A/N I'm so overwhelmed with all the reviews and follows, I can't thank everyone enough. It means so much to me. I'm not the most confident in my writing ability so the response to this story has been so surprising. Thank you all so much! Now, as promised, here's the 3rd installment. I hope you all continue to enjoy this story :)

Chapter 3: Sinking feeling

After finding a spot in the packed parking garage, Sam walks the distance to the entrance of the airport and immediately finds an information board. She scans the info and finds flight 486 on American Airlines and reads the status as 'on time.' She still has about 10 minutes before the plane is due to land, plus the time it will take her brother and sister-in-law to get their luggage, wrangle the kids, and make their way to baggage claim where they had agreed to meet.

As she starts walking towards baggage claim, she feels herself getting excited, but also nervous. The last time she spoke with her brother, a few nights before, he again expressed his displeasure over the fact that she's dating Jack. She hadn't told Mark right away that she was dating anyone, after all, she and Jack were still in the initial stages of getting to know each other in this new way. However, after only a couple weeks, she knew for sure that Jack was the one, so she started thinking of long term plans. About three months into her relationship with Jack, her brother called her with an 'opportunity of a lifetime' as he had put it, when he offered to set her up with one of his best friends. She politely turned down the offer and told her brother that she was already seeing someone. She had hoped that he would let it go at that, but knew that he wouldn't. Needless to say, he was not pleased, and now every time they speak, they end up arguing and he tells her how she's ruining her life and how things will never work out the way she thinks they will.

She has spoken to Jack about all of this, especially since Mark and Onica decided to visit, she felt Jack needed to be prepared. Sam smiles as she remembers how supportive and reassuring Jack was. He had promised her that he could handle her brother and that he wasn't going anywhere, no matter what.

So now, here she stands at baggage claim, hoping the weekend will be better than she's thinking. She's also hoping that having Onica and the kids around will help to temper Mark.

Sam looks at her watch and it reads 19:46, and mentally notes that the plane landed a few minutes ago. She waits patiently, figuring she'll hear the kids before she sees them. She's really excited about seeing the kids. She hasn't seen them in person for a few years. Luke is now 10 and Aubry is 8, she can't believe they are that old now. She silently reprimands herself for not making more of an effort to visit them.

She is so lost in her thoughts that she is startled when a hand touches her shoulder. The soldier part of her wants to grab the unwelcome intrusion and throw the person over her shoulder and onto the ground. However, the rational human being part of her wins the battle, and she just swiftly turns around, staring into the face of her brother, Mark Carter.

"Mark!" Sam says in surprise, then adds, "You're here, how are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks." He says in reply.

Sam suddenly realizes that they are two people short and asks, "Where are the kids?"

He nods at Onica and says, "We decided to leave them at home."

Embarrassed that she forgot to greet her sister-in-law, Sam steps over to hug her and says, "Onica, it's so good to see you. How was your flight?"

Content to have been overlooked, and now nervous that she has to speak to the woman whose life is about to be turned upside down, Onica plasters on the best fake smile she can muster and says, "The flight was uneventful."

"Well I'm glad you were able to make it. Why didn't you bring the kids? I was looking forward to seeing them." Sam says.

"Why don't we get out of here and we'll explain that." Mark says as he turns to start walking out, then adds, "Where did you park?"

Sam, walking beside him says, "In the parking garage, this way, I'm on level 4." And she proceeds to lead them out of the airport and across the street to the 7 story parking garage.

They get off of the elevator on the 4th level of the parking garage and Sam leads them to a newer looking black Chevy Silverado Crew Cab pickup truck.

Looking impressed, Mark opens the passenger side door, pokes his head in and says, "Wow Sam, this is a really nice truck. I thought you liked smaller cars though?"

"I do, this is Jack's truck. He let me take it because we thought the kids were coming and his truck has more space. All the luggage could go in the back and we could ride in the cab." Then in a slightly irritated tone she adds, "but seems as though you didn't bring the kids…" and lets the rest hang.

Picking up on her irritation Mark says, "I"m sorry, I know you were looking forward to seeing them."

