Chapter Two: A Memory Can't Be Erased
Disclaimer: As much as I would like to own Eric Close, the F.B.I and Without A Trace, alas I only have the licence to dream. The plot is mine, my own, my preciousssssssssssss.
A/N:- Thanks for the encouraging response so far. The reviews made me very happy! This is an absolute mammoth of a chapter …………..
Dedicated to:
Spooky Bibi, Agent Elrond 007, Raspberry Muffin, NightMage, Tracy, Without A Trace Freak, TerribleFish, Colts-patriots-crimedramagurl, jtsideout389, Taintedpromises, Scgirl-317, Any, EquestrianBabe, Briana, Give Love A Break, Ariel3JLP
"Come on, you have to admit that that Detective Jenkins in that film was such a twat – everyone knows that when you're a cop arresting a suspect, you don't take both hands off your gun until the suspect is disarmed."
Martin laughed. "Very true but it's Hollywood. And that was a typical cop film – the car chase, the fire, the hostage, the rescue - If they didn't happen then there wouldn't be a film!"
"Probably for the best."
"Hey! The film wasn't that bad."
"You just liked it for the pretty blonde FBI Agent." Samantha said accusingly.
"I happen to respect an actress who can do her own stunts thank you very much……………………. and she was hot okay?"
Samantha rolled her eyes.
"You're not jealous are you?" Martin grinned.
"You wish."
"You are, you are, you are." Martin laughed.
Samantha hit him playfully as Martin put his arm around her and leant down and took a bite of her ice cream. She smiled. She couldn't ever remember being this happy before. It was funny how things could change in a couple of months. How people could change. Ever since the day Martin had found her with the pills and bought her a milkshake, the abusive comments and childish pranks at school had stopped. His friends would discuss the latest rock music with her and the girls …. Well, they quite possibly hated her even more now that she and Martin hung out …… but they were civil to her when he was around. Things at home had not changed and although she hadn't poured out her heart to Martin or anything, she knew he was there to lean on. Martin. He was this perfect young gentleman. All her doubts about him had been pushed away. He was funny and gorgeous and understanding and he didn't care about her background, what she wore or what she looked like. These past few weeks, she had had more fun with him than she had had in her whole life. He had taken her to the cinema and the theatre, they had revised French and English in the library, she had been to a football match and a basketball game for the first time in her life to watch him play, they had eaten ice cream at the mall ……….. and he had not brought up the attempted suicide or the pills since that day.
Martin walked Samantha to the door of her small end of row-terraced house. The lights were on inside and a stereo blared.
"The Prom's only a month away. Are you going to go with me?" Martin asked, holding her hands in his.
"Maybe." Samantha smiled.
Martin looked at her, he loved it when she smiled. It lit up her whole face and made him feel special. "'Maybe' isn't good enough Spade." he said, tickling her. She giggled and he drew her into a hug and kissed the top of her head lightly.
"Samantha! Samantha, is that you out there!" came a shout from the lounge window.
Samantha pulled away and looked at the house worriedly. "It's my Dad. He must have got chucked out of the pub to be home this early." she sighed.
"Get in here now!" came the voice again. Then there was a crash and a stream of swearing followed. "I mean it Samantha. Don't make me-"
"Okay, I'm coming." Samantha called back, cutting her father off. She could feel Martin looking at her worriedly, and she avoided meeting his gaze.
"Sam, I could ask-"
"No." she interrupted. Then she looked up at him. "Martin, this is my problem and I'd rather deal with it myself, okay?" Martin looked at her unsurely. He knew how independent she could be but if she was getting hurt …….. "Please?" she said pleadingly.
He nodded reluctantly. "Just …. well, you have my number. You can call me at anytime right?"
"Thanks, I'll see you at school tomorrow." she said, giving his hand a last squeeze before going inside.
Martin stood got out of the elevator on the 25th floor and walked into a busy corridor. He looked around, deciding which way to go first but before he could move, he was greeted by a man holding out his hand to him.
"Hello, you must be Martin Fitzgerald. Supervising Special Agent Jack Malone." the man announced.
Martin smiled and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Okay, we'll probably have a case come in in the next half hour but first things first. Time to meet the team." Jack said, leading him up to a window. They looked through the blinds into the office. "Nervous?"
