Dance So Good, a general hospital fanfic

Lyrics from "Dance So Good" by Wakey!Wakey!

I remember when you lost your head

Sometimes I wonder how you stay so sad

When you're so beautiful

I remember every word you said

How you were scared because you'd never been

Somewhere so beautiful

So beautiful

It was a different kind of New Year celebration.

Sam Morgan was attending the party held at the MetroCourt. Her mother and little sisters had insisted that she needed to go because she needed more fun in her life, and she needed to move on from all of the negative things she'd gone through over the past couple of years. That was their not-so-subtle way of telling Sam to get over Dr. Silas Clay. She had told them repeatedly that she was over him, not that they believed her. Little did they know, she was going to come to the party anyway, because she had moved on.

Sure, it was only a year earlier that her relationship with Silas just started to take off, but it was always one obstacle after another in trying to be with him. Honestly, the only real interest she held in him now was Rafe, who she loved like her own. Still, her family and friends were not convinced that she was healed of her heartache. Even Silas was still trying to make it up to her (despite being reunited with his duplicitous no-so-dead wife). However, she didn't care very much what any of them thought on the matter. There was only one person she needed to believe her.

Patrick Drake nervously scanned the dance floor, though he doubted that she would be out there. He had a feeling that he could find her out on the terrace, trying to see the stars even though the city lights would make it nearly impossible, not to mention the frigid weather. He walked the perimeter path of the ballroom towards the open doors that led outside. Quietly he walked onto the terrace and, sure enough, she was there. It reminded him of a moment they shared what seemed like a lifetime ago.

Patrick had seen her practically storm away after dousing Ric Lansing with her drink. He approached her on the terrace, his hands in his pockets. "I'm surprised to see you here," he'd told her. "Why is that? You don't think I fit in?"

He didn't tell her that, no, she didn't fit in, but she wouldn't be Sam McCall if she did. Her hair was up back then, and the white dress she wore—along with his hands—was stained with her blood before the night was over. Tonight, her black hair was long and curled around her shoulders. She wore a red floor-length dress, her arms and shoulders bare except for the thin straps.

Patrick waited a moment just watching her. Her head tilted and he knew that she was searching the sky. He took off his suit jacket and walked closer, then placed the jacket around Sam's shoulders, sliding his hands down to her forearms. He thought she might be startled, but instead she sighed and leaned back the slightest bit.

"You came."

"You're going to freeze out here."

"No. I knew you would come."

Patrick smiled behind her. "Did you, now?"

"Well, I really, really hoped you would. For one reason or another."

Sam slowly turned around and Patrick let his arms fall to his side. Hesitantly, she looked directly into his eyes. "Why are you here?"

He already knew the answer. She gave him until the stroke of midnight on the new year for a response. She shyly admitted that the deadline extended from some part of her—an inner child, perhaps, that she thought died long ago—that still wanted to believe in fairytales. That only made Patrick's decision even harder, as he recognized the fragility masked by sarcasm and bravado in the woman in front of him.

But the facts remained the same; they both had families and careers that they needed to focus on, and they both suffered loses that devastated them just this year alone. Those were some of the reasons he gave Sam, but the main reason was the secret he was keeping from her, from everyone. He was one of only a handful of people who knew that Sam's husband was actually still alive. How could he possibly continue to keep something like that from her if they were to move forward together? If only everything was as simple as she thought it was. That's why he planned on stopping their friendship and anything more tonight, though he never wanted to be the one to break her heart again. He hoped that she wasn't already as emotionally invested as he was, but he was pretty sure that wasn't the case.

"Why are you here?"

Patrick lifted his hand to the side of Sam's face. His thumb gently crossed her cheekbone before his hand slowly lowered to rest against her neck. He could see how desperately she needed an answer, but he couldn't give it. Not yet. He just wanted to hold onto to her for as long as possible.

"Dance with me?" Sam blinked in response, confused at his request. "What?"

"Will you dance with me?"

"Right here?"

"Right now."

