"Well, goodnight and have a happy new year," I tell him, slipping out of the car and making my way up to my front door, waiting for Eva to answer it.

*****

"Samantha," I see her face light up as she greets me with open arms and a hug. "I missed you," she tells me sincerely.

"Yeah, I could have used you around the past couple of days."

"What happened?" She takes my hand, ushering me to sit down on the sofa beside her.

"So much," I whisper. "Why aren't you out on New Year's Eve?" I question.

"I didn't really have anyone to go with and being alone really isn't any fun." She lets out a sigh and eyes me. "Tell me about your trip; start from the beginning."

I let out a sigh and two hours later finish telling her the final details of my conversation with Jack in the car.

"Wow," she whispers, running her hand over her tired face. "And he went home to her?"

"Yeah," I nod sadly. "I don't know what to do anymore."

"Do you love Martin?"

"Love," I repeat in a soft whisper and shake my head. "No," I answer. "I care about him like I did any of the guys I was with, but I just don't feel what I did with Jack."

"How are you going to deal with Martin tomorrow?"

"Do what Jack said, forgive and forget while at work, but I won't allow myself to open up to him---not again."

"And what about opening up to someone else?"

"I'm telling you this, aren't I?"

"I meant another guy," Eva quips.

"In time, I will," I answer. "Right now I think I need a break from the male species."

"Don't we all?" she laughs softly.

"I thought you never had a boyfriend," I eye Eva curiously.

"I've gone out on dates; nothing ever came of it, though," she tells me. "I guess you could say I felt the same way you did with Martin. Interested in being friends, but I wasn't at a point in my life where I wanted to feel needed." Eva gently takes my hand. "I mean that in a sincere way."

"I know," I nod with a sad smile. "It's late," I eye the clock. "I haven't eaten anything in quite a while."

"Want me to order a pizza?"

I cringe at the thought of any more takeout. "Did you save the leftovers?" I question.

"From dinner? Yeah, there's some food in the fridge. Help yourself." Eva tells me, and I stand up, grabbing something to eat.

Eva joins me at the table while I start in on the food.

"Can I give you my opinion?"

"I'm not sure I want it, but go ahead." I tell her, taking a bite of my food and listening in.

"Jack's marriage is obviously crumbling. If his wife called you to check up on him and is nagging him relentlessly," Eva lets out a soft breath, "it's only a matter of time."

"I don't think so," I shake my head softly. "He wouldn't let her go."

"He let you go," she points out. "I don't mean anything by it, but he won't have a choice when she hands him the divorce papers."

"She's not going to do that."

"What makes you say that?" Eva eyes me seriously.

"She needs him as much as he needs her."

"Did he tell you that?"

"No," I whisper, "I sort of figured as much. They cling to each other, or else why are they still together," I state.

"You mentioned he's got kids. Is he worried what they'll think of him? Or maybe he thinks he'll lose custody or only see them on holidays."

"He wouldn't stay married for the sake of his children," I state more to myself than to Eva. "Would he?" I question the idea aloud. If he is, then there really is no chance of us ever getting back together because he would never want to hurt his children and neither would I.

I finish my plate and clean up the dishes. "I'm going to head for bed." Eva eyes me, "Don't worry too much about seeing Martin tomorrow. If anything, he's the one who should feel uncomfortable after what he said to you. You deserve someone better." She gives me a hug goodnight and I turn off the lights, heading into my own bedroom.

I slip on my pajamas and climb into bed, listening to the wind whipping against the windows. I close my eyes, hoping to dream of being in Jack's arms and know even if I can't have him, at least I can live in my dreams.

I toss and turn all night, having only one dream I vaguely remember and that is of Jack crying. As I awaken in the morning from the alarm clock, I roll out of bed, groggy as ever.

I head into the shower, waking myself up and I quickly get dressed to head into the office for an hour or two, to look things over.

I leave Eva a note, telling her I needed the car but we'd try to work something out for when she finds a job, even if it's mass transit.

I make my way into work, seeing Jack glancing over a file. "Sam," he catches my attention and I head towards him. "I still never got your report from the Harris case."

I groan out, remembering I never did it but Martin managed to write something up. I feel awful going to Martin for it, so instead I head to my computer. "I'll work on it now," I tell him, pulling out the file from my desk drawer and typing as quickly as I can.

"Now?" Jack's eyes stare at me as he follows me to the computer.

I let out a sigh, chewing on my lower lip. "I can't work on it with you staring over my shoulder, Jack."

Less than an hour later, I head into Jack's office with the report in hand. "You wanted this," I remind him, dropping it on his desk in front of him. He's staring into oblivion and I watch his face as he barely recognizes I've stepped foot into his office. "Jack?"

He glances up, startled to see I've come inside. "Sorry," he glances down at the file I've put in front of him. "This is it?"

"Yeah, pretty much," I answer. "Jack, did you sleep at all last night?" I eye him and see the dark circles and the wrinkled suit.

"Yeah, but not comfortably."

"What happened?" I take a seat across from him, giving him my full attention.

"Maria---" he pauses shaking his head "---things still aren't going well between us."

"You were home early," I remind him and he laughs at the words.

"That I was."

"Did something happen, Jack?"

