(no subject)

[starting_over]

Samantha stood on the boardwalk outside of her shop and stared out at the waves crashing onto the beach. The sound soothed her like no other, as did standing as she was with the wind whipping at her hair and face. It was another reminder that she was here, she was standing; she wasn't in the hospital, she hadn't been shot.

It was just one of those freaky Siren Cove things she'd been told about. Nothing more, nothing less.

It wasn't, or hadn't been, another enforcer out to remove her from the equation.

Even huddled in her long down parka, Samantha gave a shudder. Parkas were nice, but they didn't protect from this kind of cold. This cold was deep down inside her in a place she'd thought long healed.

When her teeth started to chatter, she gave up her solitary stance and turned back to the shop, locking the door behind her. Tomorrow, she told herself. She'd open tomorrow.

She just needed another day to recover, to get her wits back about her, and get on with living this new life she wanted so badly.

Comments

[comeonbro]

"You know, one of these days you're going to come somewhere besides home and your shop and I'm going to actually have to call you to find you," Roosevelt said, smiling at her from a ways off. He had almost done just that when he had seen the shop wasn't open but decided to check around back. He was glad that he had.

"I don't suppose you'd open for a special customer though? Someone I know is sick and I'm hoping the perfect get well card will help her recover."

[starting_over]

There was no hiding the immediate stiffening of her shoulders when she heard a voice behind her; it might have melted away when she realized who was speaking, but it had been there. She pulled the blanket more firmly around him as she turned to face him and offered up a little smile. She knew she looked like hell - eyes bloodshot, deep circles under them, face paler than its usual ivory and her hair...well, she missed the days it was long enough for a pony tail.

"I suppose I could," she said in a low, quiet voice. "Come on in and we'll see what we can find."

[comeonbro]

"Okay, but it has to be the right card," Roosevelt said, giving her a smile back. She looked exhausted and like it was an effort to move which only made him more determined to watch over her. Samantha had gone through a lot and this kind of weirdness had a pretty big effect on people. Hopefully knowing someone was there for her would help. "She's special and I'm pretty crazy about her so it has to be perfect."

[starting_over]

Samantha flipped on the light and lead him over to the Get Well section. "I've got some stock ones, and a few I've created on my own, both silly and serious." She wasn't tracking real well since the museum opening, something that probably stemmed from lack of sleep and anything more than cup-a-soup to eat; so she missed most of what he said.

"I'm just going to sit over here while you look."

[comeonbro]

She must have been more out of it than he realized if she wasn't even hearing what he said. What he was hoping was a sweet gesture was turning out to be a major inconvenience for her. Much longer and it looked like he was going to have to carry her out of here. Roosevelt quickly picked out a card then went to the counter and grabbed a pen.

Since you seemed to miss it when I said it, this card is for someone very special that I'm pretty crazy about. I hope you get better, Sam.

"Here," he said, sticking it in the envelope and handing it to her.

[starting_over]

Samantha took the envelope and removed the card. She read the brief message once, twice, then, a third time. When she raised her eyes to his, she smiled. "Are you? Even when I know I look less healthy than the guests at the morgue?"

Keeping the card in one hand, she stood and extended her other. "I did miss what you said and I'm sorry for that. I think going outside pushed my limited energy a little too far, but I have enough to offer you coffee. If you'd like."

[comeonbro]

"Oh, are you a little under the weather? I hadn't noticed," he said, teasing her a bit. There was no point in pretending like she didn't look miserable, she was clearly still sick or recovering and they'd both know he was lying.

"But I think coffee is fine if you're up to it," Roosevelt said, trying not to fuss over her. She'd already proven she knew her limits so she didn't need him fussing over her. And yet... "If you let me know where it is I can get it."

[starting_over]

Samantha shot him a wry ha-ha-very-funny look as she lead him up the stairs to her apartment. "Yeah, I was feeling fine until a mummy decided to give me a hug, so to speak. It all went downhill from there." Try as she might to be flippant about it, she knew there was an edge to her voice about the whole moment that mummy started towards her.

"How about we do it together?" she offered, then felt her cheeks heat from the double meaning. "Make the coffee, I mean. I'll point, you do the manual labor? Fair?"

[comeonbro]

"I'm glad that it wasn't anything worse," Roosevelt said. He knew that the sickness was miserable and had knocked a lot of people in their ass, Samantha included, but as far as curses went the flu was rather mild. "And I can say that because I wasn't cursed."

He couldn't help but smile at her comment, while he knew what she meant he also knew what it could sound like. Not that he wouldn't be up for that, when she was feeling better. "I think that sounds pretty fair."

