Nicole's back was leaning against the bathroom sink and Sam was leaning into her. Gently biting Nic's neck, then kissing her on the lips. "You ready for this?"

Smirking Nicole wrapped her arms around Sam's neck, leaned in and got another kiss. "Sam, it's just dinner and besides I already got the approval of your mini-me. She said we can share you."

Sam smiled, "Oh I see, your thinking about leaving me for a younger girl?"

"Nah, but I could tell she was starting to feel threatened and I'd rather have her as an ally then an enemy." Nic said while playing with the hairs behind Sam's neck and massaging it.

"Threatened?" Sam smiled and leant back into Nicole's massaging hand.

Rolling her eyes Nicole said, "Sam, little girls never like to share their favorite things and you are with out a doubt Mackenzie's favorite person in the world. I wouldn't be surprised if Jane and Mike came in as a close second when it came to you."

Blushing slightly, Sam started "She just likes when I give her ca.."

"Oh, um...am I interrupting?" Brooke said as she came into the bathroom to wash her hands. "Sam, mom said that the food is ready and that you should have been downstairs by now. I'll just tell her you're too...busy."

"Actually you don't have to tell her anything, we were just heading down when you came in." Sam said flatly while taking Nic's hand and heading out of the bathroom.

However, before she closed the door she heard Brooke sarcastically mutter, "Oh is that what you were doing."

*******

Looking at the dinner table the seating went like this; from left to right Jane, Mike, and Brooke on one side of the table. And on the other side it was Sam, Mac, and Nic. Now looking at the people sitting at the table you would notice that the only people not affected by the tense situation were Mac, who was happily eating her food in between her favorite sister and her new `best friend' Nicole and Nic, who just didn't care.

"So… " Jane said, interrupting the tense atmosphere at the dinner table. "Nicole, what are you wearing to the Masquerade party tomorrow evening?"

"Well since I only just found out about the whole thing yesterday, I'm going to wear my Satan costume from last Halloween." Nic replied while giving a quick wink at Sam.

Under her breath, while looking down Brooke said, "Oh so your going as yourself?"

However, when she looked up she was met with two equally unimpressed glares.

"So what are you going as Sam?" Jane again asked, figuring that it was a safe enough topic after Nic had answered her query so painlessly.

"Since we're both practically the same size, Faith let me borrow her Phantom of the Opera costume." Sam said.

"Oh how is Faith? I haven't talked to her since last month." Jane asked with a warm smile remembering the first time Faith answered the phone with `Whatever you're selling we already have two.' Then proceeded to apologize once she found out she was Sam's mother.

"Oh you know, she's Faith. Typical pain in my ass." Sam said dryly though with a smile that let everyone know she was kidding.

Everyone including an increasingly unhappy Brooke. "Who is Faith?" Brooke tried to ask with out sounding liking a jealous child.

Rolling her eyes Sam looked at Brooke and said, "A friend."

"I don't know her." Brooke said defiantly. Which caused both Sam and Nicole to roll their eyes.

"You wouldn't would you? I mean, you don't go to NYU, you don't share an apartment with us, and I've never asked you to visit."

And with Sam's reply the room was once again thrust into a tense silence. So figuring the costume questions seemed to be working so well when Jane had asked Nicole and Sam, Mike finally joined the conversation and asked Brooke. "So, what are you going to be wearing Brooke?"

Happy that the attention would now be focused on her, Brooke started replying with, "Oh daddy I'm going as.." However, she was cut off by Sam.

"Brooke most likely has the most detailed mask/costume out of our whole class. I mean think about it? Brookes going as a piece of ice with a tiara on top." Sam said grinning.

While Nic added, "Oh don't forget the ice pick she'll be holding." Then after lowering her voice so only Brooke and Sam could here Nic said, "Can't forget her weapon of choice to stick in her friends back."

Then poor confused Mike looked at Jane rather helplessly, before looking back at Brooke and saying, "But hunny, why are you going as a piece of ice? Couldn't you think of something more pleasing?"

Trying to hold in her rising temper at Sam and Nicole's teasing Brooke said, "I'm not going as an ice cube. I was going as a princess"

Before Brooke even finished saying the word Princess, Sam and Nic shared a look, mouthed the words `ice princess' to each other, then immediately started laughing again.

And because they were laughing Mac was laughing. Which left one pissed off bottle blonde, her very confused dad, and her step mother who knew what Sam and Nicole were insinuating and had to keep herself from laughing.

Glaring at both Sam and Nic, Brooke was saved from having to endure anymore of their laughter at her expense by the phone ringing.

"I'll get it." Jane and Brooke said at the same time.

"No, I'll get it mom. I was done here anyway." Brooke said sending a glare at both Sam and Nic, as she got up from the table and answered the phone. "Hello...?"

"Brookie?! Oh my, I just found out the news yesterday, how are you holding up?!"

Holding the phone slightly away from her ear, Brooke felt a small smile grow on her face and rolled her eyes. "Hello to you too, Mary Cherry. Now what news are you talking about?"

