A/N: Gosh, I've just been getting inspiration for these Rookie Blue fics left and right. I don't think I've ever written this many fics in this short amount of time. XD Anyways, this is something I came up with after listening to the song "Seven Years" by Cedar Avenue on repeat that played in "In Blue" during the evaluation scene. The story basically follows all of the events as they happened except for Luke asking Andy to move in with him in "In Blue" so just pretend that didn't happen. But enough of me talking and I'll let you get reading. :)

Disclaimer: All I own is the plot.

After All This Time

Sometimes she doesn't quite know why she does the things she does.

She's pulling into the nearly packed parking lot on her right as this thought runs through her mind. After circling around for a few minutes, she manages to find a space and squeezes in, maneuvering the compact Volvo carefully between the flanking cars. In front of her, the steel gray building stands proudly, a reminder to all that those inside lived their lives to serve and protect by whatever means necessary. She stares back at the gleaming walls of steel, remembering the last time she had step foot inside.

Opening the glass doors of the division, she strode purposefully into the building. From his position at the front desk, Dov gave her a puzzled look.

"Aren't you supposed to be—"

But she didn't stop, the rest of his question drowned out by the general noise of the station. She was here for one reason and one reason only. Her feet carried her, seemingly on autopilot, to the glass-walled office at the back of the building. She could see him sitting at his desk, laboriously filling out papers and other pieces of business his job entailed. Quickly, she brushed her fingers under her eyes, hoping that they weren't red and raw like she knew they had been just minutes before. When he heard her soft knock on his door, he beckoned for her to enter.

"Officer McNally." Best said in greeting.

"Sir."

He studied her intently as she approached his desk. "You were assigned to the streets today." If he was surprised at her being there, it didn't show.

"Yes, sir, I know." She stopped in front of him and stood at parade rest, hands clasped behind her back, feet slightly apart, eyes staring straight in front of her. "But I needed to speak to you."

Leaning back in his chair, he steepled his fingers, a sign that he was listening.

She took a breath, willing her racing heart to still. "I want to be transferred."

At this, he frowned. "And why would you be inclined to do so?"

"I had a confrontation with another officer."

"Which officer?"

She hesitated for a split second. "Officer Swarek."

His eyebrows shot into his forehead, clearly taken aback. "What kind of confrontation?"

"It was a personal issue, sir." she replied, trying to keep the emotion from her voice.

"I need a little more than that, McNally."

There's a beat of silence. She was hoping to keep his name out of this as much as possible but there wasn't anything she could do about that now. "I commented on a personal issue. Officer Swarek reacted unprofessionally."

"And you want to be transferred instead of him?"

She nodded.

Best closed his eyes as he processed this. "Did he act inappropriately in anyway?"

She knew the meaning behind his question and shook her head firmly. "No, sir. No behavior of that sort was involved."

Another silence followed. With a sigh, Best leaned forward in his seat. "Andy, there are other ways we can deal with this."

That, she knew, but she had already considered them before she arrived at the station. She shook her head again. "He's compromised my ability to work effectively as a peace officer here. And he's higher in rank so my leaving would have less of an impact on the division." For the first time since she stepped foot in the office, she dropped her gaze from its fixed point on the wall to look at Best. She swore she could hear him thinking.

"If Swarek was out of line, we can deal with this from his end." he tried again.

"I want it to be me."

Another pause. "When do you want this to be effective?"

"Immediately." Noting the tight look on this face, she added, "I realize this is such short notice, sir, but I can have the paperwork done by the end of the day."

He considered this. "Are you absolutely certain that this is what you want to do?"

For the briefest of moments, she thought about taking it all back. No, it was her mistake, she could say. Officer Swarek did nothing wrong. She would get back to the cruiser, finish her day on the streets, then come to work tomorrow and do it all over again. Just like before.

But things were not like before. Not after what he said. And she just couldn't do this anymore. So, she turned to the man sitting in front of her, his expression serious and hardened, and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Yes, sir."

She sighs now as she remembers, nearly five years later to the day. But there isn't anything she can do to change it now. She gets out of the car and makes for the entrance, painfully aware of the fact that she's walking the same route she took all those years ago. Inside, the familiar sounds of ringing phones, rustling papers, typing keys, and ongoing conversations reach her ears and it suddenly occurs to her how much she's missed being here.

"Andy?"

The voice calls her attention and she turns to see a very pregnant Traci standing up from behind the front desk.

"I didn't know you were coming in today." says her friend slowly as she walks out from around her station.

She decides to just get to the point, knowing Traci would see right through any lie she'd give. "I'm looking for Sam."

The look of concern and confusion on Traci's face isn't lost to Andy. As her best friend, Traci was privy to everything that had gone on in her life since she left the division five years ago and, considering the circumstances, knew enough to question her very presence at the station.

"He's out on patrol."

"Oh." Of course, he is, you idiot. "Right." She shifts her weight from one leg to the other. "Do you think I could hang around here 'til he comes back?"

"Andy…" Traci begins, careful to avert her eyes from her friend.

"Please, Trace? I really don't want to have to go back home."

There's a moment's hesitation before Traci nods slowly. "Alright. I could use the company. And Diazes has been asking about you."

"Thanks, Traci." she replies, smiling.

