iDo You A Favor

Later that evening, Carly and Sam had hoped to enjoy some 'alone time', as the twins and their respective halves had come home, been handed cash, and were shooed away again. Carly snuggled comfortably under the blanket on the sofa. Sam putzed around in the kitchen, preparing their popcorn.

"Honey? How long on the popcorn?"

Sam continued working in the kitchen, her beloved drowned out by the popcorn popper. All of a sudden, Sam's phone began ringing.

"Oh, Dammit!"

"Language, Samantha!"

"Not you, Cupcake…"

Immediately taking notice of the Caller ID, Sam decided to have a little bit of fun.

"Sam Puckett Legal Defense Fund…."

There was a peal of laughter on the opposite end of the line.

"What's up, Champ? What can I do ya for?"

In the other room, Carly only picked up her partner's last comment and yelled.

"You're not doing anyone who isn't already your Cupcake, Samantha…."

Sam laughed, shouting back towards the living room.

"Yes dear…"

The blonde turned her attention back to the phone call and Shelby Marx.

"Alright, what's shakin', Shelby?"

Sam couldn't believe her ears. She answered deliberately slowly, to be sure she'd heard correctly.

"Come again? Uh…. Huh…. Um…. Yeah… No, I understand…."

Sam's voice dropped to a whisper.

"You realize that the wife will kill me…"

Carly spoke up from the other room. She didn't sound like herself. Sam knew what that meant.

"Oh Chizz… I gotta go… Carly's having one of her… nevermind… she's all…whatever… call you tomorrow…"

BACK IN THE LIVING ROOM, ON THE SOFA…

Carly was in the midst of a mild panic attack when Sam cuddled her and began to explain.

"Mehhhh!"

"Look at me, Carlotta…"

Carly did, but it didn't help.

"Mehhhh…"

"Cupcake, you don't understand… I was on the phone with Shelby."

"Mehhhh?"

Sam felt that she needed to clarify.

"You know, Cupcake… our friend… the one who married Wendy… Almost kicked you in the head that time?"

Carly sounded more like herself again.

"I know who Shelby is!"

It took the couple a moment to realize that the twins had just come home. They were immediately concerned for Carly. Ashley clung tightly to Megan's waist, while Bridget, mildly confused, leaned in to ask Melanie a question.

"Why does your Mom sound all…. I dunno… sheepy?"

Sam shot the pretty Korean girl a look. Even though she wasn't looking her daughter in the eye, it was clear that her words were meant for Melanie, too.

"You two, go…"

Ashley and Megan began to follow suit, following the little Asian girl down the hallway to the shared bedroom. The tone of Sam's voice was clipped and serious as a heart attack.

"You two stay…"

Ashley was frazzled.

"Mama, I can explain, really…"

Sam looked at her daughter, raised an eyebrow, and grinned.

"Rule one here, Kid… Don't tell on yourself unless you know for a fact that you're in trouble…"

"Wait… what?"

Melanie giggled to herself halfway down the hall.

"Grounded for Til College…"

"Shut it!"

Sam looked from one girl to the other.

"I said Sit!"

The girls scrambled for free sofa space as Sam held Carly close, gently rocking her.

"It's alright, Carls… Everything's okay, really…"

MOMENTS LATER…

Carly was calm again. Sam began to speak.

"Look, you two, I don't know what you're so jumpy about and right now I don't care."

Ashley exhaled.

"…That doesn't mean we won't talk later, Little Girl…"

Carly took her daughter's hand. It'd all be okay.

Sam grumbled to herself. She was trying to find the words to say that would smooth everything out and make it all okay. Her loyalties ran deep, and loyalty – when you were Carmine's niece – meant something different entirely. She had to balance her responsibilities to all parties concerned. She looked to Carly first.

"You got my back, Cupcake?"

Carly smiled.

"Do I have a choice?"

Sam laughed.

"Probably not so much, but still…"

"You know it…"

Ashley chuckled. She had amazing parents.

"You two are so weird…"

Sam shot her daughter a look. This one wasn't so hard. In fact, Ashley could see playful whimsy behind Mama's eyes. Her Mama wasn't the hard-ass she pretended to be. Ashley watched Mama's mouth. She noticed the corners of her mouth curling into a gentle, proud smile.

"You…"

Ashley tried to keep her composure and not laugh.

"Yes, maam?"

"If I ask you to do something for me, I can trust you've got my back too, right?"

Ashley caught a hint of a smile around Sam's mouth.

"Oh, yes maam…"

Sam looked to Megan Marx. Her eyes were again steely and harsh.

"…And you…"

Megan nodded.

"I expect you to focus, alright? If not, I promise you, you have no idea what you're in for… I'm worse than any nightmare you've ever dreamed, Little Girl…"

Megan immediately got defensive. It was absolutely the wrong move.

"You can't talk to me that way…"

Sam smirked.

"Oh, but I can, Child… As of twenty minutes ago, I'm your new trainer, given your mom's, ya know, condition…"

The color momentarily drained out of Megan's face. Sam continued.

"I'm not going to break you… I'm just going to make you the absolute best you can be…"

Megan scoffed, only to earn a hard look from Carly.

"Trust her… She's tougher than your Mama ever was…"

Ashley was beyond embarrassed, but she – strangely – felt better knowing that Sam would be training Megan for the upcoming fight. She knew Mama's hands meant safety.

"Mama, may we… um…?"

"Yeah, go ahead and go… Shoo..."

As soon as the girls were halfway down the hall, Carly leaned over and kissed Sam fully on the mouth.

"I'm so proud of you… You handled that like a grown-up…"

Sam turned her head, calling down the hallway after Ashley and Megan.

"Door stays open, young lady!"

Carly chuckled to herself.

"So much for that…"

Sam shrugged.

"I tried, Cupcake, I tried…"

Carly snuggled close to her, anxious to start 'Grown-up Alone Time' over again – this time without interruptions or sheep noises.

"I know you did, Sam. I'm sorry about before. Can we just start over?"

Sam kissed Carly gently.

"Forgiven, forgotten, Cupcake… Now, come here and give Mama some sugar…"

It was awkward, but as Sam drew the blanket around them on the sofa, it felt like old times. She was happy that her little girls were grown up enough to allow them time together and be cool about it.

Carly kissed Sam's neck.

"I love you, Sam… more than I can say…"