A Fresh Start
Chapter Two Hundred Sixty Six
When they get home, Jeffrey pulls into the garage and turns the car off. Sam looks at him as he opens his door. "You're not..." He holds up one finger as he closes his door. She watches him walks around the car and open her car door. "What…?" He lays a finger across her mouth and then leans in and kisses her. She leans into him, wrapping her arms around him.
Too soon, he pulls back. He takes her hand and leads her out of the garage and towards their house. Opening the door, he pulls her inside. Closing the door, he pulls her to him. He kisses her while he guides them towards the couch. In the process, he pulls her coat off and dropping it to the floor. She breaks the kiss by pulling back. "J." She mumbles as he moves down her neck. "You have to go…."
"Shush." He mumbles, pulling her back to him, kissing her.
"You have to..." She mumbles around his mouth.
"I'll go back, but right now I need you." He mumbles back as he reaches for her waist.
Heat rushes through her with those three words. She takes control. Reaching for his coat, she follows him pulling it off him. Letting it fall to the floor, she pulls his tie free before reaching for his waist. Meanwhile, he's pushing up her scrubs. He breaks the kiss. She looks up and then lifts her arms and he pulls her top up. He tosses it to the floor as she lays her hands on his chest. Slowly moving her hands down his chest while he sucks in a deep breath and leans in, reattaching his mouth to her. When she reaches his waist, she pauses for a moment and then smiles when she feels him shift closer to her. Pulling his shirt free, she slips her hand underneath. Bending her fingers, she lets her nails scratch his stomach every time he draws a breath. And it's simply erotic for him
Reaching around her, he finds the clasp on her bra. Flicking it open, he reaches for her shoulders and brushes the straps down her arms as he steps back. Breaking their kiss, he looks down and he feels something fill him that he can't exactly put into words, but it's simply that he loves her like he's never loved any women he's been with. Not Olivia, not Cassie, and certainly not he countless women he tried to bury his pain in while she was gone. Taking a deep breath, he lays his hand on her stomach and whispers. "I love you."
She hears everything he's not saying. Leaning up, she kisses him softly before she says. "I love you too."
He moves his hands over her stomach as she teases him with her mouth and tongue. Reaching for his waist, she pulls his belt free. He follows her, pulling her scrubs free, he slips his fingers under her waist and pushes them down. Laying her hands on his shoulder, she braces herself against him as she kicks her shoes off and steps out of her pants. He looks down and catches a glimpse of her in nothing but her underwear. "Baby, you're so…."
Words fail him. She smiles as they lean into each other. She reaches for his pants, opening them but he has other plans. Bending his knees, he sweeps her up into his arms. He starts for the stairs as she laughs. He teases her, stroking the fire burning in both of them by nibbling on her neck, teasing a desperate moan from deep inside her. "You know I can walk." She mutters as he climbs the stairs. He looks at her and smiles and she shakes her head.
When he reaches their room, he gently lays her down before he stands up. Reaching for his pants, he unfastens them as she reaches to help him. "Let me." He says, catching her hand and kissing her fingers. Taking his pants off, he drops them to the floor along with his boxers. Reaching for her hips, as she lifts them, he pulls her panties down her legs. He drops them to the floor as he slowly moves his eyes down her body. Moving onto the bed, he kneels between her open legs. He reaches out, laying his hand against her neck, he shivers when he feels her pulse throbbing against his hand. He brings his hand down, caressing her as he goes until he reaches her hips. He pauses, looking up and catching her gaze, he slips his fingers through her hot folds, slick with her need for him. He teases her enough that she arches her back. Moving under her, he guides himself into her, filling her completely. "J!" She cries, her body clinging to his.
He wants to show her how much she's changed his life. How much he loves that she never gave up on him. How much he's proud of her for protecting them against Jeremiah. How much he's grateful that she loves him and agreed to marry him, and how much he adores her that she's giving him a son. Never mind the fact that genetics dictate that he's the one that decides the sex of the baby. He doesn't care. He loves her and she's bearing his child, his son.
She looks up and watching him, and the thoughts rolling across his face. He leans over, kissing her softly as he sinks deeper into her. "Beca." He mutters.
"I know." She mumbles against his mouth.
Clinching her muscles around him, she breaks the kiss and look into his eyes. He starts slow, building the rhythm with each thrust. She moves with him, clinching her muscles around him. They build a steady rhythm, pushing the other to the edge until he whispers. "Baby, I can't…."
