Another Dragon

Disclaimer: I do not own American Dragon. Wish I did though.

A/N: I am so sorry for the lack of updates, this is due to lack of computer. Bought myself a laptop with some of my wages. Be prepared for quicker updates, I promise.

Chapter 26

No words could be heard from either Jake or Sam because once again neither knew how to start this conversation, like they were reading a script with no new page after ending the final one. Sam opened her mouth to say something to break the tension, but she closed it again when she couldn't find the strength to do it.

'I wish this would just end.' Sam thought to herself. 'Sometimes I think it would be better if we had never met each other'

After she thought this, she closed her eyes as if to wince at her own stupidity, she would never regret meeting him. He was what she was and he was the other half of what she was technically. They were all they had when out on the battlefield. Both wanted to protect the other but that couldn't be at the cost of the magical creatures that they were supposed to protect.

That faith that they had in each other was what fuelled each other's strength. But there was that line of doubt that caused them to question each other's strengths. It caused the rift between them that needed to be filled with trust when all it was filled with now was questions.

What if they weren't strong enough? Together or apart? How could they guarantee that the other would be there to help?

"We really need to stop doing this. This ends right now and I mean now." Jake looked up at her and she saw the resolution in his eyes, it gave her chills.

She nodded in agreement with him and then moved from the desk that she was sitting on to his desk, so that they could at least be closer.

"Why do we keep doing this? You are my friend and I want to protect you but you are beginning to fall down a slippery slope and I don't want you to fall somewhere where I can't get to you." Jake honestly answered, he was showing what he really wanted to say and nothing was stopping that.

"I don't know what you would want me to say, I just want to be honest with you and that is all I will ever be is honest. I care about you and I care about the world that we protect. I can't help feeling the way I do." Sam looked at Jake and just wanted to rip the furniture out in her defensiveness because all of the words she had spoken were the painstaking truth and she would have repeat them to him over and over in order to get him to understand.

"I don't want you to feel like that because that isn't the way it should be. We rely on each other as more than just members of the same team but as friends because out there we are in real danger and that is the truth. I can't lose you." Jake admitted wearily, he was ashamed a little at admitting the last part of what he had said to her because it was different to the other times he had grown attached like that.

Sam's eyes widened and she swallowed a little, she knew what this was about and that he was simply confusing her with Rose once more. So she just took with a pinch of salt, knowing that this would be nothing would than one of those things that they said that would be pushed to the side.

"I think that you're confusing me with Rose again, Jake. I want to make myself be safe but there are just some things that we have to do and one is to forego our own safety when the time calls for it and that could be costly and make things worse for everyone." Sam answered back, moving off the desk and away from Jake, as if the space alone would afford her some clarity.

The pain was real enough but what was it between them now? Feeling like she was a replacement for Rose made her sad but also angry at the same time because there was this great girl that Jake had loved and Sam felt woefully inferior to this amazing person. It was enough a lot of the time to make her head spin.

"What is it with her Jake? Why do I feel so inadequate next to the great Rose?" Sam asked of him, showing her emotions on her face but also in the defensive way she was standing.

"What are you talking about?" Jake got up and stood in front of her, knowing this was now more or less the brunt of the problems.

"If I have made you feel like that then I am so sorry for it. I don't mean to, it's just that she was it for me and I loved her. She is everywhere I look and all the places that I go to." Jake turned away from Sam for a moment just to gain his own bearings back. His own strength back in place.

"I know what she meant to you and I know that it hurts that she is gone away from you. But she's free and happy and without memories of what happened to her. I know." Sam responds, putting her hand on his shoulder, attempting to give him some comfort, just like before. How things could be so complicated and yet so simple between them was mind numbing.

All the time, the thought of Rose and Jake needing her like he needed the air to breathe caused her to feel things that she shouldn't want to feel: Like jealousy that he loved someone that much and how it would cause so much pain and suffering when you were that far apart from them.

Or the doubt that was there when you found out that you weren't as high up on someone's priority list as you thought. It was that way for her sometimes, but she tried to quash it, but with all the responsibilities that she and Jake had it was never easy to do that.

Sam jogged herself out of her thoughts and back to Jake. She moved around him to make him face her and she smiled at him, trying to encourage him to do the same but it didn't work this time. So she hugged him, trying to convince him that together they would make things alright.

It just had to be.

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Sam didn't know how long it was before they let each other go, it was intense and both needed it and again didn't need the complication. It was almost annoying. Jake looked straight into Sam's eyes and saw the same emotion there now: the feeling of being unsure as to what they would say next, as to what would happen between them next.

"I think we have done as much talking as can be done right now. We just need some time to think things through." She headed towards the door and knocked on it, knowing that Trixie and Spud were most likely outside waiting for them to start talking.

"Sam…." Jake uttered, trying to get her to look at him, knowing she was a little unnerved by their recent behaviour.

"Its okay, Jake. I am here for you if you need me to be." Sam spoke and then turned towards with a smile on her face, making him stronger like he needed to be.

Trixie opened the door.

"How did it go?" She asked and Sam walked out of the room without saying a word, both of them now needed the space.

The playing field was changing and neither would be prepared for the next curve ball that was thrown.

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A/N: I hope this satisfies my readers, things are now more evidently changing between these two.