Sam was resting his head against the window, his eyes closed, trying to sleep when he heard Laura's sweet voice.

"Is he asleep?" Laura asked someone.

"Yeah, looks that way." It was Brian. Sam kept his eyes closed thinking that the conversation would quickly move away

from the topic of him.

"I'm glad. He must be exhausted."

"We all are." Brian said softly.

"Yeah, but… I don't know. I'm just glad he's getting some rest." There was silence. Sam wondered what she was thinking.

"Sam's been so brave through all of this."

"Crazy's more like it." Brian laughed. It was good to hear him laugh.

"I didn't know he had it inside of him."

"I did."

"He saved my life. Twice."

"Yeah, that's Sam."

"But why would he do that? Risk his life like that, he hardly knows me."

Sam began to tense up. Please Brian, don't tell her. I already told her she was the reason I joined the team.

"He likes you, Laura." Why did you do that Brian!?! Sam felt himself blush and was glad that they thought he was asleep.

"But to tell you the truth, Sam would have done that for anyone. He's really a great guy, Laura. Not a lot of people give him

a chance for him to be who he is."

There was another silence.

"How do you feel about him, Laura?"

"I like him too, Brian." Her voice was softer, as if she was afraid that she would wake him up and he'd hear her.

Laura, Laura… he kept repeating her name in his head and couldn't believe what significance it held in his life now.

Suddenly, he felt someone nudge his shoulder.

"You up, Son?" Jack Hall asked his son. He took a seat beside his son.

"What? Y-yeah." I must have dosed off, he thought.

"We're almost to Mexico."

"Great." He said still waking up. Brian had moved his seat from sitting beside Sam to sitting beside Laura. Maybe they had

decided to talk further. Brian was asleep now. Laura was alternating her gaze from Sam to the window.

"Look, I'm going to try and call mom. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Dad. I'm fine."

"What about you, Laura? Are you doing all right?"

"Yes. Thanks Mr. Hall."

Jack smiled and then moved toward the cockpit with his cell phone. The two kids watched him go. Laura looked

uncomfortably at her hands. When she looked up, Sam gave her an over eager smile.

"He really cares about you, ya know, Sam?"

"Yeah. I know."

"Brian really cares about you too."

"Brian is a really great friend."

"I, I care about you too, Sam."

They looked at each other. Sam didn't know exactly know what she meant. Maybe he had just dreamt the conversation he heard earlier.

"I care about you too, Laura."

"I mean I really care about you, Sam."

"Me too."

They smiled. He motioned for her to come sit beside him and she did. He took her hand. "I know things were kind of crazy."

That was an understatement. "In the library and everything. I just want you to know that I do like you. It wasn't just in the

heat of the moment. Well, maybe a little but…"

"I understand. Can I ask you one thing though?"

"Sure."

"Did you like J.D. too?"

"No. Why?"

"Well, why did you act interested in him? I mean, going on that tour with him and…"

"I had to get away from you."

"Away from me?"

"Yeah. I was terrified. I just knew you would see right through me."

"Trust me. I didn't."

They continued to talk and look out the window… hand in hand…..