"I know, one more." She whispers.
Pressing his thumb against her desire, he thrusts once more and she shatters around him. Sucking him deep, her body clings to his massaging his erection. It's enough to drive him over. He release surges through him, flooding her body. Each pulse of his release brings an answering wave her until they're both spent and he collapses to her side. Slipping free of her while they each wrap their arms around each other.
Sucking in a deep breath, he licks his lips and then teases her with a kiss before he rolls to his back. They look at each other and smile. Lifting his arm, she moves over to him. She snuggles into him as he wraps his arm around her. They lay there together, letting their bodies return to normal.
After a while he begins playing with her hair, he feels her relaxing against him. Slowly she moves her hand over his chest, drawing little patterns and writing little phrases on his chest. He smiles when he feels her write "I love you." Turning his head, he kisses the top of her head and she knows that he understood what she wrote. After a couple minutes he says. "I guess this means you're not mad at me anymore." She pulls away and looks at him. The moments the words leave his mouth and she pulls away he knows he said the wrong thing. Sitting up, she watches him before she moves to leave the bed. "Sam."
She doesn't reply as she gets up and leaves the room. Closing his eyes, he silently says. "Shit." He takes a deep breath and then sits up quickly. Reaching for his pants and boxers, he pulls them on at the same time and then follows her downstairs. When he reaches the living room, he finds her struggling to pull her scrubs on. When she almost falls he's there to catch her and as soon as she's steady, she pulls away from him. She reaches for her top as he says. "Stop." He reaches for her again.
She avoids him, pulling her top down and then pulling her shoes. "I've got patients." She says, turning for the door leading downstairs.
"Wait." He says, reaching for his shirt. He struggles into it as he tries to slip his shoes on as well. He almost falls but catches himself. Once he has his shirt and shoes on, he follows her downstairs. Before he enters the clinic break room, he stops and tucks in his shirt and fastens his pants. Walking into the clinic, he looks for Sam and spots her talking to Leah. Leah watches as he walks towards them and it's apparent something has happened. As he walks up, he says. "Sam."
She turns around, looks at him before she walks past him and says. "Go back to City Hall, J." She walks away. He looks at Leah and then turns to see Sam walk into an exam room before he can catch up to her.
Reaching for his phone, he pulls it from his pocket and dials his office number. Stace answers on the first ring. "Thank you for calling…."
Jeffrey interrupts her. "Stace, its Jeffrey."
"Yes sir."
"Is my last appointment there?"
"Not yet sir."
"Okay, when Councilmen Gates gets there apologize to him and explain that I've had some family matters come up and that I will meet with him first thing tomorrow morning."
"Yes sir. Is Sam okay?"
"She's fine."
"I'll take care of it."
"Thank you." He says, leaning back against the wall as he hangs up.
Ten minutes later, Sam comes out of the exam room. She stops when she sees him. And then she turns away. He watches as she walks down the hall. He stays there until she turns and walks back towards him. She looks at him when she reaches him. When she walks past, he reaches for her hand. Grabbing it, he leads her into her office. "J, what are you doing? I've got patients and you've got…."
"It'll wait." He says, closing the door behind him. She steps back from him as she fixes her gaze on the floor. After several seconds he says. "Look at me." She ignores him as she crosses her arms over her chest. "Sam, please look at me."
She looks up and tries to remain defiant but he can see what's she's feeling."
"Talk to me." He says quietly.
"I think you said enough for the both of us."
"You know I didn't mean that."
"Oh, you didn't mean to fuck me. I gathered…."
His jaw clenches while he fights to control his temper. "When we do that, it's never me just, well you know. I love you." She stares at him with her arms still crossed. "Sam, please."
"What!"
"You know that I did not mean that the way you took it."
"Seems to me you f…."
"Do not say that, we have never done that. I was teasing you."
"So, you think so little of my feelings that when I have a legitimate complaint you think you can laugh it off."
"Stop twisting my words. I know you were mad at me because you felt like you had a reason to be."
"I did have a reason. You…."
"At that appointment I was doing my job, taking care of you and our son. She asked you how you were doing." He holds up his hand. "But that's not what this is about. What I said upstairs was meant to tease you not discount what you felt. Beca, I felt so much for you when we saw our son. I can't describe the feelings I was feeling, except that they almost overwhelmed me." He steps closer to her. "I love you. I respect you and I will never discount what you feel." She opens her mouth. "And I didn't mean to do it then." He says, pulling her arms free. She tries to resist but he's persistent. "I didn't." He says, bending his knees until he's looking her in the eye. Seeing the tears in her eyes, he tugs on her hand.
