Sacrifice Chapter Three

(Note: This is the last chapter as promised. I hope you all enjoy it and leave with it your own interpretation of what the future holds JThanks again for reading it J)

"Now wait just a second here," Sami protested tugging on Colin's arm, "there is no way that I'm going to defend my life to Franco and if you think for just one second that…"



"No no," Colin shook his head emphatically, "it's not Franco, you'll be defending yourself to, it's him," he motioned towards the chair up front where a man in a black robe was seated before them.



"Court is now in session," another voice explained as Sami turned to find her father standing beside the judge's bench.



"Daddy," Sami stepped forward pleading with him, "daddy, what's going on?"



"It's time to be judged Sami," Roman shook his head disapproving, "it's time to meet your fate."



"Daddy, I don't understand. I don't…" she began again.



"Silence," the judge announced from the thick layer of fog covering his features.



"It's show time," Colin began with a smile as he placed his hands on Sami's shoulders setting her down in the chair that magically appeared beneath her, "your honor, today we come here to decide the fate of Samantha Gene Brady and today I intend to present to you a case showing you exactly why my client is here and why we want you to weigh things out carefully before making your decision on her fate."



"This is unbelievable," Sami shook her head, "this isn't happening," she reached for her arm pinching herself as she let out a pained cry, "no this is just a bad dream…nothing more than a bad dream…"



"Save it," Franco snapped as he stood up from his seat, "I intend to show you exactly where Samantha Brady belongs and by the time this trial is over, I'll see to it that she's in her place where she was always meant to be."



"I'm meant to be with my family. To be in Salem with those who love me," Sami argued turning her attention to the judge, "I don't belong here. I'm not dead. I'm very much alive and this is a bad dream…nothing more than a nightmare…"



"A nightmare would be your life," Franco remarked offhandedly, "but I intend to show everyone just what a miserable existence you had back there starting with my first witness…"



"What?" Sami turned towards the back of the courtroom as her old friend Jaime entered the room catching her off guard, "Jaime?"



"Sami," Jaime regarded her as she brushed past her moving towards the witness stand. Upon taking her seat, Roman stepped forward to swear her in.



"Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" he asked.



"Where Sami is concerned I wouldn't dare breathe a word of deception," she remarked shooting Sami a glare as Franco approached the bench.



"Now Jaime," he began, "can you tell us a bit about your relationship with Mrs. Walker?"



"Walker?" Jaime blinked back at him, "is that the name of the latest sucker in her life? I can't believe any man could fall for Sami and her lies. I mean I'll give her credit that she's good at the game, but not that good…"



"Would you care to elaborate on that," Franco leaned in over the stand.



"Sure," she nodded, "Sami and I were once friends, the best of friends--or so I thought, but really I was just a fool. Sami was just a lying, manipulative bitch and she tried to rope me in with her lies. She used me and blackmailed me into keeping her secret when she tried to hide the fact that she drugged Austin into sleeping with her from the poor guy all because she couldn't bear to see her sister happy…"



"That's not true," Sami shook her head, "Jaime, I didn't mean to do that…"



"Silence," the judge ordered.



"Anyways," Jaime continued, "Sami lied about everything and she destroyed any feelings of friendship I'd had for her. She played her sister, Austin and Lucas against one another for her own selfish purposes. She's a witch in every sense of the word and my biggest regret is that I felt forced to keep all her lies a secret for so long. I never, ever should've agreed to do that because in the end all I did was help her destroy people."



"No further questions," Franco shrugged his shoulders looking to Colin, "Your witness."



"Now Jaime," Colin began, "are you trying to tell this court that you weren't Sami's best friend for much of her youth?"



"Sami isn't capable of having a friend because all she does is lie and hurt others," Jaime blurted out, "she's spiteful, vindictive and she only knows how to destroy others."



"But I thought you'd said you were friends," Colin reminded her.



