The motel room was empty when Sam came out of the bathroom. She wrapped her hair in a towel and sat on the bed to watch TV. The news was filled with reports of her disappearance so she quickly changed channels. Angel would be worried sick by now, she thought idly. Maybe she should have left her a letter or something. Chloe's grandparents would also be worried. She wondered if her father even knew she was missing, then decided he probably didn't.

There was a noise at the door and Sam rolled onto her side. Jack walked in, carrying a MacDonalds bag. He smiled when he saw her, then came to sit next to her. He dug in the bag and pulled out a burger. Sam wrinkled her nose.

"I'm sorry. Nothing else was open this late."

"It's okay." Sam smiled. "Where's Chloe?"

"She's in the car. Said she wanted to listen to music for a while."

"Has she eaten something?"

Jack nodded. He leaned down and kissed Sam's cheek. She was taken aback, despite what had already happened between them, she wasn't sure she was ready for this kind of intimacy.

"Uhh . . ."

"Something wrong?" Jack asked.

"Food first." Sam held up the burger and took a bite in an attempt to forestall the inevitable. She was relieved when Jack moved away. By the time she finished her burger, he was asleep. She checked her watch and realized Chloe still hadn't come in. Casting a glance at Jack, she slipped off the bed and quietly went outside.

Chloe was fast asleep in the front passenger seat of Jack's car. Sam turned off the radio then gently shook Chloe awake. The child mumbled and shifted in the seat. Sam tugged gently at Chloe's arm.

"Come on, Chlo'. You're too big for me to carry."

Jack had woken up as soon as Sam had left. He'd followed her outside and now gently pushed her aside. He lifted Chloe in his arms and carried her inside, smiling when she burrowed her face in his neck. Sam pulled back the covers on the bed. When Jack let go of Chloe, he pulled off her shoes and covered her with the blanket. He tenderly brushed her hair away from her face then looked at Sam. She looked away; had she really just let a murderer put her daughter to bed? She felt his touch on her arm, his lips against her hair, and she ducked away from him.

"Samantha—"

"I'm exhausted, Jack. It's been a long day."

"Of course." If he was hurt by her rejection, she couldn't tell.

"I'll see you in the morning." She smiled weakly. Jack just nodded before walking to the adjoining room. Sam climbed into bed next to Chloe and lay staring up at the ceiling, but sleep didn't come.

The house seemed too empty without Sam and Chloe. Angel sat in the kitchen, paging through a photo album, and got up when she heard the elevator. She wasn't expecting anyone.

"Uh, hello." It was Rachel. "I hope you don't mind me coming around."

Angel shook her head. "Have a seat."

"Thanks. I was hoping I could talk to you about Dr. Waters."

"Have you heard anything?"

"No." Rachel opened a file and scanned the page. "I'm trying to build a profile. Bailey mentioned that she was planning to leave the VCTF. Do you know how serious she was?"

"Every now and then Sam would talk about quitting. I don't blame her. She always pushed herself so hard." Angel caught herself talking about Sam in the past tense and shrugged. "I don't know how serious she was."

"Would she have left on purpose?"

Angel stared incredulously at the other woman. "Sam would never just leave while Jack was still out there."

Rachel glanced at her notes again and nodded at something she read. "And Jack actually had her a couple of days ago?"

"He killed her date. Why are you asking me things you already know?"

Rachel met Angel's gaze and smiled. Angel looked away, her eye falling on a photograph of Sam and Chloe. She looked back at Rachel.

"When she was found, how would you describe her state of mind?"

"She was distant. Withdrawn."

"She seemed unhappy?"

"Wouldn't you be, if you'd just been kidnapped?" Angel realized she was being overly defensive and consciously lowered her voice. "I know Sam. She wouldn't just leave without a word."

"Maybe she's not the Sam you know anymore. Did she speak about what happened that night?"

"No." She drew the word out and wondered what Rachel was keeping from her.

"I see. Well, thank you." Rachel closed her file and stood.

"Wait. What happened?"

Rachel hesitated before answering. "No one knows."

"But you suspect something."

She lowered her eyes. "We'll let you know what we find out."

Angel sank back down onto the couch, not bothering to walk Rachel out. Feeling a sudden chill, she shivered. Rachel didn't have to tell her what had happened for her to know that it wasn't good.

Maybe Rachel was right. Maybe the Sam who had come back wasn't the Sam she knew.

TBC