Getting a little more irritated Sam replies, "We just spoke on the phone the other day, you could've mentioned the fact that you weren't bringing them. "

Raising his voice, Mark growls, "With how things have been between us lately we thought it was best that the kids weren't here."

"Oh what, afraid they'll see you acting like a judgmental jerk?" Sam says, sarcastically. Then she adds, "Besides, things are only the way they are because you won't accept my choices." Sam nearly yells.

Throwing his arms in the air Mark barks, "If you would make good choices, then I could accept them. And I'm not a jerk, Sam. I'm your brother and it's my job to point out when you're making a monumental mistake!"

Before Sam can make a reply to that, Onica says in her best mom voice, "Okay, that's enough! Now get in the truck and shut up unless you have something nice to say." And she proceeds to open the back passenger door and slide in.

Sam and Mark, both looking a little embarrassed at their outburst, got in as well.

After everyone was buckled, Sam starts the truck and says in a calmer tone, "The plan was to have you and the kids stay with me at my house, but now that it's only the two of you, I don't see why we can't all stay with Jack, his house is bigger so I'm sure he won't mind."

Feeling panicked, Onica shouts, "NO!" She thinks to herself that it's awkward enough riding in his truck, she can't imagine staying in his house.

Both Mark and Sam turn and look at her with puzzled expressions.

Onica recovers enough and says, "I, I mean, that would be lovely but, I um, I already gave the babysitter your home number and address, so I think it would be simpler to keep things as they are."

Sam responds before Mark can, "Oh, okay, that's fine."

Mark turns back to the front and looks at Sam, "So, what's the plan for this weekend?"

"I don't know now. We thought the kids were coming so we planned things we thought they would like." Sam says, looking over at Mark.

"Well, I guess we'll just figure it out then." Mark says.

"We better get going, we can call Jack once we get to my house." Sam suggests.

"Oh, so he can decide everything for this weekend, or because he can't be bothered to actually come see us in person?" Mark accuses.

"He had a long week at work, but if you want him to come over, I'm sure he will. I can call him right now and I bet he'll meet us at my house." Sam says in reply, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

"I wouldn't want to put him out." Mark says sarcastically.

"Maybe we should just leave things as they are." Onica interrupts from the back seat, then adds, "it seems simpler and easier for everyone."

"Sounds fine to me." Sam says, agreeing with her sister-in-law.

"Whatever." Mark says, clearly irritated, then adds, "It's not like we really need to get to know him anyways."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sam asks, no longer trying to control her irritation.

"You have a pattern Sam. And a type. And that's the problem. Jack is no different than Jonus, and do I need to remind of how that worked out?" Mark said accusingly, then adds, "That's why I tried to set you up with my friend, to show you that you don't have to get stuck with the same type of guy."

"How dare you." Sam says with clear ire in her voice, then continues, "I'll admit, Jonus was a mistake, I was young and naive, but Jack is nothing like him."

"Sam," Mark starts before being interrupted by his sister.

"I love him Mark, and after you and Onica leave, I'm moving in with him." Sam states, matter of factly.

Mark whips around to face her and hollers, "Are you crazy? Moving in with him? I, I don't even know what to say. You are out of your mind. It's a bad idea Sam"

Furious now, Sam shouts, "And who are you to say that! You lost the right to have any say in my life the moment you turned your back on me."

"Oh, that again?" Mark says, rolling his eyes.

"It's the whole problem isn't it? You didn't like my decision to join the Air Force, but instead of supporting me like a good brother, you cut me out of your life." Sam fires back.

"After you joined up you've made one bad decision after another Sam. Jonus, getting that motorcycle, and now dating your boss." Mark says counting on his fingers.

"You know what, I'm going to drop you and Onica off at my house and I'm going to go stay with Jack. I can't even stand to look at you right now." Sam says and puts the truck in gear.

Sitting in the back and listening to their conversation, Oncia wishes desperately that she could sink into the truck seat and disappear. Things are so much worse than she thought. She thought Sam was still feeling out this relationship, but her oblivious sister-in-law just announced that she and Him, she can't bring herself to even think his name, are planning to move in together and that they love each other. By the end of the weekend two relationships might be ruined, and it's all her fault. Onica just closes her eyes and tries not to cry as Sam starts driving.