AN: Seriously, I can't thank Marys enough for her help with this story, but especially this chapter. It's not even like a huge storyline, but I had SO much fun writing it. So, let me know your thoughts. I'm always curious and (most of) you guys have been really really great. So, thank you!

Sam and Andy walked into a bar a few doors down from the restaurant where they had just had dinner with Tommy, Ronnie, and Kate. Sam was still thinking about the looks on Tommy's face when he discovered how Sam and Andy met and started dating. He always thought he knew the truth, but as soon as Ronnie asked how they met and Sam told him, Andy literally shuttered in the seat next to him. When he asked her what was wrong, he noticed the look of pure horror on Tommy's face.

"I'm sure I told you that he wouldn't approve of us meeting that way," Andy said for the third time since they left the restaurant. Sam just continued to shake his head. "I must have. I know how sensitive my dad is to that stuff."

"Funny, I had no idea we were doing anything wrong," Sam scoffed and Andy stopped him from walking to a nearby table with a hand firmly wrapped around his wrist.

"Hey," she said, pulling him to look at her. He closed his eyes for a second, letting out a deep breath, and opened them again to look at her expectantly. "We didn't do anything wrong, Sam. I know that. But my dad has really strong morals when it comes to authority figures and their—I don't know—subordinates. For him, it's like…It's like a training officer dating a rookie. That's a big no-no on the force. He's seen it happen and he's seen it all go to hell. So, when he thought we met through friends and found out our best friends were dating, I just let him believe that's how we ended up together."

Sam listened to her ramble on and when she finally finished, she let out a deep breath and raked her eyes up to meet his, looking hopeful. "I thought I was on your dad's good side, McNally," he said and she bit her lip and wrapped her fingers around his. "Now he hates me because I broke some moralistic code I didn't know existed for him."

"He doesn't hate you," Andy promised. "Seriously, don't let it get to your head. Plus, you know, despite everything, Ronnie really seemed to like you."

"I'm not having sex with Ronnie's daughter," Sam reminded her with a tight smile. As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"No, you're not."

Sam turned his head with a dark look to see a woman around his age smiling at him and then at Andy. "Who-?"

"Maggie!" Andy said, letting go of Sam so she could hug her. "What are you doing here?"

"Dad told me you were coming to town and where you were going to dinner, so I thought I'd try my luck and hit up your favorite bar," she said before looking back at Sam. He still had the same look of contempt on his face, so he tried on a tight smile instead.

"Sam," Andy said, moving to stand next to him again—placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "This is Ronnie's daughter. Maggie, this is my boyfriend, Sam."

"Rough night with the dads?" She asked, offering him an apologetic smile and he relaxed

"Not great," he confirmed and she nodded.

"Well, let me buy us a pitcher of beer and we can forget all about that," Maggie said and Andy looked at him for his opinion. He nodded and Andy smiled excitedly as they followed Maggie to a table set up for four.

"So, Dad and Kate tell me that you go to school with Mike," Maggie said as soon as the three of them were sitting around a table with beers in front of them.

"Yeah, he lives with Sam's best friend," Andy said, looking next to her to see Sam's look of disdain at the mention of Jerry's roommate.

"Not a fan, I see," Maggie said with a laugh and Andy put a soothing hand on Sam's thigh.

"They don't see eye to eye on much," she told Maggie and he sighed until she ran her hand down to his knee to squeeze it. When he looked at her, he offered her a small smile and she tilted her head with one of her own, nudging his leg under the table.

"Well, except for you," Maggie said and Sam turned sharply to look at her. It took Andy a second longer to turn toward her.

"What does that mean?" She asked, folding her hands on top of the table. She could see Sam out of the corner of her eye looking between the two of them with wide eyes.

"Mike," Maggie said with an easy shrug. Andy still wasn't sure what she was getting at so she motioned with her hand to elaborate. "He's… Into you, Andy. Has been since that time you kissed."

