Lucky tugged at the collar of his jacket, attempting to get a little more reprieve from the harsh winter weather. He was on his way home from having dinner with Ethan at Kelly's. His car was broken down and he figured it wouldn't be too bad of a walk. He just didn't account for staying out so late and the temperature dropping below ten degrees. He shoved his hands into his pockets and came upon the pier. He stopped when he saw her standing on the edge, staring off into the harbor. She was still, neither the wind nor the cold seeming to affect her, which it should, he thought, given the small coat she wore. From her profile he could see her troubled expression. He slowly made his way to her side. She didn't seem to notice him.
"Sam?" Still no answer. He hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder. She finally turned to him. At first, it was like she didn't even recognize him. The apparent agony on her face struck him, as did the dullness of her eyes. She blinked a few times before turning her attention back to the water.
"Hey, Lucky," she said.
"Hey," he said questioningly. "What are you doing out here?"
She took a long, deep breath. "Just thinking."
"And you couldn't think anywhere warmer? You're gonna freeze out here."
She let out a dry chuckle. "No, I'm not that lucky."
He was even more concerned now. The look she had in her eyes and the way she spoke eerily reminded him of being on the hospital roof with Elizabeth, when she…
"Hey, you want me to walk you home?"
"And where would that be?"
"Sam? Look, just let me walk you back to the Penthouse. I'm sure Jason's worried about you."
"Of course he is. He's always worried about me. He always wants to help me, make everything better. He never learns that he can't make everything better."
Lucky walked in front of cautiously, distancing her from the water. Sam looked down towards their feet.
"I don't belong there," she whispered.
Lucky now had both hands on her arms. "Sam, what's wrong? Please, let me help you."
She slowly looked at him. Lucky felt like he was looking at a ghost.
"I don't deserve that either. You're always trying to help me too. Why don't you just leave me alone?" She looked off to the distance again. "Everyone should leave me alone."
"Sam…" his heart was breaking for her. "Please, at least let me take you home."
Her eyes began to mist. "I can't. I just can't."
She let out a shattering sob and collapsed into Lucky's arms.
"It's not fair!" she gasped out between breaths. "It's not fair! I tried so hard…"
After a few minutes, Lucky had dragged her over to the nearest bench. She stayed in his arms even after they were seated.
"I'm sorry," she said once her crying died down. She took her bare hands and wiped away the remaining tears.
"Don't be. I told you I would always be here for you, and I meant it."
She sighed. "I know."
After letting him hold her for a few moments longer, Sam broke the silence.
"I'm pregnant."
Lucky looked down at her in shock. Here she was, finally about to get the single most coveted miracle in her life, and she was at the lowest he had ever seen her.
"Sam, that's great. I know how much you wanted this. But what's wrong? I would think that you'd be celebrating with your husband over this."
"I haven't told him yet."
"Why not? Did you just find out?"
"No. I've known for a couple of weeks now. I just haven't seen Jason in a while."
"Oh. Is he out of town, or…?"
Sam sat up so she could face Lucky. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words just wouldn't come out. She looked down at her hands and tried again.
"Lucky…I haven't lived in the Penthouse basically since we got back from our honeymoon. I've only talked to Jason a few times over the phone. Other than that, we don't really speak."
Lucky really couldn't believe what he was hearing. After everything that Jason and Sam had been through, he honestly expected them to be in it for the long haul. Everyone did. He had witnessed firsthand how much they loved each other. He still didn't think Jason deserved her, but he made her happy. Well, obviously he wasn't making her happy anymore. He'd seen her crushed by Jason before, and he was there to help pick up the pieces. He vowed long ago to never let that happen again. But apparently he was too late.
"Well what happened between your non-wedding and the honeymoon to cause you to move out?"
"Actually, I never really moved in. Everything just moved so fast before we got married that I never got the chance. But when we got back, I couldn't stay there…"
"Do you want to tell me what happened?"
She placed her hand over her stomach, and then quickly removed it. She looked into Lucky's eyes. Hers were forming tears again. She took a shaky breath.
"It might not be Jason's."
Now he didn't even know what to think to say. Sam cheated on Jason? He seriously doubted that she would ever do that. But how else?
"Sam…I'm sorry," was all he could come up with.
"I know what you're thinking," she said a bit harshly. "You're wondering if Jason kicked me out for being such a slut. I don't bla—"
"Hey, that's not what I was thinking."
She searched his blue eyes for any signs of deception, but then softened her gaze when she realized how ridiculous she was being. This was Lucky.
"How are you? I mean, obviously you're not okay…sorry."
"No, it's alright. I'm not okay. With my luck, the baby will most likely be…"
Lucky saw her already dark brown eyes grow even darker.
"Sam?"
"It's my own fault. I should have listened to Carly. I should have listened to Jason. I got what I deserved."
"What? What is it you think you deserved?"
Sam placed her hands over her belly again.
"Franco…" she whispered.
Lucky's eyes widened. Franco? What the hell did he have to do with anything? Logically, Lucky already knew what Sam was telling him; Franco could be the father of her child. But he just couldn't accept this. This shouldn't be happening. Not to Sam.
