Title Aftermath

Disclaimer see part one

Authors Note: thank you so much for the feedback on this story, it means the world to me.

The next morning

Unlike the last time he and Sam spent the night together, Eddie didn't wake up alone. The memory of the note she left him the last time brought a smile to his face. They still had a lot to talk about and deal with, but Eddie felt like they were going to be ok. He also realized he needed to get up. He didn't know when Berto would return so he decided to let Sam sleep and go make breakfast.

Eddie was quite surprised to find his young associate already settled in on his computer in Sam's living room. "Morning. When did you get in? How did you get in?" Eddie asked.

"Morning. I've been here for about an hour. Monica let me in." Berto answered.

"Did you sleep at all?" Eddie asked, knowing how late it was when Berto left and it was still fairly early.

"Yeah, I decided I was too tired to drive home so I crashed with Monica." Berto replied.

"You could have stayed here, Sam offered." Eddie said.

"I know." Berto replied simply. "Hey who did you talk to at eleven seventeen pm? That's like fifteen minutes before Sam called me."

"Deacon called me. I forgot all about it." Eddie answered.

"What did he want?" Berto asked.

"Now that I think about it, I don't know. He asked about the case we were working on when he saw Sam at the poker game and he mentioned her new movie, but I just realized something. How did he even know about that? She had just told me how the audition went when I got back to my apartment. She hadn't even accepted it." Eddie replied.

"I still haven't, and I don't think I'm going to." Sam said as she came downstairs.

"Why not?" Eddie said.

"So many reasons which you and I will talk about later, but seriously how would Deacon know? They made the offer at the audition, but nobody knew I got it except you. I got to the office ready to tell everyone and that's when you told me about the ballistics report and I got sidetracked. Seriously though how would he know. Did he set it up? Or worse is there a listening device in your apartment? We already know he got in the office." Sam replied slightly panicked.

"What do you mean 'we know he got in the office?'" Eddie asked, his eyes narrowed.

"When Monica unpacked the files we brought from the office she found a gun in one of the boxes we grabbed from your office. I knew it wasn't your gun, and we all agreed that it seemed like it was placed there for the police to find. It just so happened that we moved it before the police could get a warrant." Berto explained.

"Where is it now?" Eddie asked.

"We don't know." Sam answered.

"How do you not know?" Eddie replied.

"It's been taken care of." Berto said.

"What does that even mean?" Eddie asked.

"Ask Zeus, but don't expect him to tell you anything." Sam said quietly as she headed for the coffee maker.

"Does this mean we think your apartment is bugged?" Berto asked.

"Not ruling it out. Can you call Zeus and see if he can check it out?" Eddie said.

"On it." Berto replied opting to make his call outside and give the partners some privacy.

"Were you ever going to tell me about the gun?" Eddie asked Sam as he crossed the kitchen to grab his own coffee.

"I don't know. We didn't bring it up last night when Chris was here because we didn't want to put her in a position to be withholding information. I think I was hoping we wouldn't have to tell you." Sam answered quietly.

"I appreciate you protecting Chris, but you can stop trying to protect me. We are going to get through this, but we need to work together." Eddie replied.

"I know. I don't know how it's all going to get worked out but I know we will get through it. Everything the last few days has been so crazy. Monica actually told me that our fight was inevitable because our emotions were heightened, FYI she figured out we slept together. " Sam said.

"Pretty sure Berto knows too then." Eddie replied.

"Zeus knows too, I accidentally told him at the police station." Sam said confessed. "He didn't seem that surprised though, neither did Monica now that I think of it. I was so freaked out by everything I guess I wasn't thinking clearly. I do know this though, I don't want to wait until this is over to have that conversation we need to have."

"Yeah? How do you want to start?" Eddie asked.

Sam shrugged. "I don't know, but do you know how much I wish we could go back to two days ago when I left you sleeping in your bed? Do you know how much I wanted to skip the audition and crawl back in bed with you for another round?"

"I knew you didn't mean that note." Eddie replied as he pulled Sam close for a deep kiss.

