As always, you know what I'm going to say, so today, I'll just say thanks!

Welcome to the newbies, & thanks to the awesome regulars, Kelly2727 & Mahtra!

Chapter 21- Together

The drive home felt like it was taking eons, rush hour traffic leading towards the city making the drive home tedious, when all she wanted to do was find Sam and find out what he was up to.

Her smile never dimmed or slipped away, not even when the two hour drive turned into three and a half.

Finally arriving home, Andy walked the hallway that lead to her front door lost deep in thought.

Slipping the key into the lock, she silently unlocked her front door and pushed it open to have her senses surrounded by various assailants.

Her nostrils were filled with the delicious aroma of cooking food, and flowers. Her eyes found her entire lounge covered in an array of different colored flowers as she stepped through the door.

A soft giggle slipped free when her line of sight glazed over the room to find Sam sleeping on the couch, remote to the tv in hand, but the tv set off.

Dropping her bag off her shoulder and gently setting it down, so not to wake Sam, Andy moved over to the couch where Sam lay, his face covered in a kind of peace that Andy wasn't sure she'd ever seen before.

Sam's eyes flew open, his head moving to shake away the remaining clutches of sleep.

"Andy?". He moved to sit up to find Andy sitting on the arm rest next to his head.

"Hey sleepyhead". Andy giggled out at catching Sam sleeping for the first time.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...". Sam's words died off into a smug grin as Andy let another fit of giggles consume her.

"I mean I wasn't really...". Sam felt his own amusement spread as Andy's whipped through her.

Here he was trying to do what he should have done from the beginning, and he fell asleep.

So not cool Sammy!

"I made lunch". Sam said standing up and reaching out for Andy's hand to pull her up off the arm rest and dragging her towards the kitchen.

"I know, I could smell it all the way down the hallway". Andy answered as they came to stand in the kitchen, where she noticed her tumble dryer was running.

Andy arched an eyebrow, her eyes shifting between the dryer and Sam.

"Yeah, I kinda did your laundry and took out your trash". Sam said letting his hand run up behind his head, where his hand fingered his own hair.

"You did my laundry?". Andy blurted out before she could control herself.

"Yeah, and I took out your trash". Sam repeated to make sure she understood what he was saying here.

"You came home, to my condo, and somehow broke in to make me lunch, do my laundry, and take out my trash?".

Sam nodded, not sure what her stoic expression meant.

"Remember the conversation we had a while back, when I said I'd make you dinner and take out your trash?". Sam hesitantly stepped a little closer to her, his eyes moving involuntarily between her eyes and her lips, and back again.

Andy's mind flashed back to that moment, Sam's words on auto play.

"This is me doing just that. No more words, now its only me showing you everyday that I meant it".

"You said until I say yes, and I said yes Sam".

Sam was shaking his head from side to side, "Nope, you haven't, coz...I um... Haven't asked you yet".

"Sam!". Andy playfully smacked his arm as her cheeks flooded with a slight red hue.

"Oh come on, I told you that this is where this is going". Sam said waving his hand between them.

Andy's stomach chose that moment to make its emptiness known, causing her to again find it simple to giggle.

"Guess I'd better get you fed first". Sam said motioning towards the island for her to sit down.

After lunch of a simple chicken and cheese pasta and salad, Sam let Andy help him with the dishes and clean up before he told her he had another surprise for her.

Leading her to her balcony, he silently swung open the door to reveal a mini garden hidden behind the wall that kept it private from the street.

Everywhere were pot plants and even a small round garden table with two matching chairs.

In the corner was a wheelbarrow, small rose bushes planted in fresh sand in it.

"Wow". Andy said stepping out into the fresh air, the sun basking her skin in warmth that had been lost in rainy days.

"You did all this today?". Andy spun around expecting Sam to have a cocky expression on his face but instead finding the look his mother had so poetically captured on paper.

"Thank you". Andy added before giving Sam the time to answer her.

It was like he had bestowed her own secret garden in mini version on her balcony for her, knowing that she loved the outdoors.

A gift so unusual, thank you didn't quite seem to cover it.

Oliver called an hour later, asking if they'd like to join them all at the Penny after shift, because Frank had an announcement and wanted them there.

After checking with Andy, Sam said they'd meet them there at seven thirty, before asking her if she wanted him to pick her up.

It was all different, even though it was still them, things seemed easier, but didn't feel far away from their normal comfort zone.

Sam left Andy with a kiss on her cheek in her doorway with the promise to pick her up at seven to go to the Penny, a wicked smile on his lips as he pulled away before leaving.

The whole new them was driving him crazy, and he was sure it was her too, but their lack of physical contact that he was determined to keep was not due to any form of dissipation in the attraction between them, it was more a case of him trying to prove that their relationship was based on a lot more than their tendency to get so physically wrapped up in eachother that they lost sight of everything else around them.

As promised Sam was ready and waiting at seven.

Walking into the Penny, Sam held the door open for Andy, his other hand still holding on to hers, he blatantly refused to let it go, and had no problems showing public affection this time around.

Ignoring the questioning looks, they made their way over to the tables already occupied by their friends, welcoming smiles making the inquisitive looks dissipate.

After a round of drinks and friendly banter, Noelle produced a stack of lilac and cream colored envelopes, silence following as she cleared her throat.

"These are for select members of Fifteen, it is not to be broadcast under any circumstances". Smiling she handed the envelopes out, one to Oliver, one to Traci, one to Dov, one between Gail and Nick, one to Sam, and kept two in her hand as she let her eyes flow over the bar counter.

"Wedding invitations?" Traci suddenly squealed before clamping her hand over her mouth.

"Yeah and why is this one addressed to me and Andy?". Sam said leaning in a little closer as he tried to keep his face as stern as possible.

