This is a reader requested one-shot set in the OSI world. Sam has only recently started therapy. I hope you like it!
Sam was sitting on the sidewalk outside of Jack's house with Jack sitting right next to her. His arm was around her shoulders as her head leaned up on him. The two had just come back from eating McDonalds and sharing a slurpee from the nearby 7/11. A combination that would drive Brooke crazy, Sam was sure.
Her mom was supposed to be picking her up soon, but her mother warned her that her grandmother would be in the car because apparently Victoria's rental car that she was using for her business trip in Tree Hill had broken down and she needed a lift, so Brooke took a detour to pick her up downtown before getting to her daughter. They were actually all having a business dinner at their home with a hedge fund manager that wanted to invest in the B. Davis company.
Jack was the first to see her mom's car down the street, "Your mom's here. So will I see you Tuesday?"
"As long as I don't do anything stupid and get grounded, then yes." She quipped, leaning in to give him a chaste kiss on the lips.
Her mother drove up right to them, and Sam could see the look of slight shock in Victoria's face.
"Is that your grandma?" Jack questioned.
"Mhmm. She looks terrified."
"Southside does that to people." He gave her one last hug and even opened the backdoor for Sam to get in.
"Hi Mrs. Davis. Hi, umm...Sam's grandma."
"It's Victoria young man." The woman said completely unimpressed.
Brooke rolled her eyes and turned towards the back, "Hi peanut. Hi Jack. You two have fun?"
"Tons, like always." Jack smiled, "I'll see you later Sam. Bye Mrs. Davis. Bye Victoria!" He closed the door, and Brooke eased back onto the road.
"It might be a longer ride." Brooke mentioned to Sam, "There was an accident on our way over, so there will most likely be traffic."
" 'Kay." Sam answered.
Moments later, like a true teen, Sam was preoccupied scrolling through her Facebook timeline, letting the ride lull her into a relaxed state. The radio was on low, and Victoria was on the phone with someone, presumably business related. The teenager also caught her mom eyeing her from the rearview mirror, and offered her a wide smile, which Brooke returned.
Victoria hung up the phone ten minutes later and was quick to start a conversation with her granddaughter, "So Samantha, this place, Southside, you visit a lot?"
Brooke threw her mother a glance. She hoped to God that Victoria treaded slowly, or else she'd put a stop to it.
Sam shrugged, not bothering to give the question too much thought, "I guess. My friends come over to Tree Hill more though. I'll come around here sometimes."
The teenager smiled at the comment that Manny left on her newly changed Facebook profile picture of her and Jack. "You two are the cutest couple!" He wrote.
"Well Southside certainly isn't Tree Hill." The grandmother said.
Brooke sighed, "Victoria."
"What? I'm simply stating a fact."
"I still like it." Sam told her grandmother, remembering not to get defensive. Reminding herself that Victoria was a bit of a snob, that it was just her personality.
"And what is it that you do in this part of town?"
"There's a skate park, we go there a lot. Sometimes I'll visit Clydesville, the group home that I stayed at when I'd get sent away from homes."
Brooke tried hard not to show the sadness that overcame her whenever Sam mentioned Clydesville.
Victoria had only heard these bits and pieces from Brooke, hearing them come from Sam, despite what her words, or body language said, did hurt the woman. The older woman eyed her daughter, and could see the sadness in Brooke's eyes.
"It's not a very big part of town either, correct?"
Sam put her phone down and looked towards the front passenger seat curiously, "Umm, I guess not. Why?"
"I have to say Samantha, I'm really quite surprised that you come out here so much."
"Victoria, can you drop it?" Brooke growled.
Sam could see that her mom was getting upset, but she really wanted to know what her grandmother was getting at.
"Why are you surprised?" She asked.
Victoria glanced at Brooke, but didn't allow her daughter's death stare to deter her.
"Well this place holds bad memories for you, and that Mike character who hurt you, he still lives-"
"That is enough! Mother, stop." Brooke finally put her foot down, "Samantha you don't have to entertain this if you don't want to."
Victoria knew she'd crossed the line, but never being a quitter she simply scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"I-" Sam gave herself time to think, "I'm pretty aware of all that happened to me here." Sam let some of her defensiveness come through, "But there is also a lot of good things that came out of here too. A lot of people that I love. I know you think it's a bad place, but it's a part of me. I won't stop coming, if that's what you're getting at."
Victoria weighed Sam's words for a moment, "Fair point." She answered, and let the conversation die. For now. Brooke smirked and winked at Sam through the rearview. The teenager gave her mom a subtle thumbs up and winked right back.
Ten minutes later, and with fifteen minutes more in their commute because of the traffic, Victoria looked over at her daughter once more. The ride had been quiet after Victoria stopped asking all her questions. Sam was tired and had fallen asleep. Brooke's mind was all over the place, thinking about the dinner they had to be ready for in an hour, which Luke was helping to prepare at home, thinking about what Victoria and Sam had just talked about, and trying to remember if Millie sent over her latest designs to her email.
Victoria noted the look of concentration and deep thought on her daughter's face. She remembered that look from all the times she saw her daughter working on her homework in the dining room table. That scene became increasingly rare as Brooke got older, and by the time she was a sophomore in high school, Victoria hardly even saw her daughter.
She was sure that with Sam, that wouldn't be the case. Brooke and Sam's relationship was so different. At Sam's age Brooke was basically out of her mother's hair. But Brooke, as a mother, was very aware of Sam's comings and goings. It astounded Victoria sometimes when while scheduling meetings during their weekly conference call Brooke would pause and think whether or not she had to pick Sam up from somewhere, be there for a doctor's or therapist's appointment, or other childcare related activities. Victoria never worked around anyone's schedule but her business when Brooke was a child, the way Brooke scheduled around her daughter.
The older woman was honestly proud of the mom Brooke was. Sure, she thought that Sam could use with some toughening up, and that Brooke and Lucas coddled her a little too much, but that was neither here nor there. What really bothered the woman was one particular thing, and she had just brought it up, but there was no harm and trying again, right?
"Brooke." She spoke.
"Hmmm?"
"Why do you even allow her to go to that part of town?"
Brooke let out a long sigh, her voice a bit too loud, "Are you seriously going to bring this up again?"
"Lower your voice!" Victoria chastised, "You're going to wake her." She pointed to the back.