"I was trying to be a friend to Sami, that is until she used my feelings for Lucas against me. She threatened that if I revealed her secret, that she'd turn it around on me and I would be the one to pay dearly. I was so afraid of her destroying me that I kept my mouth shut and people suffered," Jaime turned to look at Sami, "but I will never, ever suffer at your hand again. I hope you rot in hell Sami because it's all you deserve."



"Jaime, I'm sorry for what I did, but I'm not the same person anymore. I've changed. I've grown up and I've learned. I'm not the person I was when we were friends. Yes, I treated you badly and I'm so very sorry for that, but you have to understand…"



"Silence," the judge ordered, "you'll have your turn."



"Your honor," Sami begged.



"Enough," he raised his robed arm before motioning to Franco, "your next witness."



"I call to the stand Austin Reed," Franco announced as the room filled with a silence and Austin stepped into the courtroom.



"Austin," Sami gasped in surprise as she saw him for the first time after he'd left her at the altar.



"I really shouldn't be here," Austin began looking over to Sami apologetically, "I'm sorry…"



"Austin, it's okay. Tell them that I shouldn't be here. I have to get home. I have Brandon and Will and…"



"Your honor, I really don't want to do this," Austin began as Roman escorted him to the chair and he took a seat.



"You don't have a choice," the judge explained mumbling a few words before Austin looked down at Sami.



"Can you tell us about your relationship with Mrs. Walker?" Franco began.



"Sami and I have a very long history with one another," Austin offered.



"And how would you rate that history? Good? Bad?"



"A little bit of both. We had our share of misunderstandings…" Austin began.



"Such as her lying about Will Roberts being your son for quite some times," Franco offered, "or perhaps about how she lied that his father was abusing him."



"I wasn't happy with her when she did that, no," Austin shook his head.



"And when she drugged you into having sex with her…"



"That was a long time ago," Austin offered.



"But she still did it?"



"Yes."



"And she worked single-handedly to ruin your relationship with her sister Carrie, is that correct?"



Austin nodded, "there were a lot of things going on."



"So many in fact that you weren't able to bear what she was and that's why you left her on your wedding day at the altar, isn't it?"



"I chose not to marry Sami, yes," Austin nodded, "but there were a lot of things that…"



"Would you marry her now?" Franco challenged, "would you be willing to say with your heart that Sami Brady is the kind of woman who's changed? Is she capable of love and of real human emotions…"



"She's a good mother to her son…"



"Yes, but what about with you? Was she good with you? Did you have a relationship built on honesty and trust and devotion? Could you find it in your heart to forgive her for her actions…?"



Austin grew silent as he dropped his head, "No I couldn't."



"Because she'd hurt you that deeply?" Franco questioned as Sami watched Austin's testimony with tears in her eyes.



"I couldn't forgive her because I felt like my entire relationship with her was based on nothing but a lie," Austin confessed poignantly.



"No further questions," Franco looked to Colin, "Your witness."



"I have nothing to add," Colin shrugged his shoulders.



"Now wait a second," Sami protested, "you're supposed to be helping me. This isn't helping me."



"What more can I say?" Colin shrugged once again, "this witness won't help your case."



"Austin cared about me once. Have him tell the court how he felt about me once upon a time," she looked to Austin, "tell them about the good that I've done. Tell them about the love we did once have."



"Sami," Austin paused dramatically shaking his head once again, "I can't. I'm sorry but I just can't…"



"No, Austin please," Sami begged of him as Roman helped him off the stand, "please Austin, you can't just leave me hanging like this. You have to tell them that I'm not all bad. They need to know…I need to return to Brandon, to my life…to…"



"Our next witness will help you Sami," Colin promised as a smile swept over his features, "ah and here she is now," he nodded as Carrie entered the courtroom.



"Oh hell no," Sami blurted out emphatically, "there's no way I'm letting her speak for my behalf."



"Oh come on Sami. She's your sister and you know what they say about the sisterly bond," Colin taunted her.



