A/N: You can safely forget anything that happened after Roman's murder. I
had the idea for this story around that time, so anything that happened
after that will be explained in this story. If you have any questions or
comments, my email addy is daelie119@yahoo.com.
Disclaimer: I clearly do not own the characters in this fic. :)
January 8, 2005
In the winter of 2004, the snow had been crimson, reddened by the blood of loved ones. As the murders subsided, Spring had brought its warmth to Salem, melting away the darkness created by the serial killer. That mild warmth soon turned to a scorching heat as Summer and all its escapades rocked the city. Time continued its inevitable passing, and Autumn draped itself over the area. The days persisted to sashay into weeks and the golden leaves began to fall. Before long the bare trees stood alone as Winter made its return.
As a few stray snowflakes fell from the clearing sky, Samantha Brady released a deep, forlorn sigh. Her icy breath tinged the air for but a moment before fading away like all other things in her life had.
For the better part of her life, Sami had focused nearly all of her attention on herself. She had spent incalculable time destroying others for her own benefit. Years had literally passed her by while she was centering her entire existence around revenge. That had changed.
Though Sami could still be considered a rather selfish individual, she had long ago done away with her destructive tendencies. Past vendettas had been buried the same day as her mother. In place of that hatred now lingered a wretchedness that few could ever understand.
Continuing with her lonely walk through the snowy park, Sami unconsciously cringed upon nearing the refreshment stand. While she wandered alone, others cheerfully gathered with those they loved.
Sami restrained from rolling her eyes as she spotted two of her least favorite people standing along the path between the refreshments and the ice skating area. It was not as if Sami was surprised to see Brady and Nicole at the park. In truth, she had expected it. Her encounters with them were becoming ritualistic.
Each Saturday morning, Sami would take her stroll through the park, enjoying its scenery and serenity through all the seasons. At the north end of the park, near the swings, she would usually spot Jennifer Horton with her two children.
As Sami would draw closer to the wooded area north of the pond, she would typically spy Philip. After getting his heartbroken over the summer, the young man began some sort of dating marathon. Nearly every Saturday, Sami would see Philip with a different young woman. And, even on the rare occasions when Philip was not entertaining a beautiful girl, he was still in the park. Much like Sami, he had made his stroll through the park a predictable part of his weekly routine.
Continuing with her established course, Sami would unavoidably come across Brady and Nicole in the southwest corner of the large park. At the same time every Saturday morning, the couple could be seen purchasing drinks before sitting on one of the benches near the pond. Sometimes during the winter, the two would change the routine just slightly to allow for some time on the ice.
Sami seldom took the time to greet the people who had once been her step- brother and nemesis. Instead, she would purposely avoid their gaze and continue along the path.
On this particular Saturday morning, Sami was feeling more unsociable than usual. It had been uncommonly difficult to get out bed and dress herself for the day. The previous week had been the one year anniversary of her father's murder and it was a day that she hardly cared to commemorate.
Nightmares still haunted Sami, recollections of Kate appearing stained with Roman's blood. Her own bitter words, the last she had spoken to her father, echoed in her frightful dreams.
Sami had been so consumed with unnecessary hatred that she had allowed it to taint the relationship she had shared with her father. The most painful part for Sami was knowing that she would never be given the opportunity to make things right.
Less than a month after Roman died, Tony Dimera had been ripped from the world by the same killer. The month of January ultimately ended just as it had begun - in bloodshed.
February had passed with unexpected peace. The city had held its breath as each day passed without another murder occurring. As the month began to come to a close, icy roads, not the serial killer, took the next life. Victor had been on his way to file divorce papers when his chauffeur lost control of the car and crashed the car. Both had died instantly.
Then, during the early morning hours of March 1st, another loved one fell.
Sami inadvertently flinched as she recalled the horror that ended the serial killer's reign.
In the days following Roman's untimely death, Sami had lost a great deal of her independence. Her days were plagued by regrets and her nights by unrelenting nightmares. It was during this time that Sami's animosity toward Lucas began to diminish.
