December 16th, 2003

Sam's views on Luka were drastically changing. She couldn't let him know that though. She had to keep her strong persona up for protection. He was making a big spot in her life and that scared her. She didn't want Alex to get hurt.

"Mom, I can't find my socks." Alex called out.

"Check in your sock drawer." Sam chuckled as she packed his lunch. He needed a healthy lunch. The doorbell rang, "Who is it?"

"Me." Luka said.

"My stripper pimp?" Sam asked. Luka walked into the apartment.

"We can talk about that later." Luka chuckled, "Your ride is here."

"Great. I was afraid Alex was going to be late.' She said, "Need me to pack you a brown bag lunch?" Luka chuckled.

"I'll be fine. Coffee?" He asked. Sam nodded and pointed to the coffee maker. Luka grabbed a mug out of the cupboard. Sam smirked.

"Make yourself at home." She said.

"I will." He winked.

"Alexander, hurry your ass up!" Sam put his lunch in his backpack, "I'm going to be busy with Christmas things today."

"My gifts are already wrapped and waiting to be handed out." Luka smiled.

"You're a freak. Alex, Come on." Sam said putting her hair up, "You get Alex anything?"

"That's none of you business." Luka sipped his coffee.

"Well, he is my son. The fact that I gave birth to him gives me some rank." Sam said.

"I got him some baseball equipment, gloves, ball, bat, you know Fun stuff." Luka said.

"He'll love it." Sam glanced at the clock. "I'm going to kill that child. I knew he would be late." Sam walked to his bedroom. "Alex, you're determined to give me grey hair before I'm thirty." Sam walked into the room, "Come on, Buddy." Alex was laying on his bed shivering, "Alex?"

"Ma..." He mumbled. Sam ran over to his bed. He was sweating, almost drenched.

"Shit, Alex." She reached in his bedside drawer and pulled out his lancets. "You didn't check your sugar levels did you?" Sam cleaned off his left index finger.

"What's going on?" Luka asked. Sam pushed his finger into the lancet. The number popped up on the screen.

"His level is sixty-six." Sam said, "Get his kit out of the fridge." Sam sat Alex up, "I told you eat your god dam breakfast."

"Not...Hungry." Alex grunted.

"I don't care if you're ready to throw up, you're eating when I tell you to." Sam said as Luka came back in.

"Here." He handed her the kids. Luka watched as she loaded the needle and stuck Alex with it, "Is he going to be okay?"

"Yeah. he will be." Sam smoothed his hair back and kissed his forehead. She took in a deep breath.

"Sorry." Alex mumbled.

"It's all right, Baby. Just rest. you don't have to go to school." Sam tucked him back into bed. Alex looked at Luka.

"You staying?" He asked.

"Of course. I feel like playing video games later." Luka said, "but rest for right now."

"Okay." Alex snuggled in bed. Luka looked at Sam who rushed out of the room. He followed her.

"You okay?" He asked.

"No. I'm not okay." She said not looking at him, "God! I hate this shit!"

"Hate what?" He asked.
"My boy being sick." Sam looked at him, "Why can't he be a normal boy? Why can't he waste all his allowance on candy?" Luka sighed softly.

"I wish I could give you the answers that you wanted." Luka said. he watched her body shudder slightly. He reached out and touched her arm. She retreated from his touch.

"You know, you don't have to stay." Sam said. Luka chuckled softly.

"I told Alex that I was going to stay. you know that I'm good on my word." Luka told her. Sam rolled her eyes.

"Yeah that's an annoying trait of yours." She chuckled.

"You love it. you find it strange that a man can stay true to his word." he said. Sam groaned.

"God, don't analyze me." She said, "I hate when people do that."

"Sorry. I like you and I want you to be able to let me in." Luka said. Sam chuckled.

"I'm sure you want to be let in." She said. Luka blushed.

"Come on. Talk to me." Luka said. Sam sighed and shook her head.

"Luka, I am so glad that you told me about your family, but I'm not as trusting as you." Sam said, "I um...All I have are these stupid walls of protection and if they're broken down, I'm vulnerable. I had Alex when I was seventeen and I had to be strong to protect him." Luka stared at her as she walked out of the kitchen. She had let him in a little even if she didn't mean to.

January 1st, 2004

Man, did hangovers suck. Normally Sam didn't drink, but everyone from work went out to celebrate the New Year. it was nice to see everyone in a social atmosphere. Luka was acting weird the entire night though. he only spoke to her once. It sort of hurt her.

"Here, Mom." Alex handed Sam a glass of water, "This is better to barf up." Sam chuckled.

"Thanks, Boy." She sat up in bed. Alex sat next to her.

"Did you dance?" He asked. Sam nodded.

"I danced all night.' She said pushing her hair off of her shoulders.

"Who did you kiss at midnight" Alex asked her. Sam thought about last night. She had been hoping it'd be Luka, but he had bee talking to some girl from oncology.

"I kissed Cooper on his cheek." Sam said. Alex groaned.

"Coop is a loser." Alex said. Sam laughed pulling her son close.
"Well, yeah, but he was the only thing there." Sam said.

