DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CSI:NY OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. I ONLY OWN SAMANTHA ROSS.
A/N: SLIGHT SMUT AHEAD. JUST GIVING A FAIR WARNING.
WELCOME TO TWO NEW RL BABIES! AUSTIN NOAH (CONGRATS ON BEING A NEW AUNTIE MICHELLE) AND JAYDEN MICHAEL! BOTH BORN YESTERDAY!
I WANT TO DEDICATE THE SECOND HALF OF THIS CHAPTER TO MY AMAZING FRIEND DORI. SHE'LL KNOW WHY WHEN SHE READS IT….
AND CONGRATS TO MADISON BELLOWS AND AFROZENHEART412. THE TIE IN TO YOU ONLY DIE ONCE WAS THE SONG SICK, SICK, SICK BY QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE! COOKIES TO BOTH OF YOU!
In the morning hours
"If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past?
Donate every dime you have?
If today was your last day
Against the grain should be a way of life
What's worth the prize is always worth the fight
Every second counts 'cause there's no second try
So live like you'll never live it twice
Don't take the free ride in your own life."
-If Today Was Your Last Day, Nickelback
Flack woke to sunlight flooding the hotel room and the sound of Sam's incessant chattering. Flat on his back in the middle of the rumpled bed, he cracked an eye open and swore loudly when he found himself nearly blinded by the sun's harsh rays as they cascaded through the massive windows just a mere ten feet away. The curtains had been completely drawn back and the sliding door cracked open, allowing a refreshing breeze to tumble into the room. Groaning in protest at the light's assault on his senses, he closed his eyes one again and yawned noisily. Running a hand over his weary, unshaven face and through his messy hair, he placed both hands behind his head and allowed his body to relax as it was bathed in warmth and he breathed in the fresh air that filled the room.
The Las Vegas strip was quiet save for the odd honking of a horn as cars trickled by. You definitely didn't experience many morning like that in New York City. Especially in their hectic lower Manhattan neighbourhood. By six in the morning, the traffic was already flowing at a steady pace and pedestrians were already out on the sidewalks. Walking their dogs, going for a jog, heading out to grab a paper from the box on the corner of the bodega down the street. Their conversations floated on the air as garbage and recycling trucks began to make their rounds. The crashing and banging on metal cans and the profanity that flowed from the workers' mouths were nearly unbearable. And to add insult to injury, the upstairs neighbour - a bank teller at First National in mid-town- showered at exactly quarter to seven every morning, Monday to Friday. For a half an hour. The building was old and the pipes shuddered and wailed in protest the entire time the water was running. Once the shower was turned off, the radio was soon flicked on in the bedroom and half an hour later, the sound of high heels clomping on the hardwood floors began. Back and forth, back and forth. Over and over again.
So this -the refreshing breeze that tickled your bare skin, the absence of traffic and no noise coming from the room above- as far as Flack was concerned, was nothing short of heaven.
"Well I don't think Danny actually meant it the way it sounded," Sam's voice, quiet and sympathetic, cut into his dozy state. "I mean, I seriously don't think he meant to call you fat or anything…did those words actually come out of his mouth or…"
Flack opened his eyes and looked over to where his girlfriend sat on top of the comforter, her back towards him, her right knee pressed against his left thigh. She always desired some form of physical contact with him. Whether it be their knees touching under the table as they sat next to each other during one of Mac's team meetings, or their arms brushing against one another while they walked down the street while on the clock. She craved the closeness and needed to affirm her presence and wanted the reassurance and security being close to him provided her with. In private, she loved to cuddle and hold hands and was the most relaxed when his arms were wrapped securely around her. She was incredibly affectionate. Sometimes to a fault. And he was attempting to learn to more affectionate with her and that affection extended far beyond sexual intimacy.
Sam needed that affection. That tender, loving and attentive side that Flack knew he possessed, but had never felt comfortable enough to show anyone before. He personally thought he was doing remarkably well. It was a struggle to bear that much of himself to someone, but he was genuinely trying his hardest. And she was patient and understanding and didn't pressure him for too much too soon.
Not to mention she's so incredibly hot, he thought with a grin. That morning, she was clad in a pair of royal blue satin pyjama pants and a matching halter style top that showed off the creamy, smooth skin of her arms, shoulders and back. Her hair was pulled back and twisted and turned and held together by a large clip. While he loved seeing that slender neck on full display, she was impossibly sexy when her hair was done. And a completely turn on to feel the silkiness of those tresses fisted in his hands or gliding over his body. Reaching out, he trailed his fingertips lightly along her shoulder blade and then done her spine. Stopping at the hem of the top that sat an inch below the middle of her back.
