Fallout

Chapter 4

Written by Karen

After Stefano had ordered both of his younger sons to sit back down EJ had to be certain to keep his emotions from playing out upon his face. The mini lecture Tony had given him and Chad while their father was out of the room taking a call was more than enough for him to hear. It wasn't like he was some errant child who didn't understand things.

Tony being the eldest DiMera sibling easily took the lead after Stefano had requested Chad and EJ return to their seats at the dining room table. "Father, what did you wish to speak to us about? I had already told the boys they were to look after Sami as she begins Salem High. They agreed they would protect her just as they would Lexie or Kristen."

"Thank you son," Stefano smiled, Anthony always could see the big picture in the scheme of things, and this was a prime example of it. He also knew Tony could be a little bit more prolific in speaking with EJ and Chad while he hadn't been present in the room. Hopefully his eldest son had driven the point across to them both in a way they could understand without him having to reiterate certain facts to them. The most important of them being they were to treat Roman's daughter with the upmost respect and care.

Stefano explained a few more things for his boys to do. They were all to make sure to help Samantha acclimate at school. EJ and his sisters would also make a schedule of providing her a way to and from school as they did for Chad since he wasn't of driving age yet either.

EJ knew the way of the world, being a DiMera his family had several privileges afforded in life that most did not. He had friends, a few he trusted, more he didn't for as his father had told him several times many people only wanted to get close to them because of the money and power. While EJ wasn't yet privy to the business dealings of his father's empire, one day he would be working hand in hand with his brothers and sisters to continue on the legacy their father was working for them now.

Do not look upset, EJ reminded himself even if Tony and now his father were making him feel like he was a flipping idiot who did not know how to treat a girl. Of course he would look after Samantha when they were at school and at home too. He glanced over at Chad momentarily to see if he was feeling the same way, but at the moment he had his head bowed slightly as if he were trying to assimilate everything their father was going over with them.

Finally their father's lecture was over and while a part of EJ was glad he was finished speaking with them, he also realized Tony would be leaving to go back to college tonight. His arrival had been a welcome sight for EJ even if he hadn't liked some of the things Tony had told him and Chad after their father had momentarily left the room earlier.

"Let us adjourn to the library for a few minutes before Anthony has to return to Stanford," Stefano ushered his boys into the opulent room, one that was a favorite of all of his children.

EJ was glad to leave the dinner table and apparently Chad was too even if his younger brother stopped his progression from the table to retrieve the towel he had left beside his chair so that Mary would not have to gather it later when she was cleaning up from the dinner they had just partaken in together. Stefano smiled without commenting, for all the rambunctiousness of his children, he had managed to instill in them good manners. None of them were disrespectful to any of the servants who worked in the mansion.

When they had all entered the library, Stefano closed the door behind them. "Just remember sons, I know you may think I'm being overly strict about Samantha, but she is family now and she will be treated as if she were my own child, as you all are my children. We are on the same page over what expectations I have for your behavior concerning this matter?"

"Yes sir," all three voices answered simultaneously.

"Good, now as for Anthony, I will miss you as I know we all will while you are away at college. Be sure to keep your mind on your studies and not the young women."

"I know how important it is for me to complete my education, without being sidetracked," Tony stressed as he answered his father. While there was one girl he had met at Stanford that stood out from the rest, he still wasn't ready to bring her home to meet the family.

"We will miss you," EJ stated as Tony pulled him into a hug and then gave one to Chad, who seemed to be on the verge of tears again even if he was pretending he wasn't upset his oldest brother was leaving tonight.

Lastly Tony went to hug his father, "I love you Father."

"You as well my son. Be safe and we will see you when you have a holiday from school." It wasn't a question of whether or not Tony would come home and all the occupants in the room knew it. When their father wanted something they all obeyed him. Tony made his departure telling his father to explain to the girls he needed to leave to get back to Stanford before it was any later.

While EJ was going to obey his father as he always did, he still had plans to go see Samantha. His father hadn't forbade him to go tell Samantha goodnight and that was exactly what he was going to do a little later on before he went to bed.

Kristen eyed Sami curiously, "So when you say you run does this mean cross-country running, track team running or just plain out Forest Gump running?"

"Forest Gump running?" Sami asked quite confused with Kristen's last part of the question.

"You know, like are we going to have to be screaming Run Sami Run and then put up a banner to tell you when to stop running? Or would you run across the country gathering various strangers along the way to follow you on some weird Odyssey journey?"

Lexie deadpanned, "If you can't already tell Kristen loves the movie Forest Gump, she has watched it over 100 times and knows every freaking line of the movie."

Kristen rolled over so quickly on Sami's bed to push Lexie off from where she was sitting that it surprised Sami over how agile the girl could be when she put her mind to it. She hopped off the bed and stood over her sister she had knocked unto the floor. "For your information Lexie, I've only watched it ninety-eight times. Have you ever seen it Sami?"

Sami shook her head no only to hear Kristen exclaim, "Oh my god, you've never watched one of the best movies ever made? Tom Hanks was superb. He won a freaking Oscar for his performance! He's only one of five actors to ever win back to back Oscars."

Lexie managed to pick herself off the floor and plop back on Sami's bed, "Kristen is a little extreme sometimes in her movie trivia, but she doesn't hold a candle to EJ."

"EJ watches chick flicks even if he denies it," Kristen said in a lower tone of voice as if her brother could be listening to their conversation which knowing him he probably was lurking around somewhere. "Plus he even cries watching them sometimes."

Lexie lowered her voice as well, "He does, but don't tell EJ we told you or he will find some way to get back at us."

"EJ along with Chad are notorious for pranks, but at least they have calmed them down a little since Tony left to go to college."

"Did Tony do the pranks too?" Sami asked wondering how all the siblings interacted with one another.

Lexie shook her, "No, he was usually the recipient of the pranks."

"He would curse them a blue streak, until finally he recruited us to retaliate against them."

"We are the reigning champions right now, but we shouldn't push our luck Kristen."

Kristen pointed to Sami, "We have a new member on our team, our sister Sami. So when the time is right we are going to pull a huge prank on EJ and Chad. Will you help us Sami?"

Once again with the casual reference to her being their sister caught Sami off guard, but in a good way. It was nice to feel included for once instead of being on the outside looking in, she grinned, "Okay."

"You are awesome!" Kristen went up to high five Sami before she realized her hands were still tender, it made for an awkward moment, then Kristen swooped her hands over Sami's head instead and danced away around the room. "We'll do the high five another time."

"Sure," Sami agreed as Kristen headed to the door.

"I guess we will let you get some sleep," Lexie added as she got up from Sami's bed and walked to the door behind Kristen.

"Wait!" Kristen held up her hands in the air as if to stop them all from moving. Sami and Lexie eyed Kristen curiously until she spoke. "You never answered my question. What type of runner are you?"

"Cross-country," Sami answered shyly.

"Damn! I was hoping you were going to say you ran like Forest Gump. Lexie and I make bad ass banners."

Lexie rolled her eyes at Kristen, "I make the banners, and you mainly jump around the room trying to tempt the girls in the cheerleading squad into some kind of trouble. Now let's allow Sami to get some sleep."

Kristen mouthed to Sami above Lexie's head that she was no fun, but when Lexie turned to face her she just looked angelic.

"Night little sis." They both said as they walked out the door, leaving Sami all alone in her new bedroom.

Sami wished they would have stayed longer even if she was kind of sleepy. For a little while Lexie and Kristen had made her forget about all the bad things that happened, but she knew as soon as she tried to close her eyes she would see it replay all over again and again.