As the preacher said some words for Maddie, Sam watched Fi with Charlie in the front row. A week ago today, Maddie had blown up a house with herself in it to keep Jesse and Charlie safe.
"Michael is officially gone according to Pearce." Jesse whispered.
"Like dead or?"
"Mission, overseas, Germany. Her exact words."
Sam sighed, both of them turning their attention to the preacher. When everything was finished as they were lowering Maddie's casket into the ground. Fi and Charlie got up, standing Fi was looking for them. When she saw them she walked Charlie over, Charlie tugged at Sam's jacket. Charlie looked up at Sam with a mixture of sadness and determination.
"Hi, Charlie." Sam said softly, bending down awkwardly as Charlie tugged on his jacket.
Charlie leaned in closer, his small hand still gripping the jacket. Charlie's lower lip quivered, and his eyes filled with tears. He began to cry softly. Sam, feeling a wave of empathy, awkwardly but warmly picked Charlie up, cradling him in a comforting embrace. Fi gently placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. Sam patted the three year old's back gently.
"It's okay. She knew how much you loved her."
Fi watched with a grateful, emotional smile as Sam held Charlie close, offering a moment of solace amidst the grief. As the somber silence of the moment enveloped them, Sam's awkward but heartfelt gesture provided a small, tender comfort for the grieving boy. He tried sitting him down, but Charlie wasn't having none of it.
"Charlie, honey we have to go home." She tried taking him from Sam.
"Uncle Mike and Grandma said I had to stay with him."
"Then, not now buddy. You're going to live with your aunt Fi." Sam looked at Fi, he didn't know what to do.
"How about you come with us, Sam? Will that make it easier Charlie?" Fi smiled as Charlie nodded.
Sam grabbed the bag out of Jesse's car and followed Fi to her car, Jesse leaving to meet up with Pearce. Sam helped Fi get Charlie into the car,
"Want me to drive?" He asked.
"What about your car?"
"I rode with Jesse, hoping you might let me come with after."
Fi gave him a small smile,
"Thank you." She whispered, handing him the keys.
He nodded, taking the keys from her.
"Where to?"
"My old apartment, I moved him and I back in 3 days ago."
"How about him?" Sam asked.
"All he has is what he had on that day, a few pajamas, and a few clothes, and that suit I brought him yesterday."
"Home?" Sam said.
"Yea." Fi sighed, sounding tired.
Sam drove them home, when he got there he looked over seeing Fi asleep and looking back seeing Charlie asleep. Quietly getting out he got Charlie in and in his room, Fi had made for him. He made sure Charlie was asleep before going to get Fi, he open the door
"Fi, Fi." He whispered, trying to wake her up.
She opened her eyes, looking around, finally realizing Sam was watching her.
"What?"
"Your home, I already took Charlie in and laid him in his room."
Fi got out, Sam closed the door and followed her in. As they walked into the kitchen Fi noticed the way he was watching her.
"Sam. He's coming back."
"Fi, he's back in deep undercover, Germany."
"According to?"
"Pearce."
"Damn it, Michael!" She screamed.
Sam was to her in a second pulling her into a hug. He held her tight, resting his head on top of hers. As she hit his chest, trying to pull away,
"Let it out.. All of it, and I've got you."
Fi quit hitting him, but before he could let her go, she wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him close. He pulled her to the couch, sitting them both down. Fi pulled back and looked at him. He had his arms out to his side, inviting her. She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned back into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, breathing in her hair. After a while of silence, Fi stood and walked toward her bedroom. Sam stood too, but he walked toward the front door, intending to find another hotel. Elsa had kicked him out, because she had wanted to leave Miami, but Sam didn't want to leave Jesse, Fiona, and Charlie after everything. Before he made it to the door, Fi spoke.
"Stay."
Sam turned around, and judging by the look on her face, he had a puzzled expression.
"I've got a spare room."
Sam thought about it, then nodded.
"Okay. I forgot my bag in the car."
Fi nodded, and Sam went to retrieve his bag. When he came back in, Fi led him to the room. As Sam placed his bag on the bed, Fi lingered in the doorway.
"Thanks Fi."
"No problem Sam, the bathroom is through the door." She whispered, gesturing toward the other door as she left the room.
Sam took a quick shower, throwing on some briefs and a t- shirt laying in bed. He heard footsteps, going up the hall she was probably checking on Charlie he thought, as the footsteps came back stopping at his door. He waited for her to say something, after a minute he sat up and spoke as he turn on the lamp,
"Come in Fi."
Fi walked in, she was hesitating but something broke again as she sat on the bed.
"How could he!? He didn't even stay long enough for his mother's funeral." She cried.
Sam reached for her hand, rubbing his fingers across it.
"You know Mike and his emotions he did good just to get through Nate's funeral." Sam whispered.
Fi moved up the bed, slipping under the covers beside him. Sam sighed, wrapping his arm around her as they lay down. She rested her head on his chest, and he could feel the warmth of her tears soaking through his shirt.
"I just can't believe he's gone," Fi said, her voice muffled against his chest.
"I feel like everything's falling apart."
Sam tightened his hold on her, trying to offer some comfort.
"We'll get through this, Fi. Together. You're not alone."
She looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy from crying.
"I don't know what I'd do without you, Sam."
"You don't have to find out," he replied softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"I'm here. Always."
Fi closed her eyes, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her. Sam stared at the ceiling, his mind racing with thoughts of the past and the uncertain future. But as he held Fi close, he felt a glimmer of hope. They had each other, even at times they fought like cats and dogs They had something to hold onto. The next morning Sam woke up, with a weight on his chest looking down Fi had moved laying on top of him. He didn't move, just watched her sleep. After a while, she started waking up. He was captivated by the way her face slowly shifted from peaceful slumber to the first signs of waking. Fi opened her eyes looking at him,
"Morning." She whispered.