He nods with closed eyes before looking into mine. "She offered to take Hannah to her friend's place for New Year's Eve. I handed her my car keys and when she got in, Hannah found your scrunchie. When she got home, she asked if we slept together. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't lie to her, so I told her the truth. She thought it was worse to have held you than to have slept with you," he laughs at the words as they slip from his tongue. "We probably shouldn't even be having this conversation here," he states. "She kicked me out, Samantha."

"Did you go to a hotel?" I question.

"I wanted to but I didn't figure there'd be any vacancies," he shakes his head, "I came by the office; been here all night."

"Jack, no wonder you look like hell. You need some sleep."

"I know," he nods, running his hand along his forehead and through his hair. "I can't go home, though, and a hotel is just so."

"Lonely?"

"Official," he whispers. "It just reminds me that my marriage is doomed."

"It's not," I offer him the kind words, leaning towards him to rest my hands above his, that now rest on the desk. "You can take my keys and go sleep at my place for a few hours. I can only offer you my bed, because Eva is in the guestroom."

"Sam, I can't."

"Jack, we're friends," my eyes meet his. "You need your sleep, and you're the only one who can manage the team, and keep us all in order," I tease.

"Yeah," his voice is thick and gruff.

I slide my keys from my pocket, pulling off my house key. "Take it," I tell him. "Just try not to scare Eva if she's home."

"Sam," his voice breaks and I know he's trying to think of a logical reason why he can't go into my bed, even if it's without me. His mind isn't working logically now, though, because of the lack of sleep and the emotional toll he's enduring.

"Jack, let me help you." I hand him the key, placing it into his palm. "We can manage a few hours without you here."

He nods, running his hand along his face and eyeing the key. "You're right," he whispers and lets out a soft breath. "I called the rest of the team in for today. I know they're all going to hate me for it." Jack's eyes glance into mine, "will you be okay?" he eyes me.

"Of course," I laugh softly. "I can deal with Martin---no sweat," I reassure him, helping him with his coat. "Can I give you money to take a cab to my place?" I offer. "I'm worried about you driving under this condition."

"I'm just tired."

"Please," my eyes meet his and he nods.

"I have money," he answers. "You don't need to pay for me. I can handle the bill; after all, you're giving me a place to crash."

"Tell me about it," I laugh softly. "Pretty soon I'll have to start charging rent. I could make a decent income," I tease.

"Yeah, you could," his voice is thick and his words sound slightly slurred. I know he gets this way when he's incredibly tired.

"I'll see you later. Get some sleep," I tell him, before watching him leave the office. I feel my heart sink slightly that he's going to sleep in my bed, alone. Too bad I can't be there to help him fall asleep, although I'm fairly sure he's halfway there already.

I head out into the office to see Viv eyeing me. "Where'd Jack go?"

"Rough night," I answer. "He didn't sleep, so he went to catch a couple hours now."

Vivian nods, figuring out the reason is Maria and probably me. I don't have to tell her anything more. She knows when not to interfere and when to figure things out for herself.

"Samantha," I see Martin making his way over, nodding towards me. "How was your night?"

"Good," I answer soundly. "Eva's glad to have some company again," I tell him.

Danny joins us over by the conference table. "I got the DNA results for your roommate," he quips. "I found her father, and you're not going to believe who he is." I eye Danny to continue. "Her supposed uncle," he informs us. "The one who was thought to have killed her Aunt Carol. Except here's the clincher: his blood and alibi saved him from a life in prison. Want to know whose blood was at the scene?"

"Eva's?" I question momentarily stunned by this revelation.

"That is correct," he nods, tossing me the file and the match of DNA from the scene.

"So she killed Carol Hunter?" I question, putting my hand to my forehead. "There must be some confusion."

"We can't say who killed her for certain, just that her blood was found in the hallway."

"So, she might have been a witness," I state with a soft breath.

"Either way, we need to bring her in," Vivian points out. "Do you want me to go with you, Samantha? Someone should accompany you to speak with her."

"I can handle her," I assure them, pulling on my coat and grabbing my car keys.

"I can tag along," Martin offers, his eyes looking pathetic as he tries to reason with me.

"Danny, why don't you come," I suggest. "I just think he's better suited for this, seeing as the circumstances and how she lost her family," I point out, not wanting to hurt Martin's feelings. I still slightly care for him, just not to any intensity that I did and still do with Jack.

Danny follows me down to the car and takes a seat beside me. "What happened to Jack?"

"I sent him to get some rest."

"Oh," Danny eyes me.

"You should know, though, that Maria wanted him out and he slept at the office last night. So I offered him my bed while we're working."

"Samantha."

"Don't," I eye him seriously as I pull out of the parking garage. "I'm not making anything out of this," I tell him. "I'm just being a supportive friend."

"He couldn't have come to Martin, Viv, or me?"

"He didn't come to me," I state. "I went to him with the report and he was zoned out. I could tell he hadn't slept at all last night. When he confided in me, I offered him a key to my apartment to let him crash for a few hours."

Danny nods and glances towards me. "I just don't want to see you disappointed again, Samantha."

"I know," I nod softly, "don't worry about me." I tell him as we pull in front of my apartment.