A long overdue update! Thank you for being incredibly patient!

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Chapter 18

The sun is just creeping up over the water, and Sam inhales the crisp air deeply. He can already tell the sun will bring the warmth he's been craving the last two weeks, the birds chirping knowingly from the thicket of trees surrounding him.

He sips his tea leisurely, closing his eyes.

He feels the grass beneath his toes. The cold air on his face.

He hears the water not far in the distance.

He smells the tea that's wedged between his hands.

Inhaling deeply, he exhales audibly, releasing the worries that had bombarded him almost immediately when he woke.

He hasn't failed as a father.

Nick's doing better.

As if on cue, his phone vibrates from his pocket, and he takes a minute to answer her FaceTime. Cassie's warm smile fills his screen and he sets his mug in the grass between his feet to hold his phone between his hands. "You're up awfully early this morning," he greets.

Cassie smiles sleepily from her bed. "I wanted to watch the sunrise with you."

Tapping the screen, he flips the camera to show her the horizon and the sun peaking up over the water. They sit in silence, and he sips his tea as the sun breaks the horizon and ascends into the early morning sky.

"It's better in person, you know," he comments. "...are you and Grace still planing on coming out today?"

She tucks her hair behind her ear. "Of course we are."

He flips the camera back to himself, relief washing over him. "What time are you leaving?"

Yawning, Cassie snuggles into her pillow, closing her eyes. "As soon as I wake up."

Sam smiles. "I'll let you sleep then."

...

By the time he makes his way back up to the lake house, Nick is up, sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal.

"Morning," he greets around a mouthful.

Closing the sliding door behind him, Sam kicks off his shoes, circling the counter towards him. He wraps and around around him from behind, planting a kiss on the top of his head. "Morning. How did you sleep?"

"Really good."

"Yeah? Must have been all that fresh air yesterday on the boat." He moves towards the fridge, grabbing the milk. Nick has left out an extra place setting beside him, and he sits next to him pouring himself a bowl of cereal.

His son smiles beside him. "It was so much fun...the water was perfect."

"It looks like it's going to be another great day...we should take Cassie and Grace out."

"They're still coming?"

Sam nods. "They should be here in an hour our two."

Nick's smile is as big as he's ever seen it. "Awesome."

They needed this time, just the two of them. To process and to heal. To communicate and build some kind of foundation that they both could stand on.

They needed time to breathe.

"How are things going with Dr. Hawkins?" He questions casually.

Nick shrugs, twirling his spoon in his dish. "They're fine...I think I'm finally getting the hang of that breathing stuff he's always trying to get me to do."

He chuckles. "Me too, pal, me too."

"...the hardest part is letting go."

Sam stills his spoon, looking over at his son. "Of what?"

"...all of it...the anger, the guilt...disappointment."

He lets Nick's words settle a minute before responding. "At who?"

"Mostly myself which is stupid, I know...I just..." Nick shrugs. "...need to remind myself that it's not my fault."

Adam's words echo from his son and he's never been more sure in his decision in coming to the lake house than he is now. His son was angry. He saw that the first few days they were here. Subtly at first in the tears that welled in his eyes unexpectedly in the silence. It had finally spilled over at minor inconveniences; his video game system is resting at the bottom of the lake after it had lagged one too many times.

Then it erupted.

He yelled.

Screamed.

Blamed him.

Hated him.

Cried.

And Sam had let him because it wasn't anything he wasn't already feeling himself. He was still working on letting it all go, too.

Sam runs a hand down the back of his sons head, before gripping his shoulder. "It was never your fault, Nick."

He nods, and for the first time, Sam thinks he may actually believe him this time.

...

Nick is waiting for them on the step and Cassie can't help the tears that well in her eyes at the smile on his face. Grace is out of the car as soon as she parks and Nick greets her with a vice grip of a hug. Sam is there, in the doorway and everything inside her aches for him.

It's been a long two weeks in a lot of ways.

