Sam Prescott's disbelief was obvious as he stared across the bistro table at his former wife.
"Maybe you didn't hear me," she said clearly frustrated. "I said, 'I thought you of all people would want justice for that woman.' Am I wrong Sam?"
Prescott bit his tongue, hoping to avoid responding with words he had never before dreamed of saying to his soon to be former wife. Malinowski sat back in her chair and shook her head.
They had been debating for nearly two hours. The two of them were alone in the loft. Danielle Melnick and Jack McCoy had taken refuge few blocks away. slipping out to pick up lunch for the group, asd their partners continued to battle.
"I heard you. I just can't believe what I heard," he responded, his voice trembling with rage. "You 'spect me to open it all back up again. Make her relive that hell, for what? The off chance Georgia will reopen the case and send John to the gas chamber? To put an end to the snipin' that's been goin' on in the paper between my brother and Jack-"
"This is about getting justice for all of your brother's victims, anyway we can," she said with equal emotion. "This isn't about a nasty column in The Ledger !"
"The hell it's not," he said accusingly. "Damn it Brooke, you know I'd do anythin' change what he did…to take back what happened to you and the others. But you know why this is really important to you and I can't believe you of all people could lack the compassion…could have the gall to ask me to do this…to do this …to ask this of not only me, but a woman that's spent her adult life havin' to get over-"
"I'm asking you to do this for her Sam! You can't protect-"
"Damn you Brooke, you're askin' me to do this for you, so you can help Jack ," he shouted. "Don't lie about it. Not to me. Most of all, don't lie to yourself."
Malinowski's eyes were wide and shiny as she watched Prescott walk across the room to the picture window that overlooked the passing traffic. In all their tears as husband and wife,Malinowski couldn't remember a single time Prescott had raised his voice in anger towards her, much less made such cutting accusations.
When she realized Prescott had omitted the name Felicity Fairchild from the list he'd given McCoy, she knew to expect resistance when she confronted him about it. She called Prescott the same evening. She explained that she and McCoy had questions about the list and asked if Prescott and Melnick would mind coming by the loft the next day to answer them. From the moment she had asked why he declined to give McCoy information about the Georgia assault, her former husband had been evasive and eventually hostile.
She remained at the table and turned her chair so she could face the figure that was stared blindly out the window.
"First of all, I'm not denying I'd do anything I could to spare Jack pain; especially pain he doesn't deserve," she said softly, as she tried to stop the tears. "He's a good man and I love him Sam. I'd never deny that to you or anyone else. Secondly, when you told me about Felicity, you made it clear how special she is to you. A woman that special is probably stronger than you give her credit for, Sam. Don't you think she should be given the power to make a decision about this herself?"
"When I told you, I told you. Mal. My wife, my friend. Not the New York County District Attorney's fiancée," he said coldly. "Should we have any future conversations, I'll be sure to preface them with that disclaimer."
"God damn it Sam what the hell is wrong with you!"
Malinowski's chair hit the floor as she jumped up.
"That's a question I could ask you as well."
Malinowski stormed up to him and tried to turn him to face her.
"You know damn well I didn't deserve that. That son of a bitch raped me Sam and yes I want him dead. I know he's your brother, but, my God –"
Finally he let her swing him around. She stepped back seeing a frightening look on the face she thougt she knew so well.
"You think this is about saving him?!? My God how stupid can you be, woman? I told you it's about her damn you," he said as he took her by the arms and started to shake her. "Why can't you get that through you thick head? It about her and not letting anyone take more of her life away from her than they have!"
