This is (one) of my beliefs of what will happen in 4.01. Hopeful and sadly, unlikely.

Enjoy.

Follows from about 3 minutes before the end of the finale.

Let me know if you would wish to see a second chapter.

Disclaimer: I own these world, but not the world in which they belong.

As soon as Luke left his office, Andy stood and hurried back to the women's locker room.

Tossing her bag absently onto the bench, she swirled her combination and pulled the door open.

Snatching a pen and tearing a sheaf of paper from her notebook, Andy sat, closed the locker with an absent kick of her foot, and began to write in a rapid and careless scribble.

It took her nearly two minutes before she was certain she had written what had needed to be written, along with more meaning that only he would understand.

Then she hefted her bag and made a covert detour into the men's locker room. Peering around the corner, she checked to see she was alone, and hurried over to the middle of a row.

Tucking the piece of paper into the top of one, she glanced around once more, peeked at the time, and left the locker room.

Luke was back in his office, leaning on his desk and studying a file.

He glanced up when she entered and said nothing.

Andy took a breath. "I'm in."

Luke smiled.

The morning after he had finally confessed his love and was subsequently stood up, Sam ended up for shift with a roaring headache behind his eyes and her proclamation of no longer caring ringing in his ears.

When he reached his locker, Sam saw the pitying look Oliver shot him out of the corner of his eye. Sam resisted the urge to snarl as he saw the happiness radiating from his best friend.

He knew that Oliver and Zoe had worked something out, even without being told. He could feel it.

It reminded him of his own failings.

And how he had broken the only promise he had ever made to Andy.

He had given up on them without a fight.

Sam probably deserved the pain he was feeling deep in his chest, but that didn't lessen it in the slightest.

Sighing and wincing at the spike of pain in his head, Sam almost missed the paper as it fluttered to his feet as his locker door swung open.

As it was, he was too sluggish to catch it and watched as it drifted to a halt under the bench.

He moved slowly, wishing he had had more coffee, and picked it up.

Seeing his name scrawled on the outside and the tattered edge at the top, Sam's curiosity fought to rise through the hangover and loss.

Flipping it open, he scanned the words quickly.

Sam,

Despite all you said, I need a chance to find my footing again, to rise to any challenge set in front of me. Everything you've done over the past two months has gotten all tangled in my head and I have to clear it out.

I have about four minutes to get this right.

But, you should know, I think I would have taken you up on the drink.

Try to remember that.

I was told I couldn't say goodbye, that I just had to go.

You know how well I am with following the rules.

Even after everything, somehow, you're still my goodbye person. And that's exactly what I need to figure out.

Please don't do anything stupid; I think Luke will explain what's happened in the morning.

Also, Boo Radley is the best name for a dog.

I have to go.

Bye.

-Andy

Sam held the letter still for a long moment without seeing it.

Then his body was filled with a surge of love and relief and happiness, draining much of the throbbing behind his eyes.

She would have come.

That was enough for him.