DISCLAIMER: The setting and characters belong to CBS, a production company or two, and pretty much anyone who isn't me; I do this for fun and not profit and I only really own Sam, Ellie, and others not associated with the show along with the story. Well, that and a new addiction to 'Moonlight'. ;O)
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
Summary: Sam is working from home as Ellie's not well; when Mick calls in; swiftly followed by Josef. Is it time she told her greatest secret to two men who are becoming her best friends? But what will Mick do if she does? More importantly what about Josef?
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COMPLICATIONS
Chapter Four - Confrontations
Sam was sat at her dining table, paperwork spread all around her when there was a knock at the door. She sighed; Josef and Mick had strangely been absent on the Saturday and Sunday following their little…revelation at her party.
But she knew it couldn't be put off forever. However when she'd phoned in to say she'd be working from home today as Ellie was sick, she was being honest. She never went looking for trouble but if it came looking for her……….well, never let it be said she walked away.
So when she heard the knock on her door she knew it would be either Mick or Josef. She hoped it was the former, he was more reasonable. He was also quickly becoming one of her best friends and, like Ania, she was now wondering what had possessed Beth Turner to leave a great guy like him; though she thought she might now have an idea as to the why.
She opened the door to see Mick standing there "thank God it's you" she sighed "I don't think Josef's in a forgiving mood about now."
Mick nodded ruefully as he entered "he worries about us; he's our….well I suppose he's our leader, he's certainly one of the longest surviving vampires round here. He feels responsible for us."
She closed the door "I can't believe I didn't twig it earlier – I mean all the signs were there." She shook her head "I am such a d'uh."
"How's Ellie?" Mick looked round the little apartment "I brought her some comics and a dvd." He held up some girl's magazines and an 'Ice Age 2' dvd.
Sam gestured to her niece's bedroom "she's in there. She was coughing all night and she's been a bit off colour since Saturday; when she didn't even want to get up this morning, I knew something was up that was a bit more than her just wanting to miss double math."
Mick nodded and ducked into the bedroom; Sam heard them both chuckling, though Ellie sounded a bit wheezy. She got a cup of coffee and went and sat at the dining table, looking listlessly through her work.
A few minutes later Mick returned "I told her she's one spoilt kid; her own tv and dvd player." He smiled, but Sam could see he was troubled about a lot more than Ellie.
"I might take her to the doctor's tomorrow." She nodded at the door to her niece's room "I worry about her."
Mick shook his head "no, she's fine. Just a winter cold; we all get them right? Well, I don't – not now. But I used to."
"Yeah, I still worry though." Sam looked across the room and out the window "she's all I got left of Jamie."
"What about your parents?" Mick had never heard her mention them, he suddenly wondered if they were still alive either.
"They live in London. We see them usually at Christmas; though this year dad fancies a cruise, so they might not come over."
"How did they take your brother's death?" Mick figured this was probably the only way he could get her round to how she worked it out so quickly that he and Josef were vampires.
"Badly;very badly" she shuddered at the memory. "I arranged the funerals though, so at least they were spared that."
"Funerals – plural?" Mick arched an eyebrow.
"Yeah, my sister-in-law died with him in the car, I think I mentioned it before" She smiled bitterly "it was so random. A drive by shooting that hit him in the shoulder, he lost control of the car and it crashed into a petrol pump – boom!" she made an exploding motion with her hands. "They had to be identified by their dental records."
Mick grimaced "that must've been awful for you."
Sam shook her head "no, what was awful was telling Ellie her parents were dead. I mean things had been……."she paused to find the right word "different round here for a while; but they were still her parents."
Mick looked bemused "different – how?"
Sam decided it was better to tell him and let him forward the information on to Josef "it's a long story – got a while?"
Mick nodded with a smile "sure, but then we need to talk about Saturday night…."
"No Mick" she interrupted, shaking her head "it'll all become clear – trust me." He nodded and so she started on what a lot of people would consider a mad story "it started a long time ago – well, it feels like that now…."
But before she could get any further, there was an impatient rapping on her door. Sam rose to answer it; an agitated looking Josef was stood in the hallway.
He didn't speak to her until he'd barged his way inside; Sam rolled her eyes "come in do, I just live here after all."
He stalked into the apartment and acknowledged Mick with a sharp inclination of his head. Mick knew better than to say too much; Josef was on the edge of going postal, you left him to rant if you had any sense.
However it seemed that Sam didn't. Whereas she could be calm and understanding around Mick; Josef just seemed to drive her as insane as she did him.
Today looked to be no different. "I thought you had more integrity Sam – but no, here you are hiding away in your apartment using the mini monster as an excuse not to face me; and him" he wagged his head at Mick "as your champion, because he has a soft spot for humans!"
Sam appeared to ignore the almost red glow lighting in Josef's eyes; it seemed he'd lit the touch paper to her anger – but Mick was the only one with enough sense to step back.
"Ibeg your pardon?!" Sam glared at him; her own blue eyes deepening to almost black with temper.
Josef arched an eyebrow "you may; but I'm not sure I'll give it!"
Mick flinched as much at the condescending tone his friend had taken, as the way Sam clenched her fists – something told him she could use them to devastating effect if she felt like it.
"I was being polite, notgroveling for your forgiveness!" she bit back; her voice rising a little "one – I have a damn sight more integrity in my little finger than you'll muster up in eternity!