She shivered at the feathery touch, then glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled softly. "Good morning," she mouthed, as she listened to the caller on the other end of her cell phone. Her personal cell that was. A metallic pink, flip phone with a Hello Kitty charm that she'd attached to the antenna.
"Good morning," he said, returning her smile with a sleepy one of his own and giving her a wink.
It was a hell of a good morning. Made even more so by the amazing night that they had shared together. Sleep had finally claimed them shortly before four in the morning. Light hearted teasing, slow, lazy kisses and quiet pillow talk interspersed with sleepy giggles had quickly given way to exhaustion. And they'd fallen asleep in a mess of wrinkled sheets and sweaty, tangled limbs. He had felt her, hours later, moving alongside of him and had heard the rustle of sheets and felt her slip out of bed. He was pretty sure that he'd asked her what was wrong, and that she'd complained about being unable to sleep naked and that she needed to put some pyjamas on. He faintly recalled the feel of her hair falling on his face and his bare chest as she leaned over the bed to kiss him. Anything that happened afterwards was a total blank.
"Well you see, bumpkin…" Sam said into the phone. "…I think you're just taking what Danny said way too personally. All he said was, 'do you really need that fifth donut?"…I doubt that he was taking a swipe at your weight…I think he was trying to prevent you from making yourself sick. I mean five honey crullers? Don can't even stomach that many at once."
Flack cleared his throat noisily, then when Sam looked back at him, held up both hands and showed six fingers.
She grimaced. "Okay, so obviously I underestimated his appetite once again," she laughed. "Because he's informing me he can eat half a dozen in one sitting...Well there's a huge difference between you and him, Linds. For one, you're all of five foot three and a hundred pounds soaking wet. He's a living, breathing, six foot two, two hundred pound garbage disposal."
Frowning, Flack rolled over onto his side and pushing himself down the bed, wrapped an arm around her waist and with his free hand, lifted the bottom of her top and pressed warm, soft kisses along the small of her back.
"Trust me, Linds…" Sam continued. "Danny was not calling you fat. He was merely concerned with preventing you from barfing your guts out…I am sure of it…I think you're being way too sensitive and that your hormones are in overdrive…."
"That makes two of us," Flack chuckled, and began to trace the outline of her tattoo with the tip of his tongue.
Sam gave a small squeak and her back arched, the sensation sending chills through her entire body. "Just hang on for a second." she said into the phone. Reaching behind her, she laid her hand on her boyfriend's forehead and pushed him away from her. "Do you mind?" she asked.
"No," he laughed, and slipped his hand between her legs.
"Don…knock it off…" she ordered, and grabbed a hold of his hand to prevent it from going any further.
"Fine…" he muttered, then directed their hands to the front of his boxers. "Is that better?" he asked.
"You're a douche bag," she declared.
"Come on…you're multi-talented," he said with a wicked grin. "You can talk to Lindsay and do a little something-something for me at the same time."
Sam rolled her eyes gave a loud, exasperated sigh and grabbed a hold of his hand. "If you hear Don begging for help it's 'cause I'm killing him," she told Lindsay. Yanking her hand out from under his and then sitting the cell phone down on the bed, pushed herself up onto her knees. Turning around to face her boyfriend, she placed her hands on his shoulders and shoved him down onto his back and climbed astride him, a knee on either side of him as she settled herself down on his stomach.
"Kinky…" he said with a smirk. "You gonna hang up or are you gonna let Monroe listen?"
"Be good," Sam warned him and picked her phone back up. "Are you there, bumpkin?" she asked. "Yeah…he's being a total pig. But what else is new? He thinks I was put on this earth to serve him. To just put out wherever and whenever. It's not enough that he corrupted me half a dozen times last night. He's got to pounce first thing in the morning, too."
"First thing in the morning is my best time," Flack declared. "And we never get to take advantage of that back home 'cause we're too busy sleeping past the alarm and having to rush around to get ready for work. We've got no time to have sex. So hang up and tell Monroe you'll see her in four days. What part of vacation does she not understand?"
"Lindsay says to tell you that if you're that bad off, to go into the bathroom and take care of it yourself," Sam told him.
