Disclaimer in part 1

Part 3

He seen the two of them walk in over an hour ago and sit down with the couple that walked in a few minutes earlier. That was a little over an hour ago. It seemed that she just met the other couple, but she was getting along perfectly with them. That was the one thing Sam got from her mother. The type of person that once you met her, you couldn't hate her no matter how hard you tried. He decided to let her know he was there, although a voice in the back of his head told him not to because of his semi drunken state. He got up from his stool and headed over to the booth she was sitting at. When he got close enough he made his presence known.

"Sam, what the hell are you doing here?" he yelled, louder that he actually had to. He noticed her back stiffen slightly and three pairs of eyes darted between the two.

"I could ask you the same thing." she countered.

"Can I have a word?" he asked, "in private?"

She started to get up from the seat when Jack stopped her. "Sam?" he questioned.

"It's okay. I'll be back in a few." she said, and then assured him with a light kiss on his lips.

They walked to the bar in silence. Mark was the first to break it.

"So, let me ask my question again."

"Don't start giving me a lecture, Mark. You're only nineteen yourself and who is the one that actually drunk?" She started to walk away, but he stopped her.

"What are you doing with them anyway? Especially him. Guys his age only want one thing." he said. She got herself out of his grip and started walking away. "Believe me, Sam."

She stopped in her tracks. She could see Jack, Kowalski, and Janet keeping a watchful eye on her. She turned around to stare at her brother.

"Believe you? Tell me Mark, how the hell and I supposed to do that? The last couple of thing you've said and promised haven't happened. You said you'd always be there for me the night of her funeral. You said if I ever needed to talk you would be there. Were have you been, Mark? Huh? The only time I ever see you is when we move." She took a breath to calm herself, realizing she was near a yell. Luckily the music was drowning it out. "I can't even take your word or dad's for that fact. Every mission he has a chance at he takes. You both disappear for days sometimes weeks on end, leaving me alone. You're both the same, whether you like to admit it or not." She saw the anger flash through his eyes and knew she hit a sore spot. She felt a slap across her face. Her hand went to the burning on her cheek.

"Don't compare me to him. I'm nothing like him." Mark yelled. Sam felt a hand on her arm to see the three standing behind her. Mark continued, "Get the fuck away from her. This is between us. Go back to your table and find another slut to screw you."

She flinched at his words. He knew about the guys she hangs out with. He knew her track record, about how almost every time they moved she had someone new. Although sometimes nothing happened at all, he still had his suspicions. She knew it was the alcohol speaking and not really his brother. She was brought out of her thoughts by Jack's voice.

"Look buddy, I don't know who you are or how you know Sam, but when you hit her you involved her friends. That's enough to press charges."

"Press charges?" Mark repeated, looking at Jack and then at Sam. "You found yourself a real knight in shining armor, haven't you, Sam? That's always what you wanted though, ever since you were a little girl and she started reading you those damn fairytales. That's all they were though, fairytales." He looked at Jack, Charlie, Janet then back at Sam. Confusion in three out of the four pair. He leaned in so his mouth was near her ear. "Mom thought she was living a fairytale and look how that ended." he whispered. He pulled back and looked right into her eyes. He seen the tears there, but she was blinking them back not letting them fall. "Have a nice life Sam." he said in his normal voice, the anger there seconds before disappeared. "Hope your fairytale ends better than hers."

[Have a nice life?] Sam thought. She realized Mark was walking away. She turned to Jack, "Just give me a few more minutes with him, alone." She ran after Mark before Jack had a chance to protest.

"You sure that it's okay leaving her alone with him after what we just saw?" Charlie Kowalski asked.

"Don't worry. If he lands another hand on her, he'll be sorry."

Sam caught up with her brother and put a hand on his arm to stop him. They were the Sam height, Sam not even a half an inch shorter. Although he was stronger, in his semi drunken state, she had the upper hand. "Mark, stop." When he didn't stop, she stood in front of him, blocking his path. "What did you mean by that?"

"It means that I'm going back to the house, grabbing my shit because Jacob's mission is longer than expected thanks to one thing or another, then I'm leaving. Don't you ever just want to leave? Be honest. Don't you just want to get as far away from Jacob as you can?"

"Yes, but if we both leave, he will have no one left."

"He doesn't deserve anyone. He never thinks of but himself. I mean he leaves you alone for weeks at a time, he moves whenever the military tells him to, not thinking about how it is affecting you. If he did care about other people, mom would never have died."

"He was running late, Mark. Mom took a cab-"

"So now it's her fault she died?" anger once again evident in his voice.

"No. I'm just saying that maybe it's fate it turned out this way. If dad was on time maybe both would have been in the crash and both died. Maybe-"

"I don't have to listen to this." Mark cut her off. "Leave you cell phone active. I'll stay in contact when I reach San Diego."

"San Diego?"

"Yeah. Got accepted to San Diego University. A couple of guys I know also got accepted. We're hooking up there and sharing a dorm."

"If you didn't see me tonight would you have even told me or just taken off?"

"I was planning on going home and telling you tomorrow."

"Mark, you cant just leave. Stay for me. I know this is college we're talking about, but what am I supposed to do with just dad?" Sam asked, tears in her eyes. Not having the will to hold them back, she let them fall. He scrubbed a hand over his face.

"Sam, I know these last few years I haven't been the ideal brother, but I promise once I get to San Diego I will give you the number and call you once a week. You can also call me whenever you'd like. The first vacation I have I'll come and see you."

"Figures, you become a brother once you leave." she muttered. He put a hand on her shoulder then looked over at Jack, who looked like he was going to attack him.

"You'll survive with just Jacob. You're strong, Sam and just remember what mom always said, 'you can handle anything'. From the time you were a little girl you believed her, I'm asking you now, believe me." He let a small smile come to his lips, "It looks like your boyfriend is going to come over here and kick the crap out of me." They both looked over at Jack and she let out a

soft laugh.

"I really like him, Mark. It was like we connected right away."

"Just be careful and be happy. So, do I at least get a hug goodbye?"

They said their goodbyes and he apologized for slapping her and for the hateful words towards herself and Jack. Sam told him she'd give him some time before coming home so he would have his space to pack his things up. She stood there watching her brother walk away. Mark turned around and they shared one more wave goodbye. Janet brought her out of the revere she was in.

"Sam, you okay?" Janet asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Uh, yeah." she replied, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. "I'll be fine."

Jack approached them with Charlie.

"Wanna go? I could take you home." Jack offered.

"No. I have to wait a little while before going." At their questioning looks she continued, "Why don't we go back to the booth and I'll explain what just happened."

End of Part 3 - Thanks for getting this far. R&R if you want