Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Without a Trace except my DVDs and my imagination, although I wish I did!
This is a post-ep for the season 6 finale Satellites so it contains spoilers for that episode. I wish they had given us a bit more at the end of the episode so this is my solution. This is for everyone who is keeping J/S alive!
"You didn't have to do this alone." Jack told her. Sam met his eyes.
"Yeah, I did." She answered quietly. A beat, then-
"What I mean is, you don't have to do it alone anymore." He responded softly, holding her gaze for a moment before looking down at the baby in his arms... her baby.
Sam was unsure how to respond, so she remained silent. She couldn't tear her gaze from Jack, sitting in the chair beside her bed, cradling her newborn baby boy against his chest. A slight smile tugged at the corners of her lips at the picture.
Minutes passed in silence, Sam watching Jack and Jack watching Sam's baby son. After a while, the baby started to squirm in Jack's embrace, opening his little brown eyes to gaze up at Jack.
"He has your eyes." Jack commented, glancing up at her. Samantha smiled. The baby continued to fidget in his blankets, reaching out a tiny hand in Sam's direction. "Do you want to go back with your mommy?" Jack asked the baby. "Or are you just fed up with old Jack hogging you eh?"
Sam smiled again. "He likes you Jack." She reassured him. "He only settled down two minutes before you got here; he obviously sensed you were coming."
Jack returned the smile, leaning forward to pass the baby back to his mother.
"He's probably hungry." She guessed. Sam cradled her son against her body and immediately he seemed to settle down. She began undoing the buttons of her hospital nightgown with one hand, holding the baby against her with the other.
"Umm, I'll leave you alone Sam." Jack announced quickly, moving to stand up. "I'll just go grab a coffee or something..." Sam stopped, looking up at him.
"Jack, you don't have to go." Jack was uncomfortable, unsure. "There's nothing you haven't seen before." She continued. Jack blushed, hearing Sam so openly acknowledge their affair. "Really Jack, it's fine okay?"
"Okay, if you're sure?"
"I am. Promise." Sam smiled again, returning to her task. Jack sat back down.
Soon the little baby was feeding contentedly. Despite his obvious focus, he stretched out his hand again, this time reaching in Jack's direction. Jack moved closer, stroking the baby's smooth pink palm. Enjoying the contact, the baby curled his tiny fist around Jack's forefinger, before closing his eyes and continuing to feed happily.
Sam raised her head to study Jack, who was watching her baby with the sweetest expression on his face, smiling at the sight of his finger in the baby's grasp.
"Told you he likes you." Sam said quietly. Jack looked up at her and smiled.
"Guess you were right." He replied softly, lifting his free hand up to brush a strand of hair off Sam's face. Her tired eyes fluttered closed at the sensation, a clear indication to Jack that she was enjoying the feeling of his fingers caressing her skin. A single tear slipped down Sam's cheek. As Jack's thumb swept it away she opened her eyes again, looking at him.
"Hey, what's wrong sweetheart?" Jack asked quietly, stroking her cheek again.
"I'm just... just really glad you're here Jack." She whispered.
"Me too." He answered softly. Sam leaned forward; her gaze flicked down to Jack's lips, before returning to his dark blue eyes. Jack closed the gap between them, pressing his lips softly against Samantha's.
She allowed herself to fall into the kiss, showing him just how she felt. Jack could feel Sam's heart breaking as his kissed her, and he did everything in his power to make it better.
They broke apart slowly.
"Jack..." Sam breathed.
"I know sweetheart." They sat there, lost in each other for minutes, then-
"Knock knock!" Sam tore her gaze from Jack and looked up at the people in the doorway.
Danny was leaning round the open door, smiling happily at the pair on the bed.
"It's not a bad time is it?" He asked, opening the door fully and stepping inside without waiting for an answer.
Sam smiled at her friends.
"No, come on in guys." By now the baby had finished and was sleeping peacefully in her arms. Sam quickly buttoned up her shirt as Danny led the way over to her bedside. He sat down in a chair on the opposite side to Jack, Viv went and stood next to their (now ex) boss, Elena perched on the edge of the bed next to Danny and Martin stood at the foot of the bed, smiling genuinely at Sam.
"You guys didn't have to all come and see me now, you must be busy."
"Nah, nothing important." Danny told her.
"Yeah we wanted to come and meet the bubba!" Elena went on, speaking for the group at their interest in Samantha's new arrival.
"You did well keeping us away for this long." Martin said, smiling again.
"Although I see one of us was here..." Viv trailed off, looking down at Jack in interest.
