So I must admit it is a struggle to write for this story, especially since I haven't watched the show since Jason and Sam got married. I had decided after those scenes aired that that would be the best time for me to step away from the show, because in true soap opera fashion they weren't going to stay that happy for long. It turns out, according to my sister, that I was right and the couple I love are almost more at odds than ever before. Making me very unhappy, but since I don't watch it I can't really say anything. Anyways...I don't know how good this is going to be, it was hard to get back into these characters heads and back into where I wanted this story to go. But I am trying because I don't want to just delete after getting so far into the story and so close to the end. And if any of you keep with me and finish this I am greatly appreciative! You are awesome people and deserve awards for patience.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A blonde waitress leads Sam to a table further from the dance floor just as she had asked and then offers to pour Sam a glass of water. She politely accepts and thanks the waitress as she leaves before taking a drink from the glass. She doesn't have to wait long for Jason to join, knowing he would try and get out of the photographers hands as fast as possible."That was really beautiful ceremony wasn't it?" Sam says staring at the happy couple as the make their entrance.
"Yea, beautiful." Jason says gruffly, while struggling to get rid of the pink tie, catching Sam's attention with his jerky movements.
"Here let me help you with that." Sam smiles and reaches over to loosen the offending garment. Once it was off she sets it down on the table in front of him and chuckles softly. "Never send a man to do a woman's work."
With Sam still leaning in Jason picks back up the tie and carefully fits it over her head and around her neck, when her smile only broadens Jason then tugs lightly and presses his lips to hers. "It looks much better on you." He says finally pulling away.
"Really?" Sam asks looking down and fiddling with the tie. "I never really considered pink my color, too girly I guess."
"Well I think it looks positively perfect." A voice says behind the couple. "It is as if Jason has laid his claim on Sam and marked her as is, the tie symbolizing to others she is taken. Quite romantic." Molly finishes dreamily, sitting down in the chair next to Sam.
"Please." Kristina scoffs joining the table and sitting next to her sister. "If I didn't know any better I would say we were at junior prom." And after a glare from Molly and a disapproving look from Jason, Kristina smiles. "But it still is sweet, I guess."
"No what's sweet is those two." Sam says once again turning her attention to Maxie and Spinelli. "Did you ever imagine Jason when we first met Spinelli we would one day watch him get married…and to Maxie of all people!" She laughs.
"No." Jason says simply, earning the gaze of all three sisters. "I figured after we were through getting the information we needed from him I was either going to get rid of him or let him go with a warning to never get in our way again." That earns twin looks of shock from Molly and Kristina, but Sam just rolls her eyes.
"We have a bit of history with Spinelli I'm sure mom never shared with you two that explains why Jason was rightfully upset with him." Sam explains for her two sisters.
"Will you tell us now?" Kristina asks eagerly.
"No, because Alexis wouldn't like it." Sam says and isn't surprised by the looks of disappointment she receives. "But maybe when the two of you are older." And then with a quick glance around the room Sam quickly turns back to the two young girls. "Speaking of Alexis, where is she?"
"She was speaking to Diane over by the gift table."
"And does she know the two of you wandered off to my neck of the woods?" Sam asks and even before the two can speak she sees the guilt in their eyes. "Kristina…Molly…"
"What Sam?" Kristina interrupts. "You're our sister, she can't honestly expect us to just stay away when we know you're here."
"I know." Sam says calmly, trying to keep emotions calm. Looking back at Jason she can see that he is purposely staying out of the conversation, and for that she is grateful. "But she's just looking out for you two and can you blame her?"
"But you're safe here Sam." Molly says with certainty.
"Yea there are more men on guard here then one of dads weddings." Kristina says, pointing out a couple just to prove her point. "And Jason hasn't left your side all evening, and probably won't. Anyone would be foolish to try and pull something tonight."
