Disclaimer: Don't own Rookie Blue.

A.N. I started writing this before Season 2 was complete but only had to change one key component (thank you Donovan Boyd – not). It was requested that I write longer chapters in my multichapter ficts and I'm trying to but the first few chapters were already written before I got that request so I tried in the later chapters.

A.N.2 - the good news about a new year is that I can scratch my resolution from last year of only posting one multichapter fict at a time.

This chapter is just an introduction…

Enjoy!

Prologue:

Sam unlocked the door and called "Andy?"

A few seconds later, she stepped into the front hallway. "Hey. How was your day?" she asked softly.

Sam stepped closer and kissed her softly, mindful of the nine month old baby in her arms and the groceries in his own. "Boring. I can't wait until we're back on shift together. How was your day?"

Before Andy could answer, a small voice demanded "uppy!"

"Mommy's holding you sweetie."

"Sam!"

Surprised by his wife's tone, Sam quickly set down the packages and scooped his daughter out of Andy's arms. "Hi Cuteness" he said to his daughter before looking at his wife. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry. My day was long."

Sam raised an eyebrow and touched her arm. "What happened?"

Andy sighed. "Well, it seems that this one here," she stroked her daughter's cheek affectionately, "decided that she no longer likes being left to her own devices. Last week I was thrilled when she said her first word and started crawling on the same day. Today, not so much, especially when she refused to nap."

Sam looked at Andy, concerned. "Did you sleep at all?" She was going undercover as backup but if she was exhausted, he would call Frank and have her pulled.

Andy smiled at his concern. "I did. Dad came back a day early." Her shift probably would have been swapped for the night anyway but she and Sam were normally on the same shift. Her father watched their girls while they worked. Since he had gone away, Andy was pulling the night shifts and Sam was on day shifts.

"He's back early?"

Andy nodded. "He said something about missing his family too much. I think he meant the girls, not us."

Sam had to smile at that one. His father-in-law loved their two girls and would do anything for them.

Andy saw his smile and bit her lip. She knew Sam would not like the next part. She decided to tell him anyway, after all, secrets never came out neat and tidy - as he had warned her by the Rebecca Leigh kidnapping case. "He wanted to know why you were on day shift and I was on the night shift."

Sam cringed and his hand tightened involuntarily around her arm. Technically both of their shifts were a little off today because of this backup for a bust but Tommy was right. Normally when Tommy was unavailable, Andy worked the day shift and he worked the night shift since if either of the girls woke in the middle of the night, nine times out of ten they wanted Andy, not Sam. This time, Frank wanted Andy as a backup on the bust, not Sam (something about women in a club was less obvious then men). Andy was not the only one; Gail, Traci, and a bunch of the female rookies (as they called all groups under Andy's group) were also pulled from their regular assignments. "What did you tell him?"

"The bare bones of the truth. Fifteenth's backup for a bust. Frank wants the ladies. Tonight is the last night. Tomorrow we both have off and then everything goes back to normal."

"And he was okay with that?" He released her arm.

Andy nodded. "He said tomorrow he is taking the family out to lunch and then he's taking the girls because you and I deserve some alone time. He refused to tell me about his trip saying he wants to tell us together. He took the baby and told me to take a nap and get ready."

"I can't believe I missed him."

"He left about half an hour ago." She looked at her watch. "I need to finish getting ready. I've gotta go soon."

Sam nodded and then looked around. "Where's Lissy?" Their four and a half year old daughter usually ran to greet him as soon as he entered.

"Playing with the new toy that Grandpa bought for her. By the way, we need to decide if we should register her as 'Lissy' or 'Melissa'."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Not now. It's the middle of the winter; we still have a little while to decide. Finish getting ready. I'll take care of the groceries and Serena." He smiled at his daughter. "Right baby girl" he cooed.

Andy smiled. Never in a million years would she have imagined Sam with a side like this but the girls brought out a different side of him.

When she reappeared, Sam was waiting for her. He smiled and then called "Lissy, come say goodbye to Mommy." They knew better than for Andy to just slip out, the first, and only, time they had tried that, Lissy had cried herself sick for not being able to say 'goodnight' to her mommy and Andy had come home early.

A whirlwind of brown hair blew into the hallway but instead of a hug, she smacked Andy. It wasn't hard, it didn't hurt, but it took Sam and Andy by surprise.

Sam handed Serena to Andy and knelt, grabbing his daughter lightly by the shoulders. "Melissa Swarek! We DO NOT hit! We use our words."

As surprised as she was by her daughter's outburst, Andy had to smile at the way Sam handled the situation, gentle but firm.

"You need to say you're sorry to Mommy."

Lissy burst into tears. "I don't want her to go."

Andy knelt and handed Serena back to Sam. She gathered Lissy in her arms. "I don't want to go either sweetie but it's my job and you still can't hit if you don't like something."

Sam stood with Serena and watched as Andy handled the situation. They worked well as a team, even with their children, and knew when to step back and let the other parent take over.

Lissy hiccupped. "Sorry Mommy. I want you to stay and read me a bedtime story."

Andy glanced at her watch. She was actually a little ahead of schedule. "You have two choices. Either Mommy can read you one quick story and then Daddy and Mommy can both tuck you in or you can stay up a little later and Daddy will tuck you in." This would help Sam; she already knew what her daughter would choose.

"You" Lissy said.

Lissy skipped up to her room as Sam placed a hand on Andy's shoulder. "You sure?"

Andy nodded and stretched out her hand. Sam was already standing and he helped her up. "She's all ready for bed and she'll give you a hard time. Frank'll understand. He has kids." She took Serena out of his arms.

They headed up to the girls' bedroom. Ever since Serena started sleeping through the night, Andy had moved Serena into Lissy's room – it made her mornings easier, especially when they were on different shifts and Sam was asleep.

Lissy handed her a Mother Goose book. "I picked two" she announced proudly.

Andy smiled. Normally she read three but Lissy knew that she needed to go. She settled Serena on her lap with Lissy next to her. Andy quickly read the stories and then kissed her older daughter.

"Mommy? Can you sing the come back song?"

Andy nodded and began to sing softly. "My mommy comes back, she always comes back, she always comes back to get me. My mommy comes back, she always comes back, she never will forget me."

"Will you give me a kiss when you come home?"

Andy kissed her forehead. "Of course sweetie. I always do. Goodnight." She stood, with Serena still in her arms.

Sam kissed her. "Night Princess."

"Night Mommy. Night Daddy. Night Serena."

By the time they reached the doorway, Lissy was fast asleep.

Sam pulled Andy to the living room. He took Serena from Andy and set her on the floor before pulling Andy close. "Stay safe tonight. I love you." He kissed her.

When they broke for air, Andy smiled. "I love you too." She bent down and picked up Serena. "Be good for Daddy." She kissed Serena's forehead and handed her to Sam. "Her bottle is in the refrigerator. She might be ready for bed early since she didn't take a nap today."

Sam smiled. "You would think I was a babysitter. We'll be fine. Say 'bye-bye' to Mommy Serena."

Serena looked at Andy and said "bah-bah".

Andy froze for a second and then kissed her daughter. "Bye-bye Serena. Sam, I'm really going to be late if I don't leave now so can you please write that in her book under second word?"

Sam nodded. "Relax Andy. We'll be fine. Stay safe and wake me when you get home."

"Like you'll really be asleep" she muttered before giving him a quick peck on the lips. "Love you."

"Love you too." He watched her walk out to the truck before closing the door.

Little did either of them know…

A.N. Reviews make my day and encourage me to edit faster...nine chapters are already pretty much written.