Sam stormed the corner in a hurry to get to her car and away from everybody who was pissing her off, feeling the need for some desperate time alone. She'd just taken a couple steps and started to pull her keys from her pocket when she felt someone grab her shoulder from behind.

"Wait - we need to t…"

But she didn't want to wait! She didn't want to be touched and she didn't care today. Still angry and startled by the sudden grab, Sam swung around with a pointed elbow that connected hard to ribcage, sending the hand flying from her shoulder and the assaulter stumbling back in pain, yelping harder when she followed up with a swinging kick to his neck that sent him flying backward to the ground.

She was about to run up on him and stomp hard with an heel when she caught herself, realizing that she really didn't need to kick a dog already down.

"What the hell's the matter with you?"

She stood over the groaning heap and had to fight the burning urge to kick him in the gut where he laid. "Me? What the fuck are you doing running up on me, much less putting your filthy hand anywhere near me?"

"I just wanted to finish our conversation - you didn't need to puncture my lung!"

"Consider yourself lucky I don't drive your nose into your face for ever touching me again, you piece a shit. I've warned you before - lay hands on me again I'll fucking kill you!"

He struggled to a sitting position, the breath still stinging as it coursed through his lungs in his struggle to breathe. "I was sick, Sam…how many times do we need to go over this?"

"We don't have to go over shit! You don't say anything to me, stay the hell out of my way, and we won't need to exchange a goddamn word!"

"Boy, you sure know how to hold a grudge."

"Grudge?" She wanted to kick him again, but again she controlled the violent urge, choosing instead to glare his way. "You ASSAULTED ME! I don't give a shit about some ridiculous brain tumor defense you get to clear your conscience and fool the rest of this town…you watched my husband and me in the privacy of our cottage for weeks…drugged me and entered my bathroom where you assaulted my naked body, on a whim! You and I have NOTHING to discuss ever, and I swear on your worthless life that if you EVER touch me again, I will fucking END you!"

Franco quivered from the force of her anger, realizing that he used serious misjudgment when he approached her. Her ire was so surprising, he couldn't understand why she insisted on holding a grievance when everybody else understood and at least tried to move past his old indiscretions. Rising painfully to his feet, he faced her shakily.

"I'm so sick of you sitting on your high horse judging me, like you don't have skeletons in your own closets too. I'm not the only one in this town with shit I'd like to forget - you've done some disgusting things too and you expect forgiveness for your sins - why don't I get the same, huh?"

"Again you think I give a shit about you and what you think of me. The only thing I want from you is to take the other side of the street when you see me coming. Go live your miserable, worthless life away from me, and we'll get along fabulously!"

Turning her back on the man she couldn't stand to breathe the same air with, Sam continued on her way to her car, unaware of the eyes that followed her from across the street.

Jason had pulled up in front of the restaurant and alighted the bike, when his eye caught movement to his far left. He turned his head just in time to see Franco hit the ground and Sam about to stomp him there, and just as he was about to run to her assistance, he stopped in awe…she was the one left standing, after taking down almost two hundred pounds more than her size. Watching keenly for the moment that she might need him, he found himself in full admiration of the way she handled herself. Franco was quite evidently hurt, even when he stumbled to a stand, his frame remained slightly stooped with a hand gripping his ribs.

As he watched Sam storm away and get into her SUV, Jason once again wondered on the immense hatred he felt towards Franco Baldwin. He'd noticed it from the very first encounter with the man and had felt it every time since. He knew nothing about him except for what he'd heard about his past and the removal of the tumor that redeemed his misdeeds, yet everytime the man was near, he felt an uncontrollable urge to squeeze the life from his body. He was friends with Elizabeth and she'd tried to tell Jason that he should give him a chance, that medical facts prove the man was not in control of the things that happened before. So why did he still want to kill him all the time? And why did Sam? He'd never seen her that angry, not even at him…and he'd pushed her buttons extensively, on more than one occasion in recent weeks.

