A/N: It's a little bit short

Chapter 50

The water ran over her hands. She couldn't look in the mirror, it was better to watch her hands. She cupped them and let the water fill them, as it started to pour over the side she lifted it and splashed her face. She'd told.

She filled her hands again and rubbed the warmer water into her skin. She wished Kevin would go now. She didn't hate or fear him the way she once had. She almost liked him. As much as you can like someone who is constantly asking you questions you don't want to answer.

She looked up. Her face was blotchy, but the same. She buried it on a blue hand towel, blotting the wet away. She forced herself to smile at her reflection then she let the smile go. She knew her dad was out there, but even if he got her, she'd be okay, she wasn't the same scared little kid anymore. She felt as if she knew something special now, something that could never be touched by her father's fist or insults.


Sam walked out of the kitchen with her chocolate milkshake. She smiled when she heard the familiar voices. "Hi guys…what's going on?"

Emily half smirked, half smiled. "Only eight tons of math homework…and English, and history and…"

Lucky looked much more serious. "So what happened?"

Sam looked at Alexis, not really wanting to explain. Alexis rescued her.

"Why don't you three visit for a while? Let's see I think an hour would leave Sam enough time to work on her homework. Is that okay?"

Emily waddled over with Sam's books in her arms and her own backpack on her shoulder and dropped her load on the coffee table. "We can stay a while. I'll just need to let my Mom know. Longer if you want…Sam and I could work on the science project."

"Let's see how things go okay? I'm going to be over at…I'll be across the hall just shout if you need me." Sam wasn't sure why Alexis was going to Sonny's, but she was glad she wasn't being hovered over.

"Thanks Alexis." Alexis winked on her way out.

"What the heck happened to you Sam?" Lucky demanded when the door closed.

"Lucky! We talked about this…" Emily hissed. "Ignore him Sam." Emily reached out and pulled Sam toward the couch. "He's just worried, we both were, but you don't have to tell us if you don't want to."

Sam watched Lucky pace the floor in frustration. She didn't mind telling them…not now…not after saying it the first time. They might not understand why she was afraid of her father…and she didn't really want to get into that, it was hard enough to tell Alexis.

She took a deep breath and looked at Emily. "After the game, when everyone else was on the bus, I found my hoodie behind the bleachers."

Emily crinkled her eyes. "How did that happen? You were always at the bench or on the court."

Lucky was standing by the stairs, no longer moving. Sam looked at him briefly, but answered Emily. "Someone took it…wrote something on it and threw it back there."

"Why…" Lucky started.

"It was my dad." Sam continued before she lost her nerve. "It said he was coming for me and it really, well freaked me out."

"I thought he abandoned…" Emily stopped mid thought and blushed. "I'm sorry Sam…"

"He did…it's okay you can say it. He skipped bail and left me about a year ago." Sam answered slowly…it didn't usually make her sad to talk about this…but it really didn't make sense. He dumped her like yesterday's trash and now he was threatening to take her back…it didn't make any sense unless you knew Dad…it often made no sense. "Last time my dad took me back…after I'd been in foster care, he started teaching me cons…so I guess he needs a new partner or something."

"So that's what had you so weirded out." Emily breathed out… "Why…why at the game?"

"Um….well…I'm not sure about that. He has some warrants in town…so maybe he's avoiding Port Charles."

"But how did he know you're on the team…"

"The paper probably…" Lucky joined the conversation. "You guys have been written up a couple times in the local section." He looked at Sam as if he knew she was leaving stuff out.

"That's totally creepy, Sam."

"But what happened in school…you were okay when I last saw you…well not totally okay, but not sick or anything."

"I was really scared…I'm not even sure why, but I told the coach that I couldn't be on the team anymore…I was afraid Dad would grab me at the next away game. And I told Alexis I got kicked off the team…when they compared notes they realized I was lying to them…"

"You wouldn't quit the team Sam! You love it." Emily squeaked.

"That's pretty much what they thought…I told them what had happened, but I was so upset Alexis brought me home…" Sam pushed the hair out of her eyes. She was exhausted. "We better get started on that homework…or I really will get kicked off the team."

Emily nodded and dug through her bag. Sam glanced at Lucky, hoping he didn't think she was a complete nutcase. He looked distinctly unhappy, but he returned her small smile.


Alexis swept back in a little later, Luke on her heels. Luke rounded up the young'uns as he called them and left.

"You ready to go back to school tomorrow? I can call you out if you're not." Alexis offered.

"No I'm okay, I want to go back."

"That's my girl. Where's Alice?"

"Probably watching her tape of All My Children. Did you tell her?"

"I told her about your dad being at the game…but I haven't told her anything else, and I won't unless you want me too."

"No…I mean…"

"It doesn't have to be a secret Sam…it's probably better if it's not, but it's up to you as far as who knows what."

Sam nodded. She looked at her hands for a while. She twisted her fingers together. She turned them over and back again.

"Do you think maybe…do you think I could be sick like Stone?" She squeaked out. That had been in the back of her mind for so long. She'd read all she could about AIDS and knew that unprotected sex was a leading risk factor. She'd never asked because she didn't want to admit it had happened.

Alexis place a hand on Sam's cheek. "I know you aren't. Dr. Hardy…"

Sam squinted her eyes. "She knew? You knew?" She wasn't angry, but she was embarrassed.

Alexis nodded. "Look at me Sam. There was some indication that you had been raped. She tried to talk to you about it, but…"

"I know…I guess I just never thought about it. I just figured if I pretended it didn't happen, then it…then it would go away."

"I'm afraid it doesn't really work like that…" Alexis pulled her into a quick hug. "Simone automatically ran a test for AIDS, HIV and other STDs. Luckily they all came back negative. You are a very healthy young woman."

"Okay." Sam brushed at her eyes. They sat together, neither speaking. There was something Sam wanted to say, but the words wouldn't come.

"I'm going to see if Alice made dinner or if we need to go foraging for food." Alexis stood and kissed Sam's cheek and walked to the kitchen.

"Alexis!" Sam twisted around on the couch in time to catch Alexis' panicked face as she doubled back.

"What is it…are you okay?"

Sam felt silly. "I…I just wanted…I um…" Sam stood up and walked shakily to Alexis. She studied her hands, they were so much smaller than Alexis' beautiful hands. Keeping her eyes on them she whispered. "I just…" tears stung at her eyes. "I love you too."

She was in Alexis' arms again. Sam closed her eyes. It was too much to keep them open. It was enough to inhale Alexis' sweet scent, feel her silky hair and soft sweater, and hear her gentle voice chanting. "I love you baby."