Keeper of His Heart
Chapter 10
It was like a tsunami of emotions had crashed into Tim. Hurt, disbelieve, amazement, anger…They all came hurling towards him at a speed that made him dizzy, and his heart hurting.
It was too much, all too much.
Sam was alive.
His Sam….
Without fully registering what he was doing, he had gathered the stunned young woman in his arms, clinging onto her for dear life. His hands slipped into her silky red locks, caressing them slowly in an act of gentleness and longing.
Oh, how many times he had dreamt of this moment, only to wake up in the morning to realize that it was all a dream?
How many times had he yearned and wished for a chance to let her know how much she had meant to him?
Countless.
If this is a dream, I never want to wake up…
To his mortification, he felt tears trickling down his cheeks. They weren't stoic tears, but rather full-blown ones filled heavily with outrage, self-pity, and relief. He cried for the events of a year ago, he cried for all the pain and suffering he, Clover and Alex had to live with since then. But most of all, he cried tears of relief. No words could express how thankful he was that she had lived.
Samantha Simpson was alive.
"Thank god…you're alive." He murmured in between sobs. "Dear heart…You have no idea how glad I am to see that you…lived. I was so sure…" Images of traumatic explosion raced through his mind. They had all been positive that there had been no survivors…
But of all odds, she survived.
Sam had turned as still as a statue when Tim's confession came and remained so when the man suddenly hugged her. Unprepared as she was, the sudden physical contact triggered tingles down her spine. Something foreign gripped her soul.
So, it's true then…My memories…I knew him, and he knew me.
All her thoughts left her mind when she noted that the man hugging her…was crying.
In her short seven-months memory span, Sam had never witnessed any emotional storm that was as sorrowful as the one before her. She could literally feel the extent of Tim's pain through his sobs and ramblings.
I must have meant a lot to him…Oh Tim…Each cry pierced through her heart in agony.
Forgetting all rationally, Sam returned the hug, providing him the physical comfort he needed right now. She allowed him to keep crying, the tears soaking through her jacket.
"It's alright, I'm here now…" She told him softly, although awkwardly. Her small hand reached to the top of his back and was rubbing it up and down comfortingly
Her murmurs of comfort continued until his outburst slowly subsided into the occasional sobs and sniffles.
It was only when his emotional storm had calmed somewhat did Tim realized where he was, and what he had just done.
"I'm sorry." He croaked, reluctantly extracting himself from her embrace. His gaze held onto hers for a moment. But it was enough for Sam to see the longing and raw pain in them. Prying his eyes away, Tim attempted to collect himself.
"It's alright." Sam's soft, non-judgemental voice came. Some Kleenex were pressed gently into his palm.
"Thanks." Tim roughly wiped away the stray tears from his eyes and his face. He didn't dare to look at her, fearing that he would break down again at those trusting, emerald eyes.
They sat like that in silence for a bit.
Finally, Sam gathered her courage and addressed the elephant in the room. "So, you knew me from before?" She asked tentatively.
Tim let out a short hesitant chuckle despite itself. "Knew is an understatement."
"Were we…friends?" She tried to wrap her mind around the idea and found that it wasn't as repulsive as she thought it might be. The man before her had proven to be trustworthy, loyal, and intelligent. Sam could see several parallels between the two of them. It wasn't hard to imagine being friends with him.
"Something like that." He kept things vague, suddenly feeling completely drained of energy. He finally turned to meet her eyes. Sam felt like she was drowning, staring into those sea-foam depths that seemed to tell a story of their own. It was like he was trying to tell her that in another place, another time, they had been close to perfect for each other.
And she could believe that really. There was just something about Tim Scam that drew her in. She could believe that he had been someone close to her heart.
Tim was the one to break their intense staring once more. He appeared conflicted. "Look, why don't we each go and freshen up a bit? I think we both need some time to process…this. Then I'll tell you more about…us if you'll like."
"Alright." She didn't push him, having an inkling that he needed time to gather his thoughts. She too, was feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. Not to mention her heart: which was beating faster than it had ever been before.
Sam strode over to where she had left the pile of clothes. She picked it up and hugged it close to her chest.
"The guest bathroom is this way." Tim hastily got up and showed her the way.
Once Sam had closed the door to the guest bathroom, Tim went back to his room. He dropped heavily on the bed with his head in his hands. He needed a minute to think.
From his wallet, Tim pulled out the polaroid photograph of Sam and studied it.
