Chapter 13: T minus 24 hours

"Are you ever going to tell me what the doctors told you?" Sami asked EJ who had been doing his best to distract her and had managed to avoid telling her anything important for the last hour.

"I'm surprised that it's taken you this long to ask." EJ teased. Damn, he had hoped that he could keep her distracted a little longer. "Usually, your curiosity would have killed several cats by now…."

"Out with it EJ!" Sami demanded smiling.

"You were accidentally given a drug which elevates your adrenaline levels, they want to keep you as calm as possible for the next 24 hours. I'll be here to make sure that you avoid stress of any kind." EJ explained giving her the G rated version of events. There was no need to cause her any alarm. He would explain further once she was out of immediate danger.

"That's all?" Sami asked relieved.

"Well I could go more into detail but all the medical explanations for your current condition are a bit long and confusing." EJ deflected.

"EJ, did the doctors say when I would get my memory back?" Sami asked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't ask. I was too worried about getting through the next 24 hours." EJ said truthfully.

"I think I remembered something else." Sami confided. She'd had a flash of memory when he had been talking to the doctors.

"That's a good sign. What did you remember?" EJ asked praying that it wasn't anything controversial.

"I remember a boy… Will… his name is Will. Is he our son?" Sami said straining to remember more but couldn't.

"He's your son." EJ said not volunteering more information then necessary.

"I have a son." Sami said smiling, her face lighting up. Then her smile faded as she fully realized EJ's words. He said "her" son not "our" son. "If Will isn't yours, who is the father?"

"Samantha, I think it's best if you try to remember things on your own instead of me telling." EJ said gently.

"Can you at least tell me why he isn't here?" Sami asked as she was assailed with feelings of worry and doubt. Perhaps she wasn't closed to her son. If they were close, he would be here wouldn't he?

"Your entire family is on their way here. We were on a business trip away from home when your accident happened." EJ explained. Sami had always been easy for him to read.

Sami cheered up instantly. So she did have family that cared about her. She concentrated really hard to remember details about her family.

EJ burst out laughing.

"What?" Sami asked bewildered at the outburst.

"The expression on your face!" EJ said between bursts of laughter.

"I was concentrating really hard to remember details about my family." Sami tried to explain.

"Samantha, you are priceless! Absolutely precious." EJ said as he finally stopped laughing.

Sami leaned over and kissed EJ on the lips. Then immediately cried out as her bullet wounds exploded, blinding her with pain.

EJ felt helpless, hating that she was in such pain and not being able to do anything. He gently guided her back against the raised bed and made soothing noises. Her body convulsed in pain against his as her tears burned against his neck. She held onto him tightly, riding out the pain.

Once the pain became manageable, Sami released EJ.

EJ gave her a kiss on the side of her head before he drew back.

Sami gave him a tearful smile and tried to erase the grim look on his face. "Don't mind, me, I'm such a big baby. Crying over a little pain…"

"Don't!" EJ cried out guiltily. "God, don't try to make me feel better."

"Actually, I was trying to make myself feel better." Sami replied. "I hate seeing you in pain."

"You hate seeing ME in pain?" EJ burst out. "Samantha… you…" He threw up his hands, as he couldn't find the words to express how he felt. Samantha was absolutely splendid. Here was a woman who had taken bullets for him, had lost her memory, and currently in a lot of pain. And instead demanding more medication, like most people, she was only thinking about him and his pain.

"EJ, I love you. I would go through pain a hundred times worse if it meant I could be with you." Sami said her eyes full of love.

For the first time in his life he was blind with jealousy. To have a woman love him so unconditionally was a precious gift. Austin didn't deserve her. But then neither did he…

"EJ, what's wrong?" Sami asked concerned. She had told him twice that she loved him and EJ hadn't said it back. "Don't you love me?" She asked looking vulnerable.

"I don't deserve you, Samantha." EJ said avoiding her eyes.

Troubled, Sami pressed on. "I asked if you loved me not whether you deserved me."

"Samantha, I care about you more then anyone else I know." EJ said trying to pacify her.

"Why can't you say the words?" Sami asked hurt. "It's three little words. I love you. See it's easy."

"Samantha, don't do this." EJ pleaded.

"Just say it!" Samantha demanded getting more upset. Her heart monitor began beeping faster. He didn't love her. What was she going to do?

"Please calm down sweetheart." EJ said concerned about her heart.

"How can I calm down? The man I love, my fiancée, doesn't love me!" Samantha shouted feeling like her world was falling apart. The heart monitor beeped dangerously fast.

Panicked, the words spilled out of EJ before he could stop it. "I'm broken Samantha, I can't love anyone!"

The beeping of the monitor slowed down in.

"Oh EJ!" Sami breathed, her shining eyes spilling tears. She reached out her hands and EJ leaned forward so that she wouldn't hurt herself again. She cupped his face and looked straight into his eyes and into his broken soul. "My poor poor boy! It's ok darling, I'll teach you how. And until then, I'll love you enough for the both of us."

EJ rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. He basked in her love and allowed it to warm him. "Promise?" He whispered hopefully.

"Promise!" Sami whispered back.