Summary:

Sam makes a mistake.

Samantha Arias spent the next few days working around the Danvers house, cleaning and tidying up. By Friday she was more or less on top of things so she took out a bottle of wine from the rack that Alex had made. It was imported from France, obviously one of Lena's favourites but they had told her she could help herself to anything so she took it. She sat at the kitchen table and poured herself a glass, then another and another. Whilst she thought about the man of her dreams, Alex Danvers.

Ever since he had come to her in the brothel that day before he was married to Lena, Sam had seen something different in Alex. He had been kind to her and treated her like a person, a human being and not someone to be used for pleasure and nothing else. She started to see his kindness and compassion more and more and slowly she fell in love with him. She was sure the feeling was mutual, the way he was with her, the way they would talk and laugh together sometimes. He may be married to Lena but Sam was lost in the feeling that Alex liked her as more than a friend.

The children were at school, Lena was teaching, so she was all alone in the large house. That was until Alex walked in the front door. He hung up his coat and walked into the kitchen. He was surprised to see Sam sitting there drinking their best wine but didn't say anything, he just smiled and said hi.

"Your home early Marshal," Sam smiled, "care for a glass of wine?"

"Sure why not," Alex got a glass and let Sam pour him some wine, he looked at her as she did so, "I don't drink wine very often, I prefer whiskey or beer."

"Oh it's good wine," Sam smiled a little tipsy. Her eyes met Alex's across the table. She loved Alex's dark eyes, "Anyone ever told you, you have the most gorgeous eyes?"

Alex took a drink of his wine, "Lena may have, I can't remember."

"Of course," Sam replied, "I really like spending time with you Alex."

"I like it too," He smiled, "You're a good friend to us."

Sam was getting a little adventurous because of the wine she had consumed, "Do you like anything about me?"

Alex looked at her, "You're a good mother."

Sam sighed, "No I meant physically."

"Oh!" Alex said surprised, "You're pretty, I like your hair."

"Interesting," Sam smirked, "Would you like to touch it?"

Alex nearly choked on his wine, he finished it off quickly. Then he stood to go upstairs and get a change of clothes, he was still in the trousers, shirt, waistcoat and tie he wore for work, "Well I'm gonna get a change of clothes. I can't stay in my uniform all day."

Sam stood up too and walked up to Alex before he reached the stairs.

"Alex," she said smiling, stepping right up close to him and placing her hands on his chest, then she leaned in, "I've wanted to do this since the first time I met you."

And before he knew what was happening she kissed him on the lips.

Alex's eyes went wide in surprise and he pushed her back with his hands, "Sam, what are you doing?"

Sam looked surprised that he had pushed her away, "Your wife's at work, I wont tell her. I've wanted you from the day I met you, don't you want me?"

Alex was horrified, he stepped away from Sam and shook his head, "No Samantha, this isn't what I want, I'm a married man!"

"I said I wouldn't tell her, don't you find me attractive? We could just have some fun," Sam said stepping up to him again and placing her hand on his arm. Her other hand reached down towards his crotch but he grabbed her wrist and twisted it more harshly than he intended too.

"Ouch!" She cried out and stepped away.

"Sorry," Alex said quickly, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

She rubbed her wrist, "You really don't want me? I'm offering it on a plate Alex. I thought you liked me?"

"I do like you Sam, as a friend, nothing more. I'm in love with Lena," Alex told her as he removed his hat briefly and ran his hand through his hair.

Sam shook her head, "Which makes this even harder, you're so loving with her, you're perfect, I will never find anyone as nice as you. Any other man would have taken advantage of me in the same situation."

Alex just stood there wondering what on earth to do. He was still processing what had happened.

Then she looked scared as it sunk in what she had done, "Please don't tell Lena what I did!"

Alex looked at her and felt a little sorry for her but still a bit mad too, "I don't know Sam, it's a big thing to keep from my wife."

"But she will make me and Ruby leave, we have nowhere else to go, apart from back to the brothel," Sam started to cry then as she got more and more emotional.

Alex sighed and walked up to her, he placed his hand on her shoulder, "Okay, look, please don't cry." He hated to see a woman cry.

She looked up at him and tried to control her tears.

"You can stay, I won't tell Lena, but you must not try anything like this again, promise me?"

"I promise I won't," she said quickly.

"I'm sure you will find someone Sam, you're a pretty woman, but I am not interested, married or not," Alex told her.

"It's not that easy when you have a child, they don't want to know and I dunno you have been so nice to me... I just got the wrong impression..." She replied sadly.

"Let's put on some coffee, enough wine for you today," Alex smiled seeing that the wine seemed to have gone to Sam's head.

Alex made the coffee and Sam sat down at the kitchen table and watched him sadly.

The children came crashing through the door soon after, both holding pieces of paper with drawings on them. Lena and Kara were behind them. Cat was still at the newspaper office.

Ruby rushed up to her mother, "Mom, look what I did."

Sam took it and had a look, it was a drawing of the house with everyone standing outside in the garden, "This is amazing Rubes," Sam wiped a stray tear from her eye. She was thinking about how she almost ruined such a great thing they had going on here. They were all one big family and she was really regretting making a stupid mistake with Alex. Although she couldn't help her feelings, she still loved him but would have to try to get over him.

"Mom don't cry," Ruby laughed, "It's just a drawing."

Sam smiled and laughed a little, "I'm just feeling emotional kiddo, go get washed and changed."

Ruby gave her mother a kiss on the cheek and then rushed upstairs to get changed.

Lena walked up to Alex and gave him a quick kiss, then she looked into his eyes and smiled, "Hi, I didn't expect to see you home so early."

