A/N: Well this is the last chapter, FINALLY. That's right, the story that I dragged on for almost a yearis finally over. Thanks for your patience and your reviews, you guys are the best. Hopefully ALL unaswered questions will be answered in here. amy246, thanks for that, it means alot.

Sam was released from hospital the next day. Everyone rang to see how she was doing. Jack, Vivian, Dr. Waters, even some people at work she barely knew. Everyone wanted to make sure she was ok.

Everyone, that is, except one person.

Sam collapsed into her sofa and looked up at the clock. It was 6:30 pm but she wasn't really hungry. She moved her gaze to the phone.

Please ring, she willed, Please ring me Martin.

All of a sudden, the phone rang.

Sam looked around nervously, wondering if Martin was watching and could read her thoughts.

She answered it.

"Martin?"

"What? He's the only guy who matters to you?"

Sam smiled, recognising the voice straight away.

"Danny, how are you feeling? Are you doing ok?"

"My whole body canes. Ineed to have this special lotion stuff smothered all over me and I just happen to have this drop dead gorgeous nurse, I absolutely dread it," He answered sarcastically.

Sam smiled. "Good to see your sense of humour wasn't affected by that blast."

"Yeah, I'm fine. But how are you feeling? I mean, you were buried alive."

Sam hesitated before answering. "I was in and out of consciousness most of the time but it still scared me to death. Jack's making me see a therapist."

"Yeah, Martin told me. Speaking of, have you two made up yet?"

"We're not making up Danny. We're just gonna stay friends."

"Seriously?'

"Seriously," Sam replied, mocking Danny.

"But why?"

"Because… it's best. Why are you so hell bent on us living happily ever after anyway?"

"I want what's best for you Sam. Besides, I thought you thought Martin was The One."

Sam sniggered. "I don't believe in soul mates Danny."

"Then what do you believe in?"

"I dunno, nothing I guess."

"Do you believe in love?"

"Stop being such a romantic Danny."

"You told me you loved him."

"Well… I was lying."

"Yeah, sure,"

"Ok, then I changed my mind. It doesn't matter."

"Whatever you say Sam. Listen I gotta go, time for my, uh, treatment." He said cheekily.

Sam rolled her eyes.

"Don't have too much fun"

"I will"

"I know"

"Oh, and Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"You know you can always count on me to be there for you right?

Sam smiled. "I know"

Sam moaned at the sound of her alarm going off. She hit the snooze button drowsily before nodding off again. A minute later the same annoying buzz went off. Sam sighed and got up slowly.

"Stupid annoying alarm clock," Sam mumbled, blindly making her way to the bathroom. She was starting to regret insisting that she come to work today. Jack reassured her that her paperwork could wait and that she really needed to take a break. But Sam had to be stubborn. She explained to Jack that if she worked today she could get it all done and then have a break afterwards.

Sam felt a little reluctant about going back to work for a couple of reasons. One, of course, was the fact that a bomb had gone off just a couple of days prior.

The building manager insisted that the building was 'stable' enough. But he also added that if anything happened he was not to blame.

Sam could just imagine it, one minute they were discussing last weeks case and the next the whole building collapses. She could see Martin getting up without a scratch, ignoring Sam's pleas for help in removing the concrete slab pinning her down.

This brought her on to her next reason for not wanting to go to work. Martin.

She wanted to hate him but she couldn't. She wanted to ring him and tell him she loved him and beg him to take her back but she couldn't do that either.

She was stuck.

Stuck between love and hate.

Stuck between wanting and needing.

Stuck between pain and pleasure.

Just,stuck

Martin walked past the repair men working on the bottom floor. He sighed as he climbed up the steps to his floor.

"Morning," Jack greeted as he whisked past.

"Jack," Martin asked, "Is Vivian coming in today?"

"No."

"So it's just gonna be You me and Sam?"

"Well I doubt Danny will be joining us," Jack joked.

"I don't get why we couldn't just do the paperwork at home."

"Technically you don't get paid if you don't come in to work," Jack replied, entering his office.

"You don't get paid if you die from a building collapsing on you either," Martin murmured.

Martin sat at his desk and sighed. Jack would stay in his office all day leaving him and Sam alone. Just what he needed.

Martin was actually glad that Sam came in an hour late. The less time they had to spend alone together, the better.

