Title: Scenes from a Courtship
Disclaimer: Not mine, I'm just playing.
Summary: A series of scenes from Sam and Martin's relationship. In the same universe as "A Long Weekend."
Rating: If you are old enough to use the internet you are old enough to read this.
Chapter 8
A special thanks to Claire and "she who wishes not to be named" for beta reading.
Saturday in the Park
The day was beautiful the kind when you have some of the best of spring and the best of Summer all at once. Martin and Sam were taking a leisurely jog through Central Park. They were running a different route than they normally did.
Sam spotted the sign for the Central Park Zoo and said, "Look the Zoo. Let's go!" with the enthusiasm of a little girl.
"Anything for you Sam," Martin replied smiling at the joy the idea of the Zoo brought Sam, who was so very different from the no nonsense Agent Spade.
They walked around the zoo enjoying the spring crop of baby animals. The lingered in the monkey house watching the monkeys play like hyperactive children on a jungle gym. It was a little crowded with lots of families coming through.
Martin looked over at Sam right when a little boy was reaching up to grab Sam's hand. The boy grabbed her hand saying, "Look Mommy!" while looking and starting to cry in horror as he realized that he hadn't taken his mommy's hand but a strange woman.
Sam immediately knelt down to the boy's level saying, "It's o.k. We'll help you find your mommy."
Martin started off saying "I'll take a quick look for a parent missing a child further up."
Martin walked out of the monkey house and immediately saw a man and a woman looking around frantically. He went up to them and said, "Excuse me, but are you missing a little boy?"
"Yes!" they replied. "We had him with us a minute ago!'
"I'm pretty sure he is in the monkey house with my girlfriend," said Martin.
He directed the parents back to Sam. As soon as they could see Sam, the little boy could see them and he launched himself at his parents yelling "Mommy! Daddy!"
The parents scooped up the boy and thanked Sam and Martin profusely.
After the parents and the child left, Martin said to Sam "Let's hope all of next week's cases are so easy and involve so little paperwork."
"No kidding," replied Sam. "When our kids are that little, we'll keep them in backpack so they can't wander off."
Martin just looked at Sam and smiled. He didn't think she even realized what she said, but he did and it made him very happy.
It's the Little Things
Sam let herself into her apartment. She hoped she could find something to eat in the house. It had been a long couple of weeks, with long days. Sam had been TDY to the FBI Minneapolis Field Office because they were short handed.
It was a complete fluke. A mini-baby boom, a heart attack, and a car accident had decimated the office. It had also taken the only female agents out of the office. Since the FBI liked to have at least one female agent available, they wanted a female agent to fill-in, they also didn't like to send rookie agents on these fill-in assignments. Some HR computer identified the New York Field Office as the best place to pull someone from based on prevalence of somewhat experience female agents. Sam drew the short straw.
Martin was supposed to pick Sam up from the airport, but he had sent out of town on a case so she took a cab home. She was disappointed, but knew that it was just one of those things.
When Sam walked in, the first thing she noticed was a note leaning up against some candlesticks on the table. Next to it was her Ipod and her mail.
The note read:
Dear Sam,
I'm sorry I didn't get to pick you up. I figured you would be tired and hungry when you got home. Check the fridge and your bedroom for surprises.
Love,
Martin
P.S. I was lonely without so I added a bunch of songs to your Ipod.
"Martin is really something special," thought Sam as she went to check out the kitchen. She found a bag of fresh bagels and a bowl of fruit on the counter. The coffee maker was set so all had to do was turn it on. Martin had cleaned out the fridge of old milk and anything else that was past its prime. He left her yogurt, berries, milk, juice, a veggie tray, and a bag of salad mix. Just enough to get through a couple of meals and a snack.
Sam decided that she wanted to change out of her traveling clothes before she ate. In her room, she found fresh sheets on her bed and her favorite pajamas freshly washed and laid out for her.
Sam changed into her pajamas and thought, "Martin is so wonderful." She smile and thought, who knew that groceries, clean sheets, and an updated Ipod would be the perfect gestures to make her feel cherished?