Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the F.B.I but the plot is mine, my own, my preciousssssssssssss.
A/N- Thanks for all the reviews guys.
Dedicated to:
Without A Trace Freak – Whooo! My first reviewer! Sorry about the typo.)
Taintedpromises – Yeah, it wasn't love dammit you silly girl Sam! The whole English – American word thing….. I was just messing around. I'm from the UK but since WaT is an American TV show I was undecided as to what words to use. I think I'm gonna try and go with the American, at least in dialogue, but it's hard …… dudes, 'cell phone' – it's blatantly 'mobile'. p
Sweet Like Chocolate – See above about the dialogue. I'm still undecided. I'm glad that I'm not the only weird one! Teehee. The thing about transcript reading is that it takes a long time, you don't get the appreciate the acting and it makes you want to watch the show even more.
KayeLLa – Thanks!
EquestrianBabe – Here's the next section for you.
Briana – Thanks for the encouragement. )
SusanWATfan – Sorry about the monster paragraph …….. it didn't look that long in Word, honest!
"I want you to understand." she said steadily.
Martin looked at her for a moment, then nodded before walking into the building to pay. Samantha sat back down in the car.
After a few minutes, Martin came back holding two cups. "White with two sugars right?" he asked, handing her a cup.
Samantha smiled. "Thanks."
As Martin pulled out of the garage, he switched on the CD player to avoid to awkward silence. 'Erosion' by Switchfoot blared out.
"You like this stuff?" Samantha asked, not in an adverse way.
"No! I just listen to it but I hate it with a passion." Martin retorted. Samantha raised her eyebrows. "Sorry, sarcasm – it's a British thing. Don't know how I got it. Yeah, I like this stuff." Martin looked over at her. "If you don't like it, I'll turn it off."
"No keep it on." Samantha smiled. "I have all four albums."
"Really?" Martin asked.
"Yeah. Let me guess, fan of Green Day, Rooney, Death Cab for Cutie, Linkin Park, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus and Yellowcard as well?" Samantha questioned.
"Definitely. And Nirvana, Feeder, Jet, Van Halen, Kasabian, Athlete, Oasis, Killers, Smashing Pumpkins, Travis, Dashboard Confessional, Placebo and the Zutons to name a few." Martin said, tapping his hand on the wheel enthusiastically.
"Me too. Funny, I didn't put you down as the type to be into rock."
"Why? Because I'm a rich kid from Manhattan so I must be into Classical?" Martin laughed.
Samantha shrugged. "I don't know, you could be." she said.
"And I'm willing to bet that you only like rock music for the sexy drummers." Martin commented.
Samantha smiled and closed her eyes, listening to the music. "That's only part of the reason."
They came out of the Haywood's house later that day, more unsettled than when they went in. "What are you thinking?" Martin asked.
"The Haywoods say that she was cheerful, friendly girl, happy with her simple life in a stuffy town but these few weeks she'd been unsettled, complaining that she never had a chance to make something of herself, that her parents were stifling her …."
"Couldn't that just be down to being upset that her boyfriend ditched her?" Martin questioned.
"Maybe, but I think there's something more." Samantha sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Let's see what Jack and Danny's got."
"Do you think it could be suicide?"
Samantha looked at him sideways. "Why is it that just because one girl's unhappy in a small town earning crap wages and goes missing, everyone automatically assumes it's suicide?" Samantha shot at Martin.
Martin raised his arms in defence. "Sorry, I was just fishing."
"Yeah, well, ever occurred to you that it might be in the wrong pond?"
"Okay, okay. Every time I say something you bite my head off." Martin said.
"It's nothing personal. In case you haven't noticed I'm like that with everyone." Samantha stated.
"Defence mechanism." Martin muttered.
"Sorry?"
"I said it must be a defence mechanism."
Samantha looked at him for a moment as if she was debating what to say. "You really talk a lot of crap sometimes Fitzgerald." She said before getting into the car.
"Okay, so anything new?" Martin asked as he and Samantha walked into the conference room where the other three were already seated.
