Classification: SBR (now, that's something new, huh?)
Rated: R
Author's note: This is a follow-up to "Home".
by isis_whit
Sam leaned against the cold metal of the car, her eyes half closed. His face was close, and she could still feel his kiss on her lips. He slid his hands under her hair, and she felt his trembling caresses on the nape of her neck. Slightly pushing herself away from the car, her lips brushed his chin, and he drew in a sharp breath, aware that this little unintentional touch was not just a dream. She got closer and leaned against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace. Holding each other, they just stood still, closer than close, their eyes shut as they were feeling each others' heart beat.
Both jumped a little when the headlights of a car appeared down the street. When the car had driven by, Sam tilted her head and smiled at him.
"Bailey, come home with me," she said.
He looked back at her and thought for a second. "Yours or mine?" he asked with a mischievous grin. He chuckled at her questioning look. "You car or mine."
"Oh. Uh, you in yours, me in mine? Somehow we have to get them home, you know," she grinned.
The few miles back to the house seem to take forever as Bailey was driving behind Sam. Finally there, she unlocked the door and let him in. In the quiet darkness of the house they stood hesitating, unsure what would come next. Bailey felt her taking his hand, and with soft force, she made him follow her through the den and upstairs. On the half-landing she felt him hesitate. Turning back, she looked down at him.
"Sam, I don't know..."
Softly, she squeezed his hand. "I know I'm asking a lot from you but I want," she paused, "I just need you to hold me tonight. Would you do that for me?"
"Okay," he whispered and took the next step.
Inside her bedroom, she finally let go of his hand. She slid the coat from her shoulders and kicked her shoes away. As she turned, she noticed him staring at her. She put a hand on his shoulder. "Okay?"
He nodded. Sitting down on the bed he took off shoes, socks and suit pants. He started unbuttoning his shirt, and when he felt the mattress of the double bed moving under Sam's weight, the button slid from his nervously trembling fingers. She moved closer and leaned on him. "You don't have to, you know," she said and gently rubbed his shoulders.
He put his hand on hers and turned his head. Looking deeply into her eyes that were sparkling even in the darkness, he whispered, "but I want."
Sam's hand traced his arm and she slowly undid one cufflink, then the other. She knelt behind him and slid the shirt off his shoulders, leaving soft kisses between his shoulder blades. The sensation of her lips on his skin took his breath away, and with a deep sigh he laid back his head. Turning, he put an arm around her shoulder and sank down on the pillows, pulling her down with him. Sam pulled the blanket over both of them and snuggled up to his chest. "Goodnight, Sam," Bailey mumbled and kissed her head softly.
She hadn't slept that soundly in years. She woke up with a smile. When she felt the soft pillow under her head, she suddenly was scared that it was nothing but a dream. When her eyes had adjusted to the bright daylight, she saw Bailey sitting on the edge of the bed, his back turned to her. His elbows rested on his thighs and his head had dropped on his chest. She turned on her side and inching closer, she noticed the absent-minded stare on his face. His gaze was fixed on something he was holding in his hands, but Sam couldn't make out what it was.
She started when he suddenly fired whatever he had held in a swift move onto the bedside table. "I don't think I'll need that any longer," he said, but the undertone in his voice worried her. He had sat unmoved all the time, but now she knew that he was aware that she watched him. She reached out and picked it up. It was his FBI badge. She flipped it open and ran a finger over the photograph on his VCTF ID.
"What do you mean, you're gonna quit? I am the quitter, not you, remember?"
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "No, seriously. I don't know, Sam. Assistant Director Dayvault called me the same day the congress had decided to shut us down. He more or less offered me the Critical Incident Response Group. I only have to say yes."
"Will you?" She moved to sit beside him. "From what I know, the CIRG is a high profile unit. In many ways similar to the VCTF."