"What?" Sam asked, turning his body toward her and she made a face at him and waved her hand. "No, no. I want to hear more about that kiss, McNally."

"What's the big deal?" She laughed, looking at him like he was crazy. "It was some truth or dare thing we did when I was a freshman and he was a senior. It meant nothing."

"Andy," Maggie said and her tone was one of disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"

"What are you talking about? Mike is not into me. Mike hates me," she reminded them both and Sam laughed out loud, shaking his head. "Stop it," she warned, feeling her face flush.

"Andy," he said as his laugh subsided. He turned her toward him and put a hand on each of her knees and leaned closer. "I love you, but you're crazy if you don't believe her—or me—because Mike definitely wants you."

"You really didn't know?" Maggie asked. Andy slowly drew her lip between her teeth and turned to look at one of her oldest friends and confidants. "Sweetie," she said—tilted head and all—and it made Andy want to scream.

"We kissed once four years ago," Andy said, sliding back from Sam's hands. "I dated his brother for two years. He has never liked me let alone liked me."

"Dude," Maggie said and Andy let out a slow, soothing breath before focusing back on her. "He told me. We're friends, remember? And I was there that night you kissed. I saw the change in him the second it happened, so I made him tell me the truth."

"And you knew about this?" Andy asked, turning back to Sam. "This whole time?"

"I thought you knew," he said, furrowing his brow and tossing his hands to the side. "I thought you, at least, had an idea. How did you never tell me you kissed him?"

"I was fifteen!" She laughed. "You've never told me about the girls you kissed in truth or dare."

"You don't actively hate any of them," he said and she scoffed, narrowing her eyes.

"Is this what you were talking about with him last night?" She asked and watched as he deflated against his seat. "You 'agreed to disagree on some stuff?'"

"I pointed out that he likes you and he, falsely, disagreed," Sam said slowly and Andy shook her head.

"I'm going to get something to drink a little stronger than this beer," she told him and Maggie, pushing her full glass to rest in front of Sam.

Sam watched her walk away and slid out of his seat to follow her. "Let her go," Maggie said and he sighed, sitting back down. "So, you love her?"

"Yeah," he said, rubbing his hand over his jaw. "How long have you two known each other?"

"Forever," she shrugged one shoulder and he nodded, leaning his elbows on the table. "So, you confronted Mike on his feelings for her?"

"He's a dick," he spat and then shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, I know you just said you were friends."

"No, he is," she laughed and he looked up to offer her a smile. "Sam, he's that way to her because of his feelings. He doesn't deal well with rejection."

"Can it even be considered rejection when he never made a move?" He asked and she thought about it before shrugging. "That's not even why I don't like him," he told her truthfully. "I've known him for years and we've just never gotten along. His feelings for my girlfriend kind of just cements that, you know?"

"Totally," she said. He nodded and took a sip of his beer.

Maggie's face lit up and she stood from her seat with open arms. "Hi Baby," she said as soon as a man was in her arms, hugging her tightly around the waist. Sam could see the smile on her face—wide, honest, real—it reminded him of the look he caught on Andy's face when they first make eye contact in nearly any situation.

When the two of them pulled apart, Sam's face fell as soon as he saw the guy' Maggie had been hugging and he stood up—quickly and clumsily. "Sam," Maggie said, reaching for his wrist as he started to head toward Andy. "Bring her back over here; I want her to meet Jamie."

"Sammy?"

He'd been trying not to make eye contact, to keep his head turned until he was ready, but he had to look up at the sound of his name. "Hey, Jamie," he said, breathing deeply. "How've you been, man?"

"Good, great," Jamie smiled and Sam noted that he'd never seen him smile—at least, not like he was currently smiling. "How do-how do you two know each other?"

"He is dating my dad's partner's daughter," Maggie laughed. "Sam, bring her over here?"

