Baby Steps - 51st Division
Summary: Holleran stood at the table introducing Sam to the team "… Sam took his baby steps at 51st Division, went Army and joins us straight from JTF2." … So how did Sam end up in the 51st Div. of the Toronto Police Dept. and why did he decide to go Army? Would current events, Jules breaking up with Sam, collide with past events? Would his past come back to haunt him? Can Team One save him?
Setting: Present time setting is just after Jules breaks up with Sam (season 2, episode Aisle 13) with flashback scenes to a 16-18 year old Sam that set the stage for how he ended up at the 51st Division and why he decides to go Army. This story for those wondering is set between Belonging and The Swim for those that have read my other stories.
Memory scenes of the 16-18 year old Sam will be the POV of Sam at that age. Which means they will be full of twisted misconceptions. They are not memories based on the reconciled Sam that is seen in Belonging. This is done so that we can see his mindset as a teenager and what drove the decisions that ended him up where he is today.
General and Yvonne Braddock POV elements were included for the 16-18 year old Sam events to give the perspective of how some events really took place as opposed to Sam's warped perception (if you have read Belonging you will know what I mean by that).
A/N: Special nod to katiiii, her one chapter abandoned story in German (read via google translate) intrigued me with its possibilities. She set a stage (sniper takes a shot at Sam while he is out running and he gets abducted by someone whose voice sounds familiar) but did not take it further with who, what, or why. With her permission I am using the premise of her initial stage to craft this story.
I do not own FlashPoint nor any of the characters from that series. I do own my original characters (OC).
The Five W's
Running Somewhere Near Sam's Apartment
Sam needed to run. He needed to clear his head. The past week but especially the past two days had been hard to deal with. His running shoes pounded the pavement at the pace set by the hard rock music playing loudly in his earbuds as he ran through the streets of Toronto.
The loud music drowned out the world sounds around him. It allowed him to focus inward on his own thoughts without distraction. He wasn't really paying attention to where he was going. Didn't need to, his body was on autopilot, it knew his standard route without having to think about it.
Jules. Dammit Jules why? It hurt. It hurt so deeply. How could she do this to him? He was there for her through her entire recovery. He thought they had something so special. Was it so one sided? He could feel the rips in his heart. They were wide open, seeping and oozing.
He had fought so hard to control his emotions when they met for coffee the night before last. The conversation played over and over in his head.
"I love you, Sam, but I've worked my whole life for this job and the team, and I'm not gonna let getting shot stand in the way of me going back" Jules had said matter-of-factly.
He replied almost losing it completely the raw hurt emotion imbuing his gravelly words "You mean I'm not going to stand in your way? Jules, that's the first time you told me you loved me. I didn't think it would be like this."
Exasperated or annoyed she had said his name "Sam."
He couldn't take anymore so he said "Look, I get it. I get it. I do."
He did get it. He knew what the team meant to her. But he also knew what the team meant to him. They had been his salvation. Without them he would likely not survived the loss of Matt. The team, all of them had helped pull him back from the edge he was so close to falling from. His pearl gripped colt now resided in a gun safe instead of being in easy reach on his nightstand. The team, this job, gave him a new purpose a new life.
But then she had said "Well, there's always the other choice if we want to stay together. Only one of us has to leave the team." Her tone and demeanor implied that he should be the one to leave.
That was like another knife to his heart. She was there before him so her implications were valid. It would not be right to ask her to be the one to leave. He could never ask her to leave. But he couldn't leave either. It was a choice that hurt him either way. He would bleed not having her. He would bleed not having the team.
He loved her to his core. She would be the only one for him ever. But did she love him enough to stay with him if he decided to leave the team for her? What would happen to him if he left the team and then she left him? He would be alone again. Without the team he was alone; completely and utterly alone. He didn't think he could survive being alone again.
Being alone had been his life from the time he was nine until he met Matt in basic training. Alone was painful. Alone was emptiness. Alone was lost. Alone was fear. Alone was numb. Alone was nothingness.
Feet continued to pound the ground steadily. Sam was nearing a decision point in his route. Long or short? It was a cool autumn early morning and his mind and body both chose long. Sam needed more time to clear his head. Besides he had nowhere he had to be today either. He headed to the right towards the poorer quarter of the city.