"Hey," Sam greeted quietly , dropping her bag and coat on her desk.

"Hey," Martin replied, equally as quiet. Sam gave a small smile in Martin's direction and went to talk to Jack.

Martin watched as she walked away. He was fooling them both when he said he wanted them to go back to being friends. It was the last thing he wanted. But he could tell from the very first time she asked to share a cab, that things wouldn't end happily ever after for them.

But Martin went along with it, because he figured it was better to have even a little bit of Sam than none at all.

But after a while he realised that he couldn't continue with her games, and as much as it hurt, he had to end it.

Sam returned from Jack's office minutes later and sat down at her desk.

"Everything ok?" Martin asked cautiously.

"Yeah, I was just explaining to Jack why I was late. There was a big crash on Curtis Road, traffic was hell," She replied, keeping her head down in her work.

"You spoken to Danny yet?" Martin asked.

"Yeah, last night. Vivian's coming back tomorrow."

Martinsighed inwardin relief. It was bound to be less awkward if there wasanotherperson there.

"Good," Martin replied.

The rest of the day was silent. Martin and Sam kept to themselves.

Their eyes were on their paperwork, though neither had their minds on work. Martin would read one sentence, look up at Sam, read that same sentence again, then look at Sam again. And it would just continue in a circle.

Eventually he just gave up on paperwork and stared at Sam for the rest of the day.

And Sam could tell that he was watching her. She could feel his eyes burning into her. All she had to do was look at him and we would stop, but she couldn't bear to look into his eyes. It angered and confused her. He had no right to look at her anymore, he gave up that right.

Jack came out of his office wearily.

"Ok guys, that's enough paperwork for one day. Go home."

"Night Jack," Martin replied.

"Night guys."

Sam let out a sigh of relief. Finally the day was over.

Sam tidied up her desk in a hurry, hoping to get out of there before Martin said another word.

All she had to do was pick up her bag and put on her ja-

"I hear it's supposed to rain pretty heavy tonight."

There it was. Sam was not in the mood. She grabbed her bag and headed for the door.

"Yeah," She replied unintersted, "News said there's gonna be a storm. Night."

"Are you gonna be late again tomorrow?" Martin tried to joke.

"Actually I'm not coming in tomorrow. Jack said I could take a break."

"Oh," Martin replied. Sam could've sworn he sounded disappointed but she didn't want to get her hopes up.

"I'm in need of a break too. Just because I didn't get shot in the leg and can't walk doesn't mean I still don't feel it."

"U-huh"

"Night Sam."

"Night," She replied before practically running out the door.

Martin sighed, for what seemed like the billionth time that day. He packed up his things and turned his computer off. Just as he was about to leave, something caught his eye.

Sam had left her jacket.

Sam pulled her jacket tighter around her as lightning crackled outside. She had changed into more comfy clothes. Trackies and a warm top.She took a sip of her beer and sighed. She was bored. Though she didn't want to turn on the TV because she didn't want to risk getting struck by lightning.

She looked around her apartment, looking for something to do. She had books, but she was never really a reader.

"It's either books or bed," she muttered to herself.

Just as she was about to scan her collection, she was startled by a knock at the door.

She self consciously ran ahand through her hair before opening he door.

Her face fell when she saw Martin.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey," she greeted back.

She could see his hair was wet and his coat was damp.

"You, uh, you left this at the office," He said, handing her the jacket.

"Thanks," she said accepting it.

"So… how long are you taking a break for?"

"I'm not sure. I'm thinking of going on a little holiday. Somewhere where the weather is hot. But if I go away I still have to keep in touch with my therapist. It'll be good to take a break."

Martin smiled. "Not for too long I hope"

"Why do you say that?"

"Just, I dunno…"

"Cos you're implying that you'd miss me!"

"I would"

"Would you?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then why break up with me?"

Martin sighed. He was getting very frustrated.

"You know why I-"

"Actually I don't" Sam snapped back. She rested her arm on the doorframe.

Sam gave him Martin a questioning glare.

"What we had, you couldn't even describe it as a relationship."

"How dare you say that," Sam yelled.

"People care about the other person in relationships Samantha. They don't try to hide it, they don't pretend to feel."

"I never faked any feelings I have for you." Sam was starting to get less angry and more upset.

