Chapter 2

In the evening when almost everybody had left Martin still sat at his desk, his head resting on his left fist. The other hand was entering something in the computer. He didn't want to go home. What would greet him there was an empty apartment and he didn't want to face that just yet.

He wanted Sam to be there and just talk to her, but he knew she needed some time and he accepted that. What had happened between them last night wasn't right, but they both couldn't help it. Martin hadn't thought about the consequences and at that moment Sam hadn't either. But she was much more pensive than he was and once something had set Sam thinking it was hard to get to her, because she became so fearful and fragile that she just hindered everyone from coming too close. That must have been the reason she had left that night without telling him. When he noticed she was gone the next morning he realized how this really effected both of them. He had wanted her last night and he still did, but it was not as easy as alcohol often made it seem.

"Hey, man. You still here?" Martin hadn't heard Danny approaching, but when he looked up he was standing right beside him.

"Yeah, I'm going to finish this and then head home."

Danny nodded and went to pick up his stuff. He wasn't sure if his friend would accept it, but he looked as if he needed someone to talk to.

"Martin," he waited until he looked up from his screen, "maybe we should call it a night now and get something to eat."

"You asking me out for dinner?" Martin laughed.

"But only if I pick the place. I don't want to end up eating junk food."

"Sure." Martin nodded and began to gather his belongings.

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What they had was Chinese takeaway. Martin didn't feel like sitting down in a restaurant so they chose to eat while walking through the park.

"My uncle ask me to accompany her to the concert and I went. But there is nothing he could possibly say to convince me to go again." They had talked about sports, which got them to music and Martin had just finished the story about one of his cousins who wanted to go to a concert of some pop band and uncle Marty was the lucky one to accompany her.

"When I was her age I liked Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd or something going in that direction." He continued.

Danny couldn't help laughing.

"You were a rocker? I can hardly believe that."

"I was and my parents didn't like it. Especially when I started playing electric guitar in my room. Those were great times and the girls liked it."

"You still try to impress the girls with your guitar?" Danny asked with a big grin on his face.

"No, I think I'm over that. When I play now it's just to annoy the neighbors."

"I didn't know you were musical. You never mentioned it and neither did Sam." Danny felt now was a good time to say something about Sam. He could see Martin's face go serious the moment her name was mentioned, his good mood fading away.

"She liked to listen to it. I'm a poor singer so I just played from time to time. I know this sounds like in a stupid love story, but it was not like that."

Danny watched a quick smile appearing on Martin's face when he thought about those moments. Martin let out a sigh and continued.

"Actually Sam was the one digging out my guitar which was buried under loads of clothes somewhere in my wardrobe. I had forgotten all about it." He let out a deep breath pushing away the thought before he got too emotional about it.

"You two never seem to get over what you had, right?" Danny sat down on a bench and Martin sat down next to him.

"No, at least I can't. Being together with her was challenging and not always easy, but she was special and still is."

Danny nodded.

"Yes, she is. And I'm sure she thinks the same about you."

Martin shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe. It's just so frustrating that we can never make it work. It seems that when we take one step forwards we take two steps back not much later. Yesterday was proof of that."

"You want to talk about it?"

"Well there's not much to tell that you don't know already. We left together and went over to my place. You can imagine the rest. She left that night without saying a word. I think we pushed this a little too far."

"What do you mean?" Danny asked. He didn't know how things had started between Sam and Martin and what had happened later on. Otherwise he might have understood.

"It's just that we can't seem to make it work on any other level than the physical level and this is what we both want to avoid. I mean we want to make it work on all the other levels too, but there is always misunderstandings and other things getting in the way of a real relationship." Martin tried to explain.

"So Sam might afraid that you don't want more and you worry that you hurt her yesterday, because she wasn't ready?" Danny tried to get the short version of a very complicated story right.

"Something like that, yeah. I think it was just a very bad idea to express what I feel in that form, because of our...well let's call it "history". Sex cannot be the basis of a serious relationship, but I think this is the feeling I gave her yesterday. That's why she panicked, because she was afraid it was going to be like before."

A short silence passed between the two friends, before Danny spoke again.

"I know that Sam is a person afraid of committing, but, Martin, I think she really wants to be with you. So maybe this is not just about what you have done wrong, but it could be that she is also afraid of what she has done and what you must think of her now. Maybe that she will never change and that being with her means having sex as the basis of a relationship. Which I'm sure you don't think."