Sam struggled to come up with a reply, because their arguments were the very ones she had used to convince Jason she would be safe at the reception. She looked towards him now for support and he didn't disappoint. "You're right I don't intend to leave Sam alone while we're here and you would have to be foolish to try something tonight with the amount of men I have here. The problem is Kristina…Molly…the problem is the people who we are dealing with don't seem to care about any of that."
"Jason's right." Sam says quickly turning back to her sisters. "Whoever is trying to hurt me won't care that I'm being protected and I have Jason with me. They still might try, possibly in spite of all that."
"Then what are you even doing here?" Once again a voice breaks in on the table, this time causing everyone to turn in surprise at the anger behind the words.
"Mac…" Sam starts to speak, but he silences her with a raised hand.
"I don't want to hear it." Mac says cutting her off. "If you are in so much danger, if there is even the possibility of something happening, why are you here? Why bring that disaster to Maxie and Spinelli's wedding day? Isn't it bad enough that you have brought that cloud down over this town, you and Morgan once again putting the people of this town in danger? Did you have to bring it right to our doorstep and on my little girls…your friends…special day?"
"I'm here because I love and care for both Maxie and Spinellie, I wanted to share…"
"If you really cared you would leave before you get them or anybody else hurt for that matter."
"Ok Mac, this isn't helping anyone." Alexis says coming forward, it was the first time Sam noticed her mother was even there. "And come on girls it's about time for us to leave."
"But they haven't even cut the cake yet!" "It's barely been an hour." Molly and Kristina say at the same time in protest.
"I just think it would be best." Alexis says, her gaze quickly jumping to Sam before looking back at her other two daughters. She forces a smile as they grudgingly rise and come to her side and tries to ignore the look of disappointment on Sam's face.
"Are you happy now Sam?"Mac asks, and only stops when Jason partly rises from his chair.
"That's enough Mac." Jason says his eyes matching the steely cold of his voice.
"Jason is right." Sam says while quickly blinking away the moisture she felt building in her eyes. "This isn't the time or the place for this."
"Right." Alexis nods in agreement. "And if we were smart we would let this drop before Maxie or Spinelli found out…" But even as she said the words Maxie was approaching their group.
"Well what is everyone doing over here huddled in a corner?" She asks as she links arms between Molly and Kristina.
"We were actually just saying our goodbyes." Alexis says turning and smiling at the young bride. "I'm sorry to be leaving before the night is done, but the girls and I…well we…we have…"
While Alexis was struggling to get her words out Maxie looked around the rest of the group and it didn't take a genius to feel the tension in everyone or notice the pain Sam was trying to hide in her eyes. Not to mention Jason looked even more surly than before. "You all can't seriously get along for one night?" She says on a sigh.
"No!" Sam and Alexis say simultaneously before looking at each other.
"I have an early morning meeting tomorrow and Molly has a field trip and just a busy day all around. And I just thought…"
"Blah blah blah." Maxie says rolling her eyes. "It's ok Alexis, I won't hold you hostage at my own wedding reception, just know I'm extremely disappointed that you and the girls are leaving early."
With a grateful smile Alexis nods her head and leans towards Maxie to give her a one armed hug. "You look beautiful today Maxie and I hope you and Spinelli are very happy together. Girls say goodbye and I'll meet you by the coat check." It was only after the girls were out of earshot that Alexis turned back to the Sam and she noticed Maxie had now taken a seat right next to her oldest daughter. "I hope you all enjoy your evening." She says staring directly at Sam.
"We will." Sam assures her with a small nod.
Alexis nods in return and starts to turn before freezing and looking back at her daughter. And before she can second think it Alexis takes the steps separating them and leans down to give Sam a gentle, but firm hug. "Please be careful." She all but whispers into Sam's hair.
"I will." Sam whispers back squeezing her eyes shut and returning her moms hug.
After the two women separate Alexis first turns to Maxie and offers congratulations again before turning to Jason. Neither says anything, but Alexis knows Jason got the message loud and clear. 'Take care of her.'
"I'll walk you out Alexis." Mac says and it was only after the pair leave that Sam turns back to stare at Maxie.
