Chapter 2 – The Visitor

It was later, Sam lay in her bed; the excitement of the night keeping her awake. Smiling she shut the book she was reading, and rolled over to turn off her lamp, but a knock at the window stopped her. Smiling at the face through the glass she quickly opened the window. "What are you doing here?" She whispered.

"You didn't think I'd forget your birthday?" Jack said as he climbed through the window like he was an expert.

She smiled as she hugged her long-time friend. "I've miss you."

"I've missed you too." He said, and she could tell in an instant that he missed her more than she had missed him; not that she didn't miss him with all her heart, it was just that she was her in Tree Hill with a family and people who loved her. Jack had been God knows where, all alone, probably doing everything he could to survive.

They sat on her bed, whispering so Brooke wouldn't find out that she was breaking the strict "No boys in the bedroom rule" even though Julian was in her room as they spoke. Jack brought Sam up to speed on his life, which wasn't much. He had been traveling around, sleeping wherever he could, and stealing whatever he could. It was a life that Sam remembered far too well.

His whispers made her ashamed to tell of the party Brooke had thrown for her; mostly because of the gift she had received. But, she worked up the courage, and Jack seemed genuinely happy for her. "I brought you a gift too." He smiled as he started scrounging around his beat up duffle bag, and pulled out a bottle of vodka. She smiled at him, but her smile wasn't one filled with the enthusiasm it once was when Jack had scored a bottle, instead it was a smile that hid her apprehension.

Jack picked up on the tension. He questioned her with his eyes, and then apologized. "I just thought." He began to explain, but she stopped him by grabbing the bottle and taking a quick swig. The burn made her cough. "Amateur." He scoffed as he too took a quick swig.

An hour later the bottle was almost gone, and they were completely gone. They had managed to climb out of her window before they became too drunk and loud so they wouldn't wake Brooke and Julian up. Jack was attempting to climb the tree in the front yard, and after his umpteenth time of falling he spotted Sam's new car. "We should go for a ride!" He said breaking into a run towards it, and then tripping.

Sam laughed. "I don't know." She said helping him up. "I don't think that's a good idea." But, Jack knew how to convince Sam into anything especially when she was intoxicated, and before she knew it she was digging around in her purse for the keys.

She managed to open the doors, fasten her seat belt, and start the car, but as she fumbled with the headlights the front door opened. "Oh, shit." Jack muttered as he saw the faces of Brooke and Julian blinded by the lights Sam had finally managed to turn on.

"What?" Sam asked, looking towards him, not noticing the two who were now headed towards the car. Jack didn't have to explain because a knock came to the window. Sam turned around, and then uttered the same words Jack had.

"What should we do?" She whispered to Jack as though they had another option besides opening the doors and facing their doom. But, Brooke made it simple for the two of them. She opened the door and stared at the newly 16 year old.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Sam smiled before answering sweetly, "Jack came to visit, and we were going to go for a drive."

Brooke didn't really listen to her answer. The stench of vodka had reached her nose, and her anger had turned to infuriation. "Get out." She whispered because she was afraid she'd lose control and start screaming in the front yard.

Sam did as she was told, but kept her head low, avoiding eye contact at all costs. Brooke ordered the two of them into the living room, but when she got them in there she decided she was too angry to speak. She glared at Samantha, and ignored Jack's protests that it was all his fault, but she didn't say a word. "I can't believe this." She said quietly before walking off to bed leaving Julian staring at the two teenagers.

"She hates me." Sam said beginning to sob.

"Sam," Julian spoke for the first time, "she doesn't hate you. She's just really," he looked towards the closed bedroom door as though he could read the word he was looking for, "really pissed off right now." He explained. "And she has every right to be." He added with more of a fatherly tone.

"Now, I think it's time you get to bed." He told her as he went to the linen closet to pull out pillows and blankets for Jack. "Jack can sleep on the couch." Sam nodded and stood up to follow his request, but before she did she turned towards Jack.

She didn't have to ask the question. He knew what she was thinking. "I'm not going anywhere." He whispered, and he meant it. He couldn't leave Sam to face Brooke alone. It was mostly his fault, and he wasn't about to let her take the fall.

The drunken teenagers fell asleep quickly, the bottle of vodka they almost polished off was their lullaby. In the morning, Brooke awoke earlier than normal. She hadn't been able to sleep well. "You okay?" Julian said, his voice muffled from the pillow.

