Chapter 2

Sleeping on the couch was a bad idea. Her body was screaming as soon as she regained consciousness. Muscles were sore and bones aching. Old injuries were eating at her nerves, her back and knee in particular. She might need her medicine today it seemed. She had put it off for two weeks so far, a new record for her. She hated taking it thought. It helped relieve the pain but it would always make her mind foggy. It made doing normal activities a bother. Everything was harder to accomplish with the meds. She would put it off until it was absolutely needed, just like she normally did.

Sammi took a breath, stretching herself as she lay on the sofa. A few bones popped in her spine, sending a dull pain through her abdomen. Ace had set himself underneath her coffee table, his head near her fallen hand. He never left her side when she slept, her great protector. She cranked her neck to look at him, happy to see that he was still asleep. Usually the dog was up and running about her small apartment at this time. She was grateful for his slumber. Today he decided to sleep in. He did have a late dinner after all.

Dinner. It had been such a long time since Sammi had someone over for dinner, years actually now that she thought about it. Even her aunt Olivia hadn't come over in a while. It wasn't that Olivia didn't want to come over, it was merely the fact Sammi always came over to her place instead. Olivia never minded, but Sammi could tell she was worried. She was always worried about her niece. With everything that had happened some years ago, she had a right to be. Sammi was the only family she had around her now. Same could be said for Sammi. She was grateful for her aunt. She loved her with everything she had.

But now there was Tommy.

She cranked her head up to see her bedroom door above her. The light was off and the door shut. He was still asleep by the looks of it. Good, it looks like he didn't leave after all. She had honestly expected him to try and sneak out after the lights were off. He was good at doing that. The many nights he spent with her when his parents fought, usually ended up with him leaving before she woke the next day. She would just see him at school a couple hours later.

Tommy did have a tendency of thinking he was a burden on others.

That was never the case though, not with her, and certainly not his family. So she didn't know where he got the ridiculous idea from. Tommy always kept to himself growing up. He always held everything he felt inside himself. She used to tell him that he would pop if she didn't let it out sometimes. She used to say that she would pick up his pieced, that it would be his fault if he blew up but that was a lie. Sammi was always there for Tommy. Always. Even when he didn't want her around. She ignored him most of the time when he was like that. He was always so incredible stubborn and sometimes she wanted to hit him upside the head. And sometimes she did. He always stared at her for a second before smirking at her. She always gave him that look. He knew what that meant.

Sammi sighed and stared out her curtain covered window. It was still dark out, the sun's rays barely making their way up into the sky. That was the worst part of working and owning the gym. She had to be up before dawn, at least an hour before. It was two in her case, only because she liked her morning workout, a routine she had since grade school, the days when there was no such thing as responsibility.

Besides, coming from a family of marines, it was normal for everyone to be up at this hour.

The sudden opening of the bedroom door shook her from her thoughts. Sammi instantly turned her head to see Tommy in a tank top and grey sweat pants walking through the open door. She frowned at him when they made eye contact with one another.

"What's wrong?" she asked, instantly rising from her couch. She ignored the pangs in her body as she gazed at her house guest.

"Nah, it's nothing. Just want something to eat if that's cool." Tommy said, rubbing an eye.

She laughed, shaking her head at him. "Something's never change, I see." She stood up, arching her back as she stretched. Tommy watched her through the dim light in the living room. She was a lot smaller than he remembered her to be. She had grown into a woman no doubt, but she was smaller somehow. It made him frown.

"What?" Sammi asked catching his looking.

"Uh, nothing." he responded quickly.

She laughed again. "Nothing is something."

"You okay?"

It was her turn to frown. "Yeah, why?"

"You look different."

"We haven't seen each other for what, fifteen years now? Things change in that time."

"Fourteen, but that's not what I meant." Tommy shook his head. He walked off towards her kitchen, instantly opening the fridge. He pulled out some bread and other things for a sandwich before coming to the table and setting them there. Sammi came to stand on the other side of the small table, smiling as he made his food.

"T, I know what you meant." She sighed. How was it that a man who never said much could speak volumes with just his eyes? He always got what he wanted out of her, without even saying a word. She didn't share much about herself, but with Tommy Conlon those rules flew out the window. She used to silently curse him for it, but like always, her anger never lasted long with him. He would only have to show her that crooked smirk of his and everything would be fine.

"I stopped doing gymnastics a while ago."

he stopped buttering his bread to look up at her. He was obviously shocked by it. Sammi was a gymnast since before they had met. Since she was three years old to be exact. She loved doing back flips and cartwheels up and down the streets. Where ever she found an open areas for her to practice in, she was there. The wrestling mat was a prime example. After practice he would catch her on it, flipping and rolling about. She was a natural and she put everything she had into her sport. She was the best he had ever seen and she had won countless trophies for her skill. It was her passion and her dream to be in the Olympics one day. So why she would stop all of a sudden.