"I know what she'll say about me," Sami turned to the judge, "please this can't go on. I don't know how I got here but it's a mistake. I belong home in Salem with my family. With the man I love. I have to return to them and be there. I have to make things right with Brandon. If you just give me a chance…"



"Your honor," Colin approached the bench with her, "what my client is trying to say is that she would like a different set of witnesses speaking in her behalf. Perhaps we could get those who were closest to her over the last few months."



"I object," Franco stomped in closer to the duo, "I still have Kate Roberts, Nicole Walker and Lexie Carver on my list."



"No way," Sami shook her head, "I refuse to let them get up there. This is my life and if I'm going to be judged I certainly don't want them to be the ones doing it. I want a fair trial because this is my life."



"And what a life it was," Franco remarked offhandedly.



"Shut up Franco," she snapped back at him, "please your honor, let me have people who know me…people whom I've loved and that love me."



"Well, I suppose I can allow it," the judge decided after a moment's hesitation, "but I should hope you can find these witnesses soon."



"I will," Sami nodded eagerly, "I know exactly who to call."



"Fine, then you have a short recess," he answered as Sami turned to Colin.



"You have to get Will up here. Bring Will and have him tell the court how much he loves me," Sami urged of her distant cousin, "then the judge will see that Will needs me and I can go back."



"Samantha, if I bring Will, they're going to want to speak with Lucas as well."



"No way," she shook her head, "He's not coming up here to defend my life. I won't hear of it."



"Samantha," Colin gave her a stern look, "this is the only way. It's either Lucas and Will or no deal."



"Fine, then do what you must, but if you bring Lucas up here, then we have to have Brandon," she grudgingly agreed fearing for what might come of her now that her life was hanging by a thread.



"Brandon walked out on you," Colin reminded her, "he wants nothing to do with you."



"Brandon loves me. He is my husband and despite what I've done, he'll fight for me, for our future," Sami trailed off looking to the angry eyes of the courtroom as she prayed that somewhere out there fate would be working with her. She needed to find help somehow. Her life was depending on it.

"Dr. Murphy, have you and your client reached an adequate list of witnesses with one another?" the judge questioned breaking through the silence.



"We have," Colin nodded, "and it's in my own personal view that perhaps it's in my client's best interest if we do things a different way. After all in this situation, we feel it would be best if we were able to go in a more hands on approach with this one. After all, it would be the one thing to give you a true prospective on what's really going on in my client's world."



"Such as?" the judge questioned.



"Such as Sami sees what's really happening down there," Colin explained with a snap of his fingers as they were suddenly back in Salem again.



Sami turned to look at him, letting out a breath of relief as she realized they were out of the courtroom, "What happened," she questioned in confusion.



"Apparently our motion has been granted," Colin shrugged his shoulders, "which means you and I have a few things on our agenda."



"Which means what exactly?" she questioned as Colin snapped his fingers once again and they were transported to another room.

"It means you and I are going to go on a field trip of sorts," Colin curled his finger motioning for her to follow him as they stepped into Alice Horton's home finding Will and Abby coloring with one another.



"Will," Sami spoke his name trying to reach out to her son as Colin put his arm out to stop her.



"No Sami, they can't see or hear us. We're just here to watch," Colin stated simply.



"I don't understand," Sami frowned in response.



"Just watch," Colin urged as Abby spoke up looking to her cousin.



"Will, you know I was thinking. My mommy and daddy just got married and we're going to be a big, happy family, but you, well I heard people talking about what your mommy is really like…"



"What people?" Will shook his head with a frown, "Abby, the only ones you talk to are your parents since you're just a little baby still."



"I am not a baby," she argued with a huff, "I'm far from it Will and besides I'm not the weirdo."



"Neither am I," he snapped back at her.



"Yes you are," Abby nodded sticking her tongue out, "you go through daddies like I go through great-gran's cookies. I even heard that the new step-daddy that your mommy got for you, ran away because he didn't like you or your mom."



