Author's Note: And now we're caught up on what I've written so far. Please let me know what you're thinking...it may spur the muse into a quicker update. Oh and I'm sorry for this...

Chapter 19

Sami blinked at the scene in front of her, certain that she was dreaming—or rather having a horrific nightmare. Surely, this couldn't be real.

She waffled on the entrance to the room, torn between bolting from the room and throwing herself between the apparent pair of lovebirds and beating both of them bloody.

"This is so exciting, there hasn't been a wedding here in ages!" her mother's gushing excitement spurred her forward as her own grunt of incredulity had Sami shaking her head.

The small sound seemingly loud as her arrival with her brother into the room drew the attention of everyone in it. Sami found herself hard pressed to avoid the weight of EJ's gaze, even though she'd wanted nothing more than to languish in it the night before. Avoiding him, was going to be akin to fire ant torture. Instead of allowing herself to drown in what would surely be the most exquisitely painful experience of his guilty stare, she focused all of her attention on the point of contact between him and her sister. The dainty hand clutching his arm; thin pale fingers over the grey material of his suit. Not knowing what or who else to concentrate on, she found she couldn't pull her eyes away from that branding connection.

"Ah, there she is! Samantha," Stefano cheered, the warmth in his voice shocked her from immobility.

She jerked a little as Eric shoved her forward into the room. "Here's where we've been summoned…"

"Bellissima…"

Stumbling forward a few steps, another sharp nudge at her back propelling her forward as her mother had somehow gotten behind her, she cast a disgruntled glower back over her shoulder and then Sami scowled at her twin brother for a brief moment. Thankful for the brief respite of looking at her younger sister and would-be lover, she pulled a hasty breath deep into her chest.

Feeling the movement of someone crossing the hardwood beneath her bare feet automatically, she turned back toward the grouping at large. A tight smile found its way to her face as she hastened to give attention to the owner of the sure-footed stride.

"Please forgive me." Stefano's cultured accent curled around the words, worming its way straight to her stomach as she tried to ration out what he'd be apologizing for. He wasn't the one at fault here.

"Of course," the words tumbled from her lips without conscious thought, years of politesse ingrained into her every response.

Within the breadth of her racing heart tripping from one reaction to the next, she blinked as Stefano pulled her hand into his. "Oh, you honor me, you don't even know what I'm asking forgiveness for. I should really be thanking you, most emphatically."

Could it be the dagger in my heart? The thought pinged as she allowed herself to be pulled farther into the room. Stomach pitching as she was drawn closer to the man she'd allowed to take so many liberties with her the night before. Surely not that, EJ is a man of his own mind…how could Stefano possibly be to blame for the train wreck sure to commence any second now.

"Mr. DiMera," she stammered, eyes trained on the clutch of Belle's hand on EJ's arm.

"Stefano, sweetling, you must call me Stefano."

Swallowing again, she gave a minute shake of her head and attempted to pull her hand free from his insistency.

"No, I couldn't." Brittle, the words came easier than they should have for the swamping force of jealousy that assuaged her.

"You simply must. You've defended mi famiglia. A champion. I owe you a deep debt of gratitude, I insist."

"I…" she shook her head. "I… Mr. Dimera…"

"Nonsense, we will be family soon." Stefano's repeated phrase didn't register at first. Having been somehow brought into the throng of people standing in her living room, she wanted nothing more than to hide, to run, to cover for safety. Sami found herself unable to do anything but allow herself be manipulated into a position where she stood directly in front of the unmoving couple her eyes had locked on originally.

"Family?" she blinked again as the image of her sister's fingers tightening on EJ's arm imprinted themselves into her brain. She remembered her own fingers wrapping around him only hours before.

A subtle throat clearing and she felt the presence of another at her other side. With more concentration than should have been required, she glanced to her left and realized that Knox had sidled up to her in the few seconds it had taken for her to attempt to make her mouth move and force intelligible words out. Her eyes connected with Knox's green ones and she swore she saw the apology heavy in his eyes.

"Yes, Sami, you're just in time." Her mother's glee sliced through her just like the images of her illicit tryst from just hours ago.

Maintaining the visual connection with Knox, Sami felt as if they had a silent conversation in the space of a second.

I'm sorry for what you're going through.

You couldn't possibly know what I'm going through.

But I do. And I'm sorry for it.

Her icy hand moved without her knowledge and she pulled her attention from the man pouring sympathy out through his eyes to her own body and realized a second too late that Stefano was transferring her hand over to the owner of contrition beside her.

Feeling prompted for a response, she found she couldn't force any more words past her lips. Warmth radiated from the man beside her as he gently took her hand.

"Ah yes, beautiful!" Stefano trilled, backing off just enough that Sami didn't feel the weight of him pressed beside her any longer. "I'm glad you're here. You're just in time. There is so much to discuss."

Defensive, she knew what she'd heard. A wedding. EJ's remarks from the night before about how she'd regret tomorrow. Today. Calling on the icy shroud of control that she used above all others, she found she could no longer force any words from her lips. Like seconds on the countdown to a bomb, it all fell into place in her mind.

