This is just something that has been popping in and out of my head for weeks. I actually had a dream about it last night and decided it was time to write it out. I hope you all like it enough for me to continue, but if you hate it, I won't bother to bore you.

This story is set sometime between Season 2, episode 9 and episode 10.

Nikka

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Rookie Blue, but after Season 2... I think I'm okay with that for now :)

It had been a long time a coming. A very, very long time. The coppers of 15 Division needed desperately to let loose and forget about the troubles associated with their jobs. This week had been especially trying for all of them. No one had quite recovered from the Zoe Martinelli murder wrap up or the fall out between the golden boy detective and the rookie who was turning out to be one hell of a cop.

The senior officers huddled around their usual table drinking in relative silence. No one liked when a kid went missing, especially when the mom didn't make it. But after four long days, they had been able to be apart of the team that found the little boy and brought him back to his distraught father. Life was bitch sometimes, and no one understood it or the effects that it had upon them like the friends who they had spent most of their adult lives working along side.

It was different for each of them. For the senior officers, it was the solemn recognition that this didn't break them. They had witnessed the evils of the world again, and they had all pulled each other through. For the rookies, the silence was much different. The five of them were still trying to figure out what kind of coppers they were going to be. They hadn't seen how truly cruel life could be, but they would before too long. The little glimpse they got from this case would stay with them. Taking silent sips of their drinks and staring off into space, the rookies didn't even begin to process what they had seen.

Like usual, Andy decided that she wasn't going to take this laying down. Sam watched her cautiously as she stood up abruptly, shocking her friends somewhat, and made a beeline for the bar. He watched her signal Liam and then arched his eyebrow at her as she slid behind the bar smirking at him. Andy was clearly looking for something and Sam was quite sure that she wasn't going to like it overly much. When she found what she was looking for, Andy's face lit up a bit. Sam felt his stomach flip flop a little bit. He absolutely loved her smile, even the sad ones. If she was smiling, Sam knew that the world wouldn't stay sideways forever.

Sam watched Liam come up next to her to see what she had found and smirked at her goofy expression. As she straightened up and shook the bottle in a teasing manner to indicate what she'd found, Liam let out a deep laugh before hip checking her. Andy's boisterous laughter seemed out of place for the somber mood of the Penny tonight, but it made him smile to see her spirit unbroken after this case.

Sam hated that she had been with him when they found the woman hacked up, her expression had been heart breaking especially when the woman's ex husband showed up asking after his son. He knew that she was deeply troubled by this case, and that'd she probably have nightmares. Sam just hoped she'd talk to him about it. But for now, all he could do was hold on to that laughter, that smile. That's what was going to help him and everyone else return to normal. It was her gift.

Liam smirked at Andy but went to reach for the bottle of what looked to be like very, very expensive whiskey. Andy pulled it quickly behind her and put on her best pout face. Sam was slightly annoyed by her antics, after all, that petulant face was the one she used on him when she was trying to get him to cave into her. Liam shook his head at her finally decided to give in. He was rewarded with a megawatt smile from Andy as she turned to head back to the other side of the bar. Looking back over her shoulder, Andy blew Liam a kiss and then promptly yelped when he snapped the towel he'd been holding against her bottom.

Sam watched through narrowed eyes as Andy made her way back to her friends with her stolen bottle of whiskey. He also couldn't help but notice that she rubbed her bottom from where she had been smacked. Just what he needed to be looking at, he thought bitterly to himself. Sam tried to remind himself that he was going to be the good guy and give her some time and space. It'd been almost a month and Andy was showing signs of getting better but she was still angry and wasn't quite herself yet.

"You know, you never did get around to that talk I told you to have with her," Oliver said in knowing voice effectively breaking Sam from his thoughts.

Sam slid his gaze from his rookie, former rookie, and over to his best friend. He just looked at him blankly, but that didn't mean his eyes didn't convey volumes. Clearly in no mood to continue this conversation with his best friend, Sam just allowed his gaze to bore into his friend as he silently tried to intimidate him into silence.

For a moment, Sam had thought that Ollie would finally back down. That he would actually let the subject drop for this one time. Oliver was nothing if not persistent, but Sam wasn't quite convinced it was safe enough for him to put his heart out there were his partner was concerned. Confidence was never something he had ever had to struggle for. Things just came easily to Sam, and when they weren't going his way, Sam had the strangest gift of somehow making it all turn out in his favor. At least that's how it used to be before Andy McNally had tackled her way into his life and somehow, despite all odds, found her way into his heart.

As he watched his the way Oliver stared at him, Sam realized that his friend wasn't as easily intimidated as he was before by his penetrating stare downs. Sam let out a sign and ducked his head suddenly finding his lap very interesting. Oliver could be damned persistent when he wanted to be.

"Sammy," Oliver said in a solemn voice. "You've got to speak up soon. This thing," Oliver motioned towards McNally and then back to Sam, "it will eat you alive. If you don't tell her that you love her, and yes you love her, and do it soon, you're going to hate yourself."