Okay, so even when she thought that Sam was a little too coddled, she also had a soft spot for the kid. She couldn't deny the fact that whenever she saw the girl upset a twinge of motherly (grandmotherly?) instinct came over her and all she wanted to do for a hot second is wrap Sam up in her arms. Luckily she was still able to hold it together and not act on that.
Brooke turned to look back at Sam and her gaze softened. Her daughter's head was slumped onto the door and her hoodie was up. Her face painted with the usual peace of sleep.
"I can't believe you were questioning her." Brooke stated much quieter now.
"You are going to sincerely tell me that you're completely okay with your daughter roaming the same streets as that-that pervert who abused her?" Victoria spit out, rather harshly.
Brooke bit her lip and tightened her grip on the wheel, "No, I'm not going to tell you that. Of course it bothers me, but it's also Sam's decision."
"The hell it is!" Victoria scoffed, "You are her mother, and you have the power to overrule her decisions. You run her world, after all."
The younger woman looked at the older one incredulously. What the hell was she talking about?
Brooke bit back the insults that crossed her mind. "Look, Southside, as much as it hurts me, will always be a part of her life. I will not be the one to take that from her. She is 14 and has her own thoughts, and opinions. I'm going to give her the leeway to exercise that."
"Exercising her own decisions...What good did that do you?"
The tension between them grew.
"What are you getting at Victoria?" Brooke practically growled.
"I let you explore yourself, and do as you pleased. It ended up with you pregnant in high school, and now with a 14 year old girl who has seen more than any of us combined!" Victoria scolded.
Brooke was endlessly glad that they had just turned the corner into her street. Her mother's words stung deeply.
"I know I messed up. I know that." She spoke slowly and intentionally, "And I am spending the rest of my life trying to make it up to my little girl, Victoria. And you know what? There's a difference between you as a mother and me as a mother." She drove into her driveway and parked the car before turning to look at her mom, "I want to be a mother. I am letting her explore within boundaries. She is my priority. I never was that for you. Never your priority. You didn't give me boundaries because you weren't a mother. You were a businesswoman, and that was it."
Victoria did all she could to hide the pain that her daughter had just inflicted. But Brooke caught wind of a second of hurt that crossed her face.
"I can admit that I made mistakes Brooke Penelope. And we can go back and forth about all of it, but at the end of the day I can say that I care about your daughter. She is my granddaughter after all. I may not have been a good mom, but I only say what I do because I care about your daughter." The older woman undid her seatbelt, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get ready for dinner."
Brooke let her head fall onto the steering wheel in frustration, hearing as Victoria opened the trunk to get her bag.
"Are you going to wake her? I hope you don't let her dress as she is to dinner. You both have 30 minutes to be ready." Victoria added, not bothering to hear Brooke's response before she turned to head inside.
If you kill her, you'll go to jail, and who'll be Sam's mom then? Brooke had to tell herself. She turned to look at her kid who was still peacefully asleep and sighed getting off to open the backseat door.
"Kiddo." She gently shook Sam's shoulder.
Sam felt a gentle shake and grunted before slowly opening her eyes, "Are we home already?" Her bright blue eyes flicked up and made the tension that Brooke was feeling with Victoria dissipate.
"Yep. You have to wash up and change."
Sam frowned and undid her seatbelt, "I gotta change my clothes too? Are we seeing the president or something?"
Brooke chuckled and let Sam move out of the car, "No, but Victoria is a little high strung about this dinner, and wants you to dress up a little more than you are now." She pulled Sam's hoodie off her head.
Sam looked down at her clothes. She had her faded blue TOMS on, black skinny jeans and a loose dark grey hoodie on. She topped it off with a light grey beanie atop her head.
"Yeah, I guess this isn't really fancy dinner appropriate." She bemoaned.
Brooke chuckled and walked slightly ahead, "It's not a fancy dinner. The guy's just from Texas and likes family values. So Victoria's trying to portray that I guess."
"Family? Her?" Sam scoffed.
"Aw come on. She loves you!"
"I mean I don't doubt that. She's just you know, so...robotic, sometimes."
That made Brooke roll her eyes, "Just get upstairs and change kid."
Lucas came out from the kitchen just as Sam was going up, "Hi dad!" She yelled already halfway up.
Lucas smirked as he looked at Brooke, "Hi champ!" He yelled back, then sashayed towards Brooke. "So….dinner's ready. You just have to worry about breathing for a bit."
He began to massage her shoulders. "Do I look that tense?"
"A little." He kissed her neck, "I just know that a long drive with Victoria and Sam in the car was bound to get somewhat stressful."
"It was all Victoria." She sighed, "Asking Sam all these questions about Southside. And-"
"Well let's worry about it later. Okay? That dude'll be here soon and I want you to at least relax for a bit before."
"Where's Victoria?"
Lucas let go of her shoulders, "She went up to the guestroom."
Brooke nodded and kissed her man. Endlessly glad for his support.
…. …. ….
Sam heard her mother calling her downstairs. She was on a three way google hangout with Liz and Manny, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. Teenage conversations, if you will.
"I gotta go." She lamented to her friends.
"Ooooh! The Texan arrived!" Manny yelled excitedly, "I've never been to Texas, but have always wanted to go. Ask him all about it for me."
Liz looked bewildered, "Manny you are a such a weirdo. Hang tough Sam. Business dinners are boring as hell. You just have to act like the well adjusted teenager."
"Which we all know I'm far from." Sam joked.
"Sammy!' She heard her dad's voice no up the stairs.
"Alright, yeah. Now I really gotta go."
She ended the call and got up the chair just as her dad came in, "Champ, we're waiting for you."
"Sorry. I was saying bye to Liz and Manny."
Luke nodded in understanding and opened the door further so Sam could pass him and go down the stairs.
"How are your dynamic duo?"
"Very dynamic indeed." Sam grinned, "And the judges of my current outfit." Sam pointed down at her clothing.
She had thrown on one of the dresses that her mother had bought her a while ago which reached her mid thigh and flared at the end.
It was a simple white with bold navy blue lines at the bottom and top. She added a blue cardigan and the pointed flats her mother had bought her as well. Not her typical typical fashion of choice, but Liz and Manny helped her choose the outfit, declaring it the "disgustingly normal teenage girl look." Manny's words.
Luke had an amused twinkle in his eyes, "Ahh. Well they chose well. You look very cute."