Thank god you're alive…But I wish you were still here. It's hard to know that you don't remember…
For the woman occupying his guest bathroom now was both his Sam and not his Sam. When he had looked into her eyes, he had seen a mixture of personalities reflected in them. A mixture that reminded him that this Sam was not the Sam that he was yearning for. While her physical appearance and her mannerisms remained, there were subtle personality differences. The lack of memories she had made a world of a difference.
She looked like Sam (and was Sam physically), but she just wasn't his Sam.
All in all, it gave interacting with her a bittersweet edge.
To her, he was essentially a stranger.
To him, she was only a fraction of the woman he knew and loved.
This complicates things…
His emotions no longer clouding his judgement, Tim could think rationally. For if Sam was alive, it meant that Terence had kept her alive. He had seen W.O.O.H.P HQ blew up with his own eyes. No one could have survived that explosion, and neither did the rescue team find any. Terence must have released her from captivity before that.
But why save her? What's his plan? Did he have anything to do with her losing her memories? And what are we going to do now?
Tim got off his bed with another sigh. Maybe a shower would help resolve all those questions in his head.
Half an hour later, Sam emerged from the guest bathroom. She was dressed in Alex's borrowed clothes (that were very comfortable). It had taken her some time to figure out how to shower without getting the bandage wet, but she had managed. Allowing Tim to bandage her wound was one thing, but it was another thing to ask him for help in the shower…
She shuddered at the memory of his fingers dancing upon her skin. A tell-tale flush rose up her cheeks, giving them a rosy hue.
Tentatively, she ambled to the living room. There was a tantalising, buttery smell lingering in the air, mixed with the sharp aroma of Italian spices.
Tim must have heated up the leftovers…
Sam was surprised to see Tim already in the living room. He had showered and changed into a pair of toffee coloured slacks, and a black long-sleeved shirt. She could tell that the clothes must have been one of the man's favourites, for they were well-worn. Tim was seated on his armchair, swirling a glass of wine absentmindedly.
At her approach, sea-foamed eyes locked with hers. There it is again… That same, intensive emotion in them which Sam couldn't really identity. She managed to let out an uncertain smile.
Both parties were unsure of what to say to the other. The tension in the room returned.
"You're all done?" He finally willed his voice to ask.
Sam nodded, choosing a seat that was quite far away from him. Now that the truth was out, she found that she didn't know how to act around him. Is he expecting me to treat him as I've treated him before everything? But I don't remember anything…Ugh, this is all so frustrating.
Tim cleared his throat and broke the silence once more. "Alex called again while you were in the shower."
Immediately, her face looked hopeful, but they fell again when he sighed and shook his head. "They didn't manage catch him."
"I was worried that would happen." Sam mumbled. She looked down at her hands. "He'll definitely tell Terence about this…" Then what's the use of me offering my help? No plan would be doable if Terence knows where my real loyalties lie…
"She, Clover and Jerry are on their way over now." Tim answered gently. "I haven't told them…who you actually are, but they want to talk to you, nonetheless. Would you be okay with them coming over? I think you've told us enough about Terence's activities for an active surveillance to be done…Everything else can always wait till tomorrow, if you're not up for it." Genuine concern for her well-being was evident.
Carefully, Sam considered his words. Was she ready for another bombshell tonight? She had thought long and hard in the shower and had some suspicions about her identity. It hadn't taken her much to conclude that Clover and Alex were her close friends, and they likely served in W.O.O.H.P together. That would mean that Jerry was…had been her boss.
Was she ready to meet them and confront her past in its' entirety?
Her own answer surprised her. "It's alright…They're bound to know the truth eventually…And I'll rather everyone be here to hear this instead of having to repeat things multiple times."
You know you've long been mentally prepared…You've been ready since you've lost your memories. Her soul and mind chorused. No use delaying the inevitable.
Tim nodded, respecting her choice. "They'll be here soon. And the scones are heating up in the oven…No cranberry, however. The bakery ran out that day."
The light and teasing tone in Tim's voice (as well as the slight, disappointed drop in tone when he mentioned the cranberry scones) made Sam giggle. "Scones would be great, whatever flavor they are. I like the plain ones best though, smeared with some jam."
"A wise choice. Those are one of my favorites too, although nothing can compare to cranberry. Coming right up." With a relief smile, Tim set his wine glass down and headed for the kitchen. Sam paddled after him, observing the man as he removed the warm scones from the oven with an experienced hand.
