Author's Notes: Most of the dialogue in this chapter is taken from the Profiler episodes Modus Operendi and Venom, I framed them in a manner that fit the story, but since it's a significant amount of interaction between Jack and Samantha within the canon of the show I felt it needed to be a part of the story and explored. Thank you all for the kind reviews and I hope that this update doesn't lead to any problems at work for Zackery ;o) As always your reviews are greatly appreciated and inspire me to update faster.

Part 29

Age: 31 Years 10 Months

"Samantha. Finally Samantha" Jack purred sibilantly from the darkness in a backroom of the Memphis train station. Wickedly he taunted"You smell so clean."

For several moments, Jack waited for her to respond as she whirled around in the dim light clutching her gun. Losing patience, Jack prompted gently as he had in their first days"Talk to me. Come on. Talk to me."

"You brought me here. Why don't you talk to me" she demanded in annoyance.

When Coop had taken off for a court date, Sam had felt relieved to have him gone. After sleeping with him, she decided it had been a mistake. Although he had dark eyes, they weren't her Jack's and she found Coop's uncircumcised manhood rather uninspiring. Nick wasn't the answer, she still didn't know what was the answer, but she was confident that it wasn't this cat and mouse game with Jack-Of-All-Trades.

The slight display of temper reminded him of the Samantha he'd married and he complimented"I like that. That's good."

Mockingly Sam retorted"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't good, now would I"

"Neither would I" Jack answered his voice tinged with vague annoyance.

Real bright Sam, let's anger a man who has killed at least fifteen people that you know of including your second husband. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up as she waited tensely and scanned the darkness. Despite her fear, she felt a rush of adrenaline being so close to Jack. Bet he wouldn't let a girl down in bed, a voice inside her whispered traitorously. What is it about men named Jack? Forcing those thoughts away, Sam waited tensely.

Softly, Jack murmured"So beautiful. So untouchable." Sensing her uneasiness, he attempted to comfort her and assured her"Everything's under control."

Almost feeling his breath on the back of her neck, Samantha felt almost as if his voice were weaving an erotic spell over her. Desperately, she squeaked out"Is it"

Every moment from their marriage emblazoned in his mind, Jack knew from experience she was aroused and trying badly to cover it. Pushing whispered seductively"Isn't it"

In the distance there was the sound of Malone's voice and Jack rasped"Don't answer. This is our time."

"You speak in nursery rhymes. You speak in scripture. Why don't you use your own voice" Samantha snapped. Please for God's sake yell at me. Rage at me. Just stop sounding so damned arousing, she thought nervously.

Dropping all pretense, Jack replied sincerely"I need you Samantha. I'll waste away without you."

His voice had a poignant tone that was vaguely reminiscent of her Jack. Unconvincingly she said"Then I'll go away again."

Behind her, Sam felt the warmth of his breath as he whispered"You'll never leave."

Scream for Bailey, she thought. Turn around, fire your gun and end this. What are you waiting for? Kill him. He's right behind you. This isn't your Jack, this is a murderer. Come on Sam. You should turn around and scream, she chided herself. You're supposed to hate him. He killed Tom and was going to kill Coop. This man is dangerous. This man is-

Samantha gasped he placed a black leather clad hand on her shoulder. As her breath came in shallow pants, she knew she should try to get a glimpse of him for the FBI. Gently he turned her towards him, the only source of light was at his back and she couldn't see his face. The leather covered hand caressed her face for a moment, then his mouth descended on hers and kissed her. When his finally pulled away, Samantha felt faint. Her pulse was racing and her nipples were straining painfully against her bra. Reluctantly, Jack cut short his relishing her reaction and ran off into the darkness and away.

What was wrong with her? Samantha wondered as a door slammed and she saw a shadow move and disappear. No man had turned her on since her first husband died until now. Of all men to be attracted to, she mentally groaned. This was so wrong. Oh God his mouth had felt so right. She was a terrible person.

Bailey called out again in the distance and this time Sam answered him and began to sob.

Age: 31 Years 11 Months

Jack stood in the boiler room of the convent and got ready to flip the switch to destroy his room above. Although he was a little concerned having Samantha in the room along with the rest of the VCTF, he knew she was smart enough to break through the dry wall. He had intentionally kept a sturdy metal coat rack for such a possibility, Jack always considered every eventuality. The VCTF would get part or all of the copy of Austin Keller's medical degree, let them think he was Jack for a little bit. Although he would dart down to South America and let them go on a wild goose chase, Jack was ready to move into his new lair and had all the possessions that mattered the most to him in there already.

After leaving the convent, Jack stopped at a trailer park where he kept an album of Keller's murders that would reinforce the idea that they were after Keller. Although he didn't need to stop at the trailer and he had to kill a nosy guard in the process, he wanted to make certain his Samantha had indeed been unscathed at the convent. The VCTF had been too complacent and Jack wanted to stir them up. Sharon would be arriving in a few months and then he would be able to further his plans to get Samantha back.

Once Keller was arrested and brought back to the States, Sam felt like something was wrong. The team was celebrating, but somehow Keller didn't vibe right. Since Jack had kissed her, he'd haunted her dreams and sometimes melted with her Jack. One night she dreamed that her Jack was Jack-Of-All-Trades and that he hadn't really died. But that was impossible. Just as it was impossible that Keller was Jack. Keller wasn't the man who had kissed her in Memphis.

