Andy walked towards the Black Penny. She was nervous and jumpy as she stared at the door, growing through the past two hours. Luke had just called her to tell her that was would not be in the task force. Was she bummed? Of course she was. Everyone had wanted in on this - but she had chosen not to apply because she had been with Sam at the time the deadline had passed. But she's not with him now, so she's just going to have to go through that pointless bomb-holding therapy and work her ass off to qualify for the next one, that is if this thing with Sam doesn't go well. She pushed through the door and saw him sitting there, right at the front. He seemed nervous and even a little sad because it had come to this.

Andy was always the one who was trying, fighting for them. She held on for dear life after Jerry's death, but he had forced her to let go. And her tight grip had proved beneficial today with that bomb. And when he saw her holding that damned thing, his heart was in his throat. In those first few moments of seeing her, he had experienced a revelation. He'd promised her a fight, but he had forfeited. This time it would be different - he'd work twice as hard for her, he'd wait twice as long, if he needed to. She deserved his all because she had given him everything that she had. He turned when he heard the door open and felt the draft from its swing. She was here.

She really was nervous now. Her hands were in her back pockets, only leaving their refuge when she ran a hand through her hair. She saw that he was staring at her and she raised the corners of her lips at him in awkward acknowledgment. Andy joined him at the bar, he passed her the drink he was saving for her. She tossed it back and finished it in one gulp.

"Andy-"

"Me first," she interrupted, setting the glass back down on the bar. "I was going to leave. I thought I could maybe make it into Luke's task force and I was ready to go. But then I was holding a bomb. Have you ever held a bomb, Sam?"

She was scary calm. Her level-headedness had unnerved Sam. He twirled the amber liquid in his glass before answering, "Once, a few years back."

"Well then, you should know that when you're holding a bomb, it's the worst time for your emotionally unavailable ex-boyfriend to finally tell you that he loves you," said Andy. A biting tone had risen in her voice and Sam knew that he deserved it. "You dumped me in a parking lot. This parking lot. Jesus, Sam."

"You're right," he said, when she had been quiet for a moment. "But have you ever seen the love of your life holding a grenade? And you're stuck there, staring at her, scared for her life because if she dies then she'll never know how you feel?"

Andy flinched and looked around the bar. It was full. She could see Chris and Dov eying her and Sam from a table forty feet away. Gail was a few stools down, staring into her own amber glass. All of the other tables were filled with cops unwinding after the tough day. This was definitely not where she wanted to have this conversation. She leaned in close to him, "Can we do this somewhere else?"

"I'm almost done, McNally," Sam said quickly, quietly, not wanting to interrupt their conversation.

"Please?"

Nodding, Sam threw a twenty on the bar for their drinks and he stood to go. He led Andy to his truck and waited for her to get into the cab before he swung around and got into the driver's seat. She turned to him. Her head was spinning. The love of his life?

"Do you really love me?" asked Andy feebly. She almost wish she had gotten a refill on that drink. She could have used the courage.

Sam chuckled, "Of course I love you. You've taught me so much, Andy. About love, about life. How to give someone the benefit of the doubt, although that one is a lot harder for me," he joked. She said nothing. Her silence scared him. It's like her calmness, her quietness meant that if she wasn't reacting to something then there was a malfunction in her hardware. Andy was a feeler, if she wasn't feeling then something was wrong.

After a few more moments of silence, she spoke again, just as calmly as the first time. "And what about being a cop and being with me? How I'm responsible for Jerry."

"I hadn't had a moment to confront my feelings then. I didn't know what it was that was wrong with me, or how to deal with it. I was a jackass, there's no excuse. I'm still unsure how to do my job when you're around, but I at least know why now," he explained. He was staring at the steering wheel and not looking up at her. She scoffed. Finally, he looked up at her, "What?"

"Are you even being serious, Sam? You made jokes earlier, but this isn't funny. This is my heart, my life. Your heart."

"I know - God - yes, Andy, I'm serious. I love you and I want it all with you. I want a dog with you and I want to catch bad guys with you and I want to be with you. I love you." He rested his left hand on her own sitting in her lap and he had brought his right hand to her cheek. He looked her in her watery eyes and he knew that he was returning the look, but with a big grin on his face. He stroked his thumb along her cheek.

"You promised to fight for me."

"I know."

"You didn't."

"I'm a jackass, Andy."

"I know."

He laughed and she finally cracked a smile.

"So Andy McNally," he said tentatively, "what do you say?"

Andy was quiet for a long moment. She enjoyed Sam's big, warm hands and she had to restrain herself from closing her eyes and enjoying the moment. She had to remain calm, cool, she had to stay in control.

"I'm not saying no," she said slowly. He nodded in defeat, sliding his hand from off her face. "But I'm not saying yes, either. You broke my heart, Sam. It wasn't good. It's still not that good. I'm not over it. I need time to heal."

"Whatever you need, whatever you want," he said, taking her hands into his own.

"Can you take me home? I have therapy in the morning and it usually wipes me out," she asked. Sam nodded.

"Yeah, of course. Let's go." He started the car and pulled out of the lot. Their car ride was quiet, but they were both content. Sam kept turning towards Andy and smiling widely at her; she'd return the smile shyly. When he got to her place, she turned to get out of the car. He placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Andy wait. I, uh, I think I'd like to learn how to be a cop and be with you. If, uh, you know, it's okay with you."

"I'd love you be your partner again, Sam," she smiled. She hopped out of the truck and turned to him one last time. "Thanks for the ride, partner. I'll see you tomorrow."