Chapter Fourteen

A/N: Special thanks to Sunreyes for all the help and the idea for this next chapter.

A/N2: Pre-Piolet.

..::~*Flashback*~::..

"Everyday we see people, and families on the worst day of their lives. Some cases are harder to put away to store in the back of our minds and others come home safely. Not all endings are like that out of a fairy tale. Some people come home to their knight and shining armor, and some don't come home at all. Life is something that you can't take for granted. Every person has to learn that in their own place and time. Some will learn it at a young age and other will learn it as they age. To each their own," said Jack as he addressed his whole team, all but Sam. "Come one guys lets go around the corner and get something to drink."

Looking around the table he caught the faces of all of his team members, his friends. Each and everyone of them looked as though they had just run the obstacle corse at Quantico. They were all wearing faces of tiredness, and disgust. Each case was hard in it's own sense, but the cases that involved children were the hardest to deal with, especially when they don't find them alive.

Lindsay Evans was a case that wasn't going to leave any of them soon. Jack needed to lighten the mood, he needed to bring everyone out of the cloud of darkness that had surrounded the office like a sheet of ice. "Okay! I said everyone up! Lets go," he shouted. "Now where is Sam, she is coming with us." They all just shot each other looks. "Well where is she?" he asked, looking from person to person.

"She is in your office," said Danny. "She has been in there for over an hour waiting for you to go in. She said that she needs to talk to you."

"Okay. You all go to Oais, we will be there in a few minutes," said Jack as he turned to go to his office.

"Sam," he said as he opened the door. "Danny said that you needed to talk to me. Is something wrong?" he asked. And that is when he noticed that her eyes were stained red, and her cheeks were wet with tears. "Sam, what is it? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Jack," she said, wiping away her tears. "I don't know what it is. But whenever we don't find them, or we can't bring them back to their families, I fell like I haven't done my job. I feel like I haven' done the best job that I could have. I feel like I have don't everything in my power to change the outcome. And I hate that feeling."

"Sam you have to understand. We did everything we could. Sometimes in this job we have to take the good with the bad. But think of the times that we are able to find them alive to the times that we don't. Think about that feeling that you get when you realize that you did that. You made that mother smile when her baby girl was returned to her. You helped make that happen. When the outcome isn't what you wanted it to be you just have to learn how to look past it and be prepared for whatever life throws at you," he said looking at her with sad eyes. "Come on. We are all going to Oais to get some drinks. Come with us. You can't stay here alone."

"Okay then, I'll go home," said Sam.

"Oh no you don't. Your coming with me, and your not leaving my side until I say that you can go home," Jack said in his don't-mess-with-me-voice.

"Fine," said Sam. "But not a word of my crying to the guys. Or else I would never be able to live it down."

"My lips are sealed," said Jack as they made their way to the elevators.

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Ten minutes later they were walking through the door of Oais.

"Jack! Sam! Over here!" Yelled Danny, waving his arm in the air to single where he and Vivian were sitting. It was at a large booth in the back of the bar. Vivian and Danny were sitting on one side so that left the other side for Jack and Sam. He let her slide in first, as Danny waved the waitress over so that they could order their drinks.

After a few drinks Vivian decided that it was way past time to call it a night. "Okay you guys, I'm gonna turn in. I want to go home and see Reggie."

"Okay," said Danny.

"Night Viv," said Jack, with the echo of Sam.

"I think I am going to call it a night also," said Danny, preparing to leave."I have a meeting I need to be at in the morning."

"Is that the reason why you didn't have anything to drink tonight?" asked Jack.

"Yea, it is," said Danny proudly. "Night guys. Don't stay up to late guys."

"Night," said Jack.

"Come on Sam. Let me help you to your car," he said, moving to help her stand.

"Get off Jack. I can get to my car myself," she said beginning to protest his hand around her waist steading her on her feet, and trying to ignore the feeling that it shot though her body and the contact. "I can make it. It isn't that far of a walk back to the office. I am sure that I can make it without a problem."