Exiting the car, she circles the hood smiling at the teens picking up right where they had left off seamlessly.

"Wait," Grace halts. "We're not sharing a room again, are we?"

Sam downs the front steps, gripping his sons shoulder. "Don't worry; you won't have to listen to this guys snoring while you're here."

Grace smirks at Nick before moving to give Sam a hug. He holds her a little longer, she's sure of it, and Grace hugs him back a little tighter. "Hi Sam."

"Hi Grace," he greets. "Glad you're here."

Grace gives him another squeeze before pulling back. "Me too."

She's opening her arms to Nick who's there in an instant and she holds him close. It had been difficult letting them both go; she can feel it was the right thing to do in the way that he hugs her back tightly. Cradling the back of his head, she plants a kiss in his dark hair before pulling him back. Framing her hands around his face, she levels her gaze with his to get a good look at him. Tears have welled his eyes but that familiar light is back. "I've missed you so much, Nick."

"I've missed you too, Cassie."

She pulls him back into her arms, showering him with kisses, causing him to laugh before letting him go.

"How was the drive?" Sam questions.

"Good. It's a beautiful day for travel," she answers.

He nods. "Nick, help Grace with her bags, show her to the guest rooms?"

Both teens head to the back of the car and it's then they close the space between them. Landing into his chest, she wastes little time pressing her lips to his. His hand is in her hair, the other around the small of her back bringing her flush against him.

As Nick and Grace head into the house, she faintly hears the door shut behind them before she's pulling him backwards towards the car. Spinning, she pins him against the passenger side door, sliding her hands under his sweater.

He moans his approval in her mouth.

The feel of his skin is just enough to quell the need in her for now and she takes her time, sliding her hands up and down his back. "I've missed you so much, Sam," she breathes against his mouth.

He smiles against her mouth and she pulls back just enough to slip her hands up his torso to his chest.

"I can tell," He groans.

She kisses him a few more times before finally pulling back. "Hi," she greets breathlessly. He licks his lips, exhaling. "Hi."

"We should probably head inside."

His gaze drops to her lips briefly before nodding. "I'll get your bags."

...

"So? What's going on in Middleton?" Nick questions.

Grace shrugs, helping herself to some of the snacks Sam has set out on the coffee table. "Not much really...Stephanie's got a new espresso machine at the Bistro...Mayor Tinsdale got a speeding ticket last week and Brandon's making her take a 4 hour drivers ed course."

Nick laughs. "I'm sure that's going over real well."

Grace laughs too. "Other than that, everything's pretty much the same, wouldn't you say, Mom?"

Cassie wipes her hands from the vegetables she's been chopping, giving it some thought. "The comforts of a small town, I guess you could say; no matter how much things change around us, something things remain the same."

"I never thought I'd like that," Sam comments, moving around his kitchen to make her some tea.

She's aware of his every movement, and how he's deliberately trying to keep some space between them.

"In the city, everything's constantly changing and you're constantly adapting and it's fine up to a point," he continues. "Then you just want something familiar, something constant, something you can rely on day in and day out."

Finishing up her tray, she takes it to the living room setting it on the coffee table before siting on the opposite end of the couch.

"Roots," Grace clarifies from where she sits on the floor. "Something to ground you."

With two mugs in hand, Sam joins them in the living room. He hands her one of the mugs before sitting next to her. Accepting the mug, she waits until he gets settled before settling into him. His arm wraps around her and he presses a kiss to her temple.

"I suppose so," Sam agrees.

"I feel pretty rooted, right here, right now," Nick comments. "...I'm really glad you're both here."

Her head rests on his shoulder and he curls her further into his chest. "We're happy to be here too, Nick."

"You're going to be really happy when I show you what I've brought you," Grace announces, rising from the floor.

Nick gives her a questioning look. "What did you bring?"

There's a bag still on the floor by the door, and Grace grabs it. "Here."