"Yeah…tell her you're nicer to me then she is to Danny and I don't have to relegate myself to that. You actually put out. And before she says anything, it only takes one time to make a baby. So I guess he got one lucky shot in."
"Don't worry, I'll punish him later for being so mean and grumpy," Sam assured Lindsay, then winked at Flack. "His favourite form of punishment. The kind that involves handcuffs."
He grinned broadly.
"Well I'm not pregnant so Don and I can have wild and crazy single people sex," Sam laughed. "We can torture and punishment each other all we want."
"And we do," he said with a laugh, and ran his hands along her thighs and up onto her sides.
"Lindsay wants you to know that the baby kicked for the first time last night," Sam told him.
"Cool…but I'm a guy and that kind of thing? Well I don't need a play by play on what the anti-Christ is up to."
Sam glared at him and grabbed a handful of chest hair.
"Ow! Okay! Okay! I'll be a good boy!" he exclaimed, wincing. "No more smart ass comments! I'll be good! I'll keep my mouth shut from here on out."
She sighed and let go of his hair.
"Well…unless…" he toyed with the drawstring on her pyjama bottoms. "…I'm just opening it 'cause I'm enjoying my before breakfast treat."
"You're a pig!" Sam declared. "Do you honestly mind? I'm trying to have a conversation here!"
"And I'm trying to get lucky! You talk to Lindsay all the time. You work with her day in and day out. And on your days off you're either hanging out together or talking on the damn phone or through email. You'll be back in New York City in four days. Which means going back to work won't be far behind and then the chances for sex will be few and far between. So excuse me if all I want to do in Vegas is fuck the…"
Sam clamped her hand over his mouth. "Sorry, Linds…he's getting a little carried away here…he's never had so much sex in his life and his brain cells are fried because of it…what is it they say? A guy loses something like fifteen million brain cells each time he comes? You know what that means? Don will be completely comatose in a couple of days. It's not like he started out with that many cells to begin with."
He frowned and pried her hand off of his mouth. Then catching her completely off guard, quickly sat up, grabbed her by the hips and tossed her down onto her back. "Hang up," he demanded, his eyes sparkling mischievously as he covered her body with his, holding his weight on one hand as the fingers of the other made short work of the bow on the drawstring of her pants.
"I am trying to…"
"Hang up," he repeated, cutting off her weak protest. "Tell Linds unless she wants to hear me doing unmentionable, dirty things to you, tell her you've got to go and you'll call her back later."
"She was just…"
"I don't care…tell her you're hanging up or she's going to find out first hand what kind of porn superstar noises come out of your mouth."
Sam's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't," she said.
"You sure about that?" Flack asked, and sitting back on his heels, grabbed a hold of the waist of her bottoms and yanked them down past her ass and hips. "You want to take that chance?" he inquired, and pulled the pants down her legs and clear off of her.
"Don't screw around," Sam said in response, turned on at the thought of him willing to do something to her while she was on the phone. Voyeurism had never been her thing, but there was something so sexually thrilling about the idea of him going down on her while someone else listened. "You wouldn't do something like that," she told him.
He grinned and ran his hand from her ankle, up her leg and around to her inner thigh. "Hang up," he ordered.
"Linds, I gotta go….apparently Don's more twisted and perverted then I thought."
"You've got three seconds, Sammie," he warned, as he walked his middle and forefinger along her thigh, slowly zeroing in on the ultimate prize. "Three seconds to hang up or I'm going to do it whether or not you're on the phone or not. One…" his fingers gently combed through the soft, short hair between her. "Two…" a finger tip graced over her clit, a grin of immense stultification curving his lips as he realized she was already wet. "Th…"
"I gotta go!" Sam cried into the phone and snapping it closed, tossed it aside. "What the hell is…"
"Three…" he finished and slipped two fingers inside of her.
She gave a whimper, the sensation of the abrupt intrusion coursing through her body.
"I told you I wasn't screwing around," Flack said with a chuckle, as he moved his fingers in and out of her slowly. "You always seriously underestimate me, Sammie. You should know by now not to do that. That if I'm promising or threatening to do something like this to you, I mean it. I'd never joke about something like that. I gotta admit though, the thought of her listening while I do it? Kinda turned me on."
"Me too," Sam admitted. "So you know what that means? We're both sick and twisted pervs."