"Okie doke," he promised, smiling quickly and tightly at Jamie before turning for the bar.

Andy was waiting to get the bartender's attention when Sam pushed his way through the crowd to get next to her. "I'm annoyed," she said without even looking at him.

"I know," he said, rubbing his hand up and down her back. "I'm sorry. I just- I don't like the kid without knowing how he feels about you. That's just, like, the last straw and it makes me really hate him."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you we kissed," Andy said slowly, turning toward him. "It was so dumb that I just never thought of it. I should have when I realized how much you two didn't like each other."

"Andy, I don't care," he lied. He understood—they were young it was truth or dare—but knowing Mike had kissed her at all, let alone before he had, made his blood boil. And he knew how juvenile it sounded, so he thought it best to keep that to himself. "But I need to talk to you."

"What's wrong?" She asked, running her hand down his arm. She looked over her shoulder where Maggie was with Jamie and he put a hand on her cheek to bring her attention back to him. "Who is that?"

"Jamie Brennan," he said and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Remember when we came to pick up that text book at my old apartment?"

"Yeah," she answered, pushing onto a stool. He stepped forward to stand between her knees and flicked the ends of her hair between his forefinger and thumb.

"It's his apartment. I lived with him," he explained. Jamie had been out that day, but made sure his new roommate let Sam in. And Sam was fine with that because if Andy should meet anyone from his past, Jamie Brennan was the last one he wanted it to be.

"No way," she laughed, looking at them again and he nodded. "What a small world. They're dating?"

"I think so," Sam said and she looked up at him with an easy, relaxed smile. "Listen, we have a, kind of, weird history. We never really got along but we also never fought or anything. We always just kind of cohabitated and we ran in the same circle, but… I'm not anything like him."

"Sam," Andy said softly and he calmed himself down, standing taller. "What are you talking about?"

"Just remember that whatever you find out about him has nothing to do with who I am or who I was," he said quickly and watched as her face turned even more confused. "He's not a bad person, but he's not a great influence, either."

"Should we go over there?" She asked and Sam turned to see both Jamie and Maggie looking at them—waiting for them.

"Yes," he said, stepping away from her so she could slide down. "Do you want your drink?"

"No," she said, reaching for his hand. "I'll stick to my beer."

Sam let Andy pull him toward the other couple who were smiling the closer they got. Before they reached the table, Sam tugged on Andy's hand so he could step in front of her.

"Andy, Andy, Andy," Maggie said excitedly and Sam slowly—unsurely—let go of her hand. "This is Jamie Brennan. Also known as the love of my damn life."

Andy peered quickly over her shoulder to look at Sam and he smiled tightly at her before stuffing his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. "Hi, Andy," Jamie said as Sam watched him through his eyelashes.

He wasn't sure what he was so nervous about. Jamie was the one who did the drugs, who sold the drugs. Sam was just an innocent bystander in the whole thing. He just lived in the apartment and went to the parties. Andy, like her father, had a strong moral compass, though. Hanging out with drug peddling criminals probably wouldn't make either of them like him any more.

"Hi, Jamie," Andy said, shaking his hand. "You know Sam, right?" She asked, pulling him forward by the elbow and all four of them sat down.

"We lived together last year," he confirmed and Sam nodded along.

"Isn't that crazy?" Maggie asked, tapping her hands against the surface of the table. "I mean, it's such a small world!"

Sam had to admit that the girl sitting in front of him was the last person he'd think of falling in love with Jamie Brennan. She was sweet and easily excited; she was a cop's kid and definitely not the kind that would rebel in order to piss off her dad. No, she was like Andy in that rite. He could tell she'd do just about anything to make her dad proud. And dating someone like Jamie—or at least someone like the Jamie he used to know—was not the way to go about doing that.

"That's what I told Sam at the bar," Andy laughed and Sam started to relax. "So, how did you two meet?"

"Umm," Maggie started, trailing off and both Sam and Andy waited for her to continue. Before she could, Jamie spoke up.

