Title:What if

Author: Mariedex

Spoilers:After FO, a year in the future.

Disclaimer: The characters in the story are the sole property of Hank Steinberg, Jerry Bruckheimer, and CBS. No copyright infringement is intended.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Samantha had to make the hardest decision of her life... to leave.

Chapter 9:

Sam woke up quietly the next morning. She reached over and turned off her alarm. This was a picture which she had never allowed her self to fathom. Jack was sleeping next to her and Ryan was stretched out on his stomach contentedly sleeping. It was amazing to her how well Ryan had slept and how comfortable she was with Jack. It was as if somehow she knew who he was. Sam decided to take advantage of the silence and take a shower, when she got out Jack was awake.

Sleep well. Sam asked as she walked over to her drawers.

Yeah, she's a hard sleeper.

Apparently she is with you. Sam smiled as she pulled out some clothes.

You said she was premature?

Yeah, two months.



I had, um, preeclampsia. My doctor thought that it was due to my high stress job. It actually got pretty bad. Danny came. They gave me this medicine, that left me pretty out of it. So Danny knows more than me. All I know is that they induced labor, for some reason they figured that a natural birth would be safer, I think that it had something to do with my blood pressure. Anyway, I gave birth to her around 5 am and she weighed 4lbs 1.5oz. They told me that she was actually quite big for a preemie. But everything was fine with her. Her lungs were developed and her heart was fine. I was able to take her home from the hospital a two weeks later. So she was good.

And you.

Sam had been sitting by him and her towel was falling off. She tried to catch it, but Jack quickly grabbed her hand. Jack, it's going to fall off.

Let it fall. I want to see how she changed you.



I never got to see you pregnant, so let me see how having her changed you. The comment was very honest. Sam suddenly understood that he was still very mad at her. So she let the towel drop. And stared at her. His hand smoothly touched her breasts, which had of course grown and then down to her stomach. She still had a little bit left of baby fat. He then went back up to her face and held it. Did you glow?

I don't think so.

Yeah, you did. He smiled, there was something sweet about this comment. You were probably gorgeous.

No I was fat. She smiled back at him.

No you didn't get to that stage, she was two months premature, remember. You were probably at that stage which drives men crazy and knowing you, you probably didn't notice.

Jack, we should probably start getting ready for work.

He looked down at the sleeping baby and then back at Sam was still naked in front of him. Suddenly an instinct went through hi,, this was his family. She was his daughter and her mother was sitting in front of him. The anger was still there, but he was still very much in love with her and now it was even more clear. Do you think we should get her up?

Yeah, here let me get dressed quickly and then I'll take her down for some food.

I thought that you were still breast-feeding?

I'm trying to wean her off of it. It gets a little complicated at work.

That comment made Jack realize that she had been doing this all alone and that it was actually very hard on her. He remembers when Hannah was first born the work that Marie and he put into her. They were always so worn out. But here Sam was doing it alone, quite frankly because she didn't want to inconvenience him.

When they arrived at work Jack walked with Sam as she took Ryan to the daycare, he actually introduced himself as her dad to the teacher. He could tell that the teacher was surprised.

In the elevator, Jack asked, So I can punch Danny right?

Sam laughed, He might just punch you first.

Ugh. He probably punches harder.

The elevator stopped at the floor. Danny already was seated at the table concentrating on some new info that had come through in the night. It looked as though he was the first one in. He looked up at the elevator and was surprised to see Jack and Sam walk out together.

Was the only comment he had as he tried to make out what this all meant.

So anything new. Sam asked as she headed to her desk and went to check her messages.

So, Danny. Jack started. I met Ryan last night.

Danny's eyes got wider. Danny didn't know if he felt guilty or mad at the guy.

Don't worry, it's okay. We yelled and fought and will probably yell and fight some more, but its good. It should have happened earlier. This was the first time that Sam actually admitted to being wrong.

Danny didn't know what to say, What did you think?

I think she's beautiful.

She's addicting.

So that's why you had that big grin on your face when you came back from your last vacation. Things are starting to get a bit cleared in my head. JAck smiled. So the case, any new leads.

