Based off of Kataraan's beautifully written story "More Than Life," picking up after Sam's body goes still after being pulled from the lake, because that ending was just too sad for me.


"And… Clear!"

There was a jolt.

His body jerked as the energy flowed through him.

"He's been gone for too long." The doctor said, "He's gone. I'm sorry."

No I'm not. Something deep and tiny within Sam tried to scream, I'm here! I'm sorry. I didn't know that they still loved me. I didn't know that they would come back.

Sam could feel that what little was left of him was fading away. Ever since his body was pulled out of the lake by friends and family, he had been still. He tried to hold on, but his body stilled and became cold. His tiny remainder was beginning to still, too. He had never been so afraid. Why couldn't he have used a gun? It would have been fast. He wouldn't have to be pained with the knowledge that these people loved him enough to pull him from the water.

He had never felt quite like this, even when his life was intact within his body. It was regret in hurting himself. He never regretted doing that. But they used those words: love, promise, please, sorry.

"We love you, Sam."

"Please don't go."

"I'm sorry, Sam."

But it was the last one that kept that tiny bit of himself sustained within his cold body:

"You promised me, Sammy."

It was true, he had made a promise to the owner of that voice. He forgot about that promise. He never broke a promise to the owner of that voice. Because he always hoped the owner of that voice would come back.

Once again, Sam gave up hope, lost faith in the people that supposedly 'loved him.' They thought he was dead, just because of the flatline on the monitor, just because his heart wasn't beating. They gave up on him. That last bit of him filled with rage, and in his spitefulness, he stopped trying to hold on.

But then the owner of the voice spoke, and immediately Sam once again clung onto life.

"Try again." The voice said.

"Mr. Flanagan, I'm sorry, but there's nothing more that we can do." The doctor insisted.

"No!" The voice screamed, so loud it hurt his throat as tears streamed down his face, "Try again!"

Yes. Sam begged silently, unnoticed, Please.

There was a stillness, a silence, a wait.

"You heard him." A sassy, strong, female voice commanded, "Try again."

There was another pause.

Don't give up on me! Sam thought with rage, Don't you bastards let me die!

"One more time." The doctor finally said.

Rory. Sam thought with all that he had, You came back. I won't let you go this time. Don't leave me this time.

As if sensing that Sam was saying something to him, Rory grabbed and squeezed Sam's cold, blue hand.

He pulled it away a moment later to let the doctors do their work.

"And… Clear!"


Short, yes. My first fic. Making just a sappy happy ending would have ruined the fic I based this off of, so I leave it up to the reader to decide if he wakes.