She tries to resist but he's insistent. She's stiff as he wraps his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. After a few seconds, she slips her arms around his waist. Her posture relaxing as she begins crying. "Shush, baby." He whispers, kissing the top of her head. "I'm sorry, Beca." He mutters over and over while he rubs her back.
"I'm sorry." She mutters. She swallows and then says "It wasn't what you said." She's quiet for a couple moments and then she says. "It was when you said it. It made me feel like it wasn't worth anymore to you than a way to distract me from what I was feeling before the ultrasound, especially since that came from out of nowhere."
He leans back so that he can look her in the face. "Not from nowhere baby. I promise I wanted to do that the moment we found out that our baby is a boy. I was filled with so much love. I can't describe it to you, but you and our son are the most precious things for me."
"I know we are. I'm sorry I left you like that. I was…." She pauses because she can't really put into words what she felt.
"You were hurt. It wasn't the time to tease you, especially like that." He says, holding her back so he can see her face.
"Maybe we can chalk this reaction up to pregnancy hormones." She says, giving him a quirky smile.
"We can blame it on whatever you want to blame it on as long as you understand that I love you so, so, so much. I love both of you so much." He says, drawing her back to him and laying his hand against her stomach. He feels a good health kick and they both laugh.
"I think he approves of your apology."
"The question is does his mother approve of my apology." He asks, as she looks up. "What?" He asks, seeing the expression in her eyes.
"Say it again."
"What… oh the question is does his mother…." She leans up and kisses him.
Pulling back, she says. "She approves and accepts it."
"Good." He says, kissing her softly before he leans back. "Do you have anymore patients?"
"No, my other two cancelled so I'm free." She says, glancing at the clock. "And I think Leah can handle any walk-ins we might have."
"Then I suggest we go back upstairs and rediscover our previous activities."
Her eyes flash and he takes a deep breath when he reads the flash of desire in hers. "You know we could just…." She says, as she looks around her office.
"That is an intriguing suggestion but you my darlin tend to be rather loud at particular times and I would prefer to have two floors between us and the rest of your staff when that begins."
She takes his hand as she says. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I can be as vocal as you want for as long as you want." Tugging on his hand, she opens the door. The hallway is empty as they walk towards the break room.
Once they walk inside, he asks. "Do you need to tell Leah anything?"
"No, she knows what to do." She says, leading across the room to the door. Opening it, she tugs him through before she closes it and they continue upstairs.
An few hours later, Sam rolls to her side. She glances at the clock and then does a double take. "J." She says, turning to him. She shakes him.
"Hmmm." He mumbles, not opening his eyes.
"J, wake up." Something in her tone grabs his attention.
"What? The baby… Are you…?"
"I'm fine and the baby is fine. We're going to be late to Richard and Cassie's Christmas party." She says, sliding the covers back. He tries to hang onto his. "J, we have to get up." She says, tugging on his covers.
"We could…."
"We're not missing their party." She says, getting out of bed.
"Alright." He mumbles, getting up and following her towards the closet.
Cassie's at the stove when Richard walks into the kitchen. He's about to offer to help when someone knocks on the back door. "I'll get it." He says, walking over to the door, opening it, to find Julie and her kids with her mother Maggie on the other side. "You made it." He says, opening the door wider and stepping back. They walk in as Cassie turns from the stove. "Aunt Cassie." Mj squeals and runs towards her.
Cassie bends down to catch the girl, hugging her. "Oh, you've grown." She whispers, kissing her head.
"I'm seven now. I'm supposes to be taller."
"I know." Cassie says, kissing the top of Mj's head before she stands up. "How are you doing Julie?" She asks, hugging her sister-in-law.
"I'm doing well." She says, as Richard takes her coat. He carries it into the guest room down the hall from the living room, along with the kid's coats and Maggie's as well.
When he gets back, Reva and Josh are walking in. "Merry Christmas, everyone, Sis." Reva says, as Josh takes her coat. Then she goes to hug Cassie.
"Just put them in the guest room." Richard says, as Josh looks around. Nodding he leaves the room and comes back a few moments later.
