Necessary Sacrifice Chapter 1, a days of our lives fanfic

Necessary Sacrifice

Disclaimer: I do not own Days or any of its characters, believe me if I did things certainly would be different.

Authors note: This story is very grim. I'm rating the story M because of the language and violence. If reading this type of fiction upsets you, please do not read further. This is not a happy fic, nor was it intended to be, so with that in mind, be forewarned.

What ravages of spirit conjured this temptuous rage?
Created you a monster; broken by the rule of love.
And fate has led you through it;
You do what you have to do.
Oh, and fate has led you through it,
You do what you have to do.
But I have the sense to recognize that I don't know how to let you go.

If anyone had ever told EJ Wells DiMera that he would be in the place he was at tonight, he would have scoffed at them, laughed outright over the absurdity of their remarks. Truth be told, he'd never expected to fall from grace. Yet he had fallen with a savage vengeance.

Looking around at his now empty apartment, devoid of any personal items, he knew the time had come. He was leaving Salem, one way or another, tonight.

Taking another swig from the Jack Daniel's black label whiskey bottle was needed, the buzz he'd felt earlier was fading, and by god he wasn't in the mood to be sober. For to be sober brought forth images he wanted to erase from his mind. Images of Samantha…

He'd lost track of the days that had passed. All he wanted was escape, from the past that haunted him at each and every turn. He wanted release from the bonds that held him here, imprisoned by the woman he could not have no matter how hard he tried, he hadn't been able to capture her heart.

The amber liquor was doing its magic, burning down his throat, blurring the jagged edges between reality and fiction. The ironic thing was he had actually done the right and decent thing for once in his life. He'd made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that Samantha and his children would be safe.

He thought saving Samantha from his father would give him comfort and maybe it would have if only she hadn't turned him away as soon as Nick had delivered the news. That it was a lie they now believed Lucas was the father of the twins was of little solace to him in the wee hours of the night. At least Samantha was safe, changing the tests results to prevent harm from coming to her had been the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. But he had learned that loving someone and something so completely meant you had to be willing to let them go. And let them go he had…

Every moment marked with apparitions of your soul.
I'm ever swiftly moving; trying to escape this desire.
The yearning to be near you,
I do what I have to do.
Oh, the yearning to be near you,
I do what I have to do.
And I have the sense to recognize that I don't know how to let you go.
I don't know how to let you go.

Something wasn't right; Sami could feel it in her bones, as her Grandpa Shawn would say. It had been two weeks since they had found out the news that EJ wasn't the father of her twins. Two weeks with not a word or visit from the man she had believed would be tied to her for life.

Lucas had gloated when he had heard the news. Proclaiming loudly his parental rights, he had preened and strutted around the room when Nick had announced the previous test results had been wrong. Sami could see how shocked EJ had been over the news, but she had lashed out at him banishing him from her life with her contemptuous words.

"You are irrelevant."

Those words she had spoken had caused EJ to turn and leave without another word and her victory over him had suddenly seemed pointless and hollow. She had expected deliverance from EJ when she had heard the news Lucas was indeed the father of her twins, but now all she felt was a loneliness that claimed her soul in ways she had never thought imaginable.

Not being able to sleep, she had slipped out of her apartment, she only wanted to see if he was home, if he was okay. She was doing out of a sense of obligation she reasoned with herself as she went to EJ's door.

She went to knock only to find the door slightly ajar. She pushed the door opened to be greeted by darkness. It was quite eerie stepping into the room. She reached to turn on the light when she heard his voice.

"Don't bother with the lights," the voice spoke, its tone raspy as if from lack of use.

"EJ, where are you?" Sami asked trying to navigate the room in the darkness, expecting to bump into his couch, but finding nothing to guide her, just the sound of his voice.

"Does it really matter?"

The moonlight streaming across the room from the curtain less window hit his form, the outline barely visible as Sami moved closer to see him. EJ was sitting on the floor, his back up against the wall, dressed in jeans, an unbuttoned shirt and no shoes. His usual neat persona completely gone and in its stead a man with no regard for his appearance, hair askew and a slight shadow of a beard upon his usually clean shaven face.

"EJ, what is wrong with you?" Sami asked moving a hand to his forehead to push the hair back from his eyes to get a good look at him after she had sat down beside him on the floor.

He flinched from her touch, and raised the bottle to his lips again taking another much needed drink from it.

"Get the fuck out of here Samantha," his voice was harsh, holding none of the warmth he used to have when speaking to her.

Sami jerked back as if she had been hit. Sure she had heard EJ swear before, but she had never heard him utter this word. She was tempted to tell him off, that was until she saw the glint of the revolver resting on the floor.

He saw her stare at the gun and laughed, the jaded melody sounding harsh as it broke the silence of the room.

He turned to face her, his voice low and even, "Are you flipping deaf? I told you to get the fu…"

"I heard you the first time," Sami gritted her teeth, trying not the let her fear get the best of her. She'd seen many forms of EJ since they had first met, but this EJ was a stranger to her and her mind raced on how best to reach him.

He picked up the gun and looked at it, hoping to scare her away. She didn't need to be a witness to what he was contemplating doing tonight.

"I believe you have seen this before haven't you?" EJ's voice taunted her.

"Pretty sure I have," Sami agreed, trying not to let her fear take control of her senses. She'd known EJ was dangerous, but given the state he was in, he was unpredictable and that factor made her cautious with her next words to him.

"Have you ever played Russian Roulette?" EJ asked Sami as casually as he would have asked her had she ever seen the rain falling from the sky.

"No, can't say that I have," Sami desperately thought of ways to rid EJ of the gun. She had to keep him talking to distract him from doing the unthinkable.

"A rather fascinating game, if I do say so myself." EJ opened the cylinder of the gun, placed one bullet in its chamber, spun it around and closed it. "It's a game of chance, one in six to be exact."

"EJ put the gun down," Sami began to plead with him.

EJ smiled wickedly in the dark, "We make for an interesting pair, don't we? You're too afraid to live your life, and me not afraid to die."

"I'm not afraid to live," Sami argued with him.