"Maybe…" he gave a shrug as he continued his ministrations, his thumb joining the assault on her by circling her clit slowly. "Or maybe it just means we've got a healthy, immensely satisfying sex life. There's worse things we could be into."
She nodded in agreement, her breathing speeding up as her hips rose and fell to match the thrusting of his fingers.
"You like that, huh?" he asked, his voice hoarse as he fought to keep control. "I know what else you like, baby. What drives you absolutely insane. So you just lie there and relax and let me take care of you, okay?"
"Okay…" she squeaked out, then pouted in disappointment as he removed his fingers.
"I'll always take care of mine," he assured her, his hands applying gentle pressure to her knees as pushed her legs apart. "You ever need something, you just ask alright? Don't be shy. You just tell me exactly what you need and I'll do it for you. Alright?"
She nodded.
"Tell me what you want me to do," he encouraged, his lips blazing a trail along the inside of her thigh. "Tell me what you want from me."
"I want you to…" her words were abruptly cut off as she gasped at the sensation of his teeth scraping along her skin.
"Tell me," he insisted. "I want to hear you tell me."
"I want…" she whimpered. "I want you to…"
His lips hovered over the Hello Kitty branding that marred her skin. His eyes never diverting from her face as he waited patiently for her to continue speaking.
"I want to feel your mouth on me…" she finally managed. "Your lips and your tongue…that's what I want."
"Good girl," he whispered, then licked his way around the branding before position between her splayed thighs. One single long, slow lick had her arching her body off of the bed and her hands fisting in his hair. Three firmer, quicker ones had her screaming his name as a fast, yet powerful orgasm rocked her entire body.
He gently lapped up her juices before drawing away from her as she lay gasping and quivering. Her eyes closed as her hands released their hold on his hair. He pressed tender kisses along her thigh and all the way up her body. Passing over her fluttering stomach and along the space between her breasts. Her chest was heaving; he could hear her heart pounding in her chest as he kissed his way across her collarbone and up her neck and over her chin to her lips.
"Do you taste that baby?" he asked, as he pulled out of a long and passionate kiss. "Do you see how amazing you taste? You always ask me why I love doing that so much to you. There's two reasons. 'Cause I love making you come and I love the way you taste. Do you see realize how incredible you taste? How insanely sexy you are?"
She managed a weak nod, her eyes still closed as she raised her head for another kiss.
"You're so beautiful, Sammie," he whispered, pushing her hair away from her face and pressing his lips to her forehead. ""You're so beautiful and I love you so much."
She gave a dreamy smile. "I love you, too," she said.
He kissed her once more and allowed his hand to slowly travel the length of her body before climbing off the bed.
Her eyes snapped open. "Where are you…."
"I'm not going anywhere," Flack assured her, and quickly shed himself of his boxers.
Tossing them aside, he snagged the box of condoms off the nightstand and pulled out two. Just in case. He wasn't going to make the same mistake he did the night before. And he only hoped that the lapse of judgement wouldn't come back to haunt them. They weren't ready for a baby. He knew that. And he knew he didn't want a baby. Not at that point in his life. It was purely selfish on his part. He wanted her all to himself. He didn't want to have to share her with someone that would be completely and utterly dependant on her.
"What are you….?"
He held the condoms up in response, then climbed back onto the bed. "We gotta be careful, Sammie," he said, as he laid down on his side beside her. "Last night? In the tub? That can't happen again, okay? We're not ready for a kid. You know that. So we need to make sure that we don't get ourselves into that situation ever again."
She nodded in agreement.
"I just don't want us to…"
Laying a hand on the back of his neck, Sam pulled him into his and captured his mouth in a sizzling kiss. "I heard you the first time," she said, her hand slipping down his chest. "So how about we implement a no talk and all action rule? Starting….right now."
"I think I can do that," he said, shuddering at the feel of her lips and tongue teasing his ear.
"I have faith in you," she whispered, then took his ear lobe into her mouth. "Don't let me down."
He smiled. He had no intention of doing that to her.
Ever.
