He was fidgeting and he damn well knew it. He leaned his head back and pinched the bridge of his nose as he leaned back against the wall with one foot propped on the wall in case he needed to propel himself in the opposite direction any quicker. Fantastic! Sulking outside of the women's locker room. Smooth move Swarek! He practically shouted at himself, but he needed to catch his rookie. She was the only one that could help him right now and he was loath to admit it, even to himself.

From his position just to the right of the door he could hear that she was in there alone. He could just go in he mused to himself, but really, that probably wasn't a good idea, especially given that Jerry had accidently let it slip that there was a pool in place. Well hell, he wished he could be upset with his friends and almost the entire precint, but if he was in their shoes, he'd be joining in the action. No he'd just wait until his rookie took her sweet ass time and came out on her own accord.

Sam sighed and realized that she was speaking in the locker room although to who couldn't figure out so it must be to herself. He had to mentally kick himself to not tease her about it, well not yet at least, because he really needed her to say yes to his favor. He wouldn't admit to anyone, but there were some areas that Sam Swarek did not exude confidence and his rookie, his Andy was the only one he could bring himself to show that too. Instead he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, trying to catch what she was saying to judge her mood any better. He never realized how much the sound of her voice calmed him.

"No, really it's okay," she said in a deflated tone. "It's not your fault I know you have to work, it's a big case."

Great. Callahan strikes again! The bitterness Sam was feeling began to knot his stomach. He hated seeing her unhappy, and afterall, he had gone to Callahan for her. The guy couldn't even pull himself away from his cases or even seem to comfort her when he did chose work over her. She deserved better, and one day, soon, Sam was hoping that Andy would realize that.

"Really, I'll be FINE Luke," the annoyance in her voice was just hinting. "I'll just go to the Penny and meet up with the other rookies. Yep, see ya later."

Her footsteps could be heard coming closer to the door and Sam's body tensed just like it always did when she was coming nearer. His body always reacted to her presence, humming when she was near him in a super awareness.

Andy McNally actually huffed when she hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and began to leave the locker room. Luke had decided to stay a scene as long as it took, even though it wasn't his case. She mulled over his explanation in her head and tried to reconcile with herself that he was right. Solving a murder was a huge thing and the detectives needed to stick together, especially when this case was bound to get some attention. She snorted to herself as she recalled him saying, "You'll understand when you're a detective someday, trust me."

Sam heard her snort as she exited the locker room clearly looking hell bent to do some damage at the Penny. Good for her! Not going to mope around about that smuck! He was proud of his rookie, even if it was for something so trivial. He let out a quick sigh and sent up a quick prayer and pushed off the wall calling out to her.

"McNally!" he began in an eager voice. The charm smile had been plastered on his face strictly for her benefit and it only widened when she jumped and turned to him.

"Sir?" She asked him with that eyebrow raising slightly.

He slowed his pace to a swagger trying to be extra friendly. "McNally. Buddy. Pal," he watched her face become amused as she put together where this was going. "Partner," he chirped in his most adorable voice.

His smiled brightened as he watched her roll her eyes at him. "I have a request, well favor to ask you really," he stopped to look at her holding up his hand to motion her to be quiet. "Well I'll owe you big time if you say yes, and well, I guess I'll order you to do it if you say no."

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him challengingly. She knew he was joking, possibly anyway, about ordering her to do a favor for him, but he definitely had her intrigued. Her eyebrow shot up higher as she tried to school the amusement off her face. "Yes Sam?"

He looked almost relieved that she was willing to hear him out. Taking a breath Sam found that he suddenly wanted to look anywhere but at her. Damn it! He was acting like a school boy and he knew it and his perceptive rookie was going to know it to. Might as well bite this bullet and get it over with.

"Remember I told you about my sister Sarah?"

She smiled sweetly at him, her posture softening. "Yes, Sam. She's okay right? Nothing happened to her?"

Sam was momentarily taken back by how much Andy seemed to care about the well being of his sister. His rookie wore her heart on her sleeve and her concern was written all over her face.

"Oh yea, McNally, she's great actually! Getting married here shortly"

"Okay?"

Sam ran his hand through his hair and felt the discomfort rise up in his chest again. "Look at the wedding there will be dancing.." he began clearly struggling for words. "My sister expects the whole wedding party, which I am apart of, to take part in every part of it."

Realization was beginning to dawn on her and Sam was simultaneious horrified and grateful that she was intuitive. "Okay Sam so are you like asking me to help you with wedding protocol? Because just because I'm a girl doesn't mean..."

"McNally," he cut her off in a sullen voice, "I need you to be my partner for the dance classes that Sarah signed me up for."

When he finally looked at her face, he had seen the shock written all over it.