Disclaimer: Any resemblance to two of our favorite ladies is just that a resemblance…but to cover the basics. I do not own Xena or anyone else.

Chapter 9

Brooke woke the next morning to the sound of Sam trying to quietly move around the room. Rolling over towards the noise she blinked her eyes opened and was surprised to see that it was only dawn. Groaning slightly at the early hour she watched Sam turn to look at her. Her first thought was of how gorgeous her lover was and her next was the memories of what happened the night before. She had to stifle a moan of arousal as those particular memories flashed before her eyes and she forced herself back into the present.

Taking in her lover she noticed that she was already dressed in jeans and a plain t-shirt. Her hair was wet indicating that she had taken a shower already. Sam made her way back to the bed and sat down beside the redhead of sat up so that she could be eye to eye with the brunette. She smiled when Sam reached out and grasped her hand but then frown again. "Come back to bed, Sammy." She said quietly "It's too early to be awake."

Sam smiled softly before leaning down and capturing Brooke's lips in a gentle kiss. Brooke moaned slightly at the contact, but neither made to deepen it. It was a simple a declaration of their love. "God you're, amazing." Brooke breathed when they finally broke apart.

"Not nearly as amazing as you are, baby." Sam said reaching up with her free hand to run it through Brooke's sleep tasseled hair. "Last night was just…mmm…" Sam moaned at the memory, "spectacular, baby. It was better than anything I could ever have imagined."

"For me too, Sammy." Brooke reassured her. "For me too." She smiled up at the loved filled blue eyes and asked again, "What are you up and dressed for at this hour, love?"

"I need to go feed the animals." Sam told her. "I'm a little behind this morning. I usually do it before I go to work."

"You aren't going in today?" Brooke asked in surprised. "You don't have to change your daily plans for me."

Sam shook her head, "Chris can handle it for a few days. He'll call me if he needs anything." Sam leaned in and kissed her gently one more time, "I love you, baby." She said softly pulling back, "Now I need to go see to my chores. Go back to sleep, baby. I'll wake you when it's time for breakfast."

Brooke laid back into the mattress and mumbled, "Love you too, Sammy." As the brunette got up and headed out of the bedroom, but she didn't go to sleep. She had decided that she might as well get use to waking up with her lover did. She had never really been an early bird, but for her life with Sam she would happily become one. She had hated getting up to go to work when she was in Canada. She had got her master's in business and hated every minute of it. When she had made her choice to return home she knew that she would have to find another form of employment and she would talk to Sam about the choices later, but for now she would help her lover out around the house.

As soon as she heard the back door close Brooke pushed back the covers and climbed out of bed. She took a second to strip the sheets and gather up all of their cloths from last night. Adding them to the basket containing Sam's dirty clothes she headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. Once she was done she dug a change of her clothes out of her bag. With a sigh she realized that she would need to see about either getting her clothes from home or buying some new ones. She would also need to talk to Sam about where she could put her stuff. She didn't want to assume, but she hoped that she would be sharing the master bed room with the brunette. After just one night she didn't think she could handle being separated from her.

Pulling on a pair of jeans and a blouse she looked in the mirror to pull up her hair but stoped when she spotted the bruise on the side of her face. So much had gone on in the last twenty-four hours that she had almost forgotton about what had started it all. After a moment's hesitation she went into the bedroom and grabed her cellphone to take a few pictures. She wasn't sure if it would ever be needed or if it could even be used, but she did it any way. Putting her phone in her pocket she went back to finish pulling her hair up.

Grabbing the dirty clothes and made her way down stairs. Going first to the mud room she sorted them and started a load of laundry and then she headed into the kitchen to see what she could find to fix them for breakfast. Her first order of business was a cup of decaffeinated coffee and then she set about seeing what supplies they had. She found out quickly that Sam hadn't been kidding when she said that they would have to go to the store so started a list of necessities as she looked.

Sam's morning chores were cut in half when she arrived at the Barn and saw Matt already there and working on getting the feed ready for the horses. The two didn't talk much as they worked together to get everything accomplished before heading back inside. Sam intention was to get breakfast ready but she was surprised to find that Brooke had beat her too it. When she entered she could hear the washer running and the redhead puttering around the kitchen.

"Hey," She called as she entered, Matt trailing behind. "Why aren't you still in bed?"

She walked over to her lover who was standing at the sink and kissed her gently before washing her hands. "I didn't want to sleep without you there." Brooke said softly, "It's not like I'm working at the moments so the least I can do is help you out around here." She placed a hand on her lover's hip rubbing gently before telling her, "I need to see about getting my things, Sammy? I need more clothes and there are some things at the house that are important to me."