Two" she counted off her points on her fingers "I do not hide behind my niece – she is also not a 'mini monster'; that would be you!"
Josef glared even harder at her, as she rolled her eyes "and notfor that reason, but just because you're nothing more than a bloody bully!!"
At this she jabbed him in the shoulder, making him step back – before he could say anything else she plunged on; her temper making her reckless "I also do not need a 'champion' as you so eloquently put it! I am more than capable of fighting my own sodding battles, sothere!"
Jabbing him once more she put her face as close to his as she could "I'm sorry you're so annoyed I denied you the opportunity to intimidate and bully me at work; but don't let you forcing your way into my home stop you doing it here! I mean I could stake you there, I can do it here!"
Josef was beyond angry now and his fangs elongated, but still she didn't back off – something which surprised him enough to get him on the back step. For a moment his temper faltered and it was long enough for Mick to intervene between the two warring adults.
"Ellie is in that room over there – I suggest we all calm down and sit down!" he hissed.
Sam stepped back grumbling; Josef backed up to the counter with little more than a growl. It was only then he noticed the dog staring at him with hackles raised; the cat was hissing.
"They're a snack to me, I suggest you remove them." He pointed at the offending animals.
She hustled them into Ellie's room saying that Mr Konstantin was allergic to cats and dogs. Both men heard Ellie asking what the raised voices were about "it takes a lot to make you use your angry voice, auntie Sam."
'Auntie Sam' bit back the caustic reply she was thinking and merely smiled, through gritted teeth, and said that "men would a make a nun use their angry voice." This seemed to satisfy Ellie, who settled back to watch her dvd, albeit whilst pointedly turning up the volume.
"Is she alright?" Josef asked as she exited the room once more; he'd heard the child wheezing and coughing during the conversation.
The bright smile Sam had had plastered to her face, immediately slid away as she glared at him "oh, like you care!"
"Iwas asking out of concern!" Josef rounded on her angrily.
"Why? We're just bothersome humans to you right?!" Sam was not about to calm down and give him an easy ride. Why couldn't he be more like Mick? Mick was calm and friendly; she trusted Mick, she wasn't sure she felt the same about Josef.
Her feelings radiated off her in waves and Josef squashed down the irrational hurt he felt at her mistrust of him. If anyone had a right to be mistrustful it was him.
He also ignored the jealously that leapt up in his throat as he saw her smile a little lopsidedly at Mick. He could tell that, as much as she mistrusted him, she trusted his friend in equal amounts. It bugged the hell out of him.
"What did you mean about staking me?" he grabbed her wrist as she went to pass him; the swift blow to his ribs, caught him off guard more than it hurt him. His automatic reaction was to release her.
She carried on to the table, but then she shot him a murderous look "youever grab me like that again, MrKonstantin, and I will personally sunshine fry your sorry butt."
Josef stilled for a moment; something about her quiet tone put across her determination to do just that, or die trying, far more than any yelling could've done.
"Well? Are you going to answer my question?" he stalked to the table and sat down.
Mick felt it was time to intervene "look if she's a hunter she would've dealt with me already….."
Before he could say more Sam had turned incredulous eyes on him "you think I'm a hunter?!"
He shrugged "it's either that or your one of us."
"Not likely – I'd have eaten the dog and the cat by now, not to mention Ellie being at risk." She held up a hand to silence both men "but I'm not a hunter either – good Lord, that'sbarbaric!"
Mick sighed "sorry, but if you're not a vampire and you're not a hunter – what are you?"
"Why do I have to be anything?" He could tell she was still angry, but was calming down. So long as Josef kept his mouth shut, they might all make it out of the apartment alive.
"Well, you know a lot about us for one thing." He offered "that sort of knowledge is fairly rare."
Sam sighed "I have my reasons for knowing it; I know that staking you would only paralyze you. To die you have to be burnt to ash or decapitated. Silver is poison, as is the sun; though you don't burst into flames if sunlight touches you – rather it makes you sick until you die."
She shot Mick a sad smile "you can't fly, nor can you turn into a wolf or a bat. But you can move really, reallyfast; you don't age and I know how a person can be turned into a vampire."
"How; how do you know all this Sam?" Josef didn't like the sad look; it meant something awful had happened to her. If she hadn't already denied it, even he would be thinking she was one of them.
He was calming down now himself; if it wasn't for the fact that he'd liked her so much (though would rather cut his own head off than admit it) and also trusted her, he wouldn't have felt so betrayed.
He wouldn't have felt so angry about it all. It was a weakness, liking a human; it was something he'd avoided for so long. Since…..since…..but now here he was in a situation like Mick and it irritated the hell out of him; so to think she'd betrayed him as much as Beth had done to Mick - well, it made him so mad he could barely think straight.
After pacing his office all morning, he decided he would confront her himself. Leaving it to the soft hearted Mick was insanity; they had to be protected, and he doubted that his friend would do what was necessary if it came to it.
However, having vented his anger and seeing the way she stood up to him – he was beginning to wonder if he could do it himself.
Sam stared at him; anger and hurt still evident in her eyes "it's a long story Mr Konstantin – have you got a while?"
"It's Josef, for Heaven's sake Sam!" the vampire ground out "stop being childish and get on with it. I have as much time as it takes." He looked at Mick "you'll stay too?"
Mick arched an eyebrow as he nodded "of course – if only to keep you two from killing each other."
Sam sighed "well, it all started when Ellie was three……………."