Actually, I was thinking about something you said, about something being off with the mother. So I checked back through the babysitter's interview. Apparently the mom actually wanted the baby-sitter to go by herself. According to the baby-sitter, this was actually unusual because the mom was fairly protective.



Guys, the hospital just released the girls medical records and according to them she has been in two times in the past month. Her shoulder had been pulled out of her socket, she had fallen off her bike and broken her wrist. The doctor noted that it was the father who brought her in. Sam added. What if it is the mother? She thinks that he is having an affair and starts to hurt the girl as a way of blackmailing the dad.

He would have told us. Jack replied.

MAybe he still will, but not with the mom around.

Well let's go interview the dad.

I'll call him in.

An hour later, Mr. Barns came in by himself. Sam specifically told him that his wife should remain at home in case somebody called.

Mr. Barns we would like to ask you a few questions about your wife. Sam started.

My wife? He sounded confused. Sam could tell that he had been up all night.

The baby-sitter said that it was unusual for your wife to allow your daughter to go to the park without her. Was is?

I don't know. I know that she had some errands to run.

Do you know what specifically she did?

Didn't she already go through this with you all?

We just want to hear it from you. It's always good to have all of the different perspectives.

She said that she went to the bank to get some money and the laundry to pick up some dry-cleaning. I think that she also went to the grocery.

Mr. Barns, your wife she doesn't work, correct?



How has your marriage been?



Mr. Barns, we know about your affair? Jack decided to step in.

My what? The man sounded surprised and completely off guard.

Angela Davis.

What? Didn't somebody at work say that?

Your wife.

Suddenly there was anger in his voice. She said what?

Mr. Davis, we have talked to Angela Davis and according to her nothing was going on between the two of you, but your wife was convinced that there was. Sam knew exactly that Jack was trying to get him worked up, trying to see where his emotions would take him. So you can see our dilemma. Truthfully, Mr. Davis we don't care whether you were having an affair and anything you tell us is confidential. We just need to know so that we can tie up any loose ends. A jealous ex-mistress for example ...

There is no mistress. I have never had an affair no matter what my wife thinks. He was angry and that was exactly where Jack wanted him to be.

Why would your wife think that?

I don't know.

Mr. Barns we need to know everything no matter how painful it may be. Why would your wife assume you were having an affair?

Is this what you do? Dig up dirt. My wife is a jealous woman and is very protective over our family. She never believed that we would last, always thought that it was too good to be true. If she thought I was having an affair, it was only in her mind.

So your marriage was not good?

Is any marriage good? Things had been not good for a while. But I promised her through good times and bad that I would be with her and I do not take that lightly. So I was not going to leave her and no I was not having an affair.

Mr. Barns, Samantha started, We need you to understand that we are not trying to wreck your family. We are just trying to follow our leads and unfortunately the only thing that we have is that your wife usually did not allow your daughter to go to the park without her.

Did your wife ever hurt your daughter? Jack came back. The two were definitely playing good cop/bad cop.



Her medical records indicate that she had been to the hospital twice in the last month.

They were accidents.

Why did you take her?

Because my daughter was hurt and she wanted me to take her.

Were you there when the accidents occurred?

No, no. Actually I wasn't. Both happened right before I got home from work. What does this have to do with anything?

As I said before Mr. Barns, we are just checking out leads. Samantha knew that this interview wasn't going anywhere. Thank you for coming in.

As they left the conference room, Sam teased, That went well.

Jack replied.

Why do I have a bad feeling about this one?

That it has absolutely no correlation with the other kidnappings.

Yeah and now my instincts are all over the mother. Mr. Barns was definitely very protective about her.

Why don't you go and have another interview with the baby-sitter, maybe she knows more. Jack directed.

Okay and you.

I think I am going to take a quick break and head downstairs, is that okay? Jack smiled quickly and thought to himself how funny this was. One moment he is the lead in the case giving her orders and the next he is asking her permission to see his daughter.

Jack, you don't have to ask. She smiled and squeezed his arm before she went to her desk. He stood there for a moment before turning to the elevator.