For those who are worried I would just like to point out that I am a huge samka fan! Also that if I broke Sam and Luka up for good, my friend would kill me, or at least just hit me a lot. So just keep reading and see, this chapter ends on a happier note anyway

Chapter Eight

There was a soft knock on her bedroom door, Sam groaned and yelled "Come in!"

Carter entered, "I come bearing coffee" he said holding up the mug so she could see.

He then went over and sat on the edge of the bed and handed the coffee to her. Sam took a sip and sighed contently.

"Coffee may not be a cure all, but its damn close" Sam said.

"I figured you might want some before Alex came in, he's kinda excited this morning."
"What else is new? He hasn't been bothering you too much, has he?" Sam asked praying that Alex was behaving himself for once.

"No," Carter answered truthfully, well kind of, "How are you this morning?"

"I don't know, Luka left and to top it all off I am now twenty-six!"

"Happy birthday! You have nothing to complain about mind you, I'm older. Being twenty-six isn't so bad."

"Sure, why do you think I hang around with you anyway? It's comforting to have friends a good deal older than me, that way you're always the young one." She laughed.

"Hey," Carter protested punching her playfully on the arm.

Sam looked back at him, doing her best to look the picture of innocence. Carter laughed, he could have so much fun with Sam, and she was so easy to talk to. She was like your best friend, but, he realised looking at her, she was absolutely gorgeous. Even now when the hurt crept back into her eyes, she was breathtaking. He swallowed hard as he realised that he was falling for her. That was not a good idea, he told himself, she was pregnant with Luka's child and Luka was his friend.

Sam was still amazed at how well she got on with Carter; they had never really talked before. He really was just like her brother, she smiled sadly, she really missed him. Carter looked serious all of a sudden.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked wondering what had come over him.

Carter looked like a rabbit caught in headlights; he could hardly tell her he was thinking what it would be like to kiss her.

"Nothing much," he lied.

She could tell he was lying, that he was trying to cover up something but she didn't press him. It was probably personal.

"What time did Susan leave at last night?" he asked.

Carter and Alex had come home yesterday to find Susan in their kitchen making coffee. Sam had rung her after Luka left and she had come right over. Carter spent the evening playing video games with Alex hoping he wouldn't ask why his mother hadn't left her room.

Susan had done her best to console her friend, she had stayed really late, to which Sam was very grateful.

"Around midnight, I think." she answered. "Was Alex ok last night? He wasn't worried was he?"

Carter wasn't sure what to say, Alex hadn't actually said anything to him but he could tell he was worried about his mom.

"No, he was fine, you know what kids are like." He said deciding that Sam had enough to worry about.

As if on cue Alex came bounding though the door and jumped onto his mother's bed.

"Happy birthday!" he yelled beaming at her and handing her a small box.

Sam opened her present and found a silver locker inside.

"Alex," she said crying.

"Don't you like it?" Alex asked puzzled by his mother's reaction.

"I love it," she answered hugging him.

"Open the locket," he ordered.

Sam did and she saw that inside there was a picture of Alex.

"This is the best birthday present ever," she gushed "how could you afford it?"

"I had saved up and Carter helped" Alex admitted.

Carter looked slightly embarrassed, as Sam hugged him too.

"So this is what you two were up to yesterday." She said.

Alex just grinned at her; he was delighted that she liked the gift. It was comforting to see her smile, for the past while all she seemed to do was cry.

Sam felt the urge to hug her son again, so she did. She couldn't believe the gift; he really could be so sweet at times. When he had been four, he had drawn a picture of the two of them for her birthday; she remembered he had even been cute enough to put it in a box and everything. Sure it had been an old shoe box, and the picture was nothing more than a whole load of colours and two stick figures, but she had loved it. He was a lot older now but still as sweet as he had always been.

"I love the locket, where did you get it?" Susan asked. She was at the mall with Sam.

"Alex gave to me, a birthday present."

"Wow, I hope Cosmo is as nice when he gets older."

"You never know."

Sam looked around at all the clothes, she had been looking forward to shopping but that changed once she saw that not only could she not afford to be buying new clothes, it was also a bit redundant giving that she was three months pregnant and the clothes wouldn't fit her soon anyway.

"Do you want to forget shopping and go to the ice cream parlour instead? I'm not going to fit into this clothes soon enough." Sam said to Susan.

