A/N: Thank you for all of your review, PM's and favourite story and author adds. I'm sorry if I haven't been able to send all of you a personal reply yet but as soon as I get some spare time I will. I appreciate all of your comments and for taking the time to read my story
Huge thanks as always to Purdy's Pal and DaisyDay for reading through parts of this and for making me smile every day. Also huge thanks to haunted-Eternity and Jedi Skysinger for your constant support and friendship, I am truly blessed to have four such wonderful friends.
12
Samantha stared around the garage and silently seethed. Looking down at the crude robe cord that bound her she cursed silently for letting herself become so sloppy. Nothing about this had gone to plan and she doubted that Raines would go through with the deal to grant her immunity now. She should have listened to her gut feelings when she first got the call but Raines had lured her in with the answers to questions she had long forgotten.
She could hear Michael's voice before she saw him. His words echoed from inside the main house and part of her still missed hearing it. She had almost forgotten what it had been like to be in his presence, or how a person could be totally consumed by him. The last time she was in Miami she was hit by regrets of the things that could have been. Back then she had seen the way he looked at the other woman in his life but she had chosen to ignore it, instead playing on the fact that she was once his fiancée. She had no idea that the other woman had actually been the other woman, the one who took Michael away.
Looking up towards the doorway she tried to sit straighter in the chair when Michael stepped through. For the first time since she had known him his face wore a blank expression. The eyes that she could always remember as so vibrant and blue were stony cold and unreadable. Swallowing the hurt she averted her eyes, unwilling to see such loathing in his gaze.
"Agent Pearce," he turned towards the dark haired woman who was seated on a stool just inside the door. "My mom has made pancakes, they're in the kitchen."
"I'm fine Mic—"
"I think you should go inside," he told her, his voice cutting through her words. "She's insistent."
Taking the hint, Pearce nodded silently before glancing back at the woman she had been watching to turn and walk back inside the house. Michael waited until she was gone before he took her seat and turned to watch his former fiancée.
"Michael…" she started, her voice all but a whisper. "I—"
"Save it Samantha," he told her abruptly, holding his hand up to silence her. "You and I haven't seen each other for over two years…why did you come back now?"
"I—"
"You hurt my mother," he told her, unable to keep the loathing from his voice. "You shot Fiona."
"She got what she deserved," she snapped. "She stole you from me…she—"
"She didn't steal me," he retorted angrily. "She didn't even know about you."
"Then it's all your fault," she hissed as tears flooded her eyes. "You left without an explanation. You walked out and I spent years trying to figure out what went wrong…and all this time it was her…"
Michael stood up and folded his arms across his chest before he lifted his head to face her. "You can't blame any of this on Fi…it was me. Everything that happened between me and her happened because I wanted it. And I'm sorry if you can't accept that."
"So you're telling me you slept with her because you wanted to? Please Michael…we both know that's not true—"
"Sam—"
"I've read the mission notes," she spat. "She doesn't know you used her, does she? I hope I'm still here to see her face when she reads those damn notes and realises what a lying, cheating—"
"These notes?" a voice came from the doorway and filtered inside the room. Stepping into the garage Fiona held the stack of papers in her hands as she came to stand beside Michael. She glanced over at Samantha before turning her attention back to the man she loved and offered him a reassuring smile.
"Fi," he berated softly, his voice dropping as he unfolded his arms to tenderly stroke her shoulder. "You're supposed to be resting."
"Michael, I have rested," she told him honestly. "Now I'm here."
Samantha watched the scene before her in disbelief. This woman had taken everything that should have been rightfully hers and here she was flaunting it in her face, but no matter what she had planned to say, the words disappeared from her lips when she saw how her ex fiancé looked at the woman before him. Jealousy crept its way over her heart when she thought of all the times she had wanted him to look at her that way. Swallowing the hatred that welled up inside her she tried to avert her eyes to ease the pain but she couldn't seem to look away. So instead she squeezed her eyes closed and plotted Michael's downfall in her mind.
Michael shook his head and sighed when he recognised the stubborn look in Fiona's eyes and he knew from many years of experience that it was no use arguing with her. "You shouldn't be in here."
"Why not?" she asked him with a wide smile as she turned to look at the woman who was tied to the chair. "It's not fair that you get to have all the fun by yourself."
"I'd hardly call this fun, Fi…"
"Well that's because you're not doing it right, Michael," she told him sweetly as she smiled up at him. "Just leave me alone with her for five minutes and I'll—"
"Fi…"
"I'm just sayin'," she told him with a coy smile. "Can't we just shoot her and get it over with?"