[starting_over]

Samantha showed him where everything was - filters, coffee, cream, sugar and mugs - then lead him over to the small love seat she'd bought. She curled up, knees to chest, while the coffee dripped into the carafe in her small kitchen. Her cheek resting on her knees, she looked over at him. "The curse was bad enough, but...," she broke off, took a breath. "There was something else. The way he came at me. It was like a flashback, a horrible one, and I couldn't move. I just froze and stood there until the next thing I knew, it was all wretching and pain."

[comeonbro]

"You froze in a moment of fight or flight," Roosevelt said, sitting next to her. He had to resist the urge to reach out and rub a hand along her back, not sure just how welcome the action would be right now. As much as he liked her they still hadn't even really had a "real" date yet. She looked so worried though that he wanted to comfort her and take care of and protect her. "I can see why that would bother you."

[starting_over]

Samantha shook her head. "Not exactly. I mean, yes it was a fight or flight response but....," she paused and took a breath. "I know I've intimated that something happened and that I'm still recovering from it, and you've been wonderful about not pressing me for details. Thank you for that, by the way. But you should know, I think, before we go any further."

She reached out and laid her hand on his, needing the warmth of it. "Almost two years ago now, I was shot on the courthouse steps; an assassination attempt to derail a case I was prosecuting against one of Boston's more influential Irish mafia families. I saw the man walking towards me. You'd have thought he was out for a stroll on a fine summer's day. Just smiling, probably humming or something. He walked right up to me, I thought he was lost and going to ask me for directions. There was no malignant feel to him at all. Then he pulled out the gun, stuck it into my stomach and boom. The next thing I knew, six months had passed and I was in a rehab hospital."

By the time she'd finished, she realized that her fingers had threaded through his and she was gripping his hand tight. She loosened her hold immediately, in case he wanted to bolt or something.

[comeonbro]

She was right, Roosevelt had figured that something more than just a random injury had caused her to need to go to rehab. He never would have actually guessed that a hitman would have shot her though. His protective instincts flared up when she said it. It was ridiculous because it was before he knew her and before he could have done anything about it.

"And the mummy brought back that feeling?" he asked. It was the sort of sensation that just about every soldier faced but they had been prepared for it. Samantha had not been.

[starting_over]

"Something like that. Just the way he approached. Slowly, with purpose, and me knowing I couldn't do a damned thing to stop it except stand there, again, and let it happen. Again."

Normally she'd have gotten up and paced, but she knew she'd make it about four feet before her knees decided to go wet noodle on her. Since she didn't want to appear any weaker than she already felt, she stayed put. "Probably sounds completely damsel in distress, or complete weak sister, or something like that to you."

[comeonbro]

"You sound like a normal person," he said. That was exactly how normal people reacted to scenarios like that, especially when they'd been attacked before. Roosevelt didn't think he could ever imagine Samantha as weak, not after seeing how hard she had worked on their hike, especially after knowing what he did now about how she had gotten hurt.

[starting_over]

"Thank you for that," Samantha replied with a small smile and a squeeze to the hand she still held. "Right now I feel the very opposite of normal. I feel like a coward.I started feeling better physically as soon as the sun came up the night after the opening, but the rest? The rest is hating myself for raising even a single finger to protect myself."

[comeonbro]

"You knew your physical limitations and the areas that you needed to work on, now you know more of the psychological," Roosevelt said. It was maybe not the best way to offer some comfort but he always found it difficult not to get right to the heart of solving a problem, even if the other person probably just wanted an ear to listen. Samantha was having a problem with something though and Roosevelt could see some things she could try to fix it.

[starting_over]

"Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. And it actually...well, I wanted to ask you a favor. I was going to text you later this afternoon to ask but now you're here. So." She took a breath to steady herself. "Do you know anyone who'd be willing to teach me self-defense? Not the girl classes that show you how to break a hold and get to a whistle or something. I mean..how to fight with the intent of doing damage?" she added with a rueful little smile. "Not that that would have helped with the mummy or the guy that shot me, but I think it'd help me feel a little more confident and a little less like a victim."

She sort of hoped that he could do it, but if he wasn't comfortable with that, she'd take whatever recommendation he could give her.

[comeonbro]

"I know someone. I know a Krav Maga instructor that would take you on," he said. Roosevelt would have taught her himself but he knew that was a super fast way make her hate him. He probably wouldn't be able to be objective, or he would be and she would resent him for it. Plus there was a time issue.

"It's a martial art and it's meant to disable and disarm an opponent as quickly and efficiently as possible. I think it would be perfect for you. They can teach you but I can help you with it too. I can also help you learn to shoot if you'd like."