Last night he had to have drinks with Ed. Christ that was humiliating and uncomfortable. Ed had roped him into it. He didn't want to but he had no choice. The day Jules broke up with him Ed had ridden him hard. He didn't let him be Sierra 1 and he second guessed every action he took. He hadn't realized Ed had figured out he and Jules had been dating. Sam thought he had hidden his feelings better.
Ed had chosen a bar that was off the beaten path, dark and not frequented by police. He had wondered at the choice at first. He was surprised when both Ed and Greg showed up. The reason for the choice of place became crystal clear once the first round of drinks arrived. They both knew and he was going to be verbally flogged for his actions and choices.
The Boss was slightly sympathetic but firm that the relationship between him and Jules must end. It was a condition for Jules to return to the team. He almost laughed at the absurdity of it when Sarge implied that Sam should not play with Jules heart so cruelly. Greg was protective of Jules and viewed her like a daughter.
As the man in the relationship it was implied he was the one doing the hurting and Jules was the broken hearted victim. Hell not just implied. Ed had told him straight out his should have just kept it in his pants. That Jules was not just some one-night stand, a conquest or notch on his belt. That she deserved to be treated better. She deserved someone better.
Sam assured them it was over. That Jules had ended it the night before. That Jules and he were just colleagues now. Apparently something in his voice alerted the Sarge that it was he who was the broken-hearted one. Sarge had patted his shoulder and said things would get better with time. That he only needed time to find the right woman for him. Christ that hurt.
None of them knew or had even the slightest clue. Jules was the only one for him. He had realized that that day in the Royal York Hotel when he was under protection after the gang war. Jules had come into his room to awaken him for lunch and realization hit him hard and fast. Jules was exactly what he needed; his life would have meaning with her in it. She was more, she was heart, she was passion, and she was life. With her he felt what it was like to really live, to actually experience great for once in his life.
Ed did not pick up on what Sarge did and had laid into him hard, very hard about breaking the rules. He reiterated harshly multiple times that they had rules to protect everyone on the team. That Sam's blatant disregard of them put the entire team at risk. By the end of the scolding he felt like an errant school child sent to the principal's office.
He had reverted back to answering with only 'Yes Sir' or 'My fault Sir'. He refrained from answering 'I'm sorry Sir' or 'Won't happen again Sir'. That's because quite frankly he was not sorry and if Jules wanted him back he would happily break the rules again.
But the real kicker was that he was told that although there would not be an official reprimand he was on 'vacation' for the next two weeks. Watching Ed glare at him Sam could tell Ed had wanted an official report. But Sarge decided that because it was over nothing official was needed.
Both Sarge and Ed agreed that Sam needed time off to get his head back into the game. He was told not to contact any members of the team. They wanted him to have a clear break to get away from it all. To come back refreshed and with his head on straight.
When they said that, Sam asked if they would be telling the other members of the team the reason for his 'vacation'. Sarge said no. That all the team would know is that he took an unscheduled vacation. Sarge had offered that if Sam wanted him to he would say it was the result of him needing time to think after being taken hostage by Walter Volcek. That would be an easy out, being held hostage with a grenade next to your head could mess a person up. But Sam had said no that it was better to say nothing than to lie about it.
Sarge suggested he take a real vacation. Go somewhere completely different. Experience something new. Maybe take a cruise or hang out on a beach somewhere where he could truly relax. God if only Sarge knew how totally off those suggestions were. None of them knew he was terrified of water. A cruise or the beach would be the last place on earth he could relax. He had simply nodded accepting the punishment for breaking the rules.
However, what neither the Boss nor Ed realized though was having time off was the worst thing for him. There was nothing to fill his days except brooding on what he lost. Sam didn't think they knew that he really had no one besides the team. He had no friends outside the team.
He had his cousins but there was no way in hell he would visit them in his current state of mind. Blaze, Winds, Mason and Jim were out too. Blaze, Mason and Winds were out of country right now and Jim was busy with work. Besides this was too personal and he was not one to pour out his broken heart. If Matt was still here maybe, yeah he would've told Matt, but Matt wasn't here.
So he had no one. He had no desire to travel either. He'd seen enough of this world in the Army. He could go into the wilderness but that was not a good idea to go alone. Alone. Alone sucked. He had spent too many years alone. Now he had two full weeks to be alone.
