3"I love you, Hannah," Andy said, caressing her cheek. "I'd do anything for you."
"This isn't allowed," she whispered, wanting it just as much as he did but knowing it was wrong; it was against the rules.
"Why does that matter, Hannah? Why does that matter if we feel this way?"
"Because… Because…" The words wouldn't come. Why did something so wrong feel so right?
'"Detective Harding," the captain called. "In my office." The four detectives in the small squad room looked up. David and Jennifer Plymouth continued with their paperwork, not considering it unusual that the hotheaded detective was being reprimanded. They'd spent twenty years on the force as NYPD's only married partners. Today was not different in any way.
But Hannah Aston looked up, wide-eyed, at her partner. She had never been called to the captain's office for anything other than praise, and though she knew her partner was often in trouble, she had recently acquired a guilty conscience.
"Detective Harding," the captain said as Andy entered the office. "I'm going to get right to the point. Are you pursuing a romantic relationship with Detective Aston?"
"What?" Andy asked.
"Are you in a romantic relationship with Hannah Aston?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Andy said defiantly.
"Am I going to have to spell it out for you, Detective?" the Captain asked, his face turning red with anger.
"I guess so, Captain!" Andy shouted back, used to having the Captain's anger and annoyance directed at him.
"Are you sleeping with your partner?" the Captain exploded.
"Oh, that." Andy looked through the office window and into Hannah's large, nervous, blue eyes. "It's not just sleeping with her."
"You know perfectly well that's against the rules."
Andy nodded. "Yeah, but I'm pretty sure Plymouth is screwing Jen, and I don't see him in here. I mean, they have a kid."
The Captain sighed, annoyed, as usual, by the detective. "They're married. That's completely different."
"Right. Right." Andy shrugged. "Now that we have the shocker out of the way that I'm breaking the rules, I have paperwork to finish. With Hannah."
"No, you don't." The Captain stared his detective right in the eye. "You end it in forty-eight hours, without breaking her heart, or one of you is giving up your badge."
Andy again looked out of the window and into the big, beautiful, blue eyes he loved so much. Without hesitation, he handed his badge to the captain and left. "I want you to know, Captain," he said as he was halfway out of the office, "That she's so much more than worth it."
It was late when Hannah found the letter. She had to finish all of the paperwork since her partner was no longer her partner. With a sigh, she wondered where he was. And then she saw it.
Dearest Hannah,
I gave my badge to the Captain. We were breaking the rules, and I would rather it cost me than you. I started all of this. I don't want to leave you. I never, ever want to leave you. You should know that, even if you don't understand why I'm doing just that. But it's for you, I promise.
You know where to find me.
~Andy
And then the tears came.
Hannah looked down at the stick in her hands. One line. And then the tears began to come again.
"Andy…" she whispered.
A/N: Hmmm. Not so good. But I promise the rest will be better. Please review!