Title: Touchstone

Chapter: 9

Author: Evidence

Rating: PG-13

Author Notes: Thanks to D and the gang at Maple Street. One chapter left- whew.

Thomas's mouth went dry. Good news and bad news, that's what the doctor had said. "Please tell me the good news first."

The doctor nodded his head. "Shauna is still pregnant with your child."

"Pregnant?" A smile appeared on Thomas's lips, "Oh God. I...Sam I'm going to be a dad."

Samantha held on to his hand. "You'll make a wonderful dad."

The joy that entered Thomas's heart was stalled by the realization that there was bad news looming. "Okay now tell me the bad news."

"Shauna's life is going to change and her pregnancy complicates it. She lost a good deal of blood, which may affect the baby when it's born. Right now it has left Shauna very weakened and susceptible to other problems. I want her to quit work and stay home mostly for the next few months until she heals and has the baby."

Thomas's mind was already churning. "That's okay doctor. Shauna will move in with me, I'll take care of her and the baby- she won't have to do a thing."

Samantha asked, "Will she eventually fully recover?"

The doctor smiled, "With time and love, yes I believe she will."

+++++

The rest of the day moved quickly along. Franklin Podena's reign of terror seemed to be at an end again at least for the present time. The city went back to it's normal routine- as normal as it could be given the circumstances. And in the chaos of the city, at one hospital five souls dealt with the future.

Martin's guilt was still weighing on his conscious. He had a need to upload unnecessary burdens on himself and hadn't acquired yet the ability to let them go. He was sad, lonely and miserable. He didn't have Samantha; he didn't have an important role at work- he was just floating through life trying to be like everyone else. Trying to be charismatic and a good boss like Jack. Trying to be full of life like Danny. But all he could be was Martin. The plain potato chip compared to the barbeque or cheddar ones. Given the choice everyone always would go for the more exotic ones- not the plain, old, nothing special. Did he need to be someone else to be happy? He wondered but how does one go about being someone else? He had tried that and failed. He couldn't compete with the others. And that was when he knew what he must do.

++++

Meanwhile Samantha's head was leaning on Jack's shoulder in the hospital waiting room. She was nearly asleep, listening to Jack's breath and feeling his warmth penetrate through his shoulder to her face. She only felt at peace when she was like this. She nearly missed something he said- her mind was half asleep.

"When the divorce is done I want to share a place with you."

Her eyes flittered open, "Jack what did you say?"

Jack kissed the top of her head. "I want to move in with you. I want us to start building a real life together. And I want it happen soon."

Samantha lifted her head and turned to gaze into his eyes. "My apartment is small but..."

"Maybe we can get a place together- a new place, a fresh start for us." He pushed back her hair with his hand just as he did the day on the bench when he said it was over. Except this time it wasn't over, it had just begun.

"I like that Jack," she said with a huge smile. Part of her still worried that something or someone would upset the apple cart but she knew she needed to enjoy the gift of being together now.

His lips touched hers and they kissed passionately but with reserve for they were in a public place.

"Remember what Tommy said a while ago?" Jack asked breathing into her ear.

"What's that?" She whispered back.

"A jack and spade belong together just like in a deck of cards."

They both laughed at the absurdity of the statement.

++++

Thomas smiled down upon Shauna. She looked so small- test tubes hooked up to her, her small frame nested under the layers of blankets. He ran his fingers along her arm. She wouldn't awaken for another few hours but he couldn't resist touching her flesh.

"I love you," he said even though he knew she couldn't hear him. "You are my Juliet, my Jane. My life didn't begin until I met you and without you in it, it would end. I'll take care of you; protect you as much as I can from sonic waves and Podena. I promise to take care of our baby even if alien genes might have been implanted in it. I'm yours forever, Shauna."

++++

Franklin Podena looked at the paper placed in front of his nose with disdain and some amount of unbelievable shock.

"She's alive Podena and so is Samantha. You're plan, bud, failed," Danny said cracking a smile.

Vivian added, "You used innocent people to set up your fiasco. You killed twenty and maimed 13 all for revenge. But you didn't get what you really wanted. I wonder how that makes you feel?" Vivian felt like throttling the physco herself.

The reality of the failure once again sank into him. "It was the people I asked, they missed this up, the piss ants. The nest time I won't lose."

"Oh, Franklin," Danny began, "There won't be a next time. From know on you don't get any visitor unless they are wearing a badge- a police or FBI badge."

Podena tried to grab at the young agent but the ropes that held his arms kept him far away.

"Have a nice night," Danny said with a laugh.

"Sweet dreams of your future in hell," Viv called out to him as she left behind Danny.

Podena would have cried if he had tears left inside of him. This is the worst day of my life, he said to himself. He didn't know how worse it was going to get when three weeks later he awoke one morning to find a gun pointed at his face.

"You..." was the first word he was able to get out of his suddenly dry mouth.

To be continued...