"That's not true," Will argued with her with a huff, "my mom and Brandon are married and they are happier than your stupid parents could ever be," Will replied throwing the coloring book he'd been drawing haphazardly in across the table at his cousin, "and besides, I don't have just two crummy people in my life. My dad is cool and he's better than your dad and I have three people who think I'm the best when you only have two so ha!" he stomped away from her anger rushing over him.



"Why is she being so mean to him," Sami frowned in response watching her son's retreat.



"Don't you think what you do effects him," Colin challenged following Will, "Sami, you and I both know that children pick up on everything."



"I love my son," she argued as they stepped into the room Will had drifted off to in order to be alone.



"You might love him, but do you ever listen," Colin nodded in Will's direction as Sami found her son standing by one of the large, windows looking out at the world ahead of him. Sami slowly moved in towards her son seeing the turmoil on his features as he let out a heavy sigh.



"Why can't I just be like the other kids," Will grumbled as he touched the curtain, "why can't my mom and dad just be normal parents that at least pretend to like each other? I mean I know I'm not the greatest of kids, but God you have to help me out. I don't want my mom to die and I don't want all this to be happening. I know my mom made some mistakes, but I just want her back in my life. I don't want my dad to be sad about it and I don't want to lose her either. I know that everyone says she's a bad person, but she's a good mom. She is really a good mom and I can't lose her," he sniffled tears building behind his eyes.



"Will, I'm right here honey," Sami tried to reach out to him unable to embrace her son, "Will, mommy is right here…"



"Sami, I already told you," Colin frowned, "he can't see or hear you."



"Why are you doing this to me?" Sami snapped back at him angrily, "why are you showing me this now? Why make him suffer?"



"Sami, I didn't do any of this," Colin reminded her, "your son is suffering because of the actions that lead you to the position you were in, not because of anything else. Your quest to keep Brandon landed you in the hospital and Will is this way because of what you did."



"No," she shook her head refusing to believe his words, "I love my son and I would do absolutely anything for him. I know that this isn't my fault."



"Sami, you and Lucas push him around like he's a piece of property in between your spats," Colin shook his head, "how else is the kid supposed to feel?"



"I love my son," Sami turned her attention to Will, "I've always loved my son and wanted what was best for him."



"By lying and scheming," he shook his head watching her look at Will, "and what has it gotten you but misery and heartbreak?"



"You don't understand and you of all people shouldn't dare judge me," Sami shot back at him seething with anger.



"I'm not judging," Colin offered, "but merely calling it like it is."



"No, that's not how it is," she argued.



"Either way, our time is up here. We must move on."



"No," she shook her head, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving my son."



"You don't have a choice Sami," Colin reached for her arm, "we have other places to be--things to see."



"No, I am not leaving…" her words were interrupted as she suddenly found herself back in the hospital again, "what are we doing back here?"



"You wanted to see what was happening down here, and that's what you're going to do," Colin pulled her along the hallway, "I think there's something important for you to see."



"I'm not going anywhere with you. I want to go back to my son, back to…" she protested as he pushed her into one of the waiting rooms and her eyes fell upon Lucas sitting in a chair, "oh great, why am I here? Why are you wasting my time on him when I should be with my son?"



"Sami, Lucas is part of the deal," Colin reminded her, "remember?"



"I didn't like that part of the deal," Sami huffed folding her arms in front of her chest as she noticed a woman entering the room, with her back to Sami, "who's that?"



"She's not important," Colin motioned to Lucas, "but what he has to say is."



"I'd beg to differ considering that he was the man who ruined my life and destroyed me. Lucas Roberts never has had anything good to say about me and you know as well as I know that if this was up to him, that I'd burn in hell for all eternity."



"Let's just see about that," Colin offered as he lead her in a bit closer.



"Any word on Sami," Taylor questioned as Lucas turned his attention to the woman before him.



"Nothing yet," he hung his head somberly, "I just can't believe she's in there fighting for her life like this."



"Sami has always been a fighter from what I've been told," she offered moving in closer to him.



"Fighter or not, I'm afraid all her fight will be gone," Lucas rose from his chair running his fingers through his hair.



"Oh you wish," Sami huffed glaring in his direction.