Before Sam could respond, Matt spoke up. "I brought your stuff with my sis."

Brooke had forgotten that her brother showed up last night and so the sound of his voice made her spin around. "Matt."She said in surprise before gathering herself enough to go to him and pull him into a hug. "I am so glad to see you, but how in the hell did you manage to get them and yourself here without mom and John Knowing?" She asked when she pulled back.

John leaned against the counter while Brooke went back to finish cooking breakfast. Sam just stayed silent drinking her cup of coffee and watching the two siblings. "Mom was gone all day yesterday looking for you. John left around 3 and hadn't come back when I left last night. Most of your stuff was still in boxes so I just grabbed everything I could and left." He looked over at Sam and added, "I unloaded it all and put it in garage last night."

Sam nodded in understanding. "I'll move it in to the master bedroom in a little while."

"Thank you, Matt." Brooke said honestly, "You just saved me a big headache. What did mom say when you told her you weren't going to be home last night?"

When Matt looked down and shifted slightly Brooke called his name out in warning making the young man look up at her. "I didn't tell her." Matt admitted, "I packed most of my things and left." At Sam and Brooke's shocked looks he explained. "I can't handle staying there with the way she acting, Brooke. I don't want to deal with her and her self-righteous bull shit any more. I'm 18 years old and starting college. I don't have to stay there. I've got some friends who will put me up and I'll find a job to pay what my scholarships won't cover."

"You'll stay here." Sam said immediately causing the two siblings to look at her. "Until things are settled with your mom and John you will stay here where I can keep an eye on you. After that we can discuss other arrangements." Her tone left no room for argument and neither of them tried.

"Yes, Ma'am." Matt said automatically while Brooke just beamed at the brunette.

Consider the subject closed she said, "You can unload your stuff in one of the guest rooms before you go to classes today. Tonight we will talk about you working part time for me on the farm. But first let's eat breakfast."

Matt moved to set the table while Sam helped Brooke bring the food to the table and pull the juice and jams from the fridge. They were halfway through breakfast when Sam's cell phone rang. "That had better not be work." She mumbled as she pulled it off of her belt and checked the caller ID.

Sighing slightly she answered the call, "Good morning, Grandmother." She said pleasantly hoping that it wouldn't be a long conversation.

"Sam is everything alright." Maggie Taylor asked immediately.

"Yes ma'am." Sam told her confused, "Why wouldn't it be?"

"You cancelled dinner last night and then you aren't at work this morning." Maggie said as if it was obvious, "That isn't like you, Sam."

"I'm sorry, grandmother." Sam answered her honestly. "I had an old friend stop by the office yesterday in the need of help. It's going to take a few days for me to straighten things out. Chris is overseeing thing until I'm done. He knows to call me if there are any problems."

"This wouldn't happen to be about Brooke Adams, would it?" Maggie asked her granddaughter.

"Why would you say that?" Sam asked her not answering her question.

"Because Victoria was at my house last night demanding to know where you live." Maggie told her. "She seems to think her daughter is with you. It won't take her long to find out where you are Sam."

"I know, Grandmother, but don't worry I'll handle it." Sam tried to reassure her. "Her brother Matt is here and Mark and Cassie are coming in tonight with Alex and Dani Thompson."

"What time are they due in?" The elder Taylor asked.

"I think there flight gets in at 5 so they should be here by 630 or so." Sam said.

"Good then I expect all 7 of you at my house for dinner tonight." Her tone was the same one that Sam had used on Matt just moments before. She knew there was no way around this. "The rest of your family will be here as well."

"Yes, Ma'am" Sam said resigned to her fate.

"Good and no more lying about things Sam." Her grandmother warned, "It's time you fess up to who you are and tell those stuck up children in laws of mine to kiss your ass. You and Brooke belong together and I'm tired of all your mopping around. And warn my long lost granddaughter that I will be talking to her tonight." She didn't even let Sam answer before hanging up the phone.

Brooke watched as Sam stared at the phone in shock for a few minutes before calling out to her softy, "Sammy…What is it?"

Sam looked up at her and then back at the phone. Slowly sitting it down on the table she addressed the redhead. "We have all been summoned for dinner tonight at my grandparents. Grandmother knows about us. She says we belong together and basically said the rest of the family would have to deal with it." She looked up at her new lover. "And she said to tell you, my love. That she was going to be talking to her long lost granddaughter tonight."

Brooke just groaned, "I'm dead, Sammy." she said before dropping her head to the table. "It's been nice while it lasted, baby, but your grandmother will kill me tonight."