"Can I ask why you like cranberry scones so much though?" She was truly curious. From what she could remember from her past scone eating experiences, there wasn't much variation in the taste of cranberry versus a regular scone. What was so special about cranberry scones which this man liked so much?
Tim glanced at her with some surprise. No one had bothered asking him that question before. Then again, not many people knew he had a soft spot for cranberry scones in the first place.
He motioned for her take a seat next to him on the island bar chairs. "Hmm…No one's ever asked me that before." He began honestly.
"I guess there is just a kind of extra edge to them that I like. And…my mother used to make us fresh cranberry scones every weekend…It was the highlight of my Monday school lunch box actually, to have overnight scones as a dessert." Tim's features soften considerably as he told his tale, reminiscing the (rare) fond memories of his childhood.
"That must be nice…Does she still bake every Sunday?" Sam asked casually.
The faint smile on his face dropped slightly. Peeking at her from the corner of his eye, Tim shook his head. "She died when I was twenty. Domestic violence." His reply was short, but spoke volumes of what he had been through.
"Oh…I'm sorry." Sam knew how he felt. More than once, she had thought about her family, the parents and siblings that Terence told her had been killed in the W.O.O.H.P explosion. Without fully realizing what she was doing, she laid her hand on his arm and patted it gently. "You must really miss her…"
Sea-foamed eyes finally met emerald ones head on. "I do." He acknowledged simply. No other words had to be said.
Ten minutes (and half a bowl of pasta, along with a scone each) later, the doorbell rang. Sam's eyes widened at the sound, and her heart started pounding. Tim watched from the corner of his eye as she swallowed nervously.
He couldn't blame her. He was apprehensive as well. How would Clover and Alex react to meeting Sam again? How would Jerry react?
Tim turned and met Sam squarely in the eye. "If it's alright with you, I'll like to break the news to them alone first." His guests would surely flip out if they spotted Sam without being forewarned. He was already expecting a tsunami sized reaction from the girls (especially from Clover). The lesser the drama, the better. It had already been a long and trying day.
"Sounds like a good idea." Sam agreed quickly. Anything to delay the inevitable. She was frightened by the possibilities that could emerge from the meeting.
"You can use my room." He offered. "I've got quite a number of books there which might interest you."
Nodding, Sam scuttered off without hesitation. Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, Tim opened the door.
"Come in guys…" He began. "There's something that you guys need to know…"
'Trapped' in Tim's room, Sam willed herself to calm down. It's just Clover, Alex, and Jerry… They remember you and they care for you…
Well, but that was before all the whole 'Red Woman' fiasco. A voice in her mind played devil's advocate.
That was part of Sam's many concerns. Former W.O.O.H.P agent or not, she was still a wanted criminal now. And she wasn't sure how the members of O.R.A.I.C would view her with this black mark on her book. Would they scorn her? Forgive her for what she had done? After all, she had willingly committed crime and injured Clover and Alex in their fights…
There was no erasing the mistakes she had made under Terence's leadership, but at least she could right the wrong she made. But even that may not be possible now, given that Wayne had escaped... Terence will have your head. And let's hope that Jerry doesn't have yours either.
Another worry was how she ought to interact with Clover, Alex, Jerry. And even Tim. Without a doubt, Sam knew that they would expect her…to behave in a certain manner, or lord forbid, for things to go back to how it was before.
But everything's different…With my lack of memories…And my connection to Terence…I'll never be the Sam that they once knew…
Pushing her jumbled thoughts aside, Sam inhaled deeply. It was only then it fully occurred to her that she was in Tim's bedroom. His smell, his essence, it was everywhere. It clung onto the stale air of the room.
Drowning in the familiar, comforting smell, Sam took in the room greedily. Tim's bedroom had a similar, rustic vibe as the rest of the house. The floor was made of sturdy plywood, and the walls whitewashed. Warm, yellow light made the space cosy and inviting.
The bed took up most of the space in the room. It was queen-sized, adorned with dark brown pillowcases, and a quilt that was a shade of grey. The bed frame too, was wooden, matching the dark oak bookshelf that lined from floor to ceiling at the corner of the room. All these contrasted well with the cream coloured sliding wardrobe that was situated next to another door (which Sam presumed led to the bathroom). A sturdy work desk and chair completed the basic layout of the room.
In general, the design was simple, yet customised. And judging from the state of things, Tim was a neat person by nature. Good, another plus point to the man. Sam hated mess; it was a pet peeve she could not shake, especially when living with three men.