"Yeah." Martin said, rubbing his hands together. "Does it show?"
Jack smiled. "Okay. See the conference table over there? The woman seated at the far right is Agent Vivian Johnson. She's very motherly, makes sure everyone keeps their head, that sort of thing. Almost has as many years of experience in the field as me. The young man next to her is Agent Danny Taylor. I wouldn't worry if he's a bit off with you to start of with – you have to earn his trust. Oh and he likes to think he's funny so humour him. Now where's …….. oh there. The lady that's just walking over to the other two … that's Agent Samantha Spade."
The lady in question turned round and Martin felt like he'd just been hit by double-decker bus. His father had told him a lot about the New York office but he had obviously neglected to tell him that she worked for the FBI. God, she'd grown even prettier than she was when he last saw her. His head was swarming with memories and old feelings.
He inhaled sharply.
Jack Malone looked sideways at the younger agent. "I wouldn't."
Martin drew himself back down to earth and dragged his eyes away from the window. "Sorry?" he said.
"I wouldn't try anything with Agent Spade – she's had it all before." Jack warned.
"I'm sure." Martin said weakly. "I ……." he trailed off.
"Is there a problem?" Jack asked. Martin shook his head. "Good, let's go and introduce you properly then, shall we?" he said, leading Martin into the office.
Samantha walked over to the conference table, looking at a file in her hands. "Hey, Viv, have you seen these two cheques? I'm sure the signatures match …" she said, putting the documents down on the table.
"Well, that would certainly explain all the debt." Vivian muttered. "I'd show Jack that." she added.
"Here he comes now." Danny informed them. "And looks like that's the new kid on the block with him."
"Danny. Be nice." Vivian chided under her breath.
Samantha looked up and registered nothing at first. Then she felt like she was back in high school, round the back of the bike shed with a pile of pills in her hand.
"Guys I'd like to introduce the newest addition to the team: Martin Fitzgerald." Jack said, cheerfully.
Martin's sparkling blue eyes met her haunted brown ones.
"Oh God." Samantha said out loud before she could stop herself. The others turned to look at her. She couldn't stop staring at him. It felt like she was seeing a ghost. This couldn't be happening. She tore her eyes away. "I – I just need some air." she said to the floor before hurrying out of the room.
An awkward silence followed. "I'm sorry Martin, I don't know what's up with her." Jack said, frowning.
"Do you two know each other?" Vivian asked, perceptively.
"Yeah. High school." Martin muttered. He felt faint and his head was spinning.
"She doesn't seem very happy to see you." Danny stated. "Did you two have a major argument or something?"
"No."
"Break her heart?"
"No."
"Bully her?"
"No."
"Sleep with her best friend?"
"No."
"Are you sure?" Danny checked, his eyes narrowing.
"Yes I'm sure." Martin said, a little irritated. Not only was he having personal issues with seeing Samantha again but it seemed like this Danny guy was ready to jump down his throat in Samantha's defence. Martin knew that he had not done anything to hurt Samantha. Ever. "I can honestly honestly say, ten years later, that I still have no idea what I've done wrong." he said, sitting down in the nearest chair.
"Well, we know that she doesn't like to talk about her past …" Vivian started. "Maybe she was just shocked at seeing her past turn up here when she thought she had got away from it all." she suggested.
Martin held his head in his hands. There was a whole lot more to this than anyone in the room would have guessed.
"Samantha! Samantha I'm talking to you!" a woman screamed up the stairs.
Samantha pulled off her headphones. "What?"
"Come down here and vacuum the place. How many times do I have to tell you?" Alice Spade shouted.
"I told you, I did it this morning." Samantha replied, irritated, looking up from her science textbook.
"You little liar. You didn't. I know you didn't."
"How would you know Mom? You were in bed with a hangover until an hour ago!" she shouted.
There was silence and Samantha turned back to her schoolwork. Her eyes came to rest on the only photo in her room. It was one of her and Martin that his friend Robert had taken one break time at school. Martin had his arms around her stomach and his head resting on hers. They were both grinning at the face Zach had been pulling off camera. It was sweet. She had found herself staring at it more and more lately, getting distracted when she was meant to be revising, thinking more and more about Martin even when she had just spent the whole day with him.