Sam looked up at Oliver ready to dispute the fact of loving McNally, even if it was a half assed attempt only to be silenced by the look of warning on Oliver's face. Damn it! When did Sam Swarek start being intimidated by Oliver Shaw, romantic sap, whipped husband, super dad?

"Stop being so damn stubborn. You are two of the most sickeningly stubborn people I have ever met." Oliver looked in McNally's direction and watched as she downed another shot despite the looks her friends were giving her. "I'm tired of watching that girl try to drink herself into oblivion. I think the only reason she was on her best behavior the last few days was because of that kid."

Sam instantly felt guilty for not intervening before. He knew that Andy's behavior had been a bit odd and that she wasn't in danger of becoming an alcoholic, but she had been going a bit overboard lately. At first Sam had merely chalked it up to her being in pain and he'd practically pushed the shots down her throat the first night.

Rule number one of breakups, get drunk, act up, make yourself feel like crap, and realize that you survived it all the next morning. He remembered telling her that before downing the tequila shot with her. The alcohol would make her forget for tonight, and feel so bad in the morning that she wouldn't have the energy to think about Callaghan and his cheating ways. It was a temporary distraction, and necessary, but eventually, he knew she'd tire of it and by then, she would have gotten over the mess and start healing. The drinking was just the first step.

"She's okay Ollie," Sam said looking at Andy toss back another shot. "She knows all to well the dangers of alcohol. She's just going through the steps," Sam turned back to his beer and shrugged at his friend. "Besides, I've got her back. I won't let it get out of hand."

"Riiight," Oliver drawled out disbelievingly. "The 12 steps of Swarek break up rules. How could I forget."

Sam fixed a glare on him before smirking. "There aren't 12 steps Ollie. Then again, you might be a bit foggy on the details being an old married man an all. But drinking the key first step."

"More like all the steps," Oliver muttered.

Sam smirked at his friend. "You wound me. It's one of the first steps. And it may be a couple others, but there are more steps."

Oliver and Sam had been pulled into a debate about the merits of the Swarek steps to breakups when Jerry, Noelle, and even Frank were pulled into the discussion. Despite enjoying the lively conversation that had replaced the somber moods of the senior officers, Sam continued to glance in Andy's direction. He watched as she took another shot, he'd lost count around ten or so and was slightly annoyed that her friends had continued to encourage her.

Sam was waiting to see if he should intervene in this train wreck, but he decided that her friends would know when it had been enough. The rookies were trying to find a way to cope with the events from this case, and he was going to let them. This was no different then how he and his friends had handled their own tough cases early in their careers. Sam was immediately grateful to Diaz who managed to wrangle the bottle away from McNally who'd been ordering shots be drank by each of them. He tucked it under his chair and still managed to keep up the appearance of laughing at something Andy was saying with her big expressive hand gestures.

Some time later that night, Andy had finished her story after making all of her friends laugh thoroughly. She smiled broadly clearly proud of herself for taking her friend's minds off the gruesome case they had managed to close today. It didn't escape her notice that it was late, or that Gail had been impatient to leave. It likewise didn't escape her notice that as Gail left to say her goodbyes, she was meeting someone. When the door to the Penny opened, the last person Andy had expected to see was Luke, but she merely sobered a little through her drunkenness and tried to determine if it bothered her.

When Andy was convinced that she really wasn't hurt by Gail and Luke getting together, she looked over at Chris. Lovable, heart of gold Chris. How was he going to take the news. The door slamming shut behind Gail made Andy jump a bit and Andy felt a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up with wide eyes to Chris's somber expression. In that moment, Andy knew that Chris already knew and wanted to make sure that she was okay. Andy was over Luke, but the pain of his infidelity still stung. It also shocked her into a bit of numbness that one of her own friends would be the next romantic partner in her ex's life, but that was their decision she supposed. She didn't want to go back, and she didn't regret the relationship being over, just how it ended.

Without thinking Andy swallowed and then reached out for the bottle intending to pour both herself and Chris a shot. They both needed it right this moment.

When Andy didn't find the bottle she looked up at Chris expectantly and before she could look to her other friends, she caught his guilty expression. Andy knew that she needed to break this morose feeling that was in danger of overtaking them. So she opted for laughter.

Andy lunged at Chris catching her other friends off guard. He caught her and knew instantly that she had already figured out that he had taken the bottle of whiskey and that it was under his chair. Somehow, he manged to wrestle her to his lap and held her there despite her flailing about as she tried to simultaneously reach for the bottle and free herself from his grasp.

When Andy finally realized that she wasn't getting away from Chris, she settled down and wrapped her arms around his neck as she sat on his lap.

"You know Chris," she teased. "It's really no fair that you use the fact that you are physically stronger than me to keep from the alcohol that we both need so much after seeing who was on the other side of the door."

Chris pulled back enough to look her in the eyes and brushed her hair behind her ear then shrugged. "Nah, we'll both be good without it. And we know that we're both better off without them."

