A/N: Hi guys! Sorry it took a little longer than usual to post. I started a new job and I've been so exhausted. But it's worth it, so I can deal with it. Anyways, I've come to realize that I just can't write a short story unless I'm doing a one-shot or a challenge lol. I plan to post often, but I like a slow burn with lots of little moments in between. Sooo this may be longer than originally planned lol But I promise to post often enough so that you can stay invested.

Anyways, this chapter is kind of a big one so I hope you guys enjoy it! Thanks as always for the amazing reviews and being so supportive! Please keep reviewing!

Happy reading!

Jen

buttercup0303

Chapter 20

Sam and Danny brought Jace a pancake breakfast, as promised the next day. She'd been a little shaky after her ordeal, but knowing Franco could never hurt her again and holding Danny in her arms had gone a long way towards restoring her peace of mind.

Breakfast with Jace had done the rest. His easy affection, his steady presence, and innate ability to see past her barriers had helped her find her balance. And over the course of the next couple of weeks, Sam and Jace made it a habit to have at least one meal per day together. Sam and Danny would show up with something different every day for Jace to try, and they'd talk about their days and eat.

It had become Sam's favorite part of every day. It was weird, but sharing that time with Danny and Jace, it almost felt like they were becoming a family.

Sam wasn't afraid to admit that scared the hell out of her. But she was careful to make sure they didn't cross any more lines, especially in front of Danny. She didn't want to confuse him. Confuse her self? That was a different story. If she had thought the lines of friendship had been blurry before, they were practically nonexistent now.

She was a bit worried though, because Danny was getting attached to Jace. He told Jace just the night before that they were "best fwends." Jace had looked thrilled and touched, which made him almost irresistible at that moment to Sam. He genuinely loved her kid, and there was nothing more appealing to Sam than that. Now she worried that when Jace remembered who he was, it wouldn't just be her hurt if he went back to his old life. It would be Danny too.

Sam didn't feel comfortable even considering starting a relationship with Jace while the possibility still remained that he could have a wife or someone who loved him out there right now. And she could admit to herself that she did want to be with Jace.

She had hoped to hear from Samuel about the footage from that night. If he'd caught the accident, they might be able to see what Jace looked like before the accident. They'd be one step closer to figuring out who he was.

But she still hadn't heard from Samuel yet. She was cursing herself for not getting his contact information as well. She'd asked Spinelli to see if he could find out whom he was and how to get in touch with him, but so far, Spinelli hadn't come up with anything.

It was incredibly frustrating. Especially since Jace had grown stronger and stronger over the last two weeks and was close to being discharged. He was moving around now with just a cane, and even that he wasn't using all the time. The more mobile he was, the more often they found themselves in close quarters, whether by accident or not. It was making it very hard for Sam to keep her distance. Not that she was doing a very good job of it, she admitted to herself. They'd fallen into the habit of hugging each other in greeting, and now Sam felt more at home in his arms than ever, which was even more terrifying. She was beginning to need him in her life too much.

Oddly enough, the guilt she had expected to feel hadn't come. She still thought about Jason every day, missed him constantly, but for the first time in a very long time, that constant, throbbing pain was gone. Losing Jason had left her with the kind of pain she imagined people felt with a phantom limb. As if something that had been a part of her was gone, but she still felt it, it still hurt her, and she missed it terribly. That unyielding ache had finally eased. Of course, some days were better than others and she knew it would never completely go away. But she was okay with that. The kind of love she and Jason had shared was too rare for it not to have left an everlasting mark.

"Eat wih ma fwend?"

Startled out of her reverie, Sam glanced down at Danny, who was looking up at her eagerly.

Apparently, it was one of Danny's favorite parts of the day too. She grinned down at him, pulling him up onto the bed and into her lap. He smacked a wet, noisy kiss against her lips, before settling back comfortably against her.

"Yes, baby. We're eating with your friend today. What do you think we should bring him to eat?"

"Tots!" Danny hollered eagerly and Sam winced, leaning back a little.

"Tater tots?" She asked uncertainly.

"Yeah! And hot hogs!" He shouted again. For the love of God, if this kid didn't grow out of this phase soon, she was going to go deaf.

