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Chapter 6

Sam, who was now back in Frontier clothing sat on the door steps. The Roman, Frontier and Aztec people were in there tending to Octavia. Octavia. Sam started to choke on tears every time he thought about her and how close he was right now to losing her.

"Oh! Octavia please!" Sam balled. "I can't go on without you!"

Just then, the doctor came out.

"How is she?"

"Not good. She is in a coma. The bullet scraped her liver. I'm sorry to say she only has a 25 percent of surviving and waking up," the doctor explained.

Taking it all in, "In other words..." Sam said softly. "Octavia, is going to...die."

"Most likely, she will, though, your father-in-law survived. So, there is always hope,"

"May I see her?" Sam asked.

"Yes," the doctor said.

Sam went into the room. Octavia was pale, she looked as though she were already dead. He sat down next to her, and grasped her hand. Petting it.

"Octavia...I don't know who looks worse you or I," Sam chuckled nervously, crying now.

Sam kissed her hand, "Look...beautiful...Octavia," he said between sobs.

Jedadiah watched Sam outside of the door. Octavius came up behind him

"Hey Jed," Octavius said.

"Hey," Jed said.

"You okay?" Octavius asked.

"Yeah," Jed said, "are you?"

"I'm really shaken right now," Octavius said.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Jedadiah asked.

Inside Octavius did want to talk about it, but he knew already tears

would be involved. Shaking his head, "No."

"Are you sure Octavius? I mean seeing Octavia and all that..." Jedidiah

began.

Octavius chocked back tears, "I should...have...I could have. I should

have done something..."

Looking to the ground, "I didn't, and now..."

"Hey," Jedadiah said grabbing him in a hug, "it's okay. No one could have done anything."

Octavius hugged Jed backed.

"I know but I felt like if I had just stopped Cassius when I had the

chance none of this would have happened," Octavius said.

Jed broke away from Octavius.

"Hey it wasn't your fault. Okay? now stop blaming yourself,"

Jedadiah said.

Shaking his head franticlly, he did not reply, for, forever he would blame himself. That was what father's do, blame themselves for their children. Suddnely the door of the hospital swung open. Sam ran out, Jedidiah and Octavius looked at each other warily.

"Where is he going?" Octavius asked.

Trying to catch up with Sam, "I don't know!" Jedidiah replied.

Sam was going to the nearest saloon. Jed and Octavius caught up to Sam and found him in the saloon downing drinks. They went over and stood beside him.

"Sam what are you doing?" Jed asked.

"What's it look like? Octavia is going to die and it's my fault," Sam slurred.

Grabbing Sam by the shoulders, "No! It ain't, it is nobody's fault!" Jedidiah yelled fiercly.

Sam wriggled out of Jedidiah's grasp, "YES! It is! An' no one...is gonna tell me! Otherwise!" grabbed four bottles of miscellanies bottles of alcohol and staggered out of there.

Jedidiah and Octavius began to go after him, until a fight broke out! Fists were flying! Yet with struggle, the two got out untouched. Meanwhile Sam who was out in the hallway of the museum staggered then fell. There on the ground he drank them gratefully. Right now, he wished he was still he was with the Aztec's and didn't remember his family. If was like that Octavia wouldn't be hurt. Sam's head began to hurt, yet he kept on drinking. Soon Sam passed out. The next he knew, Octavia standing of him.

"Octavia? What is going on?" Sam asked.

"What's it look like?! I'm Dead!" She yelled.

"WHAT!?" Sam yelled at the top of his lungs. Trying to stand up tears streamed down his eyes. Shaking his head fiercly, "No! No! No! Please tell me it is not true!"

"I'm DEAD Sam! I'm not coming back!" Octavia yelled. "And it is all your fault! You should have done something! You coward! No your children are motherless! You are wifeless! Happy?!"

Not believing it Sam began to run to the Empiere. He had to know. Looking back once Octavia was no where. Sam ran into Octavia's room. There Octavia laid. Breathing. Sam let a breath. Then started to cry. He knelt by Octavia's bed.

"I'm sorry Octavia. I'm so sorry that I couldn't stop him. Please don't leave me. Please," Sam cried.

Barring his head into her neck, holding her, he whispered. "If you must go...take me with you."

Jedadiah stood there and watched the scene. He walked over to Sam and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Sam?" he asked.

