Title: Nevermore
Chapter: 16
Author: Evidence
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Well this is the end. Thanks for hanging on with this story. Special thanks to D, Maple Street, and M and S's encouragement. Originally Thomas was supposed to die but he was "saved" by your reviews.
Everything was muffled around him. He could hear Vivian speaking but he couldn't make out the words. Maybe she was talking to him or to someone else, he wasn't sure. There was a lot of movement but he was blind to it. Usually the hospital smell of cleanser mixed with death made his stomach sick but he hadn't noticed any smells. The touch of a hand on his shoulder made him jump and suddenly the rest of the world came into clear form.
"Is she okay?"
"Tommy!" Jack said looking at Samantha's cousin who was accompanied by a young woman.
"You weren't in the building?" Vivian asked standing up.
"No, no I was with Shauna, I got out of there before Franklin came back. How's my cousin? A lady at your office said she was brought here."
Jack stood now too and looked sadly into the other man's eyes. "There was an explosion. Podena and Sam were caught in the blast. Podena is mostly fine, a few burns and cuts. Sam wasn't as lucky."
Shauna put her hands on top of Thomas's, holding them in a tight grip.
Jack continued, "The glass from the bottle that was used for the bomb went into Samantha's face. She..." He paused trying to stop the tears from flowing.
Vivian took up where he had left off. "It cut up her face pretty good and put some pressure on the muscles around her eyes. Right now she can't see."
"Oh God," Thomas said taking a seat in the waiting room.
"It's temporary though," Vivian quickly added. "The doctor feels that once the swelling goes down and her wounds began to heal she'll get back her sight. But for now it's going to be a couple of hellish days for her."
Jack wiped at his eyes. "Her left arm was also burned by the blast. That will take a while to heal."
Thomas brought Shauna's hands encircled in his own left one, to this face and kissed them sweetly. The tears came quickly down and with murky vision he looked up at Jack. "This is my fault. If I had been there...or if I never came forward about Franklin..."
"If you hadn't we probably would have never stopped this guy. You were right about Podena's uncle's farm. Two of my agents found the bodies of his victims. Their families will now be able to bury their dead." Jack put his hand on the other man's shoulder. "You did good Tommy. Samantha will be proud."
"Jack," a voice called out from behind the sad troop.
Jack turned to see Father Walker.
"I saw the news report. I came quickly."
"Thank you, Father but Sam isn't..." Jack started.
"I know but I imagine they are only letting family in to her see her." Jack nodded. "Well then I guess you'll have to pretend to be studying to be a Deacon for Samantha has requested my presence." Father Walker smiled.
"Father that's a lie," Jack said starting to smile now too.
"Yes, but Father Christian has already told me if I say five Hail Marys I'll be absolved," Father Walker winked. "Coming?"
"Yes," Jack said and turning back to Vivian, Thomas and the woman spoke, "I'll be back soon."
"Okay," Thomas replied. "You're in good hands with the demon catcher."
"Thanks," Jack said and gave Vivian a look.
"I wonder if they have numbers?" Thomas asked.
"Who has numbers?" Shauna smiled at him taking a seat on the chair's arm.
"The demon catchers. I know the alien interrogators all have numbers. You don't ever want to meet number 25- he's narly."
Vivian rolled her eyes but Shauna looked at him with adoring eyes.
"Damn I wanted Jack to tell Samantha something important," Thomas shook his head.
"What?" Vivian asked with mild curiosity.
"In a deck of cards there is always a jack and a spade for they belong together. Even when they are dealed out to other players, the jack and spade always come back together in the deck. It's meant to be."
Vivian sighed. "Well that's...interesting."
"Wow," Shauna replied. "Kind of like Hawthorne's sins of the past- you can run away, you can change yourself, but they can never be taken away for they are always a part of you."
"Yes, one cannot escape fate," Thomas said smiling at Shauna.
"Luckily," Shauna replied bending down to kiss him.
