Author: whatchasayiiin
Rating: PG-R
Disclaimer: Don't own it, wish I did. I own their daughter though… And those two menacing characters you're gonna hate :D
Summary: The road to happiness is a long and bumpy on, but it's always worth the trip.
A/N: Also posted on the board. Just archiving here :D
Chapter 1
Sam sat there alone in her apartment cleaning it up so that it would look presentable when Martin drops off their seven year old daughter. He was granted full time custody--not that she was surprised--during their divorce while she... Well, she didn't get much but a broken heart, a broken family, and a child that would be left to be passed around from her to him since she was granted "weekend visiting rights". As if that was enough. She was her mother for God sakes! But still, she knew the judge made the right decision. She wouldn't have been able to raise her daughter with the same discipline and attitude as Martin had. Though, she'd come a long way from years ago to now. Starting with the fact that years ago, she was happy. Today was an anniversary, or something. It was the night that they got engaged and for the past five years since the time that their divorce was finalized to right now, she would mope around all day. Just like if it was their wedding anniversary. Just like if it was the day when she asked him to share the cab with her, or Jamie's birthday. That's when the anti-depressant pills came in handy.
She looked out at the fireworks. They were beautiful. Martin and Gabriella would be out there in the harbor with Jamie, Ava and Allison looking up at the same sky, at the same view. She just hoped that Gaby wouldn't have stiff neck tomorrow That would suck since she planned on bringing her to an amusement park. She didn't have school yet, which Samantha saw as a good thing since summer was the really only time that she got to spend with her daughter. But summer school was starting soon. That sucked.
"Fitzgerald," Sam answered. She never really did take her name back. She got use to it after... a year of being a Fitzgerald. She has always intended to take Spade back, she just had no time to do it. Besides, having the Fitzgerald last name sometimes was an advantage, for one, she isn't Sam Spade from the Maltese whatever anymore.
"Mommy!" Gaby shrieked from the other line. Sam heard Martin telling Gaby not to yell onto the receiver because it could possibly deafen people. She just smiled at that.
"Hey sweetie, are you having fun with Ava?"
"Yup!"
"That's good to hear, did you see the fireworks?" Sam questioned. For another ten minutes, Gabby rambled on about how it was beautiful and how the noises were a little scary because it reminded her of the time that Martin had brought her to the shooting range. Sam chuckled at that, she remembered when Gaby came to her one weekend and told her that being an agent like her parents isn't what she wanted to be when she grew up anymore because of the noises that the gun makes. She remembered Gaby being scared to go into the FBI building for a week because of that.
"Sam, you there?" Martin's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. His voice tended to do that.
She cleared her throat before answering. "Yeah. I'm here."
"Okay, good. So I'll drop her off tomorrow at noon?"
"That'd be great."
"Okay, and uhm, I need to talk to you tomorrow okay?" Martin asked. Sam just nodded to herself confused. What did he want them to talk about?
"Sure."
"Okay, bye Sam."
"Bye, give Gaby a kiss for me will you?" Sam asked.
"Will do, see you tomorrow" Click.
She sighed putting the cordless phone back onto the charger and let herself sink on the couch. She and Martin have developed a friendship a year or so after the divorce. They figured it was for best that they keep a friendship since they have a daughter to raise. One who's life they don't intend to ruin as much as they could help it form being. She stuck her hand between the sofa cushions and felt for the one thing that gave her comfort in days that she wished she didn't make the mistake of divorcing Martin. Lifting it up so that it was up close to her face, Samantha examined the engagement ring. Her wedding ring, she had long ago lost, or given back to him. Either way, it wasn't with her anymore, but her engagement ring... The one that Martin had told her had been in his father's side of the family for as long as they had migrated from Ireland to the States. Twirling it around on her hand, it was as if the first time she laid eyes on it. It was also July Four when it happened. It was at Washington though, they were sitting at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial overlooking the waters and the obelisk that stood there as the fireworks lit up the sky of Washington DC.
"Wow, it's beautiful Martin," Samantha breathed seeing the fireworks display as the background of the famous monument. Martin nodded his head and pulled her closer to him. It wasn't cold, but the winds were making it so and he knew how much Samantha hated the cold.
"It is isn't it?" he asked his eyes focused on her.
"I didn't mean me you goof. I meant the fireworks, this whole view."
"It is, but I think you're more beautiful."
"Don't you think they look like shooting stars?" Sam asked looking up at the sky.
"Then close your eyes, and make a wish."
"And what? Miss the fireworks?" Sam asked him not tearing her gaze away from the night sky. "I'll wish later. Besides, I think I all my wishes came true already."
"Oh really? And how is that?"
"Well, I have a handsome man who loves me, we have a baby on the way. Oh, and I'm healthy, you're healthy, the baby's healthy, and your parents are okay with the fact that I'm pregnant."
"You wouldn't want to add anything to that list?" Martin question lifting the velvet box out of his pocket.
"Would I? I mean, I would be happy if the baby wouldn't be born in wedlock or something, but... I'm okay with that. I'm happy."
"Happiest you could be?" Martin asked again taking the ring out of it's place. He didn't plan on getting down on one knee and asking her to marry him. No, he liked to do the unexpected. He had almost asked his father to pull some strings and let them go into the Arlington Memorial at night to sit on the balcony of the home on top of the hill so that Samantha could see the whole city of Washington. He decided that was for another day though.
"Well, the happiest I could ask..." Sam said shutting up as soon as Martin's lips crushed against her his tongue seeking entrance, and as soon as she obliged. She felt something hard in her mouth making her pull away quickly. Did Martin get his tongue pierced without her knowing? No, that couldn't be it since the object was in her mouth.
"Well?"
Sam opened her mouth and took out the object. It was a beautiful princess cut five carat white-gold engagement ring that had a classic, yet modern style to it. "Are you..."
Martin nodded and smiled at her, she shook hear head with a big grin plastered on her face and leaned in kissing him deeply as the last forty five second of the fire display came out blasting with the greatest variety of fireworks there was. It was literally a kiss that was followed by fireworks and they wouldn't have it any other way.
"Yes, I'll marry you."
How did things get from there to here? That was a question that needed answering for another day, another time. For now, she slipped out of her clothes and placed on Martin's college sweater--one she had told him she didn't have--and slipped into her bed pulling the comforter to cover her head. She could still hear the blasting of the fireworks outside and the distant sierence of firetrucks as she closed her eyes and dreamed of tomorrow.