Chapter Seven
Lost in the warmth of Brandon's arms, Sami curled into him hearing the storm ease up a bit as they were wrapped up in one another lost in the beautiful aftermath of their lovemaking. Holding him like this was the one thing that Sami had tried to persuade herself to live without, but alas here in the one place she'd felt most safe and secure. This was where here heart was and no denial would keep her from knowing the simple fact that she belonged with Brandon Walker. As if he'd been reading her thoughts Brandon kissed the top of her head before his fingers gently eased over the line of her jaw urging her to meet his eyes. She turned her head in his direction, noticing the smile building over his handsome features.
"Samantha," he whispered her name, sending a shiver down her spine with the smooth, sexy way the word formed up on his lips, "I love you."
"I love you, Brandon," she confessed capturing his sensual mouth in a slow, tender kiss, "I never stopped loving you from the moment we found our way back to one another."
"You've always been the woman I waited a lifetime for," Brandon confessed touching her golden tresses as he saw so many of his emotions behind her beautiful blue eyes, "Samantha, when I thought I'd lost you forever, that you'd wanted nothing more than to run away from me, my heart broke in two. For so long all I wanted was to be with you, to have you in my life, but then there was Austin..."
"I was so young back then," Sami confessed, "I didn't know what real love was and I thought Austin was the man of my dreams, but he wasn't. It wasn't even close to being that. I had this obsession and it nearly destroyed me, but you, well, you turned my life around and saved me. Even when I think about what happened before, well, had you not shown up, there's no telling where I'd be right about now. For all I know I could've wound up in a ditch somewhere freezing to death without anyone knowing the wiser."
"I wouldn't let that happen to you," Brandon promised her, "I would've found you."
"How would you have known?" she questioned innocently.
"Samantha, think about it. You ran away, but somehow fate brought us together," Brandon squeezed her in his arms, "destiny pulled us out of the storm and into the warmth of each other's arms. We were supposed to be together right now in this moment."
"I believe that," she snuggled into his chest, "Brandon, I really, truly believe that you and I were meant to be together like this with one another and having the love that we always needed in our lives."
"Samantha, I know I pushed you away before, but no more," Brandon took in a breath, "I know that there are things we need to face back home, but I think if we take some time to really talk things through, to take a look at our options..."
"No," she shook her head placing her index finger over his lips to silence him, "I won't hear of it. No words about what happens next...at least not yet," she leaned in to kiss him longingly, "right now I just want to focus on us, on savoring this time with you, on being in your arms..." she kissed him again with a growing passion, "on making love with you."
"Samantha," his breath caught in his throat as her hands robbed him of any protest that may have been swirling in his mind. She had wrapped herself into his system reaching deep into his senses until he could taste, breathe, experience nothing but the pure untamed love of Samantha Brady in all it's beauty and in those moment of being with her, he knew he'd found his way home at last.
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Lexie reached for the telephone dialing Brandon's number again, but alas it was the answering machine again as she frowned slightly. Where could he be at this hour? Surely he hadn't gone out of town without telling her. He wouldn't do that, would he? Feeling her concern deepen, Lexie dialed Nicole Walker's number determined to track down Brandon one way or another.
"Hello," Nicole answered groggily as Lexie debated hanging up, "is anyone there? Hello?"
"Ni-Nicole," Lexie stammered a bit taking in a breath wondering if Nicole would think she was crazy for seeking out Brandon.
"Who is this?" Nicole's voice questioned sharply.
"This is Lexie Carver," Lexie started smoothly, "I was wondering if perhaps you knew where I could find Brandon."
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Nicole frowned as she rose from her slumber.
"I don't mean to bother you, but I've been trying to get a hold of him for a while, but all I seem to get is his machine."
"Did you try his cell phone?" Nicole growled at her, "that might be a good way to reach him."
"I did try that, but it said he was out of the service area. I thought maybe he'd left town for a bit and that you'd know."
"Lexie, to be honest with you, I'm half asleep right now and as for Brandon," she shook her head, "I don't have the first clue where he is, though I will tell you if he's not answering any calls and trying not to be disturbed, then somehow I wouldn't put it past Sami to be involved somehow."
"That's what I was afraid of," Lexie muttered under her breath her fingers clenching tightly around the phone, "thank you for your time Nicole. I'm sorry to have bothered you."
