Disclaimer: Don't own Rookie Blue

A.N. I said I wasn't going to write a post-ep until I finished my paper for school, but this was eating at me until I got it down on paper (so now I need to write my term paper).

Enjoy!

He waited until the door to her apartment complex closed behind her before driving away. He was still puzzled about the situation but he couldn't call her out on it. All Traci had told him was that Andy had had a rough day and that her rookie was probably going to be suspended and possibly fired. Traci had not given more detail and Andy had been quiet in the car.

Still, he went with his gut when she made a comment about him not saying anything. He truly didn't think he needed to say anything. She trusted her gut, as he had taught her. If her gut said that her rookie wasn't cut out for the job, she was probably right. After all, she was the one with the lion's heart. If he looked through her reports he was positive that he would discover that she had downplayed many of the issues up until now. Whatever had happened today had been the final straw.

He told her the truth when he told her that she was feeling the way she was because she believed in people. His only regret was that she didn't invite him to come up. He knew that she would be overthinking the issue in her apartment but they were not at that stage in their relationship. They both knew that if she invited him up they would just end up in bed without solving any problems.

So...he let her go, even though all he wanted to do was gather her close and comfort her.

His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his phone.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"Sammy, how's McNally?"

Sam rolled his eyes. He should have expected Oliver's call, he knew Oliver saw him leave with Andy.

"She seemed fine when I dropped her off. Ollie, what happened today?"

Oliver cursed. "She didn't tell you?"

"No. And Traci was busy with the interview."

"Sammy," Oliver sighed. "She went into the house and told Duncan to move the car so that the neighbors wouldn't talk. As soon as she realized that Shay was on his way into the house she asked Duncan to bring the car around. Duncan didn't and Shay got into the house. They exchanged fire Sammy."

Now it was Sam's turn to curse. "And her rookie?"

"Turned off his radio. Wouldn't tell me why."

Sam sighed. "I'm on it." He hung up.

Sam reached his house and quickly threw a few items into an overnight bag. He wasn't going to assume anything but he wanted to be prepared. He would leave the bag in the car and grab it in the morning if he needed it. Although he had previously thought they weren't at this stage, he needed to be there for her, just to comfort her. It was different than going right up with her.

He stopped by her favorite Chinese place before heading to her apartment. He quickly found a spot and made his way to her door, thinking that the last time he had been to her place was when she was drugged.

He knocked on her door. It took a minute but she answered the door in sweatpants and a sweatshirt with her wet hair pulled back. His first thought was that her eyes were rimmed with red and she had obviously been crying.

"Sam," she whispered.

He didn't know what to say so he did the one thing that he thought she needed. He pulled her into a hug. Immediately her shoulders sagged and the tears started again but the weight in his heart was lifted when she wrapped her arms around him.

Sam let go with one arm to push the door closed before guiding her to her couch. "It wasn't your fault Andy," he soothed.

"There was a kid in there with me Sam," she murmured, knowing exactly what he was talking about, "and I had no backup. I needed my partner to have my back."

Sam held her and ran his hand in soothing patterns down her back. "I know. But right at this moment there is nothing you can do about it." He pulled away from her slightly. "Did you eat yet?"

She shook her head, wondering why he was changing the conversation.

"I always will have your back McNally." He pulled out the Chinese and the two of them ate together on her sofa.

Sam waited until she was mostly through with her meal before talking. "Why didn't you tell me that you were shot at today?"

Andy's eyes widened. "You didn't know?"

Sam shook his head. "No. Oliver told me after I dropped you off. Andy..." he trailed off.

"I'm fine Sam, really." She finished her meal and rested her head on his shoulder. The events of the day and her crying party had exhausted her.

Sam placed his food on her table and pulled her close. "When Oliver told me, I needed to see you again. I needed to see that you were okay."

She didn't answer. Sam glanced down and saw that she was asleep. He knew that he should just carry her to bed and leave but he wasn't ready yet.

Instead, he reached for his food and finished his meal, enjoying the fact that Andy was safe and right beside him.

When he finished eating, he pulled Andy closer to him. It had been so long since he held her like this and a weight he did not even realize existed was lifted from his heart.

He didn't know how long he sat there before Andy stirred. At first, he thought she was waking up but he quickly realized she was in the midst of a nightmare.

"No...Sam...noooooooooooo, you can't leave me, please..." she whimpered.

Sam had no idea what was going through her head but he knew he needed to wake her. "Andy," he said softly, shaking her shoulder, "wake up."

Andy lifted her head and blinked a few times before facing him with watering eyes. "Sam," she whispered.

"I'm right here Andy. I'm not going anywhere." He stood and then held out a hand to help her up. "Come."

Andy followed him to her bedroom. Like a young child, she allowed him to tuck her in. Only when she was settled did she grab his hand. "Why did you come Sam?"

Sam studied her face. "Because I care," he answered.

"Why tonight? Why not wait until the morning?"

Sam absently traced patterns on her hand. "Because when Oliver told me that you were shot at, my heart stopped. I had to make sure that you really were okay and unharmed."

It was on the tip of Andy's tongue to throw his statement back in his face and remind him that he was shot and she was left to wonder, as she had just re-lived in her nightmare, but she realized that she wanted him to stay. Instead, she moved the blankets and patted the area next to her. "Just tonight," she whispered.

Sam looked at her. He saw the need in her eyes, the fear of failure. He wanted to curse her lion's heart. He also wanted to curse himself for suggesting that she offer to take the rookie. Instead of cursing, he murmured, "ask me to stay."

Drawn back to that moment in Sam's cover apartment, Andy smiled and Sam saw some of the fear dissipate. "Stay," she whispered.

"Okay," his lips captured hers in a sweet kiss.

He settled in beside her and she immediately curled up so that her head was on his chest. She let the sound of his heart beating lull her to sleep. She knew he was a light sleeper and would wake if she had a nightmare. She was ready to face her demons with him by her side.

Sam waited for her breathing to even out before allowing himself to drift off. For the first time in a long time, he fell asleep at peace with himself, knowing the woman he loved would be there when he woke.

A.N. Reviews make my day so let me know what you think.