"You're too afraid to take a chance on having real passion. You're willing to settle in mundane domesticity with Lucas. I hope you find comfort knowing what you gave up because you were too damn scared to live your life. When you are old and gray remember you had a choice and threw it all away."

"Please don't do this," Sami began to reach for the gun, not fast enough to stop him from putting it to his temple.

"All you have to do it take the risk," EJ continued seemingly not affected by the terror etched upon Sami's face over his actions.

"EJ, please I'm begging you," Sami touched his hand, so afraid of what might happen next.

"What difference does it make Samantha; can't you see I'm dead already?"

A glowing ember, burning hot, and burning slow.
Deep within I'm shaken by the violence of existing for only you.
I know I can't be with you;
I do what I have to do.
I know I can't be with you;
I do what I have to do.
And I have the sense to recognize that I don't know how to let you go.

"No EJ, you're not dead."

"Yes, I am, dead to my father, my family, all that I held dear. I gave up everything to be with you Samantha and you didn't give a damn."

"I never asked you to give up everything for me," Sami pulled his hand down to reach for the gun.

"But I did anyway and now I have nothing, nothing at all. How does it feel knowing the power you held over me, that I was willing to do anything and everything just to be with you? I wonder if Lucas could hold claim to that sentiment."

Sami didn't answer; knowing the many times Lucas had left her alone, belittled her, taken her for granted, all the excuses she could come up wouldn't change the truth.

"No defending the great Lucas Roberts? My, what a change of heart." EJ dropped the gun to the floor and turned his eyes to face Sami. "Maybe I should get you a dagger, that way you can cut my heart out of my chest, or better still I'm sure I can find some matches for you. What do you say sweetheart, set this place on fire in an instant? You know you give new meaning to come on baby light my fire."

"Stop it," Sami said, tears filling her eyes and rolling unheeded down her cheeks.

"Bravo Samantha, you can even find it in yourself to summon up tears." EJ's voice dropped as he leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Don't waste your tears on me because I sure as hell will never waste another tear over you, my dear."

Sami could not control her sobs, the ache in her heart too fresh from the words EJ had spoken to her.

EJ slowly stood up, looking down upon his beautiful Samantha, knowing she was as broken as he, but still too afraid to take a chance upon him and his love.

"Goodbye Samantha, you know the funny thing is I think you would have made a great DiMera. Guess we'll never know about that one though, now will we?"

And with that, he grabbed his bottle of whiskey and walked out the door and out of her life.

He paused briefly as he heard her sobs echoing in the hallway, the sound of her loss as great as his own, but he continued onward, knowing the price of loving Samantha Brady was one of necessary sacrifice.

I don't know how to let you go.
I don't know how to let you go.

Do What You Have To Do written and sung by: Sarah McLachlan

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 2

Six months later…

Being away from Salem for the past six months had been liberating for EJ. He had grown accustomed to doing whatever the hell he wanted, whenever he wanted, answering to no one.

He'd skipped the country, visiting places he should have steered clear of, but caring less and less about his own welfare, he went anyway. He took outrageous risks, ran with the wildest crowds he could find and dared them to take things a step farther in his quest for self destruction.

He'd thought he'd ran fast and far enough away to erase the pain, but usually in the early hours of dawn after finding himself in some dark haired stranger's bed, he never even would look twice at a blonde, or rousing himself up out of a drunken stupor, he'd still have moments when the pain flashed back so sharply that it took his breath away.

He spent money like there was no tomorrow, praying that his desperate wish would come true for him not to see another morning, but so far he'd had no such luck in cutting his lifespan shorter. He guessed the old adage his father told him held true. The DiMera's always arose from the ashes, no matter how badly they crashed and burned.

He'd tossed his cell phone away when he'd reached the outer limits of Salem and had no contact with anyone since he'd left, savoring the fact of having no accountability to anyone from the wretched town. Then this afternoon, while gambling obscene amounts of money away at a gaming table in Monte Carlo, he'd been summoned.

He knew one day they would find him, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon.
He took one look at the missive, sealed shut in wax with the DiMera crest and his heart skipped a beat.

With shaking hands to which he attributed to the vast amounts of liquor from the night before, he opened the letter to read its contents written in his father's painstakingly elegant script.

Did you think I wouldn't find out?

EJ gripped the letter within his hands, knowing now that he had no other choice, with only those seven words written he had been summoned back to Salem, but oh how he dreaded returning, his father's wrath would not be pleasant.

He carefully folded back the letter, creasing the folds over and over again. Playtime was over, he was needed in Salem, whether Samantha realized it or not…

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 3

He hated coming back to Salem worse than he thought, as the Welcome to Salem sign came into view upon the horizon. Although the sun was setting, there was still enough light shining to bother him. He'd gotten used to sleeping the days away for the most part while he enjoyed the night life more and more.

Anyone seeing the midnight black convertible Jaguar XK roaring into town would have guessed the man driving it to be someone very important, his sunglasses disguising his eyes while the wind blew through his hair which had grown considerably longer during his absence. He'd come to view other's people's opinions of him as being vastly overrated, but he sure enjoyed the money and power he'd been wielding lately.

He debated where to go first as he sped into town, without a care to the speed limits that were posted. He didn't want to alert the Salem PD of his presence just yet, so he slowed down, although he knew if he wanted to he could blow past all the police officers in this deplorable town occupied with the most hypocritical people he had ever come across in his entire life.

Just entering the town, he felt as if he were slowly being suffocated. The town no longer held the allure it once had for him. He only hoped his previous naiveté towards the foolish notion of being in love with Samantha wouldn't rear its ugly head again, rendering him helpless wherever she was concerned.

He'd come back to stop his father from overreacting to discovering his deception, while he wished he could declare he no longer had any feelings for the femme fetale that embodied Samantha Brady, he wasn't sure how he would feel when they came face to face again.

By his calculations, the babies would be almost three months old, give or take a few days, but he had no desire to see them. For to see them would tear a hole in his soul that he wasn't sure he would ever be able to repair. No, it would be best not to see any of them. He'd try to do damage control with his father and get the hell out of this godforsaken town as soon as he could manage it.

He could only hope his father hadn't done anything rash concerning the children, ones he'd had no interest in when he found out they were not DiMera's, then again that was before Stefano had found out the truth.

