A/N: I'm kinda proud of this chapter, I think I did better of setting the scene and the physicality of emotion.

If you guys are interested in writing I'd be really interested in reading your stuff.

It was nearing the end of shift and Andy hadn't seen Sam the rest of the day after he ran out. She went to the locker room to get changed and sat on the bench. She was really contemplating whether or not to go see him tonight. She cared about Sam but she also wanted to do this for Sarah. And for Casey. So she decided, she got changed and headed out the back door and got into a cab.

She decided to swing by the store before going to Sam's and she grabbed his favorite beer. Sort of like a preliminary peace offering. She even went with a 12 pack for extra effect. She would hand him the case and then mention the fact that his niece was supposedly pregnant and that Sarah had asked her to come make sure he was okay. This better work or she was gonna end up with a door in his face, her hands empty, and nothing to tell Sarah when she comes back on the weekend.

The cab pulled up to Sam's house and she sat for a second. It's now or never.

The cab drivers voice broke her out of her thoughts. "Ma'am are you getting out?"

She nodded. "Uh yeah. Yes. Thank you." She handed him a couple bills to cover the fare. Maybe she should ask him to wait just in case Sam decides to slam the door in her face. She knew he was home. His lights were on. The truck was in the drive way. She felt determined. She wasn't gonna force him to talk but she will get inside that house. She would give him a beer and sit and talk about whatever, and gauge his mood.

She got out and when up the stairs to his porch. She glanced at him through the window. He had a six pack of the same beer sitting on the coffee table in front of him and by the looks of it he had already polished off 4 of them. Perfect. She had more and she knew he would accept it.

She took a deep breath to prepare then raised her arm to knock on the door. She heard him set his beer on the glass coffee table and walk towards the door. He opened and she smiled at him.

He did not smile back. He looked a little surprised to see him at his door.

"Hey Sam." She looked in his eyes.

"McNally, what's up? What're you doing here?"

"Well, you looked upset earlier so I brought you something." She smiled again.

"The beer?" He pointed at the case in her hands.

"No, this is for me. But I did bring you my charming personality and wonderful presence." She giggled and for the first time since he opened the door she saw him smile. "I'm just kidding, the beer is for you too."

He put his tongue in his cheek and opened the door a little wider and waved her inside. "Well, I wasn't really expecting company, but beer, personality, and presence is always welcome here." He joked back.

She set the beer on the counter and opened the box, handed him one, grabbed one for herself and sat on a bar stool. She played with the tab of the can thinking of how to start this conversation without making him shut down immediately.

"I didn't see you after you left the station earlier." She looked up at him.

He nodded and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah it was a busy day. Didn't make it back to the barn until shift was almost over." He looked down at the floor.

"Sam.." She was standing on the proverbial edge here. Like when you're walking to the end of a diving board. You have to time the jump perfectly or you're gonna flop. She didn't wanna jump right in. She had to take her time. Either way the jumps gonna hurt and the splash will be huge. "I met Sarah, she seems nice."

He snorted. "Yeah she's something." He had one hand on the counter next to Andy and one hand holding his beer. He was staring into the van and twirled the liquid around in it. He took another long sip of it and then looked back at Andy.

"And your niece, Casey. Seems like a nice girl." Her tone was careful. This was it. She was timing the jump. About to go over the edge. She was gonna hit and splash Sam with the water.

His eyes flashed with anger when he though about his niece. His hands clenched and the can he was holding made noise as it crushed a little under his hold. His face got red and he looked at Andy.

"You came here to get me to talk, McNally? You trying to get me to talk about my family?" He looked at her expectingly.

"Well, I talked to Sarah." She tried to keep her tone light but his face still had a hard glare to it.

"McNally, I've had a rough day so if you came here to get me to talk about my family problems you're wasting your time. Thanks for the beer but I can get more with no strings attached to it." He emphasized on the word strings. Okay Sam if that's how you wanna play it.

"Sam, Sarah told me what's going on. She asked me to come talk to you and make sure you were okay." Well, she went over the edge. She hit the water and she hit it hard. A metaphorical belly flop.

His eyes flashed with hurt but then went back to a glare. He slammed his beer on the counter and stomped towards the living room. "Andy, I appreciate it but you didn't have to come all the way over here just because my sister told you to. Despite what my sister says or thinks, I'm a big boy and I can take care of myself so you can leave. You don't have to sit here and pretend you care."

Andy's eyes got wide. Where the hell had that come from? "Sam, what're you talking about? Of course I care." She stood up and walked towards him. "I didn't come here to make you talk, Sam. I know you and I know that you like your time and space. I came here to make sure you're okay. And despite what you believe, I actually want to be here. I miss you Sam. Lately it seems all we do is fight or argue. You're my partner, you're one of the people I care about most in the world." She was standing really close to him now and she wasn't really sure where this honesty came from. She definitely didn't come over here to admit her feelings for him. Tonight wasn't about her it was about Sam but right now he was pushing her buttons. How could he really believe that she doesn't care? How could he really think that she was only here out of obligation?

"Andy..." He whispered. They were even closer.

Andy put her hands on his shoulder to keep just a little distance put to also keep him close. "Sam, I don't want to make you talk, I just want you to know that if you wanted to talk that I'm here. I've always been here, don't you realize that?"

"I know." He closed his eyes and Andy ran her hand over his face to rid it of his worry lines.

"So lets just sit, okay we don't even have to speak. In fact, I'm kinda hungry so I'm gonna order pizza." She smiled and went to step away. He grabbed her arm, swiftly pulled her back and put his hand on her face. He brushed her bangs out of her eyes and looked into them.

Andy's hands went around his waist and she felt the strong muscles of his back. She knew he had been working out more lately and it showed. He always looked so yummy to her.

Sam leaned in closer and closer and wet his lips. As his were about to come in contact with hers a phone rang loudly behind them.

They jumped apart as if they were just caught by someone. Sam picked up his ringing phone.

"Hello?" Sam barked into the phone.

"Sammy, buddy. You said you were coming to the Penny tonight and to my surprise I showed up and you're nowhere to be seen!" Damn it Jerry.

Sam rolled his eyes and mouthed "Jerry" to Andy. Andy giggled and rolled her eyes too.

"Changed my mind, man." Sam spoke into the phone.

"Changed your mind? The Leafs are playing the Rangers tonight!" He yelled into the phone. "You got a hot date or something?" He joked.

"Or something." Sam stated. He was over this conversation all ready. "In fact I was kinda in the middle of something so if you don't mind I'm gonna hang up now."

"Details Sammy!"

Sam rolled his eyes one more time. "Goodbye Jerry." He hung up and set his phone down. He looked at Andy and laughed.

Andy smiled back at him. "Soooo... how about that pizza."

Sam laughed, picked his phone back up and dialed the number for the pizza place that he knew Andy loved. Ordered all her favorite toppings with stuffed crust.

A little while later they were eating and laughing about something. They were well past buzzed from all the beer they decided had to be consumed that night. Good thing they didn't have to work tomorrow.