"Whatever," Nicole growled as she hung up the phone and Lexie was left to her thoughts.
Looking around the Dimera mansion, Lexie decided it was time to get rid of the competition once and for all. Samantha Brady wouldn't be the one thing that kept her from Brandon. That much she was certain of. She'd show that spoiled little brat one way or another that Brandon was too good to associate with the likes of Sami Brady.
"Alexandria," Tony's voice interrupted her thoughts as she nearly leapt out of her skin, "what are you still doing awake?"
"I couldn't sleep Tony," she turned to face her brother forcing herself to push her thoughts aside as she faced him, "I just needed some time to myself."
"I think it's more than that," Tony stepped in closer, "something is bothering you, isn't it?"
"Nothing more than the usual," Lexie sighed, "I just wish life would go smoothly for once."
"Still haven't spoken with Brandon, have you?" he frowned slightly, "Alexandria, I don't understand what this obsession of yours is with him."
"He's the father of my child," she snapped back, "that in itself speaks volumes about what he means to me."
"I realize that, but at the same time, I don't see why you must have him in your life. It was bad enough with Abe, but now a man like Brandon Walker," he shook his head, "You're a Dimera, my beautiful sister and you deserve nothing but the best in your life."
"Brandon is what I want in my life," Lexie insisted firmly, "he's the man I want to be with, to have a family with."
"Still, I wish your heart would tell you differently," he sighed, "because I fear that this young Brandon will leave you brokenhearted."
"No, no he won't," she vowed determined, "Tony, Brandon and I are going to have our happily ever after and nothing will stand in the way of it. I won't let Samantha Brady destroy his life."
"Alexandria, as much as I wish for you to be happy, I fear that this will only end badly as young Mr. Walker has given his heart to Sami," Tony reminded her, "why not take this for what it's worth? You're having a beautiful son or daughter and the last thing you need is a man like that. Your child is a Dimera and in being a part of that, he or she will have the best the world has to offer."
"It's not enough," she snapped feeling her emotions raging out of control, "I won't accept that. I need more."
"But Alexandria..."
"Don't try to talk me out of this Tony," She began, "don't you even...." her words were cut short as she suddenly felt dizzy and she stammered a bit stumbling into his arms.
"Alexandria," Tony caught her fall, "what is it? What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she took in a breath, "I'm just fine. Really I'm..." she trailed off as she collapsed in her brother's arms.
"Aliana," Tony called out to the maid, "Call Dr. Murphy right away and have him out here now!" Tony ordered as he looked to his sister holding her close to him, "just hold on Alexandria."
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"Hungry?" Brandon questioned from behind the mini bar inside the cabin. He opened the door to the refrigerator and heard Samantha get up from behind him.
"I'm starved actually," she confessed peering over his shoulder, "what do you have for me?"
"Hmm....well clearly the person staying here wasn't stocked up for company," Brandon reached into the tiny fridge, "it looks like we have cherries and diet Pepsi."
"Hmm...well that doesn't speak much for options, now does it," she couldn't help but frown as he stood upright holding his findings out towards her, "though we could work with it."
"It doesn't help with your being hungry though, does it?" Brandon frowned as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I think it's a start," she trailed her finger tips down his chest, "although I do have a confession to make."
"Do you now?" he raised a curious brow.
"I do indeed," she nodded proudly, "I realized that I had some chocolate Hershey kisses in my pocket."
"And you didn't tell me before now?" Brandon teased tickling at her sides as she let out a boisterous giggle.
"I didn't think about it until now," she laughed harder than before as her own fingers danced over his skin defending herself in this sudden tickle attack.
"Oh no you don't," Brandon picked her up hoisting her up in the air over his head as his lips pressed in over her flat stomach blowing on it offering up a tickling sensation going through her as she laughed harder than before afraid he'd drop her as he dropped her down a bit settling her into his arms with a mischievous grin.
"Don't you dare drop me," she pinched at his chest as he held her close to him.
"Never," he stole a quick kiss from her as he collected the cherries and Diet Pepsi to take with them back into the living room. Carefully setting her down on the sofa he moved in beside her touching her face gently, "I'd never let you fall Samantha."
"Brandon," she reached out to him seeing so many things behind his dark eyes as her heart nearly leapt out of her chest. She let out a sigh before sinking back into the couch cushions, "you have no idea how long I wanted it to be just you and me. I had dreams about us running off together--with Will of course, and we'd settle down in some place away from the world just the three of us working towards our happily ever after."