"Yeah, it seems that there's probably been no foul play. One of the waitresses, Mary, at the restaurant knew Laura quite well and she knew she wasn't happy and had mentioned suicide." Jack said. Martin looked across at Samantha. She was looking down at the table, not saying anything.
"Have you done a background check on her?" Vivian asked.
"Yeah, there's no motive, I think she's telling the truth plus it fits in with the picture we've got from other people." Jack mused.
"Do we have any idea when or where?" Martin asked.
Just then Danny finished his phone call. "Mary's just got back to her apartment to find a message on her answering machine – It's Laura. She said she's going to do it, she's driving some place now but she didn't tell Mary where."
"How long ago did she phone?"
"About 15 minutes ago."
"Great." sighed Jack. "She could be heading anywhere to take an overdose, inject something, hang herself ….."
"I think I know where she might be." Samantha said quickly, standing up. The other four looked at her. "When we were talking to the Haywoods, the mother mentioned a river where Laura always used to go and sit and draw whenever she had time. If she's thinking of ending it all, it might be there."
Jack nodded. "You and Martin, take the chopper and go and find out. Sam, you gotta remember that it might be too late."
"No it won't." Samantha muttered, grabbing her bag.
Within fifteen minutes they had landed in a cornfield and Samantha and Martin ran all the way, heading towards the river. It was silent and seemingly deserted until Samantha spotted a bridge up ahead with a lone figure standing on it. "There!" she shouted.
Martin pulled out his cell as they ran. "Jack, we've got her." he called.
The two agents stopped at the start of the bridge. Laura Haywood and climbed over the railings and was standing on a thin ledge over the fast-flowing water, ready to jump.
"Go away. You can't stop me." she shouted at Martin and Samantha. "You come any closer and I'll jump, you stay there and I'm going to jump anyway."
"Laura, don't do this. You're young, you've got so much to live for." Martin shouted.
"Like what? Crap job in small-town USA with no hope to make something of myself. If this dull existence is going to go on for sixty more years then I might as well end it now."
"Laura, what are you talking about!" Samantha cried, taking a step forward. "Anyone can make something of themselves, no matter what their start in life is. I know how you're feeling, I've been there, felt like that, but you gotta believe that there's a whole new world out there that you can break into."
"Not for me. I know thing aren't going to change." Laura said, looking down at the water.
"Laura, you've got to listen to me. Don't do this. There's so many people out there who care for you, think how much they're going to suffer! Think about your parents." Samantha shouted.
"It's their fault that I want to do this in the first place." she said bitterly. "But I don't suppose they told you how they practically kept me prisoner to stop me moving to France with my boyfriend? By the time they let me out, he'd already gone. He was my whole life, the only thing keeping me sane. I'm going now." she stated as Jack, Vivian and Danny joined Martin and Samantha.
Martin looked at Samantha, he had never seen her this worked up, she was trying so hard to reason with the young girl, tears were streaming down her face.
"Don't do it. Look, you like to draw right? You could move to the city, paint professionally, sell your work." Samantha shouted desperately.
Laura shook her head. "I've made up my mind. Bye." she said simply. Then she jumped.
Samantha spun round and buried her head in Martin's chest to stop herself from looking. She was crying so hard. Martin rubbed her back gently. One of the most important rules about being an F.B.I agent was that you must not get too emotionally involved with a case, even if in the end, you can't help the person, you have to take a step back, forget about it, move on. Maybe this one just struck a bit too close to home for Samantha.
Jack gave a signal to the men behind him who ran to the water and down the bank to try and save her but everyone knew it was too late. The water was flowing extremely fast and there were sharp rocks at the bottom. Samantha shuddered.
"Hey, you tried your best, there was nothing we could do." Martin soothed. Danny and Vivian were looking at him oddly and Martin struggled to remember whether comforting a fellow agent was in the rulebook.
Jack came back and shook his head. "Come on, we should get back." he stated.
Samantha pulled away from Martin. "I-I just want to stay here for a bit." she said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand and sitting down on the bank of the river.