Tater tots and hot dogs, she thought considering. Well, she hadn't really brought him any real novelty foods yet. And everyone should have the chance to try tater tots and hot dogs at least once in their life. She grinned at Danny.

"Tater tots and hot dogs it is."

"Yay!" Danny screamed at the top of his lungs. Cringing, Sam playfully shoved Danny off her lap, and he collapsed in a heap on the bed. He sat up and glared at her.

"You push!" He said accusatorily.

Sam nodded in agreement.

"I did. You shout too much, baby. You hurt my ears." She explained simply.

Danny stared at her in disgruntlement for a moment, followed by concentration, before he nodded.

"I no hur Mommy. I wipper." He said in a barely audible whisper. Her heart swelling, she grinned at him and threw herself on top of him, hugging him and raining kisses down on his face. Danny giggled and wriggled away.

"Silly Mommy." He whispered again. Sam rolled her eyes and laughed. She'd barely been able to make out the words. He'd gone from one extreme to the next, apparently.

...

Jace came back from physical therapy feeling amazing. He was getting stronger every day and Drake had just announced he would be discharged the next day. Jace couldn't wait to tell Sam.

He was a bit worried about what came next, obviously. He figured he would use the Visa gift card to get a cheap motel room, and start job hunting. If he was going to build a life here, he needed to be financially stable.

And he definitely wanted to build a life here. With Sam and Danny, if he was lucky enough. The past two weeks had been incredible. Spending time with Sam and Danny everyday had made him feel like he was part of their family. Lord knew he loved that little boy. And he didn't know how to put into words what he was feeling for Sam.

She was the first person he thought of every morning, and the last one he thought of every night. Just being in her presence filled him with a sense of completion. She was heartbreakingly gorgeous, curvy but fit, with a killer smile that took his breath away, and gorgeous brown eyes that pierced his soul, but it was more than that.

She had strength of spirit and a fierce independence that kept him on his toes. Her love of adventure, her honesty, her quick wit, her loyalty, her dedication to her son and family; all of it combined to make her the perfect woman in his eyes. He didn't know if what he was feeling was love, but it was the most powerful feeling he'd ever had. Second to those feelings, was the growing desire he felt for her. Since he'd become more mobile, they'd had more and more moments when they'd ended up in close quarters. Her scent, her touch; it was maddening but at the same time it almost felt as if he lived for those moments.

Jace grinned at himself. He couldn't deny that he went out of his way to make those moments happen more often. Sam had been so careful to keep things neutral between them. And he was determined to make things decidedly un-neutral. He'd started to think she had stopped wanting him until the first time they'd brushed up against each other.

Sam had been walking through the door and he'd been standing right in front of it. She'd squeezed past him, and her breasts had brushed against his torso. She'd gone still, hardly breathing, and looked up at him and what he'd seen had thrilled him. For just a second, he could see answering desire banked in her eyes.

He had stared down at her, struggling not to just grab her and kiss her. But Sam had broken eye contact and scurried away to the safety of the opposite side of the room.

But that connection between them was still there, getting stronger every day. And Jace wasn't ashamed of helping it along the way. He'd started to hug her in greeting whenever he saw her, and though she'd been stiff with surprise at first, she walked right into his arms now. Holding Sam had felt shockingly familiar from the very first time, but now it became a vital part of his day. It felt wrong to not have her in his arms at some point in the day. Not to mention that he adored how short she was. Her head came to the top of his chest, and it seemed she just tucked right into his arms, a perfect fit.

Jace glanced at the clock. It was almost time for Sam and Danny's visit. His heart racing a bit, he hurried to take a shower. He was standing in the center of the room, about to pull on a shirt when Sam and Danny walked into the room, holding bags of food.

Sam froze but Danny ran straight to him and leaped, like he always did. Dropping his shirt on the bed, Jace caught him, and brought him close for a hug and a smacking kiss on the cheek. Setting Danny down, Jace looked towards Sam, who was staring at him, still frozen in place. Her eyes were on his chest, and he couldn't help but grin.

