Finding the cafe was easy. Now all Sam had to do was wait. In the meantime, he pulled out a book of monsters and tried to find what it was that had been attacking people. Soon, he heard the little bell above the door ring, and he looked up, only to see Linette walking towards him. Sam smiled at her and stood up to hold out her seat for her. She smiled gratefully up at him and placed her purse on the floor next to the wall. Sam had picked a couple's table near the back, so they'd have a little more privacy.

Linette was the first to speak. "To be quite honest, I didn't know if you'd actually be here when I came." She had a sad smile on her face. "I've never been asked out for coffee before, I thought it was almost too good to be true."

Sam frowned. "Why is that?"

Linette looked down at her hands. "Most guys don't go after a girl like me. Especially not guys that look like you." She blushed and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

Sam was taken a little aback. She was pretty, and seemed rather smart, so he was confused as to why no one would ever want to be with her. "What? Really? I'd have thought guys would be lining up down the block for a chance with you." He smiled at her.

Linette blushed, her smile small and shy, making Sam's stomach flip. "No... they all run away when I tell them-" She blushed and looked scared. She started shaking her head, "No. No, that's-" She began to get up but Sam caught her hand.

"I promise I won't run, whatever it is." Sam gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. She looked into his eyes and Sam felt as if he may drown in hers. She then blinked, glancing out the window before returning to her seat.

"Y-you promise you won't run?" Linette's gaze was pleading.

Sam's heart wouldn't let him do anything but promise. He sighed, a smile on his face. "I promise, I won't run. Nothing you could say would make me want to run away."

Linette sighed, only half of the worry draining from her face. "Well, I suppose we'll see." She took a deep breath and a small scowl darkened her face. "I-I am a single mother." She held her breath and waited for a moment, her eyes screwed shut. Sam almost laughed at her open doubt of his promise, for she was clearly listening for his retreating footsteps. Slowly she opened her eyes, seemingly perplexed that he was still sitting there.

Sam smiled softly at her. "I can see now why some guys might run, my brother included, but there is nothing wrong with being a single mother," he said, putting his hand on top of hers. Linette looked at him and then sighed, her eyelids fluttering for a moment.

"Actually, I lied..." Linette closed her eyes again, pausing a moment before opening them. "He's not really mine, I just took him in when his parents died." She gazed up at Sam, who startled her by smiling.

"What's his name?" Sam was getting more and more intrigued by the minute.

"Oliver. He's almost three." She looked at her watch and jumped out of her seat. "I'm so sorry! I completely forgot I had to pick him up from daycare! Oh, I'm so sorry!" She put a hand to her forehead and turned to go.

"Can I walk you there?" Sam got out of his seat as well and stood beside her. Linette seemed to deliberate for a moment before nodding her head and giving him a small smile.

"Sure, you can walk me there, but you have to promise to walk me home as well!"

"Deal." Sam grinned, his smile only widening when he saw her blush. His heart fluttered at the thought of walking her not only to her newest destination, but all the way to her home as well. His inner self was leaping for joy as they walked out of the cafe. He waited for Linette to finish digging in her purse for her keys before offering her his arm.

Blushing yet again, Linette dropped her keys into the hidden pocket of her dress before slipping her arm into Sam's. "So what made you want to walk me all this way," she said, giving him a shy smile.

Sam thought for a moment before answering, "I saw you and wanted nothing more than to see you smile again." He scuffed his feet along the sidewalk. "Hehe, I've never felt this way before, so you're not the only one who's a little nervous."

"What do you mean, 'never felt this way before'?" She adjusted her dress as she avoided stepping on a crack in the sidewalk.

Sam thought for a moment, wondering if she was a romantic at heart. He decided to go with his gut and replied, "When I saw you smile for the first time, I felt the entire world fall away. I wanted nothing more than to see you smile again, and so I did the only thing that seemed natural." Sam grinned down at her. "I asked you out for coffee."

By this time, Linette was flushing so deeply, her blush had reached her collarbone. "You can't seriously mean that... We've only- we've only just met!" She stopped just before another crack in the sidewalk, her frown betraying her lack of self-confidence. Sam sighed.

