Miss You II
Rating: Still PG-13 for now ;o)
Disclaimer: I still don't own the show, and I don't own the San Diego zoo either, but if I did I would live there!
A/N: Okay, so here's the second chapter, thanks to everyone for the reviews, they were much appreciated and definitely motivated me to write this chapter :o) Sorry if this one seems a bit rushed, I have a lot going on right now but I wanted to get another chapter up. For anyone who hasn't been to the San Diego Zoo, it really is an awesome zoo, and you should make a point to visit it at some point, also the Wild Animal Park :oD
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Sam couldn't suppress his grin as he watched Ainsley approach him wearing khaki shorts, a yellow sweater and her hair in two perfect pigtails. She looked adorable as always.
"Ready for the zoo, I see", he commented as he opened his car door for her and she climbed in.
She smiled at him excitedly, "I certainly am! I've been looking forward to this all week Sam, you'd better show me a good time!"
Sam smirked, "I'll do my best."
Ainsley's apartment was near downtown, so the drive to the zoo was relatively short. Sam parked the car and escorted Ainsley toward the park with a hand on her lower back.
"Oh gosh," Ainsley exclaimed as they approached the entrance, "that's a long line"
Sam shot her a smile, "Those people aren't VIPs"
She gave him a confused look and he grabbed her hand and led her to a side entrance where there was a much shorter wait. He flashed his zoo membership card and ID to the man at the gate and handed him a coupon for Ainsley.
She smiled at him as they entered the park, "Why Sam, I had no idea you were such a powerful person around here"
He grinned back at her cockily, "Impressed?"
Ainsley rolled her eyes but played along, "Oh yes Sam, so impressed," she said, batting her eyelashes and thickening her accent, "You're like a celebrity! Can I be one of your groupies?"
Sam raised an eyebrow at her suggestively, "As long as you're willing to perform all of your groupie duties"
Ainsley scrunched her nose and smacked him lightly on the arm, "You wish Sam"
He chuckled and shook his head, if only she knew
"So where do you want to go first?", he asked, looking down at Ainsley who was gazing around the park and bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet.
"Do they have polar bears here? I've always wanted to see a polar bear"
Sam nodded, "At 'Polar Bear Plunge', but that's on the other end of the park. We should take the Skyfari tram"
"Skyfari? What's that?"
"You'll see", he answered, casually wrapping his arm around her waist and guiding her through the crowd.
"That was amazing!", Ainsley announced after they'd finished their Skyfari ride and were making their way to the polar bear exhibit.
"Yeah, it's really neat to get an aerial view of the park, isn't it?"
"It was gorgeous", she smiled at him, linking her arm through his as they walked into the room where they could view the bears underwater.
Sam couldn't help watching her as she watched the polar bears diving and playing in the water. She seemed completely awe struck, like a little girl, all wide-eyed and innocent, the water casting a blue glow on her pale skin and hair. She was breathtaking.
"They're so cute!", she exclaimed, taking her camera out of her purse and snapping pictures as one of them rolled around in the water with a giant, floating ball. She stopped suddenly and handed the camera to Sam, "Take a picture of me standing in front of the polar bears Sam!"
"Yes ma'am", he readied the camera as Ainsley stood happily in front of the blue glass, but before he could take the picture he felt a hand on his arm. He turned his head and saw an elderly woman with a friendly smile on her face, "Do you want me to take a picture of you with your girlfriend?"
"Oh, uh", Sam stammered slightly, "She's not, I mean-"
"Would you?", Ainsley interrupted, motioning for Sam to join her where she was standing.
"Oh sure dear," the woman said, taking the camera from Sam, "You should be together in your pictures"
Sam looked a bit confused, but walked over to stand next to Ainsley anyway, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as their picture was taken.
The old woman smiled kindly at them and handed the camera back to Sam, waving off their thanks.
"I don't have any pictures of us together", Ainsley explained after the woman had left.