Sam scoffed, "You make it sound like I look like a child."
The father rolled his eyes, realizing when it came to fashion he'd probably always say the wrong thing.
"We should stick to mom giving me clothes advice." Sam quipped.
He narrowed his eyes and pinched her side playfully, making Sam chuckle and move away from him. "Fine, but if you're ever wearing anything inappropriate, I'm stepping in and becoming fashion police."
"Is this a totalitarian regime when it comes to clothes?" She asked, her eyebrow raised, reminding Lucas of Brooke far too much.
He nodded with finality, "Yes."
But the girl suddenly froze at the bottom of the stairs when she caught sight of the guest in their home, then jerked backwards, bumping into her father.
"Whoah. Sam." He grabbed her shoulders, "You okay?"
"Umm-yeah. Sorry." She shook her head. He eyed her for a bit as she kept walking down stairs.
Sam clenched her fists, and tugged at the hem of her dress. She was trying to calm herself, because this Texan hedge fund manager looked so much like Mike, that she had to remind herself that they were two completely separate people.
"Well now this must be the Samantha Davis that Victoria keeps telling me about." His Texan accent gave him a bit of a drawl.
Apparently, he and Victoria had met at a business conference in Houston, and since then Victoria had been vying for him to invest in B. Davis. When he found himself in North Carolina for work, he contacted Victoria and asked for dinner and a business meeting.
"Nice to meet you sir." Sam spoke shyly, extending her hand. He gladly took it and gave her a hearty squeeze, one that gave Sam chills. She was reminded of all the times Mike would squeeze her hand in public. To any onlooker it would look like a father giving a paternal hand squeeze to their daughter, but Sam knew that it gave him dominance. With every squeeze Sam would shrink, knowing what was on the man's mind. And it was then that Sam realized this was going to be a very long, and stressful dinner.
Just be cool. Just be cool. She kept repeating to herself.
Brooke grabbed Sam gently by the elbow before they went in. All the others had already made their way over. She kissed her daughter's head, "Classic look with the dress Sammy. You look beautiful, peanut."
Despite her slight anxiety, Sam smiled. Her mom was great at making her feel special when she liked the clothes Sam was wearing. She nuzzled into her mom's side and mumbled out a 'thanks.'
Brooke looked down at her daughter. "Is everything okay, sweetheart?"
"Mmmhmm." Sam lied, "You didn't come into my room this morning." Sam admitted. That part was true. Brooke had made it a point lately to come into her daughter's room on Saturdays and cuddle with her after a long week. Lucas would find them in there, and join in sometimes. Other times he let them be, because he knew that Brooke felt guilty about spending little time with their daughter, and figured some alone time with Sam is what Brooke wanted. But she hadn't come into Sam's room today because work had her in the office at the God-awful hour of 7 in the morning. On a weekend!
Brooke frowned and hugged her tight, "You're right. I promise you extra cuddles tonight, okay?" Brooke winked and Sam blushed. She was 14, but loved her mommy's cuddles. Ugh. She hoped that she'd grow up sooner, rather than later.
At dinner though, Sam could feel herself growing tenser by the minute. The conversation was light and continuous. The girl was actually surprised by how well Victoria could work a room. But she figured she'd have to be, considering how successful she was as a business woman.
But Sam was focused on her food, trying not to be too visible, and just wanting to get through it that she missed when the Texan, George Hodges, asked her a question. She also wasn't that hungry because she had just eaten with Jack, so all she had on her plate was Salad and half a piece of chicken. None of which were getting eaten.
"Sam?" Victoria called her, with a raised eyebrow that was just as intimidating as her mother's.
"Hmmm? Sorry, did I miss something?"
"I hear you're quite the pianist." George tried again. He bent in closer and it made Sam squirm, "Where'd ya learn?"
"Oh, umm." She looked at her mom, who gave her a small nod of approval, "My social worker, she taught me."
George looked a bit surprised, but deemed it none of his business quickly. He vaguely knew some of Sam's past, whatever was on the tabloids, but he thought it noble that Brooke took her in once more. Not that he would mention any of that now. He instead gave Sam a smile, which showed his yellowing teeth, "Well then congratulate the woman for me. Maybe I'll get to hear you play some time."
"Yeah." Sam eeked out a smile and looked back down at her food, "Maybe."
Brooke gave Sam a quizzical look, wondering why there was a sudden change in mood. She chalked it up to Sam just being a teenager that didn't want to be amongst adults.
This is how the rest of the dinner went. The adults talked and Sam kept quiet unless she was asked a question. It was like pulling teeth to get the girl to talk, and all the adults took notice. At least George had the decency not to point it out.
But it was maybe ten minutes left into the dinner that George let out a loud cackle that really sent Sam into a spiral. She heard his loud, boisterous laugh and was immediately transported to the moments that Mike laughed at her in a similar manner. Really, the two men probably laughed differently, but George had just thrown his head back and showed all his teeth as he cracked up, and that was enough for Sam, because Mike did the same thing. All of a sudden, George was no longer the hedge fund manager, but the man who had repeatedly hurt her. There was one moment in Sam's past that cropped up, and was growing stronger in her mind.
"You tryin' to hide little Sammy?" Mike hunched down towards the 11 year old Sam, who was hiding under the table, "You're gonna learn to let me do as I want with you."
He pulled the shaking girl form under and held her shoulders, shaking her slightly. She whimpered and he looked at her with his nasty grin before he started laughing. His head and shoulders moving under the rumble of his cackle.
He suddenly stopped and tightened his grip before he moved his face closer towards hers, "I can do worse things to you little Sammy. You want that?" He breathed on her. The smell of liquor clearly on him.
Sam's tears started to blur her vision, "N-no. I'm sorry. Please don't."
At the dinner table Sam felt her heart race, and blood rush to her face.
Lucas noticed and put a hand on her that made the teenager jump slightly in shock.
"Sorry. I'm fine." She murmured, and forced herself to look up and smile at her dad.
He squeezed her shoulder in a show of comfort. But it didn't help Sam's quickly racing mind. She was fighting the oncoming flashback, but it wasn't working.
Make something up. Get to your room. Before it gets worse. Her mind screamed for her to do.
"I have to use the restroom. Ex-excuse me." She said as normally as possible, then stopped herself from rushing out.
Walk slow. Walk slow.
Brooke looked to Lucas who had been sitting next to their daughter for a sort of clue and he just shrugged his shoulders, unsure about Sam's peculiar behavior himself.