"Hey, Andy!"

Traci smirks. "Speaking of the devil."

They both turn to see Chris striding towards them, the keys to his cruiser jingling with every step. When he reaches the two of them, he pulls Andy into a bone-crushing hug.

"Missed you too, Chris." she mumbles into his vest.

He laughs, releasing her. "Well, you don't exactly visit these parts. Do you hate us that bad or something?"

She smacks him lightly on the arm. "Hate you? Never." She glances around the building. "How's Gail doing?"

At this, he beams. "She's awesome. Doctor said she shouldn't be doing any intense physical activities so she's taking it easy temping with the D's for now." After being married for three years, Chris and Gail were finally expecting the newest member of their family, a boy, by the end of the year.

"That's great, Chris." she says sincerely. Marriage and time, she had witnessed, had melted Gail's icy exterior. "I'm happy for you guys."

"Thanks."

"Come on, Chris! I need my coffee!" a voice behind them calls out causing him to chuckle.

"Well, I better run or Zac's not gonna make it through the day." he says, referring to his partner. "You sticking around for a while? Wanna get some lunch with us or something?"

She smiles. "I'd like that."

"Sweet! I'll see you two later then." With that, he runs out the door.

"Still eager to get on the streets." Andy notes, chuckling.

Traci rolls her eyes. "You should see him and Zac when he's hyped up on his caffeine. They practically bounce out the door."

Laughing, she follows her friend back around the front desk. On the other hand, there were things that a five years absence couldn't change.

...

Ten hours later, she's sitting at a work station in the darkened building, idly rapping her fingers against the metal desk.

It had been a wonderful day. Although Traci was the one person from the whole division she saw most often, they had spent a majority of the morning catching up on the events that had transpired since the last time they had seen each other. The station had been unusually quiet which left more than enough time for giggling and talking, a situation that strongly reminded Andy of their time as rookies assigned to man the desk.

Always the punctual man, Chris promptly arrived back at the station on time for his lunch break and the three of them, plus Gail who they had managed to scoop up from the D's office, headed out for their favorite diner. Walking through the door, Andy was pleasantly surprised to see a somewhat bulkier Dov leaning against the counter, his nearly one year with the ETF unit showing clearly on his frame. Apparently, it was his day off but Chris had called him to join the party.

They picked out a booth in the back, away from most of the other patrons, and proceeded to fill the air with boisterous talk. It had been several months since Andy was last with all of them like this and a lot had happened in that time. Dov was engaged to a nurse from St. Mike's who shared his love of thrills and excitement; Gail had passed up an offer for a position at headquarters, having no desire to follow in the footsteps of her white-shirt relatives; Traci, very much in her last trimester, informed them that she would be taking her maternity leave at the end of the month, possibly even a little later than that if she managed to persuade Jerry otherwise.

They sat there, laughing, talking, eating, just five friends catching up and winding down a bit before they headed back to work. Unfortunately for them, that came all too soon and after paying and saying good-bye to Dov, the other four returned to the station. Andy then spent the remainder of the afternoon helping Traci out in whatever way she could which mainly just consisted of picking up anything she managed to drop on the floor since there was very little she could do as an officer not stationed at the division.

With the arrival of the end of shift, Jerry came to whisk away his wife but not before she threw Andy a significant look.

"Maybe you should just come back some other time." Traci suggested quietly.

But she was having none of it. "I need to talk to him, Trace."

Traci let out a quiet sigh but dropped the issue, allowing Jerry to steer her away.

And that was how she now found herself in her current position, sitting in the considerably quieter station, her eyes glued to the entrance of the men's locker room. It's been nearly two hours after shift and he still hasn't made an appearance either entering the locker room or leaving it. But this doesn't raise her concern, remembering all the times she had arrived back at the barn hours after shift had ended.

What is making her stomach turn in unpleasant knots, however, is simply the thought of seeing him again. It had been five long years since she last saw those dark, brooding eyes and dimpled grin. Five years since he had managed to find the chink in her armor and work his way under her skin. Five years since she decided that that scared her enough to push him away. And so here she is five years later, no more at peace with her decision than she was back then.

She realizes just then that she has no idea what she's going to say to him. There's so many things she wants to say, so many things she wishes she had the courage to tell him all those years ago. But that was then and this is now and as much as she wishes that isn't so, she knows that, "I'm sorry." simply won't cut it.

Suddenly, the locker room door opens and there he is. For a moment, she forgets that she's there to talk to him and just watches as he walks past, taking no notice of the fact that she's sitting just a few feet away from him. Immediately, she notices that something's different. His shoulders, once strong and straight, now slump tiredly on his frame. His head is slightly bowed and his feet almost seem to drag as he makes his way to the entrance.

Just when he's about completely pass her, she jumps to her feet, eyes still fixed on his resigned form, and calls out softly.

"Sam."

A/N: I know some things seem a bit vague but all will be explained in due time. Also, I'm currently smack dab in the middle of the semester so things are getting a little crazy here. I have a ton of papers due and books I need to get to so the next chapter might take a while but bear with me. (I really should be focusing on them but when an idea forms it won't go away til I do something about it XD ) Anyways, what'd you guys think? Let me know please! I love hearing them. :)