Promises
Chapter Two

"Samantha," Brandon questioned trying to read the expression behind her beautiful blue eyes, "Samantha, did you hear me or would you rather just leave me hanging?" he asked after a brief hesitation a hint concern in his voice as he squeezed her hand.

"Brandon, I...." she stammered a bit as she blinked back at him trying to see if this was just another dream she'd brought to life after having spent so much time away from him. For so long she'd wanted his love, his heart and the ability to finally be free to love him without fear of what consequence may come of it. Seeing the look of love and sincerity behind his eyes took her breath away as he lowered his lips over the top of her hand pressing a feathery light kiss over her soft, smooth skin. "Brandon, I don't know what to say..."

"Yes you do, Samantha," Brandon urged meeting her eyes as his gaze reached deep within her warming her in places that she'd never allowed any man to reach before as her breath caught in her throat. He was so beautiful in this moment and as she watched the way his lips hovered just over her velvety skin, she wanted to memories this time holding it with her forever. He promised her a future full of love and happiness now within her reach as they were reunited at last.

"Samantha," he searched her eyes once more noting her silence as a frown slowly tugged at his otherwise perfectly kissable lips, "Samantha, are you having second thoughts about us?"

"No," Sami blurted out forcing herself to snap back to reality as her dreams of happily ever after embraced her, leaving her in a euphoric moment envisioning her life as Mrs. Brandon Walker.

"No, you're not having second thoughts or no you don't want to marry me?" he questioned wearily while still remaining down on one knee.

"No I'm not having second thoughts," she blurted out reaching out to cup his face in her hands, "Brandon, I've waited so long to have you, to be with you and now hearing you say such things to me, asking me to be your wife," she leaned down to kiss his forehead tenderly, "it's a dream come true. I've waited a lifetime to find this happiness in my life," she explained her lips traveling over his skin, from his forehead, to the hollow of his cheekbone, easing finally to his beautiful kissable lips.

"Samantha," he breathed drawing her nearer to him on the floor as his fingers slipped through her silken blonde hair removing the string that held the mask over her eyes as he looked to her, really looked deep into the heart of the woman he'd grown to love, "you are my everything and just the thought of sharing forever with you makes me feel happiness unlike anything I've ever known."



Lucas Roberts sipped his diet cola as his eyes skimmed the ballroom looking for Sami. He'd told her he'd wanted to have a few words with her when she returned to Salem, but she'd taken the liberty as usual of not bothering to contact him. If it hasn't been for Roman's little talk with Kate about Will staying with Shawn and Caroline, then he wouldn't have known that she'd returned. She'd been gone visiting Eric in Colorado, but now that she'd returned, he was finally going to have it out with her. There was nothing going to keep her from listening this time either, he decided as he skimmed the room seeking her out among the costumed guests.

"Well what is this?" Nicole's voice interrupted as she sauntered up beside him eyeing him closely noting his lack of a costume. She sipped her martini before letting out a tiny laugh, "what exactly is the look you're going for? The tired board member, or perhaps the hopeful intern?" she noted his suit before shaking her head, "you know Lucas this is a Costume Ball, and while I realize you always had your own twisted way of doing things, I just assumed that you had some sense of style."

"Spare me Nicole," he rolled his eyes as he noted her red satin and lace harem girl costume. Wrinkling his nose he shook his head in response, "What's with that get up? Did Victor decide to dress up his concubine for the night to show off what it is you really do for him?"

"Go to hell, Lucas," Nicole shot back at him before sipping her martini again, "your sense of humor never did impress me when we were married, and clearly time has not improved upon it."

"Well I'm glad to see that I wasn't the only one clearly disappointed in the marriage," he balked back at her, "but you aren't my problem anymore. Victor has to deal with the disappointments of knowing you're into the long haul for the cold, hard cash."

"Oh Lucas, is that jealousy I hear raging in that little voice of yours? Could it be that you're starting to feel inadequate because you realize you weren't man enough to satisfy me like Victor is?"

"More like I'm not rich enough to satisfy you like Victor's bank book does," he remarked offhandedly, "but I really could care less what you do with your life."

"It shows," she rolled her eyes, "so tell me, why are you in such a pleasant mood tonight, not that I care."

"Then why ask?" he questioned curiously.

"Call it sheer boredom with all these goodies," she shrugged, "or maybe I'm just curious to know what has you all in knots over here drinking your..." she motioned towards his drink, "rum and coke?"

"No rum," he answered flatly, "you know I gave that up."

"Hmm...how many times in rehab has it been, again? I keep forgetting," Nicole frowned slightly, "then again I just assumed you were a lost cause."

"Nicole, look I really don't have time for you," Lucas paused thinking it over for a second or two before asking, "you haven't seen Sami around here, have you?"

"That witch is back in town," she frowned with obvious disgust, "you have got to be kidding me. I thought she'd left town for good this last time."

"No such luck," Lucas shook his head, "we're stuck with Sami unless she decides to let me have full custody of Will."

"Fat chance on that one," She remarked with a huff, "you'd have a better chance of ice skating in hell at this rate."

"Sami won't give Will up without a fight, but if she thinks she can jut run off on a whim like she did to see Eric, well then she can think again."

"She was with Eric?" Nicole's eyes widened revealing far more than she'd intended.

"That's right," Lucas nodded, "they were spending time together out of Salem since Eric won't return," he gave her a sideways glance noting her reaction, "although I'm sure you wish he would've returned."

"What does it matter to me?" Nicole shrugged, "I was over Eric ages ago."

