"Ha! Finally!" Sam gloated as they walked up the shore of the lake.

"Yes, you finally beat me," Alex rolled his eyes.

"I think I should get a prize," she stretched her arms behind her back.

"For winning a race that I had no idea I was participating in until you were well ahead of me?" He smirked as he pulled a shirt on over his head.

After settling into town, Alex had resumed his usual workout routine: a 6km swim, every morning at five o'clock. After a few days, she started to accompany him on his morning swim.

"Hey, don't be a sore loser," she grabbed her keys from her bag and they made their way over to her car. She paused to look at the lake before she got into the car, "I forgot how much I loved the water."

"It's a great way to stay in shape; plus everything else," he smirked as he buckled his seatbelt. Alex had decided that since Sam's job was potentially very dangerous, she needed to know how to defend herself properly. So in addition to the morning swims, he also worked with her on her self-defense skills and her shooting ability. His training made him a great teacher and her prior experience made her a great student.

"Yeah, I thought I was going to die after the first few sessions." The training was intensive, but after a few weeks, her body became used to the activity. She wasn't out of shape, but the sessions were more vigorous than she was used to.

"It's grueling, but it's honestly worth it. I feel much better knowing that you can handle yourself at all times," she shrugged her shoulders, "Speaking of which, I don't know if you know this or not, but I don't actually require a babysitter; I'm perfectly capable of spending an evening by myself. I'm sure that the other people in your life miss you,"

"I see them everyday."

"No, you go to work, where Spinelli usually is anyways, you have lunch with your boyfriend, and then you occasionally see your mother and your sisters. You come home every night to keep an eye on me." She gave him an incredulous look.

"What, do you follow me around everyday?" She was flustered. He had just perfectly described a weekday for her: work, where she would spend a fleeting moment catching up with her business partner before heading out for surveillance, lunch with Jason at the penthouse and then back off to work. She would occasionally speak to her mother and sisters on the phone but she had not actually spent any real time with them since Alex had arrived.

"You can't neglect your other relationships for me," he gave her a stern look, "We all love you and one day we are all going to have to learn to peacefully co-exist." He knew that Sam was worried about how everyone would get along. She didn't want her sisters to feel like they were being abandoned for her brother and she was still wary of the interaction between her brother and her boyfriend. Alexis and Jason disliked each other and Sam feared that Alex would have similar interactions with them. She didn't know if she could handle it if they didn't get along so she kept them apart.

"It's not that," she lied.

"You're afraid that we aren't going to get along; and I get that, I do. But you can't keep up this ridiculous balancing act: one hour with this person, a few minutes with this one. It's not fair to any of us. We all deserve to have your full attention."

"What do you want me to do?" She pulled into her parking spot at her building.

"Spend the night with your boyfriend," she gave him a quizzical look; that had not been what she was expecting him to say, "I know you miss him. Go have dinner, spend the night; just be with him."

"What are you going to do?" He shook his head in exasperation.

"I'm going to do whatever I want. I'm an adult; I can handle a night alone." His tone made no room for argument.

"It's open," Jason called from his desk. He smiled as Sam's from appeared in the doorway. "I thought we were having lunch at the penthouse." He stood up to greet her.

"I unfortunately have to cancel," she kissed him on the lips, "I have a new case and it's going to require a bit of extra surveillance."

"Anything I can help with?" He tried to hide his disappointment at her news. He loved the few hours that he got to steal away with Sam for lunch.

"No, just routine stuff. I'll be done pretty early actually." His eyebrows picked up at her tone, "And I was thinking that we could change our usual lunch into a dinner. Just you and me at the penthouse?"

"I think that sounds amazing," he held her close.

"I'm sorry," she said after a moment.

"For what?" he released her and they sat on the edge of his desk.

"Alex made me realize that I was maybe neglecting some of the people in my life, you especially."

"I understand, Sam," it was true, he understood why she couldn't spend as much time with her lately; he didn't necessarily like it but he understood that she was just trying to make things easier for everyone involved. "It's hard to balance everyone in your life."

"And you're an important part of my life, Jason." She looked up at him. For better or worse, Jason had become an important person in her life. From the time he stepped up to be the father of her daughter, he had claimed a special place in her life. It had been difficult at first to trust that his intentions were genuine, but he had proven himself as trustworthy time and time again. He had seen her through some of the worst times of her life; he had also been a contributing factor to some of them, but she didn't think she could ever truly live without him. "I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed her sweetly on the lips.

"I have to go. Spinelli's waiting for me." She hopped off the desk.

"You're taking Spinelli with you? He's going to do surveillance?" He gave her a skeptical look.

"He's been doing a great job lately and I think he's ready to get his feet wet." He gave her another look, "It's just simple surveillance and he'll be with me the whole time. We'll be fine." She hoped. Her partner had an amazing heart and tons of enthusiasm, but they sometimes got him into serious trouble. She gave Jason a last lingering look and sauntered out of his office.

"Got my message, I see," Alex commented to the bushes as he sat on the bench at the park. A man emerged from the greenery. He was about 5'9" with gray, receding hair and a weathered face.

"It's not everyday I get a message from a dead man," he sat next to Alex. His voice was soft but forceful; he had a very slight English accent.

"The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated." He paraphrased the illustrious Mark Twain saying.

"How have you been, Alexander?" the man sat down on the bench.

"Much better as of late," he replied vaguely, "And you Ash? How have you been?"

"My age seems to finally be catching up with me, but one can hardly complain about that." The two men sat on the park bench for a few minutes, staring out at the playing children. "I imagine you had a reason for contacting me, Alex." The younger man smiled.

"Always to the point, Ash." He smiled and turned to face his companion, "I need a few things."