"Oh father it's all my fault. Octavia is probably going to die because of me," Sam cried.

"What are you talking about Sam? What happened was not your fault," Jedadiah said.

"Yes it was," Sam cried.

"No it wasn't. You weren't the one who pulled the trigger," Jedadiah said.

"Yes but, I should have pushed her out of the way or stopped Cassius something!" Sam cried.

Grabbing Sam by the shoulders, "Sam look at me...there was absolutely nothing you or anyone could have done. That is final."

Looking into his father's eyes, "Then why do I feel like I could have?"

"Your Octavia's husband, all you want to do is protect her," Jedidiah explained.

Sam had tears in his eyes now.

"Your right," Sam said.

Jed pulled Sam into a hug.

"Of course I am. I am your father aren't I?" Jed asked.

Just then Samantha came running in. She clung on to Sam for dear life. "Samantha?" Sam asked, "What is going on?"

Tears running, "Please! Please daddy, I want to stay with you!"

"What do you mean?"

Jed grasped his shoulder, "Sam, Octavius...he is gonna take the children for a bit, till your in better shape."

Sam's eyes widened, and pushed his father's hand away. "No! I'm losing my wife! I'm not losing my children." Tears streamed down his face, "They are all I have left to remember Octavia..."

Jed's heart swelled, "Sam..."

"NO!"

Local deputies, came to see what was going on, when they saw Sam they knew what was going on. One of the local dupties, walked over and started to pry Samantha off of Sam. Samantha clung to Sam.

"NO! Please! Let me stay!" Samantha yelled.

Just then, Octavius came into the room. Sam pounced on him. Sam began to beat Octavius, while Jed tried to stop him. While the three adult men fought, they were unaware of Octavia standing watching them in shame, while the doctor helped hold her up.

Samantha gasped, "MA!" she shirked, hugging her mother.

Octavia hugged her back, the best she could. The men did not notice. After watching for a while, Octavia got tired of it.

"Ahem!"

All the men stopped. Sam was rearing back to punch Octavius, Octavius had his hand on Sam's throat, and Jed was trying to pull Sam back. They all looked at Octavia.

"About time," Octavia said.

"Octavia?" Jed and OCtavius both said in shock.

"No it's the tooth fairy," Octavia said.

Yet Sam did not believe it, he still thought it was his mind playing tricks on him. So, he punched Octavius hard in the mouth. Octavius punched back and it began all over again. Except Jed gave up on seperating them, and went to his daughter-in-law.

"Octavia," he said hugging her.

Octavia hugged him back

"Hey," Octavia said.

"How do you feel?" Jed asked.

"Alright I guess. What is going on?" Octavia asked.

Sighing, "Well..."Jedidiah began, and told her everything.

"Wow, I missed a lot," Octavia replied.

Returning her gaze to Sam and Octavius fighting.

"What can we do to stop them?" Octavia asked.

Jedidiah thought this through, "One moment...OCTAVIA'S DEAD!"

The two of them stopped, "WHAT!!??"

"Just kidding," Jed smiled.

Octavius broke away from Sam and ran to Octavia. He hugged her

"Oh Octavia. I thought I lost you," Octavius said.

"You didn't, father," Octavia whispered.

Letting Octavius go, Octavia looked at Sam, who was standing still, just looking at her.

Smiling nervously, "Sam," she said quietly.

A moment of silence passed, "They said you were going to die," Sam said weakly.

"I didn't, Sam," Octavia said tears streaming down her face. "And I don't plan to, for a long time."

Sam slowly walked over to Octavia.

He caressed his hand across her cheek and looked deeply into her eyes. "It's really you?" Sam asked.

"Yes Sam," Octavia said.

Sam grabbed her in a hug. She hugged him back.

"Oh Octavia I thought I would never hold you again," Sam said tears spilling down his cheeks.

"It's okay Sam. I'm here now. I'm here," Octavia said with tears in her eyes too.

After a few moments of hugging and kissing, Octavia spoke, "And I thought you'd be happy if I passed on."

Sam's head went up, "What made you think like that?"

Shrugging, "I don't know, maybe the thought of you and another woman brought it up."

Glaring at his wife, "Octavia, I could never be with anyone else."

Octavia smiled and kissed him again. Sam wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back passionately. Everyone in the room watched happily.