"You know that dream still can become a reality," Brandon confessed wrapping her up in his arms, "we can still have that happily ever after."
"Brandon, I'd like to believe that, but there are so many things against us right now," she sighed thinking about life back in Salem.
"I know we have Lexie to deal with, and Samantha, I'm not going to lie to you about that situation. I want to be there for my son or daughter. I know you and Lexie don't get along, but I won't abandon her or my child during these times."
"Of course not," Sami opened her eyes feeling the weight of the moment between them as she sat upright, "I mean why turn your back on Lexie when she's having your baby? I mean it's not like you want to be with me."
"Samantha, my obligation to Lexie has nothing to do with us," he tried to reach out to her again feeling her pull away from him, "Samantha, please will you just listen to me?"
"Brandon, what can you say that make this easier?"
"I don't know if anything I say will do that, but I can tell you that I love you," he pleaded with her, "I love you and I can't imagine a life without you in it. I know that I screwed up, but if I walked away from my responsibility, what kind of man would that make me? Can you honestly tell me that you could love a man that would turn his back on his child?" he waited as she said nothing and he let out a sigh, "Samantha, if I did that I'd be no better than my father."
"But you aren't your father," she blurted out, "you're nothing like him."
"Samantha, I'm starting to feel like him more every day," he sighed lowering his head as he thought back to how the past year of his life went, "he constantly did something to screw up the good things in his life. Time and time again, he abused my mother, hurt her in so many ways that it left her broken and I'm so afraid that in loving you, I'll do the same to you. I've already hurt you in sleeping with Lexie and there's no excuse for what I've done. I never should've let it get that far and now with her having my child it'll be a constant reminder to you of how I failed you."
"You didn't fail me," Sami's voice softened as she looked to him, "Brandon, you believed I didn't love you, that I didn't want to be with you."
"But I should've trusted our love," he looked up to her, "I should've ignored what you said and made my way over to your apartment that night. I should've forced you to tell me the truth about the situation and then I would've found myself lost in your arms, making love to you that night."
"Making love," she repeated the idea of Brandon and Lexie together eating away at her as she looked to the floor.
"Samantha," he reached for her hand, "please don't tell me that I've ruined what we have together by my stupidity."
"Tell me something," she took in a breath as she prepared to ask him something that had been bothering her for so very long, "when you were with Lexie...when you and she...." she trailed off.
"Samantha, don't do this," he urged over her, "don't think about it."
"I can't help it," she took in a breath, "I need to know. When you two were together, were you making love? Did you feel something for her?"
"We had an attraction," Brandon confessed painfully, "she was my friend and I was hurt by your refusal and she was hurting because of Abe," he closed his eyes thinking back, "it was a mistake and other than this baby coming to life, I know that it shouldn't have happened. I wish I could take it back, but on the other hand I'm about to be a father. I'm about to have a child and that's something that I can't walk away from."
"Brandon, I just wish..." she sighed, "it doesn't matter anymore."
"No, it does," Brandon reached out to her again, "it's always mattered to me. Even when I heard you telling Brenda that you were quitting your job at the hospital, I feared that I'd hurt you so badly that you were running from me and the pain I'd caused you."
"Brandon, it wasn't that," she shook her head as she met his concerned eyes, "I hated my job at the hospital and while you were one of the perks, over the holidays my mom and John started talking with me and John offered me a position at his company. It'll be a bit like it was when I was working for Titan and I wanted to go with it. You know how I hated being everyone's gofer girl and I figured it was time to make a new life for myself. I wanted to have a job that could make my son proud of me."
"Will's already so proud of you," Brandon reminded her, "you should know that."
"I've made a lot of mistakes in my life and I don't want my son to grow up to see how pathetic I am," she confessed thinking of the way she'd been lately.
"You are NOT pathetic," Brandon argued with her, "you are one of the strongest, most passionate women I've ever met and Will loves you for that. I see a lot of you in him and I think that he's a very happy child. You've given him so many wonderful things in his life Samantha and I know he's so very proud of you."
"I just wish I could've given him more instead of doing the things I did," she shook her head, "I screwed up so many times and I feel like karma is coming back to hit me full force."