"So you're married now." Sam says forcing a wide smile and squeezing Maxie's hand.
"Screw that, what did Mac say to upset you." Maxie says turning her hand in Sam's to squeeze right back. When Sam only shakes her head Maxie turns to look at Jason. "You can't stand him or want to spare my feelings, so you tell me. What did I miss?"
Sam makes a choking noise before laughing. "Maxie." She says leaning forward and giving her friend a hug. "Please don't ever change." She sighs leaning back.
"Psh…Please Sam, like I even could if I tried? Nope I'm afraid you and everyone else is stuck with me this way, which means I won't let either of you be until someone spills on what had such serious faces on my and Spinelli's wedding day!"
Jason knew that Sam would never say anything, not today especially and since he wanted the annoying blonde to leave he spoke up. "Mac thinks it's not safe for Sam or I to be here."
"Not safe? Has he seen the men strategically placed throughout the room? I think we're safer here then the president is at this point."
"He and Alexis just worry Maxie." Sam says understanding a little better than her friend does. It's a worry that only parents would understand when their child is involved and because of baby Lila Sam would always understand that worry.
"Well they shouldn't…especially not today of all days. Who would dare try and wreck my and Spinelli's special day?" And, almost as if she was daring the gods or whoever was in charge of that sort of thing, there was a loud crash that caused a silence to fall across the room.
"What was that?" Sam asks as she and Jason start to rise at the same time.
"I don't know." Jason says looking around the room trying to find one of his men to flag over, but they must have rushed towards the noise.
"Well aren't you going to go find out?" Maxie asks straining to see over the crowd.
Looking back at the two women Jason struggles with what he should do, leave Sam to make sure everything is alright or stay with Sam and trust his men to handle the situation. Sam catches his eye and he stares back at her and he can tell she knows what he' struggling with. "Sam..."
"Go Jason." Sam urges him. "I'll be fine here with Maxie. I'm sure it's nothing."
He stood there another second looking down at her until she nodded her head again in assurance. "Stay here." Jason says before finally leaving the table.
He wasn't gone five minutes and Maxie was getting anxious. "Where is Spinelli at?" She asks standing and looking around. "Do you think he might be with Jason?"
"I...I don't know Maxie." Sam says shaking her head as she lowers it, a wave a nausea hitting her.
"What if he got hurt?" Maxie asks, not even bothering to look back at Sam. "What if he needs me?"
"I'm sure he is fine Maxie." Sam says between deep breaths.
"But we can't be sure...I am going to go see what's going on." And then Maxie was gone before Sam could even speak up about feeling ill. Sitting alone at the table now Sam tries taking a large sip of water, but the feeling doesn't fade. Looking around the room Sam doesn't recognize anyone she knows well enough and she doesn't see Jason, Maxie, or Spinelli anywhere. Looking behind her she sees a sign for the restrooms and it only takes a second for her to make up her mind.
Rising from her seat she makes her way quickly between the tables and slams through the bathroom door. Once at the sink she runs cool water and cups it in her hands and brings them to her face. After a couple of times she starts to feel a little better and lowers her head. The door opens behind her and Sam doesn't know why she expected it to be Maxie, but she did. So instead when it was the blonde waitress from before it takes her a moment to greet the woman. "Hi, sorry did you need the sink?" She asks taking a step to get out of the way.
"No, that's not what I'm here for."
It wasn't the words that caught Sam's attention, but the way she said them. Looking into the woman's actual face now it's the first time Sam notices the blonde hair didn't match the rest of the her features, or the brunette eyebrows. "Excuse me?" She asks trying to stand a little straighter.
"Oh Sam..." Claudia says pulling the wig off as she does. "I feel like this meeting has been a long time coming." Stepping closer she reaches into her pocket and starts pulling out a gun. "Allow me to introduce myself...I'm Claudia."
So like I said before, I struggled. It didn't go as I originally had planned it to, but I hope you all still enjoyed it. I have only a couple more chapters to go before this story is finished and I promise I am going to try and finish this soon! Thanks again!