Berto could see what was going on through the windows on the patio, but knew he needed to interrupt. "Eddie? I'm going to go meet Zeus at your place and we are going to sweep it for bugs, then do the same at the office. I'll be back, but in the meantime the computer is already working on facial recognition for the photos. Also I think your agent just pulled up Sam."

"Crap! I forgot to call her after the audition and then with everything going my phone died and I forgot to charge it. Let her in, I'm going to go get dressed." Sam replied as she took off for her bedroom.

"Why am I not surprised to see you here Eddie." The blonde agent said as Eddie opened the door.

"It's not what you think." Eddie answered.

"I already know you and Sam slept together, and even though she assured me it wouldn't happen again I'm kind of glad you are here. When I didn't hear from her I was worried the audition didn't go well and when she didn't answer her phone I was afraid she fell off the wagon." Syd replied.

"I didn't fall off the wagon, and the audition went fine. Or at least I thought it did. Now I'm not so sure, and Eddie is here because of the jewelry around his left ankle." Sam said as she came down the stairs.

"What did you do?" Syd asked.

"It's a long story, but the short version is I'm out on bail and everyone decided it would be better to work from here so they masterminded a plan to get me confined here. I'm going to go get dressed and let you two talk." Eddie explained.

"My phone died and then I forgot about it. I'm sorry you were worried. It's just been a rough couple days. Do you remember the first case Eddie and I worked together? The corrupt judge?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Syd said.

"Because we are pretty sure he's the one who set Eddie up for murder, and now we are thinking he may have had something to do with that audition. They told me at the audition it was mine if I wanted it." Sam began.

"That's great! Or that's not great?" Syd replied suddenly very confused.

"I didn't tell anyone I got it except Eddie and that wasn't until after ten thirty that night. Less than an hour later Eddie got a phone call from Deacon, the corrupt judge, and he mentioned the movie. How did he know? You said yourself it was a long shot so why would they straight up offer it to me?" Sam answered.

"I don't know Sam maybe because you are a great actress? Do you really think that this guy has the power to pull that off? And why would he do it? It doesn't make a lot of sense." Syd replied.

"He wants to destroy us. I ran into him the other night at a poker game and he made a point to remind me that Eddie and I sent him to prison. Then he reminded me about how hard it is to repair your reputation, and it's well documented how I'm trying to rebuild mine." Sam answered.

"That was part of his spiel when he called me too. He said it was good to see you the other night and he was glad we were doing well. The way he said it made it seem like he wasn't talking about business and again how would he know? He reminded me we sent him to prison. Said that prison simplified things and that he had everything he wanted. He hung up rather abruptly and that's when L.A.P.D. showed up to arrest me." Eddie said as he entered the room.

"I know it doesn't make sense, but this man is evil. He not only orchestrated a hit from prison but made sure Eddie had a hand in delivering the hit man to his target." Sam explained.

"He told me that All men deserve to pay for their sins and that I had myself to blame for the man that was killed. He's evil and we need to stop him, but I'm stuck here." Eddie groaned.

"Just til we prove you didn't kill Khan, besides I'm pretty sure there are worse places to be stuck." Sam replied with a grin.

"Believe me I know there are worse places. I meant what I said, I owe you all for keeping me out of lockup." Eddie answered.

"Ok. Well now that I see you are ok I'm going to go. Be careful. Sounds like this guy is dangerous. Walk me out Sam?" Syd said.

"What? More lectures about Eddie? Do you need me to tell you that you were right? Despite us saying it wasn't going to happen again it did." Sam asked when they reached Syd's convertible.

"Just be careful, ok? Call me if you need anything." Syd replied as she got in her car and drove away.

"So did Syd try to get you to run away from me?" Eddie asked with a grimace when Sam returned to the house.

"She's worried, but I think only some of it is about you. I think she's worried more because of my recovery. The program has suggestions about relationships in the first year of recovery, suggestions I don't intend to follow, I don't think I can at this point." Sam admitted as she sat down on his lap.

Eddie captured her lips in a passionate kiss, and Sam returned it ardently. Sam was in the process of removing Eddie's shirt when the doorbell rang. Sam groaned "I need to see who that is, but don't go anywhere." She said as she straightened her slightly rumpled clothing and attempted to tame her hair.