Michael cast a mock scowl down at her and shook his head when she handed him the notes. "No," he told her with a hint of a smile when she leaned against him. "I'm just talking to her…"
"Talking?" she asked dubiously as she looked over towards Samantha. "I could make her talk for ya."
"I think I can handle it Fi," he chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Pearce and I are delivering her to Raines this afternoon and when I get back—"
"I could come with you. I—"
"I need you to stay with my mom…" As if to appease her he ran a fingertip over her hand before he smiled down at her. "Please Fi…"
"Alright, I can take the hint," she sighed. "I'll go…but if you're not back inside in ten minutes I'll come and shoot her myself. Got it?"
"Got it," he grinned, nodding his head affectionately when she turned on her heels to walk away. His eyes followed her until she was out of sight before he took a wistful breath and turned back around to face Samantha.
"Well isn't that sweet," she growled sarcastically when she opened her eyes. "You used to look at me like that a long time ago, too."
"Times change," he told her. "People change."
"No, just you Michael." Shaking her head she lowered her eyes, some of the anger dying away, "We were good together weren't we?"
Michael closed his eyes briefly before opening them again to look down at the notes in his hands. They had been written so long ago at a time when he was a totally different person, and not just because of a cover ID.
"I'm sorry I hurt you Sam," he told her, and he was sorry. She had been caught up in a situation that she had no control over just like he had. It wasn't her fault that he had met another woman and fallen for her so deeply. What he had with Sam couldn't even come close to how he felt about Fiona, and that had been the one thing that told him what he shared with Samantha was fleeting and not forever.
"Yeah, well you did," she snapped, lifting her head to look upon him with angry, hurt eyes. "I loved you."
Michael's swallowed heavily and shook his head, "No, you didn't."
"Oh, I think I did," she spat bitterly. "We were getting married. You loved—"
"No," he told her quietly, trying not to see the hurt in her eyes. "I didn't, Sam. I'm sorry."
"You're sorry?" she hissed as her voice caught in her throat. "You lied to me."
"Oh come on Samantha," he sighed, getting up from the stool to stand before her. "You liked the lies—"
"To other people, yeah…but not me…I didn't expect you to lie to me…"
"I'm sorry."
"What about her?" she asked lowly, keeping her eyes fixed on his face. "Did you lie to her too?"
Swallowing the lump in his throat he looked towards the door where Fiona had walked through only a short time ago. "From the moment I met her."
"You're a bastard Michael Westen," she told him, the words hissing through her lips. "Does she even know?"
"She didn't at first," he told her, regret seeping into his words. "I tried to protect her but when she found out the truth I ended up hurting her anyway."
"Yeah, well you hurt me too," she snapped.
"Sam I know you're angry right now," he told her softly as he lifted his eyes to meet hers. "But I didn't set out to meet someone else…" Looking down at the notes he smiled slightly when he remembered how his heart had lurched inside his chest the day he knew he had fallen for the tiny little Irish woman who had stolen his heart.
"So, why her?" she asked haughtily as her voice dipped low. "What did she do to you to make you so needy…did she—"
"I knew the moment I met her," he blurted, cutting through her words. "When I got the call to get out because my cover was blown…I…"
"You what?" Samantha snipped, sarcasm dripping from her words, "Cried…please!"
"It hurt to leave," he told her as he shook his head. "For the first time in my life I didn't want to go…there, are you satisfied Sam? I realised I was in love with her and it hurt…is that what you wanted to hear?"
"You deserve to hurt," she spat angrily. "You deserve the pain."
"Maybe I do," he agreed sadly as he cast one brief glance down at his old notes before placing them onto a work bench. "I don't know why she's still here with me after everything I've put her through…but she is…and I know you don't want to hear this Sam, but…she is…my…life."
Samantha's eyes grew dark when he turned away from her to make his way towards the open door. Struggling against her binds she gasped in a breath before she screamed out his name in defiance. He stopped still and for a moment she thought he was going to turn around and face her, but he didn't.
"Michael," she tried again when he hadn't moved, lowering her voice. "I need to see my son…if you turn me in I'll never see Charlie again…I need to see my son…Michael…"
Lowering his head, Michael kept his back to her as he took another step away from the garage, ignoring her pleas…
Fiona's eyes were on him as soon as he came back into the kitchen and gravitated towards her. There was a haunted look in his eyes that she hadn't noticed before and for a moment fear gripped at her heart. Stepping closer she met him half way, both of them ignoring the three other people in the room.
