Altered Reality

Chapter Eight:

Over the sound of Lilo and Stitch playing the guitar on the television, there was a knock at the front door of the Deveraux house.

"I'll get it," Jack murmured, lifting his arms from around his wife's shoulders and rising to his feet. "It's probably Lucas and Sami."

"Okay," Jenn replied softly, turning her attention back to the movie they had put in for the kids an hour ago. On the floor in front of the couch, their daughter Abby and their nephew Will were sprawled across the carpet in their pajamas, both half-asleep despite their protests that the movie couldn't be turned off because they were still watching it.

Carefully weaving his way around the kids and their blankets, Jack slipped out of the living room and made his way down the hall to the front door. He opened the door and stepped back, gesturing for the couple on the snow-covered steps to come inside. "Get in here," he ordered. "It's freezing out there."

"It sure is," his brother-in-law Lucas Roberts said, shaking snow off of his overcoat.

"You missed some," his wife informed him, reaching up a gloved hand to brush snowflakes out of his dark hair, and Jack had to smile.

"Thanks," Lucas replied.

"Hi, Jack," Sami greeted him, leaning in for a hug. "Thanks for watching Will so late for us tonight."

"No problem," Jack assured her, kissing her on the cheek. "You know that Jenn and I love that little boy to death, and Abby is always thrilled when he comes over. They had a great day after school today, we just settled them down about an hour ago to watch a movie."

"Good, then he's probably sleepy by now," Lucas mused, nodding his head. "Maybe he won't wake up on the ride home and we can get him into bed without a story tonight."

"Not in much of a story-reading mood?" Jack asked sympathetically.

"It's been a long day," Lucas answered with a sigh. "Let's leave it at that."

Jack nodded, then looked over at Sami inquisitively. "How did things go with your Mom today?"

"It was... interesting," Sami responded wearily. "It was so good to see her and to talk to her, to have her look right at me and just see me, but it's not going to be an easy road for her to recover. She really doesn't know what's real and what isn't- she still thinks she hit you over the head with a brick."

"Ouch," Jack said with a grimace, imagining that would have been quite painful. "Well, once they release her, I'll just have to pop in and show her how alive I really am then. That ought to convince her that she isn't a killer."

"Just crazy," Sami muttered.

Exchanging a glance with Lucas, Jack looked her over, taking in the weak set of her jaw, the tired look in her eyes. It was strange to see her like that, when the Sami they all knew and loved was so vibrant and strong, but he supposed that she was entitled to it considering the circumstances. Besides, over the past three years she had rarely shown so much as a glimmer of weakness, determined that she had to be strong for her father and her siblings, so it was actually sort of a relief to see her stumble just a little.

In the decade that he had been married to Jennifer, Jack had grown close to her family, especially her brothers, more so Lucas than Mike because Mike and his wife Carrie were living in Israel to be close to Mike's son Jeremy, but he had also become very good friends with Jenn's sister-in-law Sami over the years, mostly because they had a lot in common.

"Chin up, Shortcake," Jack instructed, earning an annoyed glare at the nickname he liked to use whenever he was trying to rile her up. Despite her insistence that he never, ever call her that, he knew that she didn't hate it half as much as she pretended to.

"What have I said about calling me that?" Sami demanded irritably.

"Not to do it?" Jack said innocently.

"And yet, you still do it anyway and I don't kill you," Sami pointed out, narrowing her eyes sharply. "Why is that?"

"Because you love me?" Jack suggested playfully, flashing her his most charming smile.

Sami rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth lifted of its own accord, and Jack winked at Lucas triumphantly. Getting Sami Roberts to smile when she didn't feel like it was no easy feat, although it did seem as though Lucas had some superhuman ability to do when no one else could.

"So Marlena is pretty confused, huh?" Jack asked, running a hand through his hair.

"Confused might be an understatement, man," Lucas replied grimly. "She still thinks people are dead who are alive, people are together who aren't, and keeps forgetting how old people are."

"Don't forget she was surprised to learn that you and I have been married for eight years," Sami added dryly, but there was a flicker of pain in her eyes at that thought, and Jack wondered just how Marlena was going to make it up to her children for everything her illness had put them through.

"Hey, at least one thing was accurate about us in her delusions," Lucas retorted with a smirk.

"Oh, really? What's that?"

"You were still lusting after my body, sweetheart," Lucas informed her smugly.

"In your dreams, General," Sami shot back.

"Oh, you're right about that," Lucas said, grinning slyly as he leered at her through lowered lids. "Each and every single night."

Exasperated, Sami turned to Jack with an indignant look. "Is that all you men ever think about?"

