"Hey Sammy! How're the old set of lungs doin'?" My dad was never worried and always up-beat. It was nice to see a happy face.

"Well, I'm alive, aren't I?" I smirked.

My dad burst out into a round of deep belly laughs that echoed throughout the tiny room.

"That's my girl, Sammy!" He playfully ruffled my hair.

I grinned bigger than I thought I could manage.

"So whadda ya say? You ready to get out of this stuffy white room?"

The nurse guffawed, or so I thought.

"Sure am." I sounded more tired than I thought.

"You want me to carry you again?" Blaine chuckled.

"Who's this young fella, Sammy?" Dad eyed him cautiously. He had never been good with dating and the accompanying problems it presented.

"Oh, this is Blaine. He brought me to the office after I, umm, passed out. Blaine, this is my dad, Dave."

"Oh, well it's nice to meet ya, boy." I could tell by the look on his weathered face that he was glad Blaine wasn't my boyfriend. He thrust out a burly hand towards him.

"Like-wise Mr. Stalworth." He smiled politely and grasped my fathers' hand.

"Hoo, that's quite the grip you've got there, boy!" He pulled his hand back and flexed it a few times, as if to make sure it still works.

Blaine just stood still and smiled politely, "Thank-you sir."

"Come on Sammy! Little Jim's awaitin' at home fer ya!"

The mention of our Daschund made me laugh. He was forever chasing his tail, which made him look like a furry black spinning donut.

After the nurse disconnected me from my myriad of cords I walked out of the hospital on my cooked spaghetti legs. Must be the after-affect of some drug they gave me.

Blaine was careful not to touch me while my parents were walking with us to the car, but he remained fairly close, which pleased me.

My parents turned the corner of the hospital, and Blaines' hand grabbed my elbow, pulling me back towards him.

" So, when do you predict you'll feel able-bodied enough to lend me your presence for a light evening meal?" A smirk flashed across his face.

Woah there! I don't speak late 1890's, pal! "Umm, what?"

"When do you want to go to dinner with me?" He re-stated, chuckling all the while.

Oh, only everyday of my natural life. "Tonight's good."

"Are you sure you feel up to it?"

"Definitely." I'd go anywhere with you, even if I were laying on my death bed. Well, technically then I'd roll with you anywhere.

"Won't Dave and Brenda be worried?"

How did you- oh. Mom probably told him her name while I was still out.

"I hope not." I muttered under my breath, "They should be fine with it, seeing as you are my hero, so to speak."

"Alright. Say I pick you up at eight?"

What?! No! That's seven hours away! That's cruel and unusual punishment, Blaine. I scowled in my head.

"Or we could just go now and have a late lunch." I reached for his tawny hand and twined his fingers in-between mine.

He looked into my eyes and the butterflies began to swim again.

"That could always be arranged." He smiled and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "Give me five seconds and I'll convince your parents, alright?"

"Okay, but let me warn you, my dad isn't all that into boys or me going out with them-"

And just like that he was gone, leaving me alone and my hand empty.

Oh, I hope dad says yes! But knowing dad, probably not. He didn't even let me go to the park with Chad and his family when I was 9, never mind being 17 and going out to dinner with a guy I just met!

The crunch of snow told me that someone was coming. I looked up, but saw no one. It's just the drugs wearing off, Sam. No need to freak out.

A low growl came from behind me and I turned only to have a pair of glacial eyes stare into mine. I inhaled and was about to scream when a large hand covered my mouth and someone began to laugh. Relief flooded my veins but was soon replaced with annoyance,

"Blaine!" I squawked, my voice rising to a soprano.

He stepped closer to me and wrapped his arms around me, still shaking with laughter.

"That wasn't very funny." I pouted, folding my arms around his waist, which was taught with muscles.

"It wasn't your right." He was serious. "No, you're wrong! It was very funny!" He broke out into another fit, and his stomach rubbed against mine.

It felt like steel, except that it was warm and flat, covered by a layer of heavenly bronze skin.

I suddenly remembered my parents. I gasped. How long have we been standing here? I mentally groaned. They're gonna kill me!

I received a squeeze and felt a pair of hands snaking their way down to my lower back, where they rested. My breathing stopped. They then backtracked up my spine, sending shocks of pleasure throughout my body. They traced along my shoulders and to my hands, where they intertwined themselves, settling.

"So, you ready to go?"

My head snapped up. "He said yes?" I asked incredulously.

"Mmhmm." He smiled and moved our hands between us. "Where would you like to go?"

Eeehhh! Dad, I love you! I wanted to jump up and down like a little schoolgirl, but decided that it would look silly.

I shrugged. "Surprise me."

He started walking and went silent. I looked up and saw that he had his eyes closed. Is he okay? Maybe he's sleeping. But he's walking! It's called 'sleepwalking' Sam! Sheesh. I often had these conversations with myself, and I was thankful that no one could read my mind.

A smile cracked his face and his eyes opened. I smiled back, but more in confusion than anything else.

"Hole."

"Wha-"

My foot came out from under me and my knee buckled at the same time. Strong arms grabbed my waist before I hit the ground.

"I said, 'hole'." He pulled me up and wrapped his arms around my waist snugly and leaned his head on my shoulder.

A breeze flew by and wrapped me in shivers.

"Cold?" The whisper gave my even more goosebumps.

"A 'lil."

"How hungry are you?"

"Not at all, actually." This is weird; usually I'm starving by now.

He led me towards the a grove of trees across the street.

"Put your hood on." He instructed.

"Why?" I was baffled.

He sighed and pulled it over my head for me, then lead me through the trees dense until we came into a little clearing, maybe ten feet across and not much longer. The sun shone brightly through a hole in the canopy, leaving no snow unmelted on the ground below. There was a large blue quilt on the grass with a few pillows scattered here and there with a blue tarp in the corner, attached to four trees to provide some shelter from the weather.

"What do you think?"

"It's beautiful," Like you, but a blanket can't hug me the way you do. "How'd you know about this place?"

"I come here a lot, even as a kid this was my favorite place to go to, just to escape. It gives me a place to think."

I spied a small pile of snow that had inched just out of the suns' reach and grabbed it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Blaine cautioned.

"Do what?" I gazed at him wide-eyed and hoped I looked innocent.

"You'll regret it." Smirking, he turned away and walked to the blanket, carrying it under the tarp, then walking back and collecting the pillows and also put them under the tarp. He smoothed out the blanket and leaned the pillows neatly on the rock at the back of the tarp, acting as a back wall while dense bushes and close-knit trees acted as sidewalls.

I crept forward, hoping he wouldn't notice. The snow was biting into my bare hands. Okay Blaine, get ready for a pelting! I had always beat every guy on the playground in grade six during snowball fights, and I had only gotten better. It's not bragging when you know it's true.

He had let down the front and sides of the tarp, so it now looked more like an actual hut than just a roof with trees around it.

I took another step and a half in his direction. Two more and I should be in the perfect range to hit him square in the back.

He knelt down to fasten the tarp to a root sticking out of the ground.

I took this opportunity to bound forward. My arm extended and wrist flicked, releasing the icy ball of death into the calm air. I was right, it hit him square in the back.

"Strike! Your out!" I yelled, laughing in victory.

"You really shouldn't have done that, Samantha." He turned and glared at me.

My laughing didn't stop though, I was having too much fun. I heard the snow crunch and looked to see if Blaine had decided to retaliate. He was gone. I looked around me, turning a full 360 degrees. Nothing. I walked cautiously over to the tarp, seeing if he had hid behind it. I knelt and picked up another handful of forgotten snow, just incase he jumped out at me.