Vivian quickly moved away. Her phone buzzed and she took it out saying, "Hello?"
"Vivian its Paula Van Doran."
Vivian's heart flopped to the bottom of her stomach. "Yes."
"I just wanted you to know that some things need to stay buried. The tape is destroyed and I'm going to pretend Martin Fitzgerald never visited me."
"Thank you," Vivian replied shocked.
"I'll be down soon to see how Agent Spade is."
"Okay," Vivian said and hung up. She stared at the phone for a minute and then dialed a number.
"Hello?"
"Martin, it's Vivian."
Martin swallowed. "Hi. Look I regret what..."
"Van Doran called. She is not going to do anything about the tape." Her voice was brisk.
"Oh...great. Viv, really I betrayed you and..."
"Yes you did."
"What more can I say than sorry?" Martin asked rubbing at his short hair.
"There's nothing you can do but it will take time before I can forgive you and trust you again." Vivian's eyes stared at a Monet replica on the hospital wall.
"I understand. Thank you for telling me Vivian."
"You're welcome," she paused and then knew she had to add. "When are you and Danny heading back?"
"Tomorrow morning, we stopped at a hotel for some zzz's."
"You should know we have Podena but Samantha was hurt in the process."
"What? What happened? Is she going to be okay?" Martin jumped off the bed and began pacing.
"She will be in time."
"Danny and I will leave now."
"You don't need to."
"Yes I do. Samantha is my... friend. And Danny's too."
"Okay then have a good drive. Stay safe."
"Bye." Martin hung up.
Jack stared at the figure of Samantha Spade lying in bed. He didn't realize she was awake and remembering the blast. He didn't know she was regretting being without him and made that love was temporary. She didn't know he was there. She heard footsteps and then the nurse saying "Hello, Father." She wasn't sure why a priest was visiting her. She didn't feel like talking so she laid quiet as if asleep. The doctor had told her she would see again but she was still scared. Her world was black and there was no light switch to flick on.
Father Walker began the prayers "I bless you in the name of the Father..."
Jack stood silently in the doorway wondering how he could let go of his failed marriage and if Samantha would even be willing to commit to him.
Father Walker finished the prayers. Samantha said slowly, "Thank you," not sure of what else to say at the moment.
"Sam?" Jack's voice reached her ears.
"Yeah…Jack."
"Hey," Jack moved closer and Father Walker slipped out of the room, "You'll be okay."
"Yeah the doctor told me."
"I…" he couldn't finish his statement, he couldn't say, "I love you" although that's what he felt. He couldn't say it now, not yet.
She knew she had to tell him something. She had nearly been killed and this was no time for being mute. "Jack, do you know what was my last thought before that bomb went off?"
"What?" he asked.
"I thought of you and how awful it would be never to kiss you again." Her voice cracked at the last part.
His hand brushed her face. "I don't know how yet Sam but if you want me in your life I'll make it happen."
She smiled and wished she could see his eyes. "I'd like that."
His lips touched hers gently. "We'll have a happy ending somehow, Sam."
Two guards stood outside of the door to Franklin Podena's room. Thomas Spade and Shauna McClaine looked in at the man who had caused all the terror of the day. His eyes caught hold of Thomas's and a wide toothy grin showed through followed by a maniacal laugh. One of the guards grabbed and held his gun located in his holster. Thomas felt a chill go up his spin.
"It's like looking at Kurtz in the "Heart of Darkness"," Shauna said in Thomas's ear, a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Worse than Kurtz. I use to hang with him because he gave me free booze," Thomas shook his head. "What was I thinking?"
"I don't know what you were thinking then but you turned him in. You helped put a stop to him." Shauna turned his head gently so he was looking at her. "He's out of your life now. He's not like the raven who keeps knocking at your door." She smiled slightly. "Sorry I seem to only make literary references."
"That's fine by me," he smiled back. "Quoth the raven "Nevermore"." He kissed her and again felt the earth move beneath his feet.
The end.