Disclaimer: I don't own Flashpoint!
A.N. Where does Sam stalk off to?
Sam yanked off his gloves as he stormed away from the site. He knew, from the moment he found out that Lew had stepped on a landmine, that the day was going to end badly. Still, he could not bear with the pain of losing someone so close to him.
Sam walked and walked, barely noting his surroundings. The tears were building up as he thought about the fact of losing someone so close to him.
Finally, after about an hour of walking, he realizing where his feet were taking him. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and turned it on silent before opening a small gate.
When he reached the headstone reading "Matthew Benjamin" the tears began flowing freely. The loss of Lew and the loss of Ben were too much for his nerves to handle. Here, alone with his best friend, he was able to mourn.
As he cried, Sam thought about the way Lew had let him into the family. Lew and Spike both. Thinking of Spike sent a pang through his heart. The relationship Spike and Lew shared was similar to the relationship he and Ben had shared.
Sam began running through his memories, first of Ben and then of Lew. He remembered meeting Ben in grade school. The two were like peas on a pod. They joined the army together and when Ben's first commander already had a man named Ben in his unit the commander decided to call Ben Matthew. The commander had reasoned that Ben's full name was Matthew Benjamin so Matthew was more appropriate than Ben. By the time the two were regrouped, Ben began to go by Matt to all but his close friends and family. That was why Sam had told Ed "my buddy Matt" and not "my buddy Ben" (only Jules knew the truth).
After recalling his first meeting with Ben, he recalled his first meeting with Lew. They had him at gunpoint, which, come to think of it, was really Sam's fault. He should have known better than to reach into his pocket. How was Team One supposed to know he was going to join them?
When he was officially introduced, it was Lew and Spike who piled him with questions, gently introducing him into the ways of Team One of the SRU…
He did not know how long he had been sitting there but the sun was beginning to set. Still, he did not want to leave. He heard the gate creak open and gripped his gun.
"Thought I would find you here. You better not use that gun on me Samuel Braddock."
Sam put down the gun and turned. "Jen? What are you doing here?"
"Coming to find you and bring you home." She sat down next to him and put her arms around him pulling him close. "Sam, I heard what happened today on the news. I kept calling you to see if you were okay." In a swift maneuver, she had his cell phone out of his pocket. "Do you know how many calls you have missed?"
He looked at her. "No, I wanted quiet."
"Sam, I understand but people are worried about you. You've missed calls from Jules Callahan, Ed Lane, Greg Parker, and Kevin Wordsworth. Multiple calls from multiple numbers by the looks of it. Sam, call one of them and tell them you are fine and then I will take you to my house."
Sam started to protest but she interrupted him. "It is not debatable. You should not be home alone tonight. Now call before I do."
"Jen, does Alex know you are here?" He knew she was pregnant even though she was not showing.
"Yes, he told me to bring you to our house. Stop putting off calling Sam."
Sam sighed and speed dialed Wordy. Out of all of his teammates, he figured Wordy would be the least likely to grill him.
The phone rang twice before a voice picked up. "Sam? Thank goodness you're okay."
"Shelley?"
"Who else? Where are you?"
"Listen Shelley, I'm fine. I'm with a friend and just tell everyone I'll be by headquarters tomorrow." He hung up.
"Whose Shelley?" Jen wanted to know.
"Wordy's wife. I give it ten seconds before the phone starts ringing again." He stood up.
"One minute. She'll have to call everyone first." She started to get up. Sam held out a hand, helping her up and snatching her keys. "Hey!"
As they walked, he answered "You're tired Jen. Your girls must be running you ragged. I can drive." He unlocked the car and held the passenger side open for her.
As he started the car, his phone rang. He glanced at it. "Parker. I should answer it."
"No, let me." She hit speaker on his phone. "This is Sam's phone. He is unavailable until tomorrow."
Greg Parker's voice filled the car. "Look, I don't care who you are, I just want to make sure Sam doesn't do anything reckless tonight."
Jen smirked at Sam. "The only reckless thing he'll do tonight is horsey rides for my daughters. He won't do anything more dangerous then that and I'm not letting him leave my house. Goodbye Sergeant Parker." She hung up the phone. "I told you I would take care of it."
"Thanks. Now I can repay you by being exhausted by your lively daughters and then falling into bed."
"That's the point. When lives are taken, we need to remember those we lost without forgetting those that are still with us."