Rachel charged into her room and slunk to the floor in an absolute mess. It had been a long chaotic week and she reached her breaking point when Reverend Connell stepped in her office to say that Mrs. Bell was going out of town and she would have to arrange her grade's service by herself.
"No!" she cried at him. "That's not fair. She did this to me last year and you assured me I wouldn't have to do that again."
"I'm sorry," he shrugged, "The service was fine last year, and it will go by fine this year too."
That's not the point she wanted to scream at him. "Isn't there someone else who can help me out?"
"I asked around but everyone is busy with the festival coming up."
"Well then can someone take over my festival duties so I can work on this?"
He stared at her as if she spoke another language. "I see what I can do." She knew what that really meant. It meant now she had a whole service to arrange alone, on top of arranging activities for the festival, on top of helping her mother with the family gathering for the upcoming baby, on top of getting things for her sister's ever growing shower. She managed to wait until the Reverend left before she broke down sobbing on her desk.
She didn't really remember the drive home. She knew she ran out of the church unable to breathe in her little office, and then the next thing she was slamming her bedroom door. Her face was soaked in tears and snot and she couldn't stop crying. She tried to focus on the flowery scent in the room to calm her down. Sam's flowers were where she left them sitting by the window catching the setting sun. They were starting to wilt but Rachel tried to keep them alive as long as possible.
She missed Sam. She missed sitting by his side holding his hand. She missed talking to him and often replayed the conversations they had in her head trying, like with the flowers, to hold on to them as long as possible. It was well over a week and still she was in disbelief that he really kissed her. She was angry with herself that she had lost the taste of it, but every now and then she swore she could feel it still there like a tickle. That little kiss had been a major aid for getting through this week. It had become her little happy place she could go to and make herself smile.
She talked to him once since he left. It was a quick call he made checking in and making sure he had the right number. She had gotten the impression he was between things when he talked. Rachel hadn't quite gotten the nerve to call him back, worried that when she did, he would be sneaking through a haunted house and the ringing would get him caught and hurt. She hopped he was okay and healing well. She had added to her nightly prayer for him and his brother to be safe and sound. Rachel wished he was here now. She needed more then just a memory and phantom kiss to get by.
In her pants pocket she felt her phone buzz. "No," she whined. She didn't want to talk; she just wanted to be left alone. Was that too much to ask? But the phone kept buzzing and she knew she would have to answer. She weaseled her phone free from her pocket and saw it was Sam calling. 'Did he hear my wish?' she wondered. She panicked not sure if she should answer. She really, really, really wanted to talk to him, but she also didn't want him to hear her in this state. Time was running out, and she need to make a decision quick. She took two deep breaths and answered.
"Hey Sam," she squeaked.
"Rachel?"
"That's me," her voice cracked.
"Are… are you okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. What's up?"
"It sounds like you're crying."
"I'm just a having a little panic attack. Don't worry."
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, no, totally. I'm fine. Really. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, just between books for research."
"Are you on a job?"
"Yeah."
"What are you hunting?"
"Don't know yet."
A little involuntary sob slipped out.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Sam asked hearing it.
"No, it's nothing really. I'm just being silly."
"It doesn't sound like nothing."
Rachel let out a long sigh. "I'm just a little overwhelmed at the moment. It happens and I'll get through it like I always do."
"Does this happen a lot?"
"Sometimes."
Things went quiet on Sam's end for a moment. "Hey Rachel, Dean's trying to tell me something. I'll call you right back."
"Okay." She hung up certain Sam wasn't going to call back. Why would he? He had more important things to deal with then her stupid problems. He probably called to get away from his troubles and instead had to deal with her being a cry baby. She slumped further down the door and curled up in a small ball. The phone buzzed and rattled on the floor. She answered not even trying to contain herself anymore. "Hello?"
"Rachel?"
"Sam? Why did you call?"
"I… I just said I would."
"Oh, yeah you did. I didn't expect you to."
"Rachel, really what's wrong?"
"I don't want to talk about it. Okay?"
"Okay, okay," he reassured her and dropped the matter.
"What did Dean want?"
"Oh, just to do a run for a few things."
"Do you want me to go so you can do that?"
"I can talk and drive. It's no big deal." She heard the sound of a car door and the start of the engine. "Been visiting the hospital since I left?"
"Yeah, I'm back to my old schedule."
"What was that?"
"Thursday afternoons before our council meeting."
"Anything interesting happen recently?"
"No, not really. There starting some renovations to the west wing, but that's about it."
"No new mysterious men for you to keep watch?"
"No, unfortunately," she lightly chuckled wiping some of the tears. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine. Dean's been making me take it easy and keeping me to the light work. I keep telling him I'm fine but he likes to fuss over me."
"Well, better safe then sorry."
"I suppose. How's your sister doing?"
"She's loving the attention her baby bump is giving. I'm kinda worried she gonna have another kid right after to keep it going."
"Oh geez," he chuckled and Rachel joined him. "You're sounding better."
"I'm feeling a bit better."
"Good."
"I still have those flowers you gave me."