"This wasn't because of you," Brandon insisted firmly, "this was because I was too foolish to follow my heart. This situation with Lexie is my fault and I'm the one who has to suffer the consequences of it. I did this to us, so I don't want you blaming yourself."
"Brandon, how can I not," she sighed closing her eyes, "when I think of how much promise we had, but I allowed Victor and Nicole to manipulate me."
"It's in the past," he cut her off as he squeezed her hand in his, "but what happens now after today is based on us. The question is, do you want us to have a future together?"
"Brandon," she looked to him, "I think you know the answer to that."
"Then please, Samantha, just humor me. Do you want to be with me?" he questioned his voice a bit shaken with emotion.
"Yes, of course I do," she nodded tears glistening in her eyes, "I love you and I can't stop loving you."
"I feel the same way about you," he touched her cheek wiping at a tear, "which is why I can't imagine my life without you. I know that I screwed up and that I don't deserve a second chance with you, but I would like nothing more than to spend my days with you."
"Brandon," she began watching his eyes as he raised her hand up to his lips kissing it gently.
"Samantha, I know I have no place to ask you this, but I would like nothing more than to wake up each day with you by my side sharing my life with you as we grow old together. I want to be able to share this lifetime with you and with Will as we watch our children grow up and fall in love themselves. I want to know that I didn't let this moment pass us by and that even though we had a great many odds against us, I want to be sure that we can have our happily ever after, that I can have a chance to give it to you. What I'm asking," he paused lowering himself down before her as he took in a breath.
"Brandon," she gasped suddenly feeling a warmth spread over her as she knelt before her.
"What I want to know is, will you make me the happiest man alive by doing me the honor of being my wife to have and to hold for always," he questioned gazing into her beautiful, blue eyes as she felt her heart flutter, "I love you Samantha and I want you to be mine forever, so will you marry me?"
"Oh Brandon," Sami gasped feeling as if all her dreams were coming true in this one moment between them as she wrapped her arms around him holding him as if she'd never let go and they fell to the ground with one another, "yes, oh yes. I'll marry you!" She cried out kissing him as if she'd never let go now that she and Brandon had found their way to one another. Despite what might be waiting for them, she knew in her heart that things would be alright now that they were together again. She was going to be Mrs. Brandon Walker and no one could take that from her, not now--not ever.
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"What's happening?" Lexie cried out feeling another pain as Tony reached for her hand.
"You're going to be just fine, Alexandria," he whispered hoping that his words weren't in vain as he looked to Colin.
"Tony," Colin's voice broke with concern as Lexie let out another pained cry.
"No, not my baby," Lexie grabbed Tony's arm squeezing it tightly, "tell me nothing's wrong with my baby."
"We're doing all we can," Tony tried to assure his sister as Colin motioned for him to step in closer.
"Tony, I'm sorry," Colin blurted out seeing the pain cross over Lexie's features as he shook his head, "we tried all we could, but Lexie, it just wasn't meant to be."
"No," she sobbed, "no I can't lose my baby."
"I'm so sorry Alexandria," Tony embraced his sister holding her tightly as the realization that she'd lost her child swept over her.
"This can't be happening," She sobbed harder, "I can't have lost my child."
"We did all we could," Colin began as Tony shot him a glare.
"Why don't you give us a moment of privacy," Tony instructed as he held his sister wanting to alleviate her pain. Colin nodded and stepped out of the room giving them some privacy.
"I can't have lost the baby," Lexie cried out as she searched her brother's eyes, "there has to be some kind of mistake."
"I'm so sorry," Tony touched her face wiping at her tears, "I wish there was something more I could do."
"My baby deserved to live," she began thinking back to how she'd had it all only days earlier. Now as she lay in the hospital bed with Tony beside her, she realized that she'd had it taken from her, "Brandon should be here with me," Lexie cried out thinking about the pain she was experiencing.
"I couldn't get a hold of him," Tony explained, "but we'll find him soon."
"Sami did this," Lexie sneered thinking about Sami's desperate attempts to get Brandon's attention, "She took him away and she's the reason I lost my child."
"Alexandria, don't...." Tony began seeing the rage behind his sister's eyes.
"She's going to pay for this," Lexie vowed bitterly, "She took my child, but I won't let her have Brandon. She will pay," Lexie promised hugging her brother as her anger took over and the pain of losing her child began to weave a new web in her quest to destroy Samantha Brady once and for all.