"Oh my God! I totally forgot, sorry," Susan apologised. "So much for my present."

"Don't worry about it; I'll let you buy me some ice cream instead."

"It's a deal," Susan answered, "Sorry again."

"Don't be, besides I kinda have a craving for chocolate chip ice cream anyway."

Luka was standing in Carter's hallway, Carter had let him in. Luka hadn't wanted to leave things the way he had with Sam, and it was her birthday so he wanted to give her, her present.

"Sam's not here," Carter said.

"Can I stay here and wait for her to come back?" Luka asked.

Carter felt really awkward around Luka, he wasn't sure if he should let him stay or not. Part of him was telling him to kick Luka out the door, but that was the part that wanted Sam for himself, the more sane part of him was telling him to let Luka stay. If he was going to patch things up with Sam it would be for the best really.

"Okay," he answered at last. "But if Sam wants you out when she comes out promise me you won't make a scene."

"I won't," Luka lied.

Carter knew that he was lying, but he also knew that his friend was deeply in love and he could understand that. He'd do the same.

The two men went further into the house. Alex was watching them from the stairs, they hadn't seen him there. He was mad that Carter would let Luka in like that. Wasn't he supposed to on his mom's side?

He didn't need Luka and his mom sure as hell didn't. Luka had hurt his mom and he still remembered quite clearly seeing Luka hitting his dad. This was not someone they needed in their lives; he didn't want his sister to know what a crappy father she had. And he was going to do everything he could to keep his mom and Luka from getting back together. She'd be better off with Steve, his dad, his sister would be better off with his dad.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked Luka, she had come home to find him in the house and had not been too happy about it.

"I came to say happy birthday," he answered handing her a Tiffany's bag.

"You didn't have to do that." She said handing him the present back.

"Just open it; it's of no use to me."

She opened it and found a pair of diamond earrings inside. She was speechless; no one had ever given her a gift like that before. Steve had given her jewellery before but whatever he had bought her had turned her skin green, and the one bracelet that didn't turned out to be stolen.

Luka watched her intently. He could tell she was happy with the gift.

"Thank you" she said after a while.

"Your welcome," he answered.

They stood in silence for a while. Sam was fine with that, there was nothing more to say. She was sure that they had said everything last night. She hadn't expected him to come, but she stopped herself from thinking of what that might mean. It was over; she couldn't fight with him anymore.

"I'm not going to leave you Sam. I'm not going to leave my daughter either. And I'm not going to give you up that easily. I love you, and I am not going anywhere."

Sam was stunned, between this and the earrings she was speechless. She couldn't seem to form any words.

Luka wasn't sure if Sam had taken the news well or not, she seemed shell shocked. After what she had said last night about Steve beating her he guessed that she was pretty used to people leaving her life. He wasn't going to be another person on that list.

"Okay," she said once she found her voice. "I suppose we can try to be friends."

She knew full well that she would never be happy just being friends with him, but he was trying. Besides they'd have to get along, for the baby's sake.

"Sam, I can never be just friends with you."

They didn't get a chance to finish the conversation as they were summoned into the dining room. Carter had organised a special dinner for Sam, for her birthday. Susan and Chuck were there, along with Alex, Carter and Luka. It was just a small affair.

Carter saw Sam come into the room with Luka and he noticed that she was wearing diamond earrings; they had obviously been a gift from Luka. He couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. She looked stunning, she always did.

Susan noticed the way Carter was looking at Sam; he clearly had feelings for her. She leaned into him and asked, "John, just what is it with you and the women Luka dates?"

Carter smiled sheepishly, he would have to hide his feelings better.

The evening passed without a hitch. They all seemed to enjoy themselves. What Luka had said replayed over and over in Sam's mind the whole time. She couldn't help but notice the way he looked at her; she wasn't ready to commit to a relationship that clearly wasn't working. But it was obvious that Luka wasn't just going to walk away as others had done.

She caught up with him as he was walking out the front door after everyone else had gone.

"Hey," she said. "I have a doctor's appointment on Friday, just to make sure everything is still going smoothly. I thought maybe you'd want to come, and maybe we could grab a bite to eat or something afterwards?"

"I'd love to," he answered kissing her forehead.

Luka walked away then, he knew that she was willing to let him be a part of her life. It wouldn't be long before everything worked out for them. He had to believe that. He did believe that.