Oh baby, baby it's a wild world
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby, baby it's a wild world
I'll always remember you like a child, girl

Cat Stevens - Wild World

She'd intended to tell him that she'd met Sam, just not exactly how. But the minute she'd mentioned 'meeting her', she knew she'd have to expand it to 'almost picking her up on a drunk and disorderly'. As the words left her mouth and his face fell; she was instantly filled with regret.

He hadn't talked about Sam much since the Ethan Scott case but it was clear that the situation festered inside. She knew he'd taken her for dinner but when she'd asked about it, he'd just shrugged, changing the subject by using his lips and tongue.

Although he'd changed his mind about a lift the night he'd followed Sam, he'd been lurking outside her apartment when she arrived home. She'd seen the tear he hurriedly brushed away as he told her what he'd heard; "AA?! My baby sister's got a drink problem? Christ Jess, how did we manage to fuck her up so badly?!"

She'd done her best to be there for him; listening when he'd talked, sex when he'd wanted and drinking when he'd decided that Jameson was the answer. By the time their day off arrived later in the week, she'd decided that distraction would be the best activity and plumped for a little James Bond at the movies.

:-:-:

He loitered in the foyer, popcorn and soda in one hand, staring at his shoes and idly wondering, yet again, why it was that women needed to use the restroom quite so often.

"Donnie! I've seen you a hell of a lot lately...are you following me?!"

He looked up from his toes to see Sam standing in front of him, clutching soda and candy. She looked younger than her years and her teasing grin didn't quite meet her eyes. Giving her a rueful smile, he pulled her into an awkward brotherly hug, "Hey kiddo".

Brightening a little, she stretched out to take a handful of their popcorn; poking her tongue out as he batted her hand away, "What you doing here anyway Donnie? Hiding at the movies isn't where you'll find the girls!" About to retort with a quip and quiz her why she was alone at the movies, he was distracted by a familiar hand tenderly smoothing over his back.

He'd already planned to ask Jess if she'd officially meet his sister, but kept delaying it until he worked out how to diplomatically introduce the woman he was dating to the sister she almost arrested. A chance meeting however, meant the two women unwittingly solved the problem for him.

Sam grinned, raising a surprised eyebrow in his direction, as she introduced herself and Jess, as cool as ever, breezed through the greetings and into conversation about the film; inviting Sam to sit with them and snickering at his glower when they drooled over the star. He knew that Sam recognized her almost arresting officer; he saw the flash of realization in her eyes and the worried look she slid him. Draping his arm across her shoulder as he escorted the pair to seats, he nodded his head a little in encouragement, mouthing "It's okay."

Leaving the movie theater, he couldn't be sure whether he was grateful or worried that the two women, sister and girlfriend, were deep in conversation; plotting where he was going to buy them an early dinner and raving about the 'cute' shade of eyeshadow they both wore. However over Pollo Pesto, as Sam thoroughly embarrassed him with tales of his youthful misfortunes and Jess howled with laughter, he began thinking the latter was maybe correct.

After loading Sam into a cab outside the restaurant they walked in companionable silence, their fingers intertwined, until she caught his eye and dissolved into a flood of giggles.

"Oh Don, mon chou," affectionately running her free had across his upper arm, "your sister's a riot; those stories were priceless!" She stopped dead in front of him, cocking her head a little, "She's right about your 'mad dog look' you know?!" As his scowled darken she covered her mouth to hide the wide smile, stretching on tip toe to pull his lips to meet hers.

She slipped her arm around his waist as they walked on, letting her fingers creep under his t-shirt and hook over the waistband of his jeans. Regaining her composure, her cheeks flushed "Sorry Don, you know I'm laughing with you…"

Growled in jest, he slung his arm over her shoulder, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, "Yeah, yeah Jess. So long as you're getting your jollies...I'll remember this though!" Giving his side a reassuring squeeze, they grinned broadly at each other.

"Seriously though Don, she's a sweet girl; no question she's a Flack."

His eyes widen, surprised at her comment of family resemblance given the history, "You think?"

"Mm-hmm; no question which of her brothers she's fondest of either." Her comment was casual and didn't wait for a response. "I guess I'm the same though. I love all my brothers equally, really I do, but Matt's my favorite. Sure, he's a pain in the ass and he likes to boss me around but..." She smiled at a memory, known only in her mind, before shaking her head, "It sounds awful, eh? To have a favorite sibling, but I'm hoping that everyone's the same. Sam certainly seems to be anyway."

He stared at her, a little open mouthed and genuinely flummoxed by her current topic of conversation.

Snorting a little, she threw him an exasperated eye roll, "Come on, it's kind of obvious! The way she calls you 'Donnie', the way she barely mentions your brothers, the way all her stories start 'Remember when we...'? Why else do you think she gets so pissed off at you?!"

He frowned, confused.

Shaking her head she tried again, "Does Sam bother when anyone else but you or your old man come down on her?"

Frowning again, he shrugged.

Sighing in defeat at his blank expression she explained, slowly, "She's your baby sister and she adores you. She looks up to you, she wants you to be proud of her, she misses you…just call her. Go round to her place and be her big brother instead of her parole officer." Skimming a tender hand across his chest, she smiled empathetically "The AA thing's got to be killing her, she really needs you Don."

He let out a low whistle, "Christ!"

"Anyway, if it's okay with you, I was thinking I might call her and suggest lunch? It'll be fun, plus it turns out one of her girl friends works on the MAC counter and can get 15% off..." She launched into an uncharacteristic ramble about cosmetics and shopping and girl things but he stopped listening; his mind instead processing her observations about his whole relationship with Sam. Her hand softly squeezing his arm roused him back to reality, "Well Don? Is that okay?"

Gently steering her close to the buildings he halted, cupping her face in his palms. Giving her a crooked grin, he slowly nodded his head; "Jess Angell, you are the most..." he sighed dreamily, "amazing girl." Before she managed to raise an eyebrow in surprise or retort with one her clever remarks, his lips were on hers.