*Disclaimer:  I am in no way affiliated with Passions, NBC, or JER.  I don't own these characters so don't sue me!

CHAPTER 29

            Harmony Hilton

Finally, everything was happening just the way it should.  Ethan and Theresa had left the night before, promising to call when they had gotten married and this morning, Crane security had brought over all of the luggage Ivy had packed before Julian attacked her.

Now Ivy was standing, or rather, sitting in front of the door to her suite at the Harmony Hilton, her temporary home for a few days. 

It had been agreed last night that Sam would pick Ivy up at the hospital in the morning and take her to the Hilton.  He had been very considerate about everything this morning, even a little over protective.  When they left the hospital, Sam had insisted that she leave in the wheelchair they had provided and that they bring it along to the hotel until she was completely well.  Ivy felt fine and knew perfectly well that she would be able to walk, but she was in too good of a mood to argue.  Finally, she was free.  Free from her father, free from the Cranes, free to do what she wanted.  She could finally live her life for herself.

Sam unlocked the door to the suite and wheeled Ivy in.  Three bellboys followed with Ivy's luggage and set it down in one corner of the room.  Sam turned to them and Ivy got out of the wheel chair to look out of the window.  Sam handed each of them a folded bill and thanked them as they shut the door.  Sam turned to find Ivy at the window.  "Ivy, I really think you should just be resting right now."

"I appreciate your concern, Sam, but I'm fine.  I'm feeling much better than I was yesterday."  Ivy walked over to the bar, "Would you like something to drink?"

"Sure.  What are you having?"

"Well," she said surveying the contents of the fridge, "I was thinking of opening this bottle of champagne to celebrate my new found freedom and the happiness of our son."

"Sounds good to me."

Sam sat down on the edge of the couch, and Ivy brought him his glass of champagne as she sat down on the chair across from him with her own glass.  There was an uncomfortable silence as they sipped their champagne.

"Sam, I want to thank you for being so supportive of me this week.  I know I don't deserve it after what I've done, but I'm so glad that you don't hate me for it, or Ethan."

"I'm proud to have Ethan as a son.  We grew closer while you were in the hospital.  Besides, no matter how hard I tried, I could never hate you."

Ivy blushed like a schoolgirl.  "That's very big of you, Sam.  I know you spent a lot of time at the hospital and I'm so glad.  Ethan needed your support."  Then something occurred to her.  "Hasn't Grace been a little suspicious as to why you've been spending so much time at the hospital?  I thought she'd come with you today to bring me here."

Ivy saw the pained look on Sam's face, and then, no longer being able to hold it in, he began to cry.  "Sam, what's wrong," she got up and sat next to him on the couch. 

"Grace…she died, Ivy."

"You can't possible mean that, Sam," Ivy said in surprise.

Sam looked at her with tears in his eyes.  "It was the day I brought you home.  Grace was hit by a car in front of our house.  I went with her to the emergency room, but she didn't make it, and then Pilar came in with you."

"Oh Sam, I'm so sorry, truly I am.  Grace was a wonderful woman."  Ivy placed a comforting hand on Sam's shoulder.  Sam turned to her and looked at her again with sad eyes.  Ivy opened her arms and he willing entered her embrace.  She held him tightly for a while without saying anything and stroked his hair as he cried on her shoulder.

When Sam's tears subsided, it was his turn to be surprised as he looked up at Ivy and saw tears escaping from her eyes and falling down her cheeks.  It was only the second time in all of the years that Sam had known her that he had seen her cry, and it touched him. 

When she saw how he was looking at her, Ivy tried to wipe away her tears and look away, but more tears came.  Sam gently moved her head so that she was looking at him again.  "You're crying."

"Sam, I feel so terrible about the past year.  I – I never hated Grace, in fact, I could say I genuinely liked her.  She was always so kind to me.  The last time I saw her she called me her friend and that meant a lot to me, even though I knew I didn't deserve her friendship.  There was only one thing I had against her.  I was jealous of her because she had the one thing I always wanted."

Sam kissed her.  Not out of lust or because of their past together or because both of them were free, but because she had finally been completely honest with him.  Because she was alive and going to be okay.  He knew everything now.

Sam and Ivy lost themselves somewhere in that kiss and one thing led to another.  Before they both knew what was going on, Sam had spent the entire day in Ivy's hotel room.

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