"Honestly?" Jack admitted ruefully. "Yes."

Rolling her pretty blue eyes, Sami looked over at her husband. "And I was not lusting after you in her delusions," she informed him stubbornly. "You were the one lusting after me... having fantasies, all those kisses you started, staring at me and licking your lips... it was all you, Lucas."

"Am I the only one who finds it disturbing that your mother was creating a fake love life for you?" Jack asked with a grimace.

"Better than the fact that she was dreaming that Belle was debating having sex with Shawn," Sami replied, making a face at the very thought of it. "I had to remind her twice that Belle and Shawn are cousins. And then there's the whole mess with Rex..."

"Not taking it too well, is he?" Jack guessed sympathetically.

"No," Sami sighed. "He's not, and I can't blame him. It's been so hard for him, having Mom not remember that he's her son, but at least before he could just write it off on her illness. Now that she's coherent and trying to get her life back again, I have a feeling things aren't going to go that smoothly with him. I wish Cassie was able to come home, it would be good for her right now, but she doesn't have a break from school for another month."

"Having you to lean on is good for him, too," Lucas pointed out, placing a supportive hand on the small of her back. "And Rex knows that Cassie's with you guys in spirit, the way Eric and Carrie are, too."

"He's right, Sami."

Looking over his shoulder, Jack saw that his wife had slipped out of the living room, presumably without disturbing the kids, and was coming up behind him in the hallway.

"Hey, Sis," Lucas said with a smile.

"Hi, Lucas." Jenn gave him a hug, then turned to Sami. "And speaking of Carrie, I talked to Mike this afternoon."

"You did?" Sami asked. "How is Carrie? Did he say how she was dealing with the news? I meant to call her, but I haven't had time yet since Daddy told us last night..."

"She's okay," Jenn assured her. "Mike said that she went in to work like normal today, then drove Jeremy and his friends to a movie since Robin had a doctor's appointment."

"Little Jeremy's not so little anymore," Lucas commented. "I feel old."

Jack was inclined to agree with him on that point. Not long after Mike and Carrie had gotten married, their lives had been changed drastically when Mike's ex-girlfriend Robin Jacobs returned to town with a boy in tow that turned out to be Mike's son.

While it had thrown Carrie for a loop at first, causing her to stay with John and Marlena for a few days, she had decided in the end that her marriage could survive. Maybe it was because she loved Mike enough to deal with the sudden reappearance of his first love and their son, or maybe it was simply because she herself had been in Jeremy's shoes a long time ago, when her mother Anna returned and broke up John and Marlena's first marriage.

How time flies, Jack thought with a wry chuckle. Jeremy had only been eight when he arrived in Salem, and he was already fourteen. He understood why Mike had decided to take the job in Israel, where Robin lived, because he had already missed out on eight years of his son's life, he couldn't bear to miss out on more.

"No, he's not so little," Jenn agreed with her brother. "Our nephew is growing up fast. He's a teenager now, and I have a feeling that Mike, Robin and Carrie will have their hands full soon enough."

"Thank God we've got five more years until Will hits the teens," Sami murmured. "Poor Carrie, on top of all of this mess with Mom, she's got to keep a teenage boy in check."

"Actually, I think Robin is taking Jeremy on a trip with her and her family for the next two weeks," Jenn told them. "It's technically Mike's month, but he wanted Jeremy to be able to spend some time with Robin's mother since her health isn't holding up too well as of late. Which is why Mike said that Carrie is considering taking some time off from work and coming back to Salem for a while."

"God, that would be nice," Sami sighed heavily. "It's been a year since she was last home, and I know it would mean so much to Daddy if she were able to be here right now."

"I'm sure it would," Jenn agreed. "Will and Abby are asleep on the floor in the living room, so if you want to tiptoe in and grab Will, I'll get Abby and take her upstairs at the same time."

"Good idea," Lucas replied, glancing over at his wife. "I'll get Will."

"Okay."

Jenn and Lucas disappeared down the hall towards the living room, and Sami closed her eyes, leaning back against the wall, massaging her temples with her fingers.

"Headache?" Jack asked, his brow furrowing in concern.

"Oh, yeah," Sami muttered without opening her eyes. "I feel like there's a rock band banging on their drums inside my head."

"I've got some aspirin in the kitchen..." Jack offered.

"Thanks, but I already took some," Sami replied, giving him a grateful look. "I'm just tired, I guess. Like Lucas said, it's been a long day. With everything going on at work, and then this whole thing with my Mom... I feel like I need to just take a long, hot bubblebath for the next twelve hours."

"Twelve hours, hmm?" Jack echoed. "You'd be pretty wrinkled by then, Shortcake."