"Okay, so I guess introductions should be made." Richard says. "Everyone, this is my sister-in-law Julie. And this is her mother Maggie Chandler. And this is my niece Mj." Richard says, bending over to pick her up.
"Richard." Cassie says.
"I'm fine." He replies, holding his niece. "Julie, this is Cassie's sister Reva and her husband Josh." Richard says, as someone knocks.
"I'll get that." Cassie says, opening the door to Harley and Gus. "You guys made it."
"Yes, wrapped the case this afternoon." Harley says, hugging her.
"I'm glad." Cassie says, releasing her and hugging Gus as Blake and her kids walk up.
"Hey." Blake says quietly. She's still nervous to be around Harley. "Can we come in?" She asks, as Cassie releases Gus.
"Of course you can." She says, stepping back.
She closes the door while Richard takes everyone's coat. He takes them to the guest room while Cassie makes the introductions. "Okay, so you've met Josh and Reva." She says, turning to Julie and Maggie. "These are my best friends, Blake and Harley and this is Harley's husband Gus. The older kids are Blake's. Everyone, this is Julie and Maggie. Julie is Richard's sister-in-law and Maggie is Julie's mother."
"I thought Edmund was in jail and William…."
"She was married to Richard's twin brother Matt." Cassie says, as Richard walks back into the room. Everyone seems to have an expression of oh on their faces when he walks back into the room.
"Did I miss something?" He asks, glancing at Cassie.
"I just explained that Julie's is Matt's wife." Cassie says and then turns to everyone. "Why don't we go into the living room?" Everyone nods, following her and Richard into the living room. They settle around the room.
"Anyone want some eggnog?" He asks, choosing to leave it at that.
"Has anyone talked to Jeffrey and Sam?" Reva asks.
"No, I haven't seen Jeffrey since a couple days ago when he wanted to know if we were coming to their house for Christmas."
"You guys are going, right?" Cassie asks, looking at Reva.
"Of course we are." Reva replies. "And I think Marah will be bringing someone with her."
"Reva, you don't know that." Josh says, as she looks at him. "Well you don't." He says.
"Know what?" Richard asks.
"I went to see Marah and to let her know that we aren't doing Christmas this year. That it's going to be at Jeffrey and Sam's. And you will never guess who was there with her. It was Sam's bodyguard. He was in Marah's room."
"She's a grown woman." Cassie says, handing out some eggnog.
"I know she's a grown woman. But did you know that she and Sam's bodyguard are a thing."
"I don't think any of us knew that she and Sam's body guard were a thing." Josh says, taking a sip of eggnog. "And point of fact we don't know for a fact that they are a thing."
"He came out of her bedroom." Reva says, looking at Josh.
"You do realize that she would freak if she heard you discussing her private life." Cassie says, before Josh can reply.
"I'm her mother. I'm allowed to discuss my daughter's life."
"Really sis, because I've heard stories about…."
"This isn't about me. Do you think it's wise for her to be involved with someone after what happened in Paris?"
"What happened in Paris?" Julie asks, walking up to them.
"Oh, we were discussing our daughter." Josh says. "She's just returned from Paris over Thanksgiving." Josh says.
"Oh." Julie nods. "Did something bad happen to her while she was there?" Julie asks.
"No, she's just…."
"She's a private person." Richard says, looking at everyone else. "And she would be mortified if she knew that we were discussing her love life." He says, looking at Reva.
"Alright, I won't say anymore." Reva says, as Cassie turns to Julie.
"So, what are your plans for Christmas?"
"Umm, we're actually going to spend it with my family. I haven't really been involved with them since… well since the accident. We usually spent the holidays at my ex's parent's house. We would visit my mom usually a couple days after Christmas. But I couldn't ever stay very long. It always reminded me of Matt." Julie says, looking at Richard. He reaches for her hand and squeezes it. "Anyway, we'll spend the day with my mom and my sister and her husband and their new baby, my nephew." Julie says.
"Oh it's always fun when there's a baby around during Christmas. To see their faces light up with Christmas tree lights, Tammy would…." Cassie trails off and Richard slips his arm around her squeezing her to him. "My daughter, I should say our daughter Tammy, she loved Christmas." Cassie says, looking at Julie.
"She especially loved my fudge." Reva says.
"That's because it's the only thing we can eat when you cook." Josh says, teasing her.
"Hey you seem to be surviving well enough on my cooking." Reva says, slapping his arm.
"You mentioned Marah. Did you happen to tell her about this party?" Cassie asks, looking at Reva.
