As promised, here's the next chapter. Although I am a little sad that I didn't get ANY reviews for the last one. Does anyone out there want me to continue???

Chapter 10

"You got your costume yet, man?" Jake asked as Sam walked into their dorm room.

"Well, hello to you too."

"Hey. Sorry. Sarah's been asking me what you're going as for Halloween. I don't see why she cares, but she does."

"I don't know. I'm not really a … fan of Halloween, Jake. I wasn't even planning on doing anything."

Jake put down his video game controller and stared incredulously at his roommate.

"Are you kidding me? Don't you realize what Halloween is?"

Yes, it's when demons feel like they can roam the streets because no one will be able to tell they're the real thing. It's one of the many holidays I never got to celebrate as a child. It's the day I saw one of the very few people I've actually been able to call friend be ripped limb from limb… "It's an excuse for older kids to play stupid pranks and for younger kids to rot their teeth."

"Nooo…it's an excuse for girls to dress in skanky costumes and college kids to get drunk!"

"Oh, well when you put it like that…" Sam gave Jake a pointed look, before sitting at his desk and pulling out his homework.

"Fine. Don't come out with us…" Jake said nonchalantly, resuming his game. "Don't see Jess in her gypsy slave girl costume…"

Sam swallowed hard, then cleared his throat. "I'm in."

"Thought so, buddy. I thought so."

On the night in question, Sam still wasn't that excited about the festivities. Nineteen years of bad experiences weren't wiped out just because one had a hot girlfriend, after all. He never did find a costume, for which Sarah and Jess were quite upset with him, but he figured they'd get over it.

And, as he told Jess, people wouldn't even realize he wasn't wearing a costume because they'd be too busy staring at her. He certainly was enthralled…

Leading her onto the dance floor, Sam was glad they were playing a slow song so he'd have an excuse to wrap his arms around her and show all the guys who were ogling that she was taken.

"Can you believe it's been over a year?" Sam whispered into Jess' ear.

"I know. I figured I'd be bored with you by now." Jess teased back.

"Ha ha," Sam said sardonically.

"Oh, you know I love you."

Sam beamed. It had already been a couple months ago that they said those all-important words to each other for the first time, but it still made him ecstatic to hear her say that. He pulled her even closer and started singing the romantic words of the song into her ear.

Later that night, the two couples parted ways. It had been standing tradition for the last couple months that, on weekend nights, Jake and Sarah would stay in the boy's room, while Sam and Jess would go to the girls'. However, what Jake didn't know (but Sarah, of course, did) was that Sam and Jess hadn't taken "full advantage" of that situation yet. Something that Dean would never let him live down… It was not that Sam didn't want to, but he respected Jess' decision that she wasn't ready yet. And, well, given his VERY limited experience with girls, he didn't exactly know what he was missing and was therefore happy to get whatever Jess would give him.

The last couple weeks though, ever since they met the one year mark, things had been getting pretty hot and heavy. And Sam was beginning to lose his willpower – Jess was always the one that had to remind him when to stop. He was ashamed he was being … such a guy … about it, but he couldn't help himself.

Jess led the way to the room, saying hi to floormates they passed along the way. Sam knew them well enough to smile hello at, but tonight he was a little too busy enjoying Jess' costume to be too friendly.

Unlocking the door, Sarah walked into the room without bothering to turn on the overhead light. Sam followed her in like a puppy and was rewarded with a kiss the second the door was closed.

"Oh, Jess…"

"Sam…I think I'm ready."

Sam froze. "Are…are you sure?"

Jess smiled seductively up at him, then peeled off her top. "Yes."

Maybe Halloween isn't so bad after all...

Sam was the first to wake up the next morning, and he took the opportunity to try and memorize what Maia looked like when she was sleeping.

He had thought he would always remember what Jess looked like sleeping. Now…now he was having a hard time remembering what she looked like at all. Sure, he could remember what she looked like, but he was kind of fuzzy on the details. He couldn't quite remember where her beauty marks were, or what her voice sounded like when she was flirting, or what her skin tasted like…

Sam knew that it was a good thing that he was beginning to forget – that it meant that time really was healing his grief. But, he couldn't help feeling guilty as hell for it.

Just like he was feeling guilty for lying to Maia last night.

The lie of Dean and John being security consultants used to be so easy to tell. Everyone at school knew that that's what they did – that that's why they were always on the road. Why did it feel different to say the same lie now?

Sam's cell phone chirped from the floor, where his jeans were discarded last night. Maia jerked awake in his arms.

"Sorry, babe," Sam said as he crawled over her and leaned over the side of the bed to dig in his pockets. Finding it and seeing a Palo Alto number he didn't recognize, Sam pressed the talk button.

"Hello?"

"Sam? It's Jack Sumpter. Can we meet?"

"Yeah. When? Where?"

"My office today – about 11:30?"

"Sounds good. I'll see you then."

Sam hung up and looked down at Maia, who he happened to be hovering over. Leaning down for a kiss, he was surprised and a little hurt when she turned her head so he ended up kissing her cheek. Hiding his disappointment, he murmured good morning and rolled off of her.

"Who was that?"

"Dr. Sumpter, actually. Asking if I was available to help him with that renovation project soon."

"Oh. You'll have to remind him that some of us here are still college students and don't wake up at 7 a.m. if we can help it…"

Sam chuckled and propped himself up on an elbow to look down at her. "Well, now that we're up, we may as well take advantage of the time we have…"

Sam watched as Maia's face drained of color and she practically burst out of the bed. "Uh, I gotta go to the bathroom."

She was almost at the door when Sam, who was now sitting up with his arms on his knees. "Maia…did I do something wrong?"

"NO! No…"

"Then why are you acting this way."

Maia took a deep breath and turned toward the door so she wouldn't have to look at Sam while she said what she had to say.

"Sam, I'm not the casual sex kind of girl, even if my recent behavior makes you think otherwise. If all you're looking for is something physical, then you'll have to find some other bedroom to spend the rest of your trip in. I don't want to be used anymore."

"Maia!" Sam called out, but it was too late as she had already stormed out of the room. He rubbed his face with his hands. "Oh, God…"