Thanks to everyone for welcoming the story back. I am TERRIBLE at getting back to everyone so I just want to say I really appreciate all the comments, they are motivating. Also I know my chapters are on the short side, I just can't seem to write long chapters! Obviously new at this writing thing. Also I am going on vacation so I'm sorry but the last chapters won't be up until August. I think only a couple more to go.

Andy's hands stilled immediately. Did she hear that correctly?

"What was that?" She looked at Sam confused.

Sam caught the expression on her face and smirked. "Babysitting, McNally. You've heard of it?"

"Umm...yeah, but Sam your sister's having an actual baby, like now, and I haven't even met her, and what would she think if I just showed up at her house?"

"Well, first off, she's not actually at her house and secondly, I hardly think you will be on her mind seeing as she is in the middle of having a baby, McNally."

She looked at him with a grin. She could see he was putting himself out there a bit, which is a rare occasion with Sam Swarek.

"But you know..." Sam continued gruffly, "If you have plans for the weekend or you don't want to come, no worries, it's just a thought." Sam decided he needed to give her an out, which would let him out of this with a shred a dignity if she said no.

"No! No, I mean, yes, sure I guess I can come, I mean...if you think that's okay." Ugh, stop rambling, Andy. She looked down at the sink, and then back to Sam. "Really?"

"Yes, McNally, really." Sam grinned and shook his head. "Go pack a bag and we can be there in a couple of hours."

Andy waited a beat and then smiled widely at him. "Ok, I'll just be a minute." She went off to throw some things in an overnight bag. A weekend with Sam! Well, Sam and a 3 year old in his sister's house – but still.

"Hey" Sam yelled from the kitchen. "Wanna take your dinner with us? We can eat when we get there. Julia will be asleep."

"Sure – there are boxes in the corner of the kitchen." Andy yelled back.

Sam got to work packing up dinner while Andy finished in the bedroom. One quick stop at Sam's and they were on the road in no time.

The drive was challenging to say the least. It was extremely dark and the rain just wasn't letting up. Sam pulled off to get coffee and to get a quick break from the rain. Andy could feel her head aching, whether it be from lack of food, straining her eyes, or just the general weirdness she was feeling with the situation before her. I mean, how did a thank you dinner end up with her going to his sister's house to help him with his niece? It was a little overwhelming. She rubbed her temples with both hands.

Sam looked over as they waited in the drive-thru line up. The rain was still tapping away on the windshield, interrupted by the steady rhythm of the wipers.

"You okay?" he said softly. He was tapping his hands lightly on the steering wheel.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, just a headache. Long day and all that." She tilted her head back to lean against the seat.

"Yeah" Sam chuckled. "I didn't really think I'd end up here tonight either." Then after a few seconds as the truck crept along in the line, "Why don't you close your eyes and try to sleep? It'll be at least another hour before we get there." His hand came up to rub the back of her neck as they continued to wait. Andy sighed audibly as she closed her eyes, enjoying his strong fingers massaging her neck in slow circles.

"Hmmm...if you keep doing that I'll be asleep before we even get to the window here," she smiled, eyes still closed and relaxing into his touch.

Andy heard a click and then felt his hand tug at the back of her neck. She opened her eyes slightly but Sam was already leaning over, his face within inches in front of her. She felt his mouth close over hers and her breath caught in surprise. He deepened the kiss and she could feel her head pressing further into the back of the seat. She kissed back, matching his lead and reached out to encircle his waist with her arms. She felt like every muscle in her body was reacting in unison.

Sam broke the kiss and pulled back to look into her eyes. He gave a soft peck on her lips, touching their noses before pressing his forehead against hers. "Sorry, just had to do that," he said in a low voice, his breathing quicker than usual, Andy noticed. Then he gave her sexy grin. "Thanks for coming with me, really."

"Anytime." Their foreheads were still pressed together when they heard the car behind them honking impatiently.

"Ok, ok, calm yourself," Sam said sarcastically as he seated himself back on his side to continue with the task at hand of buying coffee. Andy rested her head back again and focused on regulating her breathing.

The rest of the drive was pretty quiet, with Andy dosing off briefly, and waking when Sam took the exit off the highway. Sarah called from the hospital to make sure Sam was enroute. Andy could hear Sam telling her, "Relax, Sarah, it's under control. I'll call if anything urgent happens. The next time you call it better be an announcement that my second niece has arrived."

"She's having another girl?" Andy asked when he hung up.

"Yeah, two little Sarahs, God help them."

"So what's Julia like?"

"Julia is 3 but she thinks she's 6. She talks really well, likes everything princess, and is stubborn as hell."

"Huh, big shock there."

Sam looked over at her with eyebrows raised. "Are you saying Swareks are stubborn, McNally?"

"Well, just saying I know one stubborn Swarek..." she trailed as she looked out the window grinning.

"You can see for yourself soon enough," Sam said dryly as they pulled into a long driveway that lead up to a quaint two story house. He parked the car and frowned at the fact it was raining still. "We're going to have to make a run for it."

They got their bags and the dinner box and were in the house quickly, only to be greeted by what looked to be a stressed out teenager, a disaster of a living room, and a little pajama-clad girl with long dark hair and dark eyes running to Sam full throttle as she grabbed one of his legs and yelled "Uncle Sammy's here! Up, up, quick!"

Sam bent down and picked her up easily, giving her a big bear hug. "Hey Jules, it's good to see you monkey." He made his way into the living room with Andy behind him, Andy taking it all in. Andy's insides may have died a little at the sight of a toddler nuzzling her head into Sam's neck.

"Sammy, Mommy went to the hospital to get a baby sister!" Sam had her now hitched on one side as he smiled at her. "I know, pretty exciting right? You're going to be a good big sister?"

Julia nodded enthusiastically as Sam then turned toward the frazzled babysitter. "Hi, Jill, how are you?" Jill was fifteen, Andy guessed, with beautiful red hair and braces. She looked like she needed help.

"Good" she said shyly and Andy was pretty sure that was a blush creeping up on the girl. Does Sam do this to everyone? God. He introduced Andy, and Jill explained that Julia would just not go to sleep, with Sam coming and knowing there is a baby coming tomorrow.

"No problem, she'll have to sleep eventually," Sam replied simply. Andy was oddly impressed that he did not give the sitter a hard time. She would have expected his reaction to be, well, not mean or anything, but not this either, considering the mess of the place and Julia still awake.

Sam explained that Jill was a neighbour. "Are your parents home? Do you want to call them and tell them you are on your way? I'll drive you over, it's pouring out."

"No, it's okay, they said they will come get me. I'll just give them a call now."

Andy looked at the floor and the toys scattered everywhere and exchanged an amused look with Sam. So much for a quiet dinner once they got there. He grinned at her. He looked so perfect right now with Julia's head on his shoulder. She was looking more tired by the minute.

When Jill left and they shed their coats, Julia wanted back up in Sam's arms. She eyed Andy a little suspiciously, but gave her a small smile once Andy told her she loved princesses too.

"Come on, let's just sit for a few minutes," Sam plunked himself on the couch with his niece and grabbed Andy's hand and dragged her beside him. Julia was close to sleep and Andy took the hint. After a few minutes, her eyes were almost closed.

"You want me to put you in your bed, monkey?" Julia nodded sleepily and Sam got up and made his way down the hall. Andy stretched out her legs, not quite believing where she was or what she was witnessing. She closed her eyes to the sound of Sam reading a bedtime story, something about a unicorn not being allowed at school. Andy grinned and closed her eyes, not being able to process all the feelings she was having at this moment.