Heartbreaking Embrace

Chapter 2

Author's Note: Thank you all for the fabulous reviews and kind words. I'm glad I'm not the only fan that was pissed at how Jason treated Sam back in the Brenda drama days and it has given me great pleasure to give Sam a POV which is sadly lacking in the current storyline and let's face it even longer than that. I've given some thought about the urge to develop the story into the point of the limo bombing and Sam being caught in the crossfire and while I'm not sure how or where that might go I'm game to explore it with all of your help so…I'm going to ask that for those of you who want me to explore this I would like further details of what aspects to focus on and any details to capture? Oh, and I will mention that this story is going to make Jason recognize the gravity of his choices and what it can cost him by following this path and there might be some yummy distractions to fill Sam's time.

It was almost 4am when Sam finally arrived back at her apartment and as she shut the door and glanced around the room a flood gate of memories filled her head. This was her place and yet she shared this space with the two men that she loved deeply at one point in time and this too was where they both hurt her the most. There was Jason's threat to kill her with a crashing glass flung against the fireplace and then there was Lucky calling out Elizabeth's name in her hot tub. The sorrow and the betrayal surrounding her with every turn she needed a fresh start and to get some perspective. She headed to her bedroom and gathered up the necessary clothing and toiletries she would need for an extended vacation and her black duffle bag was barely able to be closed. She looked over at her bedroom nightstand and found a more recent picture of her and Jason and they both seemed so happy and in love their eyes full of such hope and gratitude and to imagine in a few short months that was all ripped away. Sam touched the tip of her finger along the frame and his face, pulled the picture to her chest and took a deep breath with tears cascading her cheeks again she set it face down on the night stand and whispered Goodbye Jason.

Sam couldn't believe that this was the place she took such pride in acquiring on her terms and she had a successful PI business with Spinelli and yet her life felt empty. Sam was tired or living her life for others and decided she would take this time to rest and relax. There was no rest she was going to be able to get after the night she had and for now the water was calling her and so she sought comfort in the place that helped her center her thoughts – the docks.

Sam watched the waves crash into the docks as the moonlight shined on the water she could see the stars dancing in the sky and she missed being out on the water without any ties or people to disappoint or that would disappoint her. While she pondered her next move, she heard some soft footsteps off in the distance that was the one thing about these docks the wooden steps certainly gave away any new onlookers and in this case Sam sighed not relishing the thought of someone she might run into or if it was impending danger. Sam steadied herself for either scenario and was relieved to find a familiar face approaching – Lucky.

"Sam? Is that you?" Lucky slowly approached the dark-haired petite figure not wanting to scare her and knowing if it was in fact his ex-lover she would be ready to fight at the hint of danger.

Sam turned around after she took a deep breath in realizing that she had been holding it until the stranger revealed himself. "Hey Lucky, yeah it's me. Just thinking and well this is as good of a place to do it as any."

"Care for some company? I mean obviously, something is bothering you otherwise you wouldn't be out here at 4am." Lucky kept himself a good distance from Sam not knowing where her mind or heart were at in the moment and if their history taught him anything Samantha McCall was not one to wear her heart on her sleeve well at least not immediately, but if you did get the chance to be you should appreciate it.

Lucky knew that things were a bit tense between Sam and Jason just in the most recent interactions they all had he could tell that Sam was reaching her boiling point and no one knew better than him to cross that with Sam. He decided he would politely ask the benign questions hoping to avoid any carnage directed at him and also recognize they had finally gotten to a good place in their friendship he hoped they could continue to be there for one another.

"It's a free country" Sam sighed out loud and after the words left her mouth she knew that Lucky was trying to be a concerned friend and at this point she should be grateful for such, but honestly Sam was a flurry of feelings right now and she didn't want Lucky to be a casualty in her newest drama with Jason.

"I'm sorry Lucky that came out all wrong. You've been amazing with trying to help solve this case with the Balkan and been incredibly neutral in the decisions we've all made to try and capture this guy and get Siobhan back safely. I also know that Jason is not normally a topic I care to discuss with you not only due to your own personal history, but that coupled with ours I'm not sure you are really the appropriate person I should be talking to all of this about." Sam felt alone and yet she had this awesome friend trying his best to be there for her and yet again she was pushing him away maybe partially because of her bruised pride and she also didn't want to bring anyone else along for this train wreck.

