleep.
Sam stayed with her this time and, eventually, Boo set up shop at his feet. Andy snored every so often and he had to keep himself from laughing so he wouldn't wake her up, but the sound was new to him. She didn't snore, but, then again, she rarely slept on her back.
Thoughts of that morning came flooding into his mind and he rolled away from her so he was resting on his own back. A year before, he was fixing cars for barely any money just so he could go back to school and get away from fixing cars—for good. He had no one. When he talked about the city to Andy, or anyone really, he made it seem like he was living with a really close friend and having a great time while he worked. In reality, he barely knew the guy he was living with and was only there to pay half of his rent. It worked out in the end, because then he didn't have any connections to hold him back. Which was just the way he liked it.
Things now—with Andy and all of their friends—were, like, the polar opposite. He had too many connections. He had more connections than ever before. Hell, he even felt connected to Dov and Chris. When he graduated college, he was sure he was done with school, that he'd go find a big boy job in the city and have that be it. After weeks of searching, though, he came up with nothing and ended up taking the job at the shop. He left school with a couple of friends that he thought he'd be able to give up, no problem. That wasn't the case, though. Because when he started working, it was about the time he knew Oliver and Jerry were starting grad school. That was when he decided he'd be back. Not only for himself, but for the life he left behind.
To be fair, it wasn't much of a life at the time, but working a job he hated with scumbags he couldn't trust, he realized what he was really missing. A Master's degree would make life easier, of course, but so would real, honest friendships—friendships he once thought were dispensable. He only thought that because every relationship to that point had been. Oliver and Jerry were different, though, and he realized it too late.
Then, of course, on his first day back, he met her. Andy was never supposed to be a part of his plan. No girl was. School, friends, that was it. But Andy walked into class late and, later, apologized when he really didn't think she cared. It didn't take him long to figure out just how much she did care about everything and everybody. It's what made him latch onto her so quickly. She was capable of everything he wasn't and, in the end, she made him just as capable.
"I thought spring break was supposed to be about sunshine and beaches," Andy said while she sat between Oliver and Sam at the Penny. "Not snow and ice."
"Well, McNally, you chose to stay here," Sam reminded her. "It's not like we flew off to Costa Rica or something, where I'm sure it's pretty damn sunny,"
"There's no ice in Costa Rica," she mumbled, sipping on her soda. "Here, there's an abundance of ice. Ice that good, old Andy McNally is all too quick to fall on."
"Okay, as much as I love a pity party, it's not why I agreed to meet you here," Oliver said, fidgeting in his chair and Andy sighed before sitting up to look him straight in the eye.
"You're right," she said brightly and he smiled. "We came out to have some fun with our friends."
"Thank you," Oliver said, bowing his head as he clinked his beer against her glass.
It felt a little strange for the three of them to be sitting at a table instead of the bar, but Sam insisted so she could use the chair across from her to prop her leg on. She had to admit, it was more comfortable. Even though the whole day started out with her falling and not wanting to make a big deal out of it, she was seriously glad Sam was around. Even if falling on a patch of ice and then tripping over a dog leash down some steps did make her feel like a clumsy sideshow, at least she didn't have to drag herself up and take herself to the hospital.
Andy insisted that Sam and Oliver should play some pool while she watched happily from the next table. She was also the one to convince Sam that they should call Oliver and meet him at the Penny in the first place. It was only a single day, but she was ready to stop feeling like a patient and get out of Sam's apartment. Plus, she got a certain kind of pleasure seeing the two of them in their element. It always surprised her how well the two of them got along when it was just the two of them. Ever since Oliver had moved out into his own apartment, it felt like it was always the whole group of them—grad students and freshman alike. She loved that, too, more than most things in the world, but watching Sam and Oliver waging bets against each other only for them to end in a friendly handshake and mildly inappropriate jokes made her smile until her cheeks hurt.
She never forgot that Sam wasn't solely hers, but sometimes that reality fell to the wayside. When they were arguing about their exes and he said they'd both lived entire lives before each other, he was right. Andy knew that, but in the months they'd been dating her past life was falling further and further away. Not since they started dating, actually, but since she started school and since she'd met all of the new people in her life. She wasn't Tommy McNally's daughter and Tanner's girlfriend when she was on campus. She was Andy McNally who just happened to be dating Sam Swarek.
She was still getting used to it every day—this new life—but she still wouldn't trade it for anything. She wouldn't trade Sam or Traci, Gail, Chris, Dov, Oliver, and Jerry. She wouldn't even trade her tiny, cramped room. When she graduated high school, she made a pact to find out who she really was and the second she moved into her dorm room, things started falling into place. The second she walked into Boyko's class, she knew she was going to find a lot more than just herself.