"What can I say?" Jack responded, shrugging at his co-workers. He turned to face Sam as he went on with a smile. "I bribed the stork." Samantha returned the sentiment, squeezing his arm affectionately. Jack would have got lost in those eyes again had it not been for the four curious FBI agents in the room, not to mention four exited friends desperate to see the young Spade a bit closer.
"Can I hold him Sam?" Danny asked loudly, when his friend made no sign of remembering that there was anyone other than Jack there with her.
Elena, being the nearest, swatted Danny lightly round the head, hissing "You'll wake the baby!" Samantha reluctantly switched her attention from Jack to Danny, who was grinning excitedly at her.
"Sure." She said, and Danny reached out his hands expectantly.
"No mamito, like this." Elena moved Danny's arms so they were in the correct position for him to properly hold the baby. Samantha leaned forward and carefully passed the baby to Danny.
"Hola little man." He talked softly to the baby. Sam and Elena exchanged a look, smiling at each other, both amazed at how Danny was such a ladies man but he was so good with kids too.
"So you did it honey!" Elena congratulated her. Sam nodded.
"How did you find it Sam?" Vivian asked, resting a hand on Jack's shoulder.
"Painful and tiring... but completely worth it." Viv and Elena nodded, knowingly.
"We're really proud of you Sam." Martin spoke up from the end of the bed. Sam blushed, smiling, so thankful that they had successfully moved past their messy relationship and were now back in a solid friendship.
"Thanks." She responded quietly, smiling at him.
"And anytime you wanna go out and pick up a hot date you just come find Uncle Danny okay little man?" Everyone turned to look at 'Uncle Danny' in shock.
"Danny!" Sam warned him. "I don't want you encouraging my son, got it? Especially when he can't even hold his own head up let alone keep you under control!"
"I was only kidding!" Danny assured her, before turning to face Elena and winking at her.
"Don't think I'm on your side chita! Keep your partying ways to yourself alright? Or at least wait until he's twenty one huh?" The others laughed at the sight of Elena keeping Danny in line.
"Yeah, okay." He answered.
"I think it's my turn to hold him now don't you think?" Elena went on. Grudgingly, Danny handed the baby carefully to Elena.
"Awww! He's precious Sam!" She gushed, though quietly so as not to disturb his nap. Sam smiled, enjoying her friends' company but feeling tired after a long day.
Noting this, Jack reached out and laid his hand on hers, turning it over gently to rub soothing circles on her palm. Sam smiled at him appreciatively; he always knew just how to make her feel better.
This gesture had not gone unnoticed by Viv however, who smiled to herself at the signs of her friends' healing relationship.
Turning back to the others, Vivian watched as Elena passed the baby - who was still sleeping soundly – to Martin. The difference here was that Martin, unlike Danny, didn't need instructions from Elena in how to hold the baby, having had sufficient practise with his niece Ava.
Sam smiled again to herself at the memory of meeting Martin's cousins. That had been a number of years ago now. The image flashed up in her mind of herself, sitting in Martin's Aunt and Uncle's house, talking with Jamie and balancing little Ava on her lap. If she had known then where she would be today, the thought would probably have terrified her. But, Sam decided, despite how things had turned out, she wouldn't have changed anything. Well, maybe one thing... but then again maybe it didn't matter if the baby's father wasn't here, because the person she wanted to raise her son with was here... Jack.
Sam broke from her reverie just in time to see Viv take the baby from Martin.
"Hey beautiful." She told him. Looking at Samantha she said: "He's a little angel Sam. You must be so happy."
"I am." Sam answered, smiling again at her friends before turning to Jack, positively glowing with happiness. "So happy."
Elena had perched on the edge of Danny's chair, draping an arm around his shoulders. Martin was standing beside Viv, looking down at the little baby in her arms.
"Have you thought of a name yet?" He asked Sam, tearing his attention from the baby to the mother.
"Not yet." She replied.
"I'm thinking Jack Junior, Martin Junior and Danny Junior might be the first three suggestions coming your way." Vivian told her, smirking.
"Noted." Sam responded with a smile, glancing at Jack once more.
Feeling a wave of tiredness wash over her suddenly, Sam tried to stifle a yawn.
"You're tired Sam." Jack stated immediately. "We should leave you to get some rest." Viv nodded and moved to the bedside to hand Samantha back her newborn son.
"We'll come back and see you two tomorrow." Vivian said, checking with the others for approval.
"Yeah, we'll come and see you and the bubba tomorrow." Danny agreed, and Elena and Martin nodded.