A slow friendship began to develop despite Sami's obvious reservations. Even when Sami had wanted nothing to do with Lucas, his support had remained unwavering. With time Sami learned how to accept the olive branch Lucas persistently offered.
Lucas frequently spent his nights sleeping on Sami's couch or giving up his bed and sleeping on his own couch. He had feigned sleep on several occasions when Sami had awakened from a nightmare and noisily made her way to the kitchen for a cup of tea. He had found the ideal balance between giving Sami emotional space to heal and protecting her from both herself and the outside world.
It had been the final day of February when Bo and Hope had invited Lucas and Sami over for dinner. A late winter snow storm had been rolling through the state and, like the serial killer, it unleashed itself upon Salem.
While Will had been safely staying with his Grandpa Shawn, Lucas and Sami had braved the near-blizzard conditions to bask in the comfort of a family dinner.
The group of four had shared a guarded hope that the murderous nightmare was over. Yet, less than twelve hours after Bo led the prayer, giving thanks for the peace, their very home would become the site of the final slaughter.
Due to the atrocious weather conditions, Bo and Hope had insisted the Lucas and Sami stay at their house for the night. At the time, it had seemed such a polite, unimportant offer. Before the next sunrise, all four would see how such a seemingly small decision had saved their lives.
It had been 3:49 a.m. when one of Sami routine nightmares had awoken her from her troubled sleep. She had carefully tiptoed out of Shawn's old bedroom and slunk down the staircase. With quick steps she had crossed the Brady living room and slipped into the family's cozy kitchen.
Just when Sami was preparing to pour the steaming water into her tea cup, Lucas had groggily stumbled into the room. As he grabbed himself a mug from the cabinet, he had stated, "I thought I heard someone else up."
Sami could not recall all the words that passed between herself and Lucas during their impromptu tea party, but she did remember that it had led to a rather playful round of bickering. Most importantly, she vividly recalled a smile gracing her face when the room was suddenly plunged in darkness.
Through the darkness, Sami had reached across the table and took hold of Lucas's hand. She had told herself that power outages were not an uncommon thing. Yet, there was something about the stillness of the air that instinctively warned her otherwise.
Lucas had cautiously led Sami to the back window. Together they had peered out the glass. To their mutual horror, the light of a lamp could be seen inside the house next door. Never before or after did the sight of electricity terrify Sami as much as it did in that moment.
Her breath had begun to evade her as she whispered, "Lucas, we've got to get out of here."
"Sami," Lucas had sternly replied. "We can't just leave Bo and Hope. I know you're scared - so am I. But, if the serial killer did cut the power, then we've got to wake Bo and Hope up so they and Zack can get out of here."
"Okay," Sami had quickly relented. She had already lost far too many loved ones to the madman to willingly let anyone else die.
However, before Sami and Lucas were even able to leave the kitchen, the sound of the front door creaking open echoed through the silent house. Lucas had tightly squeezed Sami's hand as they stood frozen by the door leading to the living room.
After seconds that passed as slowly as an eternity, the sound of footsteps could barely be heard going up the stairs. As soon as that sound faded, Lucas and Sami had carefully made their way through the living room, their eyes roaming their surroundings just in case they were walking into a trap.
When no one lunged from the shadows, the duo quietly walked up the stairs, each silently praying that the killer would not hear their footsteps. Sami's breathing had become more labored as she and Lucas walked down the dark hallway. As they neared Bo and Hope's bedroom door, the couple could see that the door, which had been closed when Sami had gone downstairs, was now cracked open.
Cautionary thoughts were all but discarded as they had rushed toward the door and stampeded into Bo and Hope's bedroom. Their entrance had grabbed the killer off guard. The masked person, looming over Hope's sleeping body, had impulsively turned toward the two.
Upon seeing the long blade of the knife shining in the moonlight, Sami had released a piercing scream that failed to stir Bo from his sleep. Only later would Sami learn that the killer had already drugged Bo to keep him from interfering in Hope's murder.
When the killer turned back to an awakened Hope and raised the knife high, Lucas had taken the opportunity to lunge after the murderer. Though his attempt saved Hope, it also rewarded him with his own painful stab wound.
