He sat down on the cold steps, trying not to encroach into Sam's space. He sat silently, watching his breath dance in the chilled air. Sam sat, looking down at the ground, giving no sign that he even knew that Philip was there.
He did know though. Philip hadn't been in the game long, hadn't really been even in the game, yet, but he had begin to notice how those close to him acted. Walking around D.C. earlier, it had struck him how totally aware of his mother, Lee, and Sarah were of their surroundings. Nothing seemed to get by their eagle eyes without close scrutiny, and Philip wondered how he had been so unaware of their actions over the years. Sam knew he was there, because he was trained to notice every movement around him. It was what kept him alive. Philip was going to learn it if he was planning to keep alive in the field.
"What did you want to meet about, Kid? I had a hot date planned, before you called," Sam finally asked, still not looking up from whatever was interesting him about his shoes.
Philip noticed the cold tone, the derision in Sam's voice, but he decided to ignore it. For reasons he was not even completely aware of, he admired this man. He also knew this man. Sam wouldn't let him close without a fight. He was trying to push him away with the "kid" business, but the very fact he canceled a date after Philip called, showed how important he considered the younger man.
"I don't know. I just wanted to talk," Philip answered. "I wanted to talk about our, uh, partnership."
Sam jumped up from the steps and began to pace. "I'm sorry, Kid, but that was a joke. I don't work with partners. People let you down, Kid. You can keep your back safer than anyone else can."
Philip looked down at his hands, hearing the old pain. Sam Williams had been through a lot in his life, Philip knew, without even knowing the details. "Well, not partners then. Mom said she was glad Lee picked you to show me the ropes. She says your good."
Sam gave a half laugh, half snort. "I am good, but I'm no teacher, Philip. If you are going to become an agent, you need to go to classes and Station One."
Philip looked up, smiling. "I'm not wanting to be an agent! I just want to help out a little bit until I graduate. I need a new job after all. I want to learn some of what Lee and Mom do, and be a 'civilian aid' now instead of a TA." He frowned for a minute. "Even though that idea seems to send Aunt Francine into a laughing frenzy."
Sam did laugh now. "I'm sorry. I never thought I would *ever* hear Francine Desmond referred to as 'Aunt Francine'."
"She still goes by Desmond at the Agency?" Philip was learning more and more about the people he had taken for granted over the years.
Sam leaned back against a column, letting out a deep breath. "Yeah, she's still Desmond at the office." There was a comfortable silence between the two. "Look, Kid, I don't I'll have much call for civilian help, but, um, I call you if I ever do. You do a mean skillet."
Smiling, Philip nodded, stretching out his hands. "Thank you--for everything."
Sam stiffened and his jaw hardened. "I let you all down, Philip. You saved yourself."
"You didn't let anyone down, Sam." Philip refused to let Sam look away from him. "You forget that I've got a kid brother, too, and I can tell you, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there is no way I could shoot him to save you."
Sam's eyes remained cold. "I didn't shoot him."
"No, Sam, you didn't, but you were going to do it to save me. That's why I wouldn't leave." Sam started. Philip smiled at him. "Didn't think I could read the signs? You wanted me to leave so he could shoot you. I can understand it."
Sam was silent for a minute. "Because you're a big brother, too."
"Yeah, I'm a big brother, too." Philip watched as Sam's shoulders slumped forward. His words hadn't lifted the weight from the man's mind, but he had at least let Sam now that he did understand, at least some of it.
While Philip had been watching his grandmother and brother closely for signs of being a spy the last few days, paranoid, he didn't believe they were really working for any government agency. Philip had also, to his own amazement, kept his mouth shut when Jamie was home for the weekend. After being upset at Lee and Amanda for keeping it a secret, he had found himself walking in their footsteps. Philip had even told him about his package deliveries, but now found himself mute about his new job. He didn't want to worry him.
Sam looked at his watch. "If I hurry, I can catch Sherry at Kazmos."
Laughing, Philip shook his head. "Your hot date?"
Sam's smile was wicked. "No, her sister." Sam reached over and shook his hand. "Maybe I'll see you around sometime, you know."
Philip nodded. His instincts were screaming at him that Sam was going to be seeing a lot more of him than he now realized, but he let the man have his illusions for a little while. "Yeah, see you around, Sam."
Turning, Philip began walking to his car. He heard light footsteps behind him, and, his heart pounding, he quickly swirled around. He found his mother laughing silently at him. "Gotcha!"
"You followed me here," Philip realized.
"Yep."
"I didn't see you."
"Nope," was all his mother said, but it said a million words to him.
"I'm going to have to start looking in my rearview mirror all the time."
Amanda smiled, laughter in her eyes. "Yep."
They began walking beside each other, neither one of them in a hurry to speak nor get back to their cars. "You are going to be good for him."
Philip looked over in surprise at Amanda. "What do you mean?"
"He needs someone to look after, someone younger, like a kid brother." Their footsteps hitting the sidewalk was the only sound for a few minutes.
"I don't think he'll welcome me in that role, Mom."
Amanda smiled. "No, he won't, but you are a lot like me. You are going to be good for him."
Philip thought about that statement, and an earlier one that Sam made. "Was Lee really like Sam?"
The sound of Amanda's laughter echoed back off the solemn monuments surrounding them. "He was a lot like him. A loner, didn't work with partners, saw himself as a lone wolf. Wouldn't let anyone get close."
"Except you."
Amanda nodded, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Eventually, yeah, he let me. It was hard work."
Putting his arm around her shoulders, he leaned over to her. "Sarah was a lot like that, but she didn't have as many barriers."
"I got her ready for you," was his mother's teasing reply.
"That's what she told me. Thanks."
Amanda leaned her head over to her son's shoulder. Both of her boys teased her about her "short" height now. They had grown like weeds in high school. "I did it for me. I'm getting to the age that I'd like to see some babies around the house without *me* being the one to make them."
Philip laughed. "It will be a few years before that, Mom."
"Oh, I know. I just want you to keep it in mind." Amanda stopped by her Jeep. She hugged her son close. "I love you, Philip."
Philip hugged her tight. "I know, Mom. I know. I'll keep it mind."
Begin to turn away, Philip twisted back to look at his mother. "Lee shouldn't have told Sam that he was assigning me as his partner. I'm just wanting to help out until graduation! I'm not planning on being an agent all my life."
Philip watched a shadow cross Amanda's face. Then, she smiled at him. "I know you don't, sweetheart, but I think Lee was right. You are following in my footsteps." With that, Amanda stepped into her car, and shut the door. Philip waved as she carefully backed out of her parking spot and drove away from him. He wondered what his mom meant by her last comment.
A gentle mist began to fall. Smiling, Philip looked up at the sky. In D.C., not many stars were visible, but tonight he could see a few. They twinkled at him, laughing. "Well," he told them. "I can't think of many other people's whose footsteps I'd rather be following." He had always known his mom was an amazing woman, but now he knew exactly how great she really was.
Laughing himself now, he raced to his car as the rain began to fall harder. Sarah should be done with a surveillance assignment soon, and Philip had his own hot date set with her for later.