"Ronnie busted me late last year, not long after you left town, Sammy," Jamie said and his eyes widened as he looked between the two of them. When he looked at Andy, she was hanging onto every word, just waiting for an explanation. "Someone OD'd in the bathroom at Johnny's and the detectives were called in trying to trace him back to some older cases," he continued and Andy looked at Maggie.

"Jamie's cleaned up a lot," she said. "Believe me, my father wouldn't stand for us dating if he didn't," Maggie said in defense and Andy peered up at Sam who was still just looking at Jamie.

"It's true," Jamie insisted, looking right back at Sam.

"I went to the station to bring Dad and Tommy some food and I caught a glimpse of him. By the time he was let go-"

"I was actually innocent this time, thankfully," Jamie interrupted making sure everyone understood it was true. "Mags was still there.

"Apparently, he caught a glimpse, too," Maggie smiled, reaching over to squeeze Jamie's hand. "I know it's crazy, but this is, like, the realest thing that's ever happened. And my dad approves, you know? That's huge. We both know that I wouldn't even look twice if he didn't."

"I didn't know who she was on my way out," Jamie explained.

" Something stopped him from leaving right away," Maggie said, smiling fondly. "He had to ask for my number."

"Sometimes, you just know, right?" Jamie asked, watching Sam closely.

"Yeah," he answered automatically and Andy ran her arm across the back of his chair.

"So, I let him take my number and I asked my dad about him, about why he was there, and he told me the truth," she shrugged. "And by the time he called me to ask me out, he was already in treatment and going to meetings and cleaning himself up."

"It wasn't all for some girl I just met either," Jamie promised and Maggie scoffed playfully. "No offense, Mags. It was time. It was time to clean my act and take my life seriously. And if some pretty girl made me realize that, then so be it."

Sam nodded, still under Jamie's watch, and turned to look at Andy. Her face had softened considerably as she looked at Maggie and Sam laced his finger through hers on top of her leg. She smiled softly and squeezed his hand—palm against palm.

"You've changed," Sam said, looking back at Jamie. He just shrugged and put his arm across the back of Maggie's chair.

"Same to you," he said and Sam laughed.

"You're worse than Maggie," Jamie told Andy after she missed her third shot in a row at the pool table in the back of the bar.

"You're the one who wanted to play miss matched couples!" She reminded him—her hands flailing above her head.

"So, you're saying you would have done better if you were playing with me?" Sam asked, sinking his shot with a smug smile.

"No," she insisted, turning away from watching him sink another one. "I'm saying Jamie would have been better off if he played with Maggie."

"Dammit," Sam cursed and Andy turned back around to watch him hand off the poolstick to Jamie. She walked around the table and put her hands on his chest, walking him backwards until he was against the wall. "What are you doing, Andy?" He asked and the corner of his mouth slipped up into a smile.

Andy ran her hands up his chest and down his arms, then down his chest and around his waist, all while he watched on with dark eyes. The same dark eyes he had when they were in bed and Andy could feel the tension in her gut as she pressed her chest against his.

"I'm drunk," she told him and he laughed deeply—straight from the back of his throat.

"I can tell," he said, biting the inside of his cheek, trying to keep from laughing again. She felt his hands on her waist, gripping her tightly as he leaned forward to kiss her. She stumbled trying to get closer to him until she realized she was already squeezed against him and he was against the wall—there was no closer.

"You taste good," she sighed when she pulled back and he smiled, licking his lips. "Always."

"Hey, ah, McNally," Andy turned her head to see Maggie smiling at her and she burst out laughing, stepping out of Sam's grasp. "You're up, kid."

Andy took the walk to the pool table as steadily as she could, looking back over her shoulder to see Sam watching her with a slackened jaw. He straightened himself up, rubbed his palm over his jaw, and walked over to his beer just as she was setting up her next shot.

