Disclaimer: I don't own Life on Mars, nor do I own Sam and Annie. I wish I did though. Sadly, they belong to the BBC and Kudos. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Author's note: This is my first time writing for Life on Mars, though I have written for Ashes to Ashes before. There isn't enough Sam/Annie fic out there, but every little helps. Reviews are much appreciated.

No Regrets

by

Philippa

The early beams of sunlight seeping through the curtains woke him up. Sam Tyler sat up in the bed, careful not to wake the brunette sleeping soundly next to him. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand; only just gone 6. He knew she would sleep for a few more hours, he, however, would not. They were at Annie's flat, since his own bedsit was just too small and depressing for two people to spend the night. And even though he felt completely at ease with his surroundings, he always awoke early here.

Sam got out of bed and made himself comfortable in the large armchair at the opposite end of the bedroom. He had been going out with Annie for a year now, and sometimes he really had to pinch himself be sure that it was all real. Not that he ever questioned the realness of this world since that fateful day when he had decided to jump. Nelson had told him that he would know he was alive because he could feel. And Sam had never felt more alive than he did now. He and Annie had taken things slow since that day of their first kiss. They had gone on many dinner dates, to the pictures, went for walks, or some nights they would just stay in and Sam would cook. It was a slow burn, and their relationship progressed one day at a time, something which they both felt comfortable with.

This almost euphoric feeling of happiness that controlled most of his days now didn't mean that Sam's life changing decision had gotten a fairytale ending. He still had his dark moments when doubt haunted his mind about whether he had made the right decision or not. He often felt guilt ridden when he thought of his mother, whom he had left behind. She had no husband, not a lot of living relatives to speak of, and now her only son had committed suicide for pure selfish reasons. Although she would never know the real reason why he had done it, he hoped she would be able to come to terms with his decision at some point. He had never wanted to cause her any suffering.

He sighed and looked up at Annie's sleeping form in the bed. She looked so peaceful, so completely oblivious to her surroundings. Sam loved to watch her sleep, and he often did. He wondered how Annie would react if she knew. Would she be ok with it, or would she be offended by it? Last week he had told her he would be moving out of his bedsit. He needed something nicer, and definitely a bit bigger. Annie had reacted enthusiastically to his plan, had said it was a great idea. However, she didn't know yet that Sam didn't just want a bigger place for himself. He wanted her to move in with him, but he hadn't yet mustered up the courage to ask her. He hoped she would like the idea; more importantly, he hoped she didn't think it was too soon. Annie was a modern girl, having studied psychology and having made detective last year. She was definitely ahead of her time. But it was still just 1974, and when it came to relationships Annie was an old-fashioned girl at heart. She was the kind of girl who liked to be courted properly, and Sam had tried his utmost to do so.

A few months back Sam had taken her to see Roxy Music. It really wasn't his kind of scene, but he knew Annie loved it. She had been over the moon with excitement, which was enough for Sam to have an enjoyable evening. Annie, in turn, had sat through quite a few films that hadn't interested her that much, but of which Sam had assured her that they would become real classics at some point. He tried to keep this kind of talk to a minimum most of the time, but sometimes when he felt really excited about something he just couldn't help himself. Apart from the occasional film or music reference, he had stopped talking about the future altogether. He knew that it was something he had to do, if he really wanted to build a life for himself here. He had made a choice, and now he was going to see it through to the end. Sometimes there were small things that frustrated him though. Travelling wasn't as easy, and a lot more expensive than it had been in 2006. Annie had never even been to London, let alone abroad. Sam wanted to take her places, show her the world. On their current salaries he knew it wouldn't be possible to go very far. But the thought that these things would become much more affordable in the near future was a comforting thought. Annie deserved the very best, and he would make sure she'd have it all.

Sam glanced at the clock again. It was now 7.15. He slipped back between the cover, hoping to get a few more hours of sleep. It was Sunday after all, so what better reason was there to have a lie in for a change? He would probably ask her tonight. Yes, he was nervous about asking her, but it was a risk worth taking. He would do anything for the chance to wake up with her like this every morning.