"Michael?" she asked worriedly when he reached for her to place one hand on her face followed by the other. His eyes gazed into hers as he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her lips before drawing back to lay his forehead against hers. When she opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong he shook his head and closed his eyes before lowering his face to nestle between her neck and shoulder.
Madeline looked on at the couple who were oblivious to the small audience around them. She couldn't ever remember a time when she had seen her son so open with anyone before. A few years ago she had told him that he'd picked the right girl and she had been right. Fiona had stayed by his side when everyone else had walked away. She had defended him fiercely even when she thought he was wrong and she had no doubts that her son had found the woman who would spend her life by his side.
Swallowing the lump in her throat she coughed a little and looked towards Sam who had the same surprised look on his face. Shaking his head he put his beer onto the table and stood up a little straighter.
"I...I think I should give Elsa a call," he muttered to no one in particular as he fiddled with the cell phone in his hand. Glancing back up at the entwined couple he suddenly felt a pang of longing when he realised how much he was missing his own girlfriend. Turning on his heel he stalked away, dialling Elsa's number as he went.
Madeline watched his retreating form before she turned to Agent Pearce to fix her with a suspicious gaze. Picking up her cigarettes she indicated for the other woman to follow her before casting one final glance back at the couple who were still wrapped in a silent embrace.
When they were far enough away, Madeline turned to her and pointed to the couch specifying for her to sit.
"I'll stand," Pearce told her quietly, feeling more uncomfortable by the second when Michael's mother kept her eyes fixed on her.
"I said sit," Madeline commanded, her voice rising dangerously as she took a cigarette out of her pouch and put it to her lips.
Agent Pearce's eyes widened with shock and she thought about telling the other woman exactly what she thought of this whole situation, but when Michael's mother lit her cigarette and continued to glare at her she did as she bade and sat on the couch.
"Mrs Westen…I—"
"Let's get one thing straight sweetheart," Madeline spoke as she blew a plume of smoke into the air. "I know what you did to Fiona."
"Look—" Pearce started, hoping to alleviate Madeline's worries but the older woman held her hand up to stop her from speaking.
"That girl is my daughter and that's not just because she's with my son," Madeline told her honestly as she looked down at her cigarette. "I just want you to know something about her before you try and explain away the pain you caused her."
Pearce swallowed heavily and prepared herself for the onslaught of words but they never came. Glancing up at the older woman she couldn't help the clench in her chest when Madeline looked upon her with wide wet eyes.
"She can't go home…she can never see her family again and do you know why?"
Shaking her head wordlessly, Agent Pearce regarded the older woman carefully, not daring to speak.
"She loves my son, that's why," Madeline told her as she took a long drag of her cigarette to puff the smoke out into the room.
"I…I didn't know that," Pearce told her truthfully, suddenly feeling every ounce of self loathing pouring down onto her. She hadn't known, Raines had neglected to inform her of that small detail and everything she had been an instigator in suddenly weighed heavily over her heart.
"Well now you do," Madeline told her firmly, all traces of tears gone. Lifting her ashtray in her hand she stubbed out the used cigarette into the glass dish before she turned to Agent Pearce again.
"I will do anything to protect my son and that girl in there…she is my family and if you so much as hurt her again I swear I'll—"
"Ma," Michael's voice echoed throughout the room, breaking through her words. He watched on dubiously when she suddenly stepped back and turned towards him. He knew she was only trying to protect Fiona, even though his girlfriend had made it quite clear that she could get by on her own.
Madeline turned to plaster a smile on her face when she regarded him carefully when he came to stand beside her. "I was just talking to your friend…"
"I know mom," he smiled as he squeezed her shoulder. "I need to speak to Agent Pearce in private…I think Fi could use your help in the kitchen."
"Okay honey," she told him as she cast him a warm smile. "I'll make her some tea."
"She'd like that," he nodded, unable to hide the affection from his voice. Before she could turn away he caught her elbow and smiled down at her. "Thank you, mom."
Madeline's features softened and she turned towards him to pat the side of his face affectionately. "You're welcome sweetheart."
Michael waited until his mother was far enough away before he released the sigh he'd been holding.
"I'm sorry," he told Agent Pearce, keeping his voice low. "She—"
"No need to explain Michael," she nodded as she got up from the couch, her voice suddenly becoming officious. "So, how do you want to play this thing with Raines?"
"I want this to be over," Michael told her quietly. "We have enough leverage now to put an end to this whole thing with Fi, I just need your help to set up a meeting."