Burning behind her eyes, she blinked once. All at once, her attention reverted to the pair directly in front of her.

"I'm not sharing you, not ever." Tick.

"My father. Our families…" Tick.

"Isabella's engaged, isn't it wonderful?" Marlena cooed and the world dropped out from beneath her feet.

"Engaged? What the hell are you talking about?" Her twin took up the charge for them both it seemed, as Sami stood, stunned into silence.

"Yes, it's all been settled." Marlena's gaiety was palpable and Sami felt like she was going to vomit.

"I'm a right bastard." Tick.

"She's sixteen, what are you talking about, settled? Have you lost your damn mind?" Eric wedged himself into the middle of this awkward circle and waved his arms as if he was clearing a table.

"Eric!" The waspish censoring of their mother carried as she hastened to bring him to task. "Don't be rude. We have guests."

"I don't give a fuck if we have the Queen of England here, someone has to be the voice of reason."

"That's enough, young man, you will behave appropriately in the midst of our company. I won't have it. I will have order."

"Order? Are you…"

The voice of reason. Later, Sami would roll those words around over and over in her mind; but right now, she just stood stock-still trying to quell the roil of nausea rising in her throat.

"I don't want to know." Tick. The memories of their clandestine conversation streamed unchecked.

"Eric," Stefano repeated, his voice even-keeled. "Allow me to introduce myself."

"I know who you are." Not cowed for a second, Eric was yet again, the voice of her steadier half.

"Well, yes, of course you do." Measured words, but the implicit weight of them settled. "Let me explain."

"No offense, Mr. DiMera," Eric interrupted. "But please excuse us, I need to speak to my mother." The looming presence between Sami and her younger sister disappeared as Eric walked toward Marlena, practically forcing her retreat into the hallway, the door closing with a thundering slam behind them.

"Well, that was intense." A new voice, deep and apparently amused, reverberated in the abrupt absence.

Sami was aware of others in her periphery, but she couldn't seem to wrench her attention from her little sister's hold on her late-night visitor.

Maybe I dreamt it. Maybe I just fantasized the whole thing. Belle's fingers twitched on EJ's arm and Sami hastened to come to terms, fast-forwarding through all the pleasure filled moments to remember waking in the early morning, feeling satiated beyond measure. She'd stretched, pulling off the gown that'd shifted bulkily around her middle. Discarded the shredded panties into the same pile next to her bed, she… shredded panties. Oh my God, it really did happen. Tick.

A heavy blink, as the clock on the mantle chimed the hour, mimicking her own march toward explosion. Yet Sami didn't allow a single emotion to betray her inner turmoil. Haphazardly, she tuned back in as stilted laughter echoed.

"Quite. Shall we all sit down?" Stefano's arm jostled her as he swept his hand toward the overstuffed furniture around them.

Incredulity that he'd presumed to command the room, in her own home, she allowed another wave of ice to freeze her entire being and locked her knees.

"They'll probably be a while. Might as well be comfortable." Philip Kiriakis thrust himself into her consciousness as he moved through them as well, settling himself onto the muted beige of the sofa.

Seeing Philip, the sandy-haired rake that he was, lounging in her living room, seemingly fully at ease and laughing with the elder DiMera, whipped a new layer of disbelief to the entire scenario.

Maybe I really am dreaming.

"I hope not too long. We've much to discuss. The wedding needs to be the highlight of conversation, although," Stefano paused, "there are other matters to attend to, as well."

Sami felt the cautious curl of Knox's hand twining with hers and at once jerked out of her haze, shaking her head. She felt about twelve steps behind everyone else in the room.

"Of course, there are. But it's no matter. It's what needs to be done. We'll see it through." Philip patted the cushion next to him, then gestured to the rest of the furniture.

Carrie perched beside him and Sami could see the tension in her ramrod straight posture. Searching, she finally her voice again.

"I'm sorry, what are you talking about? What are you doing here?" Though non-specific, the last question was definitely intended for the man who remained directly across from her. Silent.

"I was invited." Philip replied, magnanimous in his slouch. "By my soon-to-be family."

"I'm sorry, what?" The reply spluttered from Sami's lips as Knox's hand snaked back into hers again.

"Isn't it wonderful? Maybe we should plan for a dual ceremony. The uniting of the DiMera, Black and Kiriakis empires. It's a shame Victor wasn't able to join us today. When do you expect him to return, Philip?" Stefano questioned as he too left the circle, moving toward a large wing-backed chair to Philip's side.

"A couple of days at most, he had business…" Philip left the words trail off.

"Naturally. It's a shame he couldn't be here today, but I, of course, understand business." Stefano's reply barely registered as the tension in the room seemed to ratchet higher.

The air seemed to thin as Sami's attention ping-ponged its way back to the few who remained in her immediate reach.

"Sami…" Belle hesitated, finally removing her hand from EJ's arm, even as she reached for her.