Adam yawned noisily, and popping the ear phones of his Ipod into his ears, pressed play on the mini player tucked into the breast pocket of his beige, chocolate brown and burgundy plaid shirt. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back against the wall of the elevator as it began its slow descent from the thirty-fifth floor to the lobby. It had been a hell of a long shift. Things had started out smoothly. There'd been no new cases brought to him in the first seven and a half hours of his scheduled eight hours, and just as he was gearing up to go home on time for once, he'd seen Mac, Stella and Danny hauling ass towards the elevators, slipping their weapons into their holsters and pulled on Kevlar vests as they went. A shooting at the New Rochelle Mall - a disgruntled former employee had walked into the UPS store and shot the place up- had unfortunately guaranteed Adam another twelve hours of work.
Normally he loved the extra hours. It meant more green in the bank and less time spent alone in his apartment. He had, up until he began spending every spare moment with Paisley, actually missed having his sister live with him. He had put on a brave face when she'd told him that she was moving into her own place after nearly six months of taking up his bed while he rode the couch. A couch that was tattered and worn but he would have gladly slept on for the rest of his life if it meant having his older sister living with him. It was nice to have someone to come home to. To have someone to sit and talk with and lament about his shitty day as opposed to drowning his sorrows in beer, pizza and a few rounds of Guitar Hero. Someone to run errands with and hang out with on his days off. They had spent so many years apart when they pursued their schooling in different states and eventually took up careers thousands of miles away from each other, that he was determined to make up on all the time they'd been apart. Their horrific childhoods and the torment their father had rained down onto them had formed an incredible, unbreakable bond. One that miles couldn't wear down, but only made stronger.
It was a bond that would always exist. No matter what occurred in their lives. Or who occurred in their lives. They were siblings and best friends first. And no one would ever come between them.
The elevator finally came to a stop and Adam opened his eyes and stole a glance at the illuminated numbers above the door.
At last, he thought, and pushing himself away from the wall, gave another loud yawn and raked his hand through his unruly hair as the doors opened and he stepped out into the main lobby. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his baggy cargo pants and nodded greetings towards the lab techs who were having their purses and knapsacks checked by security before walking through the metal detectors. He was exhausted and anxious to get home. Paisley had a day off from school and their plan was to do nothing all day. Save for staying in bed, buried under the covers.
And not sleeping either.
That thought made Adam chuckle out loud as he used his shoulder to push his way through the revolving doors. He had never imagined he'd ever be as happy as he was now. After he and Kendall had broken up, he'd been heartbroken and left with little to no self confidence. He had honestly believed that he was in love with her. That she was the best thing that could ever happen to him and that he wanted to spend forever with her. He had spent hours imaging what it would be like to be married to her, to have children with her and to grow old and grey beside her. He'd window shopped at a dozen different jewellery stores, attempting each time to gather enough courage to actually step through the door and pick out a ring. And just when he'd pulled his head out of his ass and talked himself into taking the leap, she'd shattered his life. He simply wasn't good enough for her. She had grown tired of him and trying to change him into the person she wanted him to be. She didn't want the socially awkward science nerd with wrinkled frat boy clothes and baby fat still clinging to him despite the fact he was closing in on thirty.
After Kendall, Adam had given up on the thought of ever being happy again. Of finding someone that would accept him for who he was. Who would love him despite all of his eccentric ways and his OCD. Who'd look past the dishevelled hair and the unshaven face and the extra pounds and realize that he was a really great guy. That the Trekkie and Second Lifer in him was also capable of being a loving, gentle and attentive boyfriend.
"She'll come along Peanut," Sam had assured him on many occasions. When he'd bitched and moaned to her yet again over how lonely and miserable he was. "When you least expect it, it will happen. You'll meet some amazing, beautiful and intelligent woman that will sweep you off of your feet. Who will love you with every ounce of her being. Just stop looking so hard and just let it happen. Because the moment you stop searching…well that's when it will happen. Trust me."
It had happened for Sam. She had come to New York City in an attempt to flee a horrible relationship and had had no intention of getting involved with anyone. She had sworn up and down that she wanted to be alone. That she wanted to experience the single life and not be saddled down to anyone. She didn't want to feel suffocated and controlled. She didn't want to have answer to someone. She longed to come and go as she pleased. To stay out as late as she wanted without having someone monitor her every move. She wanted friends that weren't 'picked out' for her. Most of all, she wanted to be able to engage in innocent conversations with men and not have to worry about another Zack laying a beating on her because he thought she was a tease and constantly leading the guys on.