Now EJ was uncertain as to what the future would hold for any of them, but it was time to face the music. Stefano DiMera was not a man who liked to be kept waiting.

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 4

Although he needed to go see his father, he also wanted a drink before heading to the mansion. He parked his car in front of a riverfront dive; he sure didn't want to darken the doors of the Brady Pub or have to wade through the crowd of drunken college students at the Cheatin' Heart.

Taking his sunglasses off and tossing them into the passenger seat, he opened the door and slammed it shut, knowing not to tarry long because his car would either be stolen or stripped for parts. He made his way into the poorly lit establishment and took a seat at the end of the bar. He ordered a scotch on the rocks and was about to consume his drink when he heard it. The voice that had grated on his nerves to no end during his tenure in Salem, Lucas Roberts…

"Another drink," Lucas shouted to the bartender slapping his hand upon the counter.

The bartender rolled his eyes and shook his head no, "Sorry sir, you're cut off."

"It's early yet," Lucas complained as he tried to reach over the counter to grab a bottle. His reflexes were too slow and the bartender quickly pushed him away from the bar.

"That's it! Get out!" The bartender commanded as he nodded to a rough looking guy standing by the front door.

"This place sucks anyway," Lucas stumbled backwards a few steps, bumping into a table. He grabbed it clumsily, and then righted himself as he headed for the door.

EJ couldn't believe it, what in the world was Lucas of all people doing here? The man was an alcoholic, yet here he was drunk as a skunk being refused to be served any more alcohol by the bartender. Luckily for EJ, Lucas was too inebriated to even notice that he was here in the bar.

EJ was torn between wanting to find out what had driven Lucas to drink again, and then shook his head knowing the answer to the question before he even voiced it aloud: Samantha Brady.

The woman who caused more heartache and misery than should be legally allowed, the only woman who had brought him to his knees in agony and defeat and apparently she was doing the same to poor ol' Lucas too from what he gathered from his shoddy appearance today in the bar.

God he really didn't want to deal with this loser along with having to face his father later on in the evening. Now he was inwardly chastising himself for craving a drink. EJ slunk down a bit on the barstool, hoping that the drunken fool was too far gone to notice him, but alas as he felt the nudge on his shoulder and smelt the rank smell of liquor emitting from his persona, he knew his luck had run out.

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 5

"It's you!" the drunken voice exclaimed as he stumbled in his efforts to grab a stool next to EJ. Finally after a few moments of almost falling face first into the floor Lucas managed to steady himself up enough to sit down upon the stool, sliding up much too closely for EJ's liking.

"I'm just a figment of your imagination," EJ stated dryly, draining the contents of his glass of scotch and signaling the bartender for another one with a wave of his hand, hoping Lucas would actually believe him, but then again the poor boy really didn't have much going on upstairs in the thinking department.

"I knew you'd come back for her," Lucas snarled, his upper lip curling in disgust over the thought of having EJ back in town, just when he thought things couldn't get any worse for him the man he hated the most stepped back into the picture.

"I have absolutely no idea of what you are talking about," EJ scooted back a bit, the smell of liquor on Lucas was strong, although it was not as strong as the stench from his body that was emitting in gaseous waves all around him. EJ vaguely wondered when was the last time Lucas and a bar of soap had been in company with one another. From the smell of him, it must have been more than a few days at least.

"Don't play stupid with me," Lucas tried to grab EJ's drink that was on the bar in front of him away, but EJ's reflexes were much sharper and he simply moved the drink a few inches farther down to thwart Lucas' efforts.

"You're stupid enough for the both of us ol' chap," EJ declared taking the scotch and downing it quickly. He really did despise this waste of space beside him, but he had a nagging suspicion that if Lucas was here in a rundown bar on the bad side of town that things were much worse than he had expected. He didn't want anything to be wrong with Samantha or the twins, so he had to play this close to the vest and not reveal anything to this simpleton that could put them in even more danger.

"Did she call you? She said she would find you one way or another," Lucas spat out, the hatred evident in his voice as his eyes narrowed. "Is that why you came back to town?"

"The reasons of why I have returned to town are certainly no concern of yours," EJ threw a few dollars on the counter and started to take his leave of the place when Lucas reached out to grab his arm.

"Let go of me Lucas," EJ said in a venomous tone. "I have nothing to prevent me from tearing you apart limb from limb anymore."

"I can still kick your ass any day of the week," Lucas stuck out his chest like a bantam rooster, his bleary blood shot eyes trying to focus on EJ as best as he could within his drunken haze.

"Try it and I'll kill you," EJ said pushing him to the floor, not bothering to see if he would get up and come after him or not.

For Will's sake, EJ hoped Lucas wouldn't be fool enough to come after him because at the moment he could easily wipe him from the face of the earth without much effort and from the looks of him he doubted that he would be missed too terribly.

Luckily the weasel didn't follow him out of the dive and he drove off. Damn he had wanted a drink and now all he had were more questions concerning Samantha. What exactly had happened between her and Lucas?

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 6

Author's note: Bart is not dead in my fic. TPTB were idiots to kill him off in the first place, so he is alive and well in this story.

He had more questions spinning around in his head after his encounter with Lucas. Were his children safe? Was Samantha even still living with Lucas? Somehow EJ couldn't see her allowing him to be a drunkard around the children, no matter how much she claimed to love him.

Love, EJ scoffed, was for suckers and fools, and also something he planned never to be a participant in ever again. Love was a two edged sword that cut you to ribbons and left you slowly dying while your lifeblood painfully spilled out of your being. He wasn't ever going to fall prey to Samantha or any other woman ever again. The hurt was too high of a price to pay for such little payoff in return.

Oh he dreaded seeing his father again. He could only imagine what was in store for him as he drove the tree lined winding driveway. Finally the trees dissipated and in the clearing the sprawling view of his father's home came into view.

Stefano could not have picked a more perfect home to showcase his extreme wealth and power. The structure itself was quite foreboding, with its darkness permeating even before you stepped into the actual place itself. The gargoyles that were all carefully positioned around the rooftop looked as if they were ready to pounce upon any unwanted visitors that might threaten the owner. EJ could feel the fingers of evil that the house embodied pulling him forward to the front door without him even moving towards it.

