Sam sat morosely on the couch in his apartment staring at the collection of liquor bottles spread over the coffee table in front of him. He picked one up, considered it, and even unscrewed the cap before flinching and setting it back. He couldn't bring himself to drop so low, knowing what drinking did to Greg. He'd just banished Ed from his apartment even though he knew his teammate was only trying to help him. Ed had made him feel like a subject on a ledge and Sam definitely didn't want to feel like he was being negotiated. It just reminded him of his failure. Greg was even worse. His gentle, probing questions reminded Sam of councilors. He didn't want to spend time figuring out why he was depressed; he already knew! Sarge's version of helping made Sam want to indulge in his childish urges and cover his ears. Sam leaned forward and clasped his hands over his face, trying in vain to expel all thoughts from his brain. He couldn't believe that he'd misjudged himself so badly – and his team! He thought he was more than just a point-and-shoot soldier to them but clearly he was wrong. Just like when he thought he could negotiate a guy so familiar he could've been Sam himself. He rocked backwards and growled at the ceiling as a knock sounded at the door. Obviously it was another of his 'well-meaning' teammates.
"It's open!" He shouted in the general direction of the door. Depressed or not, angry or not, it was just bad manners to not answer the door for a teammate. He didn't bother to look up as Wordy softly walked into the room.
"Go away, Wordy. I don't particularly want to talk right now."
"Alright," replied Wordy, settling into Sam's only chair. "I'll be here when you do."
To Sam's amazement, Wordy pulled out a gigantic book and proceeded to ignore him and read. Sam sighed heavily and leaned back on the couch, allowing the depression to wash back over him. The next few hours passed in silence except for the sound of turned pages and the men's soft breathing. Sam gradually felt himself relaxing – just having someone else with him was comforting. Finally he began to speak.
"I'm turning in my resignation tomorrow morning."
Wordy sat down his book and moved to the couch next to him. "Why is that?" he asked and was surprised to see Sam look at him as if he was stupid.
"I lost the negotiation. I don't belong on the team. I have no place on it."
Wordy gripped Sam's shoulder tightly and hated feeling Sam recoil back from his hand.
"Just because you lost a negotiation doesn't mean you aren't essential to the make-up of our team. Take Spike for instance; he has never conducted a critical negotiation. Does that make him belong on our team any less?" Wordy shook his head and said forcefully, "No! He is probably the best we've ever had in the truck and the only guy I know who can defuse any of the common bombs in a matter of seconds. You don't know how many other teams want him and are willing to pay him big bucks for it. But he stays on Team One because he knows his place on it. Everyone on our team has their own place."
Sam shook his head and tried to pull away from Wordy's hand, "But I lost the one man I should be able to save. If I can't connect with him and make a difference, how can I save anyone?" Sam's voice started to rise and he finally looked Wordy in the eye. "I don't want to be a point-and-shoot killer; that's why I joined the SRU. But if that's all I'm going to be here as well, I don't think I can stay."
"You're not just a sniper to us. You're a great tactical leader who can possible takeover for Ed one day. You're the best go-to guy we have for anything military and you know that's helped in situations. You're fantastic at making on-the-spot decisions that none of the rest of us can make. And besides, you've only been on the team for a year. I've been doing this job for almost 6 years now and I'm still not that great at negotiating. It's something that comes with time."
Sam sighed, "Somehow I doubt I'll ever be able to save people like Sarge does. Even now, my first response after the first negotiation is 'Why don't we just shoot them?' even though I know that's wrong. I just can't seem to grasp what we can say to them to resolve the situation."
Wordy released Sam's shoulder and leaned back on the couch, letting the silence stretch. Finally, in a quiet voice asked, "You know I felt the same way you do after I lost my first negotiation."
Sam snorted, cutting him off, "Don't patronize me, Kevin. Greg and Ed already tried that and does it look like they got anywhere?"
Wordy frowned and waved a hand to shut him up, "Just hear me out Sam. I'm honestly trying to help you. Will you let me try?" Sam turned his head and stared at his hands, saying nothing. Wordy tried to wait patiently, feeling his hope ebb away with each passing minute. The minutes ticked slowly past…15…30…45…in nothing but silence. The tolling of the hour seemed to bring Sam out of his daze. He glanced over, seeming surprised to see Wordy still there and slowly nodded.
"Go ahead, Kevin. Give it your best shot." Wordy smiled slightly and tried to arrange his story in a way that would help Sam.
"My first serious negotiation was actually very similar to yours – situation wise that is." He amended quickly. "Subject had holed up in a building, shooting at anyone who came near it. I felt like I had a good connection with him and so I asked Greg if I could try. He could've chosen anyone on that team. We could all identify with him. But I insisted. I believed that I could do it. Just like you."
Wordy broke off and ran a hand over his face. It disturbed Sam to see Wordy so upset; from what he'd seen during the year, nothing fazed the older man. "What happened?"
Wordy sighed heavily, "I convinced him to come out and surrender. I insisted that I be one of the ones to take him down just outside of the doors. So he wouldn't freak y'know? He came out that door gun first, pointed right at me. Ed was our sniper at the time and he took him down before he'd gone two steps."
Both men were silent for a moment then Wordy continued, "The hardest part for me was knowing that someone else on that team probably had a better chance of talking him out than I did. Even now, I still can't understand where I went wrong. It doesn't get any easier you know. Negotiating takes practice and more than a little luck. Greg's a miracle worker with it because he's got a natural talent for it. Do you know why we're Team One? Because we're the best. And we're the best because we are a family. Everyone is important. Even back-up guys like me."
"Hey!" Sam broke in. "You are not just a 'back-up guy'! You are the first guy I want at my back when we go through those doors. And you're the best guy we have on our team for hand-to-hand combat."
Wordy smiled, "Thanks Sam. So what do you say? Will our family stay together?"
Sam smiled back and grabbed Wordy in a spontaneous hug. "Yeah, man. We're family."
Wordy looked Sam sternly in the eye, "And you belong on Team One."
"And I belong on Team One," repeated Sam softly.
AN: I do not own Flashpoint. If I did, do you think I'd be writing this. I'll be having a lot more of these up in the next few days. I'm taking a writing course at school and have to write on the spot. And right now, Flashpoint just happens to be the only thing I can think of. Please review!