See Part One for Disclaimer, Spoiler, and Initial Author's Note. Additional notes in applicable chapters.

Chapter Four

Foyle had agreed to Sam's suggestion of the 'practice date'; but, he was through with practicing. Christopher was ready to put the practice to purpose. He placed a hand at her waist and slowly moved it around to the small of her back and then glided it upward a little as he eased her body incrementally closer.

Their faces grew nearer and he swallowed, when they were just a scant distance apart he said, "Sam, I think more is definitely in order."

His head moved forward the tiny distance needed to touch his lips to hers and Foyle gave her a tentative tender kiss. As he tilted his head back, Sam's fingers twitched an almost imperceptibly against his cheek. Shifting his eyes to hers and again finding the faintly hooded gaze; he was compelled to reverse the motion of his head. Christopher angled his mouth toward hers and met her lips with his once more. It was not what he had expected; the sudden intensity from their mutual response nearly took his breath. It had him tightening his arm about Sam and pulling her close; in an almost desperate need, he claimed Sam's mouth with his as his arm pulled her closer still. His other hand found its way to her head, cradling it with just a hint of pressure from his fingertips; an attempt to convey the depth of his need to be close to her. Sam's fingers made their way from his cheek, down and around his neck, to glide into the loose curls of hair just above his collar. Her other hand clutched at the front of his coat, pulling herself just that much closer. The same need he felt; for the reassurance of physical closeness, was mirrored in Sam's actions. Foyle shifted his weight and braced himself for better balance. With one shoulder pushed against the door, he threaded his fingers further into Sam's hair; resting the palm of his hand fully against her head as he began to ease his demand for her kiss. Acutely aware of the resonating rhythm his heart was thrumming throughout his body; Foyle realized his ears felt hot too and was sure they were showing that heat in an unmistakable red hue. Pulling long slow breaths in through his nose, he strove to reduce the fevered heat he had unwittingly allowed to build within. Christopher began to press short swift kisses to Sam's lips in ever slowing and decreasing pressure as he moved his lips along her cheek toward her ear. His mouth twitched at one corner when his lips registered the heat, and his eyes confirmed the flush, on her cheek. He was not the only one greatly affected by their ardent exchange. With a final kiss to her earlobe, he rested the side of his head to hers as he soothingly massaged the tips of his fingers in her hair.

"Sam, I have a strong sense of relief and yet I feel a strangely desperate need to forestall some unknown loss. I know that doesn't make any sense but ..."

He felt her head move up and down alongside his and then heard what sounded like a strangled laugh.

Sam turned her face to him and nuzzled her way under the edge of his coat, just before he heard her say in her nearly muted voice; her lips pressed to his neck, "No, Christopher. It makes perfect sense. I felt that way in Andrew's office today. I was relieved he had said something because I knew neither of us was likely to ever bring the subject up. Probably too afraid of losing what we had. But, at the same time, I felt desperate for confirmation we hadn't lost anything because the subject had been raised. It didn't make sense to me then. But, I understand what you mean, now."

Foyle leaned his head over her face for just a second or two, not wanting to stifle her air, and then he raised his head from hers to tilt it back so he could look at her. Sam felt his movements and lifted her head too. Foyle's eyes found hers and he canted his forehead to hers; his expression, even in the close and odd angle, showed she had helped clarify his feelings with her description.

Sam held his eyes for another moment and then let hers drift closed as she confessed, "I still feel like we are at risk of losing our friendship." The sigh that followed her words punctuated her statement with a hint to the depth of her fear.

His voice was low and unnaturally tight as he insisted, "No, Sam. That won't happen." he swallowed down a wave of emotion before he added, "It can't happen; neither one of us could survive it. We're too much a part of each other. Have been for years. You know?"

Sam opened her eyes as she agreed, with a question, "Just didn't see the wood for trees?"

Christopher framed her face with his hands and offered earnestly, "Maybe. I don't know how we got here. But, I wouldn't change a thing."

Sam squeezed Christopher's shoulder just enough to get his attention. When his eyes found hers she gave him a little smile with slightly hooded eyes; an expression he had become very fond of over the previous week. To him, it said just how much she loved him and he looked at her for a long time; losing himself in the expression she held. He slowly reached across his chest and stretched his arm up toward her head; gently threading his fingers into her hair. With the faintest pressure he guided her head down to meet his upturned face. He gave her a single, firm kiss and then found her eyes once more. The tenderness reflected in them matched the sweet half smile he offered her as he slipped his fingers from her hair and drifted them across her cheek. He dropped his hand back in his lap but they held each other's eyes for another moment or two.

That was until; Andrew cleared his throat, "Hello. Still in the room with you."

Sam broke from the gaze first and mumbled, "Sorry." as she sported an apologetic expression.

Christopher surprised them both by saying, "I'm not." while he still looked up at Sam. Then he turned to look at his son, "Andrew, you've been after me to find someone for years. Get used to it." He held a look on his son that dared him to voice a contradiction.

Andrew swallowed and said, "You're right. I have. I was worried about you and wondered why you always seemed to prefer being alone. I thought you should have a …" he hesitated; not wanting to label his dad and Sam in anyway, he mentally scrambled for the right word, "uhm, companion. I just, well I, didn't, uhm ..." he stalled completely then and turned beseeching eyes to Sam once more, before staring blankly at his dad.

When Christopher did not say anything Sam suggested, "Didn't think about how it would change things?"

The younger man blinked at her and she felt Christopher's hand tighten the slightest bit on her knee, just before Andrew managed to say, with a note of relief in his voice, "Yeah, something like that."

Christopher then said, with a hint of humor in his voice, "More like he didn't think about what it would look like."

When Andrew began to blush, Sam tried her best to stifle her laughter of surprise. That effort was made more difficult when she snuck a glance at Christopher whose face showed his self-satisfaction in having once more accurately identified the source of his son's discomfort. Sam bit her lip and hastily swiped at the tears of laughter that were beginning to collect in her eyes.

Christopher glanced at her and gave her an unmercifully wicked smirk before he turned back to Andrew and said in, an even, matter of fact manner, "Like I said, 'get used to it'."

Before he finished the sentence Foyle had swung Sam's legs from the arm of the chair and pulled them across his lap. By the time he finished speaking his hand had moved up to her waist to steady her and the arm that had rested on her legs had slipped around behind her to support her back.

Her stunned expression only caused him momentary hesitation as he checked with her first, "Right?"

She started to ask 'What?' But then she recalled what he had just said to Andrew.

As the realization played out across her face and Foyle was sure she understood the question, he gave her a quick questioning glance.

Sam nodded and managed, "Uh huh."

In one fluid motion he had pulled her off the arm of the chair and fully onto his lap. Her gasp of surprise was lost when he quickly fused his lips to hers and claimed her mouth. Christopher's kiss was completely unreserved as he paid no deference to his son's presence. In the back of Sam's mind the thought came to her that Foyle had not exactly played fair but she was quite certain; fair play or not, when it came to proving his point to Andrew, he had more than succeeded that day.