Suddenly the door of her room flung open. Brian Spade marched in and grabbed the nearest textbook to him and hit Samantha over the back of the head with it. "How dare you talk to your mother like that!" he shouted angrily.
"What? It's true-" Samantha argued, stepping away from her father. She felt the book coming toward her even before it left her father's hand.
"Don't piss me off Samantha." he shouted. "Get down and do the vacuuming. NOW."
Samantha put the chair between her and her father. "I told you, I've already done it today. Look, you can check the bag. I did it."
Her father took a step closer. "Well, you'll just have to do it again then won't you?" he said, his voice dangerously quiet.
Samantha bit her tongue. She had never felt such an urge to punch someone before. "No." she breathed.
"What did you say?" Brian screamed.
"NO!" Samantha shouted, losing it. "I'm not doing the hoovering, I'm not doing the washing and I'm certainly not picking up your empty drink cans EVER AGAIN!"
Her face stung with the slap so much that it brought tears to her eyes. She sat down on her bed with a thud.
"Downstairs in five minutes otherwise I'm going to make you wish that you'd never been born." Her Dad threatened before leaving.
Samantha wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and grabbed her cell phone.
Martin lay on his stomach on his bed with a history book in front of him, singing along to the latest Athlete album that Samantha had lent him. He would be lying if he said he was really reading up on the French Revolution. He was actually staring at the photos of him and Samantha that he had blue tacked to the top of his headboard. Robert had brought his new camera into school last week and they had gone a bit mad with it. He smiled. She made him truly happy.
There was a knock on his door and his father came in. "Martin, can I have a word with you?"
Martin rolled his eyes. A conversation starting like that was never good. He grabbed his remote and turned his stereo off.
"Have you thought more about the internship I got you?" Victor asked, sitting down at Martin's desk.
Martin turned round. "I told you that I don't want to go into politics Dad. I'm serious."
"Look, think about it. You might not think it now but there are great opportunities for you in politics. I think you could really do well as-"
"Dad."
"Well, what do you want to do then?"
Martin shrugged. "Go to University. Travel a bit and then maybe do something like you do."
Victor gave a chuckle. "It's …. nice …. that you want to follow in my footsteps-"
"This isn't about following in your footsteps." Martin said irritably. "It's about doing what I want to do. I want to help people, I want the action, the excitement that comes with a job where you don't know what – or who – you're going to be dealing with each day."
Victor looked around the room and over Martin's head at his headboard. "What does she want to do?"
"'She' has a name. Samantha's going to go to Uni to read Law." Martin stated.
"And join the FBI too?" Victor shot.
"She's never mentioned it. I think she wants to be a lawyer." Martin said.
"I don't think this thing you have with her is doing you any good." Victor said bluntly. "I want you to end it." he said simply, heading towards the door.
Martin jumped off his bed crossly. "You can't decide who I see or not. I'm eighteen. The time when you tell me what to do has come and gone."
Victor turned. "Don't speak to me like that. Who is she? What does her father do? What's their annual income? Let me tell you something. Being the Deputy Director of the FBI has certain privileges son, and let's just say that I've done some research. Her father's unemployed, her mother has a job at the post office which she is on the point of losing, Brian Spade has served time in prison for attempted murder, her mother for petty theft, her grandfather -."
"Does it look like I care about any of that!" Martin shouted hotly. "We've had this conversation before. You have no idea how I feel when I'm with Samantha."
"Yes, I can understand. You're young, male ……. she's very pretty isn't she?" Victor said sharply. Martin glared at his father and kicked his wardrobe in frustration. Sometimes he really really hated his father. "Martin, she's just using you for your money."
"She's not like that!" Martin screamed. "You don't know Samantha. You don't know what she's been through. Do you think she asked for parents like that! Do you reckon if we could choose our parents any of us would choose the parents we've got!" he shot.
"Is everything alright?" Beth Fitzgerald asked, coming into the room. She looked from her son to her husband. "Is this about Samantha again?"
"Yes." Martin said bitterly.
"I was just trying to talk some sense into Martin. He doesn't see how, coming from such a deprived family, she's using him to-"
"And he doesn't understand that Samantha's not like that and that I really really like her." Martin said accusingly.
"For God's sake Martin, you've only know her two months ……." Victor started.
