One week passed. Then two. Then another week went by and Sam still couldn't bring himself to face San-Li. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't shake the image of San-Li being drenched in Bando's blood with a cold, dark look in her eyes while his lifeless body lay in front of them. He tried to remind himself over and over again that she had done it to save his life, but his blood still ran cold every time he remembered it.
So he made up any excuse to avoid hanging out with Joe or Fred in order to avoid her and practically locked himself in his room. He didn't even answer his phone. San-Li must have realized what he was doing because she made no effort to contact him either.
But despite all of the nightmares he suffered and the churning in his stomach whenever he remembered that night, Sam found that he missed her terribly. She was all he could think about no matter how much he tried burying himself in his books or his blue prints.
He missed her smirk, her laugh... even her violent temper. But what he missed most was her wild, crazy passion. The passion that sometimes burned so brightly and so fiercely that it sometimes singed him if he got too close. Or it consumed him completely if he let it.
So Sam made up his mind to finally go see her. He left his apartment around eight-thirty and stopped at the local drug store to pick up a unique brand of candy that San-Li had an obsession for. As if candy could make up for him ignoring her. Especially after she saved his life. He hesitated at her door and realized that he didn't even call or text her to say that he was coming over. For all he knew she could be out, maybe with Fina.
Or out on a date with another guy.
Sam shook the thought out of mind and knocked on the door. There was no answer for a while and he was just about to give up and go home when he heard footsteps inside and the door opened. San-Li was wearing sweatpants and an over sized sweatshirt that hung off her small frame. She probably just got out of the shower because her hair was damp and tied into two messy knots at the nape of her neck.
She looked at him blankly, without even the smallest trace of a smile or happiness, but at least she didn't slam the door in his face. Or stab him. Or cut his throat. But she didn't hug him either. She just looked at him with no expression on her face.
"What?" She asked almost tonelessly.
"Um," Sam licked his dry lips and cleared his throat. "Hi. How have you been?"
San-Li raised an eyebrow and didn't answer. They stood there awkwardly in silence and Sam reached into the bag for the candy. He held it out to her, but she made no move to take it from him.
"I bought them for you." He tried to smile at her. "Because I know how much you love them."
San-Li sighed and closed her eyes. "Why are you here? It's over between us, I already know that."
"But I don't want it to be over between us." Sam moved closer to her. "I'm sorry that ignored you like I did. I just... freaked out that's all. But I'm okay now."
"Are you serious?" San-Li laughed but it was cold and humorless. "You do realize that that wasn't the first time I killed someone right?"
Sam's stomach flip flopped and his mouth went dry. He suspected that may have true but he had mentally blocked it out and attributed it to her distant past. But he knew that he couldn't ignore the truth any longer.
Suddenly, a dark glint flashed in San-Li's eyes. She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him inside, slamming the door shut. She roughly slammed him against the wall and pinned him there with her forearm.
"Ow! Hey, San-Li that hurt!"
"Shut the hell up!" She hissed sharply and sneered at him. "You have no idea what kind of person you're dealing with do you?"
Sam's eyes widened in terror. "San-Li, what are you-"
"I said shut up!" She shrieked and slammed him against the wall again.
She then pulled out a dagger and laid it against his cheek. He took one look at her face and saw that this wasn't her usual dark, playfulness. The edge of the blade bit into his cheek and something warm and wet dripped down his face. San-Li smiled mirthlessly and leaned closer to him.
"You think you have me all figured out don't you, Samuel?" She said in a low voice. "You think I'm some poor orphan girl trying to get revenge right? Some poor unfortunate girl who was forced into a life of crime? Well, I'm not."
The pressure from the dagger lessened, but Sam was far from relieved. His heart was thundering in his chest and a cold sweat had broken out all over his body. They both looked at the dagger and watched as a small amount of Sam's blood run down the blade and onto the hilt. San-Li backed away from him and his knees nearly gave out.
San-Li stared at him with her expression now blank again. "You see, Sam? You don't know me. You have no idea when I could snap. You have know idea when I could get pissed off enough to kill you or someone else and I won't be sorry."
Sam stared at her and felt anger well up inside him. The bond marking on his arm throbbed and he suddenly realized what she was trying to do. He didn't quite know how, but he just knew.
"Are you serious!?" He shrieked jumping up. "Are you really trying to push me away San-Li? After everything that happened between us!?"
"Of course I am!" San-Li whirled on him angrily. "I'm dangerous Sam! I'm unstable! Not misunderstood, not acting out for attention. Psy-cho-tic!"
"No you aren't!" Sam shook his head adamantly. "Well...maybe, but that isn't everything about you. You're smart, you're loyal, and you're strong. That's why I'm so in love with you!"