"What do you mean? Sam, I know you didn't…I…what happened?"
"Let's just say, Franco enjoyed our honeymoon more than we did."
Lucky recognized that detached tone and those hollow eyes.
He didn't know who he was more pissed off at, Franco for hurting her or Jason for letting it happen.
"Does Jason know?" he asked her.
She slowly nodded her head. "I should have left Hawaii when Carly came to warn us. I shouldn't have been a bitch to her about trying to ruin our time together. I should have gone to see a doctor like Jason wanted. I should have been smarter."
Sobs were once again racking Sam's body. Lucky pulled her closer with one arm and placed his free hand over hers.
"I've waited so long for this. I just wanted my own child to hold. And now I'm getting exactly what I asked for."
"Sam, stop it. You did not ask for Franco to rape you." Her cries got louder at the word. "You did not deserve that. But you do deserve this child."
Sam pulled away again and looked up at him in horror.
"But the baby, if it's not Jason's—"
"Then it'll be yours. This is your baby Sam. And I know that you'll be a great mother either way. And I'm sure that Jason will be by your side every step of the way."
"Not if it's not his. I can't do that to him. Not again."
"If he loves you—truly loves you—then he will stand by you no matter what. And if he doesn't…" Lucky didn't want to believe that Jason would turn his back on his wife for something that happened to her because of him. But he also knew the damning emotional consequences that came with being violated in such a way. It was possible that Sam and Jason could drift apart because of this.
Either way, Lucky would make sure that she was taken care of. "If he doesn't, you'll have me."
Sam looked at him skeptically. For a moment, she considered whether or not she could ever ask Lucky to raise another man's child. Again. Could she turn his life upside down because she couldn't stand to be alone? Because she couldn't have the person she wanted?
She sighed. "Lucky, I appreciate that, but I would never expect you to complicate your life for me anymore. I just…I need…"
Lucky searched her eyes and automatically knew the word she was searching for. "You need Jason," he said matter-of-factly.
Sam casts her eyes down, embarrassed at how weak that made her sound. But it was true. Jason was the love of her life and she didn't think she could ever allow herself to be with anyone else.
"It's okay, Sam. I wouldn't want to try to replace him. I just want you to know that anytime you need a friend, I'm here. I mean, I think after all we've been through, we can count on each other for pretty much anything."
Sam tried to smile at his kind words. It was true; she knew she could count on Lucky. But she needed Jason, and she needed him to be the father of her child. She needed to be able to escape Franco.
"I think you should tell him," Lucky spoke after a moment of silence. Before she could protest, he continued: "Waiting to tell him won't make it any easier, Sam, and you know that. He won't be angry with you. We both already know that he'll be supportive every step of the way. You just have to not let your own fear or paranoia get in the way. Besides, nothing's set in stone yet, not until you know…"
"Not until I know for sure that I'm carrying Satan's child. I know you're right, Lucky. But I'm just so used to not having the good stuff last—"
"That's exactly what I'm talking about. Don't get caught up in what-ifs. I know you've gone through so much crap in your life, but you made it through. And don't try to tell me that the 'good stuff' never lasts. You thought that you would never have a real family, but you do. You and your mother and sisters love and would do anything for each other, and that will never change. Your friends—Maxie, Spinelli, me—will always stay loyal to you. You found love, even after you were sure that you didn't deserve it. And now, you have the one thing that everyone said you would never get: a child of your own. A child that will love you unconditionally, that will look to you for all the answers, and will make life just that much easier to live. And if the baby does turn out to be Franco's, never forget that. You deserve to be happy, Sam. And you will be one day, I promise."
Sam let the tears flow now. She'd promised herself long ago that she would not let all the negative things in her life hold her back. Just when she was about to give up, Lucky came along and reminded her of that promise.
She sat up to face him directly. "Lucky, I just want you to know that I am so grateful to have you in my life. I honestly don't know where I would be—what kind of person I would be—if I didn't have you. You made me stronger. When I felt like my life was over years ago, you rescued me, just like you did today. You made me believe that I can be a good person. If it wasn't for you—"
"I hardly think I made that much of an impact. You just needed someone to listen to you, and so did I. You helped me just as much as you think I helped you."
Sam rolled her eyes at Lucky's modesty. He never did see what other people admired about him. Hopefully, one day, he would meet someone who could truly show him. That's what he deserved, not the drama and heartbreak that she, Elizabeth, and Siobhan had brought him.
"Fine, don't believe me. But thank you, Lucky. For everything."
"Anytime, Sam. Don't forget that."
"I won't."
Lucky cautiously put a hand on her arm, put she pushed it away and embraced him fully. "Thank you," she said again. With that, Sam took a deep breath, resolving that it was finally time to go home.
A/N: so that was kind of a crappy ending, but I wrote this a while ago and kind of forgot about it. And I don't know what it is, but I really like a real friendship between Sam and Lucky (JJ's version, since I didn't start watching until after GV's Lucky and Sam broke up). Still, I hope you enjoyed.