Accepting the bag, Nick looks inside, smiling. "How'd you know?"

Grace smirks, pulling the gaming system from his bedroom from the bag. "I had a feeling."

Nick flips through the games she had brought before turning to her. "You're the best."

Puling the cords from the bag, Grace begins to untangle them. "You say that now; wait until I beat you at Mario kart."

Nick laughs. "You've been practicing then?" Grace nods. "Night and day, Radford."

...

She had left Nick and Grace in the den playing video games, retreating to the kitchen under the guise of starting dinner. Sam had offered to barbecue and she's grateful for the space between them.

Her body is aching for him.

Chopping vegetables provides just enough distraction for a few minutes before the sliding door to the patio opens and he joins her space.

"Need any help?" He offers.

Exhaling, she gives him a strained smile. "I think I've got it under control."

A small grin pulls at the corner of Sam's mouth, but he quickly swallows it. "Honey, you're a mess."

She releases the knife and carrot she has in her hands, wiping them on a nearby towel. "I'm a mess," she agrees. He's kept the island between them and she's grateful because her heart is beating in her chest, the dull ache between her thighs igniting with a renewed purpose. "It's been a long two weeks, Sam."

He circles the island to close the space between them and her breath catches in her throat. "You're not the only one trying to keep it together," he admits softly. "What do you want, Cassie?"

She licks her lips trying not to focus too much on his proximity. "...I want your hands all over me, Sam," she confesses, avoiding his gaze.

He exhales audibly. "Cassie-"

Her body is practically throbbing.. "-I don't know how much longer I can wait."

He closes the space between them, his hands sliding over her midriff and she practically wilts at his touch. "Yes," she hisses.

"Look at me."

Taking a steading breath, she mets his gaze.

"Where do you need my hands, Cassie?" He questions.

"Everywhere."

He inhales deeply. "Follow me." Taking hold of her hand, he leads her out of the kitchen down the back hallway towards the storage room. Leading her inside, he closes the door behind them turning the lock. "How do you want it?" He questions, moving to undo his belt.

His question makes her whimper and she's breathing heavily in anticipation. "No foreplay, I need you, Sam." She backs up towards an old table set that has been stored, pushing a chair aside so she can climb on top of it.

He free's himself just enough and he's got his hands under her thighs, tugging her off. "Then you better turn around."

She does as he says, undoing her pants and shimming them down so that they fall at her feet. He presses a hand gently in the centre of back, bending her over the table. He toes her legs open further, leaning over her. "Is this alright?"

Pushing back against him, she searches for his cock as if it were a drug, needing him to take the edge off. "Yes...inside me, Sam."

His hand caresses her backside before pulling her panties to the side. Waisting little time, he thrusts his cock inside of her and she lets out a strangled sigh of relief. With his hands on her hips, he sets a steady pace that has her muffling her moans in her arm.

Leaning over her, he presses his lips to her neck. "Is this what you wanted?"

"Harder," she moans. Her body has never ached for him more.

He hums against her skin and the vibrations reverberate inside of her. "You want me to fuck you over this table?"

"Yessss."

His hand finds its way between her legs, slipping between her folds to rub her clit. "As much as I want to, honey, someone will hear." He slams into her harder, causing the table to knock loudly against the wall. Her legs buckle a little, and his mouth presses to her ear. "I want to fuck you so hard, Cassie," he whispers. "Leave you aching for me."

The moan is clawing up her throat and she grabs his free hand covering her mouth.

"You're close," he continues to whisper. "So close...you feel so good...I've missed you so much."

Closing her eyes, she surrenders her body to him as he brings her to the edge.

"Come for me, honey."

He pulls her over the edge, commanding her orgasm effortlessly. She bites at his hand around her mouth in an attempt to stifle her moan, her legs giving out under her. While his hips have stopped, his fingers on her clit are relentless, pulling another orgasm from her. She's clawing at the top of the table for anything to clench as her body contracts repeatedly from the pleasure. He doesn't stop until he's coaxed everything out of her, leaving her spent atop the table. She's panting against his hand, and he removes it, interlacing it with hers.

