Chapter Six

Spoiler: AYNOHYEB

Vivian's POV

I remember the day that Jack came back from the seminar at Quantico. The smile that he wore was one like I had never seen him wear before. When I asked him why he was smiling he told me that he had just found the newest edition to our unit. He told me that her name was Samantha Spade and she was at the top of her class at Quantico, but not only did she have book-smarts but she also had street-smarts. She could handle herself just as well as any other Bearu officer that had been out in the field for at least five years.

At first I will admit that I had my doubts. A rookie fresh out of the academy. But Jack was sure that she could handle this, then I trust him. When he told me that she would be arriving within the week I began to prepare for her arrival.

When she first walked in the first thing that I saw was the blond hair, and then her beautiful face. At first I thought that might have been one of the reasons why Jack chose her, but as the weeks went on, I saw how many people underestimated her. I saw how she was able to handle herself.

In this job you learn never to judge a book by it's cover and your first impressions aren't always right, and that is what I did to Samantha and I felt guilty. So from then on out I took her under my wing and I made sure that no one made the same judgement mistake about her that I had. But as I started to watch Samantha more, I realized that I wasn't the only one. When we went out together to follow up on a lead guys would hit on her like there was no tomorrow, and she always ignored them and the attention that they gave her. But I also noticed that I wasn't only the suspects or the greasy criminals that gave Samantha attention, she was also being watched by Jack. She would crack a case, or figure out a way to get a suspect to talk and she would smile, but then Jack would say something or catch her eye and her smile would grow.

I guess you could say I knew about the affair before it really began. From the beginning there was always that special bond between them. There was something there, that if you weren't looking for it, it would pass you by.

Over the years Samantha and I became friends. We formed a friendship, an understanding. We were always constantly out numbered in this male dominated profession and we stood together.

When the OPR Investigation began I knew that Washington was out to get Jack. They had been after him and our unit for years. But I knew, I knew that they would go to any lengths to hit Jack where it hurt, and that meant Samantha, that meant the affair. If Washington caught wind that Jack was having or had an affair or relationship with an agent under his command then they would be fired, or at least moved to a different unit.

So when Farrell showed up I decided that I would protect them both to the end. The affair never affected their work, and I am sure that if you saw them together you would never think that they had been together. Well if you didn't know them.

Once Samantha was behind that closed door with Farrell I knew that he was going to ask her about Jack. Find one person who would say something bad about him, find that one person who was un loyal. I knew that Samantha would never go against anyone, especially Jack. So I guess when Farrell didn't get the answers that he wanted he threw in the boom, the twist, the secret, their affair.

When Samantha came out of the room I could tell by the shell shocked face that she wore that he had asked her about the affair. Made lies to fit his truths. I knew that she denied it to the end. It was their secret, their lives, and they would each take it to the grave.

So later when Jack came storming out of his office, and started to yell at Farrell I knew I had to step in. Do damage control. When I walked in their I had never seen Jack that angry before. His face held a look out hatred and disgust.

Later that day Samantha, Danny, and I tore up the papers that Farrell had us sign at the start of the Investigation. We told him what we through of him and then left. Not to long later I noticed that Samantha was missing and I had only one guess as to where she went.

A few hours later when they returned I noticed the looks on their faces. I knew that whatever was there, or whatever had been was officially over. They had ended what they had began. I knew that everything was about to change.

Gradually things returned to normal. The same subtle touches, mismatched looks. The little things. They all began to surface again.

And that was when all hell broke lose.

Barry Mashburn. When I found out what happened in the book store. Samantha shot with her own gun, Jack handling the hostage negotiations, and then trading his life for hers. I knew all the cover, and all the secretly that they tried so hard to protect was blown. VanDoren must have known. She isn't blind. She would stand by Jack through it all. She might not have agreed with every choice he made but she would always stand by him.

One thing I never understood though, was why Jack never visited Samantha in the hospital. Maybe he just felt that it was his fault that she was shot. Maybe he couldn't stand the thought of her almost dying. But whatever it was ate away at Sam. If I went to visit her with the boys her face would light up, but them dim again when she saw that he was missing.

She must have known that he would go back to his wife. He had a family. But you could see it on his face when she came back that first day. The smile that he wore when he saw her step off the elevator it was like he had been reborn. Without her around he was back to his old snappy self. She brought joy, and light to his life.

At first transaction coming back was hard. Jack didn't want her out in the field by herself. He was trying so hard to protect her. Eventually they started working together again, and everything seemed to be back to normal. But then Jack started staying later and later each night. Most of the time you could tell he wasn't even trying to get home. The color black doesn't work on everyone.

Jack started to become more and more distant. So one day I asked him what was wrong and he said that Maria had asked for a divorce. She couldn't stand his hours and wanted him to give up his job. He said he wouldn't give up his job, and they could still try. But she said it wasn't working and if he didn't quit then she wanted a divorce.

I knew it wouldn't be to long until Samantha found out. When she did I thought that the affair would begin again, but I was wrong. I don't think Jack told Samantha until she confronted him about it. Neither wanted a relationship at the time, but they started to get back on track together. They would have regular talks, go to lunch, diner. The friendship part of the relationship without the privileges.

Soon they both decided they wanted to step it up. Do the whole relationship thing the right way. About a year after Marie told Jack that wanted a divorce; Samantha and Jack went on their first real date, and it just evolved from there.

Two years later is how long, I think, that they were together before the Bearu said something, or just decided to take notice. But by then it was to late. Jack had proposed and they were going to get married. The Bearu said that they would look the other way if they would be able to keep their lives and jobs separate and they did.

On their wedding day I don't think that I had ever seen them happier. They looked so wonderful, and they just couldn't stop smiling. I don't think that you would ever meet a more happy couple.