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A Sam/Andy fic.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

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A/N: Here's another Sam/Andy fic from me. This one takes place after the retraining exercise yet to come, after Sam and Luke duke it out.

Sorry I haven't posted anything in the last few days, some stuff's been going on at home, and I haven't exactly been in the mood to do anything other than pound on my punching bag.

I hope to get out of the funk soon, and I'll try to update "What We Do For Family" soon.

Alright, here's the story.

I hope you guys like this, I know I'll love writing it.

As always, please read and review, I live for feedback.

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She caught up with him in the parking lot on his way home. She hadn't wanted to pull him aside in the locker room ... too many other cops in there, and she didn't want to risk running into Luke.

She knew why Luke had wanted to go up against Sam: she'd left Luke, and slept with Sam. But, it wasn't as though she left Luke for Sam. She left Luke because she couldn't think of a single reason to stay with him. He was the exact opposite of the kind of cop that she wanted to be, and he couldn't see past his own ego. That, and the fact that he basically told her to go get liquored up while he finished up "his work", so that when he met her at the Penny, she would be too drunk to care about their argument.

Well, he was wrong. After she walked out on him, she'd found Sam - in the parking lot, again. She'd taken him to Benny's foster mom's home to fix her plumbing. She'd pulled Benny away from it, so finding someone else to finish what he'd started was the least she could do. After Sam had finished, they'd gotten to talking. One thing had led to another ... well, a lot of things had led to a lot of other things, and somehow they'd wound up back at her place.

Going to her place had been her choice. She didn't want to run out on him like she had Luke - like she had other guys - so she'd suggested her place. She knew that Sam had understood, 'cause he'd given her that smile of his; he'd grinned in that perfectly symmetrical way, his eyes dancing with humor while his voice sparkled with cockiness. He understood, because he'd heard enough of her conversation with Luke to know that she had a tendency to walk out on guys while they were in bed. He understood her abandonment issues, and instead of brushing them off - as though they were completely normal - he worked with them, and accepted her for who she was. Accepted her, while at the same time let her know that he was always there for her.

There was a long list of things that she loved about Sam Swarek. It was too early - way too early - for her to be in love with him, but there were definite aspects about him that she was already in love with. His ability to read her, and understand exactly where she was coming from, was one of them.

Which was why - after their night of passion - he'd completely understood that she didn't want to make a big thing out of it. He didn't either - they both had their careers to think of. It had all been very formal until, a second before they walked out her front door, he turned and kissed her. That kiss said so much, meant so much, that Andy knew she would wait. She knew that they would both wait until the rules no longer got in their way.

So, even though they'd been discrete, and had ended the affair - temporarily - after that one night, somehow Luke had figured out that something had changed. That was why he'd chosen to take on Sam in the retraining exercise. It had been supremely stupid.

Sam had to undergo extensive training when he accepted the undercover position. There wasn't always a guarantee that he could carry a weapon, so he'd had to ensure that he could handle himself without one.

She understood why Luke had done it, just as she understood why it had been a complete and utter mistake. He'd had no chance of winning from the beginning.

What she didn't know was: why had Sam accepted his challenge? Why had he done it? If it was about her, it was pointless. Luke didn't have her, and Sam didn't need to win her. If it was about proving himself as an officer, everyone in the division knew who would win, hands down. The fight had only given them physical proof. She didn't know of a particular personal vendetta that Sam had against Luke, and their fight had clearly been more than friendly sparring. She needed to know why.

"Hey," she called out, jogging up to him. "Hang on."

Sam glanced over at her, slowing his pace so that she could join him. "Hey," he replied, their footsteps resounding against the pavement. "Enjoy the show?"

Andy moved around in front of him, blocking his path. "No, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Sam narrowed his eyes, gazing down at her. "What?"

"I just ... I wanna know why?" she asked him.

"Why what?"

Andy tilted her head, eyeing him. "Why did you fight him?" she asked, in a near-passive voice.

