Samantha looks after Tara but hears some troubling news that keeps her on her toes. Please review!

News reports went ballistic about what happened at the hospital, Samantha didn't have to watch TV to find out about this, she could see it plain as day on the front lawn. Judy Hicks was there on the grass talking to reporters, Samantha thought she was protected hiding behind the curtain but then that nosy blonde bitch had to point to the house, in the process sending every person with a camera pointing one right at her, she saw Judy look her right in the eye as if to say 'I'm always watching you'.

Tara wheeled over to the window in her chair, "Hey, what's going on?"

Samantha pushed her back, she knew Judy would come in asking questions, she leaned down and looked her right in the eye like she was talking to a 6 year old, "Just stay away from the windows, K? How are you feeling?"

"Kind of hungry. We should ditch and go to Denny's."

Samantha smiled, maybe she was trying hard to imitate how she was as a teenager, "Wait, since when do we have a Denny's?"

Knock at the door, if anything it sounded like a body slam, "Fuzz is here," Tara said jokingly.

Samantha wheeled her out of sight for a moment, took a deep breath and proceeded to answer. Hicks was standing on the doorstep, leaning against the pillar with her sunglasses on like she was trying hard to be a badass or something, it was enough to make Samantha roll her eyes.

"Where is she?"

"Huh?"

"Don't play dumb."

Hicks pushed her way past the girl and found Tara instantly.

"I thought you were stabbed," Samantha said, folding her arms.

Hicks showed her a wrapped bandage on her forearm, she grabbed the back of Tara's wheelchair and started for the door but Samantha blocked her path.

"She's not safe here, Samantha."

"Well she wasn't safe at the fucking hospital either!"

Judy let go of the wheelchair for a moment and tried to keep her cool especially in front of the recently attacked teen.

"Listen, I'm sorry, I thought everything was under control."

"Under control? The police force here is still as fucked as when I left this shit hole town! Nothing's changed!"

Hicks knew she was still as troubled as the day she first booked her for vandalism, a reckless kid, maybe always would be but she was right, "I wanted to change things in this town I really did. Once Dewey left I thought I picked the best to be keep the peace. But you have to understand, these incidents, no matter when they happen or how bad it gets I don't think it'll ever get easier no matter how ready we are."

Samantha and Tara both looked at each other, as if to ask if this woman was serious.

"Wow really know how to sweet talk people, sheriff," said Tara.

Samantha tried hard not to laugh.

Hicks sighed, "I'll get a couple cars to watch the house in shifts. I'll get you a walkie-talkie..."

"No way," said Samantha, thinking about what a circus this was turning into, "I'm getting her out of Woodsboro."

"Sam...," Hicks started, reaching a hand out, with full intention to hold her shoulder.

Samantha slapped her hand away, "Nothing you say is going to make me stay here. We're leaving. Anyone who stays in this town is cursed!"

Hicks tried talking to her the way she would to her son, similar authority but softer, "Firstly. You didn't properly discharge Tara from the hospital. Secondly no one is leaving town, this is still an active investigation. Thirdly you stole that wheelchair from the hospital."

Samantha wanted to punch something hard, one of the reasons she left this town was because of the adults, "Look. Someone was found gutted outside of the tavern last night, face was mangled so we're still trying to find out who he was," Samantha and Tara both looked at each other, puzzled and shocked; so this was a new killing spree, Hicks knew that look, "OK, just stay here, promise me. I'll make things easier for you. I can get you shit. I'll also forget about the wheelchair."

She left them to talk things over, Samantha made sure the door was locked, "I can't believe this."

"Nice ass though," Tara said bluntly.

Samantha did a double take, sarcasm surely.

Reporters finally got bored after they realized no one was coming out of the Carpenter residence and moved on. The drugs seemed to have wore off but Samantha made sure to keep an eye on Tara and see if she was in any pain throughout the day, helping her get what she wanted out of the kitchen.

"I'm fine."

"But it's just last night...when you were standing up."

Tara raised an eyebrow, "I was standing up?" Samantha thought she might have remembered dropping the hospital gown last night but it was clear now she was oblivious, "I can maybe stay on my legs a half hour before they get sore. I know they might have said I was slashed to bits on the news, just hanging onto life but they really love to exaggerate."

"I guess," she handed Tara a box of crackers she was attempting to grab from a shelf.

Samantha thought maybe now was time to tell Tara all about her reasons for leaving but Tara butted in with her own news, "So I know you've been gone a long time and just so you know if you haven't figured it out already I'm not into dudes."

"Huh?"

"I'm pretty sure I've said some things to you all doped up."

Samantha pretended not to really notice, maybe it was her own fault for thinking she just developed an odd sense of humor, "I guess here and there...Wait, does Mom know?"

Tara laughed, "No. But I don't care. It's not like I bring anyone over here."

"I mean it's cool. You shouldn't have anyone tell you how to live your life."

"I knew you'd get it," Tara smiled.

Samantha got an alert on her phone, someone was calling, odd because she communicated souly through text even with work, she did miss a few texts from Amber, it told her to go into another room and not tell Tara who it was.

"Oh, um, I better take this. Work thing."

"Oh. Ok," Tara looked skeptical but decided to trust her sister.

Samantha stepped into the downstairs bathroom, "Hey, what's going on? Did they find out who was killed?"

"Another body. They found one of our friends, Tyler, he used to be good friends with Tara, his guts were found hanging out on the football field."

Samantha nearly dropped the phone in the toilet, "Oh my god!"

"Sh! Sam, Tara has been acting strange, even before getting stabbed. Some of us think Tara could be one of the new Ghostfaces. She could even be the ringleader of the whole thing."

Samantha paused, she wanted to laugh, "That's ridiculous."

