A/N: Had to get this one out today as my precious is going in to be fixed tomorrow and I don't know when I'll get him back.

It's a short one, had to cut if off here or it would have been WAY to long. I'll make up for it in the next chapter.

Sam walked to his apartment, taking the stairs because it always made him feel better about eating all the garbage he did. He also went to the gym everyday of a couple of hours; it wasn't like he had a lot to do anyway. He was just waiting for his next assignment, the next child for him to love and take care of for the next how ever many years.

Fiddling with his keys, Sam stood before his door, ignoring the noises that come from the other side of the hall. Ash was having a party, again, and Sam wanted to get out of there before-

"Hey Sam!"

-Ash noticed him. Turning around Sam put a smile on his face, thinking of ways to get out of going into the others man apartment and joining him and his so called friends.

"Hi Ash." Sam was still playing with his keys, desperately trying to find the right one. It wasn't that he didn't like Ash, he was a great guy, Sam just didn't want to get drunk or stoned out of his mind tonight or ever and that was all Ash and his friend Andy ever seemed to do. No matter where or when Ash had a fiesta, Andy was there, along with some other interesting looking people.

"Sam my man, you've got to come in man. I've found the girl for you." Ash had a beer in his hand, but when didn't he? He was swaying a little bit, but that meant he was in a clear state of mind, his higher levels of intelligence still functioning.

Looking down at his keys Sam tried, "I don't know Ash…"

Ash grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room, not taking no for an answer, "Oh come on man, I know you are going to love her. She's smart and won't take any of my shit, so she's good!"

Sam let himself get dragged into the room, slightly curious about how this was going to turn out. Ash led him into his living room where a young girl sat, possibly twenty-five years old with gorgeous long, curly, blonder hair. She turned, her face lighting up when she saw Sam causing him to blush furiously. Standing she held out her hand, a tiny graceful little thing, "Hi, I'm Jessica."

Sam took her hand, his practically swallowing hers whole, "Sam."

Smiling she looked around the room then back at Sam, "So, not wanting to be rude or anything, but what are you doing here?"

Sam shrugged, "I could ask you the same thing. I live across the hall; Ash happened to catch me on the way into my apartment and dragged me over here. Didn't have a choice in the matter."

Jessica laughed, her head tilting back a little bit, exposing her throat, "I seriously doubt that. My friend dragged me here, she's the one having a drinking competition with Ash right now." She nodded towards the kitchen where another blonde was sitting across from Ash, easily taking him shot for shot. The rest of the so-called party was there, cheering both of them on. The girl looked smug, as if she knew something that everyone else didn't. Sam knew that she was going to have her work cut out for her; no one has ever beaten Ash in a drinking competition, not once. The man drank like people breathed, constantly and without pause unless he wanted to die.

Jessica turned away from the kitchen facing Sam once again, "You want to go over to your place?"

Sam nodded, far to eager to get out of there, "Yes, please."

Leading Jessica across the hallway Sam got his keys out, finding his door key immediately. Sam scoffed, not finding the irony funny. He and Jessica walked into the apartment, Sam motioning to the living room as he said; "You can have a seat if you want. Can I get you anything to drink?"

Jessica sat down on the big leather couch, turning her body so she sat against the armrest to face Sam in the kitchen. "Just water thanks." She could hear Sam moving around in the kitchen, the clinking of glasses and running of water as she looked around the room. There wasn't much in the room at all, just furniture that obviously came with the apartment. There were no personal touches, not a photo, not a painting, not even a book. There was nothing to show that Sam even lived there. Not letting that get to her Jessica smiled as Sam came back in, placing the two glasses on the coffee table before them, sitting on the other side of the couch, not to far but not to close.

Sam leaned back, turning a little to face Jessica, "So, what do you do if you don't mind me asking."

Jessica flipped her hair over her shoulder, drawing her one leg up and under the other, "I am currently working as an intern at 'Flying High Productions'. I am trying to get a hand in the Broadway industry." At Sam's raised eyebrow she added quickly, "Oh no! Not like that, I would never be able to be one stage, I make Disney stars look talented. No, I want to be the person behind the scenes, maybe even end up directing one day. How about you? What do you do?"

Sam fidgeted a bit before he answered, "I am in between jobs right now. Came from Austin not a week ago, just waiting for something to pop up."

They sat there for a few seconds, the silence, surprisingly, not awkward at all. Eventually Jessica said, "So, was there a girlfriend or something that you left behind?"

Sam fidgeted again, unsure of how to continue, "No, no girl. Not after Gabriel."

Jessica's eyes went wide, her mouth opening just a little bit to big, "Oh I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed-"

Sam put his hand on her arm, making her look at him, "No it's fine. I'm bi, so it's totally okay."

Jessica settled back down, getting comfortable in Sam's presence, "Tell me about him."

The smile that spread across Sam's face told Jessica everything that she needed to know, "He was perfect. Intelligent, funny, he always could make me laugh, constantly happy, eats enough sugar to put down an elephant, and gorgeous. He had these eyes; I could stare at them for hours if he let me. They were the color of a forest in the morning, when the golden sunlight would just pass through the leaves and ignite every color, making them a million times more brilliant than they truly are. He was mine, but I lost him."

You could see the sadness in Sam's eyes, Jessica's mirroring a version of her own, "Surely you can get him back, can't you?"

Sam looked away, "No, I can't. It's too late."

Jessica left that comment alone, knowing better than to push the subject at that moment. She was going to get the reason out of Sam, mark her word, but not now.

The rest of the night they just made small talk, enjoying each other's company through a night that otherwise would have just ended up silent and lonely. Jessica eventually fell asleep on the couch, Sam carrying her to the guest bedroom. He was a gentleman after all.

Falling into his own bed Sam fell into a restless sleep, eyes the color of mossy gold haunting him.