AN: It's been awhile but I fully intend to complete this story and soon. Thanks for all the reviews, previous chapters have been edited and better written as much as I could not to alter the main idea.

Chapter 14

Sami was in no mood to help her father, that night she played the customer. She sat at the bar with her elbows up and a drink between them, she was drowning her sorrows and didn't care who knew it. She had been so sure that if she pushed Martin away, kept him out of her bed that when it was time for him to leave it would somehow be easy. It was never easy and now knowing he was putting himself in danger didn't help matters either. She missed him; she was angry and now completely scared.

It had only been a few days, just days and he managed to crawl right under her skin and all those emotions and memories she spent months trying to forget were right back front and center in her mind's eye. Sighing heavily she finished her drink.

Danny took her glass and replaced it with a beer. "You'll thank me later; you don't need anymore of the heavy stuff."

She chuckled. "Someone else thinking they know what's good for me but I'll take this and don't expect a tip." She took a long drink from the cold beer as she turned around and surveyed the crowd. The bar was busy, several couples occupying the tables, soft music playing on the jukebox. Her eyes landed on Martin, even trying to ignore him her stupid body sought him out.

He was by the door chatting it up with Justin. The more she looked at him the worse she left. After taking another drink from her beer, placing it down on the counter, she disappeared toward the back. She figured why torture herself? Sami planned to take her kid and go home where every turn didn't remind her of the ill fated relationship with a certain guy with really blue eyes.

Plans were never Sami Devlin's strong point. Instead of going up the stairs to her parent's home she turned and walked toward his room. She stepped instead and slowly looked around, noticing the photos on the dresser. Front and center was a picture of them taken at Lily's first birthday. He hadn't been able to make it to her second. What else was he doing, how was he helping his parents? She wondered all these questions and could not believe she didn't know who Martin Ford was outside of the life he shared with the Devlins. What exactly could he do against a team of bad guys which the FBI was after? He wanted his parents to have their real life back which would mean the threat was eliminated that put them in witness protection in the first place, how could he do that?

She sat on the bed and thought about the quiet teenager she knew, the smooth talker in private. He had done well in school always, when college time rolled around was the same time he started leaving for long periods of time.

Sami worked sometimes with her father at the bar and during the week worked an office job to provide for Lily and pay the bills, what did Martin do for a living? She literally slapped herself on the forehead, why didn't she think about this before? A small voice in the back of her mind pointed out the normally when Martin showed up she was too smitten with spending time with him and Lily that she didn't think of anything else.

She grabbed his pillow and inhaled deeply, he always smelled good, a scent she could pick out of a crowded room. Tomorrow he'd be gone and she could start the process of trying to forget him and trying to help Lily cope with one parent and then he'd be back and her life would flip upside down. It was pathetic, she thought, she was damn pathetic. Sami started to cry again. When she was younger and a bit more stupid she used to fantasize life with the man she loved. Long story short it wasn't this reality.

Feeling frustrated, pathetic and completely stupid Sami left his room and went to pick up Lily. She vowed to keep her promise, she wouldn't fall apart, her daughter deserved better then that. She couldn't cry anymore and risk Lily seeing her.

"Ready to go honey?" she asked, standing at the playroom door with the best smile she could muster up. Lily nodded and rushed to her side after saying goodbye to her cousins. Hand in hand they walked downstairs; Martin was in the living room. "Good timing, we're leaving." She let go of Lily. "Say goodbye to your father." She watched as Lily ran into her father's arms. She turned away as they said goodbye, it was either that or cry again.

Sami didn't say anything to him; once Lily was done she left as fast as she couldn't without even glancing up. Was it unfair? Maybe but she didn't care, him leaving tomorrow was freaking unfair. The streets were dark and wet from the afternoon rain. She glanced at lily as she drove, the little girl didn't look as ok as she had earlier. It dawned on Sami that her daughter might be faking to spare her father pain. Sami thought about what she could do to make tomorrow easier but it was their life; Martin left and they had to deal with it. As Lily got older she didn't handle it any better, hopefully soon she wouldn't have to. Martin would come back one day forever, she believed that but where did it leave them?

Back home she helped Lily change for bed and together they ate a small bowl of ice cream, something they both deserved after putting on a brave face, at least Lily had. Sami kissed her daughter goodnight and went to her own room, inside she felt defeated all over again; simply tired. She kicked off her sneakers and decided she could shower in the morning.

When she woke sometime later to the sun was peering through the blinds, she turned away from the light and bumped into someone. Her eyes flew open. "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, careful not to yell. The last thing she needed was for Lily to wake up and see her parents in bed together.

"It was my last night in town and I had to spend it with you."

Sami rolled her eyes and refused to be sucked in. "Spare me the charm, it's too early to vomit." Her anger hadn't faded overnight and found herself very defensive. "I told you what I felt and wanted and none of that meant sneak into my bed." Martin's arm wrapped around her smaller frame and pulled her close. "You really want me to hit you."

"I want you to do something." He agreed in a soft whisper, his breathe warm against her cheek. "I want us to be ok before I leave."

She gave up trying to fight and sank into his arms, a frown in place." I don't know what that means; we've never been ok Ford."

Instead of arguing that point he kissed her. He kept his arm locked around her back hugging her close; there was no way he was letting go easily. Sami's hand gripped the front of his shirt as she kissed him back. She started to cry and gripped him tighter, why did he have to leave? She indulged herself to his warm seductive mouth for a few more seconds before pulling away. "You have to go." She stared into those blue eyes she could forever get lost in.

"Not yet." He smiled softly. "You're stuck with me all day."

-

Isabelle A.