Adam had been relieved when Sam had finally gotten the courage to get the hell out of Phoenix and out of Zack's life for good. He'd been unable to help her from thousands of miles away and he'd felt completely useless during the tearful phone calls she'd made to him from the hospital emergency room each time Zack 'got upset' and decided he had the right to punish her for something stupid. And he was angry each and every time she defended the piece of shit and went back to him. All the begging and the pleading in the world couldn't keep her away from him. It couldn't stop her from thinking she deserved the beatings and the name calling. She honestly believed that Zack was as good as it got and that she couldn't do better. He had convinced her that she was disgusting and unlovable.
Following her move to New York City, it had taken her months to come out of the nearly impenetrable shell that she had built up around herself. It had both saddened and sickened Adam that his sister, once vibrant and bubbly and outgoing, no longer seemed like his sister. She was meek and mild. Extremely introverted and skittish if a male even so as much made a sudden move or raised their voice around her. She wore clothing that was meant for women twice her age because it was what Zack had wanted. He had wanted her completely covered up. He had convinced her that it was because she was repulsive to look at, when in reality it was because he didn't want other men looking at her. He was threatened by the attention a beautiful, vivacious young woman like her received. He had taken her and transformed her into a scared little girl all over again.
Stella and Angell had been the ones to step up and take her under their wings. And before long, through nights out with the girls and chats over lunch hours and time spent together working cases, they had succeeded in helping her shed the external damage that Zack had done to her. She came out of her shell and became the Sammie that Adam remembered. She laughed and smiled more, she went out on dates and club hopped on her weekends off. She dressed like a woman her age -and much to Adam's dismay, like a woman much younger sometimes- and did everything she had ever wanted. To the extreme in some cases. She got tattoos and various parts of her body pierced. She 'sexed' herself up at places like Victoria Secret and Fredrick's of Hollywood. She attracted men and while accepting several dinner invitations, had never gotten serious about anyone.
Not even Adam had known the real reason behind that. He had had no clue that she had been into Flack. The homicide detective had been off the market and Sam had quietly stayed in the background the entire time. So it had surprised Adam to find out that Flack and his sister were an item. And had been keeping it a secret for quite sometime. While he didn't approve of the pairing -it was nothing personal against Flack. He just didn't like his sister with anyone- he knew that Sam was happy. And in love. He also knew, that Flack was equally as crazy about her. It was written all over the guy's face when she so as much walked into the room and he smiled at her.
But he also knew, that Flack's devotion to his sister crossed the line sometimes. That he had an overwhelming desire to protect her. From everything and everyone. He was determined to be the exact opposite of Zack. And that determination often had Sam complaining to her younger brother that while she loved Flack and couldn't imagine her life without him, she often felt suffocated by him. While he would never hurt her, he could be controlling. A control driven from his desire to be her protector.
It was definitely something they'd have to work on together. And Adam, now that he'd relegated himself to the fact that Flack was most likely going to be his brother in law and the father of his future nieces and nephews one day, knew that his sister was in good hands. That she and Flack could overcoming anything if they just put their heads together and just got down to it.
For once, Adam wasn't worried about his sister anymore. And it was a huge weight off of his shoulders. To know that someone loved her that much and would do anything for her.
He stopped to buy a cup of coffee from the street vendor outside of the lab, and had just taken a sip of the steaming brew and had taken a few steps in the direction of his subway station, when bile and anger rose in his throat at the sight of the familiar black Ford pick up truck pulling up to the curb several feet away. He stood, his eyes narrowed and his free hand clenched in a tight fist as he watched Kendall lean across the front seat and accept a long, sizzling kiss from Zack. Adam couldn't stomach the thought of them together. Not because he still had feelings for his ex, but because he knew what Zack was like. He was sneaky and manipulative and extremely dangerous. And he couldn't bear the thought of any woman going through what his sister had gone through at the hands of the rotten sonofabitch. He genuinely cared about Kendall as a human being. And the thought of her falling victim to Zack…
He just couldn't sit back and let that happen.
Adam watched as Kendall climbed out of the truck and closed the door behind her. She gave her boyfriend one of her million dollar smiles before tapping lightly on the window with her knuckles and giving a small finger wave in farewell. Kendall looked…happy. It was clear, to even the casual observer on the street, that from her dazzling smile to the sparkle in her eyes, she was crazy about the man in her life.
Crazy to even be with him, Adam thought, waiting until the truck pulled away from the curb and passed by him before making his move.
"Kendall!" he called out and jogged down the sidewalk towards her. "Wait up!"