Whatever he'd been in the past, he'd obviously been meticulous about staying in shape, because even a month in a coma hadn't softened the hard muscles of his chest or abdomen. And the constant physical therapy had just made them tighter, firmer. He was grateful for that very fact in that moment as Sam looked away with a blush.

He walked over to her and took the bags from her hands, setting them on the table by the bed. She still hadn't moved and Jace couldn't help but take advantage of the situation.

He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her close to him, before wrapping his arms around her. Her arms automatically came up around his waist as she burrowed in against him.

"Hey Sam." He whispered against her ear.

Sam shivered as Jace's warm breath fluttered against her sensitive skin. She was struggling to get her footing after walking in and seeing Jace shirtless. His body was really, well, it wasn't fair to other men. It had been a long time since she'd seen a man with a body that ridiculously hot. She forced herself to pull away and looked up at Jace.

Seeing the smug look on his face before he could hide it, she narrowed his eyes. He knew exactly what he was doing, didn't he?

"Hi Jace." She said sweetly, before smacking the back of her hand against his stomach and then walking over to Danny.

Jace let out a whoosh of air when she hit him and admitted he'd deserved that. He grinned at her unapologetically, knowing he was forgiven when she just shook her head and grinned back at him.

"So, what's for dinner?" He asked with a huge smile.

Sam laughed and picked up his shirt, tossing it to him.

"Put your damn shirt on. Then we'll talk about dinner." Rolling her eyes, she turned to Danny just in time to see his eyes light up.

"Dam shurt." He whispered fiercely, making Jace choke on his laughter and Sam cringe.

"I'm sorry, baby. Mommy said a bad word, but please don't repeat it. Damn is not a nice word, remember?"

Danny grinned up at her and nodded.

"'Kay." He hissed and Jason couldn't hold back the laugh this time.

"Why is he talking like that?" He asked, still chuckling.

"That would be my fault. I told him his constant shouting hurt my ears so he took it to the extreme. Shouting is out, inaudible whispers are in." She said, shaking her head.

Jace chuckled again, watching Danny settle himself on the bed. Damn, he adored that kid. Sitting beside him, Jace grinned down at him.

"So, what's for dinner, buddy?"

Danny looked up at him and whisper shouted, "Tots & hot hogs!" He glanced quickly at Sam and seeming to shake himself, he repeated himself, this time whispering almost inaudibly.

"Tots and hot hogs."

"Oh, this is brilliant." Jace said, glancing at Sam with a thrilled grin.

"Shut up." Sam replied with a laugh, setting out the food in front of them.

...

"Oh man, Danny. Thanks for picking this. It might be my favorite meal so far!" Jace said, grinning at Danny after polishing off two loaded hotdogs and a basket of tater tots.

Sam laughed as Danny pumped his fists into the air and ran over to high five Jace. He'd finished his food well before them and had started running around the room, burning off energy.

"Did you like your food too?" He asked Danny, grinning in anticipation. He'd been trying to get Danny to talk all night.

"So gud." Danny practically mouthed. Jace laughed and grinned at Sam, who just rolled her eyes.

"You're a child." She told him, though she was grinning too. She popped another tater tot into her mouth. Jace avoided looking at her. Damned if watching Sam eat tater tots and hot dogs hadn't been the sexiest thing ever. If he didn't want to traumatize the kid, he needed to avoid looking at her while she ate.

Sam grinned to herself. Jace had seen how affected she'd been by his shirtless body and had taken advantage of it. Well, two could play that game. She may or may not have had a little fun with how she ate her hotdog and tater tots. And seeing his blank, open-mouth stare the first time he'd seen her had thrilled her. She wasn't done having fun with him yet, either.

Jace saw her little secret smile and gasped, pointing at her.

"You're doing that on purpose!" He exclaimed with a grin.

Sam looked at him with wide innocent eyes and shrugged.

"Doing what on purpose?" She hedged, wiping her the corner of her mouth daintily with a napkin.

Jace nodded and smirked.

"Yeah, okay. I see you, Sam."

Sam shrugged one shoulder and looked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She insisted, starting to clean up the mess. Jace's hands covered hers and she stilled, looking up at him.