"Teenagers." George said with a shake of his head, "I got three of them. It ain't no picnic."
Brooke gave him a small smile, but she had a twinge of worry about her daughter upstairs. They'd talk to her once this was all over.
"They are quite a handful." Victoria added, "Sam's usually much more charismatic than she was today. I'm terribly sorry."
Both Lucas and Brooke shot the woman a glare. How dare she act as if she knew Sam like that?
"Well it's quite alright." He assured them, before moving on to other matters.
Sam closed the door to her room and quickly ran under her covers, "Stop it! Stop it!" She put her hands atop her head, trying to will away the thoughts in her head.
"Get in your damn bedroom." Mike seethed. But Sam didn't want to. She didn't want to have his hands on her body.
The girl was rooted to the floor. "M-mike please. I don't-"
In an instant Mike removed his belt and folded it in half, raising it high, intimidating the youngster, "You don't what?" He asked grabbing her arm.
She shook her head, regretting what she had just said.
He laughed loudly again, enjoying the look of fear he put in her eyes, enjoying making her squirm.
"You started that sentence, now finish it."
She knew better than to not obey him. If she held out longer, the more painful the belt whipping would be.
Her voice was barely a squeak "I don't want you to." Her eyes closed immediately, knowing what would come next.
He turned her over and held her arm above her head as he let the belt fall three quick and hard times, making Sam yelp and jump in pain.
"Take those down." He ordered, pointing to her shorts. Sam whose cheeks were wet with still falling tears, acquiesced easily.
He grabbed her once more and let the belt fall once.
"Nooo!" Sam cried. He hit her again and even harder, "Sorry! SORRY!" She begged trying to move away from him.
He pointed the belt to her tear stricken face, "Get into your damn bedroom."
Once in her room Sam sat in a corner, hoping that the room would devour her, hoping that she could disappear forever.
But she didn't. Mike came in, again laughing at the sight of Sam cowering. He couldn't figure out which was more enjoyable, seeing the 11 year old shrink in fear, or getting to ogle at her almost nude body.
He forced her up, "Are you gonna listen to me?"
"Yes Mike! I promise!"
"Good. Now lay down on your bed." He ordered. His hand still held the limp belt, "Unless you want some more belt whipping."
She scurried and laid down watching as he unzipped his pants. He stared at her for a bit.
Sam, being eleven, was not sure what the term was for the bulge that always formed in his pants after he looked her over in just her underwear and a shirt. But she knew that once it happened, his next order would come. It was like clockwork.
"Sit up" She did so.
"Take your shirt off. And do it slowly."
Once again, Sam obeyed. Though she was crying softly.
Soon enough, the man had her standing up and was kissing her cheek, then her neck, all the way down to the tops of her panties. He always teased her, and pulled on them a little, though he never took them off.
"Mmmm." He groaned as Sam quivered helplessly.
In the present Sam felt her heart practically beating out of her chest. She opened her eyes and felt like the walls were closing in on her. Her breathing was ragged. Her emotions all over the place. Her room wasn't safe any more. She needed to leave. That's all she knew. She couldn't be in a bedroom. Not right now. She opened her window, going back to what she used to do when sneaking from Mike and Joan's home and climbed down the trellis. Jumping halfway down, landing harshly on her side. But her adrenaline was pumping and all Sam could do was run. Run from the bedroom in her mind. Run from Mike. Run from the laughter, the belt, the nudity, the touching.
…. … …
"Well now, I oughta be leaving. It looks like Sam never did make it back from the restroom though. I wanted to at least say bye to her."
Brooke tried her best to hide her embarrassment. She had no idea why her daughter had acted so rudely, as to never come back down. "I'm sorry about that. She might just be tired." She quickly said trying to muster up an excuse. Her daughter had been tired though.
"Well I'll see if I can wrangle her down here for you." Victoria said sweetly before going up the stairs, beating Lucas to volunteer for the task.
The father looked uncomfortable with the idea of Victoria getting Sam. He didn't want that to end up in a battle of wills between grandmother and granddaughter.
The three adults made further small talk, George and Brooke settling on a time to come in to have an official meeting.
Victoria came back down with a smile on her face that denoted a bit of worry. Brooke caught onto it quickly. "She's asleep."
Lucas rose an intrigued eyebrow. Maybe their daughter really wasn't feeling well after all.
"Ahhh. Well I guess you'll have to let her know that I say goodbye." He told them all.
They all said their goodbyes and Victoria was the one to close the door. Before Brooke or Lucas could even say anything else, she spoke, "She's not asleep."
"What?" Brooke asked clearly confused, "Did she not want to come down? SAM!" She yelled up, immediately assuming that was it.
"No." Victoria said more frustrated, "She's not in her room Brooke. I checked."
"Did you check our room? Sometimes she sleeps in there." Lucas asked.
"I checked your guest room, and your room. She's not here."
Brooke, without saying a word, rushed downstairs. Had she gone in the basement?
"I'm gonna call her." Lucas said, with worry thickening his words.
Brooke came back up, then checked outside. Lucas and Victoria could hear her yelling Sam's name. She came back in, more harried looking, "She's not anywhere."
Brooke looked and realized that their daughter wasn't picking up her dad's phone call either, "Where the hell is she?" She muttered, worry and anger bubbling up in the pit of her stomach.
"It's a Saturday night." Victoria said plainly, "I'm sure there's plenty of parties for her to choose from."
Lucas and Brooke both looked at each other stunned. Sam was yet to step foot to anything remotely close to a party. Could she have actually snuck out to a party? Were they just fooled by their child?
"N-no." Lucas shook his head in disbelief, "No, she doesn't, she doesn't like parties. There's too many people she doesn't know. She's not comfortable enough yet."
Victoria just sighed, "Well I'm just letting you know not to rule it out."
Brooke grabbed her phone from where it was charging, "I'm calling Jack and Tamara. Lucas can you try her cell again?"
By the time Brooke was done calling her friends, them telling her they didn't know where Sam was, the mother felt far too anxious to even think. Tears were welling up in her eyes, "Lucas where is she? Why isn't she picking up her phone?"
The father struggled to keep his composure as well as she wrapped Brooke in a hug, "I-I don't know." He said, "I'm sure she's fine." He weakly attempted, "What did Jack and Tamara say? They know her best."