With her baby back in her arms, Sam looked round at all her friends.
"Thank you so much for everything you've all done for me." She told them, the impact of their love and support plain on her face.
"Congratulations Sam, he's beautiful." Viv praised her, leaning over and kissing her on the cheek. "Bye little one." She added to the baby, touching his little hand gently.
"Nice one hot stuff." Danny announced, leaning on the bedside as he also kissed Sam's cheek. Sam blushed.
"Do you really think that name is appropriate Uncle Danny?" she asked, adjusting the position of the blankets surrounding her son.
"Hmm... Maybe hot mama would be a better description?" He thought aloud, earning a laugh from the group. Sam smiled, embarrassed. "You're beautiful Sam." Danny told her truthfully. "And so is your baby boy."
He stood up out of the chair before leaning over and holding out his hand to the baby. "Got a high five for your Uncle Danny?" The baby remained asleep. "Ah well, plenty of time to work on that." He went on, while everyone laughed again.
"Congratulations honey, he's adorable." Elena spoke after the laughter had died down. She stroked the baby's little fist with a finger, and then gave Sam a kiss. "Make the most of this time Sam, it'll be over before you know it!"
"I will, thanks Elena." Sam answered as her friend joined Danny and Vivian by the door. Martin sat down on the vacated chair.
"One down, one-point-two to go." Martin said quietly, and Sam smiled in answer. "Plus the white picket fence and the golden retriever." He added with a smile. The others looked puzzled, but Sam smiled again in response to his reference to the conversation they had shared all that time ago. "I'm so happy for you Sam. He's gorgeous." Martin continued.
Sam mumbled "thanks" as he too kissed her softly on the cheek before touching the baby's tiny hand that was resting on his blanket.
"See you later little guy." Martin said. "And take care of your mom alright?" Sam smiled and Martin stood up again, following the others out the door.
"Thanks for coming everyone." Sam addressed the group. "It means so much to both of us that you're all here."
"Anytime Sam." Danny told her.
"Yeah, anything you need honey." Elena added. Martin and Viv nodded in agreement. Samantha was so touched.
"Thank you." Her reply was so quiet that only Jack heard her. She watched with a smile on her tired face as her friends made their way out. A tear trickled down one cheek and, beating her to it, Jack wiped it away for her. Sam turned to face him.
Before Jack could say anything though, Sam had leaned forward and kissed him. Jack was surprised, but happy, and returned the kiss, running a hand through her hair and rubbing the back of her neck. When they broke apart, Sam spoke again.
"Thank you." She repeated, this time only to Jack. He met her eyes, pleased to see how happy she looked. Another kiss spoke more than any words could have.
"I want to do this, together." Sam told him quietly, hoping that Jack felt the same way. He pressed his lips to hers once again. It seemed that he did.
Their eyes locked as they broke apart once more until Sam shifted to one side of the bed. Taking the hint, Jack rose from his seat and sat down beside her. He put an arm around her and Sam rested her head on his shoulder. She held her baby in her arms where he continued to sleep serenely.
Jack pressed a kiss to Sam's temple as she shut her eyes and allowed herself to fall asleep in Jack's embrace. He looked down at the little baby who was smiling contentedly as he slept.
It had been a long day, Jack reflected, feeling the burden of everything that had happened, weighing on his eyelids.
"I love you Sam." He whispered. "And I'll always be here for you." Jack opened his eyes again briefly to watch the baby. "For both of you." With that, Jack let himself succumb to the reward of sleep that the two people he loved the most were already enjoying.
After leaving Samantha's hospital room, Vivian, Danny, Martin and Elena had not quite resisted the temptation to leave their colleagues in peace. Instead they had ducked round the corner and out of sight for about ten seconds, then had snuck back round to peer through the window.
Not at all surprising was it that Jack and Samantha were too engaged in each other – and the little baby in the latter's arms – to notice that they were being watched by their nosy co-workers.
Elena and Viv 'awww!-ed' and sighed audibly when Jack had wiped Sam's tears away, and then they had to restrain themselves enormously not to celebrate too loudly when Sam had leaned forward and kissed Jack on the lips. Danny and Martin exchanged a puzzled look, confused as to why the two women were behaving so strangely. Danny raised his eyebrows at his partner and sent him a look which plainly said 'must be all the hormones'. Martin simply smirked.
Vivian soon decided that they had invaded their friends' privacy for long enough, and quickly ushered the other three away towards the exit. As they disappeared through the doors, Viv took one last look back at Jack and Sam, and smiled at the picture of the perfect – if not exactly conventional – family they had become.