"You were headed to regional when I left, what happened? You didn't make it?"

She shook her head. That was one way of putting it. "No, never did."

Tommy frowned. "The judges were always bastards."

Sammi laughed at his expression as he continued to make his sandwich. That was the truth put lightly. The judges in Gymnastics were always the toughest to win over, everyone knew that. There were countless times she, her coaches, her parents as well as Tommy would throw fits at the calls they made. It was always something stupid too. They marked down for hair, or leotard or whatever they saw fit. It was a bias competition but she loved it.

She checked the time, seeing it was already half past five. Her eyes grew. She had no idea that it was that late already. She wasn't going to have enough time for a good workout today. She groaned and spun around, darting to the bedroom. She hurried to the shower and get over her with her normal morning routine. She was out of her room in a matter of ten minutes, dressed in simple black leggings with a matching tank top she scurried out into the kitchen. Ace still needed to be fed and her morning coffee needed to be made.

But Tommy had already beaten her to it. He was pouring her cup as she stared at him in the kitchen. Ace was happily eating away at his breakfast. That dog would need a run today since he had eaten twice with no exercise. She smiled at how quickly his tail was wagging, but it made her gleeful at how well her two boys were getting along with one another.

She laughed out loud at the thought. Tommy hadn't been home for twenty four hours and she was already calling him her man again. When did that happen? She stared at him as he stood in her small kitchen. He had tattoos covering his arms, different pieces of work littered his skin. He also had one on his right peck, she had seen it earlier. She always pictured him with tattoos growing up, knowing he had an eye for them and would eventually get them. But his size was what intrigued her. He was muscular. Not cut like a body builder but hard and defined through hard knew the type and it made her smile. Like her, he had always been an athlete, wrestling his forte. Growing up he had a lean build, the build of a grappler. Long legs and arms was his how his body had been for years. that was no longer the case. Tommy now had the body of a man, it evident from how developed his shoulders were. They were hard to break away from.

Feeling her eyes on him, Tommy turned to see Sammi leaning back against the kitchen counter behind him, her bare arms crossed casually over her chest. She was smiling at him warmly, her eyes twinkling like they usually did for a reason he still didn't know. He thought over time he would understand women a bit more but he was still as confused as the day he met Samina. He wondered if she would still give affection like she used to, weather it be a kiss on the cheek or a hug from behind. She was giving him that look again.

"Made you some coffee."

"Thank you, you didn't have to." she said coming to stand next to him. He could smell the shampoo from her damp hair.

"I think it's fair, since you made dinner last night." Tommy responded, sliding over her coffee. He even poured it in her favorite mug, her black Steelers one. This guy...

She stared into the dark liquid as they fell into silence, Ace drinking his water the only noise they could hear. He was a loud drinker.

"You barely slept last night."

"Ah, couple hours is what I usually have. Besides, tomorrow is my day off, I'll sleep in then." She smiled. Her eyes found his when a thought popped into her head.

"Since you're up and all, wanna come to work with me?" She grinned. It faded when he looked away from her. "But if you have something else to do, I get it."

Tommy did have something else to do. He needed to see his dad. He didn't want to but that's where he was headed last night before he ran into her. Paddy Conlon. Tommy wanted nothing to do with the old vet. After everything the man did to his family, did to his mother, he would never forgive him. They had travel so far from Pittsburgh, even going north once they hit the pacific. His mom couldn't put enough distance between them and his father, even though she loved him with everything she had. She just couldn't take it anymore, taking the punches and the screaming Paddy's alcohol brought on. And for that, Tommy would never forgive him. Him and Brendan.

Sammi could see the change in Tommy's shoulders, the tension that resided in his muscles. He was thinking of the past. She knew of his parents fights, she thanked her parents everyday that they never fought like that. She thanked her brothers for never letting her down like Tommy's had. She had seen the pain in his eyes when he told her that Brendan wasn't coming, the betrayal in them made her cry. Tommy needed his big brother, but he chose to stay. Stay because of a girl. in all honesty, she didn't blame Brendan, she knew he was in love with Tess. They got married and have two adorable little girls now. They looked like their mother, but they had their Ms. Conlon's eyes. A piece of his mother always stayed with Brendan after all.

"How bout I meet you there."

She smirked, nodding. "Yeah that's fine. I better get going though. If I don't get at least some sort of a workout in, it would be a very long day for me, not to mention the people I work around. Last thing I need is to murder my gym." she turned around and grabbed her bag, the same one from last night. She darted off towards her room again, grabbing a change of clothing. her medication was on the dresser, staring right back at her.

Not today...

She practically ran out of the room upon seeing that it was six on the spot. She hopped on one leg as she put on her shoes. Tommy was still in the kitchen, leaning on the counter top as he stare at her. He had a frown on his brow when their eyes met.

