DISCLAIMER: Nope. Still not mine. Still waiting though. Maybe someday.

SUMMARY: Sam's getting ready for the trial. I don't think I'm going to get into detail on that one because the research would take forever. Anyway, I've only got a couple more chapters left for this one and then something else has started to take shape in my head.

FEEDBACK: Much appreciated. I love feedback. It's a form of drug.

SPOILERS: Up through "Affinity". Anything else may or may not be referenced here.

The trial ended quickly much to everyone's surprise. Sam was very grateful when it was over. She just wasn't happy with the outcome. Pete got off. Due to the fact that no one saw Pete leave Sam's house around the time of the rape, there was only circumstantial evidence and he got off.

Jack and Sam had decided though that they wouldn't let this ruin them. They decided not to live their lives in fear. After all, Sam knew hand-to-hand. There was no way he could know more about that than she did. After all, she had Brigadier General Jonathan O'Neill as a teacher and he was Special Ops.

Thankfully, the judge had issued, per Jack's request, a restraining order to make sure that Pete had to stay away from Sam. Of course, Jack's request had a double purpose. He also wanted to make sure that Sam wouldn't be left alone because he had to kill Pete.

"Jack, I'm going to run to the store. Is there anything you need while I'm there?"

"How about some beer?" Jack was out in the backyard, firing up the grill. They had decided to barbecue some ribs. He'd been marinating them all day.

"Okay. I'll be back soon."

"You'd better be. I don't want to have to start eating without my beer." At the look on her face, he smiled. "Or you."

She walked out the back door and kissed his cheek. "I love you too."

She left. Neither one expected the way this day would end.

Sam just finished loading the groceries into her car when someone grabbed her arm.

She spun around and saw Pete attached to the hand that had grabbed her.

"Have you lost your mind? You aren't supposed to be anywhere near me." She started pulling, trying to get her arm free.

"You belong to me. You took my ring."

"You got the remains of it back. I don't have it."

"You ruined the ring."

"The doctor had to cut it to get it off my finger before I lost my finger. Let go of me!"

"Sam, we can still make this work. You don't really want to be with Jack do you?"

"Yes. I do, Pete. I love him. More than I ever could have loved you. You deserve much better than what I had to offer you."

"No! I want you! You agreed to this! You agreed to marry me! I won't let you go!"

She tore her arm out of his grasp. "I changed my mind! I don't belong to you or anyone else! I am my own woman!"

Pete reached for her again. She slapped his hand away. He stepped back for a moment, shocked that she was fighting back. Then, he lunged at her.

She grabbed his shoulders and pulled his head down to contact with her knee. On impact, Pete's nose shattered, shards flying into his brain.

An ambulance showed up several long minutes later. But it was too late. Pete was dead. Killed by his own greed.

The police showed up just a moment after the ambulance had arrived and the medics started working on Pete, trying to revive him. "Colonel Carter, what happened?"

"Detective Shanahan tried to grab me. When I pulled away, he tried to grab me again. I fought back." Suddenly, she realized that he hadn't moved since he hit the ground. "Did I - Did I kill him?"

"It appears so. Would you like to call someone? We'll have to take you down to the station."

"I understand. Can I use my cell phone? I'll go with you willingly."

"I don't see that as a problem." The officer opened the back door. Sam climbed into the car and pulled out her phone.

"Jack, meet me down at the police station. I think I just killed Pete."

Jack was in shock. Sam couldn't have killed him. That's not like her. It would be more my style. He drove in silence to the police station. He just couldn't believe that Sam would be able to do something like this.

Of course we did agree that we wouldn't live in fear. That he wouldn't be allowed to turn us into hermits. If he messed with her then he got what he deserved.

Jack's thoughts continued rambling until he reached the station where he was immediately taken into the room where two detectives were questioning Sam.

She stood up as he entered. "Jack." She didn't say anything else. She didn't need to. Her emotions were written all over her face. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

She lay her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Jack. It wasn't –"

"I understand, Sam. It wasn't intentional. He pushed the issue, violated the restraining order and tried to hurt you. It was his fault. Not yours. Not yours."

He was stroking her head and holding her close when the detectives left the room, deciding that the two of them needed some time alone.