While Samantha struggled to convince her co-workers that Keller wasn't Jack and then tried to escape Coop's advances, Jack was settling in his new lair. Putting on a Nina Simone album, Jack danced and sang along with Put A Spell On You. Soon Samantha would be with him and she would realize she was still his. He'd been waiting nearly twenty years for his wife and was beginning to feel more impatient.

Looking at her photo, Jack sighed"Mine."

Age: 32 Years 3 Months

Jack watched Samantha as she slept on the mattress in Robin Poole's apartment. No thanks to her coworkers she had lived through the spider bite, because he had given her the antivenin. When he'd captured Robin in her own lair and subdued her, he'd beaten and interrogated her. The woman's need for attention made him suspect she might target a member of the VCTF. Had it been anyone else, Jack would have let them die, but never his Samantha. It had been highly risky marching into one of the FBI's dark rooms to rescue her, but for his Samantha he would have braved hell itself.

Although he'd hoped to prevent her from being bitten, he was too late to prevent that, but at least he'd been able to save her. He took the block puzzle Robin had left and replaced it with one he'd made for the essential oil in rose petals. Additionally he'd left a map he'd constructed which eventually would lead the FBI to Robin Poole's but not until Jack was ready. Samantha needed to see what it was like to stand on the outside looking in and later she would be feeling abandoned just as he had, but she had to understand. The mattress was out of Robin's view from where she was tied up and Jack allowed himself to caress Samantha's cheek. Leaning down he kissed her forehead.

Samantha roused and complained about the home brew washy wash he'd put in her eyes and then staggered around the cages of Robin's poisonous pets. As she stumbled, Jack snapped photos to put on his website and to later prove her innocence in the death of Darla Turner whom he'd killed only half an hour before. Seeing Samantha frightened was hard on Jack, he longed to take her in his arms and comfort her, but this was a lesson she had to learn.

When Samantha nearly stumbled into a cage with a furry spider, Jack whispered"Samantha. He's nasty."

Hearing Jack's voice she gasped. Torn between fear and feeling comforted by his presence she was flooded with relief as he assured her Dr. Trades had given her antivenin. She demanded to know what he'd done to her eyes, her vision was so blurry. When Jack told her it was temporary and that he'd tried the wash out himself, she had to resist an urge to laugh. Of course she would be fine, Jack couldn't hurt her, at least not physically. As she tried to discern his shape through her blurred vision she felt exhilarated and uncertain.

When Jack didn't speak, she finally demanded"What do you want from me"

"I just want you to appreciate me. I deserve your admiration, don't you think"

"My admiration" Samantha exclaimed in frustration. "Is that why you killed all those people, because you wanted my admiration"

Shrugging dismissively Jack responded"It was necessary."

Moving closer to Samantha, Jack longed to take her in his arms, but thought the better of it. When he'd kissed her in the train station in Memphis, he knew he shouldn't have and it had left his heart aching. Being so close to his wife and yet so far, was painful. Looking at her, he noticed as he drew near that her nipples were hard and straining against the fabric of her t-shirt and that she tried to clutch her oversized blue smock over the evidence of her desire. Jack grew painfully hard in his jeans and fought the urge to make her his once again in every way that very moment.

Scared and aroused, Samantha asked"Why me, huh? Why did you pick me"

Smiling Jack answered"Easy. I knew from the moment I saw you."

"You were just another case. You were just" Samantha struggled. There was something familiar and very arousing about the scent of his cologne. God help her she wanted him. No Sam! This isn't your Jack, this is Jack-Of-All-Trades. Lamely she finished"You were just my bad luck."

Drawing closer still, Jack didn't touch her, but stood so close Samantha could smell the faint scent of mint, roses, and tobacco that lingered on his breath. With an insidiously seductive voice Jack teased"But are you absolutely certain"

Unconsciously, Samantha licked her lips in invitation. Desperately she resisted the impulse to grab him and kiss him. Desire that she thought had died with her Jack came bubbling to the surface in the presence of this Jack. Between her thighs her sex had grown so hot and wet she unconsciously whimpered with need. The slight sound at the back of her throat was Jack's undoing. Grabbing her against him, he kissed her with all the passion and longing that had built up over two decades.

Whispering hotly against her mouth Jack told her"Nobody understands me the way that you do Samantha. Nobody."

"Jack" Samantha panted uncertainly.

Moving away Jack picked up a length of pipe and placed it in Samantha's hand. Leading her over to the spot near the elevator shaft where he calculated would work best, he looked at her. Although he didn't wish to end their time together, the sound of distant sirens approaching told him he had to. He took one last moment to savor looking at her.

"Hit me" Jack commanded.

"I" Samantha stammered. Hit you? She thought. I want to kiss you again. I want to feel you inside me. For twenty years, I've felt empty and now I finally feel alive. Please-

"Company's here. You need to walk a mile in my shoes, Samantha" Jack informed her.

The look of disappointment on her face made Jack's heart turn over with joy. She might not realize it was him, but his Samantha wanted him!

"When we meet the next time, we'll both be on the same team" he told her. Jack bent over her hand and kissed it"Until then."

Uncertainly, Samantha struggled. He'd told her to hit him with the pipe. As she wavered, Jack reassured her again and Sam could here Coop calling her name in the distance. If she didn't do this, Jack would be caught and strangely she no longer wanted him to be caught. Her vision was starting to clear and she could make out the foam padding on his side that was intended to cushion the blow. Drawing the pipe back, Samantha swung. As she sent Jack crashing back into the wooden slats of the elevator shaft, she was just able to make out his eyes and they were gloriously dark like the ones that haunted her dreams. When Coop and law enforcement poured in, Samantha began to cry...