in another life // rookie blue

chapter five

"She-she's mine?" Sam asked. He looked down at Andy

"Yeah," Andy nodded. With tears streaming down her face, she smiled. Samantha was confused. Her mom always cried when she was sad, but these weren't sad tears. They were happy tears.

Sam knelt down. He was now eye level with both Andy and Samantha.  He didn't know what to do or how to react. So many thoughts ran through his head. He has a daughter. They have a daughter.

Oliver had seen a lot, but nothing like this. He smiled watching his best friend meet his daughter and reunite with the love of his life after six years.

Andy wiped her tears and placed her hand on her daughter's back.

"Rookie, I want you to meet someone."

"Is he another one of my uncles that you kept telling me about?" Samantha asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"No, Sweetie," Andy chuckled, "I want you to meet your daddy."

"You mean I have a daddy now, just like Catherine?" The child's face lit up brighter than it ever did on a Christmas morning. She has a daddy.

"Just like Catherine," Andy reassured smiling. Samantha stepped forward toward Sam.

"Are you really my daddy?" She asked.

"Yes, I really am," Sam responded. As if on cue, Samantha wrapped her arms around her father's neck and giggled. The child grinned from ear to ear. Sam grinned from ear to ear as well. He wrapped his arms around his child and embraced her.

Sam pulled Andy closer. He got his rookie back. They were a family now. All three. Sam had Andy. He had a daughter now. Andy had Sam. Samantha had both of her parents together at last.

Frank gave Sam the next few weeks off to spend with Andy and Samantha. They spent the night with Sam that night. Their things were still at the cabin since  it was a crime scene.

Andy climbed into the hot shower. The hot water relaxed her. Her bruised body ached. She washed her hair and soon got out. She wrapped her hair in a towel and looked in the mirror. Her eye was swollen, black, and blue. She winced as she barely touched. Andy reached into the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of ibuprofen. She changed into Sam's sweatpants. She buried her nose in his old academy T-shirt. She missed that all too familiar scent. She slowly slid it over her head.

Andy walked down the hall and leaned her head against the wall. She watched Samantha and Sam together. Andy was happy now. Her child now had both her mother and father. The two had a tea party with styrofoam cups and paper plates. Samantha was passed out in Sam's lap. He was almost asleep until he heard the floorboard creak. Andy chuckled to herself.

"Why don't you take a picture, McNally. It'll last longer," Sam groggily joked. He had only known his daughter for a few hours, and she already had him wrapped around her finger. He adjusted the pink tiara on his head.

"You know what? I just might. Jerry and Ollie would get a kick out of it!" Andy laughed. She grabbed her phone off of the coffee table and took Sam's picture.

"Go ahead. Laugh all you want, McNally!" Sam said. Andy continued to laugh as she walked over to the couch. She pulled her knees to her chest and leaned over onto his shoulder. She missed this.  "Tell me about her."

"Well, she loves playing soccer and playing on the beach. Also, she makes the worst jokes just like her daddy," Andy laughed. "She's smart and kind. She always wants to help."

"Sounds like she has her mother's lion's heart." Sam looked into Andy's eyes.

"I missed you, Sam."

"I missed you too." Sam paused for a minute. "When did you find out?"

"Two weeks after I left," Andy said, "I wanted to tell you so badly. I wanted you with me through every bit of it."

"I know you did, McNally. You know I would have been. I just wish I could've been there for you and-" Sam quit talking to fight back tears, "I just- I missed everything. Her first words, her first steps. I wasn't there to hold her when she was scared and hurt."

"I wish you were too," Andy whispered, "Where can we put her? I have an idea."

"I can lay her down in the guest room." Sam stood up and carried Samantha into the room. Andy followed behind them. He laid her down and kissed her forehead.

He leaned her against the wall and tucked her hair behind her ear. Sam looked deep into her eyes and then looked down at her lips. He kissed her passionately and walked towards his room.

"You can't just do that and walk away," Andy whispered. Sam turned around to face her.

"Watch me," he said. They walked into his room. "Alright, McNally, what's your idea?"

"Give me a minute," Andy said as she dug through one of her bags. She pulled out a flash drive and her laptop. "You still have that HDMI cord?" Sam nodded. He pulled it from behind the tv.

Within a few minutes, Andy had her laptop screen on the tv. For the rest of the night, the two were up watching videos of the first six years of Samantha's life.

The next morning, Andy rolled over to face Sam. He kissed her. Last night was the first night they had spent together in six years. She was finally back in his arms. It felt unreal to her. It was almost as if this were dream, but, no, she knew this was real. She knew that he was real.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to pick up where we left off?" Andy asked.

"Do you want to be?" Sam asked. She nodded. He turned over and searched through his night stand drawer. "You know um- I- uh- I was going to propose." Sam admitted.

"What? When?"

"Yeah, the night after you left. I had reservations."

"Sam, I'm so, so sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault you had to leave."

"I know. I-I just feel as though I screw everything up sometimes. Is that why you asked me if I wanted to pick up where we left things? I had no idea you were going to- "

"McNally, shut up and let me ask the dang question," Sam interrupted. Her allergy to silence drove him insane sometimes, but he loved it. It was what made up her personality. "I know it's been six years, but I just got you back, and I do not intend to lose you again. I want us to be a real family- me, you , and Sammy. So, Andy- McNally, what do you say? Will you marry me?"

"Yes! A thousand times yes!" Sam slid the ring on her finger. He climbed on top of her and kissed her.

update: Y'all, I'm back. My family has had it rough for the last six months, but I'm back! I need ideas for the next and final chapter. So it's up to y'all There may be a few time jumps, but I'm trying to write cute McSwarek family moments! Seriously, y'all comment what y'all want, and I'll write it!