"I do mean it." He tilted her face up to his, a kind smile on his face. "I never believed in love at first sight before now, but I know for a fact that's what this feeling is. I loved you from the moment I saw you sprawled across my lap. The more I talk with you, the more I want to spend the rest of my life with you, even if you don't feel the same." Sam shook his head, "I have never said anything like that to anyone, ever, but I know what I'm feeling is pure and true. I only hope you feel the same."

Sam dropped her chin and began to turn away, only to have her swing him back around with surprising strength. Before he could even blink, she tossed her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his in the gentlest kiss he'd ever received. He wrapped his arms lightly around her waist and spun her around, not once separating his lips from hers. When he finally put Linette down, he grinned at her, his heart swelling unimaginably.

Her own face was lightly flushed, a content smile gracing her lips. "I thought it was just me," she said, twiddling her fingers. "I've never had someone feel the same way before."

Sam tilted her chin back up to face him. "I will never leave you, not unless you ask me to. Believe me, that's the hardest thing I've ever had to say, with the past I have, but it's the truth. You aren't just another notch in the headboard for me. I want this to last forever."

Linette looked close to tears, but Sam could tell she was happy. "Now, let's keep going. There's someone I'm looking forward to being introduced to." Sam took her hand and playfully tugged her along.

Linette shook her head at him, smiling every time he stopped to steal a chaste kiss. Soon enough, Linette was stealing kisses of her own and only too soon, they arrived in front of a small two story building. Linette bade Sam wait outside, and she disappeared inside. Not three minutes later, she stepped out, carrying a small child in her arms.

Setting the child down on the sidewalk, she smiled at Sam and said, "This is Oliver." She lightly jiggled the tiny fist in her hand, looking down at the boy. Linette smiled and pointed to Sam. "Oliver, this is Sam."

Sam crouched down a little ways from the boy and held out his hand. The boy holding Linette's hand was absolutely adorable. He was wearing a blue and green striped shirt and jean shorts, accompanied by a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sweatshirt and black and white canvas sneakers with the laces untied. His light brown hair was slightly mussed on one side, as if he'd been sleeping and his left thumb never left his mouth.

Oliver's brown eyes never left Sam's face as he roved his facial features. They all waited for a response when suddenly Oliver looked up at Linette. He removed his thumb and said, "Momma?"

"Yes, sweet pea?" Linette smiled down at the small boy. Sam had never seen a more beautiful sight.

"He good." Linette looked startled for a moment before smiling again. She looked over at Sam. "Yeah, sweetheart... He good." Sam felt his heart flutter like never before and he positively beamed when Oliver let go of Linette and walked over to him. The little boy put his thumb back into his mouth and watched Sam's face as he stepped closer.

Sam put out his hand and Oliver looked at it before placing his own palm against it. Sam marveled at how tiny Oliver's fingers were compared to his, and he vowed to see more hands like that in the coming years. Oliver ran his hand over Sam's pointer finger, no doubt feeling the callouses that came with the kind of work he did. Suddenly Sam found himself looking into Oliver's eyes before the boy gently wrapped his tiny arms around Sam's neck.

Sam looked up at Linette with a pleasantly shocked smile. She grinned back at him and bade him stand. As he stood, he felt Oliver's head touch his shoulder and his hand stop to rest over his heart. Sam had never felt so moved in his entire life. He'd never thought he'd live long enough to have a family and here one stood, almost ready made and seemingly created just for him. He grinned and took Linette's hand, holding Oliver steady in his other arm.

Linette smiled up at him, "Oliver has never taken to anyone so quickly before. You must be pretty special for him to like you so much." Sam looked down and couldn't help but quirk his lips at her teasing smile.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm special... Maybe he just sensed how happy you make me. Kids seem to be more in tune to that sort of thing than we adults."

Linette giggled, "Or he sensed how happy we make each other." She lightly jumped to kiss Sam's cheek before continuing their journey.

Across the street, there was a plump man sitting in the shadows. He grinned to himself at the sight of the small group walking away from him, considering what had happened, a job well done. Throwing the three another smiling glance, he suddenly disappeared. A small, pink feather fluttered to the ground, the only evidence that he had ever been there.