A/N: I'm back! Forgive me, my friends, for being so horrible about updates. Here is the fifth chapter to "Learning to Trust"
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It seemed to be an eternity before Jack pulled back. "Come with me," he said. He took her by the hand and tugged her toward the door.
"Jack?" she questioned, confused.
He stopped and met her eye. He had such a truthful, loving expression that it almost stung. Carefully he asked, "Come with me?"
Suddenly, it didn't matter where or why. "Yes."
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Jack led her to his truck, opened the passenger-side door for her, and closed it for her when she got in. She buckled her belt and he joined her, putting the car into gear and backing it out of the driveway.
Still having no idea where Jack was taking her, Sam sat back in the comfortable seats and tried to relax.
The ride was silent the entire way, until Jack pulled up to the curb of a sidewalk. He got out and jogged around the front of the car to open the door for her again, being the ever-gentlemanly guy.
"The park?" she asked incredulously when he helped her out, threading his fingers with hers.
"D'you mind?" he asked cautiously. Sam looked up at him, just to make sure he wasn't irritated by her unbelief. He wasn't; actually, he looked worried.
She gave him the tiniest of smiles, not yet ready to let her guard down. "No," she said truthfully.
Jack smiled wryly back, and squeezed her hand. After a moment's hesitation, she squeezed back slightly. His smile fell, and Sam felt a twinge of guilt. It was obvious that he was trying; shouldn't she, too?
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They walked silently through the park for quite some time. Sam found herself relaxing even despite herself, her hand limp in his.
Then, the most cliché thing happened. As they passed an ice cream trolley, Jack pulled her over and bought two chocolate cones, passing one into her unoccupied hand wordlessly.
Bewildered, though not unappreciative, she took it with a smile and murmur of thanks. She held it silently for a moment, then began to eat uncertainly away at the creamy goodness, not really tasting. It was just for the sake of something to do in the awkward moment.
Jack followed her example, and they sat at a bench some ways away from the ice cream cart, to avoid prying ears.
"Sam," he said quietly a few moments later, "I'm no good with words. My earlier comments kind of prove it. But…no matter what, I do love you. I am sorry."
Sam stopped eating the ice cream. Many words – angry, sad, apologetic, and pleading alike – hovered at the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't bring herself to say any of them. To her complete shock, in response to her silence, Jack stood from the bench only to kneel before her. He placed a hand on her knee; the warmth send happy tingles through her heart, which mixed unhealthily with her already jumbled emotions.
"Sam, what can I do to earn your trust back?" Jack whispered. "To earn your love back, if you ever had any for me? At least, your friendship? Please?"