"Was Luka there?" Alex asked. Sam nodded.

"Yeah, but I think he's mad at me." She said.

"What did you say to him?" Alex asked, "You do tend to have a huge mouth."

"I didn't do anything." Sam said.

"Maybe that's the whole problem.' Alex said kicking off his slippers.

"Since when did you become an expert on love?" Sam asked.

"I read Cosmo you know." Alex said.

"I know. I've been meaning to talk to you about that." Sam said, "That isn't proper reading for a boy your age."

"I'm almost ten." Alex said, "You're pushing thirty."

"Oh hush up." Sam chuckled as the doorbell rang, "Go get that."

"I'm not your servant." Alex said.

"That's why one has children." Sam chuckled.

"That's why one has parents." Alex said. Sam rolled her eyes and slid out of bed. The doorbell ran again.

"I'm coming." Sam said opening the door. Luka stood there. her eyes fell upon a suitcase, "I know you love Alex and all, but you can't move in."

"I've been meaning to tell you..." Luka said. Sam crossed her arms.

"Tell me what?" She asked.

"I'm leaving Chicago." Luka said. Sam stared at him.

"For good?" She croaked out.

"I don't know. I'm going back to the Congo so I might never come back." Luka said. Sam's eyes were wide.

"When are you leaving?" She asked. Luka sighed.

"In two hours." Luka said.

"You've got to be shitting me! you've got to be fucking shitting me!" Sam snapped.

"What?" he asked.

"I know you'd do it. I knew you'd fucking do it, but I didn't think it's happen this soon." Sam said.

"Do what?" Luka asked.

"Break Alex's heart. That's the one thing I asked you not to do. There's a little boy in that room who idolizes you." Sam said.

"I know. That's why I came to tell him I was leaving." Luka said.

"The same fucking day!" She cried, "You could have told us last week."

"I'm sorry, Sam. I need to go to the Congo." Luka said as Alex stepped out into the living room with large eyes.

"You're leaving me?" He asked

"I'll be back in April." Luka told him.

"But my birthday is in March. you're going to miss it." Alex said. Sam put her arm around his shoulders.

"This is what I get for letting you in our lives." Sam said, "Choose us, Luka. Forget the Congo and help us." Luka stared at Alex and Sam.

"I'm sorry." Luka picked up his suitcase. Alex's eyes filled with tears as he watched Luka leave.

"Son of a bitch." Sam slammed the front door. Alex ran to his bedroom, "Alex?"

His heart had been broken. Sam knew it'd happen again. She walked to Alex's bedroom. Who the hell went to the Congo anyway? Last time he had almost died.

"Alex? Are you okay?" Sam asked. Alex whimpered.

"Why did he go? We're better than all those sick people." Alex said.

"He's a doctor. It's his job to take care of people." She said.

"I'm people." Alex said. Sam stared at him. Yes, he was.

"Come on. Get your shoes and jacket." Sam said.

"Why?" Alex asked.

"We're going to the dam airport." Sam said.

* * *

Sam and Alex ran into the airport as if they knew where they were going. They were still dressed in their pajamas. Sam looked at the screen. She was hoping she'd see a flight going to the Congo, but she didn't.

"Gate E17." Alex said.

"What?" Sam asked. Alex pointed to the screen.

"That M place is in Africa. It's probably a connection flight." Alex said. Sam smiled.

"You do pay attention in school." She said.

"Sometimes." Alex took her hand and they started to run across the airport. Sam's heart was pounding. She felt like she was in one of those cheesy romance movies that she hated so much.

"There!" Sam saw the gate. The stewardess' were closing the doors, "Wait! Wait!"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. you missed the plane." The lady said.

"What?" Sam asked. The woman pointed out the window.

"That's the plane pulling away." She said. Alex stared out the window.

"We missed him." He whispered.

"I'm sorry." Sam wrapped her arms around her son as they watched the plane go down the runway. Tears streamed down Alex's face.

"Come back." Alex whimpered. Sam's heart was breaking as she watched her son. A couple of tears slid down her cheeks. She turned around and rest on the window. She opened her eyes and saw him. Luka was standing by the gate staring at them. Her heart leapt with joy.

"Alex, turn around." Sam croaked out. Alex turned around and his eyes widened.

"Luka!!" Alex gasped. He ran over to Luka and hugged him . Luka smiled softly as he looked at Sam.

"I couldn't leave the two of you." he said. Tears of happiness slid down her cheeks.

"Thank God." Sam ran over to him and threw her arms around his neck. Luka hugged her tightly again his body, "I was so afraid you'd never come back to us."

"I'm here." Luka cupped Sam's face. He saw happiness in her eyes. Luka leaned down and kissed her softly. he was surprised that she didn't stop him. She seemed to melt into him.

Sam's hands went into his hair pulling his lips tight against hers. Sam's tongue slid into his mouth. Both of them sighed with happiness. Sam kissed him like she hadn't been close to a man in a very long time. Luka guessed that she had been. Alex stood there smiling. His plan had worked.