Title: Sins of the Past

Chapter: 4

Author: Evidence

Rating; PG-13

Author's Notes:  Thanks to D for all the help!! You rock.  E you wanted this so…here you go.

The present…

"Did you hear that?"  Danny yelled, drawing his gun and jumping out of the passenger door even before Martin stopped the car.

"We need backup at 290 Fremont Street.  A gun has been fired," Martin spoke into the walkie-talkie placed on the dashboard.  His eyes saw the smoke and Danny running up to the front to get in.

He got out of the car and followed Danny's path and then…a sound filled his ears that stopped him in his path.

Two days earlier…

"Yes, thank you Harland."  Jack hung up the phone and looked at the yellow post it on his desk.  "Your wife called" the note said but since being at work for the last two hours he hadn't even attempted to return the phone call.  He had called Hanna and Kate's school so he knew they were fine.  He was only trying to avoid Maria.

His troops were gathered at the conference table waiting to hear what Agent Harland Jenkins of Connecticut had discovered. 

"Morning," he said to them.  "Harland has talked with Kingsley's mother.  She still is holding fast to her claim that she stole him from the Forfa's.  Harland found her to be quite accurate in her information.  She described Michael's outfit to a tee on the day of the kidnapping."

"She even included those details that weren't released to the media?"  Vivian asked.

"Yes.  Harland truly believes that this woman did kidnap Michael Forfa."

Samantha pushed back her hair with her hand.  "Did she give any explanation for her actions?"

He looked directly at her as he spoke.  "She had been pregnant.  Her boyfriend had left when he found out and then the baby was born three months early and stillborn."

Danny shook his head.  "One tragedy creates another."

"Yes.  Harland believes she had a break from reality that caused her to think stealing Michael was something she had to do.  She had been visiting friends in Mystic when she saw the Forfa's with the baby.  They turned to look at a building and she just walked up and grabbed the child."

"Didn't her friends realize that suddenly she had a kid?"  Sam's voice rose in astonishment.

"She never went back there.  Drove until she got home in Springfield, Massachusetts.  From there she packed up all her possessions and moved to Queens finding herself a small apartment.  Ironically her illness brought her back to the scene of the crime." 

"She never spoke to her parents again?"  Martin asked.

"She spoke to them but only phone conversations.  She wouldn't visit."

"No of course not she had a secret they couldn't know about."  Sam was tapping at the table with her fingers. 

Jack nodded.  "So that brings us to here.  Harland is speaking with the Forfa's today.  I want us to learn as much as we can about Mr. Kingsley.  Danny: cover the paper trial.  Viv: find his old high school and speak to his teachers.  Martin: head over to the construction site where he got fired from."

They broke their tight circle, leaving Samantha the only one sitting still at the table.  "Um, what am I suppose to do?"

"Come with me please." 

She looked at him unsure of what was written on his face.  In a moment though she had put on her coat and headed to the elevators with him.

"Two with the works please."  He paid the man and handed Sam her hot dog.

"I can't believe he's still outside and working in this cold."

Jack shrugged.  "People still want to eat hot dogs even if it's only a few notches above freezing."  He motioned to tree encased with snow around the base.  "Have a seat."

"There?"

"Your coat is long enough, you won't get wet."

She took a sit in the snow wondering what this was all about.  They should be out investigating, not eating hotdogs in the middle of winter under a tree covered in snow.  It was so ludicrous.

They eat silently for a few minutes letting the warmth of the dog increase their body temperatures. 

Jack smiled at her.

"What?"

"You have relish on your chin," he laughed.

She wiped it up, looking at him.  "Why are we here?"

"I had something I wanted to tell you."  He paused breathing deeply and looking at her.  "I left Maria last night."

She nearly let go of the remaining hot dog.  His words were such a shock.  "You…left her."

"Yes.  I told her I couldn't go on like this.  Trying to love her when I don't.  Sitting at the breakfast table in the morning trying to be invisible.  Not wanting to go home at the end of the day.  Thinking of excuses so that I don't have to be in bed with her.  I can't do it anymore.  I won't do it anymore."

"Are you leaving her for me?"  Her heart was beating wildly as if in a minute it would explode.

"No.  I'm leaving her for myself.  I'm doing it because I need to get out of this unhappy relationship.  And if I can be with you in the process than that just makes everything better."  He smiled at her still nervous about this confession and how she would take it.

"What made you decide to leave now?"  She had dropped the hot dog now, her hands shaking so badly.  In her head she heard: run, run, this is too much.  But her heart was having spasms of love.