"She thought you were my girlfriend", Sam blurted
Ainsley shrugged, "Let her think what she wants"
They visited a few more animal exhibits before Ainsley decided it was time for lunch. They ended up at a place called the Treehouse Café, and after getting their food, settled at a table on the patio where they could look out at the park as they ate.
"So," Sam started as Ainsley took a bite of her sandwich, "is James working today?"
She nodded, swallowing her food and adding, "He works most weekends. Comes with being made partner, I guess", she paused, then added, "I'm glad I ran into you Sam, I was a bit lonely being by myself so much of the time and not really knowing anyone here"
Sam smiled at her sympathetically and grabbed her hand, squeezing it, "Any time you're feeling lonely you can call me Ains. I don't usually work on the weekends, so we can keep each other company"
She gave him an appreciative look and squeezed back, "Thanks Sam, that's really sweet of you, and I appreciate you showing me around; I don't know the area at all, and James has just been so busy"
He shook his head dismissively, "It's no problem at all. Besides, it gives me an excuse to hang out with you", he grinned at her playfully, "Of course if I ever run for office in the future, I'll expect you to rally the Republican vote in my favor"
She laughed lightly, rolling her eyes, "Oh I see, so this is really just some political ploy on your part to get me to convert all of my Republican friends"
He chuckled, "Absolutely"
After finishing their lunch they wandered through the park, pausing to marvel at the okapis and other exotic-looking animals before stopping at the hippo enclosure. Ainsley snapped more pictures as the mother hippo trotted along under the water with her baby. Sam touched her on the shoulder and pointed to a large bronze hippo statue behind her. Ainsley smiled and turned to a zoo employee who was standing nearby, "Excuse me sir, would you mind taking a picture of us sitting on the hippo?", she asked, flashing him her most charming smile
He smiled back at her, taking the camera, "No problem ma'am"
She grabbed Sam's hand and pulled him toward the giant bronze hippo, but he was a bit reluctant, "I don't know Ainsley", he wasn't sure he could trust himself with Ainsley sitting practically in his lap like that.
Ainsley, however, wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. "Saaaam," she drawled, "you have to ride the hippo with me! Come on"
He bit his lip and relented, helping her onto the creature's back and then climbing on behind her, wrapping his arms around her slender waist and posing for the picture.
"Well," Sam grinned as Ainsley slid off of the hippo, "now you have two pictures of us together. I can autograph them for you, if you want"
She ignored him and thanked the man for taking their picture.
By the time they were ready to leave, the park was closing and they were both exhausted. Ainsley yawned, "Wow, that was really fun, and educational!"
Sam chuckled, "Yeah, who knew there was such a thing as a 'goatalope'?"
Ainsley laughed, "I had a really good time today Sam, thanks for taking me"
Sam just smiled as he unlocked the car door and opened it for her, "It was my pleasure. I haven't been to the zoo in years"
Sam glanced over at Ainsley as he pulled up in front of her building and noticed that she was fast asleep. He smiled to himself but couldn't help wishing that he could watch her sleep every night. Reluctantly he reached out and touched her shoulder gently, "Ainsley", he murmured, "we're here"
She stirred and groggily looked up at him, "We're here already?"
He chuckled, "It was only a 10 minute drive Ainse. Come on, I'll walk you to your door."
He got out and went around to her side of the car, taking her hand to steady her as she stepped down to the curb. They walked to her door together and she paused and turned to him before going inside, "Thanks again Sam, today was the most fun I've had in a long time"
Sam shook his head, "You don't have to thank me Ains, I like spending time with you", unlike your fiance apparently, he added silently.
She smiled and leaned in, pulling him into a hug and Sam closed his eyes, resting his head on hers, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. After a few moments she pulled back, much to Sam's regret, and they said their goodnights before she slipped inside. Sam just stood there for a moment, sighing heavily before he made his way back to his car to drive home alone.