Title: Sins of the Past

Chapter: 5

Author: Evidence

Rating: PG-13

Author's Notes: Thanks to D for cheerleadering this along and all the positive encouragement from the wonderful Maple Street gang.

One day earlier...

Jack hung up the phone, sighing.  He proceeded out to the office area where his eyes first caught Sam's.  She smiled at him and took a place at the conference table next to Vivian.

"That was Harland.  Kingsley's mother took a turn for the worse last night.  She died early this morning."

"No justice for the Forfa's, huh?" Danny shook his head.  "She'll never pay for her crime."

"This will be hard for Kingsley- it is the only mother he has known," Vivian interjected.

"He's already unstable, could this send him over the edge?" Samantha wondered out loud.

"We need to be very careful with James Kingsley, he's a time bomb waiting to go off.  If we don't approach him just the right away..." Jack began.

"Boom," Samantha finished the statement.

"Yes," He smiled at her, not being able to help himself.  "Kingsley is on his way to Connecticut to set the funeral in motion.  He'll be back tomorrow, same day the DNA results should be in."

"So the lies all end tomorrow," Martin said not realizing the double meaning of his words for Jack and Samantha. 

"Yes, that's right," Jack answered.

Jack was planning to tell his daughters the next day about Sam and the place she would hold in his life, once she was ready to take that step.  He was filled with fear that they would dismiss him and want him to leave their lives like he had their mother. He couldn't let Sam go again and he felt he would eventually win back his children's trust.

"Today let's just get all of this paperwork set so we have a concrete file on this case.  Van Doran has been on my back about how unorganized some of us can be."  All the heads turned to look at him.  "Okay, I'm the biggest offender but...one of the privileges of being the boss."

Vivian, Martin and Danny returned their desks to type, sort and set up the Forfa/Kingsley file.  Jack had glanced back at Sam.  "I could use your assistance with some papers in my office; they are truly a mess."

"Sure...boss."  She said with a large grin.

She followed him to the glass encased office, the room of so many memories both good and bad.  Once the door had closed she asked him, "Why did you really want me to come in?"

"Not what you're thinking."

"Darn," she said with a laugh.

"I needed to talk to you out of earshot of the others."  He took a seat on the sofa in his office, Sam joining him.  "I am taking the girls out to dinner tomorrow and I am going to tell them about you.  I would like it if you would join us."  He fumbled with his fingers on his lap, suddenly unsure if this was the right decision. 

"Jack, I'm not ready to play mother to them."  She said it quietly.

"I don't want to lie to my kids.  I want them to know how my life is going to change...if you still want to be in it."

"I just need time."

"I know," he nodded his head, "It was just an idea I had.  Too soon, I realize that now." He looked down at his ring finger where the band use to be.

Sam placed her hand on top of his.  "I want to be with you, Jack but if we want it to last I need time to adjust.  This is all new for me.  Being...being in love." 

He smiled.  "I think it's new for me too.  Love this...deep."  He reached out his hand and put it to her cheek.  "This is all going to work out because it is right.  We are the right thing.  Not the wrong.  I should have never been married to Maria so long after our relationship became two strangers living in the same house."

She stared into his brown eyes.  "What time?"

"What?"

"What time for dinner tomorrow.  I'll be there."  She smiled nervously.

He returned the favor.  "7 at LePointe."

"Oh, the French restaurant. Fancy."

"Are you sure you want to come?"  He asked tentatively.

"I have to stop being afraid that something wonderful is going to go away.  I have already had it happen."

Jack looked at her questionably.

"You went back to Maria after the Mashburn incident."  A few errant tears rolled down her face.

"I'm so sorry." He wiped them away with his hand.

"Can we ever fully trust each other, Jack? You'll always be worried that I'll get scared and run.  And I'll wonder if you'll leave me for Maria."  She turned away from him.

He whispered in her ear.  "Trust our love for that has never been shaken.  We have always loved each other from the moment this became something more than a fling."  With that he kissed her neck sweetly.

The present...

"Run!" he was yelling at her but she was on her knees, everything becoming foggy.

Light burst in, followed by the sound of voices.  Voices she recognized but couldn't place.  And then everything, everything went black.

To be continued...