Against All Odds Chapter 15: Sorry, a days of our lives fanfic

I just have to add that I really love this song. It's so sad and beautiful and it really tugs at the heartstrings if listening to it at the right moment.

Song is "Sorry" by Buckcherry.

There they stood. Staring at each other in the silence that followed after Sami uttered his name.

He hadn't answered her. Couldn't answer her. He still could not wrap his brain around the fact that Samantha had followed him here. She was chasing him.

EJ knew that he never should have walked out of the Brady pub. He should have said something. But, he had been in shock. He hadn't known she was there at first. And then after he snapped out of it, he couldn't think of a single thing to say. So he left.

Right now, though, a million thoughts of what to say were running through his head. The only problem was, he couldn't get them into a coherent sentence.

Sami was staring up at him, waiting for him to say something. Anything. She wasn't used to this silent EJ. Feeling the tension build in the silence, Sami decided to just come out with it. She needed to let it all out, make him hear what she had to say.

"EJ, please don't leave here," she begged. "Not without me explaining to you what happened. Those pictures you got from Kate – they weren't what they were intended to be! I wasn't, wasn't…having some sort of a…a secret rendezvous with Lucas!" As she spoke, Sami's voice started to sound hysterical and a tad bit angry. "I was asking him for a divorce, EJ! A divorce! Do you know why? Because I loved you! Still love you!"

Tears started to come to Sami's eyes. His expression hadn't changed; just the same blank look from when he'd turned around to face her. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she went on. "Kate took those pictures to try and ruin my life again! She knew I'd lied to you about where I was! And I'm sorry, EJ! And if you ever really loved me, you'd try and understand!" She choked back a sob.

"You once told me that true love understands and true love forgives. Well, try and understand that I only lied because I thought it was the right thing to do at the time! I knew you would want to come with me to see Lucas, but, that was something I needed to do on my own. I was going to tell you, but, Kate got to you before I did."

Realizing she was losing control bit by bit, Sami tried to reel herself back in. But, she needed to get one last thing out before she did. "You once told me that I deserved to be someone's first choice. That I deserve someone who loves me the way I am! And you said that that man wasn't Austin. Well, that man isn't Lucas, either! It's you, EJ! Don't you see? I never – "

"Samantha," he cut in. The whole time he was staring at her, absorbing what she was saying while simultaneously getting his thoughts into a pattern that made sense. He held up a hand to stop her from going any further. "Stop. Let me talk, please."

Oh, I had a lot to say.
Was thinking on my time away.
I missed you and things weren't the same.
'Cause everything inside, it never comes out right
And when I see you cry it makes me wanna die.

Lapsing back into silence while collecting his thoughts, EJ then spoke again. "Samantha…While I've been away from Salem, I've thought a lot about what happened. I thought a lot about you. And I realized that…even though you hurt me…I missed you. Missed you so much, sweetheart." He reached out to wipe the tears that were now falling from her eyes.

"Please don't cry, darling," he continued. "I can't stand to see you like that…I should have said something in the pub. I never should have walked out on you. But, I couldn't think of anything to say. I guess it was the shock of seeing you again after so long."

Still not completely sure if he was saying she was forgiven yet, Sami murmured back, "I couldn't, either."

I'm sorry I'm bad, I'm sorry you're blue,
I'm sorry about all the things I said to you
And I know I can't take it back.
I love how you kiss, I love all your sounds
And, baby, the way you make my world go 'round
And I just wanted to say, I'm sorry.

"You didn't have to," he shook his head at her, his thumb still caressing her cheek. "It was my fault, Samantha."

"No –" Sami started, but he cut her off again.

"Yes. Yes, it was. I should have listened to what you had to say that night in my apartment. Samantha, I didn't think. I got those pictures and…I lost my head. I knew that they had come from Kate and if I had been thinking properly, I would have realized them for what they were – complete B.S."

"EJ, I still shouldn't have lied to you," Sami cried. "If I hadn't lied, you would have known that those pictures weren't what they looked like!"

"Yes, well…what's done is done. There's no use trying to figure out whose fault it was. We were both wrong, ok?"

Sami nodded, starting to let the hope back into her heart.

This time, I think I'm to blame.
It's harder to get through the days.
We get older and blame turns to shame.
'Cause everything inside, it never comes out right
And when I see you cry it makes me wanna die.

They stood, staring at each other, not knowing what else to say. There was more that EJ wanted to get out, but, right now…he was lost. Lost in her eyes, her face, her complete being.

She had been wrong to lie him. But, he had been wrong in reacting that fast. He wanted her back. He knew he couldn't live without her any longer.

Breaking the silence, he said, "I'm sorry, darling, for everything. For acting the way I did, for hurting you, for what I said to you. I'm sorry I didn't believe that you really did love me." As he was talking, EJ had put his arms around Sami and pulled her close to him, never wanting to let her go.

"Samantha, I love you. Nothing's ever going to change that."

In response to that, Sami asked him, "So, does this mean you're not going back to England? I mean…it's not too late, is it?"

Letting out an amused laugh and letting her out of his embrace, he answered, "After everything we've gone through? Samantha, I haven't slept since I've left you. And I imagine you haven't, either. Am I right?"

Smiling a watery smile back up at him, Sami replied, "Right."

"Then I'm definitely not going back to England. We can go back to normal, so to speak, can't we?"

She nodded in answer, losing the ability the speak. The way he was looking at her right now – like she was the most important thing on Earth, like she mattered – was overwhelming. She had missed that look. She could read everything he felt for her in those eyes.

Every single day I think about how we came all this way.
The sleepless nights and the tears you cried.
It's never too late to make it right.
Oh, yeah – sorry.

Not being able to stand the separation any longer, she flung her arms around his neck, crushing herself against him, and kissed him with a passion larger than anything they'd shared before. It was perfect. All the tears, all the loneliness, all the anxiety that each of them had felt in the past month, came out in that one kiss.

Neither wanted it to end, but, eventually they both had to breathe. The sudden parting made Sami dizzy. EJ held her against him, to keep her upright.

"So…does this I'm forgiven?" he asked teasingly.

"Yes," she replied. "But, only if it means I'm forgiven, too."

"Of course you are, darling. Ah, but, one more thing." He pulled her back as she started to lead him away from the gate. She turned to look back at him inquiringly.

"Tell me you love me."

And she did.

I'm sorry, baby.
I'm sorry, baby.
Yeah, I'm sorry.