"Martin." Beth interrupted, trying to keep the peace. "I think what your father's saying is that we don't know much about her and we're just concerned for you."
"Don't know much about her? Dad's run a check on her whole family and can probably tell you every crime that her great-great-great uncle has ever committed." Martin spat.
Beth glared the 'How could you do that behind Martin's back!' look at her husband. "Well, maybe it'll be nice to meet her. You should bring her home for dinner one day hunny." she said to Martin. Victor looked at Beth angrily before walking out of the room without a word.
Martin paced his room, taking deep breaths and calming down. "She's so wonderful Mom. She has a great sense of humour and we …. understand each other …."
"That's great." Beth smiled encouragingly. She honestly thought Martin had a spring in his step these past few weeks and Samantha didn't sound like one of those tarts that so many of Martin's friends had brought over to their house.
Suddenly Martin's cell phone rang. "Okay, okay, I'll be right there." he said into the phone. "Mom, I need to go." he said grabbing his jacket and bag.
"Martin. Your revision."
"I'll do it tomorrow. I promise." he shouted, over his shoulders before grabbing his car keys and running out the door before he had the misfortune to run into his Dad again.
Samantha climbed into Martin's land rover and finally felt like she was safe. "Thanks." she smiled quietly.
Martin reached over and rubbed her hand. He could tell she had been crying but knew that if he asked her about it, she would deny it and move the conversation swiftly on. "I picked up a couple of things on the way over here and I thought maybe we could drive to a park and have a small picnic." he suggested.
"That would be lovely." she said.
Martin grinned, wound the windows down and slipped an Idlewild album into the CD player.
Martin drove to Longmeadow Park. He used to come here a lot with his father when he was little and he knew it was where you could see the most spectacular sunsets on all the East Coast of the US.
She sat in his arms now on a blanket on the edge of a ravine. All they could see was greenery for miles and miles. The whole park was still and silent and the glorious sunset cast a beautiful orangey red glow on everything.
"Wow. That's so beautiful." Samantha breathed.
"Yeah." Martin sighed playing with her hair and breathing in the fruity aroma from her shampoo.
"Thanks for bringing me here this evening…….. things at home …." Samantha started. "Things at home just got too much."
"Anytime." Martin said, holding her closer. "Look, you don't need to put up with it Sam ….."
"I have for eighteen years Martin. I've only got another few months and then I'll be out of there. I'll survive." she sighed.
Martin kissed her head softly. "You're an amazing person Sam, and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise."
She smiled. "You always make me feel better Martin, no matter what, and I just want to say thank you for everything." She looked up at him and he looked so adorable, his bright blue eyes reassuring her, giving her the strength to go on …………………
Martin walked her to her door as usual. The more and more he took her back to this place, the more and more he just wanted to take her away from it forever. "Thanks again Martin." she said, drawing closer to him. "Tonight was …… special."
He brought his hand up to her face and rubbed his thumb against her cheek gently. "You're so beautiful." he said softly, looking deeper into her eyes. Every time he walked her home, he wanted to kiss her goodnight but he was always scared of her getting scared off and running. He slowly dropped his gaze to her lips.
Samantha closed her eyes and waited for his lips against hers expectantly. He was so sweet. She knew that he knew that she wanted to take things slowly and he never ever grew tired. She could tell he wanted to kiss her tonight at the park and if he had held her gaze a moment longer she would have reached up and brushed her lips against his…….
But this was the perfect kiss that never was. Before they had time to touch, her father came storming out of the house. Martin pulled away, startled by the noise. "You come in here you little bitch and I'm going to kick your sorry ass." Brian Spade shouted, grabbing Samantha's arm and dragging her to the door, completely ignoring Martin. He stank of Vodka and weed and Samantha looked scared. She knew he meant every word.
Martin followed her and stopped her father from slamming the door in his face. "Martin, please, just go." Samantha pleaded.
"Who the hell are you?" Brian Spade said, rounding on Martin.
Martin ignored him. "Let go of her." he said.
Brian chuckled nastily. "You can't tell me how to treat my own daughter. F--k off and get out of my house." he ordered, tightening his grip on Samantha's wrist. She winced in pain.