Victoria ran a hand through her hair. It hurt to see her daughter so distraught.
"Jack's phone went to voicemail and Tamara said that she wasn't with her or Jack, but she'd try calling her and would let me know. We can't just wait here! It's been 20 minutes since we found out, and who knows how long since she hasn't been here!"
"Where are her favorite places Brooke?" Victoria jumped in, trying to be the more rational and logical one, in the midst of two extremely anxious parents.
Brooke took a deep breath, "I-" She shook her head. Her daughter's favorite places. Think. Think. "She like's Ralph's Ice Cream Parlor, and, uh, um, going to Panorama Park."
"How about you call that Liz girl, she seems popular. Ask her about potential parties and if she knew of Sam possibly going to those, while someone does that, we can also be out there looking for her at the park and that ice cream store. Maybe she just needed to take a walk and her phone died."
Brooke and Lucas looked at her for a moment, stunned. It made a lot of sense, what she was saying. But Victoria taking charge over something related to their daughter was so weird.
"Well are you two going to stare or do something?"
… …. ….
Sam sat coiled into herself at the bottom of the playground slide. She shook and slapped at her head fighting the memories that were so bright and vivid in her mind.
"Leave me alone. Leave me ALONE!"
Victoria was the one that found her. She had agreed to check the park while Brooke and Lucas checked elsewhere. The woman received a call from Brooke saying to check the playground, because Tamara told her Sam would hide out in the playground of Southside park after rough days. The woman, in her classy heels walked towards the gravel topped ground where the yellow and red colored playground was.
"Samantha?!" She yelled out. It was 9pm now and the park looked empty. She kept calling her name, "Samantha!"
Finally making it to the playground, Victoria looked towards the top of the play bridge, the swings, the small rock climbing wall. No sign. But then she heard it. A faint, "Fuck, leave. Leave me alone."
She moves closer to the small whimpers and realized they're coming from the slide. She quickened her pace and found herself peeking in.
Sam was huddled into herself, her face tearstained and hidden, and her body emanating heat.
"Samantha." She moved closer, "Samantha get out of there." Was the woman's first response.
Sam looked up and her eyes widened.
"What are you doing out here? Your mother and father are worried sick!"
Sam just shook her head. Victoria's words oriented her mind and it wasn't until then that she realized what she'd done. She had left her house without letting anyone know and she hadn't bothered to check her phone, which as she also realized wasn't even in her pockets.
Victoria was the one that found it on the floor right under the slide. She picked it up and when she turned back to Sam was when the woman finally actually took in the state of her granddaughter. Her steely gaze softened, "Samantha, are you, are you okay?"
The girl just shook her head and hid in her arms, remaining in the fetal position, "I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She apologized, now also feeling worried about what her parent's might think, "I wasn't-think-thinking. I got scared. I-it's in my head. It won't leave!"
Victoria felt like a deer caught in headlights, unsure of how to proceed.
"Sam." She tried, cushioning her words. Trying to embody her own daughter's motherly ways, "One moment, alright? I'm calling your parents."
The teen watched as her grandmother stepped away and put the phone back to her ear. She wanted so badly to get up from the slide and go and explain herself, but her body felt spent. Gravity was like a thousand pound steel ball chained to her, keeping her down, and it seemed like every movement she made was so heavy. Her mind was reeling, and every breath felt difficult.
But, at least, with the thought of now knowing her parents were freaking out, her focus wasn't on the memories. Her flashback. Well, somewhat at least because some moments later it was beginning to feel like her memory was overpowering her again.
"They're on their way." Victoria said, bending awkwardly down in her skirt and rubbing Sam's back, "Samantha, please tell me what happened."
Sam just shook her head. If she talked about it, it would be worse. But thinking about it was just as bad because, at that same moment Mike's laugh reverberated in her mind. She let out a gruntled scream of frustration, "I just want it all to stop!"
Meanwhile, Victoria, feeling completely out of her element hoped this girl's parents got there soon.
"You want what to stop, honey?"
"The stupid memories! He's in my head. He's in and won't leave!"
Mike. Of that, Victoria was sure. Something must've set her off. Her first thought was the trip to Southside.
All the grandmother could do was rub the girl's back and occasionally move Sam's hands from her head, when the distraught girl would try to hit it. Albeit, not too hard, but still enough to worry the grandmother.
After some agonizing minutes, Victoria caught sight of Lucas. He had gotten there first. She stood up and waved. When he saw her, the father quickened his pace and jogged over. Brooke had called him right after Victoria called her and told him that all she knew was that Sam was crying at the park, and it looked like she was having some form of a panic attack.
Once he reached the slide, Lucas immediately bent down to his knees and put a hand on Sam's back. Her face was hidden. His heart fell to his stomach at the sight of his daughter. Any sort of anger or frustration melted away when Brooke had mentioned a panic attack over the phone. Now all he had was worry.
"Champ. It's dad, kiddo." He cooed, "What happened?" He noticed Sam was still dressed only in a dress and a cardigan. It was chilly out now, yet Sam seemed hot.
He wouldn't mention their anger, worry, and anxiety to her either. Especially by how broken his daughter currently looked. The father momentarily looked over at Victoria who only shook her head, as if to say that she's been unsuccessful thus far.
Upon hearing her dad's voice Sam peeked up. It was hard to explain how much safer she felt, now that her dad was in front of her. "Daddy!" She cried. Tears welling up in her eyes once more.
"I'm here baby. I'm here." He soothed.
"I'm sorry for leaving!" She said through hiccups, "Don't be mad. It was an accident!"
"Hey." He soothed. Lucas wanted to be able to wrap her up, but the slide encasing her body would not allow it, so he continued rubbing her back as a show of comfort, "Sammy, shhh. No, we're not mad. What's wrong, baby? What happened?"
"G-george. He-he, I mean, it was his laugh. It was like Mike's. And then I just got this m-memory stuck in my head. And it won't leave! It's stuck, and I don't want it here. I just want it to stop dad! It felt so real! I was scared and I left. I had to leave."
Lucas didn't need to hear much else to decide on his next move. Without another word he gently pulled Sam from her position in the slide and into his arms. Holding her up with a hand under bottom and another hand gently laying her head onto his broad shoulder. He was proven right in thinking that Sam was hot. His child was sweaty and warm to the touch from all the emotions she was going through.