Lost in the warmth of Brandon's arms, Sami curled into him hearing the storm ease up a bit as they were wrapped up in one another lost in the beautiful aftermath of their lovemaking. Holding him like this was the one thing that Sami had tried to persuade herself to live without, but alas here in the one place she'd felt most safe and secure. This was where here heart was and no denial would keep her from knowing the simple fact that she belonged with Brandon Walker. As if he'd been reading her thoughts Brandon kissed the top of her head before his fingers gently eased over the line of her jaw urging her to meet his eyes. She turned her head in his direction, noticing the smile building over his handsome features.
"Samantha," he whispered her name, sending a shiver down her spine with the smooth, sexy way the word formed up on his lips, "I love you."
"I love you, Brandon," she confessed capturing his sensual mouth in a slow, tender kiss, "I never stopped loving you from the moment we found our way back to one another."
"You've always been the woman I waited a lifetime for," Brandon confessed touching her golden tresses as he saw so many of his emotions behind her beautiful blue eyes, "Samantha, when I thought I'd lost you forever, that you'd wanted nothing more than to run away from me, my heart broke in two. For so long all I wanted was to be with you, to have you in my life, but then there was Austin..."
"I was so young back then," Sami confessed, "I didn't know what real love was and I thought Austin was the man of my dreams, but he wasn't. It wasn't even close to being that. I had this obsession and it nearly destroyed me, but you, well, you turned my life around and saved me. Even when I think about what happened before, well, had you not shown up, there's no telling where I'd be right about now. For all I know I could've wound up in a ditch somewhere freezing to death without anyone knowing the wiser."
"I wouldn't let that happen to you," Brandon promised her, "I would've found you."
"How would you have known?" she questioned innocently.
"Samantha, think about it. You ran away, but somehow fate brought us together," Brandon squeezed her in his arms, "destiny pulled us out of the storm and into the warmth of each other's arms. We were supposed to be together right now in this moment."
"I believe that," she snuggled into his chest, "Brandon, I really, truly believe that you and I were meant to be together like this with one another and having the love that we always needed in our lives."
"Samantha, I know I pushed you away before, but no more," Brandon took in a breath, "I know that there are things we need to face back home, but I think if we take some time to really talk things through, to take a look at our options..."
"No," she shook her head placing her index finger over his lips to silence him, "I won't hear of it. No words about what happens next...at least not yet," she leaned in to kiss him longingly, "right now I just want to focus on us, on savoring this time with you, on being in your arms..." she kissed him again with a growing passion, "on making love with you."
"Samantha," his breath caught in his throat as her hands robbed him of any protest that may have been swirling in his mind. She had wrapped herself into his system reaching deep into his senses until he could taste, breathe, experience nothing but the pure untamed love of Samantha Brady in all it's beauty and in those moment of being with her, he knew he'd found his way home at last.
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Lexie reached for the telephone dialing Brandon's number again, but alas it was the answering machine again as she frowned slightly. Where could he be at this hour? Surely he hadn't gone out of town without telling her. He wouldn't do that, would he? Feeling her concern deepen, Lexie dialed Nicole Walker's number determined to track down Brandon one way or another.
"Hello," Nicole answered groggily as Lexie debated hanging up, "is anyone there? Hello?"
"Ni-Nicole," Lexie stammered a bit taking in a breath wondering if Nicole would think she was crazy for seeking out Brandon.
"Who is this?" Nicole's voice questioned sharply.
"This is Lexie Carver," Lexie started smoothly, "I was wondering if perhaps you knew where I could find Brandon."
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Nicole frowned as she rose from her slumber.
"I don't mean to bother you, but I've been trying to get a hold of him for a while, but all I seem to get is his machine."
"Did you try his cell phone?" Nicole growled at her, "that might be a good way to reach him."
"I did try that, but it said he was out of the service area. I thought maybe he'd left town for a bit and that you'd know."
"Lexie, to be honest with you, I'm half asleep right now and as for Brandon," she shook her head, "I don't have the first clue where he is, though I will tell you if he's not answering any calls and trying not to be disturbed, then somehow I wouldn't put it past Sami to be involved somehow."
"That's what I was afraid of," Lexie muttered under her breath her fingers clenching tightly around the phone, "thank you for your time Nicole. I'm sorry to have bothered you."