Sam rolled his eyes, walking around her. "Because he stepped up to the plate, McNally."

Andy followed him to his truck. "Come on, Sam. I'm serious."

His nostrils flared, but he gave no other sign that he had a problem with what she was saying. "It was just an exercise."

She shook her head. "You and I both know that was not just an exercise. That was personal, I just wanna know why."

Sam shrugged his shoulders, tossing his bag into his truck. "I don't know, maybe he just bugs me."

Andy stared at him pointedly, not buying it.

"Look, I don't know what you're looking for here, Andy," Sam told her, walking around to the driver's side door and opening it.

Andy followed him into the truck, sliding into the passenger's seat. "I'm looking for an honest answer."

"So, you're upset that I fought him? Or that I kicked his ass?" Sam wondered.

Andy sighed, shaking her head at him. "I'm not upset about that. He should have known it was going to end that way."

Sam grinned.

Andy glared back at him. "Not the point."

Sam started the truck, pulling out of the parking lot. "You know, I didn't ask him to step up there. He didn't have to fight me."

Andy nodded her head. "I know that. I know why he did, though. So, please ... just tell me why you did it?"

He unconscious began driving towards her apartment, glancing at her every couple of seconds. "He had it coming, alright?"

Andy studied him for a long time, thinking over everything she knew about Luke and Sam. "Is this about his yearly rookies?"

"No," Sam answered quickly. "Well, not entirely."

"So, a rookie?" she ventured next. "One in particular?"

Sam was silent.

"Please tell me this wasn't about me," Andy almost begged. "Please tell me you're not that petty. I mean, I'm not some prize to be won by a manly show of caveman abilities. And even if I were, Luke's not ... he's not in the picture."

Sam sighed, finishing the drive to her apartment in silence. When he parked the truck, he looked over at her. "Callaghan, he's ... he's not exactly a smart cookie, alright? I heard him running his mouth a couple days back, and I just wanted to crack him a few for it."

Andy was momentarily confused. "Running his mouth? About what?"

It was Sam's turn to look at her pointedly.

"About me?"

He nodded his head.

"Oh ... I didn't know," she said finally. She and Luke hadn't spoken much since she'd broken up with him, but she didn't think he was so bent out of shape about it, that he was bad-mouthing her to other officers. "Well, thanks for telling me."

Sam shrugged. "Wasn't gonna."

Andy sighed, disappointed, but happy that she knew the truth now. Looking out the window of Sam's truck, she realized that they were in front of her apartment. "Oh ... uh, thanks."

Sam looked around at what she was talking about, opening his mouth to tell her he hadn't realized that he'd driven there either, but thought better of it. "Yeah, well, I don't have any beers at my place." He slid out of the truck, grinning at the surprised expression on her face.

"Oh, and you think I'm just gonna invite you in?" Andy asked him, climbing down out of the truck as well.

Sam nodded his head. "Pretty much. I mean, I did just beat up some schmuck in defense of your honor, and all."

Andy rolled her eyes heavily, walking up the steps to her apartment, Sam trailing behind her. "Oh please, you wanted to kick his ass for yourself, not me."

He shrugged his shoulders once more. "Okay, maybe it was a bit of both."

Andy unlocked the main apartment door, pausing in the doorway while she regarded Sam. "If I let you in ..."

Sam nodded his head. "I know."

She stared at him for a long moment, seeming to think over their situation. Weighing her options, maybe, Sam thought. Finally, she opened the door wider, letting him step through. "Only so that I can set up a tape recorder and prove that you do, in fact, snore."

Sam rolled his eyes, remembering their conversation from a week ago. "I do not snore, McNally."

"We'll see," she promised, closing the door behind them as they made their way up to her apartment. Neither of them saw the man staring at them from the shadows, a dangerous expression on his heated face.

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End of chapter one.

Okay, I was going to end this at one chapter, but I'm in a "dark" sort of mood, so I thought I'd write a stalker-ey fic.

What did you guys think so far? Like it, hate it?

Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful.

Until next time ...