[starting_over]

Long-honed litigation skills kept her from blurting out an agreement to either. Instead, she thought about his offer, playing out the pros and cons quickly as if she was still a prosecutor weighing out the terms of a plea agreement.

"I'd like to learn that kind of fighting, I think. If you think someone without much going for her in the height department could manage it. I'm not a big, strong man after all," she quipped while her hand reached over to press lightly against his bicep.

"But I know I'd love to learn how to shoot. My aunt was against all types of guns so I wasn't allowed near them. I think mastering what hurt me would do me a world of good. And, yeah, it sounds like fun."

[comeonbro]

"I've had my ass kicked by women smaller than you using it so I think you'll be just fine," he said with a grin. Roosevelt was glad that he could help a bit. The sort of problem she was having wasn't the sort that you could generally fix in the way that he tended to fix things. It felt good knowing he could do something.

"When you're feeling better we'll go down to the range and you can practice a bit and then see about getting a gun of your own if you'd like."

[starting_over]

"Oh really?" Samantha said, finger to her chin as she considered. "I think that's prime motivation to learn right there. I think I'd enjoy kicking your ass, though it would probably take me years to get that competent. I do like the idea of learning how to shoot." She couldn't help the little laugh. "Might not add a screw you to dear old Auntie while I'm slaying a few demons, huh?"

[comeonbro]

"It would take a while, especially because I wouldn't just let you win," Roosevelt said. Not only did Samantha not seem like the sort to appreciate that it wasn't in Roosevelt's nature. He was far too competitive to allow himself to lose without a really good reason.

"We can set up a target with her name on it if you want," he said with a laugh. "Might be cathartic."

[starting_over]

"I'd rather put the name of the guy that shot me and robbed me of six months of my life," Samantha said, all seriousness. "I've moved past most of the crap with my aunt, but I like the idea of giving the slimy shit some of his own, that's for damn sure."

[comeonbro]

"I'm not entirely sure if that's healthy but since I'm not a shrink then I think we can definitely do that," he said, admiring her spirit. Roosevelt had been shot, he knew how strong the urge was to shoot the other person back, especially to make sure they couldn't do it again.

[starting_over]

"You may have a point, but I'm not going to lose a lot of sleep over it. Probably stems from not being there during his trial. Maybe I'll change my mind when it comes down to it?" Samantha raised one shoulder, then lowered it. "But I do like the idea of learning to shoot. A lot."

[comeonbro]

"As soon as you feel up for it we'll go to the range," Roosevelt said with a nod, admiring her spirit. She may not be into a lot of the things that he was but she had a fire in her that he found incredibly attractive, which was a bit inconvenient considering her current illness. There was enough time to explore that later though.

[lincolnmiller]

"Hey, this is Lincoln. Listen, I heard you weren't well and I have soup?" Lincoln said, call going straight to voicemail as he lingered outside Sam's shop. Scuffing his boots against the board walk, he leaned against the door waiting to see if she picked up or came down the stairs. "I did mention I'm a fire mage, walking-talking- portable heater?"

[starting_over]

Samantha smiled over the message before setting her phone down to open the window. She stepped onto the juliet balcony that looked out over the balcony and leaned over.

"Did someone say soup?"

She knew she looked like seven levels of hell with the circles under her eyes and seriously pale skin, but the smile was genuine.

[lincolnmiller]

"My mom made it, she's a pretty good cook." Lincoln called, looking up at a rather deathly pale Sam. Smiling up at her, he covered his eyes so that he could look at her. She looked beautiful, as always, but really, really ill. It was a good thing he rarely got sick, his temperature always ran too high for most viruses to survive. "I thought I'd come keep you company, if that's alright?"

[starting_over]

"Of course it is. Give me a second and I'll release the lock. Just come through the shop and up the back steps just like breakfast."

Samantha ducked back into the apartment and entered the security code to unlock the door from the app on her phone. When the camera showed Lincoln inside, she locked and secured behind him. Small town or not, she'd been born and raised in Boston; she didn't believe in taking chances. She had just enough time to stow the small trash can in the bathroom, thankful she hadn't needed it after the initial round of sick.

[lincolnmiller]

Taking the stairs, two at a time, Lincoln knocked before leaning through the door and smiling at Sam. Holding the soup he placed it down on her kitchen before leaning down to brush a kiss against her cheek,

"You got the er... Museum bug going round?" Lincoln asked, reaching up to press his hand against her forehead.