"You're not gonna eat?"

"Nah, I don't have time right now, T." she said grabbing an over sized shirt out of her bag. She scurried back into the kitchen, quickly drinking her black coffee. Not the way she liked it, but she didn't have time to be fussy, she just needed to the caffeine anyways. She dumped her mug in the steel sink before turning to Ace. Her doberman had an anxious look in his dark eyes. He wanted out. She laughed at him, kissing his the top of his furry head.

"You wanna come with me today?" She asked him. "No biting though."

Ace barked silently, obviously knowing what she meant. She nodded and turned to Tommy smiling. She leaned over, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek. She barely missed his bottom lip, thanks to her last minute change of mind. She had to control her self. It was a little too easy to get back into their groove once more. But things had changed. Tommy and Sammi had changed since they met last. Life didn't stop for either of them and it sure wasn't stop now.

"Bye Tiger." She whispered before darting out the apartment.

Sam had enough time for a quick workout, thankfully. She stretched and did basic workouts mostly, pushups, pullups and crunches was all the time and her body would allow. She had run here which made Ace happy. Her sleeping on the couch had stiffened her body more than she would have liked. But now she was loose and ready for the day ahead. Upon entering her gym, she stared at the vastness of it. It had changed since she bought it. New paint, new equipment and even some renovations. She added a gymnastics room in the back where she taught kids and her self defense classes. She had conjoined them with a single set of double doors. It was more efficient that way. The front room, this room was the place where majority of the men took over anyway, kids and woman alike weren't exactly comfortable with their workouts especially with how it was now. Growing up it had been boxing and wrestling. But all practice in the Mixed Martial Arts now. The leading fighter was none other than Pete 'Mad Dog' Grimes, number one contender in the world for the middleweight belt. Because he trained at her gym, he had to pay rent, him as his manager Colt Boyd. She smiled as she turned the lights on. Rent was due today.

When six-forty-five hit, Fenroy was standing at the door, banging on the glass. Standing at five-foot-eleven, Fenroy, or Roy as she called him was her one and only employee here. Not many were needed to run this place, thankfully. He was a great employee anyways. She didn't need anyone else. He was of Korean decent, born and raised here in Pittsburgh like her. He was an up and coming fighter too but he lacked one thing she was glad he didn't have, an ego.

She sighed as she stared at him through her open door. Her office on the left side of the front desk, allowed her to see who came through the front. She smirked from her chair and walked over to the front door. She nodded to him when he came through. They would be open in fifteen minutes.

"Mornin boss."

"Good morning, Roy." She replied, locking the door again. She watched him set his workout bag on the front desk. He rubbed his hands together vigorously, obviously trying to warm them.

"It's not that cold." she teased.

"Yeah it is. I had to walk here today."

"Oh no, what a nightmare."

He stared at her, his brown eyes growing wide. "Sorry, forgot you don't drive."

She shook her head at him as she walked by. Passing through the gym she turned on the air conditioning. Though it was chili outside, it would be a furnace in here once people were in here. Not to mention smelly. Too bad there were no windows that opened in here. That would have helped. Perhaps she would get some when the next renovation happened. Definitely something to think about.

It was one in the afternoon when Tommy came by. He had a smirk on his lips as he came through the front door. She had changed the name of the gym, calling it 'The Forge'. Sammi was such a goof sometimes.

Fenroy was sitting in front of a laptop as he undid the bindings of his hands. He had gotten in a workout earlier because it had been slow. People usually flooded in after lunch and then again at rush hour. He had time and Sammi had let him. She was a pretty flexible boss and let him do things when it was slow. It was better than his old job, where he had to clean toilets non stop.

"Hey man," the young man greeted.

Tommy nodded. He was checking out the area behind the desk man. The gym had changed a lot since the last time he been here. Sammi did a great job with the place. There was never this man people here at one time when they were younger. Fitzy would be proud.

"So uh, how's this work?"

Fenroy instantly grabbed a short card and a small pencil before slapping it in front of Tommy on the desk.

"Get a locker for thirty-five bucks a month. We open at seven, lights out at eleven. If you're interested, put your name and info on the card and then sign the waiver."

Tommy nodded. He didn't know if he wanted to join the gym but since Sammi worked and owned the place, why not. He grabbed the card and pencil and walked off towards the side where the posters were pinned up. The first thing that met his eyes was the long poster of a fighter, 'Mad Dog". He frowned at it. He didn't like the way the guy looked. He knew that look and most if not all the time, it was just that, a look. There was nothing behind the man's eyes, nothing but ego. He ignored it and began writing in the info card he had been given, putting it up against the poster wall. As he finished writing his information down, another poster caught his eye. 'Sparta was written in big bold yellow lettering, but beneath it was peaked his interest. It was a tournament and the purse was five million bucks. He froze at the number before reading into the poster. He could do that. That gave him a determination he hadn't had in a while. It made him smile. It had been decided.

