Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Thanks to Sweatergirl for the betaing, and D and Maple Street for all the encouragement. We are getting close to the end.
His feet stomped on the brush ahead of him. His breath was ragged. Branches cut into him as he quickly passed them by. Finally he reached her. He grabbed her and pulled her tightly into his arms. She screamed until she heard him saying her name. Then she let herself go limp in his arms.
"Oh, Hanna," He felt wobbly. There was no one around. Addison wasn't there.
"Daddy."
"I'm here sweetie, Daddy's here."
"I saw…I saw it happen."
"What happened? Where's Kate?" His eyes scanned the trees.
"He took her."
Jack's heart began to pound. "Who took her?"
"That man with the badge." Tears swept down her cheeks.
Addison. "It's okay, Hanna. I'll find her."
"I don't like him. He would have grabbed me too but I kicked him. Hard."
"Good girl," Jack closed his eyes and pressed his face to her hair. "Which way did they go?"
"I'll show you."
Jack opened his eyes and put her gently down. Holding hands, she brought him to another path in the woods. "That way, Daddy."
"I need you to come with me," he didn't want her to go. But she wasn't safe anywhere here and Sam hadn't turned up yet.
Hanna nodded her head and off they went searching for Addison and Kate.
"Just a little farther I think," Marie said taking another look at Samantha. The sweat was still pouring down Sam's face and her color was off. "Are you okay?"
Sam sighed. "I'm all right. My leg is killing me and the man who is responsable for this mess burned my pain pills."
"Oh, dear," Marie said. "Those things can be addictive."
"Yeah, they are. I was having hallucations just before I found you."
"My God! Have they stopped?" Marie seemed genuinely concerned.
"I see flashes but I'm ignoring them as best as I can."
"You're tougher than I am, I wouldn't be able to ignore them." Marie smiled slightly.
Samantha returned the smile. "You had two kids, not sure I could do that."
"Oh, you could. The delivery part is not fun but you end up with the most special gift in the whole world- a child." Marie sniffled.
"Jack will find them you know he will."
Marie slowed down her walking. "I don't know if he can."
"Jack can do anything; he's wonderful at his job. He'll find them."
"I don't know how he does it, searching for missing people. The horror of finding them died, having to tell their loved ones; why doesn't it bother him?"
Samantha stopped walking. "But it does bother him. It eats at him sometimes. He's wept openingly for those people and children we found dead."
"It bothers him? He has never said that once to me."
Samantha swallowed. How's the best way to end this conversation- or should I keep it going, she pondered. "Maybe he's never wanted to upset you…"
"Or never wanted to let me in." Marie's eyes drifted to the ground. "You know how he feels."
"Yes, but we have the same job so I understand how he feels because I feel the same way often."
"How you can stand doing what you do?"
Sam shrugged. "It's important work. We bring closure to a family even when it's bad news. Those times that we find kids alive or track down adults…they are some of the best moments of your life. The good outweighs the bad."
Marie began walking again. "When did it start?"
"Did what start?"
"The affair."
Sam stopped again.
"When?" Marie turned to face her.
In a reserved voice Sam said, "Let's not get into that."
"Was it at the time Jack was beginning to pull away from me or before?"
"Marie…"
Tears formed in the other woman's eyes. "When did you steal my husband away from me?"
"You can't steal someone who doesn't want to be stolen." It was blunt but Sam wanted to get this line of questioning over with.
"That's true I guess. Did you love him?"
"Yes."
Marie's hand wiped her face. "Does he love you?"
"I hope so, I think so."
"Is he planning on leaving me for you?"
"No," now the tears were in Sam's eyes. "He wants to make your marriage work. He doesn't want to lose you or the kids."
Marie studied her for a minute. "You really do love him, don't you?"
Sam could only nod.
"When we first were dating, every time he entered a room, I couldn't take my eyes off of him," Marie remembered, "then after a while I would forget he was sitting across from me reading the newspaper."
The tears chocked her words but Samantha managed to say, "I hate when he's trying to read something; the paper always obscures his eyes. I need to look at those eyes."
"You've know him a while…"
Sam nodded, "A few years now."
"Have you always felt that way?"
"From the moment he called me into his office to introduce himself."
Marie closed her eyes. "And you still feel like this when you're around him?"
"Yes."
"You came all the way out here to find him?"
"Yes."
"Did you have permission?"
"No."
"What if you lose your job?"
"I'll deal with that if it happens, Jack is more important."
A strange look passed over Marie's face. "I should continue on. It's just a little ways. You need to find Jack."
"No, I need to make sure you're safe first."
Marie shook her head. "I'm fine. Get Jack and my kids."
"I don't even know where they are…"
"You'll find them." Marie started off. "Samantha, that was an enlightening chat, thank you for being honest."
Sam watched her go, unsure of what happened. She turned back and started the way she came.
Time passed slowly it seemed. Her stomach growled with hunger. She had just reached the spot where she had found Marie when she saw a two figures come out of the woods. One was Addison and the other was Kate.
To be continued…