She paused, the palm of her hand just grazing against the revolving doors. Since she'd been with Zack, the bitterness and animosity she'd shown towards both Adam and Sam had trickled to a complete stop. Long gone was the gossiping to other lab techs, the vicious stares in the locker room and labs and the cutting remarks. Kendall had made a startling transformation. She offered to help with analyzing evidence, she carried on casual and friendly conversations, and she'd shocked Sam a number of times with invitations for a night out on the town after work or a day off on the town. So far, Sam hadn't accepted. She was still pretty sore about all of the nastiness that had gone down, particularly the bullshit that had been directed at Adam. But he was pretty sure, in a few weeks time, the two women would be on their way towards a solid friendship.
"Hey Adam," she greeted him cheerfully. "You coming or going?"
"Going," he told her. "I just pulled a double and a half. Mac caught this multiple shooting down at the New Rochelle Mall…"
"I heard about that on the news this morning. Zack was saying that the US Marshal Service has an interest in the shooter. Apparently he's an ex con with a couple of federal charges pending against him."
"That's what they say…you got a minute, Kendall?" Adam's eyes and voice were hopeful. "There's something I need to talk to you about."
"Adam, I really don't have time right now. I need to…"
"Make time," he demanded, in a tone harsher then he'd intended it to be.
Kendall blinked in surprise.
"It's really, really important," Adam added in a softer, more reserved voice.
She gave a nod and stepped away from the door. Motioning for him to follow her, she lead the way to a park bench several yards down the sidewalk. Flipping her shimmering blond hair over her shoulders, she smoothed down the back of her powder blue trench coat before taking a seat.
"So what is this about?" she asked.
"About you," Adam replied, pulling the strap of his messenger style bag over his head and dropping it on the ground before sitting down beside her.
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I thought that you were dating someone," she said.
"I am. Happily dating someone actually. In fact, we're practically living together. I haven't been this happy in…well in forever. She's completely transformed my entire life and I…" Adam paused and regarded her in amusement. "Why?" he asked. "Did you…you didn't think that when I said I wanted to talk about you that I meant I wanted to talk about you as in me and you. Because there hasn't been a me and you in a long time and I don't want there to be a me and you. I mean, a six or eight months ago sure…maybe…you know when I was walking around all depressed and mopey and unable to get on with my life. But there isn't a part of now that wants a me and you. I'm disgustingly happy and crazy about my girl and I…"
Kendall's eyes widened.
"You know what?" Adam gave a chuckle and sipped his coffee. "I'll shut up now."
She gave a light laugh and reached out to tousle his hair affectionately. "I always did find that erratic rambling so boyishly charming," she said.
He smiled. "You did?"
Kendall nodded. Then turned serious. "So what is this about then? You said that you wanted to talk about me and if this is about me as in me and you and it isn't about you and Patty…"
"Paisley," Adam interrupted. "Her name is Paisley."
"Paisley," Kendall corrected herself. "If it's not about all of that…"
"It's about Zack," Adam told her. "About you and Zack, actually."
"What about him?" she asked.
"You know that Zack's my sister's ex, right? That she lived with him back in Phoenix. That she was engaged to marry him and that…"
"Took off the night before the wedding and emptied the bank account and fled to New York City," Kendall finished. "I know all about that Adam. Everyone knows all about that. She was barely here two days and that story was already floating around. Not to mention when we were dating you talked about it all the time. When she was still in Arizona you talked about how you wished she get away. That he was mean and abusive. Controlling. And that you thought she could do better."
"She can do better," Adam said. "And she has done better. A million times better. And so can you Kendall."
"Look…" she laid a hand on his thigh. "I appreciate you being concerned about my personal life, but really Adam, it's none of your business."
"I'm not concerned about your personal life," Adam told her. "I'm concerned about your life in general. I know what Zack is like. I told you all about him. And that's why I can't understand, when you know what he did to my sister and what he put her through, why you'd want to be with an asshole like him."
"There's two sides to every story," Kendall reminded him, and stood up. "I've got to go. If I'm late for my shift Mac will…"
"There's not two sides to this story!" Adam informed her angrily, getting to his feet as well. "I know that Zack has probably filled your head with all kinds of bullshit about the way things were between him and Sammie. I'm sure he made himself out to be the knight in shining armour and her out to be the psychotic bitch. But none of that is true, Kendall. He's the psychotic one. You don't know what she went through. And you…"
"You don't exactly know either, Adam," Kendall argued gently. "I'm not going to stand here and argue with you about what your sister may or may not have gone through…"
"She did go through it!" he snapped. "She was tormented and abused! He beat her senseless, Kendall! If he didn't like what she made for supper he used to toss the food on the floor and make her get on her hands and knees and eat it! He used to control who she talked to, what she wore, what she put in her mouth. He used to make her wait on him hand and foot and kiss her ass. And if she dared even stand up for herself, he kicked the shit out of her."