Jack looked like he was going to say no but then relaxed. Danny and Vivian headed towards the chopper.
"I'll stay here and wait and take the second chopper back." Martin said. Jack nodded and with a last look at Samantha he headed off.
Martin paced up and down the pathway looking at Samantha's back. He knew she wanted to be alone, and he didn't know what to say to her without her biting his head off, but just waiting here was awkward and seemed cold and distant. It started to drizzle but Samantha still didn't move. Martin walked over to her and sat down.
"Thanks for waiting." she said quietly.
"No problem. ……… Look, I know you probably don't want to talk, especially with me, but if you do, then, you know I'm here right?" Martin said, looking out at the river.
Samantha nodded. After a moment, she broke the silence. "It's just I know where she was coming from so well, she thought that she was stuck in this place with outwardly nice parents who are actually tyrants …….. it's just so hard when you can't make them see that there's another way to get out of the rut than suicide."
"You talking from experience?"
"I chickened out and called the hospital before it was too late. Next day I felt so stupid and foolish, I moved out from my Mum's place in with my Nan, started working at school to get the grades, got into Uni, got married, got divorced, moved to New York, joined the F.B.I slept with my boss…… Not exactly a fairytale."
"I'm not judging you." Martin smiled.
Samantha looked at him for a minute and smiled back. The rain got heavier. "You're nicer than I thought at first."
"Thanks … I think." Martin laughed.
"We should get going."
"Yeah, I mean if you're done here…."
"Yeah, I guess I just needed closure, think things through." Samantha explained. "Besides we're soaking wet and it's cold." she said, shivering.
They stood up. Martin gallantly took off his suit jacket and put it over Samantha's shoulders. She smiled at him appreciatively and watched his retreating back for a moment as he led the way to the helicopter.
As they landed on the top of the F.B.I building in New York, Jack, Vivian and Danny came over to meet them.
"What, you guys fall in the river too?" Danny asked, looking at Samantha and Martin's soaking wet clothes. Vivian glared at him. "Sorry. Bad joke." he muttered.
"So what's up? I thought you guys would be inside writing up the reports." Samantha said. She caught Jack looking at Martin's jacket, which she still had over her shoulders and she took it off and handed it back to him with a smile.
"All done. We're all going out to a bar, you two up for it?" Vivian asked.
"Sure." Martin said. Samantha nodded, tying her wet hair up with a hair-tie.
The five of them sat at the crowded bar, sipping their drinks and watching the dance floor fill up. "You know, we should go dance." Danny suggested, jumping off his stool.
"Not for me." Vivian said, finishing off her glass. "I've got to go pick my son up from football ('soccer') practice. See you guys tomorrow."
"See you Viv! Jack, Samantha, you coming?" Danny asked.
Jack shook his head and returned to his conversation with the barman.
"Yeah, I'll come." Samantha said, following Danny.
"Fitzy?"
"No way, I don't dance." Martin called.
He stayed in his seat, watching Samantha dance to the upbeat music as she and Danny shared a joke. She seemed much happier now than she had been before and now at least Martin had some idea of her complicated life. She had made it quite clear that things between her and Jack were finished and Martin believed her.
"Sam's far too professional to get involved with someone she works with." Jack said, sitting down next to Martin and following his gaze. Martin looked at him biting his lip. "And I thought you would be too."
"I'm not doing anything wrong." Martin stated.
"Sam's very beautiful isn't she? But she's not stupid - she gets looked at by guys like you everyday." Jack said quietly.
"I can't help how I feel." Martin said.
"Don't let yourself get into this. The line is that we don't have relationships in the team – it could ruin your professional career." Jack warned.
Martin turned to face him, looking him in the eye. "It didn't ruin yours."
Jack's eyes flashed and he tensed up, looking angry. "I know about you and Samantha." Martin continued. "That's what we were arguing over earlier. With all due respect boss, I don't think you should be telling me what I can and can't do." Martin said straight-forwardly.
Jack Malone took a deep breath. "Point taken." he said bluntly. "But you ask her once and if she says no-"
"Yeah, I get it. I won't push it." Martin finished off for him. Jack nodded and moved away to continue his conversation with the barman.