"Oh really?"

Sam sighed. "Do you want me to say it? I can tell you what you want me to say."

Martin took in a deep breath, his voice was quiet. "I don't want your forced feelings. I just wanted to know the truth."

"I never lied to you Martin?"

"Fine then. Tell me, right now, tell me how you really feel about me.?"

Silence. Deafening silence. Silence that could pierce your ears.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Martin said, before turning and leaving.

Sam slammed the door shut. There, she said it, she said it and it was like her saying it meant nothing to him. Like it was something she said to every guy. Sam took in a deep breath and rested her head against the door.

She hated him.

She hated him almost as much as she loved him.

It was crazy.

Part of her was mentally killingMartin already, and the other part was screaming to run after him and tell him the truth, the real truth. The latter was currently wining.

Martin shivered as the rain hit him like knives. He signalled for a taxi but was getting no response.

"Martin," he heard someone call.

He turned around to see a very wet and cold Sam running after him.

"Martin, wait, don't walk away from me."

"Sam-"

"You lied to me!"

"What?"

"You lied to me. You said that Jack was the one who saved me, but it was really you. Why'd you lie?"

"What does it matter anyway. So I saved you, so what?"

"It matters to me. It matters why you lied."

"Because I care about you. I cared about you Sam and I shouldn't...care about you."

Sam frowned. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Can we just drop it?"

"Fine. I just wanna say one last thing," she said, shivering.

"Ok," he answered awkwardly.

"You said the reason you dumped me was because I didn't admit how I felt about you, because I never really told you how much you meant to me. But have you?"

Martin thought for a minute. But all he could think of was the pounding rain.

"What do you mean?" He asked finally.

"Have you ever really told me how you felt, or how much you care about me?"

She wiped the rain from her cheeks.

"I-I guess not in those words."

"Exactly. Why?"

"Sam, I don't want to do this-"

"No, I want to. You never said you loved me. Why?"

Martin sighed and stepped a bit closer.

"Because I thought you knew."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Don't talk bullshit Martin."

"Well what do you want me to say?"

"Well the truth would be great."

Martin put his hands in his pockets. "Fine. I never said it because I knew that once I did, you'd own my heart forever, and you'd be capable of smashing it to pieces. But just because I didn't admit it doesn't mean I didn't feel it."

Martin turned to walk away.

"I love you Martin," Sam shouted through the pouring rain.

Martin turned around. He wasn't positive that she said it, the rain was blazing through his ears. He had to know.

"What did you say?"

Sam closed the gap between them.

"I said I love you," She replied, more quiet this time. "And it's not because it's what you want to hear, and it's not because if I don't say it you'll leave. I love you, I love you like crazy Martin Fitzgerald. And I'm telling you this because you have a right to know. If you walk away know, at least you'll know how I truely feel, deep down."

Sam bit her lip, waiting for his reply.

Martin was breathing deeply. His anger had dissipated.

"What do you want me to say Samantha?"

Sam was breathing deeply too.

"Nothing. I don't want you to say anything. Just know that I'm not gonna stop, loving you."

Martin looked down into her misty eyes. They showed a strength, a power that they had never shown before.

So he did he only thing he could do.

He wrapped his arm around her neck and clashed his lips against hers. She moaned, and Martin broke the kiss smiling.

"I love you two," he said delicately.

Sam beamed. "I know."

Martin chuckled. "Told you."

"Shutup," Sam punched him playfully in the chest.

"Now can we please get out of this rain, I'm freezing."

Sam giggled and interlocked their fingers. "Whatever you say."

"I've just got one last question," Martin added.

"What's that?" Sam asked.

"Where are we going for our holiday?"

A/N: For all those who stayed with me for the long run, thank you sooooo much. You can see if I owned Without A Trace, I'd never EVER let it end. I love all you guys who reviewed. And I know It's a little early(cough, more than a month) but MERRY CHRISTMAS! I'd like to thank everyone, and I mean everyone, who reviewed.

wItHouT a tRacE fReAk, GreggoAddict, amy246, pacificbluegirl, TV-LOVIN-HOTTIE, Kadyann, jtsideout389,clarkson04, Sgt. Maritza Cruz, berta101, xobabygurlxo, XtremeChig, Aurehen, lapmal.