He checked his watch. The team would just be finishing work out, showering and suiting up right about now. He wondered who would be doing the coffee run. They'd be pissed at him. Today was supposed to be his day. What the hell would he say to Spike, Wordy and Lou when he returned? Sorry guys I just wanted a vacation so I left without saying anything to anybody, hope you didn't worry. Christ they were gonna be mad at him.
They would worry too. They had been protective of him since he returned from getting shot. He screwed up big time this time. He was in jeopardy of losing them all again. If Ed's reaction had been any indicator, the guys would assume the same things. Although they liked him and he was family none would think him worthy of Jules. She was special. God he screwed up. Ed was so pissed at him.
Sam was drawn from his thoughts as a sharp pain lanced his left arm. His right hand flew to the place of pain. He felt wetness. His mind instantly realized he had been shot and the angle meant it was from a high position. Sniper? As he ducked into the alley and behind some crates a crazy thought entered his head. Did Ed just try to take him out? It instantly disappeared.
He pulled the earbuds out and peeked over the crate to scan the area. His right hand automatically applied pressure to the wound in his left arm. What the hell was going on? Was it random or on purpose? He pulled out his phone and was about to press speed dial for Sarge's number when he heard a voice behind him.
"Drop the phone and raise your hands. Then turn and face me or I shoot" the voice commanded.
Sam stood and slowly turned while raising his hands but he did not drop the phone. Fear crept into him as he saw he was now facing two masked men with pistols aimed at him. Pushing the fear down he calmly asked "What do you want?"
One of the men said menacingly "Constable Sam Braddock I said drop the phone."
Shock went through Sam as he heard his name used by the man. This was not random. The voice sounded somewhat familiar. Unfortunately he could not place it.
The man said "I hate to repeat myself. I said let the phone fall." He raised the pistol level to Sam's head.
Sam hit the call button with his thumb as he obeyed. The phone fell to the ground. Sam hoped the phone did not break and the call went through.
"Now turn and put your hands against the wall. Slow like. No sudden moves or you're dead" the masked man ordered.
The second man came forward and searched him. He found and took his k-bar he always carried on his runs. The man then grabbed one wrist and twisted his arm behind his back. Then the other arm and then secured his wrists with zip-tie cuffs. He was turned to face them again.
Sam said "What do you want from me?"
The only reply he got was "We are waiting."
He was frantically searching his brain. The voice was familiar. So familiar, how did he know this voice? Sam watched as a third masked man joined them. He had a rifle slung over his shoulder. He was the sniper.
At that realization the pain in his arm made itself known again. The adrenaline rush had suppressed the pain until now. Sam looked directly at the new arrival and declared "You are the sniper. You shot me. Why?"
He got no answer. The men were silent. Sam realized they must be waiting for something. Well not so much realized but actually registered what the man with the familiar voice had said before 'we are waiting'. Waiting for what though? This was no random act. It was planned. Well planned. They knew his route. They must have been watching him long enough to know his schedules. But why? For what purpose?
Sam asked again "Hey what do you want from me?"
His question was again met with silence. Then a phone rang. The only one to speak so far answered "Boss?" [listens] "Yes" [listens]. He hung up and said to the others "It begins. Let him suffer but alive."
The man that searched him hit him hard in the side of the head with the butt of his pistol. Sam collapsed to his knees dazed. The man with the rifle pulled out a roll of duct tape and ripped off a piece covering his mouth. Two sets of hands grabbed him under his arms and dragged him towards the other end of the alley to a van that just arrived.
Shit this is not good thought Sam. Hopefully the call went through or no one would even know he was gone for two whole weeks. Who the hell were these guys? What the hell did they want from him? His mind started scanning through possibilities. He still had enemies from the investigation of his Army service. Could it be related to that?
He was thrown roughly into the back of the van and then the men zip-tied his ankles. A black hood was put over his head next and the strings pulled tightly at his neck. The material was so thick it was a little difficult to breath. He slowed his breathing trying to be quiet enough to hear anything that might give him a clue who the hell they were. The door slammed shut and the van began to move.
Sam's brain was asking the five W's.
Who were they?
What did they want from him?
Where were they taking him?
Why did they take him?
How was he going to get out of this alive?