Her barely five foot skinny frame was tiny enough to fit comfortably in her 6 foot father's arms this way. "You're safe now Sammy." He carried her until they were under the nearby tree and sat down on the floor, positioning her so he could cradle her in his lap, "I'm so sorry sweetheart." He whispered. As he thought back he wanted to kick himself for having missed the signs at dinner. He was sitting next to her. He should've known.
Brooke and him had also been warned by Sam's therapist, whom Sam had only recently started seeing, that she wouldn't be surprised if Sam had intense flashback moments considering the amount of trauma that Sam was yet to work through. Mrs. Lopez explained to them that Sam had chosen to try her hardest and repress those thoughts to the back of her mind, which was detrimental to her mental health.
She had given them preliminary ways to handle flashback panic moments. Although this would be the first time Lucas would have to think back to that, if you didn't count the time that she'd wet her bed because of a nightmare.
'After the flashback, she'll probably have the memory fresh, and it will plague her. Make sure she feels safe.' Lopez told them, 'Remind her that he can't hurt her. Soothe her until she's calm enough to sleep. Keep her talking if the memory is overpowering her. Don't let her stay in her head.'
Lucas was doing just that as Brooke had gotten there, and while Victoria filled her in as far as she knew.
He continued rocking her and whispering to her as Brooke walked up to them.
"It's a memory. He can't hurt you. I've got you. Dad's got you peanut." He spoke softly and kissed the side of her head.
"Daddy, I just want it to leave!"
"I know my baby. I know. We'll get it to calm down together, okay? Just focus on being here with daddy."
Sam nodded and breathed her dad's scent in. She felt his chest move up and down with every breath and his gentle kisses to the top of her head. It was what finally got her to begin calming down. She gradually put her thumb near her mouth and started to suckle. Lucas noticed and started rocking her, "You're okay buddy. You're okay."
Lucas eventually looked up and saw his girlfriend. The mother of his daughter. Brooke felt the sting of tears in her eyes. She took a deep breath and smiled sadly at the sight of her daughter curled into her father, crying softly. She was also worried that her daughter was going to get sick, her legs were bare as she was in a dress and had no coat on.
She tentatively sat down next to them, "Princess?"
The sounds of her mother's hoarse, and worried voice made Sam turn her head from her safe place in her dad's embrace, though she let it rest on her dad's chest. Sam could see her mother's red eyes. The girl dropped her thumb from her mouth and stared expectantly at her mother.
Brooke put a hand on her cheek and leaned in to kiss her forehead, "I love you so much." She moved closer and laid her head on Luke's shoulder, while softly running a hand up and down Sam's back, "Honey, you need a coat. It's cold out here." The mother said, knowing it would amuse Sam. And it did. It made Sam smile as she burrowed her chest further into her father's softly chuckling chest.
Brooke smiled back at her with a wink, "We're right here with you, Sammy." She assured their now increasingly calm daughter.
"I don't wanna feel this way." Sam whimpered.
Brooke tucked her feet under her and got impossibly closer to both Lucas and Sam, not caring that the damp grass would stain her clothing. They knew that this would be a moment that would need to be talked about with Lopez.
"It's not fair." Sam told them, hiccuping slightly, "I felt so heavy and tired. And the walls, everything was caving in. I had to leave home. I'm sorry I scared you. I didn't mean it."
Lucas hugged her tight, "My sweet girl."
"We understand, Sammy." Brooke sympathized gently, not caring that the last hour had been hell for her and Lucas, as they desperately looked for Sam.
They also wanted to ask her about the memory, but both instinctively knew that now wasn't the right time.
It was Victoria who had been sitting, watching the small family from a nearby bench that reminded them that it was best to leave the park, now that Sam was calm.
She hesitantly cleared her throat, and Brooke looked up, "Maybe we should all go back? It's late, and Samantha could do with a warm shower and some sleep." Victoria said.
Lucas nodded, "Champ, what do you say we go home, and get you into bed?"
The thought of being in a bedroom frightened Sam once more. "No, no! No bedrooms, please. I don't want to. I don't want to!"
Lucas moved to hold Sam in a position to carry her and stood up, "Okay. Okay." He patted her dress covered bottom, "One step at a time. Let's just go home."
He looked to Brooke who was standing up as well, and they both gave each other worried looks. How bad was this memory that their poor child couldn't even enter her room at the moment?
They had all driven separate cars, so Lucas set their daughter into Brooke's backseat. Hers was more spacious and so it would be more comfortable for Sam to lay down.
Once Lucas and Victoria went to their own cars Brooke turned and saw that Sam was hugging herself tightly, "We'll be home soon sweetie." She assured her.
... ... ...
At home Victoria stayed quiet and put on the kettle to make some tea. No one knew it but the woman felt so incredibly guilty for having brought George into Brooke's home. Here she was blaming Sam's trip to Southside, when in reality it was something so completely far form Southside that had caused Sam to feel this way.
Brooke walked Sam upstairs. Sam only shook her head, once they reached her closed bedroom door. She wouldn't enter. So Brooke went in alone, and grabbed pajamas and clean panties from Sam's room, so her daughter could take a shower.
Sam looked at her mom and blushed when she was handed her pajamas.
"What's wrong, honey?" Brooke asked, knowing there was something she wanted to say.
"I-I don't…want to be alone." She mumbled. The memory was fuzzier now. It had waned. But the feelings it conjured up were still there, "Can you stay with me in the bathroom?"
"Of course, Sam. Come on."
"I'm sorry." Sam added, a little ashamed that she needed her mom there in the bathroom with her. As if she was some toddler after a nightmare.
Brooke's eyes darted to her daughter's forlorn face, "Don't apologize, Sammy. I'm your mother, I want to do this for you. I want to help you. Understand?"
Sam only nodded, but Brooke wasn't convinced that Sam believed her, so she grabbed her daughter's hand and guided her into the restroom, "Don't be embarrassed to ask for help."
Brooke helped her unzip her dress from the back, and undid the bra strap for Sam as well. She patted her daughter's shoulders and kissed the back of her head, "There you go, sweetheart."
She sat atop the counter and busied herself with her phone to give Sam privacy to take her underclothes off and step into the shower. She looked up and caught sight of Sam's small, naked body.
"Sam, did you hurt yourself?!" She gasped, then stood up, not caring about privacy any longer, when she saw the large bruise on her daughter's side.
