I really don't understand how I can write something that hurts my favorite characters so much. It's so weird because I can't even read fics about my favorite couples recovering from the verge of a divorce or anything like that. I have a sick, love-hate relationship with angst which makes this story hard to explain. Just know that things will start to turn around soon.

Lucas had been pacing the same spot in his apartment for hours, or that's what it felt like. It was a pretty decent place to tread, there was enough room for him to walk without thinking about bumping into anything, but not enough to risk getting off course. All in all, it was a prime pacing position. Any realtor would have said so.

His head had cleared enough for him to actually think about the situation at hand. The facts were as follows: he had been talking with his mother, that woman had come up to them, and he had definitely not consumed anything alcoholic. Everything else after that was a blur, except for Sami finding him. That was painfully clear.

He knew what logic was telling him, but there was no way he could accept that. The thought that his mother could… no, it was someone else. He had been set up, that was definite. He had yet to find out who had done it, though. Of course that girl had been no help.

Lucas stared at the doorway that Sami had ran from, followed shortly by Belle. His first instinct was to run after them, Sami looked heartbroken and she needed him, but it suddenly became quite clear to him that he was naked. In a room with a strange woman he dimly recalled.

He pulled on his boxers as quickly as he could, followed by the rest of his clothing while the woman let out a sigh of disappointment. His head was killing him and it was hard to handle standing up, but he managed a glare that would rival Sami's.

This woman had done something to him and he had to find out what. Like a predator on the prowl for his first kill, Lucas came towards her with an angry stride. His head was still swimming, but no one would have been able to tell by looking at him.

"What did you do to me?"

"I can't believe you don't remember all the nasty little things we did to each other. I'm hurt."

She apparently thought being coy was funny, but she was painfully mistaken. She attempted what he thought was supposed to be an alluring expression, but it only served to increase his fury.

"Look, I know I didn't have sex with you, so just cut the bullshit. It's not possible. So, I'll ask again, what did you do to me?"

"I know you were kind of drunk when we were doing it, but you don't have to pretend it didn't happen. The whiney blonde isn't here anymore."

"What did you do, and why did you do it? Who put you up to this?"

"No one had to put me up to sleeping with a hot guy."

"Tell me the truth, damn it!"

"Sorry, honey, but that is the truth."

Seeing that even attempting a bid for sympathy from this thing in front of him would be useless, Lucas exited the room to find another way to prove what he knew without a doubt. He did not cheat on Sami.

He knew what he had to do, but in all honesty, he was scared. He knew he hadn't done it and, deep down, he knew that Sami didn't believe he was capable of betraying her, but what she had seen would be hard for her to get past.

It wasn't fair. They had finally found their way back to each other after so many long years. They had been hours away from becoming a married couple, and now there was a possibility that might never happen. Vaguely he wondered if anyone else knew what had happened.

It was depressing to know that the world was going on right now as if nothing life-altering had occurred. Father Jansen was probably preparing to perform the ceremony and their families were looking forward to a wedding, the best kind of gathering. And here he was, pacing his living room, trying to find a way to convince Sami that he could be trusted.

Finally, Lucas took a deep breath and prepared to confront her.

………………………………...

Sami sat on her couch staring vacantly out into nothing. That's what her life was now, nothing. She had nothing to look forward to, nothing to hope for, really there was nothing at all.

It was hard to wrap her mind around the facts. She had lost everything, and this time it hadn't even been her fault. Or maybe it had. She was nowhere near as experienced in bed as Lucas perhaps he had gotten bored. Maybe she hadn't been attentive enough. Maybe she had driven him away.

She had run out of tears hours ago, now all that was left was nothing. She was numb, the walls were back up and there was no way they were coming down. It was strange to feel so empty again; she hadn't felt like this in a very long time. She hadn't missed it.

Belle had offered to stay with her for a while, but Sami didn't want her pity. Yes, Belle wanted to help her big sister through a crisis, but what she didn't realize was that if she had stayed, it would have only made Sami feel more pathetic. She wasn't going to be that woman.

The soft knock on the door echoed through the apartment. It was odd that the semi-darkness made the place seem bigger. She kept her mind on her detached thoughts as a way to avoid the outside world. If she didn't get involved then the problems might float away on their own. Maybe light somehow added mass or weight or something to a room. Was that some scientific thought? She had never liked science.

The faint knocking stopped and for a brief moment she allowed herself the fantasy of security. She was alone in the quiet where no one else existed, and then she heard the key turn in the lock. He was coming in, and in the process, he was destroying the slight comfort she got from the empty apartment. Just like he destroyed all of her dreams.

Lucas entered the dim apartment warily. He wasn't sure if he wanted her to be there or not. It might be simpler to write a note. No, no that was the coward's way. He had come too far to turn back now.

He could make out her figure on the couch. She was sitting on the far end, huddled in a reassuring ball. Her arms were locked around her knees and her head rested on top of them. She stared blankly in front of her, not even turning to face him.