Kendall shook her head. "Adam, you were thousands of miles away. You…"
"I was the one my sister would call from the emergency room! He used to drop her off at the front doors and make her go in alone to get looked after. He'd take off and leave her there! And he was the one who did it to her! So don't shake your goddamn head when I'm telling you about all of this!"
"I don't need to stand here and listen to this," Kendall huffed, and abruptly turned on her heel and walked away.
"You do need to stand here and listen to this!" Adam yelled, and chasing after her, grabbed a hold of her wrist and roughly turned her around to face him. "You have to listen to me Kendall! I know what Zack is like and I don't want to see you end up like my sister! I don't want…" he took a deep breath and composed himself. "I've seen the doctors reports," he said. "I've read about the broken ribs and the fractured wrist and the busted nose. The chunks of hair ripped out of her head and the split lips and black eyes. The punctured ear drum. I've read it all Kendall. Sammie didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve being beaten. She didn't deserve him cheating on her with random women. And you don't deserve that either!"
"People change, Adam," she told him. "I've changed. You've changed. Sam's changed. We've all changed. And so has Zack. He's sweet and charming and…"
"And loving and attentive and just downright amazing," Adam finished. "I've heard this all before. My sister said those exact same words when she first hooked up with him too. He's manipulative, Kendall. He's sneaky and conniving and he's a liar. This is what he does. He turns on the charm to suck you in. And before you know it, you're in too deep and things go so wrong and you can't get yourself out. I know what he's like. How he works. A leopard doesn't change his spots. Zack is the same Zack he's always been and you're falling for it. And I can't just sit by and watch that happen."
"Adam…" Kendall was quickly losing patience. "What happened between Zack and your sister…that happened way before me and he's explained the way she can get some time and…"
"And what? And you think she deserved what he did to her?" Adam stared at his ex, horrified.
"I think you love your sister so much that you're only willing to listen to her side. That you're reading too much into things."
"I do love my sister. I would do anything for my sister. But I'm not reading too much into anything. I know what he did to her and what he'd still be doing to her if she never got away. And I know that you're going to end up in the same boat that she did. And I'm worried that you're not going to be able to get yourself back out. Or that no one will care enough to help you."
"Zack and I are doing just fine," she assured him, and pushing her Balenciaga bag up further onto her shoulder, nodded in the direction of the crime lab. "I've really got to go, Adam."
"You've got to listen to me, Kendall," he pleaded, following hot on her heels as she walked briskly towards the building. "I don't want to see anything happening to you! I know that Zack seems wonderful right now. That he seems like the perfect guy and that's he telling you that he loves you and you're convinced that he's the greatest thing in the world. But trust me, this is what he does. This is how he sucks you in."
"I appreciate your concern, Adam," Kendall told him. "But I don't want to hear anymore about this. Zack's changed. He's turned over a new leaf. He's the one that's extending the olive branch to your sister."
"He's only doing that to manipulate her! He's only doing that go get back into her life."
"He doesn't need to get back into her life. She's moved on and so has he. He's doing it to be the peacemaker. Because he feels that they need to both make amends and…"
"Sammie didn't do anything wrong!" Adam snapped, startling both Kendall and himself. "It was him! All him! And he's the one that should be on his fucking hands and knees begging for forgiveness!"
She sighed heavily. "We're done here," she told him. "This is over."
Adam shook his head and watched as his ex girlfriend disappeared through the front doors of the crime lab.
This is far from over, he thought.
Thanks to everyone that is reading and reviewing! I appreciate all of your support and I am so pleased that you're all enjoying this story as much as you are! And lurkers…I'm glad you're enjoying it too!
Please R and R folks!
Special thanks to:
Hope4sall
CSINYMinute
Soccer-bitch
Afrozenheart412
Madison Bellows
Laurzz
Forest Angel
Bluehaven4220
xsamiliciousx
Wolfeylady
Delko's Girl 88