"Let me. You brought the food, the least I can do is clean it up."

Sam pulled her hands out from under his quickly.

"I'm not gonna fight you on that." She grinned and leaned back, her hands behind her on the mattress, as she arched her back and stretched. She just needed to stretch, though. It's not as if she was aware of how that position highlighted certain, ahem, features of hers. Definitely not. She certainly wasn't waiting for his reaction when he turned around either, she thought with devilish delight.

"You've spoiled me, though. It's gonna be weird getting my own food everyday. But I guess I'll have to get used to it quick, since they're letting me out of here tomorrow." Jace said it casually, turning away from the garbage can with a grin to see Sam's reaction.

He froze mid-turn, his jaw dropping as he caught sight of Sam stretched out on the bed, her back arched, her generous curves shown to perfection. She wasn't playing fair, he thought to himself.

Sam bolted up straight, forgetting all about her plan to torment him.

"You're being discharged tomorrow? Omigod, Jace! That's fantastic!" She shouted happily, jumping up and throwing her arms around him.

He caught her, holding her tight. Danny, sensing the excitement, wanted to be a part of the celebration. He threw his arms around their legs.

Sam laughed and looked down at him.

"Danny, Jace gets to go home tomorrow! Yay!"

"Yay!" Danny mouthed, making Sam and Jace burst into laughter. Danny turned and walked away abruptly, climbed into Jace's bed, and lay down, pulling the covers over himself. Sam bit back a laugh.

"Guess someone's ready for a nap." Jace chuckled.

"Guess so." Sam laughed. Shaking her head, she moved over to the couch and sat down, facing Jace.

"So, do you know what you're going to do now? What's the plan?"

Jace sat in a nearby chair and leaned forward, elbow on his knees.

"Actually, I'm not sure. I figured I'd get a motel room somewhere in town, look for some work."

Sam grinned as a thought came to her.

"You can stay in our penthouse!"

Jace stared at her, caught off guard.

"You want me to move in with you?"

Sam's eyes widened and she reared back.

"What? No! Slow down there, cowboy." She replied instantly.

Jace shook his head, grinning at her response.

"Okay, then I'm lost."

Sam grinned back at him.

"Sorry, that was confusing. I didn't mean our penthouse, I meant our other penthouse."

Jace chuckled.

"Yeah, that's not any less confusing."

Sam laughed.

"Sorry. Okay, Danny and I live in one of two penthouse apartments. Jason owned the penthouse across the hall from us too, and I inherited it when he passed away. I keep it empty, because I like my privacy. But you could stay there rent-free while you get back on your feet." She was grinning, pleased with herself for the idea. She glanced behind Jace quickly, and saw Danny was already asleep. She looked back at Jace, expecting to see relief or gratitude or...well, not the expression he currently wore.

Jace listened to her, unsure how he felt. It sounded like charity, and he wasn't really comfortable accepting more charity. Taking the phone and tablet and everything had been hard enough. And now Sam was offering another handout? He didn't like the thought that she might pity him.

"I can get by on my own, Sam. I don't need your pity."

Sam leaned back, a little offended.

"I know you can. And who the hell said anything about pity? You're my friend and I want to help you, Jace. I'd do it for any of my friends. In fact, I offered the penthouse to Spinelli and his daughter first but he wanted to be close to the mother of his child, so they're staying with her now."

"Look, that's all well and good. But you sat vigil by me while I was comatose, you've been paying for and bringing me food every day, and now you want to give me some place to live. I'm starting to feel less like a friend and more like a damn charity case."

Sam stared at him for a moment, unbelievably hurt. She stood up slowly and glared down at him.

"Screw you. You're not a charity case to me and you know it. I thought we were friends, but I guess I was wrong. If you don't want anything from me, fine. Figure it out on your own. And go to hell while you're at it."

She stepped around him and started towards the bed, where Danny was sleeping.

Jace cursed himself. He'd hurt her and made her doubt his feelings for her and he hadn't meant to. But damn it, she should know what she meant to him. He would just have to show her.

He jumped awkwardly to his feet, tossed his cane aside, and grabbed her hand, spinning her around to face him.