"Whatever," Nicole growled as she hung up the phone and Lexie was left to her thoughts.
Looking around the Dimera mansion, Lexie decided it was time to get rid of the competition once and for all. Samantha Brady wouldn't be the one thing that kept her from Brandon. That much she was certain of. She'd show that spoiled little brat one way or another that Brandon was too good to associate with the likes of Sami Brady.
"Alexandria," Tony's voice interrupted her thoughts as she nearly leapt out of her skin, "what are you still doing awake?"
"I couldn't sleep Tony," she turned to face her brother forcing herself to push her thoughts aside as she faced him, "I just needed some time to myself."
"I think it's more than that," Tony stepped in closer, "something is bothering you, isn't it?"
"Nothing more than the usual," Lexie sighed, "I just wish life would go smoothly for once."
"Still haven't spoken with Brandon, have you?" he frowned slightly, "Alexandria, I don't understand what this obsession of yours is with him."
"He's the father of my child," she snapped back, "that in itself speaks volumes about what he means to me."
"I realize that, but at the same time, I don't see why you must have him in your life. It was bad enough with Abe, but now a man like Brandon Walker," he shook his head, "You're a Dimera, my beautiful sister and you deserve nothing but the best in your life."
"Brandon is what I want in my life," Lexie insisted firmly, "he's the man I want to be with, to have a family with."
"Still, I wish your heart would tell you differently," he sighed, "because I fear that this young Brandon will leave you brokenhearted."
"No, no he won't," she vowed determined, "Tony, Brandon and I are going to have our happily ever after and nothing will stand in the way of it. I won't let Samantha Brady destroy his life."
"Alexandria, as much as I wish for you to be happy, I fear that this will only end badly as young Mr. Walker has given his heart to Sami," Tony reminded her, "why not take this for what it's worth? You're having a beautiful son or daughter and the last thing you need is a man like that. Your child is a Dimera and in being a part of that, he or she will have the best the world has to offer."
"It's not enough," she snapped feeling her emotions raging out of control, "I won't accept that. I need more."
"But Alexandria..."
"Don't try to talk me out of this Tony," She began, "don't you even...." her words were cut short as she suddenly felt dizzy and she stammered a bit stumbling into his arms.
"Alexandria," Tony caught her fall, "what is it? What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she took in a breath, "I'm just fine. Really I'm..." she trailed off as she collapsed in her brother's arms.
"Aliana," Tony called out to the maid, "Call Dr. Murphy right away and have him out here now!" Tony ordered as he looked to his sister holding her close to him, "just hold on Alexandria."
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"Hungry?" Brandon questioned from behind the mini bar inside the cabin. He opened the door to the refrigerator and heard Samantha get up from behind him.
"I'm starved actually," she confessed peering over his shoulder, "what do you have for me?"
"Hmm....well clearly the person staying here wasn't stocked up for company," Brandon reached into the tiny fridge, "it looks like we have cherries and diet Pepsi."
"Hmm...well that doesn't speak much for options, now does it," she couldn't help but frown as he stood upright holding his findings out towards her, "though we could work with it."
"It doesn't help with your being hungry though, does it?" Brandon frowned as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I think it's a start," she trailed her finger tips down his chest, "although I do have a confession to make."
"Do you now?" he raised a curious brow.
"I do indeed," she nodded proudly, "I realized that I had some chocolate Hershey kisses in my pocket."
"And you didn't tell me before now?" Brandon teased tickling at her sides as she let out a boisterous giggle.
"I didn't think about it until now," she laughed harder than before as her own fingers danced over his skin defending herself in this sudden tickle attack.
"Oh no you don't," Brandon picked her up hoisting her up in the air over his head as his lips pressed in over her flat stomach blowing on it offering up a tickling sensation going through her as she laughed harder than before afraid he'd drop her as he dropped her down a bit settling her into his arms with a mischievous grin.
"Don't you dare drop me," she pinched at his chest as he held her close to him.
"Never," he stole a quick kiss from her as he collected the cherries and Diet Pepsi to take with them back into the living room. Carefully setting her down on the sofa he moved in beside her touching her face gently, "I'd never let you fall Samantha."
"Brandon," she reached out to him seeing so many things behind his dark eyes as her heart nearly leapt out of her chest. She let out a sigh before sinking back into the couch cushions, "you have no idea how long I wanted it to be just you and me. I had dreams about us running off together--with Will of course, and we'd settle down in some place away from the world just the three of us working towards our happily ever after."