Sami had great difficulty recalling exactly how the later events transpired. She knew that after being stabbed, Lucas had fallen and temporarily lost consciousness. And, somehow, Hope had gotten out of bed and managed to knock the weapon out of the killer's hand.
While Hope and the slaughterer fought, Sami was in the background recovering the knife. And, when Hope's neck was caught by her attacker's hands and she was losing her struggle for air, Sami had leapt forward - preparing to thrust the knife through the serial killer's back.
Sami had hoarsely gasped as a gun was fired and the serial killer collapsed to the ground at her feet. Blood began to immediately soak into the soft beige carpet as the demented individual struggled for a few final breaths.
Spinning on her heels, Sami turned to find John Black standing in the doorway. Though she had always considered John to be a stern man, Sami had never before seen her step-father appear so grim and removed. His only sign of weakness was the shaking of his hand that held the revolver.
While Hope sank onto the bed and struggled to regain a normal breathing pattern, Sami's eyes had fallen to the masked person lying on the floor. Hatred flowed through Sami's veins as she recalled all who had died because of that single person.
A soft moan from a few feet away tore Sami from her focus on the dying person. Seeing Lucas's eyes fluttering open, Sami had hurried to his side. It was another of those moments that would become forever burned in Sami's memory despite the fogginess that surrounded the ordeal.
A few isolated details stood out in her mind after nearly a year had passed. Sami had been holding Lucas's hand, begging him to not die. Hope had been checking on a still unconscious Bo and calling the police. John had remained standing in the doorway of the bedroom, his body seeking support against the doorframe. All the while, the killer had been dying on the floor, staining both the carpet and their memories.
All of Sami's attention had been focused on Lucas and his injuries - until Hope had released a gargled gasp. Time slowed as Sami turned her head and saw Hope holding the infamous mask worn by the serial killer.
Chill bumps raced down Sami's bare arms and her breath momentarily stopped when she caught a glimpse of blonde hair . With the last of her strength, the killer had turned to look in Sami's direction. A wave of trembles overtook Sami's weary body when she looked at the face of the person she had nearly stabbed, the face of the person John had shot to save them all, the face of the person who had murdered so many of her loved ones, the face of her own mother.
Disclaimer: I clearly do not own the characters in this fic. :)
January 8, 2005
In the winter of 2004, the snow had been crimson, reddened by the blood of loved ones. As the murders subsided, Spring had brought its warmth to Salem, melting away the darkness created by the serial killer. That mild warmth soon turned to a scorching heat as Summer and all its escapades rocked the city. Time continued its inevitable passing, and Autumn draped itself over the area. The days persisted to sashay into weeks and the golden leaves began to fall. Before long the bare trees stood alone as Winter made its return.
As a few stray snowflakes fell from the clearing sky, Samantha Brady released a deep, forlorn sigh. Her icy breath tinged the air for but a moment before fading away like all other things in her life had.
For the better part of her life, Sami had focused nearly all of her attention on herself. She had spent incalculable time destroying others for her own benefit. Years had literally passed her by while she was centering her entire existence around revenge. That had changed.
Though Sami could still be considered a rather selfish individual, she had long ago done away with her destructive tendencies. Past vendettas had been buried the same day as her mother. In place of that hatred now lingered a wretchedness that few could ever understand.
Continuing with her lonely walk through the snowy park, Sami unconsciously cringed upon nearing the refreshment stand. While she wandered alone, others cheerfully gathered with those they loved.
Sami restrained from rolling her eyes as she spotted two of her least favorite people standing along the path between the refreshments and the ice skating area. It was not as if Sami was surprised to see Brady and Nicole at the park. In truth, she had expected it. Her encounters with them were becoming ritualistic.
Each Saturday morning, Sami would take her stroll through the park, enjoying its scenery and serenity through all the seasons. At the north end of the park, near the swings, she would usually spot Jennifer Horton with her two children.
As Sami would draw closer to the wooded area north of the pond, she would typically spy Philip. After getting his heartbroken over the summer, the young man began some sort of dating marathon. Nearly every Saturday, Sami would see Philip with a different young woman. And, even on the rare occasions when Philip was not entertaining a beautiful girl, he was still in the park. Much like Sami, he had made his stroll through the park a predictable part of his weekly routine.