"Sami," Colin warned.



"Well I'm just calling it like it is," She remarked dryly.



"Keep watching," he urged.



"And if she dies, it'll be my fault," Lucas blurted out as Sami saw the first glimpse of tears in his features, "I never wanted this for her. I never, ever imagined that this would happen."



"Oh right," Sami began when suddenly his words came out with a tone she hadn't quite heard from him before.



"All I wanted was to catch her at her game, to finally make her stop what she was doing to destroy herself," Lucas shook his head again painfully, "I wanted to end her manipulations, but now I'd give anything to have her back again…to have her telling me off and fighting with me, if it meant that she'd live."



"You really care about her don't you," Taylor questioned reaching for his hand as he turned his eyes to the floor, "Lucas?"



"More than I should that's for sure," he nodded in confession sobering up a bit after the plane ride back to Salem, "Sami is just like this irresistible force. As much as you want to shut her out, to break her down, she keeps fighting back with a vengeance and you just want to knock her down, but the harder you try, the more she pushes you to your limits and tears you apart from the inside out."



"Sounds like you and Sami have had some very tumultuous years with one another," Taylor noted.



He nodded in response, "We've damn near killed one another time and time again, but now…"



"Now what?"



"Now I can't imagine my life without her," Lucas confessed painfully, "I can't imagine not seeing her face, not having her scream and yell at me or tell me what an idiot I am. I can't imagine not being able to talk to her again, to really let her know…" he stopped himself, "this isn't right."



"No, it's not, but from what you've told me about Sami, it's clear that she's a fighter," Taylor squeezed his hand gently, "she's not going to give up."



"She thinks she lost Brandon," Lucas reminded Taylor, "he was her life and she loved him and wanted him more than anything and I took that away from her. I wanted to make sure that…I just wanted…oh none of it matters anymore. Without Brandon, Sami's not going to want to keep fighting. I know that this time she was broken…this time it took all of her and tore her apart inside…"



"Lucas, you have to have faith," Taylor urged further, "just think of what you've done to bring Sami back. Even tonight you wanted to believe there was hope and even when you felt it was hopeless, you worked to bring hope to Sami."



"It might be too late even now," Lucas sighed painfully, "she may be too far gone."



"I don't believe that," Taylor shook her head, "and deep down neither do you."



"I just wanted to get under her skin, to get her to react," Lucas sighed, "I never, ever meant any of this…"



"Of course you didn't, but at the same time you didn't want her married to my brother," Taylor paused for a long moment watching him intently, "because you're in love with her yourself."



"He's what?" Sami blinked back as she looked between the two of them, "she just didn't say what I think she did, did she," Sami looked over her shoulder at Colin.



"Just watch," he urged again.



"In love with Sami," Lucas repeated in surprise noting the expression on her face, "no that's ridiculous."



"Lucas, think about it. When you believed she was dying, you dropped everything to help her, to bring her happiness and even now in hearing you talk about her," Taylor shook her head, "how can you sit here and deny that you have feelings for her when it's painfully obvious? All the events leading up to now show that you care for her…"



"I care for her yes, but love…" Lucas trailed off.



"That's right," Taylor nodded in response, "you've got it written all over your face and that's really what made you do what you did tonight. You didn't do it because you felt nothing towards her. You did it because you love her and because as much as you didn't want her to be with my brother, you wanted her to have happiness in her life. You sacrificed what you hoped for in the hopes of letting Sami have another chance at love. Admit it Lucas," she urged as Sami watched in silence awaiting his response.



"Come on," Colin pulled on her arm, "we've got to get going."



"Wait a second," Sami argued, "I want to hear this."



"You've already heard too much," Colin shook his head in response, "we have one more place to go."



"Colin wait," Sami insisted, "I need to hear this. I just need…"



"To get going," Colin yanked her out of the room, "and that's exactly what we're going to do."



"No you can't take me away just yet," she began desperately, "I need to know if…"



"Sami," he interrupted meeting her eyes with a serious expression, "you already know so in staying there you won't learn anything that you haven't already believed to be true."