"Come talk to us. We're at the diner."

"I can't just leave the house right now, Amber."

Samantha could hear the long winded sigh of a teenager that couldn't get her way, "Fine. We'll come to you soon. But right now be careful. Whatever you do don't trust her. Watch every move she makes."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Samantha hung up the phone, she couldn't believe her sister's own friends turned against her, of all the people that could be a Ghostface killer they picked the most innocent one.

Later that evening, Tara insisted on cooking a meal for Samantha, some linguine with a little shrimp thrown in, a dish they both had enjoyed before, everything seemed fine, nothing out of the ordinary happened all day and no drop ins from Hicks or Amber; she didn't tell her about Tyler, she didn't want her to worry.

For whatever reason when Tara placed the plate of delicious pasta in front of her, Samantha had this bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, something telling her not to eat this.

"Something wrong?"

"I um...," she stumbled, "I might have to take something, feel kind of off."

"You're probably just hungry, sis, you've been helping me all day."

"Maybe it's everything that's happening, I just don't have an appetite."

Tara never would have thought to tie this to the phone call from earlier but she was starting to connect the dots; she didn't appreciate secrets.

"Sorry for making a romantic meal for us!" she snapped and took the plate back.

Samantha sat up, "Romantic meal?"

Tara sighed, "I guess the cat's out of the bag."

Samantha waited for any of this to make sense, Tara paced the floor until she found herself behind Samantha, the older girl turned her head to see what she was up to, she jumped when Tara placed her hands on each of her shoulders; she was stronger than she looked, Samantha had trouble squirming away.

"I know you have a lot of questions. So do I."

"Tara..."

"Samnatha."

"I was talking to Amber. She said one of your friends was killed. Tyler? I just didn't want to scare you."

Tara shrugged, "We all have to go sometime."

Samantha was startled, that cold dead look in Tara's eyes, this wasn't her, "Tara, he was one of your close friends. You must care."

"Close friends? Is that what Amber told you? What else has she been saying behind my back?"

"Tara, please..."

Tara massaged her shoulders, "You think I'm Ghostface don't you?"

Samantha stammered, "I-I know you wouldn't hurt anyone but..."

Tara had her hand on Samantha's neck, her fingers caressed her neckline, "Oh do you? Did you seriously think I poisoned the food? Get revenge for you stepping out of my life or something?"

"No, I..."

Tara patted her shoulder, "Let's go into the den."

Samantha didn't know what else to do but listen to her, she had no other option. They sat in front of the fireplace, Tara continued with her wine, "Well, you know I'm into girls."

"Yes and I'm 100% fine with that!" Samantha stressed.

Tara smirked, took a sip, "God, you really think I'm Ghostface don't you?"

Samantha breathed heavy, Tara put her wine down and faced her, "Sam, I wanted to forget about the past, I hated you for a long time but then I came to terms with it. It wasn't easy. Mom didn't make it easy especially after Dad left. But seeing you at the hospital changed a lot. For a while I'd already had my suspicions but now it's crystal clear this is what I want," she touched Samantha's hair, delicately she moved a bunch behind her ear, "What I want is you."

Samantha didn't blink, she didn't move a muscle, she was trying to make any sense out of word that came out of this girl's mouth, "Tara, what are you saying?"

"I'm in love with you, Sam. I want you to be my girl."

Samantha felt like she was about to pass out, this had to be some kind of prank, elaborate yes but it was all on her, Tara's attack, the hospital, Hicks, everything was like bad karma.

"Did Amber and them put you up to this?"

Tara calmed herself down with a deep breath, "No one. Only my heart," Tara then realized how cheesy that sounded and tried to backtrack, "No jokes. No one else knows how I feel about you."

"T-Tara this is...," she stood up and turned away from her.

"Romantic? Go on. It's ok, it's only us here."

"Tara you don't really mean that...that's not right you know that."

Tara continued to smile, "Heart wants what it wants."

Samantha put all of her weight down on the couch and stared at the floor.

Tara tried touching her hair but she moved away from her, "I would never hurt you. Is this still about the whole Ghostface thing? Come on, Sam, what will it take for me to convince you?"

Samantha shook her head, "You're confused."

"Confused about what? You think me being in love with you is messed up or something?"

Samantha looked her in the eye, this look of confusion and anger, "Look I don't know if it's the drugs you were on or what but you need to stop this."

Tara was a little disappointed, "I see. Well maybe this wasn't the best time to tell you. Especially when people are being murdered as we speak," Samantha stayed quiet, she wasn't in the mood for any more, "Well how about this. We figure out who it is together. We deduce the suspects and come to a conclusion and go to the police," Samantha turned back to Tara and frowned, "Or someone else we think can do a better job?"

Samantha exhaled loudly, "Fine."

"We can always make it interesting. Maybe a friendly wager?"

Samantha pressed on the bridge of her nose, "Like what?"

"If I'm Ghostface, you can do whatever you want. Lock me up, send me away, cover it up or drive us both out of here. But if I'm not you owe me one romantic date. Just one and if you don't like it we don't have to talk about my stupid feelings ever again."

She held out her pinky, Samantha looked at it and at her, it was clear that she just wanted to put all of this behind them but with few options right now what other choice did she have? If her sister was full blown nuts, which she could be the worst she could do was maybe help her find a shrink. She didn't want anything bad for Tara, she would do anything for her but by her very honest confession maybe there were some things she couldn't do.

Samantha stuck her pinky out and wrapped it around Tara's, they both smiled and released.

"Now that wasn't so scary was it?"

Samantha took a deep breath, "I'm going to regret this aren't I?"

Tara chuckled and patted her knee, "Come on now, don't want your dinner getting cold."

The secret's out!

To be continued!