"Get off of her!" Martin shouted, reaching over to try and loosen his grip. Brian swung a fist at him and knocked Martin to the floor.
"Get out before I phone the police and have you arrested for trespassing." Brian spat.
"Let Samantha go before I have you locked up for violence, physical and verbal abuse and possession of cannabis." Martin retorted, meeting Brian Spade's every glare. He didn't know where he found the courage to say these things. Sam's father was three times as big as he was but it was like it didn't matter as long as it got Samantha safe.
Brian went to hit him but Martin ducked in time and rammed at him at full pelt, knocking him crashing into the wall. Samantha moved out of her father's reach. "Martin, don't. He'll-"
Brian regained his balance and whacked Martin on the side of the face. "Who's the smart ass now?" he grinned nastily.
"You son of a bitch." Martin muttered under his breath. He grabbed Samantha's hand and dragged her outside. "Come on, you're staying at my place tonight."
"Your parents-"
"My parents won't mind. Come on." he said. She got in the car.
Brian Spade came running up to them.
"Samantha! Get out of that car NOW or you're going to f- -king die!" he screamed.
Martin put his foot on the gas and sped off.
Martin pulled up at his house and they got out of the car in silence. If Samantha hadn't been in so much shock at what had just occurred at her house, she would probably have been daunted by the size of Martin's house and the posh expensive cars which lined the drive, but as it was all she could do was grip tightly to Martin's hand as he led her to the door. "I want you to ignore all my Dad says to you. Subtlety isn't his strong point and-"
"Yeah, I get it." Samantha said. She could second-guess what Martin was hinting at. His Dad thought that she wasn't good enough for him. Right now she didn't have time to worry about that. She stopped him just before he opened the front door. "Martin, I don't want you or your Dad to get the police involved." She said.
Martin looked down at her, concerned. "It'll be alright Sam, your parents won't be able to-"
"It's not that. It's just ………… whatever they've done, they're still my parents and there's only a few months to go and I don't want them locked up and put away for this." Samantha said, struggling to explain.
"Sam …."
"Please Martin." She begged. "No police."
Martin nodded reluctantly. "Okay, no police." He said opening the door.
They walked into a large hallway and it was like walking into a different world. Everything was made out of white stone with mock Roman columns either side of the door. Long curtains decorated the borders of the windows, photos lined the walls and the place was neat and spotless.
An Asian woman hurried up to them. "Oh my God Master Fitzgerald, have you been fighting? What have you been up to?" she said anxiously.
"I'm fine Mary, really. Have you seen my parents?" he asked.
"They're in the living room." The maid replied.
Samantha shifted nervously. She felt awkward and out of place here and standing here with grass stains on her jeans and her hair all windswept, she certainly didn't think it was the best time to make a good impression on Martin's parents.
Martin held her hand tighter and smiled her reassuringly as they followed Mary into the living room.
"Mom, Dad. This is Samantha." Martin announced as they walked into the spacious room. It was brightly lit by many overhanging lamps. Bookshelves and a piano lined the walls and in the centre were three luxurious settees and several armchairs. Beth Fitzgerald switched the TV off and Victor put down the newspaper.
"Wow, this is a surprise." Beth said smiling, getting up to greet Samantha but her face quickly turned to one of concern. "Martin – your face." She exclaimed, touching Martin's cheek. He winced. "Mary, get bag of ice quickly." She instructed.
Martin sighed and sat down on a settee with Samantha sitting closer to him for comfort than was strictly necessary.
"Have you been fighting?" Victor Fitzgerald asked, staring at Martin piercingly.
Martin looked away, he didn't know what Samantha wanted them to know and what she didn't.
"Martin was taking me home…." Samantha started. "My Dad, he was going to hit me – he was just drunk as usual – it's no big deal…….. Martin tried to stop him and-"
Victor stood up and grabbed the phone. "I'm calling the police."
"No." Martin and Samantha shouted at the same time. Martin's parents looked shocked.
"Please Mr Fitzgerald, I don't want the police involved." Samantha said urgently. "They don't mean it …. They're just drunk all the time and they can't control what they say or do."
"But they've abused you, your father hit my son ………. You have every right to press charges." Victor said incredulously.
"Dad. Please." Martin said forcefully.