"I listened to Rebecca Shaw talking about Jimmy and now she fears him.  She was in an abusive situation where she felt she had no power.  The situations are not the same but I understood how Rebecca felt.  I live in fear, trying to please her, to keep my marriage, to keep my kids.  I let myself lose any power I had because of the guilt I had for having the affair with you."

Sam's eyes darted down to the ground.

"I was not living just like Rebecca when she was with Jimmy.  So I left the situation."

"Where are you staying?"

"A Holiday Inn for now."

She found herself fumbling for words. "Are…did…do your kids know?"

"Yes.  They were crying last night."  He wiped a tear from his own face.

"Do you think you can go through with this?"

"I have to.  I'm not living Sam."

Silence filled the tensioned air.  Jack reached out and grabbed her hand in his own.  "If you want us to, we can be together.'

Her head was full of thoughts: he would probably move in since he was staying at a motel, they would be living together, that would be a huge step.

"Sam, what are you thinking?"  His eyes tried to read her emotions.

She would be like a step mom, taking the kids places, talking with them.

He squeezed her hand, growing nervous.  "Sam?"

After his divorce he would probably propose marriage: white gown, big wedding.  And then he would want more kids. 

"Samantha? What's the matter?"

It was too much too soon.  She wasn't ready for this.

"Sam? Talk to me."

"I can't do this Jack.  I can't be with you."

He had been afraid of this.  "You love me."

"I can't do this…I…"

"Please, don't say anything rash.  Let's just enjoy the rest of our time here."  Jack held his breathe.

"Look who's giving the orders now."  She got up.  He was still holding her hand.  "Let go."

Tears brimmed at his eyes.  "Please don't runaway from this, from us."

"Let go."

He did as instructed and watched her hail a cab and take off.

He covered his face with his hands.  It was never easy between them.

"You're here."  The driver said.

She handed him his money and got out.  A light was on upstairs, he was home.  She pushed the buzzer. It took what seemed forever for him to come to the door.

"Hey," he said opening it up, a smile on his lips.  "I wasn't expecting you."

"Hi, Ben."

He sat in his office the rest of the morning.  The idea of a hot dog so early in the day had been foolish- his insides were tossing and turning.  Or maybe that was because Sam had not returned to the office.  He knew where she was, what she was doing.  Ben Upton was one lucky bastard.  He didn't regret leaving.  As he had told her, he had done it for himself.  It was what he needed to do.

Vivian came in telling him about her interview with Kingsley's former guidance consoler.

"So James was unstable back then but his mom wouldn't listen."  She paused.  "You okay?"

"I left Maria last night."

Vivian nodded her head.  "I'm glad you finally made a decision."

"I'll tell Maria you approve."

"I don't know if I approve, I just want you to be happy.  The last few months you haven't been happy."

"I wonder sometimes if I'll ever be happy."

She touched his hand.  "I see it in your future."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

Samantha Spade stood there, coat still on.

"Ah, Viv…"

"I'm gone."  She left without a further word to either of them.

"Hey," Sam started.

"Don't act like nothings happened."

"I just…"

"I know where you were."

"Did you have me followed?"

"No, I know you."  He grabbed some papers off the desk just to have something to do so he wouldn't have to look at her.

"Jack, I need to tell you something."

"And what's that?"

"I'm scared."

His eyes left the papers and glazed up at her.

"I've never been in love…not until I met you.  I didn't know it would be so… consuming.  When you said you had left Maria, I panicked.  It was too much, too soon.  I'm sorry."

"What about Ben?" His mouth was dry.

"He's not you."

"Did you…" Never mind, he didn't want to know.

"I went to his place to…well to be with him, to get you off my brain but I ended up breaking up with him.  I'm tired of settling for second best."

"Sam, I don't know what to say." He wanted to ask what it meant for them.

"Don't say anything," she crossed the room, planting a kiss on his lips in full view of anyone walking by.  "I just need time, Jack.  Please give me time to be ready for this."

He pushed back her hair.  "I'll give you all the time you need."  He smiled.  "I don't think I've been happier."

She kissed him again.  "I better get out of here.  Enough of a show today for the office."

Before she left he called out to her.  "Sam?'

She turned and looked at him.  "Talk with a therapist."

She gave him a strange look.

"About Mr. Kingsley.  See about his emotion state and how we should approach him."

She smiled.  "Done."

He watched her leave.  He would give her all the time she needed, she was worth wanting for.

To be continued…