Sorry that this 4th chapter has taken so long. Thanks to everyone for their great feedback.

I would like to especially thank Naomi for her great edits.

Please let me know what you think. I am not sure if I am going to continue with another chapter. Opinions would be great.

Sam sat outside in the ambulance bay thinking about the past few days. After arriving back in Chicago; things had been going pretty smoothly. With Luka's help, they had quickly moved everything back into the apartment. She went to Kerry to ask for her job back. She would not have succeeded though, if not for Luka. Thank God for Luka. He had put in a good word for her to Kerry and got some added support from Carter. Plus, she hadn't heard from Steve and she didn't know if that was good or bad. But in all honesty, she was at a point where it didn't bother her one way or the other.

Then in the span of a 15 minute conversation all hell had broken loose. God, when would she learn to control her mouth? It had happened that morning. Alex had already left for school and Sam was fixing some coffee for herself and Luka, who had spent every night there since their return.

"I start my shift an hour later then you, but I was thinking that I would just go in when you do." Sam was saying as she poured two cups of coffee for herself and Luka.

"You want to go in an hour earlier then your scheduled shift? What can't stand to be away from me that long?" Luka replied in a joking voice, taking his coffee from Sam and giving her a kiss on her lips."

"Well, we're just a little full of ourselves this morning." She replied with a smile. "Actually I just don't want to stay here alone if I don't have to."

"Are you afraid Steve may show up?"

"No. What brought that up?" Sam asked, truly perplexed

Luka ignored the questions and began to ask Sam something that has been on his mind for a while, "Sam, I been thinking and I was wondering if you and Alex would like to come live with me. My place is closer to both work and Alex's school. We could figure out a way to create another bedroom. Plus, you and Alex would be safe there... safe from Steve."

Sam gave Luka a stunned look, "We would be safe?" She murmured as she turned and walked over to the sink. "Is that what all this was about? You playing hero?"

"No, no, that's not what I meant, it's just..." he started to explain.

"You know Luka I am not some damsel in distress. I have been taking care of myself and Alex for a long time now...way before I met you. If that is the only reason you can think of for wanting us to live together then forget it." Sam yelled with hurt and anger mingled in her voice. "Listen, I changed my mind I'll wait until later to go into work. I'm going to go take a shower, just lock the door when you leave." With that said, Sam went to the bathroom slammed the door and put the shower on full blast. After a few minutes she heard the faint sound of the front door shut. Only then did she allow herself to cry over her own stupidity.

A familiar presence brought he back to the present. "You on a coffee break?" Luka asked trying to break some of the tension. "Nah. I put vodka in here on special days." He gave her a smile and sat down next to her. "You know when I asked you about all of us living together; I wasn't trying to be any kind of hero." Sam wasn't sure how to reply. She knew that she should apologize for her behavior, but she was just too embarrassed at the moment, so she remained silent.

Luka shifted slightly, and Sam could tell from the look on his face that he had something important to say. "I asked you to move in with me because I love you. I'm in love with you, and maybe... I don't know, maybe you feel the same."

Sam was rendered speechless. She wasn't sure that she heard him right, God she hoped she did though. "Did you just say that?" she said not realizing she spoke out loud.

Luka took Sam's hands, "I've spent too much time wasting time. So whenever you're ready, let me know."

Sam was about to respond, but that instant an ambulance pulled up. After that the day just flew by with patient after patient. Sam never had a moment to speak privately with Luka. Hours later she was outside helping a patient into a cab when she spotted Luka waking towards the garage, his shift already over.

"Luka!...Luka wait!", Sam yelled running towards him. Luka stopped in his tracks when he heard Sam's voice and turned around to face her. "Is something wrong?" he asked "No, it's just... I need to talk to you." There was a tone in Sam's voice unfamiliar to Luka that caused a slight chill down his spine. "What did you need to say?" Luka spoke almost in a whisper Sam looked at Luka and forgot everything that she rehearsed earlier. Standing in front of him, looking into his eyes, she was almost to nervous to tell him her feelings. She knew this was going to be hard but she underestimated just how hard it would be standing in front of him face to face. But for the first time in her life both her head and her heart were in total agreement, so she let it spill out.

