Warning: this story contains reference to drug use and child endangerment. An incident in our local paper gave me the idea for this story, so unfortunately, some of this is very real.

Blood Is Relative

By WritePassion

Prologue

After the kids had gone to bed, the lights were turned down low, soft music played, and Sam and Yvette spent their evening together. Sometimes they sat in the living room, other times out on the front porch, if the weather was nice enough. Then there were nights when they retreated to the back yard and by the light of a small fire in the fire pit they kept each other company. The locations were as varied as the activity. Tonight, they sat on the front porch on the new swing that Sam installed that day, feet up on the rail, barely moving back and forth as they listened to the radio perched on the small table nearby. It was an oldies station, and tonight they played romantic songs. Perfect for such a warm evening.

Yvette leaned into him as his arm went around her. "I love this song, Sam. When I was little, I used to imagine I would dance with my dream man to this song." She sighed contentedly. "I have my dream man, but..."

Not one to back down from a challenge, Sam stopped the swaying motion of the swing, grabbed her, and pulled her to her feet. His hand slipped around her waist as his other captured her free hand and he pressed her close. Then he moved his feet, and she moved with him. He was never much of a dancer, but for her he would pretend he was Fred Astaire in order to make her happy. They turned in a small circle and she laughed. In the spill of lamplight from inside the house, he saw her smile and it made him weak. Sometimes he wondered how he resisted some of the most tenacious interrogation techniques in the world, yet the sound of his wife's voice could put him at her mercy.

She sang along with the music, and he closed his eyes, listening to her. He loved the sweet sound, whether she spoke or sang, but when she sang, it was like listening to the angels. He started to sweat from the exercise and the warm humid evening, but he knew she didn't care. She would keep on singing and dancing with him until they turned into a puddle together. The song ended, replaced by something with a faster tempo. They stopped, disappointed, but not at what they saw before them. Sam dipped his head to kiss her, and she responded with her soft, still lips.

A crying child broke the spell. Sam closed his eyes, lifted his head, and stepped away. "You want me to see what's up?"

"No, I'll take care of it." She kissed him quickly. "You just stay there and look handsome. I'll be right back." She giggled and ran into the house.

He could hear her feet hurrying up the stairs. With the kids' bedrooms being at the back of the house, he couldn't hear what was happening. He was tempted to spy, but she told him to stay where he was. It seemed like a good idea, so he waited.

His phone rang. Sam grumbled at the intrusion. He should have turned it off or left it in the house, but then he saw on the screen that it was Michael. What have you and Fi gotten yourselves into this time? He picked up promptly. "Yeah? This better be good, Mike, 'cause right now your kid is interrupting some serious Sammy time with my wife."

"Sorry, Sam," Michael apologized, although he didn't sound as if he was really that sincere. Hard driving music played in the background.

"Sounds like you're having fun."

"Well, Fi dragged me to this concert, and it wasn't half bad, I have to admit. Now we're out at a club somewhere in South Beach."

"And you had to call and tell me this because..."

"We hooked up with an old friend of mine. His name is Phil Mackie. Remember Phil? We were in Afghanistan with him."

"Phil?" There's a name he hadn't heard in awhile. "Oh yeah, I remember him. I didn't even know he lived in Miami."

"He doesn't. He's here on business, and...oh, hang on Fi. We'll talk about this tomorrow! You good with keeping the kids overnight?"

"Sure, no problem. Night, Mikey." But Michael already closed the connection. Sam shook his head. Finally got the guy to loosen up, and now he really knows how to have a good time! Sam kind of missed those days at times, but when he heard Yvette's bare feet padding eagerly down the stairs to meet him, all thoughts of anything but her faded away.

"Sorry, honey. Marielle has an upset tummy, I think. She probably misses her mommy and daddy."

"Well, sounds like they're having the time of their lives, and we've got the kids all night."

"No problem. You know this is the first time they've been out since Marielle was born, and that was over a year ago!" Yvette said. "Samuel and Luke are down for the count, and Espie, well, she's never any trouble." She moved closer, but she could feel that something has changed. "What's the matter, honey?" Her hands moved up his chest, trying to bring back the magic from before they were interrupted.

"Mike met up with an old friend of ours from our military days."

"Well, that's good. Isn't it?"

"We, uh, didn't exactly part on the best of terms the last time we saw each other. I'm not sure it's a good thing for Mike to get hooked up with him again."

Yvette enveloped him in her arms and ran soft kisses along his jawline. "Oh honey, don't worry about it. Time changes people." She pulled back and looked into his eyes. "It must have been something serious for you to be so worried about it."

