See Chapter 1 for Warnings and Disclosures. This chapter contains references to the disciplinary spanking of a teenager.

Author's note: In my note at the end of Chapter 11 I indicated that except for the possibility of an epilogue, I considered this story to be complete. However, Sammy and Casey have been nagging me to add this chapter. I apologize, but it is quite a bit shorter than the previous chapters. Except for the epilogue, which will be posted separately, this will be the last chapter in this story. Any new stories I write involving Sammy will be posted separately.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story. Your comments have made my efforts worthwhile.

CHAPTER 12

At the knock on her bedroom door Sammy looked up from the book she was reading. After lunch Chris had given her the option of staying downstairs instead of returning to her room. He thought she might want to start getting to know the town of Four Corners and some of the people in it, since it would be her home for the foreseeable future. Sammy had declined the offer and, borrowing a book from Mrs. Patterson's library, had returned to her room. She needed to spend some time alone with her thoughts. The kind of thinking she had to do wasn't something she could do while absorbed in her music.

"Come in," she, expecting to see Chris come through the door. He'd already been up to check on her once. She didn't know if he was checking to see if she was alright or if she was still there and hadn't run off. Sammy knew it would take a while to earn the trust of her new guardian and his fellow peacekeepers. Given her actions the last two days, she couldn't blame them.

Sammy was a little surprised when Casey opened the door. "Can I come in?"

Sammy sat up, wincing as her weight shifted onto her still sore backside. Who would have thought a man's hand could be that hard? "Sure, Casey, come on in."

Casey came in and sat beside Sammy on the edge of the bed. "Chris said I could come up. I'd thought I'd check ta see if you were doin' okay."

Sammy gave her friend a reassuring smile. "Other than a sore backside, I'm doing fine."

Casey laughed and shook her head. "That's gotta be a record, getting' tanned twice in as many days. Even I haven't managed ta do that."

Sammy laughed at Casey's comment. "Believe me, I don't recommend it."

The two girls chatted companionably for a few more minutes before Casey turned serious. "Sammy, there's something I gotta tell ya. And, if you don't want ta be my friend after, I'll understand."

Sammy was surprised, and a little concerned at her new friend's comment. "It can't be that bad."

Casey shrugged. Now that the time had come for her confession, she wasn't sure she could go through with it. She bit at her thumb nail as she decided how best to tell Sammy she had betrayed her trust. "Well, you remember that conversation we had in the clinic? The one where you said you was afraid of bein' a burden to Chris?"

Sammy wasn't sure she was going to like what she heard, but answered, "yes."

"Well, I kinda went and told Chris about it." Casey stood and started pacing the room. She couldn't sit still and was afraid to look at Sammy and see the anger in her face. "I thought he might need to know, so's he could talk to you 'bout it, seein' how worried you were 'bout it and all." Casey finally got up the courage to turn to face Sammy. "You don't hate me, do you?"

Sammy suddenly understood why her friend was so worried. She was touched that Casey had cared about her enough to do what she had done. Sammy stood and walked over to Casey and drew her into a hug. "No, Casey, I don't hate you. I'm not even mad at you, and I still want you to be my friend." She heard Casey sigh in relief. "I'm thankful you cared enough to go talk to him. It couldn't have been easy."

Casey pulled away from Sammy. "Ya got that right. I don't think I've ever been so nervous about talkin' to somebody in my life. That man just plain scares the bejesus outta me sometimes."

"I know what you mean. I lived with an outlaw gang the last two years, and he scared me. That's sayin' something."

Both girls laughed and resumed their seats on the bed. Casey proceeded to tell Sammy about Four Corners and the seven men who had become the town's protectors. Sammy almost fell off the bed laughing when Casey told her about the card game in which Ezra had literally lost everything but his boots and his hat.

Chris paused outside the open door to Sammy's room. It was good to hear her talking and laughing with Casey. He knew that he would do whatever he could to help Sammy through the difficult times to come as she grieved for her parents. But, he also knew that Sammy would need a friend. Chris was glad to see that she and Casey got along so well. He thought that Casey would be able to help Sammy a lot, having endured the loss of her own parents.

He knocked on the door frame and stuck his head into the room. "Casey, you plannin' on stayin' for supper?"

Casey looked up, surprised. She had completely lost track of time. "You mean it's that late already." She turned to Sammy and gave her a quick hug. "I gotta go. I promised Aunt Nettie I'd be home by supper time. She's gonna skin me if I'm late. I'll see you, tomorrow, Sammy."

Chris smiled at her. "Somehow, I don't think Nettie will be too upset with you." He stopped her as she rushed past him. "Thanks."

Casey looked at him. For the first time, she wasn't completely intimidated by being in his presence. She briefly wondered what he was thanking her for, but it quickly dawned on her. She nodded in acknowledgement.

He walked into the room and sat down beside Sammy. "What do the two of you have planned for tomorrow," he asked.

Sammy shrugged. "Oh, she offered to show me around town and introduce me to some people." A thought suddenly occurred to Sammy, she hadn't checked with Chris before making plans. He hadn't exactly told her that she had to check every move with him, just that she had to keep him informed about where she was going. "That's okay, isn't it."

"That's fine." Chris put his arm around Sammy's shoulders. "I think it's a good idea."

Standing to leave the room, he turned back to look at her. "I'm glad you and Casey have become friends. I think the two of you have a lot in common."

Sammy nodded and picked up the book she'd laid on the bed when Casey had come in.

"Supper will be ready in about twenty minutes." Chris walked out of the room.

Sammy laid the book back down. Maybe, she thought, her new life wasn't going to be so bad after all.