"Yes...he doesn't bite, you can say anything."

"Ummm."

"It's true I don't bite."

"You see."

"I don't know. He's kind of difficult."

'I'm the toughest' Jack thought. He was laughing in the inside.

"For the way he talks I'd say he's very professional."

"Even someone who's not a profiler or even a student would know that. Come on, you can do better."

"He's allowed agent Johnson to know him and...you too."

"What else? Oh come on, tell me about his personality."

"He's not very communicative."

"Bingo!"

"Jack shut up. What else? Why the smile in your face?"

She didn't dare to say it out loud so she whispered into the other woman's ear. "He feels something for you?" Low, very low, but not low enough.

"Is that a question or a statement?"

"I don't know."

"It helps if I say everything you've said about me is true, right? Was it a statement?"

"Yes," she said gently.

"B...Sam."

"I go, I know."

Samantha went into the interrogation room and didn't look at the mirror. She stared into the girl's father's eyes and could tell his story...she didn't need to make him talk. But she had to, for Ann to tell.

(Outside, Jack and Ann)

"Don't be afraid just say it."

She hesitated.

"You were about to call her 'baby'."

"Yes I was."

"Is that why she didn't go back to the team...because there was something?"

"Part."

"Part?"

"There IS something, that's why."

"Oh."

"Don't play surprised, it doesn't work with me."

"And no-one knows about it? You two I mean."

"They all know."

"Then what's the problem?"

"We broke at least half a dozen rules."

"Why are you being so honest?"

"I have no reason not to."

"Your reputation...hers."

"I don't know, it doesn't feel wrong or inappropriate. Besides, just by looking into your eyes I can tell your story, what you're thinking, everything. I already know you."

Samantha had got out to hear Jack tell her that.

"Jack you're gonna scare her."

"Well, it's true. I can do it, so can you. And she will some day."

Five minutes before the two hours had passed the team was gathered around the conference table again, discussing opinion and facts. Soon after they decided their next move the four visitors left for the class.

"How many haven't finished the essay yet?"..."Good that's what I expected. Now Ann, Tony and Steven are gonna share with the rest of us what they learnt today. Ann, you first."

"I'd prefer to go next if that's okay."

"Sure. Steven."

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

"OK."

He reached in his bag for same notes he had been able to take. Then he took a deep breath and started.

"She took us downstairs so that we were able to meet the team: Danny Taylor, Vivian Johnson and Martin Fitzgerald who are agents under Jack Malone's command. I went with agent Taylor to do facts, data. It was kind of cool because he actually treated me like a person..."

"We do that a lot," Jack's loud voice left him silent, "treating people like people. I'm sorry to interrupt."

Sam waved Steven to go on with what he was saying and went to Jack, standing by the huge wooden door.

"What are you doing here?"

"A group you have eh."

"Yes."

"May called, said Caia has high temperature."

"Can you stay here? Just a while. Please, I'll be back in fifteen."

She pushed the swing door and left Jack, a total stranger, in front of her eighty lousy students.

Ann had watched the scene and also overheard the short conversation. She didn't feel she could speak with the man she was supposed to talk about there. It didn't feel comfortable talking at all. She made Tony speak hoping Samantha would be back by the time he finished. But seconds lasted minutes, and minutes lasted hours. He was over soon and it was her turn to talk, no choice.

Before starting, or even giving a hint that she would, she approached to Jack. But she was not able to say a word.

"Remember I don't bite...you're just learning from this," he whispered.

"What about what I..."

"Listen. You say what you learnt. What could be useful for the class."

"But..."

"Nothing, no buts. Didn't you learn what the consequences of breaking rules are?"

He could tell she was reserved as well. 'Not very communicative' she had called him, she wasn't much 'communicative' either. He let out a sigh and listened to the girl retell her two hours. 'She'll be good,' he thought.

"Not as good as me I presume."

Samantha had entered without making a single noise, carrying Caia asleep, and had stood behind him to murmur into his ear.

They spoke quietly so as not to catch the others' attention.

"Got the rest of the day off. Do you want me to take her?"

"Are you sure?"

"Hey, she's my baby too."

Just after saying this they became aware that Ann had finished her speech and that they had been heard. She blushed. He smiled. They were her students! They didn't need to know her personal life, not more that they did already. She should have thought about that before taking her daughter into the classroom. And Jack disappeared in the darkness of the corridor.

Samantha felt more that observed in the vast stillness of HER lecture room. She felt like the animals of the ZOO. She started to feel the heat run through her body. Little by little she was being burnt from the inside. She removed her black overcoat and placed it over a chair. Then she sat on the desk and looked shyly at the people in front, anticipating the blitz of questions.

And the tension didn't last much. She had to say something.

"Shut."

And the explosives went down on her as she analyzed each of them.

"Who was that?"

"Why did you go?"

"Was the girl your daughter?"

"Why did you blush?"

"I knew it!!! Totally...it makes sense...the hole thing. Every look and every comment. I knew it," Steven said at last.

"OK OK don't get so excited you Steven. Don't make it seem bigger than it is."

"And I don't think that's the worst of it."

"Oh Tony, shut up," both Samantha and Ann yelled.

"So there IS more there."

"OK let's get things straight here. I don't have any trouble in clarifying this but I won't do it now." Samantha was sounding professional, like the best teacher they'd ever had. Somebody with authority, finally someone to whom they showed respect.

It were three months since she had started there, and no subject was touched rather than studies. Not any more since that day in which she said that she would straight thing out but not there. No-one even tried to take 'private life' in a conversation, in or out class hours.

She felt good. Life felt good. Being with Jack felt good. Living with the man she loved felt good. Not being afraid of being seen in public felt good. Not having to listen to complaints about Maria felt good. Not having obstacles felt good. Not having to hide her feelings felt good. Teaching felt good. In fact, life didn't feel good, it felt great.