"Yeah, maybe too similar. But you know, the most important part is missing: the people. They were all special, and on too many days, it was the only thing that made me go to the office." Softly, Bailey took the badge from her hand. "I'm tired, Sam." He remained silent for a while. "You know, I can't even remember the last day I left my house without a gun," he said, shaking his head.
"What do you want?"
For the first time on this morning, he turned and faced her. His look was intense when he followed her jaw line with light touches of his finger tips. "I want to be with you, Sam," he said.
Slowly he bent over and kissed her slightly parted lips. His hands wandered down her sides, and when he touched her skin under her pajamas, Sam moaned softly. He wanted to remove his hand again, but her eyes begged him not to. He slid one hand up her back and with the other, he pulled her face closer.
Whatever had held them back during the night, all the doubts, the fears, seemed forgotten. Their senses were over-alert, aware of every smell and taste. Touching and being touched, they took their time to explore each other. He held her close, skin to skin, and between their bodies was nothing but a thin film of sweat.
Breaking one of his intense kisses, Sam glanced over his shoulder to the alarm clock and sighed. "Time out."
Bailey backed off. "You having enough already?"
Halfway lying on top of him, she hugged him tightly and nuzzled his neck. "Never. Never, Bailey. But I promised to call Chlo before she leaves for the airport."
"Oh, then she's coming back today."
"Don't worry. She will be okay with you being here." Sam leaned over him to pick up the phone. The weight of her body made him gasp and Sam noticed his body responding. "I'm sorry," she whispered. She placed one hand on his chest and while dialing the number of her in-laws, her hand was ran through his soft gray chest hair.
"Hi Helen, it's Sam. I promised to call Chloe before she left, can I talk to her?"
"Hey, my girl!" she said to her daughter over the phone, while her hands continued the tender caressing of his chest and wandered down to his stomach.
Bailey pressed his lips together to keep a moan back. Sam's voice had become blurry, drowned by the roaring of his pulsating blood. He was on the edge of losing control and as his discomfort grew even more, he abruptly slid away from her touch. Sitting on the bed, he quickly put his boxers back on and got up. Approaching the window, he heard her say, "when you're home, I have a surprise for you. No, I can't give you a hint."
Without turning, he looked back over his shoulder and when he met her gaze, her eyes seemed to smile at him sadly.
He mumbled an apology before he grabbed his clothes from the floor, where they had landed the night before. His eyes fixated on the floor, he made a beeline to the door. Finally outside, he dared to breathe again. More stumbling than walking he reached the bathroom. After piling his clothes neatly on a drawer, he stepped in the shower. It felt as if sweat was pouring from every single pore of his body. He turned on the cold water. When the icy flood hit his back he gasped. He was embarrassed for having lost control, and that way he could give his body at least something else to deal with. His teeth were chattering with cold and his skin started looking bluish as he leaned with his forearms against the wall, his arms covering his face.
When he was sure that the heat he had felt was gone for good, he turned off the water and reached for a towel. Instead, a gentle but firm hand grabbed his wrist.
"Sam, please," he begged.
"Bailey, what were you doing in there? You are as cold as ice!"
"Yeah, that's why I'd appreciate that towel," he said with a little impatience in his voice and stuck his head out. His jaw dropped as he realized that Sam was standing in front of him covered by nothing but a white towel she had loosely thrown over her shoulder.
"Sam?"
Seductively, she let the towel slide to the floor. Then she pushed the door open and joined him. Smiling to his still stunned face, she reached behind him and turned on the hot water. Unprepared for the heat on his cool skin, he gasped deeply. Sam put her arms around his waist and pulled herself close to him.
Burying her face in his shoulder she said, "There is nothing you have to prove, Bailey. I know that your love is true and sincere. And this," she said, and her fingers followed his spine upwards to his neck. "this is part of it."
"I love you, Sam," he said with an edge in his voice that made her shiver. Then he pushed her softly against the slippery wall of the shower. They made love until the water threatened to turn cold again.