"Okay, then. But I am heading back that way anyway, so you can guard me," he said. Keeping his arm locked around her waist. Truth was, it may have been helping her to stand, but he also loved the feeling of holding her in his arms.

"Fine. But only because you are going that way also," she said, as they started to walk towards the bar's door.

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As they neared the garage Jack started to wonder if anyone was still in the building. It was past 11 o'clock on a Friday night, he highly doubted it. So he didn't feel the need to watch out for that un-professional distance that Sam and he were keeping. On the way to the garage they had stopped for an occasional kiss. The first time that it had happened Sam had tripped and Jack looked down to help her, and as she looked up their lips made contact. Neither one had moved to either increase the pressure or pull away. It was awkward for a minute between them, but after a few steps they kissed again, this time on purpose. This had been happening all the way back to the garage.

When they reached Sam's car, Jack shoved her back against it, and kissed her hard. This time not leaving any time for a second thought. For once he wanted to act on instinct and not on the right way. And giving in was so worth it. Sam matched his passion kiss for kiss. And as his hand started to untuck her shirt and found it's way underneath and was slowly moving upward she was not about to stop him.

"Is it time for me to go home yet?" she asked through the fog that was slowly starting to take over her brain.

"Yes it is," said Jack kissing her again.

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Another day, another week, and another child lost to the evils of the world. I don't know why I chose this job. After all I could have been anything. But I chose this one. The one job that I knew would cause me heartbreak and pain. It's just time to go home, and spend time with my family.

Closing my office door, I make my way to the parking garage. Climbing into the elevator and punching my floor I wait for the doors to open until I make my way to my car not really paying attention to what is going on around me. As I look up trying to remember where I parked my car I catch sight of some movement in the corner of my eye. Turning to see what it was I never expected to see what I saw.

Up against the side of a car was Special Agent Spade and Agent Malone. I turned just in time to see Jack's hand disappear up Samantha's shirt. Quickly I looked away, so that I would not see anymore.

Monday I am going to have to talk to Jack.

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Monday Morning

I've been called in VanDoren's office this morning. I can't think of anything that I have done in the past few days that I could have done wrong. Nothing has been different over the last few days except.... No. She couldn't have. No way would she have been able to see us on Friday night. No. It can't be.

"Agent Malone, please come in," she calls from her office.

"You wanted to see me?" I ask uneasily closing the door and taking a seat across from her at her desk.

"Yes I did. Do you have any idea why?" she asks and I shake my head. "Well wouldn't you know it. Friday night coming out of the office I was on my way to my car and guess what I happened to see."

"Paula, please. It was the first time, and it will never happen again."

"Damn right it will never happen again. I don't need to tell you the dangers and the damage that you could do to yourself and to Agent Spade if this ever got out. You both could drag your careers to the grave, and I would hate to see that happen," she said.

"I am sorry, I really am."

"I know. Which is why I am choosing to ignore this. For now. But if I see that your jobs are effected in anyway then it's good-bye, and you know I would have to do that to you Jack."

"I know," I said standing up preparing to leave. As I reach the door I hear VanDoren say.

"As long as it stays out of the office, I don't see why you can't continue you "relationship" outside of the office."

"What are you---" but she cuts me off before I can finish.

"I am not saying what you are doing is right but, ever since Samantha has joined the unit you have been happier, more lively. I missed that aspect of you. You might not want to admit it, but she made you live again."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome, Jack. But don't let this come back and bite me in the ass."

"I won't. I promise," I said leaving.

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I walk back into the BullPen and I look around. I stand there in the middle of the room, really watching everything that is going on. Taking in all that is going on around me, and then I catch sight of Samantha walking in from the elevators this huge smile on her face, cup of coffee in one had and is ready to face the coming day no matter what the outcome and I decide that today is the day that really matters.

All is right in the world and I couldn't be happier.