Chapter Five



Lucas heard Sami yelp in pain from in the kitchen. Her cry was followed by her swearing loudly. Lucas wheeled out of his bedroom and saw Sami hurry out into the living room. She was wearing sweat pants and a thin, low-cut tank top. Lucas noticed that the skin above her right breast was an alarming shade of red.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

Sami let out a loud, angry sigh, "I was in the middle of making dinner. Then, I took this cup out of the microwave and it exploded. Now my shoulder really hurts."

Lucas gestured for Sami to sit on the couch, "Let me see." he examined the red skin, his fingers skimming the top of her shoulder and neckline, "It probably does hurt but I think you'll live."

Sami felt cold air hitting her affected shoulder, "What are you doing?" she asked him.

"I'm blowing on it. It will make it feel better." he answered, then went back to blowing on her shoulder. She could feel the cool air hitting her skin and it was actually turning her on. Dammit. She moved her head back so that she could watch Lucas. His mouth was so close to touching her and she wanted to feel those lips on her bare flesh, moving up until they reached her mouth. She wanted him.

She hastily got off the couch, "You're right, I feel fine now. I should get back into the kitchen before the cake burns."

Lucas eyed her suspiciously, "Why are you making a cake?" he asked her.

"Oh, I must have forgotten to tell you. Marlena, Mimi and Belle are coming over for dinner." she saw his eyes glaze over with anger and unwillingness.

"You never asked me if I wanted them over." he said angrily, "I really don't feel like seeing anyone tonight."

"You never want to see anyone!" she responded, trying to keep the edge out of her voice, "All you do is sit around and mope. I know you can't walk but that doesn't give you a right to act like you're dead or something."

"Maybe I wish I was." he said simply. Sami reached over and smacked him lightly on the top of his head.

"I don't want to ever hear you say that again!" she yelled at him, "You have a son. Stop being so self-centred that think about him for a change!" she suddenly remembered something and laughed bitterly.

"What's so funny?" Lucas demanded.

"I just thought about how I promised God that I'd never fight with you again if he kept both you and Will alive." Sami shook her head, "But I'm not going to keep any promises I make him if he isn't going to keep my family safe."

Lucas stared hard at her for a second, "What do you mean, your family?" he asked carefully.

Sami realized what he was thinking and what her words had meant to him, "I just meant that he let my grandma die. And my father is the next target of a serial killer. And he let John take my mom away from my dad. Do you want me to go on?"

"But did you mean that I w-" Sami quickly cut him off.

"The cake is probably burnt to a crisp by now." she rushed out of the room and inhaled the burnt smell when she entered the kitchen. She pulled a very dark brown cake out of the oven, a cake that had once been a creamy white colour.

"I guess no one is getting cake tonight." she muttered, throwing the burnt cake into the trash.



The dining room table was pretty small, so it was pretty crowded that night. It was also pretty quiet and awkward. Mimi and Marlena tried to keep up conversation but Sami was too tired to really contribute. Lucas didn't talk and Belle was staring at Lucas. Finally, Belle spoke.

"What's it like using a wheelchair?" Belle asked, "I mean, what's it like knowing that you're going to spend the rest of your life in it?"

Sami heard what Belle said and the water in her mouth suddenly tasted like cat piss. She couldn't believe Belle had been so insensitive. Sami would never have said that to Lucas unless she was purposely trying to hurt him. But Belle didn't seem to see what an awful thing she had just said. She looked like she really wanted to know the answer.

Lucas placed his fork on the edge of his plate and leaned back in the wheelchair, letting his eyes bore into Belle's until she began to shift around uncomfortably.

"It's like riding a bike." he answered in a low, ominous voice, "Only, the ride never stops. Unless you decide to crash."

"You do not want to crash." Sami broke in, glaring at Belle. From now on, Belle was staying as far away from Lucas as possible. She could take her stupid questions and shove them up her ass. Mimi and Marlena were also staring at Belle in shock, unable to believe that she had asked such a horrible question.

Later, right before the three guests were about to leave, Marlena went up to Sami.

"I was watching Lucas carefully tonight and I think I know what's wrong with him." Marlena whispered to Sami.

Sami looked up at Marlena expectantly, "What's wrong with him?"

"I think he's depressed." Marlena told Sami, "The signs are all there."

"Oh." Sami was silent for a few seconds, "What can I do to help him?"

Marlena sighed, "I think you should give him time, he'll probably come out of it. But if he doesn't come out of it soon, call me and I'll figure something out."

Sami smiled gratefully at her mom, "Thanks." Marlena, Belle and Mimi left and Sami went in to see Lucas. She sat down on the couch next to his wheelchair.

"What did you mean about wanting to crash?" she asked him, even though she was pretty sure she already knew the answer. His words had scared her and she would do anything to change his mind.

"Wasn't it obvious?" his fingers tightened fiercely around the arm of the wheelchair, "I hate this. I hate living like this and knowing that it isn't ever going to change. Why even go on if I'm going to live the same way every single day for the rest of my life?"

Sami reached out and touched his chest, "You can't give up yet. Just give yourself time. I know you'll walk again if you keep trying. We both want you out of this wheelchair and when we both want something, we won't stop until we get it."

Lucas moved one hand and squeezed the hand she had rested lightly on his chest, "Thank you for caring." he whispered hoarsely. Sami felt her emotions getting the best of her and she wanted to kiss him. But she couldn't.

She stood up and went into the kitchen to clean up the mess she had made making dinner. After loading the dishes into the dishwasher, she moved on to wiping the counters. She had to get Lucas to stop being depressed. And from where she was standing, it looked like the only way that was going to happen was if she helped him figure out a way to walk again.