TITLE: Shark – "Fleeting Glances"

AUTHOR: D M Harper.

SUMMARY: From the deep sadness of loss, a strong bond can sometimes be formed. A/U

PAIRING: Jessica Devlin & OFC; Sebastian Stark & OFC

RATING: MA for Mature readers.

DISCLAIMER: This story is simply entertainment for those of us who like to dabble in subtext. There is no intent to infringe on the copyright of 20th Century Fox Television and creator Ian Biederman. This tale does feature realistic consensual sexual interaction between two females, so if you are underage or unable to view due to restrictions in your part of the world, be gone and take my sympathy with you. If you find such material offensive, you have taken a wrong turn at the last intersection and need to back the bus up drongo!

A/N: Much gratitude to Wendy Woo proof reader extraordinaire. Be kind, read & review.

Chapter 37

Jessica froze as she opened the door to the uniformed Marine holding an envelope. "Don't you dare," she finally said. "Don't say a word."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am," replied the Captain as he handed over the satchel.

In a trance, Jessica took it and watched as the two Marines walked down the stairs and headed towards their vehicle. Jessica ran directly to Roger and Martha's front porch.

Roger opened the door seconds later and spotted the Captain and Sergeant getting into a car. He swore loudly, "Holy fucking shit no."

"I can't do this," uttered Jessica in a broken tone. "I just can't go on."

Martha joined them and took Jessica into her arms as she began to collapse. Both women broke down while a shocked Roger reached for the letter.

He led Martha and Jessica into the living room then read the notification, "Jess, Sam is MIA not KIA."

"So ... so ... she isn't ... gone?" stammered Jessica as she turned to him with hope in her shattered heart.

"What do we do?" asked Martha frantically.

"There is a number here for us to ring for more information."

"Okay, let's call."

Roger picked up the handheld and dialled the number. He handed the receiver to Jessica, "You have to quote this reference number."

After giving the relevant information and repeating it, Jessica was transferred to a Lieutenant York and she put the phone on speaker.

"Lieutenant York, how may I help ma'am?"

"My wife Captain Samantha Lake has been listed as MIA and I require more information."

"Yes ma'am. Is someone with you?"

"Yes, her step-parents."

"Captain Lake was involved in heavy gunfire when the building she was in was destroyed by enemy forces. A search of the demolished structure subsequently failed to unearth any sign of the Captain."

"So you are telling me my wife was not killed?"

"That is correct ma'am. The Captain is presumed missing."

"Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"No ma'am, not at this stage."

"I gather we just sit around and wait for word?"

"Ma'am, someone will be in contact with you early tomorrow, but please understand that measures are being taken to ensure the Captain's safe return."

"Thank you Lieutenant." Jessica hung up and looked at Roger and Martha, "There is a chance then." She burst into tears again and fell into Martha's embrace once more.

-o-

After initially being told there was no sign of Sam's whereabouts, Jessica was informed it was suspected she had been captured by enemy soldiers, but her status didn't alter. This knowledge brought little comfort to the blonde and as days turned into weeks, she gave up on the dream of her wife's return.

The weekly updates from the DoD ceased as did Jessica's hope. She stopped attending the support groups and threw herself into work. Her daily routine was carried out on auto-pilot and as she took over as lead prosecutor on the Courtney case, Sam had been missing for ten weeks.

Colleen Courtney had been an attractive, bright, eighteen year old University student when she was savagely beaten to death. Her killer was her forty six year old step-father Jason Summers.

Summers, a local banker had been molesting Colleen from the age of twelve when he married her mother Jacqueline. Evidence proved Colleen had decided to press charges against Summers and she had kept a secret file on her computer detailing his activities along with a webcam recording of the final rape a week before her death and three days prior to her eighteenth birthday.

Since her daughter's death, Jacqueline Courtney had been under medical care and heavily sedated. It was Jessica's job to ensure Summers paid for his atrocities and she offered no deal to his lawyer Greg Fulton at pre-trial. The District Attorney was hell bent of making the smug bastard pay in full for his perversion and carnage.

Madeleine sat second chair with explicit instructions from Sebastian to monitor Jessica's heath. The DA had only recently begun to eat properly and he didn't want her making herself ill.

The trial commenced with Fulton arguing Summers' affair with Colleen had been by mutual consent and only began on the day she turned eighteen.

Jessica smiled at the ploy and set to work at discrediting every lie told by Summers by presenting the irrefutable evidence collected by investigating detectives and the DA's Office.

Two weeks later, Jessica and Madeleine packed up their portfolios while the Jury retired to deliberate their decision.

-o-