Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.. I wish I did, but unfortunately all I have is my computer and my imagination. :)
A/N: This is kind of a slow chapter and I don't like it all that much but it fits I guess. Anyway R&R please. Feedback is appreciated.
Chapter 4:
They arrived at a trendy restaurant downtown 20 minutes later and met up with Sydney, Vaughn, and the two other agents from the parking garage.
Samantha and Martin fell in step beside one another, a good distance behind the other 5. "It's been a long day, huh?" He asked slipping his hands into his coat pockets.
"Yeah. It sure has." She paused running a hand through her hair. "I just hope we didn't come all the way out here for nothing."
"We'll find 'em, Sam."
"How can you be so sure?" She laughed.
"Because... we won't stop until we do." He paused throwing an arm around her shoulder. "And if we don't, we'll probably be out of a job, so we might as well stay positive." He laughed.
"Thanks, Martin. That makes me feel a lot better."
They walked into the restaurant and sat at a table near the window.
"This is a really nice place." Martin commented looking around the restaurant.
"I'm glad you like it." Sydney smiled. "Francie owns it. Do you remember her?" She asked him from across the table.
"How could I forget? She made my life miserable." He chuckled.
Danny's ears perked up hearing that, so he turned his attention to Sydney and Martin. Do tell. I need some more ammunition for good ole Marty."
"Oh no." Martin buried his head in his hands.
"It can't be that bad." Samantha added, patting him playfully on the head.
"Yes, it can." He groaned.
"Well, get over it because you know I'm going to tell the story anyway." Sydney joked.
"Ok, ok. What happened?" Danny asked leaning on the table.
"It was sophomore year in high school." Sydney started.
"Tell me when it's over." Martin whispered softly to Samantha before hiding his face behind her.
"I guess I had been at Jefferson for a little over a year when I noticed this guy following me around a lot." She paused. "He offered to carry my books, opened doors, all kinds of stuff like that. I never really thought too much about it until he asked me to the prom. Obviously it was a big shock to me because I didn't even know the guy's name."
"It was Martin was't it?!" Danny interrupted.
Martin groaned from behind Samantha but didn't bother to move from his hiding place.
"It was none other than Martin Fitzgerald. I didn't have a date so I couldn't exactly use that as an excuse and he looked so nervous that I agreed." She continued. As she was telling the story, Francie appeared from the kitchen and joined the group. She didn't notice him cowering behind Samantha.
"What brought this up? Is Martin coming into town or something?" Francie asked with a smile. "I haven't seen him in years."
"Actually, he's already here." Samantha pointed out, leaning over to give her a glimpse of Martin's face.
"Well, hello there Sunshine." Francie laughed. "Time has definitely been good to you." She added, looking him up and down.
"What does that mean?" Samantha asked Martin, seeing a blush rise onto his face.
"I was kind of in my awkward growing years." He managed to squeak out.
"Kind of awkward?!" Francie squealed. "Girl, he had braces, wide frame glasses, the works. He really was sweet though and followed Syd around like a puppy. It was so cute." She grinned.
"Don't remind me." He returned to his place behind Samantha.
"Well, well. Who would've known that pretty-boy was an ugly duckling growing up?" Danny chimed in with a smirk.
"In his defense, the next year he was definitely much more to look at. The braces were gone, he got contacts, and he muscled up over the summer." Sydney said. "That's when we started dating."
"It's ok, man." Vaughn added. "We all have our moments, right?"
"I'm just glad I grew out of it." Martin chuckled, reemerging from behind Sam. "After that, the girls just couldn't keep their hands off of me." He smirked.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Samantha laughed.
Their food arrived, ending the talk of Martin's awkward phase, much to his relief. Sydney and Vaughn made small talk with Francie and another agent, Weiss. Danny continued flirting with the dark haired woman, Nadia, from the briefing room, and Martin and Samantha talked quietly with one another.
"Taylor doesn't exactly sound Cuban." Nadia commented. "Why did you change it?"
"Well, I found it much easier to make a name for myself, no pun intended, when I didn't have all my father and brother's mistakes tied to me. It sounds like a bad excuse, but when I decided to join the Bureau, I just felt like I needed a fresh start." He took a drink of his water and turned his attention back to her. "I can't exactly place your accent. Where are you from originally?" He asked.
"Argentina." She replied.
"How did you end up in L.A., if you don't mind my asking?"
"It's kind of a crazy story." She admitted pushing some hair behind her ear.
"Now I'm intrigued." Danny said grinning.
"I was in a mental hospital." She paused seeing his jaw drop slightly. "I was undercover. I'm not really a mental patient." She laughed. "Anyway, Sydney was on a mission looking for a woman under an alias and that woman turned out to be me. A few days later, we figured out that we were sisters."
"You didn't know you were sisters?" He asked, struggling to wrap his head around Nadia's story.
"No. All these years I was an orphan. Our mom is very secretive when she wants to be."
"Wow, and I thought my life was messed up." Danny laughed.
"Sorry to disappoint you." She laughed.
Vaughn leaned over to Sydney. "I think we may have underestimated Agent Taylor's charms on your sister."
"I think you may be right. She does seem interested in him, for now at least." She agreed, grinning at him. ''
"What are you two over there whispering about?" Weiss asked, jumping into the conversation. "Friends don't make secrets and secrets don't make friends, you know." He added, snapping his fingers between them. He looked across the table to Samantha and Martin, seeing as they were the only people who seemed to be paying him any attention.
"So, what do you think of the West coast?" He asked them.
"Well, considering we've only seen the road from the airport to the hotel..." Martin laughed.
"I'm hoping we get some time when this is all finished up to take in the sights." Samantha commented.
"If you need a tour guide, I'd be glad to show you around. I don't know how much help I'd be though since I rarely see anything outside of work." He chuckled.
"I know what you mean." Martin said. "For once, I'd like to just take a walk through Central Park instead of just driving by it everyday."
"It's getting kind of late, guys." Sydney yawned. "We should probably get going. We've got a busy day ahead of us."
The group paid for their meals and left the restaurant. They said their goodbyes, heading to their respective vehicles. Danny, Sam, and Martin arrived at the hotel a short while later, went straight to their rooms (or couch for Martin), and to bed.