Just then Lucky's heart stung a bit because the truth of the matter was that Sam was right Jason Morgan was not his favorite topic of conversation and the man had inserted himself into almost every aspect of his life and not in the supporting friendship kind of a way. Part of him hated the man that hired gun and all that he had taken from him. I mean he took the most precious things that once captivated Lucky's heart and acted as though they were disposable and only valuable on his own time table. First there were the secret meetings and confessions with Elizabeth which eventually led to the two of them having a one night stand and conceiving Jake and then there was the blonde-haired boy that captured his heart and to learn in the same night his best friend died that he was not the father to this precious little boy. Then the clincher of them all when Sam started to associating with the mobster again and eventually resumed her relationship. Lucky couldn't believe that Jason Morgan was a fool yet again to let someone as amazing and beautiful as Samantha McCall go.

"Samantha McCall is that the best you've got? I mean I know it's late and neither of us have probably slept, but I expected more fight from the woman that I…" he trailed off and quickly shifted his gaze to the water hoping and praying she didn't catch on to his confession.

"What I meant to say is that I'm your friend first and foremost Sam and if you are hurting and need someone to talk to you always have an ear from me to listen and on occasion I might feel generous enough to give you a hug now and then." Lucky glanced over at Sam and had this smirk on his face with a half-smile hoping that this partial flirty nature and boyish charm might help lower her defenses and let him in.

Sam couldn't help herself to chuckle at the handsome detective he certainly had lines and jokes on occasion and in this particular instance she needed that levity that he uniquely provided. "Spencer, are you flirting with me? Not that I'm complaining after the day I've had it just seems a bit out of character for you considering how enamored you've been with this red-haired Irish beauty Siobhan. I might also add that you need to seriously work on those lines because you are rusty as hell. I wouldn't be a good friend and ex-girlfriend if I didn't help you improve your game, right?" Sam smirked this time knowing that she was feeling a bit better already being around Lucky and he was a pleasant distraction.

Lucky faked being wounded by her words placing his hand over his heart "McCall you wound me deeply."

Sam nudges him with her hip and looks up into his light blue eyes "Don't con me, I know who raised you and I've been side saddle on more than one adventure with you so don't try the puppy dog eyes and dimpled pout with me because I'm not buying it."

"Okay it's obvious you really are not in the mood to talk about whatever or whoever has you out here in the middle of the night so you leave me no choice." Lucky picked her up and flung her over his shoulder and rushed up the steps away from the dock. Sam was pounding on his back trying to squirm out of his grip and the more she tried to pry herself away the tighter his grip became and a few times he swatted her bottom in retaliation. Sam's reaction to each of these moments was priceless one mixed with shock and humor and maybe a pinch of allure.

They finally reached Lucky's car and he sat her down almost pinning her shoulders to the car door. "Now I'm going to get my keys out and we are going to an undisclosed location for an undisclosed amount of time and there is no refusing this mission. So, my question to you is do I need to restrain you or are you coming willingly?" Lucky shot her a look deep into her eyes hoping he could give her back a little what she had given him so many times while they were a couple which was fun and levity.

Sam slumped against the car and had this almost defeated look in her eyes and at the time Lucky wasn't sure if her demeanor was real or if she was trying to pull a fast one on him. "Lucky" sighed heavily and before she could utter another word he slipped his finger to her mouth and there was this jolt of electricity between them almost reminding them both of their intimate history and how much both of them meant to one another and still mean to a certain extent.

Sam reached up and slid her hand around Lucky's and as their fingers intertwined she looked into his pale blue eyes trying to understand how they had gotten to here. Sam was bewildered at how their connection had transformed in such a short amount of time. What started out as a way to get back at both Jason and Elizabeth turned into a great and deep love that neither one of them expected and it that it seemed the deck was stacked against them. Their love had persevered many storms, not quite as many as their former partners and yet their love still felt as real and true. Lucky regretted calling out Elizabeth's name in Sam's hot tub and he thought that was the undoing of their relationship, but in reality, he didn't know Sam had seen him kiss Elizabeth on the roof of the hospital. She knew at the time that they were all in life or death matters, but she didn't imagine that Lucky would break into the hospital just to check on Elizabeth and Jake and then when things got really bad she wasn't even a thought. Sam closed her eyes feeling the pain strike through her again with feeling similarly with the Brenda and Jason thing.

"Lucky, why am I not enough?"