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Chapter 47 Chapter 47- Feeling Sick

Samuel grumbled under his breath as he walked down the hallways of the ship. His back was beginning to hurt. He stopped and put his hands on his hips. "Oh, this sucks."

He stretched his back and rolled his neck.

"Maybe, I'm just tired." He thought as he began to walk along the hallway again.

He reached his suite and opened the door. Karen was sitting on the sofa with a glass of wine in her hand.

"You have perfect timing. I have just decided that I'm not going to drink this."

He chuckled as he walked over and sat beside of her. "Not going to drink it, huh?"

She handed it to him and shook her head. "I know you said one glass is fine, but I don't feel right about it. Anytime, Halley, ever does something….crazy. I'll blame it on myself."

He sat it on the table in front them. "Nah, I already have that sorted."

"Yeah?" She asked.

"Of course. Arles is her Uncle. I'm sure we can blame a lot on him." He teased.

Karen giggled as Samuel wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head.

"Samuel, that was so…."

"Frightening." He insisted. "Oh wow. Shenny died."

"And you saved her."

He kissed her head again, let her go, and took the glass of wine in his hand. "I'm….still in rather a state of shock."

She pulled her feet under herself. "I know you are. Drink that."

He glanced back at her. "I thought we both had stopped drinking-"

"You need it, and you're not growing a baby."

He toasted her, "Cheers. I'm not arguing."

He drank the entire glass in three swallows, and then hung his tongue out. "Oh, that's rubbish."

She rolled her eyes. "You aren't supposed to drink it like that."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

She watched him. "Sick?"

He nodded, "And it doesn't have anything to do with the wine."

She rubbed his back. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head. "No."

She nodded. "Okay, well-"

"It's just….this is really frightening, Karen. Anything. Anything I think I want, it just….I can have it. I need help with this. What if I think something that I shouldn't want?"

"Maybe that's not how it works. Maybe, it only works to give you what you need."

He sat the glass back down and rubbed his hands together. "I can't get it off my mind."

"Ashena?"

"No." He bit his lip.

She stopped rubbing his back. "Dad."

He nodded. "I should have done something, and now I know I could have done something-"

"You don't know that."

"It's rather the same isn't it?"

She shook her head, "I don't think it is. It doesn't feel like it would be-"

"It does to me." He sighed. "I don't know what to think."

She rubbed his back. "Well, we're both tired."

He nodded without looking at her.

"And it's been a long day and night."

He blew air out of his mouth. "That's the truth. I feel as if I'm going to be sick."

She whispered. "Samuel. Please don't think about Dad."

He looked back at her. "What if-"

She wiped her eyes. "Please don't. It's hard enough saying good-bye to him once. I never want to do it again."

He nodded. "Okay, Karen."

She rubbed his back again. "Still feel sick?"

He held his head and took a deep breath. "Yeah. Dad and Papa want me to get that damn pain blocker, again."

"And you told them no."

He covered his face and sighed. "It was more like, 'hell no'."

"Is it hurting now?"

His muffled voice spoke from behind his hands. "Yes."

"Bad enough to make you sick?"

"No." He told her and uncovered his face. "Maybe I could get one of those, pain blockers that you put on the outside of the skin. I think there are some in the med bay."

"I don't know about that. Maybe take some medicine?"

"It would have to be strong. And I don't want to be where you can't wake me. Someone blew up Ashena's ship. What the hell is going on?"

She rubbed his back. "We don't know that."

He shook his head. "We could have lost Shenny. Karen, there's no heir for the Andromedaens! A lot of people feel as though Ashena is too young to do it. This could have really have been a problem."

"Are you dealing with some post Ashena drama stress-"

He rubbed his face and groaned. "Yes."

She took his hand in hers and smiled, "Some ...'I've done something that scared the hell out of me' drama?"

He blew air out of his mouth slowly. "Exactly it. So…..strange. And I know Mum can do stuff like this. I wish she would talk to me about it."

"Your letter told you that you will be the one that has to sort it out, to help her."

He sighed. "This is hard."

"And, it is frightening. You can admit that to me. Samuel. It will be alright."

"How do you know that?"

She smiled. "I trust you."

He groaned, "I could really hurt someone. Just by, thinking about it."

"I know you would never do anything to hurt anyone."

"If someone was hurting you, or Halley….gosh." He grit his teeth and made a fist. "My Halley. If someone wanted to hurt her-"

She wrapped her arms around him and told him quietly. "Samuel. I love you."

His face spread into a smile. He turned around to look at her. "Even though-"

She giggled. "Even though you're strange. Samuel. Normal is boring."

He laughed as he wiped the tears that had formed in his eyes. "All I ever wanted, was to be normal."

He embraced her and they lay down together on the sofa. Their cheeks lay against one another, and the pleasurable sensation between them moved. It helped them both relax.

She smiled as she said, "You're going to learn how to use this, Samuel. It's only the beginning."

"As long as it keeps you with me." He said as he kissed her forehead. "I'll practice as much as I can. Karen, I'm not losing you."

She told him quietly. "Let's go to bed."

They sat back up. Samuel stood up and stretched his back. "Do you mind, if I go back to the med bay and see if I can find one of those pain blockers?"

"I don't mind, no. Samuel, think about letting your Dad help you."

He groaned. "Thinking about it….no. I don't want that."

She shook her head. "Keep being stubborn, Angus. And I'll have to get involved."

He helped Karen to her feet. "I should ring Arles."

"He's probably asleep. What time is it at home?"

Samuel grinned. "He went home with Kelly. $1,000 says she's still at her place."

She giggled. "Oh, I know he is. The question is: are they still just friends?"

He continued to grin. "Buying into his….madness?"

She kissed him. "I'm going to bed. Call Arles and join me. You need to rest."

He held her about the waist. "Thank you, Karen. Ring your Mum before you go to sleep. Let her know you're alright. Okay?"

She smiled. "Okay. I'll do that. The original Black Mumba."

He chuckled. "Yes. Let me help you do that, and then I'll find a pain blocker."

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