A/N: Sorry guys! I did NOT forget, this one just ran outta steam on me so this is it, the final chapter. Hope it was worth the wait. "Thank you" is inadequate ...
The look on Patrick Murphy's face when he saw them was priceless.
He looked at Oliver. "Help me out here?"
Collins looked at Jerry who nodded. Nick turned back to Oliver. "Care t'do the honors?"
"Patrick Murphy, you have the right to remain silent,"
"Ollie ..."
Oliver ignored him and continued reading him his rights.
As they put him in the back of a car Oliver leaned in and whispered, "The only one you hurt was yourself because I'm done, I don't know you anymore."
"Ollie ..."
"Get him outta my sight."
Sam hung back as Andy stood next to Oliver watching as Murphy was taken away.
Andy hugged Oliver before turning to walk away. Sam clapped him on the shoulder before following Andy.
If Murphy thought they would go easy on him because he was a retired cop he was quickly proven wrong. None of the senior officers would have anything to do with him leaving his booking to the rookies who were only dealing with him because they had to.
Sam disappeared after they got back to the barn.
Everybody was on edge until somebody came to Frank's office and said that Sam was found in the interrogation room they had Murphy in. Andy, Oliver and Frank all made a mad dash in that direction. It was Jerry that talked them into watching what Sam had to say before they pulled him.
Seeing Sam leaned against the door they couldn't have gotten in if they'd tried.
Frank flipped the switch so they could hear what was going on in the next room.
"Did you really think your sudden reappearance would be welcome?"
"Why wouldn't it?"
"Maybe because of what you did?"
"What'd I do?"
Sam refused to take the bait until Murphy took a shot at Oliver.
"He was your partner!"
"I took a bullet for him!"
"And you haven't let him forget it."
Nobody in the observation room was surprised when Sam's jaw twitched in response to the smug smile. It was just a matter of time before Sam blew up. They didn't have to wait long for the fuse to be lit.
Sam grabbed Murphy by the shirt and Andy sucked in a breath. "You hurt two of the best cops I know."
"You're only sayin' that because one's your friend and you're sleepin' with the other."
Sam looked toward the observation room. "You better than anybody should know the kinda cop Oliver is; McNally, that's just one of the reasons I fell in love with her."
Andy was too insulted to register Sam's response, she shrugged off the hand Oliver placed on her shoulder and turned for the door.
The buzz at the door made Sam look over his shoulder. He wasn't exactly surprised to see Andy standing there, livid.
"Really? You think that much of a man you took a bullet for, that you don't think he can train a cop t'do their job?"
"Didn't say I didn't think Ollie could train a rookie, I said the only reason he thinks Ollie's such a good cop is because they're friends."
"What's your excuse for insulting the cop he trained?" she asked with eyebrows raised.
Sam couldn't help but be proud of her.
The buzz alerted them to another presence.
"Wouldn't mind hearin' that for myself," Oliver said from the door.
"Ollie ..."
"No, you don't get to insult my rookie. In fact, the only thing you get t'do is apologize ... for the insult and for the hell you put her through at the hands of Larson."
Murphy looked at Andy. "He's fond of you."
"After what you've done, that's more than I can say for you."
Andy looked from Sam to Oliver and back. "He's got nothin' I wanna hear." She turned toward the door but stopped and turned back.
"Glad you're the one that took that bullet not Oliver. I'd hate for him to spend the rest of his life reminded of the man who betrayed him with every step he took."
Both Sam and Oliver watched in stunned silence as the door buzzed and Andy left.
Sam looked at Oliver. "Did you teach her that!?"
Oliver looked at Sam. "Oh, no, brother, you're not blamin' that on me. You're the one that's always sayin' that girl's got a lion's heart, well right now you're the one she's defending."
"Sounded more like she was defending you, brother." The pride in Sam's voice was unmistakable.
Oliver couldn't help but smile with pride.
Sam walked up to Murphy and looked him in the eye. "She was right, you didn't deserve a friend or partner like Shaw and for what you've done, I hope you get what you've got coming."
Sam left without another word.
Andy was waiting at the truck when Sam stepped into the parking lot. Sam wrapped his arm around her shoulders and the only thing he said was, "Let's go."
Murphy was transferred out of 15 the next day.
There was no media circus trial, it happened quickly and quietly. Larson plead guilty to all charges. If Murphy thought his background as a cop would work in his favor he was quickly proven wrong when the judge ruled convicting him of all charges.
Life returned to normal. Patrick Murphy's return an unpleasant memory.
Dov shocked everybody when he said he kinda enjoyed working intelligence and was thinking of leaving the streets.
"Can you believe Dov?" Andy asked as Sam drove home.
Sam looked at her. "You seem surprised?"
"You're not?"