"Hey Eddie, I think it's for you." Sam yelled down the short hallway as she let Christine Rollins into the house. "He's in the living room, I'm going to go finish getting dressed."

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything." Chris asked taking in Eddie's state.

"Didn't expect to see you this morning." Eddie replied, ignoring her comment.

"Berto called. Said you remembered something and suggested I stop by. What's up?" Chris asked.

"Deacon called me right before you arrested me, literally right before. The interesting part? He mentioned Sam's new movie." Eddie said.

"Sam has a new movie?" Christine asked.

"Exactly, no one knows. I knew she had the audition, but she didn't tell me how it went until I got back to my apartment that night. She didn't even tell Syd til this morning, and she hasn't accepted it. So how did Deacon know?" Eddie replied.

"So what are you thinking?" Chris asked.

"Either Deacon set up the audition, or my apartment is bugged, or maybe both. Berto and Zeus are sweeping my apartment now." Eddie answered.

"Why would he set her up though?" Christine asked.

"When I saw him at the poker game he talked about reputations and how hard they are to repair. Maybe he thinks that the way to hurt me is to give me my career back and then find a way to take it away again?" Sam answered as she reentered the living room and took a seat next to Eddie.

Eddie's phone rang and he answered it on the third ring. "Hey Berto, Christine is here. Ok if I put you on speakerphone?"

"Yeah that's fine. You are too. Zeus and I are in my car." Berto replied

"What did you find out?" Christine asked.

"We've got some good news and some bad news. Our suspicions were correct, your apartment is bugged Eddie." Berto answered.

"Looks like one in the kitchen and one in the living room. Good news is we think there may be a way to figure out where the signal is being sent so we left them there." Zeus added.

"Any idea how long they've been there?" Eddie asked.

"My guess? A week, maybe a little more." Zeus answered.

Eddie watched the color drain from Sam's face. "Good call leaving them there. You checking the office next?" He asked.

"Yeah, heading there now and then we will be at Sam's." Berto answered as he disconnected the call.

"Breathe Sam. They wouldn't have been able to leave them if they had video capability. We aren't in sex tape territory." Eddie tried to reassure her.

"Still. Someone heard us, multiple times. Deacon heard us." Sam answered with a shudder.

"Ok, all that aside, did you guys talk about the case, or Deacon in the apartment?" Christine asked.

"I remember talking about the case when we got back from the wine storage place, but I don't think we talked about Deacon. Then we got sidetracked." Eddie answered with a grin.

"We didn't really talk about the specifics of the case the night you got arrested either. It was mostly personal stuff, about the audition and our fight at the office." Sam replied.

"And we didn't talk about Deacon either that night. There wasn't time. I don't think anyone could have gotten much of anything by placing a bug in your apartment. You are too much of a workaholic, you sleep there, not much else. Are you sure this place isn't bugged?" Christine asked.

"Zeus checked it the other night, and it's safe. Which it better be with the system and how much trouble it was to learn." Sam answered.

"After the serial killer case Zeus and I upgraded Sam's security system. No one is getting in without one of us knowing about it." Eddie said as he answered his phone.

"Eddie Valetik we have some business to discuss." The voice said.

"Melanie Ray, what do I owe the pleasure." Eddie replied getting Christine's attention and putting the phone on speakerphone.

"I hear you got yourself into some trouble by crossing the wrong person. What good are you to me if you are in prison? I left you a present at your office." Melanie Ray said cryptically as she ended the call.

"What is she talking about Eddie?" Christine asked.

"Remember when we had to get the drugs back that were in the trap car Tyler stole? I made a deal with Mel to back off the guy who owed her so he would give us the drugs back. I told her if she'd back off the kid I'd owe her." Eddie explained.

"It's my fault he made the deal, I begged him to help the kid. He's in recovery." Sam said.

"Trust me, it isn't because of you. Well you may have been part of it but Eddie is fully capable of doing that all on his own. Especially since Ty was involved." Christine replied.

Note: I have a busy day today filled with mom stuff so I don't know when I will have the next chapter ready, so you get a bit longer one today.

Any ideas on what Mel's present is???