Continuing with her established course, Sami would unavoidably come across Brady and Nicole in the southwest corner of the large park. At the same time every Saturday morning, the couple could be seen purchasing drinks before sitting on one of the benches near the pond. Sometimes during the winter, the two would change the routine just slightly to allow for some time on the ice.
Sami seldom took the time to greet the people who had once been her step- brother and nemesis. Instead, she would purposely avoid their gaze and continue along the path.
On this particular Saturday morning, Sami was feeling more unsociable than usual. It had been uncommonly difficult to get out bed and dress herself for the day. The previous week had been the one year anniversary of her father's murder and it was a day that she hardly cared to commemorate.
Nightmares still haunted Sami, recollections of Kate appearing stained with Roman's blood. Her own bitter words, the last she had spoken to her father, echoed in her frightful dreams.
Sami had been so consumed with unnecessary hatred that she had allowed it to taint the relationship she had shared with her father. The most painful part for Sami was knowing that she would never be given the opportunity to make things right.
Less than a month after Roman died, Tony Dimera had been ripped from the world by the same killer. The month of January ultimately ended just as it had begun - in bloodshed.
February had passed with unexpected peace. The city had held its breath as each day passed without another murder occurring. As the month began to come to a close, icy roads, not the serial killer, took the next life. Victor had been on his way to file divorce papers when his chauffeur lost control of the car and crashed the car. Both had died instantly.
Then, during the early morning hours of March 1st, another loved one fell.
Sami inadvertently flinched as she recalled the horror that ended the serial killer's reign.
In the days following Roman's untimely death, Sami had lost a great deal of her independence. Her days were plagued by regrets and her nights by unrelenting nightmares. It was during this time that Sami's animosity toward Lucas began to diminish.
A slow friendship began to develop despite Sami's obvious reservations. Even when Sami had wanted nothing to do with Lucas, his support had remained unwavering. With time Sami learned how to accept the olive branch Lucas persistently offered.
Lucas frequently spent his nights sleeping on Sami's couch or giving up his bed and sleeping on his own couch. He had feigned sleep on several occasions when Sami had awakened from a nightmare and noisily made her way to the kitchen for a cup of tea. He had found the ideal balance between giving Sami emotional space to heal and protecting her from both herself and the outside world.
It had been the final day of February when Bo and Hope had invited Lucas and Sami over for dinner. A late winter snow storm had been rolling through the state and, like the serial killer, it unleashed itself upon Salem.
While Will had been safely staying with his Grandpa Shawn, Lucas and Sami had braved the near-blizzard conditions to bask in the comfort of a family dinner.
The group of four had shared a guarded hope that the murderous nightmare was over. Yet, less than twelve hours after Bo led the prayer, giving thanks for the peace, their very home would become the site of the final slaughter.
Due to the atrocious weather conditions, Bo and Hope had insisted the Lucas and Sami stay at their house for the night. At the time, it had seemed such a polite, unimportant offer. Before the next sunrise, all four would see how such a seemingly small decision had saved their lives.
It had been 3:49 a.m. when one of Sami routine nightmares had awoken her from her troubled sleep. She had carefully tiptoed out of Shawn's old bedroom and slunk down the staircase. With quick steps she had crossed the Brady living room and slipped into the family's cozy kitchen.
Just when Sami was preparing to pour the steaming water into her tea cup, Lucas had groggily stumbled into the room. As he grabbed himself a mug from the cabinet, he had stated, "I thought I heard someone else up."
Sami could not recall all the words that passed between herself and Lucas during their impromptu tea party, but she did remember that it had led to a rather playful round of bickering. Most importantly, she vividly recalled a smile gracing her face when the room was suddenly plunged in darkness.
Through the darkness, Sami had reached across the table and took hold of Lucas's hand. She had told herself that power outages were not an uncommon thing. Yet, there was something about the stillness of the air that instinctively warned her otherwise.