Danny moved away from Samantha having spotted a bunch of girls to go and try his luck with. He hadn't been gone ten seconds when men were approaching Samantha dancing with her, offering to buy he drinks, giving her their number. Martin felt jealousy and a sense of protectiveness rise up inside him which was stupid since he knew Samantha could more than certainly take care of herself. She smiled, and waved them off one by one when she caught Martin looking at her. She left the dance floor and came up to him.
"None of them take your fancy." Martin said, handing her a drink.
"No." she laughed. "They're all air-heads with small penises. You should be out there with Danny, checking out the girls."
"No, that's not me and they're not my type." Martin said quietly.
"So what is your type?" Samantha asked interestedly. Martin smiled. "I'll give you some time to think about that question whilst I go get us some more drinks." She said, taking his glass and walking to the bar.
Martin watched her go. She was like a whole different person when she was out of the office and relaxed. He guessed that she felt good for having opened up to someone and talked about her past. He was glad that he could have been there for her. He watched one of her admirers from before come up to her at the bar and talk to her. He could see her telling him to go away but he seemed persistent and blocked her way when she tried to move.
"Is everything alright?" Martin asked, walking up to Samantha.
"Who's this?" the man asked gruffly.
"Oh this, this is my boyfriend, Martin." Samantha said, taking Martin by the hand and pulling him closer.
Martin was taken aback for a bit but then he saw what Samantha was doing. "Nice to meet you." Martin said insincerely, putting an arm around Samantha. "Is there a problem?"
"No, no problem." Samantha said and let Martin lead her back over to their table. They stayed standing, watching Danny make a fool of himself with the bunch of girls in the corner.
"Does it ever annoy you?" Martin asked, looking at Samantha as she let her hair down.
"What?"
"All the attention you get from men because you're pretty, blonde and they think you're 'easy' when actually you're smart, ruthless and work for the F.B.I?"
Samantha laughed. "No, I just ignore it most of the time."
'Cannonball' by Damien Rice started playing and Samantha turned to Martin determinedly. "Come on, you're going to have to dance to this one – it's my favourite song." She said, taking him by the hand and dragging him over to the other dancing couples. They came together awkwardly, holding one of her hands in his, Martin put his other hand on her back gently. She moved closer and rested her head on his shoulder as they moved slowly in time to the music.
"Long day eh?" Martin said.
"Mm." Samantha said.
"You should go home, get some rest." He said, rubbing her back softly. He looked up and saw Danny watching them with a smirk on his face.
"Yeah, but this feels good. Who says you can't dance?" Samantha said, looking up at Martin with a smile.
He locked gazes with her. "Sam – Samantha-"
"I think it'll be okay if you call me Sam from now on." she said, interrupting.
Martin smiled nervously. "Sam ……" He stared down into her eyes, she was smiling at him expectantly, God she was so beautiful, she was too good for him. "I don't think I can be professional about this anymore."
Sam didn't say anything at first, she just looked at him for a minute and then she reached up and gently pushed Martin's head down to hers. "Good." she said as their lips touched.
Martin felt like he was dreaming, he couldn't believe this was happening. He moved his hand up and ran it through her hair. She tasted so good, he didn't want the kiss to end.
When they at last pulled away for air, they smiled at each other.
"Thanks for understanding – and for being you." she said softly, as they reached in to kiss again.
Jack watched Sam and Martin on the dance floor, they were so caught up with each other, with the excitement that new love brings. He looked at her as she pulled away. She deserved to be happy.
A/N- Okay so what did you think? It probably shows but I've never actually seen the show. Long pause I read about it in a magazine, got intrigued, realised that no repeats are showing on Channel 4, looked up the price for the DVD box set for Season one – fainted at the price and realised that I don't have that kinda money so I took to reading a few transcripts from Season one on the net. And now I'm obsessed enough to be writing fanfiction …………… Meep. I'm crazy. Anyway, I've got another fanfic ready to post after this so until then …………..toodles.