Disclaimer: I don't own Without a Trace, any of the characters, storylines, or actors. However I do own my ideas.
Zai: As always I'd like to thank you all for the continued feedback, it is greatly appreciated. And sorry bout the bit of a delay, I've been busy what with the holidays and all. But here it is, chapter 8. Hope you enjoy it, and I wish you all a pleasant holiday season.
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An intercom sitting in one corner of the desk crackled to life, "Sir, there is an agent Malone on line for you." the young female voice announced.
"Thank-you Jane, I'll get it." Deputy director Victor Fitzgerald replied as he leaned back in his large office chair. What the hell could Jack Malone want, he wondered before reaching for the slim black phone.
The line clicked as the hold was removed and Jack heard Victor Fitzgerald's commanding voice on the far end of the line, "Hello, Jack."
Jack politely returned the greeting. As it was, he and deputy director Fitzgerald were not on the greatest of terms and Jack was pretty sure the purpose behind this call was not going to reconcile anything between them.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" Victor queried skipping to the point, "I had not heard of anything unusual going on in your department."
"It's not exactly about work." Jack stammered delay the inevitable for as long as he could.
"Then why exactly are you calling?"
"It's about Martin..." Jack trailed off as Victor Fitzgerald interrupted him.
"Is he all right? What's happened?" The questions were fired in rapid succession and it was a moment before Jack was able to speak at all.
"Martin's fine." Jack assured him, although he would not exactly call in jail 'fine' Martin was at least physically unhurt. "There was a incident earlier today and Martin's, er, well he's been arrested." Jack finally blurted out. The opposite end of the line fell silent for a long moment and Jack began to wonder if Victor Fitzgerald had hung up.
"Arrested? For what, what are the charges?" Victor demanded when he managed to find his voice.
"I'm not sure..." Jack muttered, "Probably assault with a deadly weapon." He added quietly.
"What? How the Hell did that happen? Assault! With a deadly weapon?"
Jack cringed. He would hate to be in Martin's place right now, as it was he was not thrilled to be on the other end of the phone. The deputy director sounded rather upset, to put it lightly. Luckily for Martin he was in Washington - at least for now.
Jack waited patiently while Victor ranted for several minutes. When the man had finally settled down Jack filled him in on the basic details. He was reluctant to reveal anything he did not have to about Martin and Sam's relationship. Martin had enough to 'discuss' with his father as it was.
When Jack was through with his explanation, Victor sighed. How on earth did his son manage to wind up in these situations? Hadn't he taught the boy anything? He slammed the receiver down hard on it's cradle and took a few moments to collect his temper.
"Jane?" He asked over the intercom. "I'm going to need a flight to New York. Next one that you can get me on."
"Yes sir." Came the instant reply.
"Oh, and Jane, get me a defence attorney on the phone." Victor vividly remembered the conversation he had with Martin about staying out of his son's life. In fact it had been one of the only conversations he'd had with his son recently. As they were not on the best of terms. But Victor Fitzgerald did not care what Martin wanted at the moment. He was not going to sit idly and let his son go to prison.
- - - - - -
Arlene, the young red-haired nurse, looked sympathetically back at the poor blonde patient sitting on the edge of the bed. The doctor had already been in to see her and had cleaned and dressed her cuts. Other then a fractured wrist, Sam's injuries were not major. Arlene knew she would recover from his physical wounds easily enough.
However, Arlene also knew the poor woman had emotional scars that would heal much less easily. Reluctantly she headed out into the hall, she had other patients to see. On her way out she noted the couple across the hall had been hover around Sam's room since she had come in.
"You can go and see her," She said quietly before heading across to the next room.
Danny and Vivian exchanged a look. Both had wanted to go in and see Sam, and yet, at the same time they had held back. Finally Danny spoke, "Maybe it would be best if you went in, I'll just go check on the cops downstairs, make sure they have Guthrie's arrest taken care off."
Vivian paused for a moment before agreeing. She did not want to overwhelm Sam after everything she had been through. Danny was probably right. "All right."
Sam did not look up as Vivian entered. Hesitantly Vivian sat next to her younger colleague on the edge of the overly sterile hospital bed. "How are you holding up?" Viv asked feeling stupid at asking such a pointless question.
"All right," Sam muttered trying to keep her high running emotions in check.
Seeing how fragile her friend was, Vivian slipped her arm around Sam's shoulder in a motherly gesture. For awhile both were silent. Vivian's presence offering more comfort then her words could at present.
Silently tears welled in Samantha's eyes. Still she tried to hold them back. She was so tired. So tired of pretending to be strong, when she was so weak. She just wished she could go home and crawl under the covers, with Martin's powerful arm holding her close.
The doctor had insisted she spend the night here at the hospital. This was the last place on earth Sam wanted to be. She just wanted to go home and get past this. Get on with her life, a life with Martin.
Vivian was saying something now, and Sam tried to listen but the words seemed like a foreign tongue. Quickly Sam brushed the droplets from her eyes.
"Just remember Sam, we're here for you." Vivian was saying, unsure if Sam was even listening.
"Vivian?" Sam asked questioningly.
"Yes, what is it?" Vivian prompted gently.
"Why... where's Martin?" Sam asked quietly, she had expected him to be at the hospital. Hadn't he wanted to see her?
Sighing Vivian tried to find the words to explain the situation to Sam. In the hall Danny had informed her that Sam had yet to find out about Martin's arrest. She had understood why the guys had been reluctant to tell her, after all she had been through she had to find out her boyfriend was in jail too.
However, she also knew one of them would have to tell her eventually. "Sam, I'm sorry, Martin's at the police station. He wants to be here for you, only, he can't. He's in custody." Vivian explained bluntly, knowing it was the only way to tell her.
It took a moment for the new information to sink in for Sam. "What?" she gasped. "What for?"
"He... he attacked Guthrie after Jack had to throw him off the case."
"He's in jail because of me" Sam whispered into her lap, her voice barely audible.
"No. Sam its not your fault." Vivian reassured Sam as she gently squeezed her friend's shoulder. "Martin made his own choice. And even if he didn't make the best decision, it was because of him we found you."
Sam was quiet for a long moment before slowly turning to look up at Vivian. "What's going to happen to him now?"
"I don't know Sam, I just don't know."
