Someone From Her Past
Shaw and Reese looked on from not too far a distance as they watch Root and Michael Carter, a number they received and saved, talk and say their goodbyes.
They received Michael Carter's number a few days ago. Michael, CEO of a start-up company that Google just recently bought. His former partner, Peter Holt, who was fired from the company a few months ago before the deal with Google happened. His partner was a gambler and has a drug addiction problem. Michael found out that Peter was stealing money from their account which investors gave them to keep the company going. He was voted and bought out by Michael and their investors. So when the deal with Google happened, Peter tried to take them to court only to be advised by every lawyer that he will not win. A judge refused to set a court date and threw the case out. Deeply in debt from gambling and drug dealers, he hired a hit man to kidnap Michael.
The Machine got a hold of his number and since his name was common, Root thought nothing of the name until his picture flashed on the screen. Root couldn't believe that it was Michael, a person she knew as a young man back in Texas. A young man she loved so long ago and her escape from all the darkness she felt when Hannah was taken from her and the sadness she felt as she watched and cared for her ill mother. She loved him, but she wasn't sure if she was in love with him. He was her first and she felt truly loved because she was a lonely person. Despite of what she was, a loner and poor, he loved her.
After the summer of their senior year, Michael had left for England to attend Oxford. He promised to come back for her and he did. But after a year, she felt she was holding him back, so she begged him to never come see her again when he comes home. He didn't give up though so she decided to move her and her mom to a different town. She was a genius, a hacker and that's how she paid for her mother's medical bills. Then her mother died and she left her old life behind. She left Samantha Groves behind and became Root.
It took years for her to find a purpose and when she learned about The Machine, her life changed. She no longer wanted to die. She saw hope that this world isn't so dark after all. That God does exist in the form of The Machine. She can save people now the way she could not save Hannah.
Her obsession with The Machine brought her to Harold Finch, the man who built her. She wanted to get a hold of The Machine and free her that she would do whatever it took to protect it. She kidnapped Harold only to be shot and caught by Sameen Shaw and John Reese. Both were ex government agents betrayed by the agencies who hired them.
She admired Sameen Shaw after reading the file on her. She was an amazing, loyal agent. She was like Hannah to her. And the more she saw her in action and worked with her, her admiration grew for the woman.
Things changed when The Machine started to speak to her directly. It had taken awhile to convince Harold, Shaw and Reese that they want the same thing, which is to protect it and save lives. She is now part of the team.
When they got the number, Michael's number she was shocked. So shocked that she remained quiet which surprised Shaw, Reese and Harold. Everything was a blur to her until she heard Harold called her name. "Miss Groves, Miss Groves, are you with us?"
"What was that Harold?"
"I said we need you to…"
"I know him Harold."
"What do you mean you know him, Root?" Shaw asked.
"We were from the same town back in Texas. We went to high school together."
"How well do you know him Root?" Shaw asked curiously.
"He was a friend."
"A friend?" Shaw asked with raised eyebrow.
Root didn't answer and Shaw left it at that. But she couldn't feeling something so foreign to her. She knew what it was but she can't admit it to herself eyt.
Root volunteered to trail Peter while John trails the kidnapper for hire and Shaw will trail Michael.
Once they got a hold of the information who the kidnapper Peter hired, Shaw cornered Michael and told him that his life was in danger.
Shaw stayed with Michael in his penthouse and guarded him. In his house, she saw pictures of a young Root. She was maybe 17 or 18 and so beautiful with long hair. She has always thought Root was beautiful. She seems more like a model than a hacker/assassin. A woman in the picture did not seem to be that woman who drugged and kidnapped her. She was full of life in the picture, her smile wide and she doesn't think she has ever seen anybody so beautiful in her life. She picked up the picture stared at it.
Shaw saw Michael from corner of her eyes staring from a distance.
Shaw caught herself smiling at the framed picture she was holding.
"That picture was taken 17 years ago. I was in high school. That was the summer of my senior year."
"Who is the girl?"
"Samantha Groves. She is beautiful isn't she?"
"Yes, yes she is."
"I never met anyone like her. She was so smart and so beautiful. But she never would believe me when I used to tell her."
"What happened to her?"
"I was so in love with her. I think I always will be. She left town and for years I tried to find her even after I graduated from college, when I returned home from Oxford. But I never could."
"Was she in love with you?"
"I'd like to believe she was. But I don't know. But I do know she loved me but I am not sure she was in love with me the way I was in love with her."
Shaw didn't say anything after that and watched Michael go to his room.
Shaw wondered what must have happened to Root during those years that she turned from a hacker to an assassin. And she didn't want to think about it. She touched Root's smiling face and closed her eyes.
After the police had the kidnapper for hire in custody, they arrested Peter.
Shaw and Reese informed Michael that his life was no longer in danger. They also told him that someone wanted to talk to him.
They drove Michael to Central Park where Root was waiting for him.
"Is that Samantha?"
Shaw nodded.
So Reese and Shaw stood there and watched Root and Michael.
They both turned off their earpieces to give Root and Michael their privacy. But words were not needed to know what was being spoken. Their body language says it all.
Reese watched Shaw as Shaw watched Root and Michael intently. There was a mixture of sadness, annoyance and her fidgeting was a sign of her insecurity. He knew Shaw liked Root a lot. And Shaw may even be in love with her. And he was pretty sure Root felt the same way. Shaw was just buying her time to get up the nerve to ask her out. And now, seeing Michael and Root, maybe that will give her the push, he hopes. But he also knows Finch will approve of this.
But he will tell Shaw life is too short. He lost Jessica because he put his duty before her. And he lost Carter because he was too much of a coward to ask her out.
They watch Michael place something in her hand. It was a ring. Root tried to give it back but Michael only kissed her. Michael tried to deepen the kiss but Root pushed him back.
Shaw decide to turn on her ear piece to hear. She had to hear what they were saying now.
"Samantha, just please think about it. Keep the ring. It's yours. I love you then and I love you still. Nothing has changed. I am going to wait for you."
"Michael, we can't be together. What we had a long time ago, that is a long time ago. I am not Samantha Groves you fell in love with. She doesn't exist anymore."
"I love you for who you were and I will love you for who you are now."
"Michael, please you need to move on."
"I know I do but just please…"
"I have to go Michael. Goodbye."
"I love you Samantha Groves. Can I just kiss you one last time please?"
The kiss was light and sweet. But mixed with so much sadness and bitterness.
John cleared his throat and Root stepped back from the kiss.
"I need to take you to the precinct. They need to get you statement."
"Goodbye Samantha."
"Goodbye Michael."
Shaw was waiting for Root with her head down.
Shaw heard Root approaching and looked up.
"Hey."
"Hey. So that's your type, huh?"
Root smiled. "Are you jealous?"
Shaw paused and remained quiet.
"I was only teasing Shaw."
"Yes."
"What?"
"I was jealous. He told me about you and him back in Texas."
"That was a long time ago. I am not that Samantha Groves anymore."
"He still loves you. He is in love with you. He gave you a ring."
"I tried giving it back to him but he wouldn't take it."
"You are so beautiful."
"Where did that come from?"
"I just wanted to let you know."
"Thanks Sameen."
"So."
"So."
"Do I have a chance?"
"Sameen…"
"Let give it a try. Give me a chance."
"Alright."
Shaw took Root's hand and held it. As they walked holding hands and enjoying the warm early Fall in New York City.
The End
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