"Oh don't go playing all innocent with me missy! I had lunch with our Nikkie yesterday and found out that she wasn't your best friend anymore! Now you know that was a shock to me seeing as you two have ALWAYS been bestfriends... Even when you hated each other!! So I asked why and she changed the subject! Now I didn't realize it at the time, but she did! Then she went to the bathroom and stayed in there for like...an HOUR! The waitress had to take her soup back. And by the time she came back out I had eaten most of the lobsters and crabs and was so full I forgot to ask again what happened so, what happened!? And why didn't I know about it until now, three years later!?! I mean, we may no longer be in high school, but the reunion is tomorrow and how can we possibly go to the party with two of the three most popular students at school not talking to each other?! Why...it'll be mayhem!"

Sighing, Brooke sat down on the couch in the living room. "It's complicated I guess and I don't really want to talk about it either MC."

"Brookie, You don't have to tell me right now... But SOMEONE'S telling me before the night's over! And Oh! Oh! Let's go out tonight! Have you been to Satan's Lair yet?"

"Is that the new café slash club on Sunset Blvd? I've been hearing about it from everyone since it opened, but I didn't want to go alone." Brooke said suddenly very excited. She almost didn't care that Nic was taking Sam out somewhere too.

"That's the one! Now go get ready because I'm coming to pick you up so we can go PARTAY!"

"Alright! I'll see you when you get here." Hanging up the phone, Brooke walked back into the kitchen to let everyone know she was going out before heading upstairs.

After Brooke said her final goodbye at the table, Sam decided it was now an acceptable time for her and Nicole to leave as well. "Well mom, Mike... I think Nic and I are going to be heading out now too. After all, the suspense in me is dying to know where we're going..."

Smirking Nicole rolled her eyes at Sam while standing up from the table herself.

"Journalists and their impatience..." Nic said flippantly, with a small smile that belayed her affection. However, remembering that she did want to try to at least impress Sam's mom she added, "The dinner was very good Mrs. McQueen."

Smiling herself, Jane had to bite back the chuckle of watching Nicole and Sam.

"Thank you Nicole, and you can call me Jane. Lord knows, Faith does...You know Sam, I think you might just have your hands full if you ever get Faith and Nicole in the same room."

For her part, Sam merely groaned with a smile on her face. "Don't even get me started, Faith is already convinced that she NEEDS to meet the woman she believes is her blonde counterpart." Chancing a glance at Nicole, Sam just shook her head. She could already tell she wasn't going to have much choice when it came to introducing the two girls.

"Mantha I go with you and Ni'ole?" Mac asked expectantly with a bit of a pout on her face.

"Not tonight mini-me. It's almost time for your bedtime and I wont be back until really late." However, seeing the pout about to deepen Sam quickly added, "but since you ate most of your vegetables tonight..." Pausing to wink at Nicole who scoffed at Mackenzie's plate that still had just as many vegetables as it did when Jane gave it to her..."I think you deserve the candy I promised you yesterday, don't you?"

Pout forgotten, Mac smiled widely and frantically nodded her head yes as Sam quickly went to get the bulging candy bag. Causing Nicole to roll her eyes when she saw the size of it, while causing Jane and Mike to sigh when they realized they would be dealing with a super charged Mackenzie in a couple of hours.

"Ok mom, we're gonna go." Sam said, taking Nic's hand and heading towards the door, only to be stopped by Mike.

"Sam! Wait, Jane called and told me you lost your keys to the house so I had another set made on my lunch break."

Taking the keys from Mike, Sam gave him a smile. "Thanks Mike."

Smiling as well Mike simply said, "No problem, now you wont be waking me or Jane up when you need to get back in the house tonight."

******

Getting into Nicole's car after finally leaving the house, Sam simply gazed around the interior noting the understated expensiveness of the whole thing. As well as the fact that ninety percent of the interior was leather and Lily would have all kinds of objections to it.

"What are you smirking about?" Nic said as she got in the car and started backing out of the driveway with the opening keys of `Los Angeles, I'm Yours' playing in the background of the car.

"Well, for one... the interior of this car is like a nightmare for Lily with all the leather.

And I was thinking of what her reaction will be when I tell her about it." Sam said laughing when Nicole rolled her eyes at the idea of an offended Lily. "And now it's because I didn't expect for you to know who the Decemberists were let alone, actually enjoy their music enough to have them playing in your car."

Lifting an eyebrow at Sam, Nic simply said, "And what did you expect me to be listening to Samantha? The latest boy band?"

Rolling her eyes and yet smiling at Nicole, Sam ran a hand through her hair and leaned back into the luxury seat of the car before replying with, "No, that's just the thing. I never know what to think when it comes to you. You always surprise me."

Staring at the road intently Nic felt a light blush creeping unto her cheeks and small smile attempted to escape as she stole a quick glance at Sam who was still smiling at her. "Oh."

After a couple moments of silence, they both quietly thought about the other while listening to the radio playing in the background. However, the silence was broken when

Sam had to bite back a groan because Nic finally asked the question she knew was coming...

"So when are you going to introduce me to Faith? It sounds like we could have some serious fun together..."