"Morning, how did you sleep?"
"Better than I thought I would. Thanks to you." She said, nuzzling her face against his chest.
Sam ran his hand up and down her back, after a while they heard Charlie up. Fi moved to get up, but Sam stopped her.
"Stay here. Just a little longer."
Fi hesitated, then nodded, resting her head back down.
"Sam?" She murmured after a few minutes,
"We need to talk about what happened yesterday."
"I know." He replied, his voice gentle but firm.
"We will. But right now, let's just enjoy this."
Fi sighed, closing her eyes again.
"Okay. Just for a little while."
The sound of Charlie wandering around the house grew louder, and they knew their time was over when he started to panic. Fi pulled away, going to find him. Sam waited five minutes before he got up, going out into the living room the scene broke his heart. Charlie was crying, as Fi held him. He sat beside them, Charlie threw himself into Sam's arms still crying.
"I thought I was alone." Charlie sobbed.
Sam held him tightly.
"You're not alone, buddy. We're right here."
Fi stroked Charlie's hair gently.
"We're always here for you, no matter what."
Charlie's crying gradually subsided as he clung to Sam, comforted and calmed by their presence. After a while, he pulled back slightly, looking at them with tear-streaked cheeks.
"Promise?" He asked, his voice trembling.
"Promise." Sam and Fi said in unison.
Charlie nodded, he sat in Sam's lap for a while but moved back to Fi's. Sam got up, squeezing Fi's shoulder, and leaning down as he passed.
"Pancakes?"
"Everything is in there, just find it Jesse did a grocery run while we were doing the funeral stuff."
Sam found everything he needed for pancakes and bacon, he started cooking as Fi and Charlie came into the kitchen, Charlie sat at the bar, as Fi came to help him. Together they finished and ate, feeling like everything would be okay.
Three months later
Jesse frowned as he watched Sam, Fi and Charlie make their way to the table for lunch and client meeting which they missed.
"Where were you two? Our client just left, but Strong and Pearce should be here soon." Jesse said.
"What's Strong and Pearce want?" Fi said, tears in her eyes.
"Okay, what's going on? Hey buddy." Jesse said, as he took Charlie from Sam who was holding him toward him.
Fi hadn't said anything but it wasn't good, by the way Sam sat beside her holding her. Fi didn't show emotions. Jesse made sure Charlie was engrossed in coloring before he started.
"What's going on?"
"They are taking him away." Fi whispered.
"Who?"
"CPS. Says we live and work in an unstable work environment, after they heard about everything he's been through." Sam said.
Jesse saw three people, a woman and two cops.
"Maybe that's what Pearce and Strong found." Jesse stood coming in between the woman, the two cops and the family of three.
"Really now after three months?"
"We can't lose him, Sam. I can't do this." She whispered, holding him tight.
"Mr. Axe? Ms. Glenanne?"
"Yes?"
"We are with CPS, we are here to take Charlie now."
Fi shook her head, Sam sighed. A black SUV came pulling up and Strong and Pearce stepped out making their way toward them, pulling out their id's.
"We have some information that will not need your services." Pearce said, handing four folders 2 to CPS and 2 to Sam.
The CPS agent and Sam read over the information quickly.
"We will not be bothering you two again, sorry for the confusion."
As they walked away Sam smirked at Pearce and Strong.
"How did you manage to do this?"
Pearce glanced at Strong, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
"We have our ways."
Strong nodded.
"Let's just say we had some help from a very resourceful friend."
Jesse stepped closer, curiosity evident on his face.
"A friend? Who?"
"Michael's mother… Before… She wrote out a will saying either Michael, Fiona, Sam, or you in that order if something were to happen to each. Since Michael is overseas and not reachable, custody of Charlie goes to Fiona and Sam."
Charlie smiled, reaching for Sam. Sam took him in arm and pulled Fi in with his other.
"Thank you, so much." He said.
Strong and Pearce nodded.
"What was the other thing you needed us here ASAP?" Strong asked.
"Oh, that's me, I just needed you mostly and my other job." Jesse said, and went into details as two of them walked away.
Pearce hung back for a second, watching as Sam sat Charlie in the sand, he took off a few feet to go play in the sand. Sam and Fi stayed where they were watching him, Sam behind Fi holding her, close to him. Pearce smiled as she headed back to Jesse and Strong, as Sam and Fi stood watching Charlie. Sam bent his head, and kissed Fi's neck.
"We have a son, Sam."
"We do."
4 years later Sam came home from dropping off Charlie at Jesse's for a sleepover, walking into the living room. Fi was nowhere to be found. As he walked over he noticed there was a box on the coffee table, quickly opening it. There was a onesie with the words "Daddy's New Sidekick" printed on the front. Sam's breath caught in his throat, and he stared at the onesie in disbelief and growing excitement. Sam felt arms wrap around his neck, as he turned around in her arms.
"Fi, are we...?"
She nodded, tears of happiness filling her eyes.
"We're having a baby, Sam."
"Charlie's going to be a big brother?" Sam had tears in his eyes.
Fi nodded.
"Well," Sam said, a grin spreading across his face,
"What I was going to say before this wonderful surprise..." He dropped to one knee, pulling a small velvet box from his pocket.
"Fi, will you marry me?"
Fi gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
"Yes, Sam! Yes!"
Sam slipped the ring onto her finger, then stood up, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"I love you, Fi." He whispered.
"I love you too, Sam." She replied, their hearts full of joy and anticipation for their growing family and future together.