"I wish I could tell you, but..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's classified," she finished for him with a roll of her eyes and a deep sigh. Then she looked at him slyly. "Now, where were we before all these interruptions?"

"Right about here," he replied as he took her into his arms and slow danced with her body pressed close to his. It sure wasn't anything close to South Beach, but the simple pleasures of a quiet night at home with the person he loved more than anything in the whole world made the nightclubs pale in comparison. And there was no hangover to regret the next day, either.

Chapter 1

Sam met Michael and Fiona at Carlito's and brought their kids Lucas and Marielle along while Yvette walked Samuel and Esperanza to school. Michael sat with his sunglasses on, looking tired. Fiona appeared only slightly better. Sam couldn't help but laugh and give them a little grief.

"Don't you think you two are getting a little old for the all-nighters?" He chuckled as he stopped the stroller near Fi's chair. "See kids? This is what happens when Mommy and Daddy have too much fun."

"Sam," Michael growled.

Sam grinned as he sat across from Michael. "Just having a little fun, Mikey, that's all. While you two were tearing up the town, Eve and I had a nice little dinner after the kids went to bed, danced on the front porch, and fell into bed at a slightly indecent hour." He smirked. "Despite a houseful of kids, we had a great time. I really think you need to consider building a couple bedrooms for Luke and Mari in that loft, Mike. Then you can have date nights at home."

"And no doubt you'd volunteer to help," Michael replied as he stared at Sam.

"Oh, you bet! Turnabout is fair play, after all you guys did help us build, it's only right. I bet Jack could put together some plans for you."

"Yeah, well, whatever we did, we'd have to get Sergei's permission. It's his place, you know."

"You've been living there how many years now? You're the best tenant he's got! He'd be crazy not to let you do what you want. Otherwise you could go buy that house down the street from Maddie and Dad's place." He laughed at the stony look Michael gave him. The thought of living anywhere near his mother was too much for him. "Oh yeah, Michael Westen, ex-spy, living in a house. That would be too domestic for you, I know. But hey, it's not bad, really!"

"Hey, Sam. Long time no see."

Sam glanced up at the source of the familiar voice. "Phil. Yeah, it's been awhile. Didn't know you were in town."

"We ran into him last night at one of the clubs," Michael replied with a slight smile.

"You missed a great night out," Phil added as he sat down opposite Fi and placed cups of coffee in front of the couple and himself. "Sorry, didn't know you were here or I would have bought you a round."

He waved off the server when she gave him a questioning look. "No worries, Phil. I was, uh, just dropping off Mike and Fi's kids, and I have to get going."

"What's the rush, Axeman?"

When Jack used the nickname, it sounded like an endearment. When Phil used it, it sounded like an offense.

"It's Career Day at school, and Espie asked me...no, she begged me...to come and speak to her class. I'm still working out the kinks, but I've almost got it. I get five minutes to talk and take questions."

Phil looked at him and Sam could read his mind. Whatever, Axeman. What a boring life you lead. Where's Sam the ladies' man? You've changed, man, and not for the better! Sam would beg to differ, but he knew it was a waste of breath.

"Oh, and thanks for the green light on this, Mike. I wasn't so sure I could make it work without getting into too much detail."

Michael replied, "I think you can handle this, Sam. You're good at public speaking. And besides, you have more classroom experience than Jack and me combined."

"Oh yeah, considering neither of you has any, that's not saying much. Anyway, I better get out of here." He stood. "See you guys Sunday?"

"We'll be there."

"Great. See ya later." He bent down and gave Marielle a kiss on the top of her head, and Lucas held up his hand to give Uncle Sam a high five. "You kids be good for Mommy and Daddy, okay?" He acknowledged Phil. "Behave yourself while you're in town, Phil. Don't want to have to pull your sorry butt out of the street like we did in..."

"Sam." Michael glanced at him.

He nodded once, waved and turned to walk away without another word. It bothered him that Michael seemed to be thick with Phil again. He was a bad influence back in the day, although he never seemed to have much effect on Michael. If anything, his loose ways seemed to make his friend even more intense and a stickler for order and rules. It was Sam who found himself in more trouble; between Phil and Jack, there was plenty to go around. What worried him the most about Phil was that the guy always seemed to have an angle, or a tip on a hot deal, and it usually involved something shady. He looked like he was doing well; designer suit, silk shirt, expensive shoes. He was a real head turner; then again, he always was, in or out of uniform. I just hope he's not into something that Mikey has no business getting into.