Author's Notes: Thank you for your kind reviews. I know that the story is at a sad point and it will be for a little bit, but I promise that there will be a happy ending for Jack and Samantha. As always reviews are appreciated and encourage me to update faster.

Part 24

Age: 22 Years 5 Months

Jack smiled for Sofia and Konstantine as the camera flashed and photographed him in his graduation robe. When he'd met up with the couple and told them of his woes with Samantha they persuaded him to remain in Memphis. Since Jack had to get a bachelor's degree in order to take the graduate level courses in medicine and law he desired, he decided to stay with his adopted family. Although he refused to ever set foot in the motel or their restaurant. Instead Jack had an efficiency apartment that was connected to a church, he liked the quietness of the secular housing and it was convenient to campus.

For their part, Konstantine and Sofia had always remembered and adored the young couple. They were shocked when Jack confessed just how young he and Samantha had been, but even more they were shocked that Samantha would leave him like that. In all their years they had seen few couples that were even remotely close to as devoted as their young honeymooners had been. While they had enjoyed the young couple, they also had a great deal of gratitude to them for the generous tip they left. The tip paid their youngest son's college tuition and helped through a very lean year.

Konstantine tried to persuade Jack to forget his child bride and move on, there were lots of young women who would be interested in him. But Jack remained politely impassive. Samantha was the only woman he wanted, he'd forced himself to go on a couple dates to placate Konstantine and found he didn't feel even slightly interested in any of the girls. The entire time he would mentally compare them to Samantha and find them lacking in every way. Once he'd even tried to force himself to sleep with one of them, he'd tried to kiss her with enthusiasm, but when she removed her shirt, he felt no desire whatsoever and claimed to remember a test and ran off.

Sofia had mixed feelings. While Samantha had indeed been very young, the young bride seemed to be very much in love. Would she really have willingly abandoned Jack with only a letter? But what other explanation could there be? Jack's parents hadn't attended their Son's graduation and Sofia was glad. One night she'd found Jack outside the motel falling down drunk and sobbing, she'd placed him in the car and driven him away from the motel so he wouldn't wake up to the place. Although Jack didn't remember the next day, he'd told Sofia everything about his parents that night and she wondered just how far they would go for the sake of money.

Smiling at her honorary Son, Sofia posed with Jack for pictures as Konstantine snapped photos. They were sad that Jack was going to Savannah for the rest of his education but he'd promised to spend his breaks with them and to call often. For a graduation party they were taking a picnic out to the clearing. Although Jack would sometimes become saddened he liked the spot and so Sofia was willing to indulge him. While Konstantine was getting a basket from the car, Sofia took Jack's arm and lead him into the clearing.

"Jack, I am wanting to speak with you."

"What's troubling you Momma" Jack smiled at Sofia.

"Konstantine means well when he pushes you about girls, but I am knowing your heart is already taked, yes" When Jack nodded she continued"Much I think of your problem. I remember your Samantha and when you were honeymooners. She loved you as I love my Konstantine and maybe even more."

"Not really Momma or she would have never left me. You'd never leave Poppa."

"Willingly, never. But I am thinking. Your parents, forgive me, are bad people."

"No argument there. You and Poppa are more family than my parents ever were." Jack responded. Being with Konstantine and Sofia was the closest thing to happiness there was for him since losing Samantha.

Looking at Jack, Sofia said"Your parents love money, not people. You say they steal from you. When you were in Siberia and having the bone medicines, your parents deny you pain medicines to help you. If they can hurt their Son, maybe they hurt Daughter in the law"

"But Sofia, you've read the letter"

Interrupting, Sofia snorted"Men! Think about it. Why would Samantha write you a letter to leave you? Why not tell you in person? Your Father lies for a living, he is politician. Maybe he lie to get letter or maybe he threaten"

"Maybe, but"

"No but! Always you have the sad face. Find out. You have money, use it. Find her and demand an explanation."

Uncertainly, Jack responded"Maybe."

As he ate with his adopted family, Jack mulled Sofia's comments over in his mind. In truth he had considered the possibility before, but merely dismissed it as wishful thinking on his part. However, if Sofia had similar suspicions, perhaps there was something to the idea. Was it possible that Samantha had never wanted to leave him? But even if she hadn't, it was undoubtedly too late now. Samantha was a woman and probably was married, maybe even had children by now...

Samantha sat quietly as Angel flitted about and enjoyed their mutual graduation party. She didn't want to detract from the festivities, but she hated trying to put on the act in front of so many people. Her life had become a giant masquerade in which she felt like she was on the verge of losing her sanity. The dreams continued to haunt her and she still felt like part of her life was missing. Sometimes when she was alone she would hear the voice from her dreams sighing, My Samantha. Sam never spoke of her fractured memories to Tom or Angel because she thought they wouldn't understand.

"Sam" Tom hesitated gently.

Forcing a smile for her boyfriend, Sam stood up and allowed Tom to lead her outside. She could do this, she would be a normal girl. Tom was handsome and he loved her, the boy in her dreams was nothing more than a girlish figment of her imagination. This was real and shouldn't she want a husband and a family. Smiling at her, Tom got down on one knee. Oh God, he's going to ask me to marry him. I don't want this. You should want this Sam. In her mind a flash of a sapphire and a hospital bed, she forced the image away.

"I love you Sam. Will you marry me"

Feeling strange and awful, she forced herself to say"Yes."

Tom took her left hand and slid her Alpha ring from her hand to replace it with the diamond engagement ring he had. As Sam's finger was bared, a flood of memories coursed through her. Taking a step backwards, Samantha's face contorted with horror as her mind was filled with images of her wedding day. Gasping for breath, Samantha took another step backwards and fell over.

Concerned Tom helped her up and got Angel and her Aunt. Proudly her slipped his ring on her finger and told them she'd been overwhelmed. Forcing a smile Samantha told them all that she was fine but wanted to be alone for a few minutes. Running away from them, Samantha shut herself in her room and began to sob hysterically. Ripping Tom's ring off her finger, she replaced it with Jack's ring, that felt right. But nothing was right and nothing ever could be right.

Oh God Jack! Her husband was dead and buried in Ohio. Jack's bastard Father had threatened to take her wedding ring away. But why had she forgotten all this time? She remembered placing roses on his grave and crying after hurting Billy, but then her memory skipped to nearly a year later. What was wrong with her? Oh Jack. Forgive me. How could I have forgotten you my Jack? What made her forget him and why had she thought he ring had been for her last initial? Something was terribly wrong.

Looking at Tom's ring that lay on the bed, Samantha wondered, what was she going to do about Tom? Tom was kind and he loved her, tonight she'd agreed to marry him. Could she go through with it now that she remembered Jack? She didn't love Tom, but she liked him and he could give her a home and a family. Committing suttee wouldn't bring Jack back but she couldn't simply turn her back on his memory either.

Removing Jack's ring from her finger, Samantha placed it on a chain and put it around her neck. Sad but resolved, she pulled Tom's ring on her finger and left the room. Searching for Tom, she found him with Angel and her Aunt.

"Not having second thoughts are you" Tom teased.

"Not exactly, but I have two conditions for getting married" Samantha told him. "First is that we have a two year engagement and have a baby within two years of getting married."

Amused, but undaunted, Tom replied"That doesn't sound too terrible. What's the second condition"

"That you accept without question that I'm going to apply to and join the FBI. I want to see to it that bad men can never take away another girl's husband" Samantha informed him.

Even though she was going to marry Tom, she would live for Jack, Samantha thought as she closed her hand around her wedding ring on the chain around her neck. Her name would be bound to Tom Water, but her heart would always be bound to Jack Newquay...