thanks for your reviews.. here's more! :)

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Chapter 4

"Okay, let's do it this way." John said to Bailey.

"Agreed. I'll call you tomorrow morning, right after I landed in Atlanta. Should be around ten, I guess."

"Yeah yeah. That's fine. Just enjoy the wedding, Bailey." John told him, while he looked at Sam.

"Sure, okay I have to go. John, we'll be in touch." then Bailey ended the call and John put his cell back into his back pocket of his pants.

"Okay, as you've already heard. Bailey is coming tomorrow. He couldn't get a flight earlier. I think that's not really a problem, is it?" John asked, smiling.

"No, I guess not."

"Good, i told him that."

"Good." Sam said, holding his gaze. "I really appreciate that you do this, John."

"Do what?" he asked, confusing.

"Stay with me. Here. God knows where we are. If I'd be alone here I don't know if..."

John grabbed her hands, "I told you before and I tell you again. That's what friends are for, right?" he gave her a smile.

"But..."

"And i would never, listen, never ever let you alone. It didn't even consider that for a second." John assured her, matter of factly, giving her hand a squeeze.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." he said, still holding her hand and caressing her fingers with this thumb.

"I... I just..." she looked at both of their hands and felt her heart beating faster.

"What?" he whispered.

She looked up into his eyes and tried to think clearly, "I was going to say that..."

"Yeah?" he looked at her, smiling.

"I just hope that... that everyting is going to be alright."

"What a question, Sam. Of course it will."

She sighed heavily before he looked back at him, "If you say so." she tried to smile.

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After a while, they decided to walk back to the house. The sunset began and it got colder outside.

Once they were inside the house, John locked the door and turned round to Sam, "Okay, are you hungry? I can cook us something if you want."

"No, thanks… not yet," she smiled and sat down on the sofa in front of the TV, "let's see if there's something we can watch." she zapped through the channels, while John sat down beside her.

"Hey, stop… what about this?" he pointed on the screen, grinning.

"Columbo?" she asked, frowning. "Sorry, I can't stand this man" she said and zapped forward.

"Heeeey…" John grabbed the remote control, "give it to me, it's mine" he grinned and zapped back to Columbo.

"Who says that's yours?" she laughed and tried to get the remote back, but John held it to the other side, so that she couldn't reach it.

"Do you want something?" he looked at her, grinning.

"Yes, give me the remote… please!" she asked, smiling.

"No… sorry, I've told you… it's mine" he grinned and looked on the screen.

"Hey, that's not fair…" she said, tickling him.

"Oh… and you think … that's fair if you're …tickling me?" he said between laughs, "please…. please… stop that!"

"Only if you give me the remote control back…" she told him, looking into his blue eyes.

"Hmm, I don't know…" he looked at her as well and moved closer to her, until they weren't less than inches apart, "… I … I think you've persuaded me…" he pulled apart and gave her the remote control.

"Thanks" she looked at him, smiling shyly. "I'm looking for something we both like."

"Sounds great… and I go and get us something to drink." he stood up and walked into the kitchen.

Sam followed him with her gaze and bit her lower lip. 'Ok Sam, stop that… he's your co-worker....' she told herself, as she watched John in the kitchen.

John was in the kitchen to catch something to drink, but actually it was just an excuse to escape from what happened on the couch. He had never expected to get close to her would cause such strange feelings in him. But her scent was so lovely and sweet, that he nearly kissed her two minutes ago.

He looked through the items they bought in the store a few hours ago. There he found a six pack of coke and said, "Is coke okay?" he cast a look to Sam, who was still sitting in the living room.

"Yeah, coke would be fine" she answered with a smile.

John took two cokes and walked back into the living room, "Here" he handed her the coke and sat down beside her. "And? Is there a movie or something?"

"Thanks" she took the coke, "uhm… I don't know… too bad that we haven't a TV program…" she said, zapping through the channels.

"Yep…" he looked at her and saw she was shivering, "hey, are you okay?" he asked, concerning.

"Hmm? Oh yeah… just a little cold in here, isn't it?" she said, rubbing her arms.

"You're right" he looked at her, "I'm going to make a nice fireplace… that should help" he smiled, stood up and walked to the front door.

"Hey, where are you going?" Sam asked, worrying.

"No wood, no fireplace… right?" he grinned and put on his jacket.

"But wait, it's already dark outside…" she stood up and took the flashlight from the side table near the sofa, "I think we need this" she handed it John and slipped into her coat.

"Hey, what are you doing? I can do this on my own. And apart from this… you are shaking already," he told her and opened the door, "I'll be back soon." With these words he went out and shut the door behind him.

It was really dark outside and he could hardly see his own hand in front of his face, so he turned on the flashlight and searched for some wood pieces, which were stacked on the right side of the door. While he put some pieces in a bucket he heard a noise behind him and turned around. Since he didn't see anyone he turned round again and grabbed another wood piece as he heard the noise again.

"Hello?" he shouted, "who's there?" he looked around. Suddenly he saw someone behind the trees in the near forest, "HEY!! Who are you?" he took out his gun and went cautiously towards the forest, where he thought he saw someone standing a few seconds ago. "Hello? I said who's there?" he shouted, with a firm grip around his gun while he walked further. But there was nothing. Maybe it was just an animal, he thought and turned around to walk back to the house. All of a sudden, he gasped out loud and fell down on his knees. What the hell was that, he thought and noticed a spot of blood on his sweatshirt and after that, everything went black.

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to be continued....