"Consider it done," Pearce nodded. "But I have a better idea and I don't think you're gonna like it…"
"I'm listening," Michael folded his arms across her chest and waited for her to speak but all she did was smile and indicated for him to follow her back towards the garage.
000
Samantha's eyes sparked with relief when the woman before her explained exactly what she wanted her to do. Looking towards Michael she could see that he wasn't too happy about the plan but that he was resigned to it anyway.
"So you want me to call Raines and tell him what exactly?" She asked dubiously when Agent Pearce turned towards her. "You seriously think he'll believe me?"
"Make him believe you," Michael told her coolly. "You're good at lying Sam; this should be easy for you."
"Yeah, well so are you," she snapped back.
"Anyway…" Pearce cut in. "if you two can cool it down for just a minute then we can get this thing over with and all get back to our lives." Looking from one to the other she shrugged her shoulders as she fixed Michael with a detached gaze. "I presume you want this dealt with."
Michael stared at her in disbelief. After everything both she and Samantha had put him and Fiona through… Sighing heavily he ran his hands through his hair with a frustrated groan. "Do it. Make the arrangements," he told her as he turned away from the two women to make his way out of the garage. "I'll break the news to Fi…"
Agent Pearce nodded as she watched his retreating form. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out Samantha's cell phone before she turned towards her. "When this is over you leave Miami and you never return. Do I make myself clear?"
"Perfectly," Samantha nodded gratefully. "I have nothing to come back for."
"That's right," Pearce told her. "But just in case you get it into your head that you can somehow find your way back, I'll have you arrested for attempted murder."
"What?" Samantha gasped in disbelief. "It was an accident…I—"
"An accident?" Pearce asked incredulously. "I don't think so Miss Kees…you shot Miss Glenanne. It's either this way or I will back off and let her deal with you herself, but I have to warn you, she's an IRA trained guerrilla."
"Her?" Samantha scoffed. "Please…"
"I've read her file," Pearce told her as she shrugged her shoulders. "She's…impressive…"
"Yeah, I doubt that. She's—"
"What?" Fiona's voice caused both women to jump in surprise when sauntered into the garage carrying something in her hands. "Not dangerous?"
"I didn't…say that," Samantha stuttered as she shook her head. "I—"
"Michael told me you've cut a deal," she mused thoughtfully as she cradled a stun gun in her hands. "I didn't think that was fair…in fact I wanted to come in here and shoot you, but lucky for you Michael's a soft touch…"
Agent Pearce swallowed hard when she saw the gleam in Fiona's eyes. "Uh…Miss Glenanne, you shouldn't be in here."
"Why not?" she asked innocently as she lifted the stun gun to her face and nuzzled it against her cheek. "We're just talking, right?"
"Where's Michael?" Samantha asked quickly as she squirmed in her seat. "Is he—"
"Oh, my boyfriend is around here somewhere," Fiona sighed wistfully as she slowly advanced on Michael's former fiancée. "But let's not talk about him right now…"
"Miss Glenanne," Agent Pearce started, her voice dropping worriedly as she looked towards the garage door hoping that Westen would step through at any moment. "Please—"
Fiona stopped in her tracks and turned around to face Agent Pearce, fixing her with a deadly gaze. "Don't think I've forgotten about you Agent Pearce," she told her, her voice dropping dangerously. "You'll get your turn…"
Pearce moved her hand to her waist, searching for her gun but she suddenly remembered that it was still in her purse back inside the house. Glancing back towards the doorway she considered her options. If she left to retrieve her gun she would effectively be leaving the two women alone in the garage and she was almost certain that Fiona Glenanne would live up to her reputation. Glancing back towards Samantha she saw her eyes grow wide when Michael's psychotic girlfriend taunted her with weapon in her hand.
Moving towards the doorway Pearce hovered beside it while she kept her eyes on the other two women in the garage.
"MICHAEL…" she yelled frantically, knowing instinctively that he was the only one who could tame the Irish woman's temper. "MICHAEL…"
Fiona's lips lifted into a wide grin as she extended the stun gun and pointed it at Samantha before drawing it back again. Moving closer she pointed the tip against Samantha's cheek only to pull it back again just as quickly.
"I'm sorry," Samantha babbled, her voice echoing throughout the room. "I was angry…I was—"
"Afraid?" Fiona asked calmly. "Are you afraid now?"
Samantha nodded her head erratically, her eyes watching the stun gun as Fiona moved it tauntingly above her face. Her whole body was shaking and all she could think of was the child she had left behind.