[starting_over]

"You mean the curse of the mummy? Yeah. Creepy thing came right at me, put hands on me, and I was down in the fetal position. The next, oh, ten hours or so...," Samantha trailed off and waved a hand, "probably better not to talk about that part too much. Let's just say it wasn't much of a party after that."

She smiled at the kiss to her cheek and had a stern mental conversation with her pulse to settle itself down. "I'm still not quite..up to much."

Already feeling worn down, she dropped into one of the kitchen chairs and pulled the blanket around her. "You escaped the fun?"

[lincolnmiller]

"That would be the one, and no I didn't. Not exactly," Lincoln replied, tucking the edges of the blankets around Sam and fetching her a glass of water. Wandering around the kitchen he grabbed a bowl and heated his mom's container through before pouring it out into the bowl for her. "We thought it was an animatronic, it got Lee and she got sick fast. Scared the hell out of me. My mom is pretty good with illnesses and healings though, so I called her."

Grabbing another chair he pulled it up alongside Sam before picking up her feet and pulling them up onto his lap. His hands were warm against her skin and he slowly began to rub warmth from ankle to toes.

[starting_over]

"Mmm, that feels very, very good," Sam said in response to the foot rub, then leaned forward to inhale the soup from the bowl in her hands. "Almost as good as this smells. I'd say your mother's good at more than healings."

For a minute, she just let herself inhale the aroma, then took a small spoonful. Oh yeah, definitely tasted as good as it smelled. "I'm glad you were both able to get some healing though. It was the worst thing I've ever been through in my life."

Half of that was the illness, the other half was the bone-deep fear she'd felt in those first moments of flashback from the shooting.

[lincolnmiller]

"I am a man of many hidden talents," Lincoln replied, stroking over Sam's foot up to her ankle before sliding back down to rub heat into her toes. Working slowly, methodically he smiled up at her. "Oh, it didn't touch me. Probably wouldn't work if it was just sickness though, I don't tend to get ill. Too hot."

Lincoln laughed at how that sounded. "Body temperature wise, kills off most bugs."

[starting_over]

"And just when I was about to comment on the ego you've got running there," Samantha smiled back. "But I'm glad you didn't get sick. It was a pretty nasty thing to go through, which you probably already know if Lee had it." She looked from him to his hands, still rubbing her feet. "If this is any indication of your bedside manner, I'd say she's lucky she had you through the worst of it."

[lincolnmiller]

"I think I was called enough names at school to not have that much of an ego," Lincoln replied. It had washed over him though, most people didn't try to take him on even back then. He'd been geeky, soft everywhere, but still tall as anything. Park, some of the other guys weren't that lucky though and Lincoln always tried to step in. Even though he was pretty sure Roosevelt was stepping in at times for him. "Maybe, I'm lucky to have her. How about you? Meet anyone... interesting lately?"

[starting_over]

"You're lucky to have each other then," Samantha smiled back with a nod. Her mouth quirked a little while she sipped at the soup, feeling heat in her cheeks that had nothing to do with the warm liquid in the bowl. "Though I have a feeling you might already know, I've been out with your friend Roosevelt. He took me on a hike up into the mountains not that long ago."

[lincolnmiller]

"Who me? Nooo, of course not. It's not like me and Teddy gossip like a bunch of teenage girls at all," Lincoln replied, looking up at Sam with a smile. Roosevelt might've told him some things but apparently his best friend had kept other stuff from him. "Roosevelt is a good guy, the best. So... good luck. I'll try not to cheer you both on in an obnoxious manner, or suggest double dates. That might be weird."

[starting_over]

Teddy. Samantha rolled the nickname around in her head for a second and let a little smile curve her lips. Of all the things she thought of when he came to mind, a cuddly, fluffy bear was not even close to being on the list. Still, though, she made a note to bring it up to him sometime and see how he reacted. It could either be endearing, or something he found as irritating as she did when Neal called her Sweet Sammy.

"He is a great guy," she agreed, "and don't worry, I won't ask you to break some guy code by asking you about him." Then she caught his last comment and frowned a little. "Weird? Why?"

[lincolnmiller]

"I don't know, I've kissed you? I really liked those kisses? If you don't think it'll be weird then I'll do it," Lincoln replied with a smile at her. He lifted his shoulders in a bemused shrug. Maybe in another time, another place they would've done a hell of a lot more than kiss but he was with Lee and quite happily so now.

[starting_over]

"I really liked them too," Samantha replied while sipping at her soup. "And as long as you don't think it's weird that I've started kissing your best friend, we can call it even?"

She felt better, warmer, and not just from the soup. Lincoln had that way about him. A calming presence.