Martin shook his head vehemently.

"Then maybe you should just go and talk to her about it. I'm sure you'll sort this out. Maybe I'll be Uncle Danny after all." Danny smiled and patted Martin's back.

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Sam was sitting on her couch wrapped in a blanket. She had taken a bath when she had arrived home. It had helped her relax a little.

Now as she was listening to the sound of silence her thoughts were racing again. It was impossible for her to figure out what she really wanted. When Martin was around she wished he would just go away and when he wasn't with her she missed him so much that she began to imagine he would knock at her door any minute.

She hoped that the three weeks of solitariness would help her solve that problem. Otherwise it would be hard, if not impossible to continue working with him. If she would come to the conclusion that she couldn't be with him...

Oh, stop it, Sam! She called herself back to reality. You already know you want to be with him.

And that was the truth, but she was glad that there was nobody around she could share this with.

She was so afraid of rejection. And she had already been rejected by Martin once she couldn't stand that a second time. The reason why he had ended things between them worried her even now. Sam knew she had a problem with showing her feelings openly, but she really wanted to work on that to maybe give a relationship with Martin a second chance in the future. If he was willing to give her that chance.

But what must he think of her now... After everything that had happened yesterday. She certainly didn't show him that she had tried to work on herself in any way. Everything was down to sexual attraction again. That's the feeling she must have given him. What she should have done was tell him how much he meant to her, but that was so much harder than just sleep together. And she hated herself for not being brave enough.

Sam stroked her still wet her and let out a deep breath. Then she turned on the TV and tried to forget everything.

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"Has anyone seen Sam? She was supposed to accompany me to meet this NYPD guy and he doesn't like people not being on time." Danny asked heading towards the conference table where everyone else was seated.

Elena and Viv shook their heads, Martin just looked up and Jack didn't try hide that he knew something, but he took his time before he answered.

"She has taken some time off."

Danny didn't ask why. He had expected something like this to happen and he couldn't blame her for it. It probably was for the best, because the distance helped her to think properly and apart from that it would sustain the efficiency of the team. Not that this was his main concern, but the present situation didn't really support Martin and Sam working very successful in each others presence.

"Do you know when she will be back?" Elena asked.

"In three weeks." Was Jack's answer before he turned back to some reports lying in front of him obviously not wanting to pursue this topic any further. Discussing any of this in front of the others and especially Martin would get him involved and he could certainly do without that. And besides he didn't want to show up either of the ones affected.

"Three weeks off?" Vivian said with surprise. "That doesn't sound like our Sam. You had to force her to take her remaining days off last time. I hope she's alright?"

"She is." Jack hoped to end this conversation with that. Luckily Danny came to his aid.

"Why don't you let me take Martin to see this guy then? Seems to me that there's not enough work for four people here anyway."

Jack nodded. "Go ahead."

Once Martin and Danny were out of sight Vivian turned to Jack.

"What is it you're not telling me?"

"Nothing in particular. Just let them sort it out." And Viv knew exactly what he meant leaving only a puzzled and uninformed Elena at the desk.

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"Have you talked to her yet?" Danny asked keeping his eyes on the street while he was driving.

"No, haven't had the opportunity yet."

"Okay." Danny said when he noticed that Martin wasn't in the mood for talk like this.

"What does this NYPD guy want from us anyway?" Martin tried to change the subject to escape further questioning.

"Just have us look at some files of a missing person's case we dealt with some time ago. Try to help them solve something they are investigating right now. It was before your time that's why Sam should have come with me. But, well, I thought this was a good opportunity to get you out of the office for some time."

"Yeah, thanks." There was a short pause before Martin continued. "Do you think everyone already knows...about that thing between Sam and me?"

"I don't think so. I'm sure Sam didn't tell anyone neither did I, but you know Jack and Viv. One way or the other they always find out. And I'm sure at least Jack has a hunch."

Martin nodded. He knew that Jack had always cared for Sam and he often noticed when something was going on with her. She must have talked to him when she wanted to get the three weeks off. Though Martin was certain that she hadn't told Jack anything he suspected Danny to be right: Jack had to have a hunch. But what difference would it make? None to him, but maybe this affected Sam in some way.

End chapter 2...

A/N: Hope you like it so far... You might have noticed: I'm not a native speaker. Erm... and reviews are very much appreciated:)