"It would be worth it to just have a few hours to relax," Sami insisted wistfully. "Without having to worry about Mom or how Daddy, Rex, Brady and Belle are coping, or how Will is doing in school and if Cassie is getting into trouble up in New York, how I'm going to find time to help Nicole plan the wedding and whether or not we're going to have the summer line finished by the deadline."

"Wow," Jack said with a low whistle. "Quite a load on your plate there, Shortcake."

Sami gave him a weak glare, but didn't protest the nickname this time.

"At least this weekend is Valentine's Day, right?" Jack reminded her helpfully. "You and Lucas can have a nice, romantic night all to yourselves."

"Unless something comes up with Mom, or Rex falls apart after seeing her, or Belle and Philip have a fight or-"

"Sami," Jack said gently, but not without forcefulness. "Has anyone ever told you that you worry entirely too much?"

"I can't help it," Sami murmured. "My family is the most important thing in the world to me."

"I know," Jack assured her, reaching out to chuck her under the chin lightly. "We're family, too, remember? I just don't like to see you so swamped down, Sami. You're only twenty-six years old, you're a mother, the Vice President of a major design company, and on top of all of that, you're trying to take care of everyone else. Maybe you just need to take some time to yourself, hit the spa or something. I'm sure Jennifer would be more than happy to go with you."

"That's not a bad idea," Sami conceded. "And you're probably right, Jack. I do need to slow down, huh?"

"Might be a good idea," Jack agreed. "Before you burn yourself out."

"Yeah," Sami sighed, then perked up as she caught sight of Lucas headed their way, cradling their sleeping son in his arms. "Did you get his bear?" she asked softly, referring to Mr. Fuzzy, which even Jack knew that his nephew could not possibly sleep without.

Lucas lifted one arm slightly so that they could see the teddy bear tucked under the crook of his elbow. "Mind grabbing it?"

Sami lifted the bear into her hands, smiling down at it fondly, and then pressed a feather-light kiss to Will's dark hair, brushing it out of his eyes as he slept. He stirred slightly, but she just stroked his hair, whispering gently. "It's okay, little man, just sleep."

"Jenn take Abby upstairs?" Jack asked Lucas and his brother-in-law nodded. "I'll head up after her, then. You two drive carefully, okay? The snow is coming down out there pretty hard tonight."

"We'll be safe," Sami promised. "Lucas is a good driver."

"Night," Jack said, kissing her on the cheek. "Take care, Lucas."

"Bye, Jack," Lucas replied as he and Sami made their way out the door. "And thanks again for watching Will."

"Our pleasure," Jack assured them, and watched as they made their way down the icy steps. He didn't shut the door until they reached the car, then he locked it and turned off the downstairs lights one by one before climbing the stairs.

He found Jenn backing out of Abby's room, gently pulling the door shut behind her, and she smiled at him as she nodded her head towards their own bedroom. Jack followed her obediently, staying silent until they were safely inside with the door closed behind them, and then he wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder, and peered down at her stomach.

"Any thoughts on what the sex will be?" he asked, letting one hand splay across the rounded surface.

"I keep telling you, it's a boy," Jenn laughed.

"I don't think so," Jack insisted. "It's another girl. Little Jacqueline."

Jenn snorted, shaking her head. "You've got to be kidding me. Jacqueline?"

"What's wrong with Jacqueline?" Jack demanded.

"What are we going to call her for short? Jackie?" Jenn asked skeptically.

"Maybe," Jack said with a shrug.

"It doesn't matter," Jenn argued confidently. "Because it's a boy."

"Keep dreaming, sweetheart," Jack told her, kissing her on the cheek.

"Mmm," Jenn murmured sleepily. "Do you think Sami's going to be okay?"

"Sami Roberts?" Jack scoffed. "She's one tough cookie, of course she'll be okay. But if you were just to happen to invite her along to the spa one day next week, she might be even better than okay."

"Good idea," Jenn replied with a yawn. "Maybe you and Lucas can take the kids to the park or something."

"Our kids?" Jack snorted. "More like the arcade."

"Whatever you want," Jenn said, padding over towards their bed. "As long as it means you stay out of trouble."

"You mean as long as we keep the kids out of trouble, right?" Jack asked, dropping down onto the bed beside his wife.

"Jack," she said pointedly. "When you and Lucas are together, we send the kids along to keep an eye on the two of you."

"I resent that," Jack grumbled.

"If you keep talking while I'm trying to go to sleep, I'm going to resent you," Jenn retorted. "Shut up and go to sleep, Jack."

"Yes, ma'am."