When she made it in, she shrieked in excitement, and could hear Sam, Maggie, and Jamie, laughing at her. She didn't care, though, she was going to take another shot and she was going to make it. But she didn't and she stuck her bottom lip out as she handed the stick off to Sam. Before she had even let go, Maggie was tugging on her other arm, pulling her away from the boys.

"Where did you find him?" Maggie whispered and Andy looked back to Sam and Jamie talking on the other side of the table. When he caught her eye, she smiled quickly and turned back to her friend.

"He was my TA last semester," she told her and Maggie nodded approvingly. "My dad's pissed because when your dad asked how we met, Sam told him the truth!"

"You didn't tell Tommy the truth?" Maggie asked with her perfect eyebrows raised high on her forehead.

"Sam's best friend, Mike's roommate," she started to explain, practically spitting his name, "Is dating my best friend. I just let my dad assume that's how we met."

"Tommy does not take lying well," Maggie said, thinking out loud. "Was he mad?"

"You could say that," Andy said, nodding over and over as she pursed her lips. "Older authority figures are not what my dad had in mind when I left for school."

"Yeah, but he's so hot," Maggie sighed and Andy shoved her shoulder playfully until they both laughed.

"Keep it in your pants, McAllister," she said and Maggie waved her off—falling a little off balance. Andy wasn't the only drunk one. Thankfully, the guys had taken on the role of responsibility.

"I've got other pants to keep it in," she said as seriously as she could and Andy started laughing again. "It's weird, though," Maggie thought and Andy sobered enough to look at her as seriously as she could. "There's so much overlap, you'd think fate was throwing the two of you together.

"Fate?" Andy asked and Maggie shrugged, putting her hand on Andy's shoulder so they could walk back to the table.

"We should go," Sam said and Andy nodded, looking back at Maggie. "Nice to meet you," Sam said and Maggie nodded with a smile. "I'm glad I ran into you, Jamie."

"Yeah, don't be a stranger," he said and Andy smiled at him. "Either of you."

"You know what's crazy?" Andy asked, rolling over in bed so that she was curled around his back.

"How much you talk when you're drunk?" He asked, peeking over his shoulder in time to see her bite him. "Ow."

"No," Andy insisted, putting one of her arms around his waist and her forehead on his shoulder.

"How much you bite when you're drunk?" He laughed, reaching behind him to pinch her thigh.

"Ow, no," she laughed and he could feel her warm breath against his back. "I'm being serious, Samuel."

"Okay, sorry," he said quietly. From his position, he couldn't see her, but he could feel her every movement. The arm the wasn't around him was between them and she was tracing his spine with the tips of her fingers. "What's crazy, McNally?"

"Even if you were never my TA," she started—her voice was low and she was talking slowly. He knew she was focused on the movement of her fingers against him as well as the words coming out of her mouth. "We'd still be here together."

"You think so?" He asked, rolling over to face her. He found her smiling at him as she put her hands on his shoulders to pull herself closer to him. Under the comforter, they tangled their limbs together and Sam held her at the waist underneath his shirt she had borrowed.

"I know so," she said and she did sound extremely sure of herself.

"Why is that?" He asked, trying to keep his smile in check. "McNally, your feet are freezing," he told her when the bottom of one brushed his calf.

"Deal with it," she said, shuffling closer to him. "And, just think of everyone we know. Think of all the people in our lives that overlap."

"Okay?" He said, smoothing his hand over her hair. "Jerry, Traci-"

"Jamie, Maggie, Mike," she finished. "There's no way we wouldn't end up together."

"We don't spend a lot of time with any of them," he said, thinking about it. "We got to know each other in class and in between classes."

"Okay, so, maybe it would have taken a little while longer," Andy conceded. "But you agreed with Jamie—you just know."

"All right," he smiled, leaning his head closer. "You're right."

"I love it when I'm right," she said and he laughed quietly before kissing her.