He tried to quell his fear, he knew his father thrived on fear of others, and literally Stefano seemed to grow even more sure and confident when he had others backed into a corner. Growing up EJ had never been a target of his father's wrath, but now even before knocking on the weathered phoenix pewter doorknocker, EJ knew he was about to know firsthand what it was like to cross the great Stefano DiMera.

He steeled himself mentally as he knocked upon the door, the noise emitting like a hollow rap against a mighty fortress. EJ could almost imagine the house mocking him as he stood outside waiting for the door to open. This house could play tricks upon your mind and soul if you let it, why it was almost like Stefano had struck a bargain with the devil himself when he had bought the house so many years ago, long before EJ was even born.

Finally after what seemed like forever, but in reality were only a few minutes, the door opened. Bart appeared at the door, his smile upon seeing EJ was such a vast contrast to the homecoming EJ knew his father would extend to him.

"Wow you really came back home," Bart said pulling back the door for EJ to enter into the darkened foyer, one that was carefully decorated with rare antiques that his father had collected on his extensive travels over the years.

"Yes, I'm home," EJ said with little enthusiasm, god knew he would rather be anywhere than here, but he had to make sure that his father hadn't done anything to the children, his children, his own flesh and blood that he had denied trying to save them from the twisted fate his father would try to align for them if he got half a chance to do so.

"You need to go to the study, your father left me implicit instructions to show you there when you would arrive," Bart said, closing the door behind EJ with a resounding thud, one that sounded more like a death tome than just a mere movement of shutting one into the house.

EJ followed his father's flunky without another word; he didn't have the patience to deal with Bart's various antics he usually tried to pull at the moment. He was just grateful that Bart hadn't tried to imitate his accent again; the man butchered it terribly when he tried to emulate the English language.

EJ walked into the room he had been an inhabitant in countless times in the past trying his best to tamp his fear deep down inside him, it would never do to let his father think his summons was anything to worry about. Of course he knew he father would make him wait, that was Stefano's trademark, always making people seem the think he was gracing them with his presence that their time was of no consequence to him.

He would pour himself a drink, the ones he had partaken in at the seedy bar had done nothing for him other than irritate him by the obtrusive company that Lucas had provided while he had been there. He took the Waterford cut glass crystal decanter in one hand, pouring him a liberal amount of scotch in the glass he had procured and was about to take a sip when the door to the study opened and his father entered in.

"So I see you are already making yourself at home," Stefano's voice was not kind or welcoming, in fact EJ had heard him use the same tone when he spoke of his hatred for the Brady clan.

"Yes father I am, so good to see you," EJ raised his glass in a mock toast to his father and drank the entire content of the glass in one sip, thankful that his father did buy only the best as the amber liquid made its way down.

"Oh please Elvis, let's cut out the false pleasantries," Stefano sauntered over to the bar to pour a drink, although he did not offer to pour another one for his son.

"I am happy to see you," EJ lied to his father effortlessly, a trait he had learned in life early on, one that had served him well over the years. Being a DiMera and lying apparently came hand in hand, that was if you wanted to survive in this cutthroat family.

"Then I guess you will be thrilled to finally see your bastard children," Stefano said tightly, his anger barely kept in check. He was so disappointed in EJ, the son he had thought would never betray him, but yet he turned out to be the one who had betrayed him worse of all. Denying him access and claim to his grandchildren, the ones who would hold the future of the family within their grasp.

"Father, I have no children," EJ spoke calmly as he looked his father directly in the eyes, the lie rolling off his tongue with ease, one that he had tried to tell himself for months on end ever since he had initiated the lie itself when he had switched the DNA test results, allowing Samantha to think the Lucas was the father of the twins instead of him.

"Oh really," Stefano walked directly in front of EJ and took his empty glass from him flinging it into the fireplace, the glass shattering into tiny shards of glass upon impact.

"Father, I don't know what you are speaking of," EJ said right before his father struck him, the severity of the blow his father gave him almost knocking him backwards as EJ felt the coppery taste of blood seep into his mouth. He wouldn't strike back at him, this was his father after all, a man he had once respected above all others.

Stefano rubbed his hand in the other while EJ reached into his pocket to find a handkerchief to dab at the cut on his mouth. The shock that his father would raise a hand to him in anger was still presiding in him as Stefano bellowed out to Bart to bring in his other guests for his ungrateful son to see.

The shock of his father striking him was mild compared to what he encountered next as Samantha was ushered into the room pushing a black carriage. Their eyes met instantly and EJ felt himself growing sick with fear as he saw the look in her eyes, ones that conveyed a look of helplessness in them.

What had he gotten them all involved in with a lie that he thought would free Samantha? Now it appeared his lie may have brought forth even more harm than he possibly thought because Stefano was mad as hell and he knew firsthand a DiMera didn't take to being lied to well at all.

He only prayed that his father would find some way to forgive him, but at the moment it didn't seem likely, not one bit.

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 7

EJ had to give Samantha credit; her face remained expressionless even though her eyes spoke volumes to him. She was scared and rightly so because EJ sure hadn't had a clue his father had Samantha here in the mansion. He had so many questions he needed to ask her, but he knew better than to give his father any more ammunition against him. Better to let Stefano think he did not care for them at all than to show his broken and bruised heart upon his sleeve for them.

"What no welcoming hello for my worthless son?" Stefano asked Sami, hoping to get some kind of reaction out from her. She had surprised him instead of falling to pieces when he had invited her into his home, she had remained stoically silent. No temper tantrums from her after her first night there, rather a calm acceptance, so unlike her usual persona. Then again, maybe having her husband turn her and the children over to Stefano had been a harsher burden for her to bear than he previously thought it would be to her.

Stefano really didn't care if she was broken or not, neither one of these ingrates had the right to keep him from his grandchildren. He had no doubt that Samantha had been in on this charade with his traitorous son. They both would pay for trying to trick him.

She didn't speak although her ire was steadily growing. EJ had lied to her, betrayed her, and made her believe that Lucas was the father of Johnny and Allie when he was the sole father to both children. How much money had Stefano given Lucas to bring them here to him? Right now she didn't know which one she hated the most of the three, EJ, Stefano or Lucas. They were all contemptuous bastards in her book.