"Ummm, actually I forgot. I was sort of shocked when Sam's bodyguard came out of her room and it slipped my mind. What's his name by the way?" She asks, looking around the room.
"I believe it was Julien." Richard says, as every one looks at him. "What I can remember names. I had to being Prince and all."
"There are a lot of things you're good at." Cassie says, leaning in to kiss him.
"Eww guys that is just not what we need to know." Harley says, grinning at Cassie. Cassie looks at her and smiles. "I wasn't the one that got pregnant in the middle of the summer during a power outage." Cassie says, looking at Blake.
"Hey, don't bring me into this. Who snuck out of the hotel room in disguise and then later ran into your sister at a karaoke bar with a dead guy." Blake says.
"Wait, what?" Julie asks, as someone knocks on the door.
"That's probably Jeffrey and Sam." Cassie says, saving herself from having to explain that story to Julie. Walking over to the door, she opens it and smiles as William and Ava steps up to the door. "Hey." She says, smiling as she steps back to let them in.
"Sorry, we're running behind." William says.
"It's okay. The party is just getting started and you're not the last ones to arrive. Your father and Sam haven't made it yet." Cassie says as she closes the door behind them.
"Sam might've gotten caught up with a patient."
"Maybe or something else…."
"La, la, la." Ava says, shaking her head as Cassie laughs.
"Everyone is in the living room. I'll get you some eggnog." She says, nodding towards the living room. William and Ava walk into the living room while Cassie stays in the kitchen. She follows them moments later. Richard is finishing up introductions as Cassie hands them each a glass of eggnog.
After a while, Richard walks over to Cassie and slips his arm around her as they watch their friends and relatives interact. "You did good Mrs. Winslow." He says, lightly kissing her cheek. "I love you."
She looks at him with a soft sweet smile He leans in to kiss her as there's a knock at the back door. She pulls away and says. "I wonder if that's Jeffrey and Sam."
She turns to go but he stops her. "I'll get it. You stay here and visit." He walks into the kitchen as she turns to Blake.
When he opens the door, Sam says. "I'm sorry we're late."
Smiling, he replies. "He keep you busy?" He asks, stepping back, he let's them in and then closes the door behind them.
"We were ahhh," He looks at Sam and they both smile.
"Come on in, everybody's in the living room." Richard says, stepping back.
When they're inside, he closes the door and then takes their coats as Jeffrey says. "I noticed an unfamiliar car outside…?"
"Julie came." Richard says, looking at him.
"Who's Julie?" Sam asks, handing her coat to her.
"She's my brother's widow." Richard says, as Sam looks surprised. "We've been talking off and on for a few months now and so I invited her and kids for tonight and she brought her mom along.
"Did she bring…?" Jeffrey asks, looking around.
"No, it's just her, her mother Maggie and her kids." Richard replies.
"Who was she supposes to bring?" Sam asks, looking at him.
"She's dating Dr. Westbrook." Jeffrey says, as Sam looks at him. "Come on, let's join the others." He says, taking her hand and leading her into the living room.
"You made it." Reva says, walking over to them. She hugs them both.
"Yes. And sorry we're late." Sam says, looking around. "This place is beautiful."
"It is. I think they wanted to go all out this year since this is Richard's and Will's first Christmas home."
"We all have a lot to be thankful for." Jeffrey says, slipping his arms around Sam as Cassie walks up.
"You guys made it."
"Yes, sorry we were late." Jeffrey says, hugging Cassie and then she hugs Sam. "Did you do all this by yourself?" He asks, looking around the living room.
"Are you kidding? Richard barely let me do anything. He and Josh hung all the lights outside and in here. They brought the tree in. And any directions that I gave was made from the couch while he and the boys decorated the tree."
"He's been the same way." Sam says, nudging Jeffrey.
"We're only doing our jobs. There's no way I was going to let you climb a ladder for Christmas lights." He says, nudging her back.
"You tried to climb a ladder?" Reva asks.
"Well not exactly. I pulled it out of the garage and had it set up when he came home. He assumed that I was going to climb it and freaked out on me." Sam says, as Jeffrey looks around.
He spots Julie talking with Billy. "Cassie, is that…?"
"Yes, that is Richard's sister-in-law. Would you like to meet her?" Cassie asks, as Jeffrey and Sam nod. She leads them over to them.
As they approach, Billy looks up. "Ladies, you are both beautiful."