"I'm surprised he passed his evaluation, not a good one to ask."
Andy stared out the window to keep herself from laughing.
Nobody was laughing the day Collins came in drunk. The T.O's were quick to gather their rookies. Nick had kept his distance since the Murphy trial so they kept Andy away until his drunk ramblings turned into an apology to her and Sam.
Andy had been through this too many times with her dad. "You wanna apologize, do it when you're sober," and she walked out.
Outside everybody looked at her confused.
"He'll be lucky if he remembers. If he does, fine, if he doesn't ... it's easier to get on with our lives."
Sam went to check assignments and switched it so Andy was riding with Oliver and Nick had the day off. When Frank noticed he was quick to ask why his schedule had changed.
"Just go with it, brother," was the only response from Oliver.
Frank shook his head and mumbled "Fine," making everyone laugh when Dov said, "That's McNally's line, Sir."
Andy nodded to Oliver who reached out and smacked him. "Ow." Dov reached up and rubbed his stinging flesh.
"Epstein, unless you wanna ride booking, get outta my sight ... everybody, assignments are on the board. Serve. Protect. And don't be a smart ass."
"Like that's gonna happen," Gail mumbled as she got up.
Nick walked into the Penny after shift. The rookies made room at their table but he waved them off heading for Sam and Andy.
Sam saw Nick before Andy did.
Standing next to their table he looked at Sam. "Sir."
" Collins, I don't even wanna hear that during shift, what makes you think I wanna hear it after?"
Nick smiled. "Sorry, old habit."
"How's the head?"
"I'll live."
"Good to know."
"Sorry about today ..."
"Which part?" Andy asked, finally acknowledging Nick's presence.
"Showing up at the barn drunk. I'm not sorry for what I started to say," Nick answered.
Andy turned to look at him. "Then say it."
"She make it this easy on everybody?"
"You have no idea," Sam answered with a grin.
Andy elbowed him making Nick smile. "Look, Andy, I'm sorry. I know I messed up and you paid for my mistake ..."
"I like riding with Oliver."
"That wasn't what I meant and you know it."
"It was a rookie mistake."
"One that coulda cost you your life."
Andy looked at Sam then around the room. "But it didn't. Take it from somebody who watched ghosts eat away at someone, you can't carry every choice, every decision around with you or the cost of the job'll just get harder and harder to pay and you'll never find your way out of that bottle."
Nick looked at Sam.
"You screwed up. Use it as a reason to do better not an excuse to give up."
"You tryin' to steal my office, Sam?" Frank asked overhearing Sam's advice to the rookie.
"Wrong color of shirt, Frank, Sammy doesn't wear white," Oliver said clapping Sam's shoulder as he came up behind them.
Sam couldn't help the groan hearing his friend's voice.
"No offense, Sammy, but I think we'd all rather see Andy in white ..." Jerry said joining the conversation.
"Dress or shir ..." Oliver was cut off when Noelle smacked him.
He looked at his old friend. "What? I'm just sayin' what we're all thinkin' ..."
"Dumbo, that doesn't mean it has to be said," Celery said gently.
"Darlin', somebody needs to say it."
Sam looked at Andy. "You ready?"
"Absolutely."
Sam didn't look at any of his friends as he stood up. "Then let's go."
Neither one spoke on the drive home, each lost in their own thoughts.
Their next day off was a couple of weeks away; they didn't usually make plans, it was generally just spent away from the rest of the world, but this one Sam had plans for. They woke up that morning earlier than they had to and Andy grumbled about wanting to go back to bed.
"McNally, you can sleep in the truck," Sam said amused, silently hoping she would.
Sam nudged Andy when they got to where they were going. Andy looked around through sleepy eyes and was jolted awake when she saw the diner where they had spent so much time while she was at the OPC before Sam went under cover.
"Sam?"
"What d'ya say we get a coffee?" Sam asked opening her door.
They opened the door and Kim called over her shoulder for them to sit anywhere. Their old booth was open so they slid in.
"What can I get y..." Kim trailed off, a big smile on her face when she recognized who had come in.
"It's been so long since you two have been here, you wanna remind me again what you had?" she teased coming over to give them both a hug.
While Andy was distracted by Kim Sam took something out of his pocket and hid it behind the sugar.
"How 'bout we start with coffees?" Sam said looking at Andy who nodded.
Kim brought their coffees and Sam watched Andy as she reached for the sugar.
Andy's hand stopped when she noticed the jeweler's box. "What's happening?"
Sam reached for her hand. "I wanted this moment to be perfect and I realized that we were perfect here, just you and me ..." Sam reached for the box and opened it. "Marry me?"
Andy sat there in shock long enough to make Sam nervous. "McNally?"
Andy shook her head and a thousand memories ran through her mind. She smiled. "Yes."