Noelle leaned back in her chair, before looking at Frank and then leaning forward.

"Sammy, Andy's your plus one like Frank is mine, so the sooner you get that the better, because if I'm having to resort to giving it to you in writing, I'm wondering if you're ever gonna get that".

The table let out loud fits of laughs, just as Sam saw Shay making her way into the Penny and straight towards them.

Andy looked up when she noticed Sam's smile, following his line of vision until she found her own reason to let a huge smile beam over her lips.

As soon as Shay made it to the table, Sam noticed the sadness marring her once bright eyes, before she tried to cover it up, her face turning to the left as he noticed another pair of eyes watching them, mirroring the sad look she had.

Wait, what?

"Andy you having a beer?". Sam asked after giving Shay a hug as Andy moved to replace him.

"Yeah, sure".

Sam made his way over to Liam, standing close to the eyes that were watching and ordered a round for the table, and one for the solitary patron at the bar.

"You know, woman like that don't come around often". Sam said as he followed Luke's eyes to where Andy and Shay were in a deep written conversation.

"That, I know". Luke's reply was dry, his face turning to seek Sam out as his hand let go of his whiskey glass.

"So she got the promotion?".

Luke nodded, Sam was smart, it wouldn't take him long to figure it all out.

"So you're just gonna let her go?". Sam slid onto the chair next to Luke, asking Liam to have the drinks delivered to the table.

"It's not as simple as it sounds". Luke's cold shoulder was far from vacating the area.

"I get it, I really do. After what you did for me, with Andy, I think you need to do the same for yourself". Sam took a sip of his beer, waiting for Luke to have some snappy response.

"Nope, I screwed that up before I even had the chance to start it".

What?

Sam leaves for a week and somehow Callagan and Shay seem to have gone from hardly talking to at war from the cold glare she sent his way before turning back to face Andy.

"You know, guys like us, we're born to screw up..."

"I kissed her, so she slapped me and I just walked away. Left her standing there. At a crime scene. She applied for the transfer and got it, so she's leaving soon. And I just don't get how I'm supposed to fix this screw up".

Sam's eyebrows arched way up at Callaghan's sudden honest declaration.

"Got a pen?". Luke turned to face Sam, a bewildered look on his face, before he retrieved his pen from his pocket and handed it over.

Sam made his way over to Noelle and said a few words before making his way over to Shay, holding a lilac envelope.

Setting the items down on the table, Sam signed, hoping that she would take her own advice.

'You're a good person Shay, and you deserve better than the hand you were dealt, so don't waste a chance to do that'.

Shay looked between Sam and Luke, before Sam spun her around so she wouldn't see Luke.

'He's a solid guy, and I know you know about him and Andy, but... He wasn't her good, solid guy?'.

Shay stared at Sam, before her own hands flew up to counter his words.

'I don't...'.

Sam wrapped his hands over hers and held on to them, stopping her from making any further attempts to talk.

"Wait one second?".

Shay nodded, so Sam called Andy over.

Looking at Shay, Sam spoke just loud enough for the both of them to hear.

"Andy, what's Luke really like?".

Andy looked between Shay and Luke, before focusing her undivided attention on Shay.

"He's a good guy Shay, a really good guy. He's made mistakes, but we've all done that, he's reliable and he's honest".

Shay watched Andy as she spoke slowly, before Sam let go of her hands, adding a "Take your own advice" as he handed her the envelope and pen.

"Congrats on the promotion, but be nice, and tell him it doesn't entail leaving? That was mean Shay, you need to play nice with this one".

Shay's face flushed as she nodded, of course Sam knew that just because she was taking the promotion it didn't mean she would be leaving.

It would be based out of Fifteen, her new assignment was working high profile Gun's & Gang's video surveillance footage because of her accurate ability to read lips and know the rules.

Sam spun Shay around and shoved her forwards, Luke's head immediately lifting when he saw her approaching.

"What just happened?". Andy asked as Shay held out the envelope to Luke, his face cracking up with a lopsided smile.

"I just wrote plus Luke on her wedding invitation".

"Why would you do that?".

"Andy, look at him, he looks at her like I looked at you, when we first met, but we haven't been around to see it. He made a minor error in judgment, so I just ironed out the bumps".

"A minor error in judgment?".

"Yeah, it wasn't as bad as the blackout we had, the lights were on and they were at a crime scene..."

"Sam! You're never going to let that go are you?".

"Nope".

"But you did a good thing".

"Yup, payback for him making me jealous". Sam said before letting out a chuckle.

Andy watched as Luke looked up and nodded at Sam who returned the gesture.

Life seemed to be righting itself, and apparently, Andy wasn't the only one who finally got her good guy.

Andy and Sam took seats at the table, conversation flowing with celebratory drinks.

Sam watched Andy stare off into space, her mind a private reel of images.

Her mind was peeking into the future, Sam finishing his bike rebuild and her getting him a vinyl sticker made when he decided to keep the bike and call her Molly.

Frank and Noelle's wedding, a late night party with dancing until sunrise the next morning.

Traci finding someone who cares as much for Leo as he does for her, not a replacement for Jerry, just an equal.

Nick and Gail getting over their past and moving forwards, sharing a lot of tequila along the way.

Dov meeting a girl that truly kept him grounded.

Oliver and Zoe patching up their falling apart marriage.

Shay and Luke- well that was a thought she had never allowed to formulate in her mind, but watching them now, that might just be a pairing that lasts.

As for her and Sam, she didn't know what tomorrow would bring, or where they'd be a year from now, but she was sure of one thing.

Whatever they were doing, and wherever they were, they'd be doing it together.

The End!

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Jelly Bean Jenna©

A/N: I will now be continuing with SIN, so see you all over there!