"Guess she isn't too happy to see you son," Stefano sneered as he laughed wickedly. He would leave them for a while just to see what would happen. He loved aggravating Samantha and veered toward the stroller as if to take it from her, but she cast him a warning glare and held onto the handle with a grip so tight that EJ could see her knuckles turning white over the pressure.

"Better get used to letting me see my grandchildren Samantha," Stefano chided as he looked into the stroller, both babies still fast asleep, their innocent slumber undisturbed by the animosity that prevailed in the air in the room between the three adults present. With that ominous comment, he strode from the room, leaving them alone.

Sami didn't know what to think, the past week had went by in a blur to her for the most part. God only knew what her family thought had happened to her as Stefano had laughed when Lucas drug her kicking and screaming into the mansion, dumping her unceremoniously on the floor along with the children off at the feet of the man who had caused such havoc and terror to the entire Brady family. Stefano had told her when she had calmed down after the initial shock wore off on her that Lucas had informed her family that she had left him to be with EJ.

She was still in shock after finding out from Stefano that EJ had lied to her, that he'd left her crying that dark night she had found him in his apartment, making her wonder and think the worst had happened to him after he had walked away down the hallway with not another word from him since then to her.

She would make them all pay, every single one of them. She had time now to plan out her strategy. Stefano had done nothing to her yet beyond keeping her and the twin's captive or rather as he stated very special guests of his that were not to be seen or heard from until the time was right.

Well she had more than a few choice words for EJ. How could he have done this to her? When she was sure Stefano was out of earshot she loosened her grip on the stroller and walked over to him, her hands itching to slap his arrogant face, but she held back from taking her pleasure by striking him until she hissed, "Welcome home you sorry son of a bitch!" and then she raised her hand to hit him, only to have him stop her before she could reach her designated mark.

EJ knew she was about to go off on him, he could see it alight in her eyes as soon as she started to make her way to him, but he had to keep her quiet. Stefano could be watching them, or at the very least listening to them. He pulled her to his chest and put his hand to her mouth about to tell her to be quiet when she bit his hand to get him to remove it from her mouth.

She wanted to shriek as she tried to kick him, anything to get him at a disadvantage, her anger was so great against him, and her chest was burning as she struggled to breathe. If only she could hurt him as badly as he had hurt her, but before she could finish that thought her world turned black and she slumped against him.

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 8

"Damn it!" EJ shook his hand free from her mouth as Sami slipped to the floor. The bite mark was deep, she cut the skin. EJ looked at her and went to the bar, retrieving a glass of water to splash on her face. Hopefully that would wake her up from her apparent fainting spell; she had tricked him too many times for him to believe she really had passed out. If so either way the water should revive her.

She sputtered as the cold water hit her face waking her back up. What had happened? Then she saw him standing over her, of course EJ was what happened. The man caused her more heartache and trouble than he was worth.

"What did you do that for?" she questioned hatefully with a snarl upon her face as she tried to wipe the water away from her.

"I would offer you a hand up, then again I'm not too anxious for you to sink your fangs into me again," EJ retorted as Sami pushed back on her hands and got up on her own. "Do you have any idea how infectious a human bite is on a person?"

"Cry me a river EJ," Sami rolled her eyes and tried to steady herself, still feeling a bit faint. "You're such a big baby."

"Infantile behavior is more you style sweetheart than it is mine," EJ stated matter of fact, taking out his handkerchief once more to wrap around his aching hand. Samantha certainly had provided a welcome wagon for him, just not the kind he had wanted for his return home. She was more spiteful and hateful than ever and that was saying a lot.

"You didn't have to throw water on me," Sami's eyes flashed loathing towards him, a look had had seen many times from her in the past.

"Would you have rather I summoned Rolf to come check you out?"

"No," Sami quickly replied shaking her head. "That man gives me the creeps. There is no telling what he is capable of, after all he works for your family so he can't possibly have any morals."

"Ah yes, the Brady's have the morality market cornered," EJ rolled his eyes thinking once again that her family had to be the biggest bunch of hypocrites that he had ever met in his entire life.

"Don't you dare talk about my family; they are decent and kind people." Sami began to defend their honor but EJ put up his hand to stop her before she could go on any further with accolades to the great Brady clan.

"Which brings about the question, are you sure you aren't adopted because when I think of you somehow the adjectives good and decent doesn't come to mind," EJ snarkily replied.

She started towards him again, her anger flashing as quickly as lightning.

"Whoa tigress," EJ quipped giving her a knowing look. "I don't want to have you fainting on me again if you get too close to me."

"Like you would care if I fainted or not," she muttered under her breath as she turned away from him. He could get under her skin quicker than anybody she had ever known before and she didn't like it one bit.

"What did you say?" EJ asked when her voice had lowered so much that he couldn't decipher what she was saying.

"Nothing important," she turned back to face him. She wouldn't cower away from him, if anything he was the one who needed to back away from her. He was the one who had wronged her, not the other way around. He was such a liar that her blood started to boil all over again just thinking about it.

"Are you trying to scare me with that vicious look? Really Samantha you are going to have to work on your game face if you want me to believe you despise me that bad," EJ scoffed, hoping that he could keep her off guard. He surely didn't want her asking him any probing questions. He'd done what he had done because he had loved her enough to let her go, not that she would care one whit about why he had made his decision.

"I do despise you, you lying hypocritical…"

"I have to object to hypocritical," EJ interrupted her before she could give him an entire list of faults that she could find in him. "Now why I have been known on occasion to lie…"

"You're the biggest liar I know," Sami cast him a withering glare as her eyes narrowed upon him.

"And you are the biggest liar I know also," EJ countered. "Isn't it such an amazing coincidence that we found one another?"

She looked about the room hoping to find something to bash him over the head with, but realized that smacking the crap out of him would only be a temporary solution to the mess she had found herself in as the cry of one of the babies stopped her search for an object to maim their father. She quickly turned back to the carriage, gingerly picking up Johnny as he cried.

EJ's eyes widened as he saw his son for the first time. Even from across the room he could tell that he looked like him. He felt his heart drop as instinctively he wanted to reach out to the baby, his baby.