"Lucas can't be in love with me," she gasped as the thought rushed over her, "can he?"



"That's not for us to figure out right now," Colin replied simply guiding her down the hallway, "right now is about weighing out the options of your future."



"Where are you taking me now?" she questioned with a frown hating to be pulled away at such a pivotal moment as she instantly recognized the sounds of the beeping machines before her. As her gaze cast over her own motionless body, she turned to Colin in confusion, "you said I had time. You said that we were going one place else."



"We're at our last stop," Colin explained matter of fact.



"I can't go back up there just yet," Sami shook her head, "not yet…not when…"



"We're not going up there just yet," Colin motioned to the door as Sami looked up to find Brandon standing in the doorway. Her pulse quickened and her breath caught in her throat as she saw him step into the room.



"Brandon," she whispered his name pulling herself away from Colin as her husband stood before her only a few feet away. She rushed forward to embrace him, feeling him step through her as he approached the bedside, "Brandon, I'm here…"



"He can't hear you Sami," Colin reminded her with a shake of his head, "when will you learn?"



"Brandon's back," Sami realized looking to her cousin, "he came back for me."



"Time will tell," Colin mused leaning up against the wall as Brandon took a seat beside Sami's hospital bed.



"Oh Samantha," Brandon began choked up on emotion as tears pooled in his eyes. He reached for her hand drawing it up to his lips as his voice choked up with emotions, "Samantha, how could this happen? How could I have done this to you?"



"Brandon," she felt her eyes fill with tears as he kissed her hand and she watched from the sidelines.



"I was such a fool. I should've listened to you, should've made you feel we could be open and honest with one another. Samantha, I never, ever wanted you hurt like this. I didn't want to lose you and when I walked out on you, I made a mistake. A huge one and I know that this doesn't make up for it, but Samantha I can't lose you. I refuse to let that happen and I know that you can hear me. Samantha," he leaned in to kiss her forehead as his voice lowered to a whisper, "you have to fight for me…for our…"



"That's about enough," Colin reached out to her.



"No, I didn't hear what he said," Sami shrugged his arm away from her, "please, not yet…"



"Sami, we really must….."



"I need to be here," she stepped in closer towards Brandon.



"Samantha, when I told you that we'd have eternity together, I meant that. I want to follow through on that and if you come back to me, I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen. I'll do my best to try to get you to feel that you can trust me, that our love can be strong enough. Samantha, when I pledge my love to you, I didn't mean it to be something that I could just leave behind in the blink of an eye. Our love is forever and if you leave me now," tears spilled down his cheeks, "Oh Samantha, please don't leave me. I love you and I need you. Without you, I'm nothing and I was a fool to ever believe it could be otherwise."



"Oh Brandon," Sami reached out to touch him finding her hand slipped through his shoulder.



"We have to go," Colin announced boldly, "time is up."



"No, please not yet…please…" she begged as suddenly she was back in the courtroom with the judge staring down at her.



"We've come to a decision," the judge announced as he stepped out of the shadows, "and it's judgment time for you Samantha Brady. It's time to find your place on the other side."



"No," she cried out, "I can't leave them. I can't leave my son and Brandon's back. He loves me and he wants to be with me now. His love has changed me and if you let me go back I'll prove that. My dreams of happiness are about to come true and Lucas," she thought about what she'd seen, "I can't leave any of them. I have so much more to discover, to live through…to…"



"Silence," he raised his hands in the air, "your judgment has been called and it's time to meet your destiny," he finished as a large wooden door appeared before her.



"Please I'm begging you…" Sami started once more as the man roared.



"Go now!" he snapped as Sami felt tears stinging in her eyes and she followed the white light towards the door leading to her destiny knowing that life would never be the same after this moment in time.

hr

"Any change?" Lucas questioned stepping into Sami's hospital room as he watched Brandon hovering over her.