Sam nodded and shrugged off his jacket, placing it over the railing behind her. She looked at him curiously and placed both of her arms around his neck as his surrounded her waist. After a moment of dancing she rested her head on his chest. As they danced separate from the crowd, the flutters in her heart conflicted with the knot in her stomach. He never gave her an answer.

The hardest part was not knowing why. She knew that he felt the same about her, but something was holding him back. He'd said that he was afraid of being a rebound from Silas, but she was finding that reason hard to believe. He also tried to convince her that he never wanted to lose her as a friend, which was the most clichéd but understandable motivation he gave her. Perhaps it was that Sabrina had gone back to Puerto Rico for an indefinite time, leaving him to mourn their son without her. Or maybe the Robin-sized hole in his heart hadn't had enough time to be repaired. Whatever the reason, Sam was really understanding at first. She wasn't going to try to force him into a relationship with her. But she'd be lying if she said that her feelings weren't real and couldn't lead to true happiness, even if that made her selfish.

So she finally told Patrick that she could no longer pretend that almost-moments and drunken make-outs didn't mean anything. A part of her felt like an idiot for being so honest about her feelings for him, but she couldn't seem to help herself with him.

It had been nearly three weeks since she'd seen him and made the deal: he shows up tonight before the new year starts and lets her know what he decides. If he wanted to pursue this, then they would start a new chapter together and if not, they would just wipe the slate clean, forget any of it ever happened.

She would hold out hope in his arms until the countdown was over if it took that long.

Patrick brought Sam out of her worried thoughts by softly lifting her chin so he could look at her. He smiled affectionately before lowering his head to kiss her. Sam hadn't even realized that they stopped moving. She was only aware of his lips on hers, and the beard she hoped he would never shave again scratching against her. The kiss was slow and long, and still not enough. But Patrick reluctantly let her go. Sam was light-headed and stood with her eyes closed for several moments after. She opened them when she realized he was no longer touching her. He had taken a step back and simply stared at her with his lips parted as if he was struggling to say something. His sad watery whiskey eyes seemed to confirm all she needed. It hit her so suddenly.

"Oh," she gasped. He'd given her an answer.

"Sam," he breathed. She shook her head, not wanting to hear him say it out loud. She thought this would be easier. "Just...just dance with me."

So he wrapped her in his arms again—not as tightly this time—and she rested her head back on chest as they swayed to distant music. Shortly after, an announcement was made and the countdown began.

Ten...nine...eight...

Sam lifted her head and looked at the man she'd secretly fallen in love with.

Six...five...

Patrick wanted to stop the damn clock. Or go back and make it so that he never knew about Jason. He just wanted another chance.

Three...two...one...

Sam tried to suppress her crushed feelings for the moment and lifted herself up to her toes.

Happy New Year!

Sam kissed Patrick's cheek, lingering longer than intended. "Happy New Year," she spoke in his ear. She turned away immediately so he wouldn't see her tears and walked back through the ballroom to make her exit.

Go after her! Patrick thought. He wanted her to stay. He wanted her to come back. None of this was fair. Loving Sam could have been so easy. That wasn't the hard part. The hard part comes when Robin and Jason return. No, this was the best thing he could do for her. What he was doing now hurt Sam, of course, but it was nothing compared to the hurt and betrayal she would feel down the road. Patrick loved her already as his best friend, and he was certain that it'd be impossible to let her go once he fell completely in love with her.

So tell me why we're talking when we dance so good

I know you can't stay

But I wish you would

Yeah, I wish you would

Hello! Random SamTrick one-shot inspired by one of my favorite songs and great scenes between the two lately. Could be talked into a follow-up. For anyone waiting for Enchanted or Baby Dramas, I've had a bit of a block, but hopefully this little SamTrick experiment will help jog some more ideas. I definitely want them finished before I go back to school in the fall. BTW, I decided to pretend that Rafe hasn't gone cray and didn't have anything to do with the accident in this.

ANYWAY, I hope you enjoyed!

~Ashley