A/N: Alright so here is the new chapter and some of you had guessed what was going to happen so I guess I wasn't stealthy enough, but I needed it to happen.

Chapter Nine: Our Next Move

Sam hadn't moved from the couch. Julian hadn't moved either. Brooke stood there in shock. Julian watches as tears come to Sam's eyes and he knew he couldn't do anything about it. Sam gets up from the couch and walks right out the door.

"Samantha!" Julian yells after the door slams shut.

Brooke rushes to Julian's side when he falls to the ground. Julian couldn't walk. He didn't understand anything.

"Julian, are you okay?"

"I don't understand," Julian murmurs. "I don't understand."

"No one will," Brooke whispers to her fiancé. "But we have to find Sam."

"Why Sara?" Julian questions. "God I need to find my daughter."

"I'll call Peyton, maybe she can help."

Julian nods his head and wipes away his tears.

"She should know too, she knew Sara."

-WLOM-

Sam walks into Tric, or rather broke into Tric. It was still closed and a few hours before opening. After hearing about her mother Sam didn't know what to do. They were always close, and now they will never be close again because Sara is dead and Sam is still alive. It sucks.

Sam walks behind the bar and grabs copious amounts of alcohol bottles. She wasn't really a drinker, except for a beer or two at a party, but she really wanted to drown her sorrows. Who cares what everyone else thinks.

Bypassing the cups, Sam takes off the cap of her chosen drink, Jack Daniels and takes a big swig. After swallowing she coughs and drinks again. Sam walks over to the radio and turns it on and drinks again.

"I'm sorry, mommy," Sam whimpers before taking another drink letting it slide down her throat with ease. Sam closes her eyes and sits down.

-WLOM-

"That doesn't make sense," Peyton says as she sits down on the couch next to Julian. "How can she just be dead?"

"I don't know Peyton!" Julian yells harshly. "I'm sorry, it's just that I was only supposed to have Sam for the year and now, I don't know."

"Julian, are you seriously suggesting that you can't care for her for the next few years?" Brooke asks as she kneels down by him. "She is going to need her father. She's going to need you, big time. You are all she has left."

Peyton's phone rings and Brooke and Julian look at her. Peyton looks at the caller ID and frowns.

"Hello."

"I've been dying inside, little by little, nowhere to go, but going out of my mind."

Peyton hangs up the phone and stands up.

"I think I might know where Sam is, but I should go alone."

Julian and Brooke nod their heads.

"I'll bring her back, I promise."

-WLOM-

Peyton walks into Tric with a frown on her face. Getting the call from Sam was heartbreaking in itself. It was Sam's song, the song she listened to when things were rough and judging by the slurring that she had heard over the phone she knew Sam was drunk.

Peyton stands behind Sam and watches as she takes another drink. Peyton tightens her jaw and grabs the bottle before Sam can take another drink.

"Whad da hell," Sam slurs as she turns around. Sam squints her eyes and opens them wider. "Peyton," Sam says happily. Sam tries to make her way over to Peyton, but trips and falls. Peyton manages to grab her.

"What happened Sweetie?" Peyton whispers.

Sam wraps her arms around Peyton's neck and sighs.

"My mom's dead," Sam says clearly. The affects of the alcohol were starting to wear off.

"I know."

Peyton can feel the tears on her neck, clearly from Sam's eyes.

"Why?" Sam cries out. "Why my mom?"

Peyton drops the bottle on the ground and wraps her arms around Sam, bringing her closer and rocking her while Sam cries for the first time since hearing about her mother's death.

-WLOM-

Peyton walks into Sam's house with a sleeping Sam in her arms. Julian gets up from the couch as does Brooke.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She's exhausted and she's drunk," Peyton says solemnly. Peyton places Sam into Julian's arms.

"I'm going to take her to bed," Julian announces.

Brooke turns her attention to Peyton.

"How'd you know where she was?"

"The phone call I got was from Sam. She's was singing, but it was bad because of the slurred response. Plus, she likes my office and she knew how to get alcohol. A locked door wasn't going to stop her."

Brooke sighs and leans her head against the back of the couch.

"What am I doing Peyton?"

Peyton looks at her friend in sadness.

"She's going to need you Brooke. She lost her mother. You were there for me when I lost mine and it did a world of good. Now you need to be there for her. She's your step-daughter. You're the only mother she has left."

Brooke nods her head.

-WLOM-

Julian places Sam down in her bed. He takes off her shoes and socks and covers her up. It didn't matter that it was the afternoon. He knew Sam needed rest.

"I'm so sorry baby," Julian says as he places the trash can next to his daughter's bed.

Julian goes into his daughter's bathroom and gets Sam a glass of water. He goes into her medicine cabinet and takes out a couple of Advil. He places them on the table next to his daughter's bed and quietly leaves the room.

Sam slowly opens her eyes enough to watch her dad leave the room. Sam closes her eyes again letting sleep come in.

-WLOM-

Julian walks into the living room just as the front door closes. Peyton had just left. Brooke looks at her fiancé and holds out her hand. Julian takes it and sits down next to Brooke.

"How is she doing?"

"She's still sleeping. It's going to be a rough couple of months Brooke, but I need you not to leave me because I don't think I can do this alone," Julian admits.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to marry you and I am going to help you and Sam get through this."

Brooke and Julian sit in silence until Brooke breaks it again.

"What's our next move?"

"We need to go to LA."