"You know that dream still can become a reality," Brandon confessed wrapping her up in his arms, "we can still have that happily ever after."
"Brandon, I'd like to believe that, but there are so many things against us right now," she sighed thinking about life back in Salem.
"I know we have Lexie to deal with, and Samantha, I'm not going to lie to you about that situation. I want to be there for my son or daughter. I know you and Lexie don't get along, but I won't abandon her or my child during these times."
"Of course not," Sami opened her eyes feeling the weight of the moment between them as she sat upright, "I mean why turn your back on Lexie when she's having your baby? I mean it's not like you want to be with me."
"Samantha, my obligation to Lexie has nothing to do with us," he tried to reach out to her again feeling her pull away from him, "Samantha, please will you just listen to me?"
"Brandon, what can you say that make this easier?"
"I don't know if anything I say will do that, but I can tell you that I love you," he pleaded with her, "I love you and I can't imagine a life without you in it. I know that I screwed up, but if I walked away from my responsibility, what kind of man would that make me? Can you honestly tell me that you could love a man that would turn his back on his child?" he waited as she said nothing and he let out a sigh, "Samantha, if I did that I'd be no better than my father."
"But you aren't your father," she blurted out, "you're nothing like him."
"Samantha, I'm starting to feel like him more every day," he sighed lowering his head as he thought back to how the past year of his life went, "he constantly did something to screw up the good things in his life. Time and time again, he abused my mother, hurt her in so many ways that it left her broken and I'm so afraid that in loving you, I'll do the same to you. I've already hurt you in sleeping with Lexie and there's no excuse for what I've done. I never should've let it get that far and now with her having my child it'll be a constant reminder to you of how I failed you."
"You didn't fail me," Sami's voice softened as she looked to him, "Brandon, you believed I didn't love you, that I didn't want to be with you."
"But I should've trusted our love," he looked up to her, "I should've ignored what you said and made my way over to your apartment that night. I should've forced you to tell me the truth about the situation and then I would've found myself lost in your arms, making love to you that night."
"Making love," she repeated the idea of Brandon and Lexie together eating away at her as she looked to the floor.
"Samantha," he reached for her hand, "please don't tell me that I've ruined what we have together by my stupidity."
"Tell me something," she took in a breath as she prepared to ask him something that had been bothering her for so very long, "when you were with Lexie...when you and she...." she trailed off.
"Samantha, don't do this," he urged over her, "don't think about it."
"I can't help it," she took in a breath, "I need to know. When you two were together, were you making love? Did you feel something for her?"
"We had an attraction," Brandon confessed painfully, "she was my friend and I was hurt by your refusal and she was hurting because of Abe," he closed his eyes thinking back, "it was a mistake and other than this baby coming to life, I know that it shouldn't have happened. I wish I could take it back, but on the other hand I'm about to be a father. I'm about to have a child and that's something that I can't walk away from."
"Brandon, I just wish..." she sighed, "it doesn't matter anymore."
"No, it does," Brandon reached out to her again, "it's always mattered to me. Even when I heard you telling Brenda that you were quitting your job at the hospital, I feared that I'd hurt you so badly that you were running from me and the pain I'd caused you."
"Brandon, it wasn't that," she shook her head as she met his concerned eyes, "I hated my job at the hospital and while you were one of the perks, over the holidays my mom and John started talking with me and John offered me a position at his company. It'll be a bit like it was when I was working for Titan and I wanted to go with it. You know how I hated being everyone's gofer girl and I figured it was time to make a new life for myself. I wanted to have a job that could make my son proud of me."
"Will's already so proud of you," Brandon reminded her, "you should know that."
"I've made a lot of mistakes in my life and I don't want my son to grow up to see how pathetic I am," she confessed thinking of the way she'd been lately.
"You are NOT pathetic," Brandon argued with her, "you are one of the strongest, most passionate women I've ever met and Will loves you for that. I see a lot of you in him and I think that he's a very happy child. You've given him so many wonderful things in his life Samantha and I know he's so very proud of you."
"I just wish I could've given him more instead of doing the things I did," she shook her head, "I screwed up so many times and I feel like karma is coming back to hit me full force."