Tommy came back to the desk, handing his information and the waiver back to the young man. Again, just like before Tommy began scoping out the gym area behind Fenroy. His eye darted from one area to another. They fell onto a set of steel doors in the far back.

"You looking for someone?"

"Yeah me," Sammi replied from her office door frame. She had on a long peach skirt, flowing to her bare feet and a white tank top on. Her hair was pulled up in to a high ponytail, it ending at the small of her back. She had changed and showered from her workout earlier. Though it wasn't an attire for a gym, it was an attire she was used to. She taught others, not worked out herself. She had the leniency to dress as such. She smiled and came forward.

Both men turned to the young woman, smile on her lips. They had no idea how long she had been standing there.

"You okay?"

Tommy nodded quickly, staring between her and Fenroy. Fenroy was doing to same to him and his boss.

"Roy, this is Tommy... Tommy, Fenroy." She giggled as she introduced them to each other. She crossed her arms as they simply nodded at one another. Men...

She stared at the card in front of Roy. "He sign up."

"Yup just did, we just need the locker fee."

"Waive it."

Fenroy turned her confused.

"He's an old friend." She smiled.

Roy nodded. Sammi was the boss, she could do that if she wanted to. Besides, he wasn't one to complain about it. She did the same for him anyways. He just shrugged a shoulder and set his card in with the rest of the contacts.

She turned to Tommy, raising an eyebrow at him. "You sign a waiver?"

He nodded.

"Good, though I doubt you will need it. One can't be too careful." She smiled. "Come on, I'll show you around."

"Hey Sammi, can I take my lunch soon?"

She turned to Roy and thought about it. "Yeah, lemme give him a tour and then I'll be back to cover you."

"Sounds good, thanks."

Sammi led Tommy through the gym, pointing out equipment, the locker room, the ring, things he would normally need when working out here. There were various places where he would feel right at home. Though the place was packed, it still had corners where he could work out in peace. His heart began to race with an excitement he hadn't felt in a while.

Sammi noticed the look in his eyes as he took the place in. She smiled, happy that he looked pleased and ready to start his work out. When they were younger, she would always stay after her own practice to watch him train, either here or at school. He was entirely focused on his training that she never bothered him. His dad was always there too, but it never seemed to matter. She was there for Tommy. She wanted him to know she was there to support him, to help keep him going. But now things were different. They weren't in school. He wasn't wrestling for the goal anymore either. She had a gym to run and she wasn't gonna get the chance to watch him train or work out. A part of her was a little sad by that. The part of her that wanted to watch her man work out.

She needed a cold shower.

"You did good." Tommy said after the tour.

"Thanks, I did what I could." She shrugged. "Why don't you go on and start training, or working out, or whatever it is you do."

Tommy smirked as he nodded. He was anxious about that. She patted his upper arm as she walked away from him. She still had to relieve Fenroy for his lunch. Speaking of which, she was starving. She decided to grab a bit from her small fridge in her office before letting him go. At least she had something to munch on while she covered for him. All she had in there was an apple. She needed to grocery shopping. She would do that tomorrow since it was her day off. She could do it after her appointment.

"All right you, go on. You got an hour, make it count."

"You bet, thanks boss. You want anything while I'm out?"

Sammi shook her head, lying. "No thank you. I'll be fine. See ya Roy."

He nodded and ran out the door. She shook her head and sat down in the seat Roy had once occupied. She leaned back and sighed. It was half past one now and she could feel her energy draining as she sat there silently. It was a bad idea for her to sit right now, considering she was running on fumes at the moment but her back was acting up today. She needed to relieve the pressure from it. Teaching defense classes in the morning was rigorous especially since they were practicing how to throw an opponent. She didn't get the option of not volunteering. She was the instructor anyways.

"Earth to Sammi... Come in Sammi... Sam!"

Sammi was startled out of her thoughts by someone yelling at her. She stared up at the man now standing in front of her on the opposite side of the desk holding a white plastic bag. She smiled.

"Sorry Jack, was caught up with something."

"You're always caught up with something. What happened to you last night, I thought you were gonna met me after work?"

"Yeah, sorry about that too." She sighed. "Damn, I was really tired last night, and..." Sammi stopped mid sentence, thinking about her next words carefully. She couldn't tell Jack about Tommy just yet. How could she? Yeah, my ex-boyfriend, my first love is showed up and we reconnected in a way. Yeah, that sounded great. Especially to a guy she just stared dating after knowing him for a year. He was gonna think she was still hung up on Tommy. She shook her head, feeling a dull headache coming on with the situation.

"And what?" Jack asked, watching her with confusion.

"And I... crashed on the couch, didn't even make it to bed. Like I said, dog tired." She lied, right through her teeth. Tommy what are you doing to me?