Sami shushed Johnny holding him close to her as her persona changed instantly, back to one of loving and concern for her child. She saw EJ look at them with something akin to longing even though he made no move to come closer.

"So are you going to stand there gaping at us or are you going to come over and meet Johnny and Allie? After all they are your children," she said stressing the word children contemptuously as EJ stood rooted to the spot he was standing in when Johnny had started to cry.

He wanted to see them, god how he had longed to be there when they were born. Now Samantha was taunting him to come nearer and see them. With his heart thumping wildly in his chest he started to walk over to them and silently prayed that somehow he could find a way to get them out of this terrible situation he had brought down upon them.

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 9

Nothing in his life could have prepared EJ for the overwhelming sense of love that flooded over his being as soon as he saw Johnny and Allie. Their children were beautiful, and before he could catch himself he smiled a smile of complete and utter joy.

He wanted to hold them, but he wasn't sure she would allow him to get too near them. He looked at her quizzically as if she could understand his thoughts, but she narrowed her eyes at him as if by casting him death glares that she wouldn't give him a way into her mind. They had been friends once upon a time, and now that friendship was shattered and smashed to bits, her heart hardened against him and his lies.

She would have to be blind not to notice the happiness in his face over seeing them, his children, and her motherly pride in her children won out against wanting to hurt him. There would be time enough to begin her war against him soon, she just had to bide her time and strike when she could hurt him the most.

Then a vicious thought curled to life from deep inside her like a snake coiling up preparing itself to war against its prey. She would let him believe that he would be a part of these children's lives, and he would until she found a way to escape this hell that the DiMera's had tried to place her in.

Pasting on a tiny smile, she beckoned him closer, she knew how to work her eyes, why she could be anything she wanted to be and for the first time since Lucas had brought her to the mansion to present her to Stefano she felt more like her old self. Yes, it was good to feel alive again and her revenge against EJ would be sweet.

"Do you want to hold him or her?" she asked, wondering exactly what he would answer for part of him looked overjoyed over the prospect while the other looked completely petrified. "I can't deny them their father," she said quietly and then added, "even if their own father denied them."

"Samantha, there was so much at stake, I couldn't…" he began, but when she handed him Johnny to hold he lost his train of thought and couldn't complete his sentence to her. He looked like a fish out of water wondering what to do next as he held his son for the first time.

"Be careful with him," she said softly as she picked up Allie, trying to show him what to do to hold him properly by giving him an example to follow with how she held their daughter.

"I will," he whispered as Johnny snuggled up against him and he struggled not to shed a tear as the emotions of seeing and holding his son in his arms for the first time overwhelmed him almost to the point of making him question why he had ever thought of changing their paternity. How could he have ever thought that he could give away his family?

She could see it in his face as he held Johnny, the fierce protectiveness that she had for the children mirrored upon his face also. It almost made her want to forget about seeking revenge against EJ, almost, but not quite…

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 10

It was surreal these emotions that were coming to life as he held his son, a love he had never thought possible to have for another being beyond his feelings for Samantha quickly sprung up from within causing him to wonder why he had chosen the path he had taken so many months ago.

Now the nights of partying away hoping that death would claim him were fading into the background, he was foolish to wish for death as he felt his son clinging to him. He was so lost in thought that he failed to hear Samantha ask him if he wanted to try to hold Allie too.

"Do you think I can manage both of them at the same time?" he asked afraid that he would drop one or the other of them if he attempted to try to have both of them in his arms at the same time.

"You think only mothers know how to hold their children?" Sami cocked an eyebrow in his direction thinking she really had knocked him for a loop by suggesting that he try to hold both Allie and Johnny at the same time.

"No, it's just so new to me," he began as she shook her head and led him to a couch, pulling slightly on his elbow for him to sit down and when he was settled she also handed him Allie to hold. Oh his daughter was a beauty, just like her mother, with hair so fair it looked like cotton and eyes as blue, it took his breath away, "She's beautiful Samantha."

Sami wished she could hurt him at the moment, but when she saw EJ taking in their children's features truly looking at them closely for the first time, she had to turn away before she started crying. She was not going to let EJ get to her again. He had lied to her about the most important thing in the world and now she just couldn't accept him back into her life without reservations.

EJ was all DiMera, his lies had proven that to her, just like how Stefano had arranged for Lucas to drop them off at the mansion. She wondered if EJ had any part in that, hell he could have been pretending his surprise at seeing her this evening, playing her for a fool once again. Why she really didn't know exactly what he was capable of doing beyond the myriad of things he had pulled against her. Why he could have masterminded this entire scenario as far as she knew.

Trust was so hard to come by and a commodity that she had completely lost faith in thanks to the man sitting here beside her on the couch. But how could he fake the emotions that played upon face while he held Johnny and Allie. He looked like a man who had just received the greatest gift ever, but she wasn't sure it was all an act for her benefit or not. How in the world could she ever trust him again?

Johnny reached out to Sami bringing her out of her thoughts and she instantly brought her hands out to take him from EJ. She only wished she hadn't felt the electricity of touching EJ in the process when she had lifted Johnny out from EJ's arms.

EJ turned his head in her direction wondering if he only felt it when Sami touched him, but her face was an unreadable mask. What he wouldn't give to do the past year over with her, but it was too late for regrets; he would just have to make her see that he was sorry for all the heartache and pain he had caused her. He only hoped she would believe him when the time was right because he was going to need her cooperation if they tried to escape from whatever plan Stefano had for all of them.

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 11

Sami contemplated saying something sarcastic to EJ, anything really just to keep her from feeling the intense emotions that had squarely hit her from barely touching EJ. She wanted to shake her own self and did so mentally. How was she going to be spot on in her quest for revenge against all the DiMera's if she turned into a puddle by the simplest of touches and to beat it all it wasn't even an intentional touch?

What would she do if EJ ever tried to touch her without the kids around her? Well she knew what she had to do, she had to keep her distance, there always needed to be someone with them and she knew without a doubt she wasn't going to let her children out of her sight for even one minute. At least that bastard Stefano hadn't tried to make her sleep in another room away from the twins, it was bad enough he wouldn't let her leave the mansion no matter what she had tried to say to convince him to let her go.