"Better?" He questions softly.

She's satiated in a way she didn't know she needed. Smiling, she nods. "Much...Thank you."

He kisses their joined hand, before moving to rub her back while she catches her breath. There's a stack of toilet paper on a shelf and he opens it, unraveling some to clean himself up, before turning his attention to her. She straightens from the table and he fixes her panties before pulling her jeans back up over her hips.

As she turns to face him, she buttons her jeans. "You didn't finish."

He puts himself back together, doing up his zipper. "You did, sweetheart...3 times actually."

There's a smug smile on his face and she tugs him towards her by his belt. "Could have been 4 if you had finished too."

Sam's hands frame her face, bringing her lips to his. "Let me take care your needs, Cassie."

...

The sun is warm against his face as Sam leans against the patio railing. He's never been one to wish his life away but he's currently counting down the minutes until he can get her in his bed. Sam had felt the need in her the minute he had her in his arms and it had somehow quieted the worry inside that had crept up on him the past few days.

He twirls the ring he had bought for her on his finger.

Against his better judgement, he had wandered into an antique jewelry shop when he had ventured in to town a week ago. He had resigned himself to just looking, only the minute he had seen this particular ring- a gimmal ring, a single diamond ring incased in a separate ring to look like a flower- something inside him told him to purchase it.

And as strongly as he felt about the ring, something just as strong had questioned whether or not Cassie would ever accept it.

Accept him.

Because wanting and feeling were two different things.

Sighing, he shoves the ring back into his pocket going back to the barbecue.

The sliding door opens and Grace emerges, bring with her the music her and Nick and put on over the sound system. He's not familiar with the song, but he recognizes it enough to know that it was Nick's selection.

"Mom asked me to bring this out to you," She sets the serving tray on the barbecue beside him.

He smiles to himself, knowing Cassie didn't trust herself enough to bring it out to him herself. "Thanks."

Grace leans against the railing, turning her face up towards the sun. "I thought Middleton was quiet, but here...this is something different."

He adds some sauce to the chicken breasts on the grill, glancing up at her. "Wait until you get out on the water."

Her face lights up. "Tomorrow?"

Sam nods. "First thing in the morning as the sun rises...it's ethereal."

"I can't wait."

Closing the lid, he leans against the railing beside her. "Thank you for coming, Grace...I know we haven't always had the smoothest relationship-"

"-we should have," she interrupts. "I was scared of how my life was going to change, how my relationship with my mom was going to change with you in the picture...turns out, having you and Nick in our lives has been the best thing, Sam." Her gaze connects with his. "...with everything that's going on...I don't want to lose you."

Sam shakes his head. "You're not going to lose us," he reassures. "I'm not going anywhere, Grace."

Grace holds his gaze for the longest of moments, a knowing look dancing in her eyes. "Can I see the ring?"

He's not at all surprised that she knows; Grace has always had that Merriwick intuition. Pulling the ring out of his pocket, he holds it out to her.

Grace holds it in her hands, a smile on her face. "It's beautiful, Sam."

"...How do you feel about the idea?" He questions carefully.

"Nick is like a brother to me," she begins, handing him back the ring. "...and you've always felt like a father figure to me, Sam...and I know you love my mom."

"I love you both," he adds. "Have you told Nick?"

Sam shakes his head, putting the ring back in his pocket returning to the barbecue. He removes the chicken to the serving tray. "I didn't want to get his hopes up."

Grace frowns. "You think she'll say no?"

Turning off the burners and gas, Sam shrugs. "I don't know what she'll say."

Just then, Nick appears in the doorway. "Is it ready yet?"

Grace takes the tray off the barbecue, handing it to Nick. "Hot off the grill."

"Perfect!" As he heads back inside, Grace follows him.

TBC

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