Alex pulled her into his arms and smiled back at her, "Not a lot happening. I left James to keep an eye on things."

They kissed again and then pulled apart. Lena started making a pot of tea, she looked at Sam, and she could tell she had been crying, "You okay Sam?"

"What?" Sam looked up, "Yeah I'm fine."

"Would you like some tea?" Lena asked, not at all convinced.

"I have coffee, Alex made some," Sam smiled at Alex.

Alex felt awkward still after what happened, he walked over to Kara and George, "Hey, so how was school?"

"Okay," George replied, still unsure of Alex.

Kara ruffled the boy's hair, "Let's get you changed."

Alex watched them both go upstairs, then he turned back to Lena, "I think I'll take George out fishing this weekend, see if we can do some male bonding."

Lena smiled at her husband as she sipped her tea, "That is a great idea, you can get to know each other better."

"Yeah," Alex said sitting down beside her, "Kara told me this morning before we all went off on our way, how he doesn't like policemen, and he associates me with them because I am the law."

"Yes," Lena sighed, "George sadly has some issues with men, all the more reason for you to take him out fishing so he can see they aren't all bad."

Sam spoke up then, "Lena's right, you are the perfect man for the job, if anyone can change how he feels about the law it will be you," she smiled and then stood, "I better get ready on preparing dinner."

"Of course," Alex said finishing his coffee, "I'll go get changed out of these clothes and get out of the way."

Lena finished her tea and then looked to Sam as Alex made his way upstairs, "I'll help you."

Sam started to peel some potatoes, "You really don't have too."

"I want to," Lena smiled, "hand me a knife."

Sam smiled but inside she was feeling incredibly guilty for making a move on Lena's husband. Part of her wanted to come clean and get it out, but the other part of her didn't want to ruin a good thing so she just smiled and chatted with Lena as they prepared dinner together.

"How did you and Alex meet?" Sam asked curiously as she placed something in the oven.

Lena smiled thinking back to the moment Alex entered her Saloon, on the hunt for her brother Lex, "We met when he came to town looking for a fugitive who just happened to be my brother."

"Oh yes, I heard all about Lex," Sam said, "Didn't he abduct you or something?"

"He did, but Alex came to my rescue and I kinda fell head over heels in love with him," Lena smiled to herself.

"I can see why you fell for him, he's very handsome," Sam smiled.

"He is, I am very lucky I know that," Lena replied, "he's a wonderful man."

"So," Sam asked, curious to know more, "What's he like, you know as a lover?"

Lena laughed, "He's perfect, and that is all you need to know."

Sam tried to keep her jealousy under control but she couldn't help but wish she was the one married to him.

"Anyway are you okay?" Lena asked, she could smell the wine on Sam's breath, and could tell she had enough to make her slightly tipsy.

"Me? I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"Well I haven't ever seen you drink in the day," Lena said honestly.

"Oh that," Sam looked sheepish, "I don't usually, I guess it's female hormones."

"That time of the month eh?" Lena smiled.

"Yeah, I just get so sad and down, it's been so long since I've had a relationship," Sam admitted, "I mean I couldn't while I was working at Lillian's."

"Of course," Lena turned to her, "I keep forgetting you worked for my mother, it's hard to believe now, looking back I wish I had helped you sooner."

"I'm just so grateful that you did eventually Lena, really, thank you," Sam replied. And she was grateful. That's why she felt so bad now, "You and Alex have both done so much for me and Ruby."

"Hey its not a problem, we like to help when we can," Lena told her, "And if you ever need anything you only need to ask."

Just then the family all piled in and took their places at the dinner table.

They all sat around as a family and ate dinner. George was sitting there staring at his plate but not finishing his vegetables.

Cat looked at him and pointed to his plate with her knife, "George eat up, vegetables will make you grow big and strong," she looked over at Alex, "like Alex."

George frowned, "They taste funny."

Kara smiled and tried to encourage him, "Eat them all up and you can have dessert."

George picked at the vegetables with his fork, he took a bite and pulled a face, "Yuk."

Alex chuckled as he watched, he remembered how he felt when he was a kid about vegetables, it was pretty much the same, "Dont torture the boy, if he doesn't like it…"

"Alex, do not encourage his behaviour!" Cat said then she turned back to George, "Fine, just eat what you can. But no dessert for you, young man."

After dinner Lena pulled George aside once the adults had moved into the living room, "Hey, look what I have, I baked them today," she handed him a cookie.

George smiled, "Thank you Miss Lena," he took it and rushed off to play with Ruby in the other room before bed.

Later they all retreated to their rooms and Alex and Lena stepped out to the stables to check on the horses.

Lena was feeding Lucky and El with Alex behind her watching quietly. She turned and looked at him, "You okay love? You have been quiet."

Alex bit his nail nervously, "I'm good, I'm just glad we have some alone time."

Lena finished what she was doing and stepped up to Alex, she placed her hands to his chest and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "I like our alone time," she smirked.

Alex wrapped his hands around her hips and kissed her, then drew back and looked to her gorgeous green eyes, "I love you," he said softly and then instead of kissing her again he pulled his wife into a warm hug.

Lena wrapped her arms around him tight and enjoyed the feeling of his warm strong body against her own. Then he pulled out of the hug and she looked up at him, "I love you too, so much. Lets go to bed. I have plans for you," Lena smiled.

"Oh really?" Alex smirked.

Alex took her hand and they made their way back to the house. As they walked Alex kept thinking about Sam and hoped to god he had made the right decision not to tell Lena about what happened.