"Oh," Fiona's smile widened and her voice dropped as she moved the stun gun away from Samantha's face to step closer towards her ear. Dropping her voice to a whisper, she hovered close to the other woman, "I'm just getting started…"
Michael came rushing into the garage and looked towards Pearce expectantly following her gaze when she pointed towards Fiona. Shaking his head incredulously he moved passed Pearce and made his way towards his girlfriend who turned to offer him a bright smile.
"Thank you, Michael," she beamed as she handed him the stun gun. "And look, not a scratch on her, unlike the big gouge she put in my shoulder…" stepping back she met his gaze with a smouldering one of her own, "…you owe me dinner!"
Michael took the stun gun from her hands and smoothed his hand over her uninjured shoulder. "I owe you a lot of things…"
"Yes she do," she told him softly as she glanced back at Samantha who was watching them in disbelief. Turning back to the man before her, Fiona sighed as she ran a fingertip over the buttons on his shirt before pulling her hand away. "When you get back I intend to collect!"
When she turned from him to walk away, Michael turned with her. His eyes followed her retreating form, already missing her presence. When she walked calmly by Agent Pearce she cast her a warning glare before she disappeared out of the garage.
"What the HELL was that Westen?" Pearce growled angrily when she began to pace the floor with frustration. "She threatened me!"
"Fi?" he asked with surprise. "Uh…I think you're confused Agent Pearce, Fiona doesn't believe in threats."
"Well I think she does now!" Pearce groused. "Your girlfriend is crazy, Westen."
"No she's just a little…angry, that's all," he sighed as he looked down at the stun gun before he tossed it towards her. "It's not even real."
Agent Pearce caught the gun in her hands and regarded him carefully, shaking her head in disbelief until she examined it for herself. "It's fake…"
"Like I said, Fi doesn't believe in threats," he told her as he turned away from Pearce and Samantha to walk towards the door. "She deals with her problems by shooting them."
"But—"
"Agent Pearce, I'd say she has a right to be upset don't you?" he asked her seriously as he regarded both women with nothing more than disapproval. "You sent her messages and faked photographs…"
"I said I was sorry," Pearce sighed. "I'm trying to fix it—"
"This isn't something you can fix," he snapped as he turned his eyes on to Samantha. "You shot her and hurt my mother… "
"I told her I was sorry," Samantha's voice shook as she spoke, imploring him to take her side. "I am, Michael…I am really sorry…I'll tell her again…"
"I don't think so Sam," Michael told her calmly. "If you speak to her again she will kill you…and… I'll let her."
Turning away he stepped out of the garage, ignoring both women as he walked. Before he left completely he turned back one last time before turning away again.
"Make the call Agent Pearce. I want her out of here."
When he had disappeared Pearce released the breath she had been holding. Everything about this was just one complete mess and she just wanted to bring it all to an end. Casting one last look towards Samantha's phone in her hand she took a deep breath to try and control her trembling fingers.
"Okay," she breathed as she untied one of Samantha's hands and handed her the phone. "You know what you have to say?"
"Yeah," Samantha told her shakily. "I tell him the job is done and I want to meet him here in Miami."
Pearce nodded as she folded her arms over her chest. "Make it convincing."
Samantha held the phone to her ear and took a few deep breaths while she waited for the phone to connect. Looking up at Pearce she started to mouth that the line had connected when she stopped suddenly.
"Raines…it's Samantha…Samantha Kees…that thing you asked me to take care of, it's done…"
"You eliminated the Glenanne woman?" Raines asked dubiously.
"I'll explain the details when we meet…but...I'm staying on in Miami…" Samantha told him as she sighed into the phone.
"What? Why?" Raines hissed. "That wasn't part of the plan."
"Well let's just say Michael gave me an offer I couldn't refuse…" Samantha told him, a little too convincingly. "I want to meet today…and before you tell me you can't, I know you're still in Miami, I do my homework too Raines…"
"Okay," Raines sighed. "I'm staying at the Ritz Carlton in Coconut Grove. I'll meet you in the parking lot in two hours."
"Two hours outside the Ritz-Carlton…" Samantha smiled. "I'll see you then…"
Turning the phone off Samantha groaned as she handed the phone back to Agent Pearce and tried to control her trembling hands. "It's done," she told her.
"Good," Pearce nodded. "I'll go and inform Michael…if everything goes to plan you'll be on your way home in a few hours."
Samantha nodded gratefully and closed her eyes briefly; she couldn't wait for this all to be over…
TBC