Lucas had cautiously led Sami to the back window. Together they had peered out the glass. To their mutual horror, the light of a lamp could be seen inside the house next door. Never before or after did the sight of electricity terrify Sami as much as it did in that moment.
Her breath had begun to evade her as she whispered, "Lucas, we've got to get out of here."
"Sami," Lucas had sternly replied. "We can't just leave Bo and Hope. I know you're scared - so am I. But, if the serial killer did cut the power, then we've got to wake Bo and Hope up so they and Zack can get out of here."
"Okay," Sami had quickly relented. She had already lost far too many loved ones to the madman to willingly let anyone else die.
However, before Sami and Lucas were even able to leave the kitchen, the sound of the front door creaking open echoed through the silent house. Lucas had tightly squeezed Sami's hand as they stood frozen by the door leading to the living room.
After seconds that passed as slowly as an eternity, the sound of footsteps could barely be heard going up the stairs. As soon as that sound faded, Lucas and Sami had carefully made their way through the living room, their eyes roaming their surroundings just in case they were walking into a trap.
When no one lunged from the shadows, the duo quietly walked up the stairs, each silently praying that the killer would not hear their footsteps. Sami's breathing had become more labored as she and Lucas walked down the dark hallway. As they neared Bo and Hope's bedroom door, the couple could see that the door, which had been closed when Sami had gone downstairs, was now cracked open.
Cautionary thoughts were all but discarded as they had rushed toward the door and stampeded into Bo and Hope's bedroom. Their entrance had grabbed the killer off guard. The masked person, looming over Hope's sleeping body, had impulsively turned toward the two.
Upon seeing the long blade of the knife shining in the moonlight, Sami had released a piercing scream that failed to stir Bo from his sleep. Only later would Sami learn that the killer had already drugged Bo to keep him from interfering in Hope's murder.
When the killer turned back to an awakened Hope and raised the knife high, Lucas had taken the opportunity to lunge after the murderer. Though his attempt saved Hope, it also rewarded him with his own painful stab wound.
Sami had great difficulty recalling exactly how the later events transpired. She knew that after being stabbed, Lucas had fallen and temporarily lost consciousness. And, somehow, Hope had gotten out of bed and managed to knock the weapon out of the killer's hand.
While Hope and the slaughterer fought, Sami was in the background recovering the knife. And, when Hope's neck was caught by her attacker's hands and she was losing her struggle for air, Sami had leapt forward - preparing to thrust the knife through the serial killer's back.
Sami had hoarsely gasped as a gun was fired and the serial killer collapsed to the ground at her feet. Blood began to immediately soak into the soft beige carpet as the demented individual struggled for a few final breaths.
Spinning on her heels, Sami turned to find John Black standing in the doorway. Though she had always considered John to be a stern man, Sami had never before seen her step-father appear so grim and removed. His only sign of weakness was the shaking of his hand that held the revolver.
While Hope sank onto the bed and struggled to regain a normal breathing pattern, Sami's eyes had fallen to the masked person lying on the floor. Hatred flowed through Sami's veins as she recalled all who had died because of that single person.
A soft moan from a few feet away tore Sami from her focus on the dying person. Seeing Lucas's eyes fluttering open, Sami had hurried to his side. It was another of those moments that would become forever burned in Sami's memory despite the fogginess that surrounded the ordeal.
A few isolated details stood out in her mind after nearly a year had passed. Sami had been holding Lucas's hand, begging him to not die. Hope had been checking on a still unconscious Bo and calling the police. John had remained standing in the doorway of the bedroom, his body seeking support against the doorframe. All the while, the killer had been dying on the floor, staining both the carpet and their memories.
All of Sami's attention had been focused on Lucas and his injuries - until Hope had released a gargled gasp. Time slowed as Sami turned her head and saw Hope holding the infamous mask worn by the serial killer.
Chill bumps raced down Sami's bare arms and her breath momentarily stopped when she caught a glimpse of blonde hair . With the last of her strength, the killer had turned to look in Sami's direction. A wave of trembles overtook Sami's weary body when she looked at the face of the person she had nearly stabbed, the face of the person John had shot to save them all, the face of the person who had murdered so many of her loved ones, the face of her own mother.