She looked at him for a moment and then smiled slowly. "Yeah, you're right." She turned her head to the side before sliding off of his lap. "Besides, they kinda deserve each other you know?"

"Andy," Chris said in a warning tone.

"Yeah , yeah, I know." she said in a chastised voice. "Can I at least have the bottle back so I can give what's left back to Liam before we head out?"

Chris thought twice about handing the bottle back to her, but then gave in when he saw her little pout. "No funny business you hear me," he warned her in a stern voice. "You've had enough."

"Yes, sir!" She saluted him before taking the bottle and stumbling up to Liam. She handed the bottle back to him with a sassy smile that she knew he'd appreciate. After letting him scold her and telling her that he hoped she'd wish she'd never been born in the morning, he winked at her and asked who was taking her home. Andy flashed her best smile and said Chris's name and then turned to walk back over to her friends who were finishing up their own drinks.

Chris held her jacket for her as she slipped it on and then after a couple fumbled attempts at zipping her coat, he swatted her hands away and zipped it all the way up for her. Andy scowled at him before he took her chin in his hands so that she had to look at him.

"You're going to be okay again Andy," he said sincerely. "We both are."

It might have been the copious amounts of alcohol that she'd consumed that night. Maybe it was the emotional beating she'd been through this week. In that moment, looking at her friend who might have also had a bit too much to drink, Andy found it unbearable to think that his demons might possibly get the better of him tonight.

Without any thought to what she was doing, Andy stepped forward quickly and grabbed the front of Chris's jacket and pulled him towards her. Before he could register what was happening, Andy was up on tip toes kissing him.

Chris's hands immediately went to her waist and somehow, though if you asked either of them afterwards they wouldn't know how it happened, the kiss deepened. They were lost in the very strange, yet oddly satisfaction of their kiss when cat calls from from the bar broke them apart.

Both looked at the other with a wide eyed shock as their chests heaved. Chris was the first to regain his wits and spoked in a husky voice as Andy touched her lips with her finger tips.

"I think it's time to go home now Andy."

At first she didn't seem to hear him, and she continued to touch her lips somewhat shocked with herself. After she didn't respond to Chris calling her name again, he got a bit worried. Neither seemed liked they noticed that every eye in the bar was on them.

Chris let out an exasperated sigh as she failed to respond and did the only thing he could thing of to her out of the bar. He reached down and picked her up throwing her over his shoulder and proceeded to leave the bar carrying her like a sack of potatoes.

It wasn't until Chris had taken a step with he over his shoulder that Andy realized what was happening. As the absurdity of the situation became apparent to her she let out a peel of giggles before protesting that she could walk. When Chris continued walking to the door with no intention of putting her down she reached to swat his bottom and continued to giggle at this ridiculous situation letting the door slam after they left.

Sam had been watching throughout the night and couldn't have been more shocked than when Andy suddenly lunged at Chris and wound up sitting on his lap with her arms around his neck. The scene was looking a bit too intimate for his liking and even Oliver was watching the rookies with an open expression of concern.

After a comment about Andy having been staying with Chris while Dov was playing house with his new bomb squad girlfriend, Sam felt his temper flare a bit. He couldn't help but be over protective of Andy. It was a part of him that he had no hope in denying. There was good part of him that wanted to smash Chris Diaz's face in for holding Andy, but he had to let this play out. They were good friends after all. They were like siblings.

That was the train of thought that Sam had as he watched Andy return the bottle of whiskey back to Liam. His anger started to rise again as he watched Chris smack Andy's hands away from her zipper and zip her coat for her. If that had been Sam, no matter how drunk Andy was, she would have fought him and told him that she could take care of herself. Instead, she just silently watched Diaz zip up her coat with little protests.

Sam felt his jaw stiffen as Chris leaned in to say something to Andy. Whatever it was that Chris said, Sam sure as hell wasn't expecting what happened next. He watched in horror as Andy grabbed the front of Chris's coat and pulled him in for kiss that seemed to deepen as soon as Diaz had his arms around her. Sam honestly thought he was going to be sick.

As the two broke the kiss after a few cat calls and whistles, Sam knew why is was then men killed their wives or girlfriends and their lovers. As a cop it was disgusting, but in this moment, Sam knew that is justifiable homicide. He set his drink down and took a step in the direction of his rookie but stopped when Chris hoisted her over his shoulder.

Sam stared after them with a war of emotions battling in his chest. Hearing her laughter as Chris made his way out of the Penny with her on his should almost induced Sam to vomit.

As soon as the door slammed shut behind the pair, Sam felt a firm slap hit the back of his head. In no mood to deal with much from anyone, he spun with a murderous look to face his attacker. Oliver met his thunderous look with one of his own.

"This is all your fault," Oliver exclaimed. "All you had to do was tell her. Idiot!"

There it is, a little musing from my mind. Not sure if it's worth continuing, though I definitely know where I want it to go. You amazing readers will be the one's who determine if I continue with this. And please don't hate me! I can feel your anger/displeasure already!