𝓕𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕-𝒎𝒆-𝒏𝒐𝒕

𝓒𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝓣𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆

Once they had finished the dishes Sam poured them both a mug of coffee before heading into the lounge. Even with the heating on in the house it was still quite cold in there so she placed her mug on the table and began to clean out the fireplace so she could start a fire.

Face came over and leaned against the wall watching her. "You're pretty good at that."

Sam grinned and kept working. "I had to be. For a while it was the only source of heat I had."  She swept out the ashes into a bucket she kept beside the fire and then started to set up the fire again.

When it was ready she was about to reach for the box of matches when Face crouched down beside her.  "Allow me" he grinned taking a lighter from his pocket.  She gave him a quizzical look so he quickly explained.  "For the Boss and his cigars."  Sam nodded as Face leaned forwards and lit the paper she had placed in amongst the dry sticks.

"Once again he swoops in to save the day" chuckled Sam as she stood up and looked at her dirty hands.  "I'll be right back."

Face watched her leave the room and turned back to look at the fire.  It was starting to come to life nicely.  He picked up his coffee from the mantle where he had left it and then took a seat on the couch.  Storm wandered over and lay down in front of the fire on the bed Sam had left there for her.  'A dog with sense' he thought.

Sam came back in and took a seat beside him.  She turned on the couch so she was facing him and picked up her coffee from the table.  "Okay now talk.  What the hell happened at the V.A.?"

Face finished his drink and placed the mug down. "We were out scouting a possible job when HM called the van saying we had to pick him up."  He ran his fingers through his hair.  "When we pulled up he was standing there on the street with his things in a box and paperwork to say he had been discharged and transferred to an out-patient."  Sam watched as Face got up and started to pace about.  "The first few days were the worst.  Obviously I had taken him to stay with me but he couldn't settle.  The slightest noise would have him clinging to my arm and sleep was impossible.  I could hear him walking around all night, muttering to himself."  He stopped pacing and looked at her.  "I called Richter and begged him to take HM back but he said it had been the Review Panel's judgment that he would make better progress in the real world."

"So what did you do" she asked.

"Persevered.  He eventually started to sleep but then we had a job to do and it all kicked off again.  B.A. tried to keep his temper with him but it was difficult and a couple of times I thought he was going to lose it but somehow he didn't.  Even Hannibal had to bite his tongue a few times.  Sam your call came at just the right time and to arrange for Trixy to be here too was just incredible of you."

Sam could see how emotional he was getting talking about Murdock so she put her mug down and came over to him, placing her hands on his arms.  "Temp it's okay.  Between the five of us I'm sure we can get him to a much happier place and if it comes to it he can stay here with me.  I would never throw him out and it would give him a permanent base just like the V.A. was for him."

Face looked at her.  "You would be willing to do that for us?  For him?"

Sam nodded at him and pressed her hand against his cheek.  "Of course I would."  As she stared into his eyes a feeling bubbled up inside her.  Acting on it she leaned closer and kissed him gently.  She pulled back a little and looked at Face before kissing him again but this time with a little more passion.

Face was totally unprepared for the kiss but when the second one came he couldn't stop himself pulling her close and kissing her back.  For months he had thought about kissing her and now he was, it was even better than he could have imagined.  Each stroke of her tongue was driving him crazy.