Sami couldn't help the inevitable step she took backward, seeing the hurt instantly bloom on the face of youngest participant in this escapade while she attempted to bridge the distance between them.

Still, or maybe once again, she realized Knox still held her hand and she felt him solid beside her as she moved back.

"It's a necessity, of course, now that Samantha has unintentionally abbreviated the timeline; however, I could not be more pleased by the outcomes."

"I'm sorry, what?" Sami repeated, stuck on the older man saying her name.

"What he means…" Belle took another step toward her and Sami took another two steps back, her mind reeling.

Stefano tutted, "Maybe we should wait for everyone to come back into the room, so we don't have to go over all of this twice."

"I think maybe we should…" she had no idea who was speaking as her balance shifted again.

"Me?" She lurched, swallowing again, the crest of emotions forcing acid to burn her throat.

"It's no hardship, Sami. It was rather inevitable." Philip sounded almost casual. "Father will be back in a few days at most and we can hammer out the details of the wedding. Weddings? I don't care, whatever Carrie wants."

"I think we all need to breathe for a minute." Carrie's soft voice joined the conversation and Sami felt the weight of her older sister's stare.

"I couldn't agree more." Eric chose that moment to return to the room.

"Eric, you promised." Marlena whisper yelled.

"I promised that I would be polite. I didn't and don't pretend to understand what is going on here, or why you're all talking madness."

"Madness? What madness?" Stefano seemed unfazed.

"What do you mean, need to breathe?" Philip said.

The roar in Sami's head was echoed in the overlapping voices in the room.

"Wedding. Namely, Belle's. She's sixteen, it's gross." Eric entered the circle again, a veritable force as he put himself between Belle and EJ, finally fracturing the image that seared itself behind Sami's retinas. Tugging on his younger sister, Eric herded her a couple of paces sideways.

"It is how it is done in the old country." Calm, Stefano had risen to his feet when Marlena reentered the room.

"But this isn't the old country. This is America. It isn't even legal…"

"Yes, it is. You just need parental consent."

"Which she has, of course she has it." Marlena inserted herself back into the conversation.

"You cannot force her to get married." The irate voice of her twin verbalized things she'd later wish she'd said.

"No one here is forcing anyone to do anything." Stefano's voice had hardened a little.

"No offense, but I don't see what the big rush is here. She was introduced to society. Big fucking deal. You call on her. Date her, if you want to. What the hell, man, why on Earth would you propose marriage when you don't even know her?"

"Sami happened." Philip quipped, answering the question intended for EJ.

Her name was met with a brief, but palpable silence. Then several voices overlapped as Sami finally locked eyes with EJ. Truer words never spoken, his gaze said.

Why are you here? Is this what you meant when you spoke of regret? Hers answered. Tick.

"Uncalled for." Knox jumped to her defense, and she shook her head again, trying to clear her thoughts, trying to pull her attention away from the hypnotic gaze she'd gotten lured into. Heat threatened to sear its way through the fragile encasement of ice she had locked herself into. Caught in his web, the images of the night before that she'd tried to smother, flashed through her mind.

EJ tugging off his shoes. Tick.

Crossing her bedroom floor to take her in his arms. Tick.

His lips descending on hers. Tick. Faster the countdown seemed to dwindle down.

"I'm sorry, who are you again?" Almost bored, Philip waved his arm.

"Knox Preston, you know damn well who I am, don't presume to imply otherwise."

"Whatever. I was kidding."

"But that's an excellent point." Stefano reinserted himself into the small circle. "There is a very good reason Lennox is here."

"I can hardly wait. Let me guess." Eric blurt, pausing in his efforts to separate Belle from this entire exchange. "He's here to officiate the ceremony. I mean, if he were someone else, I would be…"

"He's here for your sister." Whip-like, Stefano's voice struck instantly.

"I beg your pardon." Eric ground out.

"Stefano, let me…" Knox attempted to intervene.

"Your sister, through little fault of her own, set forth a chain of events that is a concern."

"Belle's not a concern." Eric growled. "And I thought she was intended for this one." He stuck his thumb out, jerking at where EJ stood, as immovable as stone. "What are you playing at?"

Knox tightened his hand on hers and Sami felt it again. The ticking of the bomb in the background.

"Isabella is obviously a part of this, but your sister, Samantha, unintentionally painted a target on herself that we need to remove."

"What?" Eric whirled.

"Please," Knox attempted again. "Let me…"

"That's enough." Stefano barked. "Knox will…"

"Knox will take over from here. Will you join me on a walk?" The man in question third person referenced himself, steering Sami toward the door.

"Father, don't." EJ finally spoke, the sound of his voice all at once crushing her. Tick.

"Yes, please, get me out of here." Sami turned and clutching Knox's hand, beat feet to flee.

As they were crossing the threshold to leave the carnage of the visit behind, the brusque baritone of Stefano's voice barely reached her ears. "What? Everyone should know that it's my intention that Knox protects Samantha. Marrying her would be ideal…" Boom.