Sacrifice Chapter Two

"Wait a second Brandon," Taylor called out to her older brother as her gaze lifted from Lucas, who'd now dropped completely over her sofa, "you can't just leave me here with him. Who knows what's going on and seeing as he's completely toasted…" she shook her head, "you aren't leaving!"



"Taylor," Brandon frowned letting out a frustrated breath before he closed the apartment door, "look something just doesn't feel right."


"It could be because there's a man passed out on my couch--a man that shouldn't be here to begin with," Taylor insisted looking down to the silk nightgown she was wearing, "Brandon…"


"Go get dressed," Brandon urged her, "I'll tend to Lucas."


"Alright," she nodded, "but don't leave before I return."


"I won't," Brandon promised turning his attention back to the man on his sister's sofa. Kneeling down beside Lucas, Brandon reached out to shake him gently, to give him a nudge in the hopes of awakening him. Finally when that didn't work, Brandon shoved a bit harder.



"Any luck," Taylor questioned returning moments later clad in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.



"He's out," Brandon replied running his fingers through his dark hair, "and I can't wait. I need to find out what's going on with Samantha."


"So call her," Taylor urged, "but if you do that then you'll get sucked back in again…"


"I love her Taylor," Brandon snapped back at her, "I already told you…"


"I know what you said, but still," she turned to look at Lucas, "Do what you have to do Brandon. I'll try to get a word from him."



"Fine," Brandon stepped aside, letting his sister tend to their uninvited guest as he reached for the phone dialing Sami's apartment. It rang half a dozen times as Brandon glanced back over at Taylor and Lucas, "come on Samantha. Answer," he pleaded fearing that something was truly wrong as he realized he needed to find out first hand what was going on.

Brandon set the phone down on it's base after three failed attempts at getting a hold of Samantha. He was about to try the hospital when a splashing sound filled his ears. Turning around he noticed Taylor standing over a now startled Lucas as he nearly leapt off the drenched cushions of the sofa.



"What the…" Lucas spat out blinking back frantically as he rose to his feet.



"Taylor, what are you doing," Brandon questioned giving her a sideways glance.



"I couldn't let him sleep there," Taylor defended, "how do I know what's going on? I just knew that getting him up was something that needed to be done and since he's up…"


"What are you doing here," Lucas questioned shaking his head as beads of water went flying across the apartment, "and why am I wet?"


"Lucas, this is my apartment," Taylor explained simply, "and you just burst in here spouting off about Brandon needing to…"


"Brandon," Lucas directed his attention to his rival once again, "you and I need to get back to Salem right away. We have to go now," Lucas stepped forward loosing his footing as Brandon reached out to keep him from falling yet again.



"Lucas, hold on a second," Brandon watched him closely, "start from the beginning. What's going on?"


"It's Sami," Lucas blurted out as the guilt and the mix of alcohol washed over him, "I never, ever intended for this to happen to her. I didn't want this and now…"


"Want what?" Brandon's voice rose with panic, "Lucas?"


"I didn't want her hurt. You have to understand that while I wanted to make her suffer, I never ever wanted for her to be like that. If I could take it all back…" Lucas slurred as tears swelled in his eyes, "I didn't want this…"


"Lucas, what have you done? Where is Samantha," Brandon's voice grew ragged with fear, "what happened to her?"


"There's been an accident," Lucas blurted out, "and she's been hurt…"



"Hurt? How," Brandon's panic tugged at him as Lucas began to look a bit lightheaded again. Reaching out to him, Brandon seized his collar, "what have you done to her Lucas? What happened?"


"When you split she was torn apart inside. She couldn't find it in herself to move on and then…" Lucas felt his emotions choking him up inside.



"No, don't tell me that she did something to hurt herself," Brandon's features washed over with fear, "don't say that she…"


"She confronted Tony and I about the DNA test--about the wool he'd pulled over her eyes and then they got into a fight and…"



"That son of a bitch," Brandon released Lucas nearly tossing him across the room as his anger raged, "if he hurt her…"


"Brandon, it's too late," Lucas started again, "she's in the hospital and in bad shape. She hasn't waken up yet and I'm worried that…worried that she won't have the strength to keep on fighting to keep going on…"


"I have to be with her. I have to get back to Salem tonight," Brandon announced looking to his sister, "Taylor you need to get me to the airport."


"Brandon, it's the middle of the night and…"


"And nothing, I have to get there," Brandon announced, "Samantha needs me and that sick son of a bitch is going to pay for what he's done to her…what he did to us," Brandon finished wanting to kick himself for leaving the best thing that had ever happened to him, "Damn me. I should've listened to her--should've stayed because we were both played for fools by that man…"


"Brandon, just hold on a minute," Taylor started reaching out to him, "you can't just leave here like this. If you go back this way…besides, getting a flight like now is going to be virtually impossible…"


"I have the jet," Lucas slurred, "I brought the Titan jet with me," Lucas added shaking his head in an attempt to clear it a bit, "Brandon, she's desperate and hurting…"


"I know," Brandon replied poignantly.



"No, you don't have any idea," Lucas stood taller, "I've seen her upset in the past, but never, ever like this. Not losing Austin or anything has put her in this position. She's hurting and she's feeling betrayed and…"


"And what?" Brandon questioned as Lucas choked up again on emotion.