Standing next to his bike with his hands stuffed inside his jeans pockets, Jason watched the man as he watched Sam drive away, then turned as if sensing eyes locked on him, startled when he saw Jason, then hurried towards his own car. What was that look of instant dread before he scurried away?

Feeling uneasy, like he was definitely missing something important, Jason continued into Kelly's to pick up the order for the boys, making a mental note to definitely ask Sam about Franco Baldwin.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

It was two days before Christmas and Jason was getting drawn up in the boys' excitement of the season, their delight becoming infectious. He endeavored to savor what would be his first Christmas with them and he was really looking forward to starting traditions they could build on and treasure for the rest of their lives. Danny and Aidan had given him lists as long as their arms, Jake said all he wanted was to have his dad with them for Christmas, and Cameron tried to convince him he was too grown up now to join in the excitement over presents.

As he came through the front door laden with shopping bags, he felt thankful he'd found everything on the younger boys' lists, making them happy being the only thing he'd enjoyed about the experience. He could imagine that he'd shied away from shopping in his former life, seeing how much he craved the end of the day when he could leave the crowded stores and bustling people in his rearview and head home to a quiet evening with his fiancé.

Heading upstairs to hide the goodies from prying eyes, he entered the bedroom and stopped in his tracks at the sight of Elizabeth, getting ready to stick her legs inside a very familiar garment.

"Where did you get that?"

She spun at the sound of his voice, put off by the angry tone, but happy he was there to see how much she loved his gift. Her smile was radiant in welcome.

"You scared me! I'm sorry - I just couldn't wait. I wanted to surp…"

"Give it!" He'd dropped the bags near the bed and closed in on her angrily.

Her head whipped when the stinging bark of his voice slapped her with its ferocity, leaving her bristling with surprise as she held it uncertainly. "What's the matter with you?"

"Give it! Now!" Flaring anger burned inside him when she held it for too long. She shouldn't be touching it at all.

She looked at the hand he held out in demand, still shocked at the unusual emotional outburst.

"I'm sorry! I found it and just couldn't wait to put it on for you - why are you so angry? It's not like I meant to snoop." She bristled again when he snatched the garment from her hands, noting how tightly he clutched it.

He knew he was glaring at her, probably even making her frightened, but she shouldn't have touched it. "What the hell made you think it's yours?"

"What? Who else would it be for?"

Of all the questions for him to ask, she hadn't expected that one…it sent her gut lurching towards the floor. The bosom had looked several times her size but she wouldn't fault him for not knowing her bra size…not unless…

He'd turned away from her to stuff the prized piece in the duffle on the floor by the closet, his body tense and cold when he did.

"I asked you a question, Jason - who else would my fiancé be buying lingerie for?"

He fumed right through her righteous indignation. "You deliberately went through my things - what were you looking for?"

Her back stiffened at the accusation, even though she knew she was in the wrong. He still had some explaining to do now.

"I came across it by accident, actually. I admit, I should have left it where I found it, but I just wanted to surprise you by showing you how much I loved it…why are you behaving this way?"

Frustrated, he grabbed the duffle and headed for the doorway. "I'm going out."

"What? We had plans, Jason. You promised we would take the boys to see that new movie - they're waiting for us."

He stopped in his tracks, feeling bad that he'd forgotten all about it, but not appeased nor calm enough to stay. She'd invaded his privacy by searching through his things, touching something hat had nothing at all to do with her. It didn't belong to her.

"We have to do it later - I have to be somewhere." He continued to stride out of the room and hurried down the stairs, fully expecting it when she followed.

"Where?"

When he strode to the door and would've left without answering her, she grabbed at his arm.

"Wait just a damn minute! I have a right to know where you're going and who you're taking that to!" She injected large sobs into her voice and blinked the tears rapidly into view, peppering her cries with the wrangled sound of one devastated. "Jason, what's going on?"