"What you said to me earlier...about being in love with me and thinking that I feel the same. Well, I just wanted to talk you about that so that there are no misunderstandings. That we are both on the same page."

All Luka could do was nod an o.k.

"Well," Sam started to say unable to keep eye contact with Luka. "I want, no I need you to know that I don't feel the same, that ..." She wasn't able to continue because as soon as those words left her mouth Luka immediately turned around and started to walk away.

"Luka, where the hell are you going?" Sam asked as she caught up to him and pulled him around to face her.

"Listen Sam," Luka said, sounding irritated, "I know what your going to say. 'Luka you're a great guy but you deserve someone who can give you what I can't right now', or 'I can't love you the way you deserved to be loved' or my favorite 'It's not you it's me.'"

Sam reached up and gently placed her hands on the sides of Luka's face. "Will you shut up and please let me finish," she said gently. Taking her hands from his face, she grabbed both of his and held them tightly. Looking into his eyes she started to explain,

"Like I was saying, I don't feel the same because what I feel for you is something more than love. How you make me feel about myself, about my life is unlike anything that I have ever experienced. You have helped me achieve a type of happiness that I never dreamed possible . . . you showed me how to love Luka and how to be loved," Sam stopped and just looked at this man, who in a relatively short period of time had become such a huge part of her life.

Still holding on to his hands, Sam started to get a little nervous when Luka didn't say anything. She had been scared and feeling a little bit vulnerable about revealing the true depth of her emotions. She knew what she felt for him was by far greater then what he felt about her, but that was expected. He already had his great love, but he was her first and definitely last great love. Sam had decided that whatever love he could give her would be enough.

Sam could see the effect of words in his eyes. He gently pulled her into a hug and just held her.

Still within his embrace, Sam broke the silence, "Luka I know that you don't quite feel as much as I do, but it's o.k....."

"Shhhhhh" Luka said pulling slightly away from the embrace placing his finger on Sam's lips. "You're wrong. I feel exactly the same way you do. You're just better with words then I am." He placed his palm on her cheek and gently rubbing her bottom lip with his thumb.

"Luka, you don't have to say that. I am o.k. with all that you are able to give me. You had a life before me filled with love and happiness. I understand that part of your heart will always belong there. You already had your first love. I just wanted you to know that you are mine. I know I have a part your heart, but I needed you to know that you will always have all of mine."

"First of all Sam, I am not just saying this to make you feel better. Your right, I did experience my first love with my wife. I experienced my first everything with her, but when my family died so did the person that I had been. I became a completely different after their deaths. Only after I met you did I begin to return to the person I used to be. I was reborn with you. You brought me back." Luka cupped her face in his hands and looked directly into her eyes. "Don't you understand Sam? You taught me how to love and be loved again."

Luka leaned down and kissed Sam with passion and strength she only believed possible in romance novels. Sam could feel the strength of his emotions engulf her. She was never one to believe in the girlish fantasies of true love or soul mates, but standing in front of this man who she could not envision a life without, she became a believer.

As they pulled away from their kiss, Luka wiped away the tears of joy that had streamed down Sam's face. In return Sam did the same for Luka.

"So," Luka said without releasing her from their embrace, "...does this mean that you may be open to the idea of you and Alex moving in with me."

"On one condition." Sam said placing her hands on his chest.

"Anything" Luka replied as he gently ran one hand up and down her back while the other one was stroking her cheek.

"A new place. Nothing fancy. But if we are all going to live together we will need something bigger then your apartment."

"I already thought of that. I kind of started talking to a realtor about houses." he said with a shy smile. Sam was beyond excited about the prospect of starting a new life with Luka and Alex in a new home, their home. She hadn't lived in a house since she was a child.

"I can't believe you did that. You're one pretty confident guy" she said with laughter in her voice.

Luka looked at her and in all seriousness said, "I don't know about confident, but I was pretty damn hopeful."

Reluctantly Sam pulled herself out of Luka's embrace, "I better get back and finish my shift before Kerry regrets hiring me back." She reached up and gave Luka a kiss that held promises of a very special night.

"I'll see you when you get home." Luka said as he started to back away towards his car.

"Luka," Sam called grabbing his shirt and pulling him back you her.

"Yes."

"I love you."

"I love you too Sam."