"She's pregnant," Lucas blurted out at long last, "with your baby."

"What did you just say," Brandon blinked back as Lucas's words hit him.



"Sami's pregnant," Lucas confessed, "I just found out today before I came here. I don't think Sami has any idea, but she's pregnant Brandon and that in itself is why I'm here. I know that I drove you away from her, but she's having your baby and their lives are on the line…"


"My baby," Brandon's jaw dropped, "no that can't be," he found himself at a loss as he took it all in, "there's no way. She and I were careful about…"


"Look, I really don't want to hear it because I'm not drunk enough to stomach it, but the fact is that she needs you. I can't bear the thought of losing her," Lucas confessed sobering up a bit, "this is the last place I want to be in at this moment, but if it means helping Sami to return to me, then I'll do whatever it takes. I can't lose her…" Lucas blurted out shamefully, "I just can't…"


Brandon watched Lucas for a long moment seeing the shades of remorse rushing over him. As the words fell from Lucas, Brandon began to see something that he hadn't before now. Still, no matter what Lucas's motivation was in showing up at Taylor's place, the fact remained that Sami was in danger, her life hanging by a thread and now to find out that she was carrying his child.


"We have to get back to Salem," Brandon blurted out trying to keep from thinking the worst, "Lucas, tell me you remember how to get back to the jet."


"I do," he nodded, "it's at a private airport not far from here."


"Good, then we're leaving now. Can you walk?" Brandon questioned extending an arm to him.



"I'll be fine," Lucas nodded as he stumbled forward.



"No you won't," Brandon shook his head looking to his sister pleadingly, "Taylor."


"Let me get my jacket," she offered keeping her otherwise silent composition as she prepared to return to Salem with her brother and Lucas knowing that nothing but chaos awaited them.

hr

Sami could hear the faint beeping and buzzing sounds filling her ears as the replay of her confrontation with Tony filled her memory. A gasp rushed over her lips as she opened her eyes to find herself standing over her bruised and bloodied body and a confusion rushed over her. Fear reached down deep into each and every one of her synapses as she took a step back horrified by what she saw before her.



"Blood never did sit well with you, now did it dear cousin?" a voice challenged as Sami spun around to find Colin standing behind her a smug smile upon his face as he stepped in closer to her body inspecting it closely as he shook his head. "Of course I must confess that when my time was over with, I didn't go out nearly as messy as you did."


"What do you mean time over?" she blinked back at him, "my time isn't over, but you, well you're dead and this," she glanced back over to her body, "this is a bad dream. A horrible, awful dream and I'm going to wake up any minute in the arms of my husband and this is all just going to be a nightmare."



A hearty laugh roared from deep within Colin, "My you are far more delusional than I'd ever imagined you being Sami," he shook his head as he choked up on laughter, "but oh how you amuse me. However, perhaps to get you to take me seriously, we should change scenery for a while and perhaps then you'll see the big picture," he finished snapping his fingers as Sami realized they'd suddenly shifted locations. Looking around the room, she realized they were no longer in the hospital as the room changed dramatically around them.



"Where are we," she demanded trying to hide the confusion that filled her, "where have you taken me?"


"Why cousin," a cryptic smile swept over his devilish features, "we're about to face the fight of your life and since you do like a good battle, this one, well it's going to shock you," Colin finished as he nodded ahead of them, "it looks like they're about to begin."


"Begin what?" she turned her eyes in the direction he'd looked into as a gasp fell from her lips. Despite the white haze that surrounded her, she could make out what clearly appeared to be a courtroom of sorts and as she turned to Colin again, he'd changed into a suit, "what's going on here?"


"We're about to take our time defending your miserable little life," Colin explained with a wicked smile, "and what you do now, well that will determine what happens next."


"What do you mean what happens next?" she questioned in confusion.



"Shall we begin," a deep, guttural tone questioned as Sami stepped forward seeing the face of a man she'd never anticipated seeing ever again as he flashed her a sinister smile.



"Why hello Sami," he laughed cryptically, "I see it's time for us to meet again."


"Franco," she gasped in confusion as she looked between him and Colin, "no this can't be happening. You're both dead."


"Oh Samantha, you'll get very used to it yourself," Franco leaned in closer to her extending his arm around her shoulders.



"Don't touch me!" She swatted him away from her, "Don't you dare touch me!"


"Sami, Sami, Sami," he shook his head in strong disapproval as Colin placed his arm between them to prevent Franco from touching her.



"I'm afraid my client is off limits until after the judge has come to a decision about her fate," Colin explained simply.



"The decision is obvious," Franco blew her a kiss before going to the other side of the courtroom, "but don't worry Sami, I won't forget about our plans for one another."


"Go to hell you sick son of a…" she snapped back at him.



"A little too late for that," he answered enthusiastically, "but don't worry soon you and I can enjoy it together."


"No way," Sami shook her head emphatically before turning to Colin again, "where did you take me? What are we doing here?"



"Why it's quite simple," Colin chuckled as he adjusted his tie, "you're about to get a one way ticket to eternity and it's time for us to get a front row seat," he explained stepping forward as Sami looked to the courtroom in front of her, horror washing over her features as she wondered just what had happened to her.

….to be continued…