Stunned, Sam stared up at him and took a step back. Jace stalked forward, sending her stumbling back until she hit the wall. He crowded in on her, trapping her with his hands on the wall on either side of her head as he leaned down. Her hands flew up to his chest to push him away, but instead, they lay flat against him. She was mesmerized by the intensity of emotion in his gaze, her breath coming fast.

"You think I don't want anything from you? No, Sam, that's the problem. I want too damn much from you. I want it all." He said heatedly, and before she could reply, his mouth was crashing down on hers and she was caught up in a storm of sensation.

Their tongues tangled and moved together as Jace buried his hands in her hair, pressing his body against hers. Her hands clenched in his shirt, pulling him closer as desire shot through her.

Jace removed one of his hands from her silky tresses and trailed it down her shoulder to her elbow to her hip, his fingers digging in her flesh, before sliding lower and grabbing her thigh, hiking it up around his waist, pressing himself against her.

Sam gasped into his mouth, a low whimper escaping as proof of his desire for her nudged her stomach. She matched him passion for passion as heat curled in her stomach.

Jace broke the kiss with great difficulty, leaning his forehead against Sam's, his breathing ragged.

"Still think I don't want anything from you?" He asked ruefully.

Sam was gulping in air, dazed.

"N-N-No." She stammered, her head spinning. Kissing him had been like nothing she'd ever experienced before and yet it had felt so natural, so…...familiar.

Jace forced himself to take a step back. He ran his hands through his hair, letting out a shaky breath.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I was a dick. I didn't mean to be ungrateful. It's just hard for me to have everyone take care of me all the time. I need to feel useful."

Sam let out a ragged breath and fought to clear her mind.

"I get that. I do. But you need to find solid ground first and you can't do that if you're struggling to make ends meet, working all the time just to make rent. If you want a job, fine, get a job. But this way, you can take some time and try to figure out who you are first without the pressure of bills on your shoulders. That's all I want for you."

Jace watched her for a moment, considering her words. What she said made sense. Not to mention it was a chance to be close to Sam and Danny. The thought of living just down the hall from her was more appealing than he could say, especially after that kiss.

He smiled.

"Okay. If the offer is still on the table, I'll stay in the penthouse. Thank you, Sam."

Sam nodded at him shakily, still trembling with desire. She moved away from him, needing space. She tried to act naturally, as if something life-changing hadn't just happened.

"You're welcome. So, I'll pick you up once you're discharged and we'll get you settled into the penthouse tomorrow. I'm so happy you're getting out of here. I know you hate it."

Jace was startled. He'd never really told her that he hated hospitals. Then again, Sam always seemed to sense how he was feeling without him saying it, so he guessed he shouldn't be that surprised.

"Yeah, I do. And I'm happy too."

Sam glanced over at Danny, who had slept through that earth-moving kiss, thankfully.

"I better get him home. Call me when they discharge you, okay?" She needed to put some distance between them right now. Jace didn't seem to get the memo though.

He stood too, and walked over to the bed, crowding her. He lifted Danny up and placed him in Sam's arms.

"I will. Now get this little tyke into bed." He replied, absent-mindedly kissing the top of Danny's head.

Sam smiled at Jace's unconscious show of affection.

"Good night, Jace."

She turned to walk out the door but he grabbed her elbow and stopped her again. He leaned down slowly and brushed his lips against hers, once, then twice.

"Good night, Sam." He said huskily, looking into her dazed eyes. Sam blinked slowly and she didn't seem to realize that her hand had come up to touch her lips.

Forcing himself to take a step back, he shoved his hands in his pockets to stop himself from taking Danny out of her arms and pinning her back against that wall. He couldn't help but grin as she stumbled a little, and put out a hand to steady her. She shook her head and turned around, walking to the door.

"Hey, Sam!" Jace called out. She stopped and looked back over her shoulder.

"See you tomorrow, neighbor." He grinned. She laughed and nodded, disappearing into the hall.

Jace sat on his bed, desire still coursing through him. He leaned back.

"I wonder how soon is too soon to borrow a cup of sugar?" He wondered with a smirk. Operation Obliterate the Friend Zone had commenced.