When Sam had caught her breath again she hissed, "See, I knew it would be perfect, the two of us." They held each other for a long time with the water turned off, the room filled with moist steam. He was breathing heavily, and leaning back against the wall, he pulled her with him.
"Oh Sam," was all he could get out.
Somehow, they managed to get out of the shower without letting go of each other. They were glued to each other. Bailey reached over her shoulder and took a towel. Putting it around her shoulders, he pulled her into him even closer as if he was trying to tie her to him. With gentle touches, he rubbed her dry, just to moisten her smooth skin again with wet kisses.
"I adore you," he said, his voice even more hypnotic to her than usual. Caressing her sides, he held her at arm length. His vivid brown eyes seemed to pervade the very essence of her being. He took her face in his hands and kissed her with passion. "When do you have to leave?" he asked, his lips still in contact with hers.
"Way too soon. I wish we had some more time." She bit her lip as she always did when something was bothering her.
"Sam," he said soft but seriously. Putting a hand under her chin, he made her look into his eyes. "We have all the time in the world. That wasn't planned, right? Let's take it step by step, we will see what's gonna happen, okay?" Tilting his head, he gave her and encouraging smile.
"Okay," she said and nodded. "I love you, Bailey." It was hard for her to let go of him. Finally, she slipped from his embrace. "Time to get dressed."
"Yeah." Bailey glanced at the drawer. "Uh, Sam? Where did my clothes go?"
She grinned. "I put them in the washer, hope you don't mind?"
"What? Did I stink already?" he asked with pretense of being disappointed.
She laughed. "No Bailey," she said and kissed him slightly on the cheek. "I love your smell, I always did. One of the things I've missed."
"You know, I'm not sure how long I can go on with one pair of boxers," he said with a sheepish grin.
"You know, Bailey, if you ask me, you don't need to dress at all." She giggled. Sam slipped into a bathrobe and, taking him by the hand, she led him to the bedroom. "Wait a minute, okay," she said and winked at him. "And keep those sheets warm."
When she returned, he was sitting on the bed, a blanket draped around him. He stretched out a hand towards her and smiled. She took his hand, and he pulled her down on his lap. Bailey took both her hands and put his arms around her. He nuzzled up to her neck and kissed her softly. He drew in the smell of her wet hair. Rocking her softly he felt a calmness wash over him he hadn't felt for a very long time.
Sam leaned back on his chest and closed her eyes.
"What are you thinking?"
"Don't know. Just so many things going on in my head. I feel like I'm in a dream." She turned her head and smiled at him. "And I don't wanna wake up again."
Taking her hand, Bailey brought it to his lips and kissed it. "It is real. I am here, right?" He held her for a little longer. "Okay, time to leave for the airport," he said.
Sam glanced at the clock. "Oh no, I'm late, and I still have to do my hair and get dressed."
She jumped up and hastily pulled a pant suit out of the closet. Bailey was lying on his stomach, watching her getting dressed.
"You know that you're beautiful, don't you?" he asked amazed.
"Aw, come on," she giggled and fired a pair of socks at him.
"Now, now, Dr. Waters, you're living dangerously," he replied with a mischievous grin and leapt from the bed, the sheet wrapped around him. "You owe me a kiss for that," he said and tied her with the sheet to him.
Malone, you're by far the craziest man I know." She kissed him teasingly, always pulling back a little when he reached for more than lip contact.
"Yeah, crazy about you," he mumbled in her mouth.
She put her hands on his shoulders and kissed him back softly first, then with growing intensity as their tongues started a playful battle. Her eyes half-closed, she finally pulled back, a little breathless.
"If I don't leave now, I'm in real trouble."
She kissed him coyly on the cheek and broke his tight embrace. Softly, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him one more time.
"I love you," he whispered and kissed her palm before he let go of her hand. She cupped his face with the palm still wet with his kiss. Their eyes locked, and for some long minutes, they remained silent, talking without words. He walked her down to the front door and kissed her good-bye as if he was afraid of never seeing her again.