"Your usual order, I'd imagine." He took a small notepad from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

"Not quite," Alex reached for the notepad and scribbled a few things on the paper, "I also need a few names." He handed it back to Ash.

"I've never known you to be without contacts, Alex," he read over the list.

"I've been gone for almost a decade. Unfortunately, all of my contacts are either dead or otherwise useless."

"I'll need three days." Ash indicated the list.

"And the names?" They both stood.

"I've got a few that might be useful." The two men shook hands and left the park.

"Where have you been all day?" Sam asked when he stepped through the door. It was already 5pm, she was almost finished getting ready for her dinner with Jason.

"I was at the park for a while," Alex put his keys and phone down on the desk, "I explored the town a little, sat around and lounged." She gave him a skeptical glance.

"I don't think I've ever seen you 'lounge', Alex." He shrugged his shoulders, "You spent the entire day at the park?"

"I ran a few errands, started some other things I've been meaning to get around to." She frowned at his vague answer. He usually only did that when he didn't want her to be involved in something. She gave him a penetrating look. "If I tell you it's a surprise, will you drop it?"

"Fine," she would leave it alone for a little while longer, but she was still curious. She had no idea what he had been doing in his spare time lately. For a few weeks, he had been working on restoring a car that had been in his old storage unit; he had owned a 1966 Shelby GT350 since he was fifteen, a present from his mother. It was in good condition, but it needed a few parts cleaned or replaced after sitting for ten years so he had rented a space near the docks that he could use to store his belongings and fix his car. He had finished it a week ago, so she had no idea what he was doing during the day anymore.

"You look beautiful," she was primping her hair in the mirror near the fireplace.

"Yeah?" Sam was wearing a pair of dark skinny jeans, an off-white blouse with small buttons, and a pair of her favorite boots; they were black with a skinny heel and they rose to the middle of her calf. Her hair was down, but it had been teased slightly, and a simple pair of gold hoops adorned her ears.

"Absolutely,"

"You'll be fine, right?" He rolled his head back and groaned.

"You realize that I'm almost forty, right? You don't need to keep an eye on me." He didn't even need to stay with her but Sam had insisted on having him live with her for a while.

"I know, I just feel like I need to protect you and-"

"I've told you before; it's my job to protect you."

"No, it's not. I'm an adult too, Alex." She put her hands on her hips. They both took a few minutes to collect their thoughts.

"You're right," he said after a pause, "You're an adult and you can protect yourself. I think we both need to work on that: letting the other live their own lives and make their own mistakes." He stood up and crossed the room so that he was now standing a foot away from her. "It's going to be really hard to see you as anything other than that ten year old girl I first met, but I promise you that I will make a serious effort to see you as an equal, not someone who needs my protection." She stepped into his open embrace.

"Thank you and I'll try to do the same."

"You'd better get going," she stepped back and smiled.

"Not too much trouble while I'm gone," she reminded him as she stepped out the door.

"That was amazing," Sam put her napkin down next to her plate. When she had arrived at the penthouse, Jason had been ready for her. He had dimmed the lights in the room and placed soft candles throughout; the table held clean, white linens and two simple place settings with candles; he had even cooked for her, chicken with pasta.

"Well I figured I should take advantage while you had the time," she blushed slightly at his smoldering gaze.

"Really?" she smiled, "And how did you intend on taking advantage of me tonight?" she sipped slowly from her wine glass. He licked his lips slightly, thinking over his plans for the rest of the evening.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked softly.

"What?" she thought she might have misheard him, "You hate dancing," they'd been through this before.

"I've never minded dancing with you," he stood up to turn on the stereo. He turned around and offered her his hands. She took it and they were soon swaying slightly to the soft music. The two danced for a while longer and then eventually sat together on the couch, simply resting in each other's arms.

"This is one of my favorite places to be," she sighed contentedly against his chest.

"Mine too." He smiled at her relaxed form; she was truly incredible. Throughout all of the insanity in his life, the 'business', Carly, Sonny, the boys, Sam had stuck with him. She was his partner, his best friend and he would do anything in his power to make her happy and keep her safe. "Sam,"

"Hmm?" she inquired lazily.

"Marry me," she instantly jerked up at his suggestion. While marriage had been discussed in very broad terms at one time, they had never actually sat down and talked through the subject.

"What?" They both sat up.

"I want you to marry me," he tried to gauge her reaction; she had a 'deer-in-the-headlights' look on her face, "I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Jason, I love you too," he could sense her hesitation and patiently waited for her to continue, "I honestly cannot imagine my life without you."

"But?" she tried to formulate a cohesive thought.

"I like where we are right now," she finished lamely. It was true; their relationship was perfect for her: they were in a committed, monogamist relationship but led separate lives. She could count on him but she was still able to be self-reliant.

"So do I," he assured her, "But I'm ready to take that next step; I want all of you." And that was what scared Sam out of her mind. Giving herself to him completely again. "Marry me, Sam," he pulled a ring from his pocket.

"Jason-" Her response was cut off by the door opening.

"I said no interruptions," Jason gave his famous 'Stone Cold' stare to Max. The bodyguard visibly shrank back at the look on his boss's face.

"I know Jason, but it's important," Jason continued to give him a blank stare, "Your phones are off and no one could reach you guys. Someone opened fire at the park; Mr. C and Miss Davis are at GH." Both Sam and Jason sighed loudly: he in exacerbation and she in relief. They got up from the couch and followed Max to an awaiting car, the rest of their plans and discussion momentarily forgotten.

Hey all! *Dodges projectiles* I know, I'm sorry for the ending, especially those of you who wanted to hear what Sam was going to say… This was actually a surprisingly difficult chapter to write; it actually took me a whole two weeks to figure out how to start it but I think it came out much better than I had originally intended. Anyways please review; the more I get the more I want to write the rest of the story….