"Really? I didn't think they'd last this long."
"I've been taking good care of them. Giving them plenty of sunshine and water."
"Well good. I'm glad you liked them."
It amazed Rachel how easy it was to talk to Sam. They could about what ever came to mind, and she never had the feeling that they were wasting each other's time. They just talked and talked about nothing and everything. The longer the conversation went on the better she felt. Just hearing his voice was giving her good vibrations. She eventually got the energy to get on her feet and change out of her work clothes, no longer feeling crushed by pressure. She listened and chuckled at his story of his weird first hunt back, and Rachel did finally give in and tell him about her sister's enormous shopping list for the shower, about the family gathering for the new baby, and about all the new events she was in charge of at her church.
"It will be okay," Sam told her. She heard those words a lot, but they sounded true coming from him. "Why don't you ask for help?"
"I do, but I usually still end up by myself."
"That's not right. They should be kissing your ass for all the things you do."
Rachel laughed.
"I'm serious!"
"I know you are."
"You know you're allowed to say no right? You don't have to do stuff just because they ask you to."
"I know but, I feel bad when I do. Like I'm letting them down."
"Don't worry about that. You need to look after yourself. And if they really get that mad, then they aren't worth your time."
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."
"I know it's a lot right now, but I believe in you."
The phantom kiss started tingling again. "You're a really nice guy Sam."
He didn't say a word, but she could hear him smile.
She crashed on her bed with a loud huff.
"Y'all right?"
"I'm fine. I just love my bed."
Sam laughed.
She pulled herself further up the bed and saw her clock. "Holy crap! We've been talking for two hours!" Thank god for unlimited minutes.
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm probably keeping you from your work."
"No, I'm still out on that run."
It occurred to Rachel that this whole time she never heard him get out of the car. "It must be pretty important to be worth the drive."
"It is. I probably should go though. I'm almost there."
"Okay, well, be safe. If you need some entertainment on the drive back, just give me a ring. I doubt I'm going to sleep anytime soon."
"You're doing better though, right?"
"Infinitely. Thank you for talking with me. It really helped a lot."
"No problem. I'll talk to you soon okay?"
"Okay. Bye Sam."
They hung up and she set the phone down by her head and snuggled under the covers. She let out a long sigh of relief. She really did feel better and all warm and fuzzy. There still was that lingering worry about tomorrow, but it no longer consumed her. "It will be okay… I believe in you." Those two phrases echoed in her mind making her heart beat faster and faster and making that darkness smaller and smaller.
There was a knock on her door. It was kind of late for a visitor she thought looking at her clock. She was in too good of a mood to care though. It could be her sister with more useless drama and she would still greet her with a smile. She got up and headed to the front room. When she opened the door she stood there dumbfounded at Sam in her doorway.
"Wha… what are you doing here?!"
"I wanted to make sure you're okay."
"I thought… you said you were on a run."
"Yeah…" he looked sheepishly at his feet. "I sort of lied about that. I told Dean you were in trouble and I was leaving to help you out."
"So, you drove all that way… for me?"
Sam nodded giving her that little school boy grin and puppy dog eyes.
"What about the hunt?"
"Dean's got it. He'll be fine. Can I come in?"
"Oh yeah, of course." She stepped aside to let him through. "Make yourself at home."
He took off his jacket and sat down on her sofa.
"Do you want something to eat or drink?"
He shook his head. "No thank you. I'm fine. I just wanted to see for myself how you were doing."
Rachel bushed. "Well besides greeting you in my pajamas again, I'm okay."
"Sorry. I probably should have given you a heads up."
"It's okay. The surprise was worth it." She sat down beside him on the other end. "So, are you planning on staying in town for the night?"
"That's what I was thinking. And then maybe tomorrow, if it's okay with you, I was going to try to get some of that shopping for your family done so that way you can just focus on your church stuff."
Rachel stared at him in disbelief. "You want to help me?"
"Of course I do. It hurt hearing the nicest person I know in pain. I want to help anyway I can."
"It's just… no one has ever gone out of their way like this to help me before."
Sam put his hand on her shoulder. "Well then you're surrounded by idiots. Besides, I still owe you for what you did for me."
"You don't owe me a thing Sam." Rachel shook her head trying so hard not to expose her excitement that he was touching her. "I didn't do it expecting a favor in return. That's not why I do any of it."
"Well then, its all the more reason I should be here." He cupped her face in his large hands and looked her directly in the eye. "You looked after me, now let me look after you."
A rush of emotions hit Rachel; relief, gratitude, adoration, joy. She didn't know what to do with all this so she did the only thing that came to mind. She threw her arms around and pulled him into a deep kiss. To her delight he kissed and hugged her back.
"Thank you," she said when she broke away. "If you want, you can stay here tonight. I have a spare room."
"Sounds perfect."
They smiled and she gripped him tighter, unsure if she could ever let him go again.
(author's notes: so this is the end of this story but not the end of Sam and Rachel. They will return in new stories and oneshots very very soon. Thank you all for your love and support 3 .and like I said last chapter if you have any ideas or request please let me know.)