"This wasn't because of you," Brandon insisted firmly, "this was because I was too foolish to follow my heart. This situation with Lexie is my fault and I'm the one who has to suffer the consequences of it. I did this to us, so I don't want you blaming yourself."
"Brandon, how can I not," she sighed closing her eyes, "when I think of how much promise we had, but I allowed Victor and Nicole to manipulate me."
"It's in the past," he cut her off as he squeezed her hand in his, "but what happens now after today is based on us. The question is, do you want us to have a future together?"
"Brandon," she looked to him, "I think you know the answer to that."
"Then please, Samantha, just humor me. Do you want to be with me?" he questioned his voice a bit shaken with emotion.
"Yes, of course I do," she nodded tears glistening in her eyes, "I love you and I can't stop loving you."
"I feel the same way about you," he touched her cheek wiping at a tear, "which is why I can't imagine my life without you. I know that I screwed up and that I don't deserve a second chance with you, but I would like nothing more than to spend my days with you."
"Brandon," she began watching his eyes as he raised her hand up to his lips kissing it gently.
"Samantha, I know I have no place to ask you this, but I would like nothing more than to wake up each day with you by my side sharing my life with you as we grow old together. I want to be able to share this lifetime with you and with Will as we watch our children grow up and fall in love themselves. I want to know that I didn't let this moment pass us by and that even though we had a great many odds against us, I want to be sure that we can have our happily ever after, that I can have a chance to give it to you. What I'm asking," he paused lowering himself down before her as he took in a breath.
"Brandon," she gasped suddenly feeling a warmth spread over her as she knelt before her.
"What I want to know is, will you make me the happiest man alive by doing me the honor of being my wife to have and to hold for always," he questioned gazing into her beautiful, blue eyes as she felt her heart flutter, "I love you Samantha and I want you to be mine forever, so will you marry me?"
"Oh Brandon," Sami gasped feeling as if all her dreams were coming true in this one moment between them as she wrapped her arms around him holding him as if she'd never let go and they fell to the ground with one another, "yes, oh yes. I'll marry you!" She cried out kissing him as if she'd never let go now that she and Brandon had found their way to one another. Despite what might be waiting for them, she knew in her heart that things would be alright now that they were together again. She was going to be Mrs. Brandon Walker and no one could take that from her, not now--not ever.
hr
"What's happening?" Lexie cried out feeling another pain as Tony reached for her hand.
"You're going to be just fine, Alexandria," he whispered hoping that his words weren't in vain as he looked to Colin.
"Tony," Colin's voice broke with concern as Lexie let out another pained cry.
"No, not my baby," Lexie grabbed Tony's arm squeezing it tightly, "tell me nothing's wrong with my baby."
"We're doing all we can," Tony tried to assure his sister as Colin motioned for him to step in closer.
"Tony, I'm sorry," Colin blurted out seeing the pain cross over Lexie's features as he shook his head, "we tried all we could, but Lexie, it just wasn't meant to be."
"No," she sobbed, "no I can't lose my baby."
"I'm so sorry Alexandria," Tony embraced his sister holding her tightly as the realization that she'd lost her child swept over her.
"This can't be happening," She sobbed harder, "I can't have lost my child."
"We did all we could," Colin began as Tony shot him a glare.
"Why don't you give us a moment of privacy," Tony instructed as he held his sister wanting to alleviate her pain. Colin nodded and stepped out of the room giving them some privacy.
"I can't have lost the baby," Lexie cried out as she searched her brother's eyes, "there has to be some kind of mistake."
"I'm so sorry," Tony touched her face wiping at her tears, "I wish there was something more I could do."
"My baby deserved to live," she began thinking back to how she'd had it all only days earlier. Now as she lay in the hospital bed with Tony beside her, she realized that she'd had it taken from her, "Brandon should be here with me," Lexie cried out thinking about the pain she was experiencing.
"I couldn't get a hold of him," Tony explained, "but we'll find him soon."
"Sami did this," Lexie sneered thinking about Sami's desperate attempts to get Brandon's attention, "She took him away and she's the reason I lost my child."
"Alexandria, don't...." Tony began seeing the rage behind his sister's eyes.
"She's going to pay for this," Lexie vowed bitterly, "She took my child, but I won't let her have Brandon. She will pay," Lexie promised hugging her brother as her anger took over and the pain of losing her child began to weave a new web in her quest to destroy Samantha Brady once and for all.