She hated Stefano with a passion and here she was in the last place on earth she ever wanted to be and with the one man she would never be able to sever ties with because Stefano's son EJ was the father to these beautiful babies. Innocents caught in a dangerous game that the DiMera's loved to play.

Well she was looking at the biggest player of them all, how could she have been so stupid to ever believe that EJ had been her friend? He had come here on a mission by his father and he had succeeded, or at least he thought he had, but she wasn't going to fall for that gallantry and charm he seemed to ooze effortlessly.

She was silent, looking at him with narrowed eyes and EJ could only guess what this maddening woman was thinking. He thought he used to be able to read Samantha fairly easy that was until he had realized she was a consummate liar. He couldn't trust one word or action from her and he would be well to remember all the times she had tried to trick him in believing she had wanted to be with him.

He couldn't stand the silence though and luckily the babies were providing a distraction right now. These marvelous and absolutely perfect babies were truly a miracle and it saddened him to realize he had missed out on their birth and their first few months of their lives, but he was with them again and despite how he felt about their mother, he was going to do anything and everything in his power to ensure their safety from Stefano.

But he had to plan carefully exactly what he would need to do to keep Johnny and Allie safe, his precious children and just by looking at them he felt so much love that it scared him. Stefano always went into any venture knowing full well his opponents weaknesses and EJ knew without a doubt he would try to use his love for Samantha and their children against him.

Then he mentally corrected himself, he loved the children, not their deceitful mother, he wasn't going to fall into her web of lies again, to be torn emotionally to the point where he wanted to kill himself just to get her out of his mind. He wasn't going to let her have that kind of power over him; he couldn't to fall for her once more because it would be the most foolish mistake he had ever made in his life.

And EJ was determined Samantha Brady wasn't going to get anywhere near him and what was left of his battered and bruised heart. She wasn't good for him in any shape or form, she had almost ruined his life once and he couldn't allow his heart to thaw against the woman who had almost made him believe that anything was possible. He knew the only thing that mattered now was his children and he needed to keep it that way.

Johnny and Allie were his priorities, Samantha was not. She couldn't ever be again.

Now he only hoped he could believe and stand behind what his mind was telling him that would be the only way he would be able to defeat his father and keep his heart intact from ever being broken any more.

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 12

Before either Sami or EJ could speak to one another again, Stefano burst into the room, his presence bringing both of them out of their separate reveries of how they could not trust one another. His visage not one of kindness toward any one of them as he took his stance in the middle of the room standing directly in front of both of them while they sat on the couch with their children.

"Tonight I expect both of you to be at dinner," Stefano said matter of fact.

"I'm not hungry," Sami rolled her eyes at him, wishing he would just leave her the hell alone. This was the first time since she had been brought to the mansion last week that Stefano had even wanted her presence in the dining room with him. She had been having trays of food brought to her which she would only take small amounts refusing to partake in anything much food-wise thinking Stefano could have had Rolf put something in her food.

"Too bad your family did not teach you manners Samantha, this is mandatory, and you will be there with us," Stefano wondered again how this rebellious child could be Marlena's daughter, her mother while being very strong willed did not disregard common courtesy.

"My family taught me not to trust any of you DiMera's," Sami spat back wishing again that she and her children could escape this hell, if only her family knew the truth. Why hadn't any of them tried to contact her yet? Surely they must be worried about her.

"Yet, your twins are DiMera's, my insolent girl you are in quite a quandary," Stefano remarked coming closer to the babies and Sami instinctively drew back casting EJ a sideways look, surely he wouldn't let Stefano take the babies from them.

EJ could sense Sami's apprehension growing, he knew from experience not to bait his father, something Sami had not learned yet if she would ever and so he moved closer to her while tightening his grip on Allie and Sami did the same with Johnny. Stefano rolled his eyes, these children had no idea they were no match for him and he couldn't wait to reveal his plan to them.

"So I take it Elvis you are now going to claim your bastard children?" Stefano asked putting EJ on the spot, he would have to answer his father because he didn't want Samantha to witness a repeat performance of his father's violence when he thought he was being defied. EJ handed Allie back to Sami and stood up so that he could face his father fully and provide some distance between him being near Sami and the children.

"Yes," EJ said in a quiet tone, hoping his nerves would not betray him, he needed to be calm and assured in front of his father especially since he didn't know exactly what Stefano had in store for any of them.

Stefano stood there not saying a word, at least his son was admitting the truth about being the twin's father, but he still couldn't understand why he hadn't sought his claim to this children, family was everything, something he had taught all of his children from birth. His favorite son lying to him about something so vastly important cut him like a knife.

"Elvis, your room is already prepared, right next to Samantha's room," Stefano informed him, wondering what his son would think of his new living arrangements.

EJ could sense Sami wanting to say something but turned his head back to her momentarily, giving her a look and a slight shake of his head silently trying to convey to her not to say anything. Sami pressed her lips together wanting to speak but something about the desperate look in EJ's eyes convinced her to stay quiet at least for now.

"Thank you Father," EJ replied cautiously, hoping at least this concession of neither one of them objecting to the living arrangements would satisfy him for the moment.

Stefano was not fooled by his son's acquiesce, but he would let that go for now. Tonight at dinner would be the true test because then a slight portion of his revenge for their lies to him would be revealed. He had to make Elvis realize that you never turned your back on your family. Never…

Because if you did the consequences would be very grave indeed, something Elvis or Samantha would both find out if they ever tried to defy him again.

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 13

Stefano took his leave of the room once more, and with his exit EJ could feel Sami was ready to do battle with him.

"Glad you could finally admit you are their father! Then again it was only with your daddy's prompting." Sami rolled her eyes standing up taking both of the twins back to the carriage not allowing EJ to help her at all. She was used to taking care of the babies by herself anyway. Lucas hadn't been too much help to her with them even before Stefano had told him that he wasn't the father. Still it upset her that Lucas could just dump them off on the DiMera doorstep without another thought.

"Samantha you have to understand…"

"I understand all right you decided to play God will all of our lives and now who knows what is in store for us?" Sami cast him a glance of pure menace. EJ's betrayal was the worst of all even more so than Lucas' but she didn't have time to ponder why it would be that way because EJ came right back up in her face.