Dimly aware of the murmuring of voices coming from the living room, Sam moved over to the bookshelf. True to Tim's earlier words, she found numerous tombs which covered varying subjects. One eyebrow raised appreciatively. The man's bibliophilic nature appeared to match her own.
She moved on to his worktable next. The first thing that caught her attention were several framed photographs. Sam picked up the first one.
The photograph showed what appeared to be a black-tie event. Two men were posing for a picture, with an award of sorts jointly held in their hands. She recognized Tim immediately, although he appeared several years younger than he currently was. The man in the picture had to be in his early twenties at best. Even then, there had been…an air of confidence that was still present today. His lips were curled in a semblance of a smile.
Sam did not know who the latter was, but she postulated that he must be Jerry Lewis, Terence's twin brother. The resemblance was uncanny.
Tim must have been a former W.O.O.H.P agent too then…I wonder if that's how we knew one another…
The second photograph was more recent. It featured several people clustered together for a group photograph. Sam spotted Alex and Clover in the foreground grinning at the camera. Next to Clover was an older woman that Sam did not recognise. Tim, Jerry, and another young man occupied the back row. From the decorations at the background, Sam deduced it was a party of some sorts.
Her gaze zoomed onto Tim. Having just seen the previous photograph, the subtle signs of age were obvious. But Tim was the kind of person that aged gracefully. He looked handsome and mature at the same time. There was a kind of dark, warrior like look in his eyes, but he looked comfortable, and in his element none the less.
Sam was suddenly startled out of her musings by a loud cry coming from the living room. Without hesitation, she moved closer to the door.
"You're lying! If this is a bad joke Timothy Scam, I'll pound you into pieces!" Clover's voice was borderline hysterical.
"Are you sure Tim?" An older man's voice drifted to her ears. That must be Jerry.
Tim's reply was said in a murmur that Sam could not catch. There was another lull of hush discussion, and then…
"LET ME GO! I WANT TO SEE HER!" She could hear Clover's demanding voice loud and clear. It was so startling that she recoiled backwards.
There was another soother, calming voice that Sam recognised as Alex's. "Calm down Clover… You'll scare her!"
"Alex's right Clover." Tim's voice cut in. "Sam doesn't remember anything; we don't want to overwhelm her…On the contrary, we need to be understanding."
Not knowing what to think, Sam moved away from the door and plopped onto the edge of the bed with a sigh. If only I had my memories…Everything wouldn't be so complicated!
Her position on the bed did nothing to muffle the sobs that reached her ears. She tried her hardest to block them out and not to cry herself. She couldn't imagine how the people in the living room must be feeling right now. To be told that a friend they thought was dead was suddenly alive but is suffering from amnesia.
Sam thought that it would be akin to receiving a gift-wrapped box for Christmas, only to discover that what was inside was something different that one was hoping for.
It had been a long day with so many new revelations, and the night was about to get even longer.
"Sam?" A gentle knock on the door caused Sam to raise her head. Tim poked his head in.
"I think they're ready for you." His smile was sad and his eyes watery.
Too apprehensive to utter a word, she nodded and rose shakily to her feet. Yet, there was something about the look he was giving her that made her feel safe and secure.
Tim's hand remained firmly on the small of her back as she emerged from the room with her head down.
As Sam raised her head, she was met with multiple gasps.
"Sammy…Is it really you?" Alex's voice was soft and vulnerable.
Clover and Alex were still dressed in their catsuits. Each stared her unwaveringly, their palms pressed to their mouths. Their eyes were red-rimmed, and fresh tears were already rolling down Clover's cheeks. An atmosphere that could only be described as absolute amazement hung in the air.
"Oh, my goodness…" Jerry murmured, shell-shocked. The older man sat at the armchair with an unreadable expression.
With glassy eyes, Sam focused her attention on the two young woman that were openly crying now.
"Clover…Alex!" They all stumbled over to one another and embraced fiercely.
One tearful and heart-wrenching reunion later, the group had finally calmed down enough to talk. Tim had wisely started another pot of tea going and offered everyone some snacks.
The trio of young women were squeezed on the two-seater couch, hands intertwined tightly. Sam was sandwiched between, but she found that she didn't mind. Although she didn't have her memories, this feeling felt right. There was a strong camaraderie between them that Sam couldn't ignore. And she had to admit, the physical comfort provided by Clover and Alex's hands were nice. Her friends did not appear to have the intention to let go soon, and neither did Sam.