"I can't believe her." She was almost inaudible, but Julian heard her words. He sighed and sat up.

"She's a teenager. They make mistakes." He tried to explain, but Brooke shook her head.

"No, she knows better. We just had this discussion." She didn't think that being a teenager was a very good excuse, and it sure as hell was not going to get Sam off the hook.

Julian sighed. Brooke's anger was justified, and he knew it. He was angry too. "Well, what are we going to do?" The word 'we' made Brooke elated, but the feelings were hidden behind her anger.

The two of them decided to let the drunks sleep it off a bit longer. But, when they heard hushed voices they decided to head out. Sam and Jack where sitting on the couch, probably trying to figure out their story, but they knew they didn't have a chance in hell in getting out of trouble.

"Good morning." Brooke's voice dripped with sarcasm as she headed towards the fridge for a bottle of water. Sam and Jack chose not to reply. There was nothing they could really say. Brooke eyed the two of them as Julian started a pot of coffee. She was kind of pissed they didn't have massive hangovers, but then again at 16 she could drink like that too, and wake up the next morning no worse.

"So, who wants to start." The four of them were sitting at the table. Brooke and Julian verse the two teenagers. Sam who had yet to make eye contact kept quiet.

"It was all my fault." Jack tried again. "I take full blame." His usual shyness and cowardice was replaced with confidence.

"Somehow, I don't think you forced my daughter into drinking, and I don't think you made her decide to drive." Brooke said to him, but kept her stare on Sam.

"Well," Jack was losing some of his confidence, "it was my idea." He explained.

"She's a big girl." Brooke retorted. "She makes her own decisions."

The four of them sat in silence then. Jack had no reply, and Sam was too scared to open her mouth. Julian decided it was time for him to speak. "Start at the beginning." He said calmly. Jack explained how he had brought the bottle, and how he had cajoled Sam into drinking and taking the drive.

Brooke had heard enough. "Samantha," it was the first time she had directed the conversation towards her, "I want to speak to you." She didn't wait for a reply. She stood up and headed towards Sam's bedroom. She didn't turn around to make sure Sam followed her, but she knew that she would.

Julian and Jack where left alone. "I'm really sorry." Jack said, knowing his apology wouldn't matter.

Julian sighed. "I know." And he did know, but it didn't stop the fact that it had happened. "But, Jack," he began, making sure his tone didn't sound too preachy, "that was an incredibly stupid idea. If Brooke and I hadn't found you, who knows what would have happened." He was keeping his voice calm.

Jack nodded, "I know." Julian didn't speak, instead he waited for Jack to explain. "I wasn't even going to offer it to her at first, but" he paused before continuing, not sure if he wanted reveal his reasons, but he trusted Julian and so he continued. "After she told me about the party and the present I just didn't know how else to relate to her. I thought that it would be like old times." He knew it sounded dumb, but to him it had made sense. Julian nodded. "The car thing was just me being dumb."

Julian sighed, "Well, you got one thing right: you were being dumb. As for the whole, not being able to relate to Sam well that's pretty dumb too." Julian smiled. "Sam's your friend, no matter what." Jack nodded, not really accepting the words out of his mouth. "You know, you could have it too." Julian said after a moment.

Jack looked up, and questioned Julian with his eyes. "This," Julian waved his hands around, "the house, the family." He explained.

Sam followed Brooke into the bedroom. "Sit." Brooke ordered as she shut the door. "Look at me." Brooke's voice relented a little, and Sam worked up the courage to face her. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry." Sam offered, but Brooke just shook her head.

"We just talked about you and driving." Brooke said, her anger was gone, but disappointment had replaced it.

Sam would rather have anger. "I'm sorry. Please, just take the car back. Do whatever you want!" She begged as tears started to flow.

"No," Brooke laughed, "I'm not letting you off that easy. That car is going to sit in the driveway, where you can see it every day." She stared at Sam, "But you won't be driving it." She explained as she held out her hand. "Give me your license and your keys."

A/N: There's chapter 2. How are you guys liking it? I know there was more Julian and Jack than Brooke and Sam, but Julian is heading back to Europe in the next chapter and Jack will be moving on soon too. So the rest of the story will be mostly Sam and Brooke.