(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 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.