He didn't stop. She had no way of knowing how close she came to losing an arm if she hadn't moved it instantly. He was so riled up that it frightened him a little. He never got that way with her. But she had no right getting her paws anywhere near it.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Whoever said you can never go home again, obviously never lived in Penthouse two at Harborview Towers. Sam opened the balcony door leading from the master bedroom and breathed in the cold air that washed over everything. No place else had ever given her the warmth of home this place surrounded her with, and she knew now, no place ever would. There's more to home than four walls and a roof - it's a place where memories are created and love learns to soar, where aches are comforted and pain finds a genuine balm, where inhibitions are coaxed and courage learns to fly. Home is where the heart truly lives.

Leaving the doors open to freshen the closed up smell of the place, Sam went into Danny's room and started to unpack his boxes. Her family had shown up at Patrick's house and made quick time of leaving no trace of either of them in the place that had proven to be but a temporary abode afterall. Silently vowing to never uproot her child again, Sam set to making his room look like he'd never left it.

"What are you doing here?"

She was surprised to find Jason on the other side of the front door when she answered a knock. She wasn't expecting to see him that day.

"May I come in?" His voice still sounded gravelly to his own ears, and he hadn't been able to shake the anger he'd felt at Elizabeth.

"Of course. Something the matter?"

Jason held the bag out to her, apology taking over his features. "I'm sorry Sam - it got swept up in the t-shirts I took with me the other day."

Curious, she took the bag and opened it, her mouth dropping open when she got a look at the contents. She looked up at him, her face going red.

"How?"

"It must've been hanging among them and I didn't notice - I just grabbed everything altogether and stuffed the bag."

She had to move to the couch and take a seat, when the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice said, he knew. How much did he know?

"You remembered?" Her pulse quickened and her heart pumped fast, the hopeful tone of her voice giving away her position. He'd been having random flashbacks for weeks…had this been one of them? When he sat beside her, his eyes never leaving hers, she was sure she knew the answer.

"Did you keep your promise?" Jason was surprised how much her response mattered. It had been years, he couldn't remember their lives or their love…so why did this one thing matter so damn much?

Sam's breath caught in her throat as she watched him. He sounded shaky, like her answer was important. Like it hinged on a whole lot. Nodding slowly, unable to take her eyes from his, she was thrown by the instant relief and pleasure that washed his baby blues. It was the answer he sought.

"Never?" His whisper was rasped, tinged with hopeful desperation.

Shaking her head in confirmation, she whispered, "Never!"

They sat like that, eyes locked on each other, unable to move or stop the images that were replaying through both their minds, watching as the moment of years before, unfolded to their joined thoughts. It fit her like a glove and his eyes couldn't feed his heart with enough of her in it. The voluptuous, curvy delight of her body was drawn unto his lap so she could feel the effect she was having on him. He was starving for a taste of her.

"I love you…so much! And, I love this outfit…"

"Yeah?"

Nod…" and you're never, ever, going to wear it for anybody else."

"Okay."

When they found themselves back in the penthouse, virtual strangers that they really weren't but still were, Sam didn't know how to proceed. He'd had a memory of them, a personal, delicate memory of something special and unique between the two. She didn't know how he was processing that…she used to know.

Jason was once again left breathless with the feelings he'd had during that conversation. The raw love he'd felt, the immense gratitude for the encouraging, supportive, unbreakable woman that she was, secure in the deep love and anchor she used to engulf him, clad in the sexy pink and black number that set his groin on fire. The depths astounded as much as filled him with anger that he could've ever forgotten. How could your brain forget your heart feeling like that about somebody? How was it even possible?

She broke his trance when she stood to her feet, clearing her throat to release them both.

"Thank you for bringing this back. It's very special to me and I would've hated to have lost it."

Those memories were hers alone to treasure now. She turned away, holding the garment close to her chest, covering her heart, and when he rose to his feet he stepped up close behind her, aching, but not daring to touch.