"Sami…" his voice trailed off in a whisper. The shadows played over her face and about the room. Her golden hair shone with an ephemeral light. A normal voice would have shattered the delicate illusion that protected her from the outside world.

"Go away, Lucas."

Her voice held no emotion. It was as if she were trying to remove herself from everything.

"You need to let me explain," he tried to force his voice to continue, but it was lodged in his throat. His brain was working against him, waiting for her permission to continue.

She looked at him for the first time since he had entered and the steady gaze was more than he could take. He looked away in shame. Her voice held more force than he would have thought her capable of judging from her state, "Go away, Lucas. Go home before I say something I'll regret."

He swallowed roughly, trying to force his now dry throat to respond. His voice was strained and it didn't sound like himself when it came out, "You have to know what…"

"Go. It's the least you could do for me."

She couldn't believe how much his presence hurt. It was physically painful to know what she knew and be in the same room with him. It was a dull aching roar in pulling at her insides. There was a horrible beast trying to rip her apart from the inside out.

The worst part was that she wanted to throw herself in his arms. Sami felt the desperate longing for the comfort only his arms could bring, but she couldn't accept it. Not now, when he had been the one to cause this pain. God, "pain" didn't seem strong enough to describe what she was feeling.

Finally, he understood what was happening. She was on the verge of breaking down and, even though he would cut off his right arm to be given the chance, she would not accept what he wanted to give. It was too soon for Lucas to plead his case, let alone offer solace.

"Okay, I'll be back later," he waited a second for her to respond, but was forthcoming, "I love you, Sami. Just, please remember that."

The door shut delicately behind him almost drowning out her whisper, "Liar."

She had truly believed that her tear ducts had dried out hours ago, but apparently she was wrong. She lay her head back onto her knees and let her anguish flow.

………………………………...

Lucas leaned against the door as if his legs would give way. If he concentrated hard enough he could hear the muted sobbing through the wooden door. What he wouldn't give to be able to go in there and ease her sorrow. Holding her would certainly ease his.

She needed some time before he could tell her everything. Surely, she would see the truth when he laid it out for her. She had to, it was the only hope he had.

It was daylight now. The time on his watch made him realize that now would have been the time when he would have begun preparing for his wedding. That obviously wasn't going to happen today. Poor, Will would…

He had to tell Will. He couldn't put that on Sami's shoulders right now. Wearily, Lucas heaved a pained sigh. If only time would stop for a little while.

……………………………….

He entered the pub as if walking to his death sentence. He still didn't know what to tell his son. The whole story would be too much for a twelve-year-old boy, wouldn't it? But if he didn't hear the everything from him, then the Salem gossipmongers would undoubtedly let it slip in Will's presence. Sordid, fake details and all.

He greeted Shawn at the door to the above apartments briefly, before continuing on down the hall to Sami's old bedroom. Will always stayed in her old room, Lucas guessed that it made him feel connected to her childhood.

He knocked quickly before entering the room. His son's joy at seeing him stabbed at his heart like a knife. The room itself was overpowering him. It still held remnants of her presence, claiming the room like a fingerprint. He could almost see her teenage self sprawled on the bed working on her homework. If it was math it was more than likely that she'd call him for some help. Numbers were the only things he did better than her.

Will watched with growing dread as his dad looked around the room forlornly. Something was wrong, yet again. If only something could work out for his family, for once, "What're you doing here, Dad?"

Lucas broke out of his mental wanderings and looked at his boy for a long time. He took a deep breath and then closed the bedroom door firmly. He sat on the small, unmade bed and patted the space beside him, "We need to talk, buddy."

He approached his father warily and sat next to him, "Something bad happened didn't it?"

"I'm afraid so."

Will looked up at him with haunted eyes and he felt overwhelming misery wash over him as comprehension filled his only child's eyes. He didn't even have to say the words.

"You're not getting married."

Will felt every dream he'd ever dreamt and every wish he'd ever secretly wished slip away at the conformation in his father's face. A heretofore-unacknowledged resentment bubbled to the surface in his mind. Why couldn't parents actually be the mature ones for once?

"What did she do?"

Lucas grabbed Will's hands firmly as he looked into his son's eyes. The shock he felt couldn't have been more obvious.

"Your mother didn't do anything. This is not her fault, if anything the blame is completely on me. She saw something that made her think that I betrayed her, Will. It was not her fault."

"I just, I don't get it, Dad. You promised we would be a family."

Despite the fact that only babies cried at his age Will felt tears threatening to fall. Everything had been inches within his grasp and now it was being pulled. It wasn't fair.

Lucas pulled his son into his arms and Will allowed him to offer him the comfort he couldn't give Sami. He pressed his cheek against his son's hair and held him tightly.

"We were always a family, buddy. Even before your mom and I realized what you always knew. I'll find a way to fix this. I won't give up, Will. Nothing can stop me. I'll find a way."