Jerry occupied the armchair that was on Alex's left. The older man had formally introduced himself to her earlier, but she could tell that Jerry had been as emotional as the rest of them. Sam's first impression of the man was that he was down-to-earth, kind and caring, and overall a good man.
How could Jerry and Terence be twin brothers? Their personalities are so different! More questions surfaced up the back of her mind.
Across from her, Tim had pulled up a bar stool and was currently straddling it.
Once everyone was settled, it was time to get down to business. Tim and Sam took turns to give Clover, Alex, and Jerry a breakdown of the events that had occurred that night. Jerry interjected occasionally with clarifications.
"I've already had some agents watching the base. Thank you for the early tip-off Sam." Jerry acknowledged her decision with a grateful smile.
"Jer, shouldn't we act now instead of waiting? For all we know, Terence might have already gone!" Clover raised out logically. There had been a time lag of almost 90 minutes between when Tim and Sam had left Wayne at the clearing, and when Jerry's men had reached the secret base. A lot could happen in 90 minutes.
"That's a possibility…But from what Sam has told us, it would appear that Terence is working on a mega explosive of sorts right?"
"That's what I've concluded yes." Sam affirmed the older man's question.
"Do you know if his experiments have led to anything…conclusive?" Tim met her eyes.
Shrugging her shoulders, Sam let out a sigh. "Terence kept everything very hush hush. But I know Wayne and Shane put in a lot of hours on experimentation. Last week, Shane mentioned something about a colourless, volatile liquid that Terence has him concocting. I don't know the details though… But I wouldn't put it past them to have something on hand."
"They do though. Remember the ray guns." Tim commented. The four O.R.A.I.C agents traded grim nods. Left out of the loop, Sam raised her head in question. She clamped her mouth shut again when Tim caught her eye with a meaningful look that plainly hinted that it was a topic that could be explored another time.
Jerry was thoughtful. "With such explosive devices, I don't want to rule out the probably that he might use it prematurely against us."
"Makes sense." Clover nodded.
"The base is under surveillance. And the agents are under my orders to arrest Terence and his associates if they catch sight of them."
"Clover does have a point though Jerry. It'll be pointless to just camp out there and wait for something to happen. I know we shouldn't show our hand too soon, but I also think that we should have a timeline of sorts to stick with." Tim said.
Jerry had to agree that Tim's suggestion was a valid one, and a rough plan was made. Once the details were settled, the subject was changed.
Over Sam's shoulder, Clover and Alex traded looks, and then subtle nods. Alex faced Sam squarely, although her eyes portrayed a hint of hesitation. She gave her friend's hand a squeeze.
"Could you tell us a bit more about your life this past year Sammy?" Alex inquired gently. "We'll really like to know…" She trailed off.
…how you managed to survive, how your life has been working under Terence, oh and how you got amnesia… Tim listed off several things silently off the top of his mind. And if we need to beat up Terence for getting you into this mess…
"Yeah." Clover chimed in from the redhead's other side. "Tim told us about…you know, the amnesia. We'll help fill in the blanks or answer any question you may have."
Sam looked surreptitiously at the clock- it was well past three in the morning and she was exhausted beyond reason. However, she also knew that this was a story that would be best said if all parties were present. Dredging up the bed memories and the flurry of emotions once was enough; she really didn't want to have to rehash everything multiple times.
Sam fought back a sigh, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. When she opened her eyes, the emotional scars were plain to see.
"We can do this another time Sam, if you wish." This time, it was Jerry that spoke.
Immediately after those words were said, Alex and Clover looked contrite at their supposed insensitivity. Sam hurried to reassure them.
She shook her head. "It'll have to be told sooner or later… And I rather do this just once."
She sat up straighter in her seat, taking the time to look at everyone in the room in the eye.
"It's a long story…I know the accident with W.O.O.H.P happened a year ago, but really, I don't have any memories beyond seven months ago…."
Next chapter we'll find out more about Sam's past!
This story is going along nicely, I'm estimating about eight chapters or so till the end! Hope everyone is enjoying it thus far.
Thanks a million to Guest, Musin, Cresenta and SakuraTomoyo for reviewing! They make my day ^.^ And thank you everyone for your support via views, favorites and follows; they keep me going on this knowing that people are reading!
Stay safe till next time!
-TrixieNancy