"Nothing," Brandon pressed Sami's lifeless hand against his cheek, "nothing at all, but I can't stop praying that she'll come back to me."



"We can't lose her just now," Lucas agreed as tears filled his own eyes and his heart sank in seeing Sami so lost and wounded.



"I'd give anything to be able to see her open her beautiful blue eyes and to have her smile at me again," Brandon confessed reaching out to touch her long, blonde hair, "please come back to me, Samantha."



"Keep fighting Sami," Lucas urged watching as Brandon caressed her cheek and Lucas continued his silent prayers.



"Samantha please," Brandon laced their fingers together as he felt a sudden twitch as her fingers squeezed his hand.



"Brandon look," Lucas blurted out as Brandon's gaze lifted to Sami's eyes that were now fluttering open.



"Samantha," Brandon spoke her name as she turned her head in the direction of his voice, "Samantha, can you hear me?"



"Brandon…" she whispered tightly as tears pooled in her eyes, "you're here… You're really here…"



"I'm right here," he touched her cheek gently, "and I swear to you that I'm never going to leave you again."



"Oh Brandon," she cried hoarsely as he embraced her and tears overcame her, "I thought I'd lost you."



"You'll never lose me again," he promised kissing her tenderly, "not when we have so much to live for, so much ahead of us…"



"Brandon, I'm so sorry…" she started tightly.



"No, I'm the sorry one. I never, ever should've left you and I swear to you that I'm never going to leave you again. This time it's forever Samantha. We can finally have the family we've always dreamt about and now all of our dreams are finally going to come true," Brandon hugged her gently, "we really do have it all together."



"I want that," she replied looking over his shoulder at Lucas watching the sadness wash over his features.



"I'll leave you two alone," Lucas cleared his throat, "you have a lot to talk about."



"Lucas wait," Sami began unsure of what to say as she thought of what she'd witnessed.



"Sami, I'm sorry," Lucas began poignantly, "but I knew that if Brandon came back you'd be okay. I just knew he would be what you needed."



"Lucas, I…" she started then stopped as she looked to Brandon thinking of how lucky she was, "thank you."



"You're very welcome," Lucas replied giving her one last longing look before stepping out of the room.



Lucas took a deep breath as he watched Brandon and Sami from the window outside her hospital room. Watching them sharing an embrace broke his heart despite his relief that she was alive. He'd wanted her back and nothing would change that, but now as she hung onto Brandon, he thought of the sacrifice he'd made in bringing back the source of Sami's happiness and he thought of all the things he hadn't said. He thought of the things he'd never say, never do and the love he'd never reveal. She was happy now and happiness was all he'd wanted for her. With a sigh, he touched the glass window and spoke in a whisper.



"Be happy Sami," Lucas offered simply, "just be happy," he finished turning away from the window leaving her to her happiness as Sami's gaze lingered to the window he was once standing at.



Sami watched Lucas walk away as his words haunted her. She wondered if it had all been in her head, all a part of her imagination as she thought of his talk with Taylor. Something had changed and she could feel it now even as she and Brandon were together again. There was some unfinished business that she could attend to, some second chance that wasn't there before…something that…



"Samantha, we're going to get you through this," Brandon promised her eagerly as his words broke through her thoughts, "you and our baby are going to be just fine…"



"Baby," her eyes widened in surprise as she looked up at him, "what baby?"



"Our baby," Brandon explained simply.



"We're having a baby," she questioned as the thought reached into her, "our baby?"



"That's right," Brandon nodded in response, "Lucas told me that you were pregnant, that we're having a baby and when he showed up to bring me here, I was on my way back and when I heard I was going to be a father. Oh Samantha, that's the greatest gift in the world and I swear to you from here on out I'm going to do everything in my power to be the best husband and father to you and our child. You have my word on that."



"Oh Brandon," she hugged him realizing that she'd returned to have a second chance at life, a second chance at happiness and now as she held onto her husband she realized life would never be the same. She was going to have it all at long last as life had thrown her a second chance that she vowed never to waste a moment of it again.

The End