Sam's gaze went to where her mother was staring, as she marched towards her, "I-I landed on my side when I jumped off the trellis." She admitted, rather shyly.
The teenager then blushed as her mom fussed over her. "Mom!" Sam squealed when Brooke kept turning her over, "I'm naked!"
"Kiddo, I am your mother. I've seen you bare before." She held her closer, when Sam started to squirm, "Calm down Sammy. I need to see it."
"It's fine." Sam grumbled, pouting as her mother grabbed at her fumbling hands, "Stay still." Brooke told her.
"But this is embarrassing!" Sam whined.
The mother rolled her eyes, "You don't have anything I haven't seen before."
"Mom!" God, could she have said anything more mom like?
"Oh, hush you."
Brooke finally stopped, once she realized something, then grabbed the girl's shoulders "Wait, you got out from your window? Samantha that is the second story!"
She tried not to scold because Sam was still upset, but that was just downright dangerous. She also felt stupid for not even trying to figure out how Sam left the home.
Brooke looked at her daughter right in the eyes waiting for an explanation.
"I-" Sam squirmed, feeling self-conscious, and a little unnerved, "I got onto the trellis mama. I didn't just jump." Sam said in a small voice, knowing that probably wouldn't help, "It's just that I used to leave Joan and Mike's house from the window when I was scared. I just-I guess instinct took over."
Brooke let out a deep breath, then turned Sam, so the girl's hip was facing her. Once she felt like she'd looked it over enough, she had Sam face her, "Okay, I get it. But I don't want you doing that again. I understand that you weren't in the state of mind to make that decision, but the trellis is coming down, and I'm seriously considering putting a screen on that window now."
Sam didn't argue, looking back now it was pretty dumb. Mike's home was only one story, "Yes ma'am."
Brooke gave her daughter a sigh, and broke into a small smile, signaling to Sam that she wasn't mad, "I'll put ointment on it, once you're out of the shower." She opened up the shower curtain, "In you go. Careful not to scrub your side too hard. You don't want to hurt yourself more."
As Brooke sat on the counter, deep in her thoughts she bit her lip and took a deep breath to control herself from crying. Her daughter was still very much a child in terms of bodily development. She had no hips, butt, or breasts, and to top it off she was thin and short. To think that Mike got off, and sexually lusted for a child's body made the mother crazy.
"Mama?" Came her daughter's small voice, after she shut off the water.
Brooke's heart skipped a beat. She would move mountains for that small voice.
"Yes, baby?"
Sam pushed the curtain back. Her body wrapped up in a light blue towel, but her eyes were red. She'd been crying in the shower.
"Oh, sweetheart." Brooke's heart was heavy, "Honey, please come here."
She got off the counter and walked to Sam, steadying her as she got out of the shower.
The girl wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, "I-I don't get why he wanted me!" She cried in between her words, "I'm, I'm not a woman! I don't look like one either."
Brooke held her close, immune to the fact that she was getting soaked. She also did not want to talk about the goings on of a perverted, pedophilic mind. She hated that he had taken up space in her daughter's mind. She hated that Mike had hurt her daughter this badly.
"He's a sick man Sammy." She whispered, "I-I can't tell you his thoughts. I just know he was wrong. So very, very wrong."
Mother and daughter stayed like this for some moments, before Brooke gently let go and tucked Sam's still wet hair behind her ear, "Why don't you get changed, then we can go downstairs, and talk if you want to, or whatever you want to do."
Sam nodded and did as she was bid, dropping the towel to the floor, and pulling up the light purple undies her mother picked out and the large navy blue shirt that was once Brooke's. She sighed at the grey sweat pants her mother also had chosen. She hated wearing pants to bed.
Brooke rose her eyebrow, knowing what Sam was thinking, "Sammy, it's cold at night. I want you to wear pants."
"But I hate wearing them to sleep." Sam tried, a tired whine coming from her lips.
Brooke took in her daughter's big, pouting blue eyes. She put a hand on her hip to try and stay strong.
"Please mama?"
Brooke let out a sigh. Those deep baby blues, and her daughter's tired whine was enough for the mother. Sam had just been through an entire ordeal after all. "Alright. Just for tonight."
She grabbed a tube of ointment that she'd left on the counter, "Lift your shirt, so I can put this on there."
Sam lifted the side of her shirt, and cringed as Brooke got closer.
"I'll be gentle Sammy. Promise."
Sam gave her mom a weary smile, "Okay." She said softly.
Brooke capped the ointment and lowered Sam's shirt.
"Do you want me to dry your hair? You'll get sick if you go to bed with wet hair."
Sam rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Her mom's go to about a lot of things was you'll get sick if you don't do this, or you'll get sick if you do that. Regardless, Sam let Brooke guide her between her legs, while Brooke sat on the toilet seat. "Kneel down for me peanut."
The mother then grabbed another towel and began careful movements with the towel. It relaxed her emotionally overworked daughter.
After this, they left the bathroom together. "Where's Victoria?" Sam asked, looking up at her mom.
"In the guestroom." Brooke told her.
"Can I say goodnight to her?" Sam was still a little unsure about the woman, and didn't know if she'd get mad for invading her privacy or something.
Brooke put a hand on Sam's back, "Sure." She could sense Sam's hesitancy, "I'll go in with you."
That stopped Sam, "But I don't wanna go in the bedroom."
"Okay. She'll come out to us." Brooke kept an even voice, not wanting to work Sam up.
Brooke knocked on the partially closed door. Her daughter behind her, holding onto the back of her blouse.
"Yes?" Victoria came and opened it further, in what Sam considered very regal looking silk pajamas, a far cry from her t shirt and panties. Sam looked down at her bare feet, suddenly feeling shy. She realized how stupid Victoria must've thought se looked at the park, and now here she was not even wearing pants.
Sam moved closer into Brooke, chewing at her lip.
Brooke gently pushed Sam forward. "Sammy just wanted to say goodnight."
Victoria's risen eyebrow fell. "Oh, well come here Samantha."
She let go of her mom and looked at her grandmother. She determined that the woman was close enough to the door and not far enough into the bedroom. "Umm…goodnight, and thank you for finding me, and calling my parents."
Brooke beamed at her daughter. Victoria felt the urge to hug the small girl. But it was Sam that beat her to it. She felt her small arms engulf her waist. Victoria was surprised for a moment, but she gave her one pat to her back, "You're welcome, honey."