"Now tell me. What's the surprise?" Chloe insisted while her mother unlocked the door.
"Just a little more patience, okay. I promise it's worth the wait."
"You know, that isn't fair. I was almost busting."
She almost knocked the door out of Sam's hand as she stormed in. "Where is it? I can't see anything."
With a sudden feeling of uncertainty, Sam screened the den, afraid for a moment that he had left like he had come the day before. She remembered his car parking outside. Everything was all right, she assured herself.
"Maybe you look outside. I think the surprise went out there," she giggled.
"Okay, but if it isn't something really cool, I'm gonna be really mad!" Chloe replied emphatically and, dropping her bag in the middle of the room, she ran outside.
A man was standing on the beach, watching the constant rolling of the surf. Chloe didn't need the old, worn-out dark-blue VCTF sweater to figure out who it was. Hesitantly, she approached him. Without a word she stopped, half a step behind his back, eager to get closer.
"Hey Chloe," he said, looking over his shoulder, smiling.
"Hey."
They stood side by side, both with their hands buried in their pants pockets.
"I know you're angry with me, Chloe. I understand. But I want you to know that I'll always be there for you when you need me, okay."
"I know, but," she hesitated. "I'm not angry with you, Uncle Bailey. I, well, I just thought you're angry with me."
"Oh Chloe." He tuned around and looked at her unbelieving. "Why do you think I could be angry with you?"
She tilted her head just as her mother always did. "I don't know. Because it's my fault that mom left?" she said, searching his face for a sign that proved her wrong.
"I know you're probably too old to sit on my knees like you used to do when you were a little girl. Do you trust me?" he asked, and when she nodded, he went on. "It wasn't your fault, Chloe. I'm not mad at you. I never was. I missed you and your mother terribly, but I never was mad at you or her. Never."
"Okay. You know, for some time I thought I was really mad at you but now I know that I wasn't mad at you, or mom. I was mad because my dad was dead and I was so afraid to lose mom, too. You know, this Jack I'd heard so much about, he was only a ghost for me, and I couldn't be mad at a ghost. But he isn't a ghost any more."
Bailey put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side. "You're a great young lady, Chloe. I know you're mom is very proud of you."
"I'm very glad you came," she said, sobbing.
"Oh Chloe, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm just so happy that you're here. We missed you."
Taking him by the hand, she led him back to the house, calling for her mother.
"That was the best surprise ever!" she declared earnestly when they found Sam in the kitchen. "Thank you."
"Well, you have to thank Bailey, he sort of surprised both of us," Sam explained while her eyes were fixed on the man leaning against the frame of her kitchen door. He looked at least ten years younger than 24 hours before.
"What do you think, Chlo. Would you mind if Bailey stays with us for a while? In the spare room?"
"The spare room, huh? Cool," she replied, as she curiously observed the two exchanging glances. "Hello-ho?"
"Yeah?" Sam startled.
"Do you think we could talk about that at dinner?"
Long after they had tucked Chloe in, Bailey knocked at the door of Sam's bedroom.
"Come in," she said. When he entered, she looked at him reproachfully. "I was thinking of sending you an invitation."
He looked sheepishly. "Sorry. I just, well, you know, Chloe's just two doors away." He sat down on the bed.
"It's okay. Trust me."
"Okay."
Slowly, he bent down and kissed her. He covered her face with kissed, his lips wandering down her neck until the silken night gown stopped his hungry lips. With nervous fingers, he slid the straps from her shoulders. Sam whimpered slightly as the fabric slid down her skin. He was exploring her body as if it was the first time, kissing her on the lips in between. She hadn't enjoyed the touch of a man so deeply during the last few years. With Bailey, she just let go and she wasn't afraid.
Hours later, when she rested limp and exhausted in his arm, she sighed happily.
"You know something?"
"What?"
"I don't want to miss you ever again, Bail."
"You won't," he said and, looking into her eyes, he kissed her.