San-Li's face crumpled and her voice dropped to a whisper. "When you looked at me all I saw was fear. And then you stopped talking to me. That's when I realized how twisted I am. I didn't hesitate killing Bando. I never hesitate when I kill. It's automatic now."
"It scared me." Sam admitted, all the anger draining out of him. "I've never seen anyone die before. And you looked so cold about it. I guess that's when it really hit me that you've done it before."
"And I might have to do it again." She said quietly.
Sam nodded. "I know."
They stood in silence, close enough to touch each other but they kept their arms at their sides. San-Li sighed and moved away first. "Let me get something for your face."
Sam blinked and gingerly touched his cheek. There was a small cut that was still bleeding a little. He glanced at the blood on his finger tip and laughed a little. San-Li walked back over to him with some rubbing alcohol, cotton swabs, and some bandages.
"What are you laughing about?" She mumbled.
Sam smiled at her softly. "I'm pretty sure a few years ago I wouldn't be so forgiving of someone who holds a knife to my face."
"It wasn't a knife, it was a 12th century cross-hilt dagger," San-Li mumbled applying alcohol to the cut. "Besides, I had to find some way to get through to you."
"Mission accomplished." He murmured, gently brushing his fingers against her cheek.
San-Li looked up at him through her eye lashes and placed several bandages on his cut. He stared back down at her and felt something indescribable well up inside him. San-Li finished bandaging his wound but didn't move away from him just yet.
"What now?" She whispered in a low voice.
The corners of Sam's mouth lifted in a small smile.
It might not be the right time
I might not be the right one
But there's something about us, I want to say
'Cause there's something between us anyway
I might not be the right one
It might not be the right time
But there's something about us I've got to do
Some kind of secret I will share with you
I need you more than anything in my life
I want you more than anything in my life
I'll miss you more than anyone in my life
I love you more than anyone in my life
The smooth, rhythmic electronic song was playing softly from his i-pod in the background on repeat. Moonlight shone through the window and bathed the bedroom in its light, softened only a little by the curtains. His phone started vibrating persistently so Sam reached out to silence it. He sent out a quick text before turning it off and placing it back on the night stand next to his glasses. He settled back into the bed and pulled the blanket over his chest.
"Who was that?" San-Li whispered next to him.
"My mom. I told her that I was staying at a friend's house tonight" He mumbled and rolled onto his side to look at her. "Is that okay?"
San-Li smiled and moved closer to him. "I can't complain."
Sam blushed and grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. Her hair was just the way he liked it, loose and wild and falling over her shoulders messily. Both eyes were exposed and he could see a mixture of happiness, love, and a touch of sleepiness in them. He gently traced up her arm with his fingertips, being careful to go around the still raw bullet burns. Eventually they would scar and fade and look like the rest of them. She shivered under his touch which made him smile even more.
"I love you." He whispered.
"I love you too." She grinned. "And... I want to give you something."
She got up from the bed and instantly became blurry. Sam reached over to grab his glasses and saw her at the foot of her bed, slipping on his shirt which barely reached her thighs. She smirked at him when she saw him watching at her.
"Did you put on your glasses just so you could watch me dress?" She chuckled.
"Maybe?" Sam smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.
San-Li laughed and disappeared inside her closet. She came back out carrying a locked, wooden box and literally jumped onto the bed next to him. Smiling seductively she leaned across him, making sure to press herself against him, and reached into a drawer in the night suppressed a moan and gently ran his hand up and down her back. She took her time rifling through the drawer, humming a tune under her breath.
Finally, San-Li pulled out a small key on a chain and sat up next to him. She unlocked the wooden box and pulled out a golden pocket watch. This watch was different than the one she used for warping though. This watch looked much older, but barely had a scratch on it and had a beautiful design on it. She handed it to Sam who took it gently. He tried to open the watch but found that it was stuck.
"Yeah, the latch is broken." San-Li sighed.
"It's beautiful." He said breathlessly.
"It was my grandfather's." San-Li said smiling shyly. "It's been in my family for centuries. My grandmother gave it to my grandfather, who gave it to my mother, who gave it to my father. I... recovered it after the...um...you know."
"And you're giving it to me?" Sam asked wide eyed. "I- I don't know what to say. Um, thank you."
"I gave it to you too soon, didn't I?" San-Li grimaced and blushed. "Sorry. I'm not much for patience and since I already know that I want you to have it, I figured now was as good a time as any to give it to you."
"Thank you." Sam said pulling her into a loving embrace. "I love you so much."
"You said that already." San-Li laughed. "And I love you too."
A/N- I had this written for a while so I decided to go ahead and post it. Tell me what you think and review please :)
