-Beautiful Mistakes-

Sam and Jake wake up to a surprise... Characters not mine. Rating for safety. Inspired by DSA's 'And This Happened How?' and Frankie Perez's song 'Beautiful Mistakes'. Just a note: This does take place when they're older, Sam's 18 and I guess that would make Jake 21-ish? Sorry this tok me so long to get posted, but I've been busy and I was having trouble writing this chapter, I don't know why. I'll update again soon, Winter Tears, Perception and another fic all have the next chapters in progress and I'll post them ASAP. Review!

Chapter Two:

'How did this happen…?' The question repeated itself over and over again in her mind

When Jake had called, she'd been in her room, admiring the new outfits she'd bought when out with, Brynna, Gram, and her baby sister, Elise, earlier in the day. Grabbing her cell phone off of her desk, she flipped it open. "Hey, Jake," she smiled.

"Happy Birthday, Brat," he teased, he never called her that anymore, he'd learned the hard way that she could make good on her threats if he irritated her to a certain extent.

Sam laughed. "I thought you'd learned this lesson, Ely…"

His deep laugh echoed in her ears. "Be nice or I won't take you out to dinner tonight!"

"You know you love me," she retorted. "What time are you picking me up?" Ever since his senior year, it had become tradition that he take her out to dinner on her birthday.

"I'll be there in about an hour and a half." He told her. "I've got to go; Brian wants to tell me something… See ya soon."

"See ya," she replied, hanging up the phone. She looked to Cougar who was curled up on her bed. "I suppose I should get ready, huh?"

The cat let out a soft mew, as if wondering why he'd been disturbed for this question.

After a quick shower, she changed into the outfit that was laid out on her bed, a pair of flared, light blue jeans and a chocolate colored cami under a grey v-neck pull over. Her hair had developed a natural curl, so she pulled it into a high ponytail, clipping the loose pieces back before doing her make up.

Just as she finished, Blaze's resounding bark told her that Jake had arrived. Sam smiled, grabbing a pair of Converse shoes from her closet floor and heading downstairs.

"Hey, Jake," she smiled, watching Elise tackle him with a hug.

He lifted the little girl into his arms before turning to Sam. "You ready to go?"

She nodded, as he handed the four-year old back to Brynna.

"You look nice," Jake gave a rare compliment, walking her outside after promising Wyatt and Brynna that they'd probably be back late.

Sam blushed slightly, looking him over. He had old blue jeans on, a white tank-top under a red plaid unbuttoned button-up dress shirt, his almost-back-to-normal hair tied back and under a black Stetson. "As do you," she smiled. (Picture the guy in Shania Twain's 'I Ain't No Quitter' video)

Ignoring her comment, he climbed into the driver's seat. "So, what did you do today?"

"Went shopping with Brynna, Gram, and Elise and then to lunch with them and Dad. After that I went riding with Jen since I haven't gotten to see her much lately, with her getting ready to leave for that college in Maryland." Sam explained,

"Oh, Brian and his wife are having a baby," Jake sighed. "That's why I had to get off the phone earlier."

Sam 'awwed', like any female would in the situation. "When?"

"December," he replied.

She looked out the windshield, nodding, before looking over at him. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," he said, his eyes returning to their focus on the road. "But, it's a long drive."

She sent a glare toward him. "You could have at least warned me to bring a CD or something if you're going to kidnap me," she pouted in mock-disappointment. In truth she was glad it was a long drive, she liked spending time with him.

"Sam, wake up," Jake's voice called to her.

"Huh?" she yawned, looking around. Apparently she'd fallen asleep leaning against him. She looked at the clock 7: 47. She'd been asleep for almost two hours, but it seemed like they were there. Wherever 'there' was…

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty, get a move on," he teased her.

She punched him playfully in the arm before climbing out of the car. "Whoa…" she gasped, taking in the sight around them. They were on the borders of Las Vegas, on a large hill of sand that over looked the lights and sounds of the city that never sleeps.

When she turned back to Jake he had a blanket spread out by his truck, a cooler of food sitting next to it. "Happy Birthday, Sam," he smiled.

"You… you didn't have to do all this…" she said, still quite shocked.

"I know that. I wanted to," He pulled her down to sit next to him, "I'm not sure what all Jen and Darrel put in this thing, but since it took them all day to do, it should be okay." He laughed.

"So that's why I couldn't get a hold of Jen all morning…" Sam thought aloud as Jake dug through the contents of the cooler, frowning when his hand landed on a bottle of champagne and he saw a six-pack of beer under that.

"I really should kill him…" he mused to himself. "I see little to no food in here, but probably enough alcohol to stock a small bar…"

After that everything got kind of fuzzy, but she remembered:

Drinking.
Flirting.
More drinking.
More flirting.
Body shots?
Oh no.

Sam shook her head under the hot spray of water, the water cascading down her body before it slowly washed down the drain. She reached for the shampoo only then realizing she had already washed her hair twice in her dazed memory of the prior night. She had finally hooked up with her best friend and she couldn't remember a single detail. Just her luck.

She turned the dial of the shower, the water spraying out a brief dash of extra hot water before it turned cool. The spray lost pressure, water dribbling out into a few drops of remaining water. She stepped out of the shower wrapping her body in a fluffy oversized towel. How they had ended up in a suite at the Belagio she wasn't sure, at this point she just wanted to be in her own bed, sleeping off a hang over she shouldn't have.

The bathroom door opened with a billow of rising steam, Sam emerging with a just a navy blue towel wrapped around her frame. Jake looked up from where he sat on the bed in his jeans, beside him sat the rest of their clothes, all of which he had managed to locate in the chaos of the room.

"Your dad called again, I told him I'd have you home in three hours. He's not overly thrilled with that." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. She sensed he'd be doing that a lot in the near future.

Sam let out a soft shrug. "Why don't you go take your shower and I'll get us some coffee?" she suggested, running a hand through her hair.

He nodded, standing up. As he passed her, he dropped his lips against her cheek in a chaste kiss. "That sounds great." His lips lingered against her cheek, his warm breath making her shiver. She felt the curve of his smile against her skin before he pulled away.

She shook her head as the bathroom door shut, and not for the first time that evening she wondered what in the hell they were going to do.

Jake and Sam took one last look at the ransacked hotel room.

"You ready, Sam?" he asked. He saw her nod her head, her bloodshot eyes not meeting his.

In Jake's pockets he had found two key cards, a valet stub for his truck, which was parked in the hotel lot, and a hefty credit card receipt for the rock that kept glistening on Sam's finger. The diamond would catch a ray of light, bright prisms marking the walls around her every time she moved. He really didn't want to admit how much the thought of her wearing his ring appealed to him. It was almost as satisfying as the dark round mark on the side of her slender neck. She kept fidgeting with it, her fingers pressing against it almost as if to relive the pressure. Though he quickly dismissed those thoughts, mentally kicking himself.

She walked in front of him, his hand hovering on her lower back as they both exited the room with a sigh. The heavy door fought against the hydraulic spring holding it open until it finally closed with a soft click.

Both had felt slightly better after their showers and a cup of coffee which room service had brought up. Sam had handed him the steaming cup of hot liquid as soon as he walked from the bathroom, which he was very grateful for.

They were in checked out of the hotel and in Jake's truck not ten minutes later, with two hours and twenty minutes left to get back to River Bend, Sam once again asleep, this time against her husband's shoulder.