When Sam let go Victoria grabbed her shoulders, "You are one strong young lady. Don't you forget that."
Sam shuffled her feet, "Okay."
Although Victoria couldn't deny how much more Sam looked like a young girl, rather than a young lady currently, and when Sam turned towards Brooke, Victoria couldn't help but melt at the sight of Sam's cute little tush in her purple cotton panties that should've been hidden by her long tshirt, but were visible because the shirt was partially tucked into the tops of her underwear.
When reaching her mother Sam immediately molded herself into her mother's side, Brooke obliging with a kiss to Sam's head.
The mother knew Sam would probably be clingy until the after effects of this memory subsided. That was the case after she'd had that nightmare about Mike, at least. Not that it bothered the mother.
"Brooke, can we discuss some things?" Victoria asked.
"Can it wait?" Brooke asked, averting her eyes towards Sam who was hidden in her side.
"O-of course. I can wait."
Brooke gave her one nod, then looked down at her tired girl, her eyes droopy. "Come on peanut. Dad's waiting for us downstairs."
They walked back to the other end of the hallway where the stairs were. Victoria watched from her bedroom as Brooke stopped Sam right at the tops of the stairs, and untucked the girl's shirt, letting it fall to cover her underwear, then patted her bottom twice, "Alright, fixed." Brooke told her.
Victoria didn't realize that she had a wide smile on her face.
Downstairs, Lucas had inflated a large inflatable mattress and had covered it in a mountain of pillows and blankets. Barry the bear, and Sam's blanket atop it all. Brooke couldn't have been more in love with him than at that very moment. The care he showed for Sam was so touching to her.
"Come on Sammy. We can all sleep down here tonight." He was sat up on the mattress, his back resting on the front of the couch. If Sam couldn't bear to enter a bedroom, then he was determined to make her feel safe and stay with her until she felt better.
Sam smiled shyly, then moved onto the mattress and immediately laid her head on Lucas's lap, taking her beloved items into her embrace "Thank you." She whispered.
"I'm going to change real quick." Brooke told them both before going back up.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Lucas treaded carefully as Sam cuddled her teddy bear.
Sam shook her head. No, she wasn't ready. "Not really. I just wanna forget it."
But she couldn't. Her past couldn't just be erased. The father knew this. Sam knew this. Lucas wished that Sam would open up more about what had happened to her. She was still very guarded about it.
"Baby, you can't keep it bottled up inside all the time."
Sam sniffled, and curled herself into her father. He was right, but she was so tired and spent from all the tears. She didn't want to cry anymore. She didn't want to relive it again.
"I know." Was all she responded, hoping that was enough for now.
"Okay, just relax sweetheart." Lucas rubbed her back and hummed out a song, knowing it comforted Sam.
In his head though, he checked this off as another subject he'd broach with Lopez. How to get her to talk of these things, or if they should even push her to do so in the first place.
Upstairs, Victoria stopped Brooke as she came out of the guestroom.
"Brooke." She called.
"Yes?"
Victoria looked slightly uncomfortable. It was an odd sight for Brooke, who was so used to her mother always being self-assured.
"I wanted to apologize for what I said in the car." She started, "That's what I wanted to talk about."
Brooke's eyes widened. Her mother was actually apologizing? Well then, pigs were certainly flying in some part of the world.
"It's okay Vic-"
"No, Brooke, listen." Her daughter needed to hear this, "I don't think I understood the depths of what Sam's had to deal with and her trauma until today. It's likely I probably still don't. But, seeing her today and you calming her down was-"
She pressed her lips together and took a deep breath, "You are a good mother Brooke."
Brooke was stunned. She'd never would've expected Victoria to have gotten even that small amount of emotional. And so, she returned the sentiment.
"And you are a good grandmother." She gave her the slightest smile, "I know you and I will never agree on a lot of things. But I see how much you care about my Sammy. You love her."
With that Brooke turned into her room to change.
When Brooke made it downstairs Sam's eyes were barely staying open. The mother turned off all the lights, except the dim kitchen light, just in case Sam didn't want to sleep in the dark.
She snuggled in on the other side of Sam and looked to Lucas who gave her a soft smile.
"I already told dad I don't wanna talk about it." Sam spoke sleepily, just in case Brooke wanted to ask the question.
Brooke frowned, but wasn't too surprised, "It's alright baby. Just close your eyes and sleep."
"You guys will stay with me the whole night, right?" Her eyes opened and looked to her mother, then father.
"Shhh." Brooke smoothed her hand over her daughter's hairline, "Yes, we'll be here the whole time. We promise you."
"Daddy?"
"Hmmm?"
"Can you sing again?"
"Always. Close your eyes and hug Barry tight, okay?"
Sam easily did so, and let her father's hushed singing, and her mother's gentle strokes lull her.
"Is she asleep?" Lucas mouthed after some time.
Brooke nodded, "Completely knocked out."
"Lopez was right about her having flashbacks." He frowned and moved impossibly closer towards their daughter.
Brooke could only frown back and sigh. "She can't do that again Lucas. She cannot just run away when a memory haunts her. That is so beyond dangerous. We had no idea where she was, and only to find her in a park alone." Her words were cut by the lump in her throat. She shook her head and smoothed Sam's hair, "It cannot happen again."
The thought of her little girl in any sort of danger made Brooke want to keep her indoors for as long as she possibly could. Of course, that could never be.
"We need to talk to her, and Lopez. She just started therapy. It's just a matter of time and working through it." He whispered back.
"I hate him, Lucas. I hate that disgusting perverted man."
Lucas saw the fire in Brooke's eyes. And he completely understood it. As the father of the young girl laying in between them all he wanted was to find Mike and kill him. Beat him to death. He took a deep breath and swallowed hard. Not wanting to give that man the energy or the time.
He moved his hand to find Brooke's. When he did, Lucas squeezed it hard, "We have her now. She's safe. Our baby girl is safe."
They spoke more in the quiet of the night. Occasionally rubbing Sam's back, or giving her small kisses because as much as Sam wanted to be near them, so did they with her. It was just as hard to watch helplessly as your child is grappling with evil and destructive memories. But, one thing they were sure of, they would make damn sure that Sam overcame these memories. She would be the victor. After all she had two very driven parents. Brooke Davis and Lucas Scott were not to be messed with.
I really hope you liked this one shot! Please Review :D