"It apparently means a great deal to me too."

Her light chuckle sounded sweet, as she turned around to shake the pink at him in jest. "You have no idea, pal." When the familiar fire started to flame, she put distance between them to place it on the couch, and it pleased him that she too felt the pull that engulfed him wholly.

"Do you need help unpacking?" He wanted something to do with his hands…something that wouldn't get them slapped for where he wanted to let them roam.

"No, I think I can handle it. We really didn't take much with us when we left, and the stuff downstairs in the basement, we'll just incorporate as we go."

"Show me."

"Show you what?"

"The basement. What you have stored." He was already at the door, holding it open.

Hesitantly, Sam moved to pass him. "Okay." He had stuff still there too…maybe he'd like it back.

They were waiting for the elevator to open when she changed her mind, realizing with a jolt that trolling through old memories with him…not the best idea. She was getting swept up into him again, falling for old memories of the old him she still missed every day. But he wasn't here.

"On second thought…" she unclipped the storage key from the bunch in her hands and handed it to an askance Jason. "…you should do this by yourself. Maybe seeing your things will jog some memories for you, without me there."

He hadn't told her it did at the cabin that day and that he was counting on them doing exactly that.

"Are you sure?" He took the key from her delicate hand, watching her look away but not quickly enough to hide the hurt in her beautiful brown eyes.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

He turned to watch her walk away, missing her with every step that took her further from him. "Can I come back after?"

Sam opened the door and stopped to look back, feeling lonely for the friend she once shared every part of her with, without a moment's hesitation to bare her soul to his nonjudgemental scrutiny. He wasn't here anymore. Somebody else's man was in his stead.

"Not such a good idea, Jason." When hurt flashed his eyes, it triggered something angry inside of her, unleashing the annoyance with the careless game he was choosing to play. "How exactly will you spend Christmas with Danny when you're away on your trip?" Annoyance with him was a much less dangerous way to go.

"What?" The sound of the elevator opening behind him was barely an echo.

"I almost got my son's hopes up, just so you could dash them again? Why? Why would you make plans you didn't intend to keep?"

"Sam, I am going to spend Christmas with Danny - I have everything set. What makes you think I'm not?"

What the hell kind of game was he playing? "Are you denying that you're going away with Elizabeth?"

He didn't want to talk about Elizabeth…he never wanted to talk about anybody but them when they were together. But he would never lie to her.

"No, Elizabeth did plan a trip for us, that's true - but what does that have to do with Christmas?"

"So you're not leaving on Christmas day?" Patrick's nasty words echoed in her head and slapped her with stinging clarity all over again.

He realized with a drop to his stomach that he hadn't checked the dates on her reservation. He had no idea when she'd planned it for, but it couldn't be the one day they were all planning to spend with family, with the children. He hadn't even thought to check. Idiot!

"Honestly, Sam - I don't know for sure when she booked for. But it does't even matter - I'm not going anywhere before I see Danny open his presents, every last one of them…and we're going sledding after, just like we planned." That didn't make her happy. He'd succeeded in hitting as low as he'd hit high with her all in the same hour.

"You can keep that key - I have another one. Bye, Jason."

He watched the door close between them and once again, the gap had reopened wider than ever, washing him in confusion as it gaped. What was he doing? Why was he so constantly confused and torn? A man in his position, in love with somebody else, should not be riding this emotional roller coaster with his ex, constantly seeking her out and wanting to please her in everything he did. What the hell was he doing?

Deciding it best to leave his next stroll down memory lane for another time, Jason set out on his way home. Only, he really didn't feel much like going home - not just yet…and besides, hadn't Elizabeth and the boys gone to the movies? They wouldn't miss him for awhile…and at that moment, she wasn't the one he was missing either. Her smile wasn't the light he sought to brighten his freshly troubled heart.