Sweet Darling

"Darling! I don't have time for this! I am late!"

Sam pretends to give up on the hide and seek quest, and sinks down onto the couch. Listening closely, he hears a rustle of papers.

"Gotcha!" He whispers to himself.

He gets up slowly and walks over to the curtain. A bubbling giggle reaches his ears as he pulls the curtains away.

"I win. Now, give me my papers, Kim."

"But I was having so much fun!"

Sam scans over Kimberley's reddish hair, blue eyes, and pouting lips before noticing his jacket in her arms.

"I know, but I am in a big hurry. So," He pulls his jacket free from her clutch, "I will be going now, so that I can come home and catch up on the sleep that I lost last night."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that I need you to be out of my apartment at four."

"Awwww!"

"I know, I am soooo cute." He takes the file from her hands.

"No, that was more like a disappointed awwwww."

"Bye, darlin'."

Sam strodes out of the door and closes it.

Searching for his ride, Sam walks around in the parking lot. A car comes around the corner and stops centimeters from him. Sam shakes his head and gets in on the passenger side.

"Where were you?" The man behind the wheel asks.

"Had some trouble with Kimmie, but I can actually ask you the same thing."

"Hmph. You really need to get rid of her, and then you would be happy, like me."

"John, you are not happy being alone."

John chuckles dryly before speeding the car out of the parking lot.

"Also, I have bought a ring for her."

The car is almost tipped over, but John somehow succeeds in getting it back on its wheels and keeping them on the road.

"YOU DID WHAT!?" John glances over to Sam and then back at the road.

"I did."

The car ride was silent with John concentrating on the road, and Sam thinking about what would be the best, and most original, way to propose. Finally, the car stops in front of a stylish building with big glass windows. John sighs.

"Another day in paradise." Sam smiles grimly.

Both of the men exit the car and starts towards the building. The front desk clerk recognizes them and greets them with a nod. The two nod back and continues to the elevator. Silence rules between the two until they are alone in the elevator.

"Have you checked to see what is in the files?" John inquires.

"No, it is none of my business as of now."

"Did she?"

"No, Kimmie was way too busy hiding."

"You can't just have your stuff lying around! This is big business."

"I know. Why do you think I didn't open the file?" Sam shoots John a glare of fire.

"Chill! Don't look like your about to kill me."

The elevator opens and the two exit. Back and forth yelling from behind a closed door fills the room, and the two immediately head towards it. Sam opens it and both enter silently.

"I DO NOT CARE! IF IT ISN'T DONE, THEN YOU MIGHT LOSE YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN THIS BUSINESS!" The man in a grey suit yells.

"BUT THE PERSON SEEMS TO BE HARMLESS, AND..." The man in a black jacket is interrupted by the other man.

"THE MAGIC WORD...SEEMS!"

The yelling stops and both men just glare at each other. Sam glances about the room. The man in black, Fred Thomson, is red from anger and is bulging his fists. The man in grey, Henry Jones, is standing behind his desk with is fists on his table and breathing deeply in order to calm himself. Fred suddenly turns to Sam.

"Hand me the file."

"Yes, boss."

Sam holds it out and the man grabs it. He flips through the papers and his face becomes redder the more he sees. Sam cannot see the papers, but John has the audacity to try and see what is inside.

"Sam?" Fred closes the file.

"Yes, sir?"

"Get rid of this person as our extremely considering partner wants it." He hands the file to him.

"Consider it done, sir."

It is almost midnight when Sam arrives in front of his apartment. He has walked the entire way and tried to think of a way that he can get out of his job, but nothing good has come to his mind. He can hear Kimberley's soft humming and it does not cheer him up as it usually does. Opening the door, he searches for her with his eyes.

"Hello?" Her voice is cautious, but kind.

"Kim?"

"Oh, Sam! You're back! Finally!" Kimmie comes racing around the corner while uttering these words.

Sam drops his jacket just in time to catch her.

"Kim! You cannot just jump into my arms!"

"You haven't failed to catch me yet!" She laughs heartily, but Sam only smiles. "What is wrong, Sam?"

"Work."

"Why don't you tell me more about your day?"

"Darling, I...I can't."

Kimberley looks at his face for awhile before kissing him softly.

"Sam, you can tell me..."

She collapses to the floor with the knife still in her back. Bending over, Sam takes out the file from his back pocket and places the picture next to her. Next, he takes out the ring box and opens it. After gazing at it for a few seconds, he puts the open box next to her as well. He stands up slowly and leaves the lifeless form to be found by the first person to pass by.