"Sure you were and I'm sure Victor was just the man to help you over the loss," Lucas rolled his eyes.

"At least he's man enough to keep me satisfied," Nicole shot back bitterly, "he's the man I need."

"Until he loses it all and goes bankrupt," Lucas muttered under his breath.

"Watch it Lucas! If Victor hears you talking this way, you can kiss your butt goodbye because he won't hesitated to switch sides on the issue of you versus Sami. He'll make sure that you never, ever see Will again and Sami has full custody just to spite you."

"Like hell he will," Lucas shook his head firmly, "Victor Kiriakis is smarter than that. He wouldn't double cross me."

"I'm sure you thought the same thing about your mother too," Nicole smiled wickedly, "I'd watch my step if I were you Lucas."

"The same holds true for you Nicole. My mother and Victor have a child together. What have you given him that's going to be of any use in the future?" Lucas challenged sensing he'd hit a nerve in her, "the way I see it, you're on borrowed time because when Victor gets over this midlife crisis of his, you'll be out on the streets busting your butt to make ends meet."

"Victor wouldn't do that to me," Nicole insisted firmly.

"You really think so?" Lucas shook his head before letting out a tiny laugh, "and here I thought you were smarter than that Nicole, but hey as they say you can't win them all."

"Go to hell Lucas Roberts. You don't know the first thing about my relationship with Victor."

"I know enough to know it won't last, but on that note, I've spent far too much time wasting it with you. I need to find Sami and get a word in with her," Lucas explained finishing off his drink before setting the empty glass back down on the bar.

"She isn't going to be any easier to talk to than I am," Nicole warned him sharply, "but then again maybe a headache like Sami is just what you need."

"What I need is to find her before she manages to sneak out of here again before I can have a word with her," He frowned, "she's done that for a few weeks now especially since I found her and Brandon together before she left for Colorado."

"Wait a second," Nicole reached out to him grabbing at his arm, "what about her and Brandon?"

"Hasn't he told you?" Lucas raised a curious brow.

"Told me what? Lucas, what has that witch done now with my brother?"

"I can't give you anything concrete, but I know Sami. She's up to something and I suspect it has to do with Brandon. She always seems to be the most reclusive when she's up to no good."

"Brandon's smarter than that," Nicole shook her head, "after everything that's happened, he wouldn't buy into her games again."

"Can you be so sure of that?" Lucas challenged, "I've seen the way he jumps to her defense time and time again."

"Impossible," she shook her head, "Brandon is over her."

"If you say so," Lucas sighed, "but for his sake, I hope you're right because Sami is a viper and once she sinks her teeth into something, she doesn't let go until she's drained the life out of it."

"Not with Brandon," Nicole insisted firmly, "it's not going to happen. Even after Victor lifted his warning on her, I won't let it happen."

"Well that's the thing about Sami," Lucas reminded her, "she doesn't wait for someone to make things happen for her. She does what she wants and the world be damned which means if she wants Brandon she'll move hell and high water to be with him."

"Over my dead body," Nicole said firmly determined to keep Samantha Brady away from her brother once and for all.

"Brandon just hearing you say that now," Sami whispered tears swelling in her eyes at his declaration of love, "after everything we've been through only for us to end up here, to finally be able to be together..."

"It's everything I've always wanted and I won't let anyone get in the way of this for us Samantha," Brandon promised her tenderly tracing outline of her lips with his index finger, "we can finally have the life we'd dreamt of together."

"I love you Brandon and I want to spend this lifetime showing you just what it means to be with you, to have your love and your faith in me," Sami explained kissing him again kneeling before him as her arms wrapped around his strong, powerful shoulders, "I love you Brandon Walker more than I ever thought possible as the truth is I never truly knew what love was until you loved me. Even when I'd had your love, I'd been so young, so foolish and too stubborn to let go of that childhood fantasy of a life with Austin, but you waited for me, waited more than anyone else would do given the situation. You still kept me in your heart even when I was too stubborn to see what I had right before my very eyes, but never once did your heart shut me out. Never once did you decide that I wasn't worthy of your love and yet with you all I was ever expected to be was myself. You loved me for me, tarnished reputation and all...." he placed a finger over her lips as he offered a soft grin.

"I don't look at it as a tarnished reputation, Samantha," he pointed out honestly, "you've gone through a great many things in your life, but you've gained a strength, a power to you that gave you character. You knew what you wanted and you would make it happen. You didn't wait for like to pass you by, but rather you did your best to make life work in your favor. From the moment I first met you I knew you were a woman who fought for what she believed in, for what she loved and in that moment I realized that there was no other woman whom I'd ever love more than I'd loved you. From that very first smile I saw light up your face I knew in my heart that it was only a matter of time before you and I ended up together, ended up sharing forever in one another's arms."

"I want that," Sami confessed squeezing him closer to her as the warmth of his body filled her, surrounding her with a love she'd always dreamed of, "I want forever with you Brandon Walker."

"Then say yes," he urged his lips hovering over hers, a mere breath away as Samantha felt her pulse race wildly at the nearness of him, "say you'll marry me."

"Yes," she replied closing her eyes as the warmth of him surrounded her, bringing to life something inside of her that she'd kept closed off for so very long, "yes I'll marry you Brandon Walker. There's nothing I want more than to be your wife."

"Oh Samantha," Brandon whispered capturing her mouth with hungry urgency as his arms held her securely as if to lock in the moment between them knowing that the future was shining bright for the both of them as they'd found their way back to one another. From this moment on nothing would tear them apart. They would find the happiness that had evaded him until this moment. This time love would win at last.


...to be continued...