"That's rich coming from you, why if memory serves me correctly Lucas and you were doing a happy dance when Nick delivered the new of the paternity tests. You both couldn't wait to rub it in my face that I wasn't the father."

"But you were and now Lucas hates me because he thinks I knew about it all along, just like you did," Sami wanted to step back away from him a few inches but she'd be damned before she would let EJ get the upper hand against her this time.

"So Lucas' undying love for you apparently had a short fuse?" EJ raised a brow as he questioned her.

"You're such a bastard," Sami's hand drew back to hit him until she caught the dangerous look in his eyes. She couldn't tell if he was trying to goad her into a fight with him or not and with the twins finally asleep she thought better than causing such a ruckus her striking him might cause.

"No less a bastard than you are bitch, a lying one at that," EJ shot right back at her causing her to flinch slightly under the wrath of his words. "You could have cared less what happened to me when you found out your supposed good news. Why I am surprised you didn't take out a full page ad in the Salem Spectator proclaiming the great Lucas Roberts was the father of the babies."

"It's Horton," Sami corrected him before he could continue on with his tirade.

"Who the hell cares? Roberts, Horton whatever he goes by he will never be more than a whiny mama's boy who can't cut his apron strings from her long enough to be his own man. I can see why you thought he was such a better choice for you instead of me. You always did want the ones you could boss around and bend to do you will. You never care about anyone or anything beyond what serves you best." It was like once EJ got started it just came back to him all the times she had lied to him, used him to gain approval of that hypocritical Brady family who had never deserved her devotion when they sure didn't ever return the favor to her.

"No, you are wrong, I did come to you," Sami broke in with a softer voice causing EJ to stop his rant against her over his feelings of dislike for Lucas.

EJ paused momentarily, recalling the dark night when he had almost taken his life and she had appeared infusing his anger and thus saving his life not that he would ever admit it to her. "Too little, too late Samantha, then again that is how you operate isn't it?"

And with that question he left the room also before she could say anything else to change his mind over what her intentions may or may not have been that night when EJ had chosen to leave Salem without her.

Necessary Sacrifice

Chapter 14

He had felt the walls closing in on him just by being in the same room with Samantha, the old hurts had begun to rear their ugly heads trying to take him back to when all he could think about was being with her, wanting her and ultimately being betrayed by the woman he couldn't get out of his mind no matter how hard he tried. Damn his father and his manipulations dragging him back to this town.

Bart had bumbled his way around leading EJ to his room, one he knew was another punishment designed by his father for him because nothing his father did was by accident. As EJ took a look around the more than spacious room he couldn't complain, but still she would be right next door to him, so close that all he would have to do is open the adjoining the door and he would be in her bedroom.

He laughed a mirthless laugh; his father knew how to play him so well. Putting the temptation of Samantha just beyond the door when EJ knew being around her for any extended length of time was absolutely the last thing he needed in his life. Even the six months he had spent away from Salem, no matter how inebriated he would get or the various women he had tried to use to distract him his thoughts had still turned back to the woman he had left crying in the darkness of his empty apartment.

"Don't bother with the lights," the voice spoke, its tone raspy as if from lack of use.

"EJ, where are you?" Sami asked trying to navigate the room in the darkness, expecting to bump into his couch, but finding nothing to guide her beyond the sound of his voice.

"Does it really matter?"

Her reminder to him that she had indeed come to his apartment brought back unwanted memories of those dark weeks after he had decided to free Samantha from the life of being chained to a DiMera after she had proven time and time again that she wanted nothing to do with him. For once in his life he had put the welfare of someone else besides himself above what he had wanted and needed. A rare occurrence in the life of a DiMera since his father had educated him from such a young age that he could do whatever he wanted to do because the DiMera's always got what they wanted, when the wanted it.

That sentiment had held true for EJ at least until he had come to Salem and met her, Samantha Gene Brady, the woman who had managed to turn his life completely upside down. A prime example of how much you lost when you had to do Stefano DiMera's bidding.

EJ smiled wickedly in the dark, "We make for an interesting pair, don't we? You're too afraid to live your life, and me not afraid to die."

"I'm not afraid to live," Sami argued with him.

"Please don't do this," Sami began to reach for the gun, not fast enough to stop him from putting it to his temple.

"All you have to do it take the risk," EJ continued seemingly not affected by the terror etched upon Sami's face over his actions.

"EJ, please I'm begging you," Sami touched his hand, so afraid of what might happen next.

"What difference does it make Samantha; can't you see I'm dead already?"

He didn't want to remember their last parting, she still had no clue as to why he had done what he had done, to set her free, but then again he wondered if she would even believe him if he ever did manage to tell her the truth. He remembered leaving to the sounds of her crying when all he had wanted to do was take her in his arms, claim her and those babies, his babies she was carrying, but he had tried to do the honorable thing, to shield them all from the evilness of Stefano.

He had told her he would never waste another tear over her and he hoped he wouldn't now, it would never do for her to ever realize the depth of love he had felt for her. He just couldn't fall back into that vicious cycle again, he had to stay on guard because nothing good would come from losing control and letting those emotions guide his life. He had told himself countless times since he had left that he didn't need love in his life.

Now he just had to keep that goal clearly in mind. No room for love, it just hurt too damn much.

Sami took a deep breath trying to calm her nerves after EJ left the room. She didn't need for him to see how quickly he could get under his skin with just a few choice words. Those words he had spoken had hurt her though; he had called her a bitch amongst doing his best to tear her down mentally. She had to get a grip around him; it would never do for him to believe he could have the upper hand with her.

She needed to keep him on his toes, always guessing as to what she might do. She sighed thinking she only had a few hours until dinner with the DiMera's. This night was going to suck big time, especially since she had no real bearing on what anyone in this crazy family might say or do. It was like a freak show nightmare you couldn't wake up from no matter how hard you tried.

She looked down at her precious sleeping babies, knowing she would do whatever it took to keep them safe, even though she feared what that might entail. With the DiMera's you never were sure what could happen and she had to be prepared for anything, anything at all.