"Thank you Billy." Cassie says, hugging him.
"Thank you Billy." Sam says, hugging him as well.
Billy shakes Jeffrey's hand as Cassie turns to Julie. "Julie, let me introduce some friends of mine. This is Jeffrey O'Neill and his wife Dr. Sam O'Neill. Jeffrey's the mayor of Springfield."
"He looks… You look exactly like Matt. How can you look like him?" Julie asks, looking at Cassie and then Jeffrey.
"Ummm…" Jeffrey pauses.
"Do you remember us telling you that Richard was elected to be San Cristobel's first President?" Cassie asks, as Julie nods while she stares at Jeffrey. "During those months several, Richard received several death threats and his advisors took them seriously. They brought in Jeffrey as Richard's double."
"So you happen to resemble Richard and his twin?" Julie asks.
"Actually no, Richard's security team contacted the agency that I worked for at the time. They wanted someone to provide outside security for Richard as his double. At the time I had been in a serious car accident and my face was badly disfigured. The agency changed my appearance to look like Richard so that I could be his double during public appearances and speeches."
"So you didn't know that Richard had a twin brother?"
"No, that wasn't discovered until after the accidents." Jeffrey replies.
"So, you knew about the switch."
"Yes, we both did actually." Jeffrey says, nodding towards Sam. "She took care of Richard while he was in the coma and under the agency's care."
"It's hard to fathom." Julie says, as Jeffrey and Sam nod.
"Let me say, that we are both sorry for your loss." Sam says, as Julie looks at her and nods.
"Thank you. I wish you all could've met Matt. He was so kind and gentle. But he was strong too and fiercely protective of everyone he cared about."
"That sounds a lot like Richard." Cassie says.
"And Jeffrey." Sam says, looking at him with a smile.
"I have to be protective. Otherwise, you would do incredibly insane things like try to hang Christmas lights when you six months pregnant." Jeffrey says, teasing her.
"I wasn't going to hang them. I only got the ladder out for you to hang them. It was a reminder. You said you would hang them two days before." Sam says, looking at him.
"It snowed for like two days. I would have hung them after some of the snow melted off the roof."
"I was simply reminding you." Sam says, leaning in to kiss him.
"When are you due?" Julie asks.
"Umm, the second week in March."
"Oh, my second son was born in March, March 25th exactly. Is this your first child?"
"It's my first, and his second. Ava should be…." Sam looks around the room. "Oh, there is she is. She's talking with Harley." Sam says, as Julie looks in the direction Sam is looking. Jeffrey is standing beside them talking to Billy.
"Oh wow, she's expecting too. That's a lot in one year." Julie says, looking at Sam and then Jeffrey.
"Yes it is. But Jeffrey and I lost a lot of time so we have a lot to make up for."
"Did something happen?"
Sam takes a breath before she answers. "For twelve years Jeffrey believed that I was dead."
"He thought, how?"
"We were on an op in Russia when I was approached by another person and was lead to believe that my cover was blown. This person led me to believe that I would endanger him if I contacted him, so we worked out a plan and I faked my death. To make a long story short, I came home and then moved to Nashville and went to medical school after I lost my mother to cancer. I was in my residency at Vanderbilt when an agent was brought into the ER. That agent recognized me and contacted my former agency and they sent agents to confirm that I was alive. I was offered my former position back. I turned it down but I did agree to come back to the agency to work as a doctor at the agencies private hospital. That's how I came to be Richard's doctor and that how Jeffrey found me. I was there the day Richard woke up and so was Jeffrey. He recognized me and came to my apartment. We've been together ever since." Sam says, looking at Jeffrey.
"He wasn't mad."
"No, we knew the chances we took with each op that we went on. And we promised each other that we would protect the other, that's why I never contacted him after that op was finished. I'd promised to protect him."
"You didn't resent loosing him." Julie asks, as Richard walks up to them.
"Hey Jeffrey, found this by the door." He says, holding a guitar case.
"Thanks. I brought it along just in case." He says, taking the case.
"Would you play?" Cassie asks, smiling at him.
"Umm, sure." Jeffrey says, walking over to the coffee table. He puts the case down and opens it. Pulling out the guitar Sam gave him as a wedding gift, he looks around for a chair. Cassie brings him one while everyone gathers around. Sitting down, he checks to make sure it's in tune before he begins to play Silent Night and softly begins to sing and before long everyone else is singing with him.