Victor sat back down and surveyed his son and his son's girlfriend silently. Mary came in with the ice and some cloths and he watched as Samantha arranged the ice bundle carefully before helping Martin place it against the bruise.
"Are either of you hungry?" Beth asked, trying to cut through the awkward silence. "Do you want some tea, some biscuits? I've got those lovely cakes that Mrs Hatherely brought round ……."
"No, we're fine thanks Mom." Martin replied.
"Samantha, how long as this been going on?" Victor Fitzgerald questioned, going into FBI mode.
"I-" Samantha looked away. She didn't feel comfortable talking about this with anyone – not even Martin.
Martin held the ice pack against his face with one hand and put his arm around Samantha, drawing her closer with his other.
Victor saw the pain which had filled Samantha's eyes on the mention of her parents slowly fade as she leant into Martin's embrace. Maybe they had a connection which he, as an overbearing father, couldn't understand. Years of working for the Government had made him into a cynic, always ready to think the worst. Maybe Martin needed her to keep him grounded as much as she needed him. "Okay, we won't talk about it." He said quietly. "You're safe now, you'll stay here tonight." Victor noticed his son's face relax and knew that he had said the right things.
"Come on sweetheart." Beth said motherly. "I'll show you your room and get you some nightclothes."
Martin put down the bag of ice and planted a kiss on Samantha's forehead. "I'll see you in a minute." He said softly. Samantha nodded and followed his mother out upstairs leaving Victor and Martin alone.
"Thank you." He said to his father.
Victor nodded. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. She needs you and she seems a nice girl. You really should invite her round properly next time so we can get to know her." Sometimes he hated how he had to sound so formal, even when he was talking to his own son. From Martin's point of view, it probably just sounded like it was something he had been told to say by his wife.
Martin nodded gratefully. "Thanks. For understanding."
Martin climbed the familiar stairs and walked into his bedroom. Samantha was sitting on his bed, wearing a pair of his sister's tracksuit bottoms and a T-Shirt. "Hey, I thought I'd wait to say goodnight." She smiled.
Martin sat down on the bed next to her and gave her a cuddle. "Your room okay?"
"Yeah, it's lovely. Your Mom's really nice. How's your face?" she asked.
"I'll live. How are you? The thing with your Dad shook you up pretty bad." He said, rubbing her arm.
Samantha sighed. "Just part of the daily routine. I try not to think about it when I'm not at home." She shivered. Martin pulled a blanket out from underneath them and cocooned them inside it. She looked into his eyes. "Thank you for standing up for me back at my place. It was very brave."
Martin smiled. "It's okay." They were so close to each other now, he felt like he was on fire.
"Kiss me." Samantha said softly, resting a hand on his leg. Martin looked at her questioningly. "Kiss me." She repeated. They kissed gently and tentatively at first but she soon deepened the kiss. She felt Martin's hands come up to her face and his hands entwine in her hair. She felt so alive and complete.
She pulled away and leant her forehead against his. "I'll come with you to the Prom." She said with a smile.
Martin returned her smile happily and lay down flat on his back. Samantha climbed on top of him, dragging the blanket with her. "How did I get to date the handsomest guy in the school?" she asked dreamingly, kissing his neck.
"I know, it seems unfair when all I got was you!" Martin said cheekily. Samantha grabbed the pillow and hit him with it playfully. "Don't make me tickle you." He threatened. Samantha stopped and laughed. "Come on, we should get to sleep, we've got school tomorrow."
Samantha sighed and rested her head on her boyfriend's chest. "Can I stay here? It's just so comfortable lying here with you." She asked quietly.
"Okay, as long as you don't hog the blanket." He grinned, leaning over and switching off the lamp before cuddling up next to Samantha.
Victor watched them settle down and sleep in each other's arms and quietly closed Martin's bedroom door.
"You trust them sleeping in the same room?" Beth asked, walking down the hallway to her husband.
Victor turned. "Yes, I trust them." Beth smiled and let her husband draw her into his arms. "You were right." He said. "Samantha's a good girl and she makes our son happy. Nothing else matters." He said kissing his wife's forehead.
A/N:- I think there was a healthy amount of fluff in this chapter …. Samantha and Martin are so cute together! Okies, find out the reason behind the tension in the F.B.I office between Martin and Samantha in the next chapter!