Against All Odds Chapter 18: Here to Stay, a days of our lives fanfic

As always, big thanks to Candy, Paige, and Redhead!

Song is "Here to Stay" by Christina Aguilera.

The next day Marlena, Hope, and Belle were sitting in the Brady pub. Sami stood outside with EJ and the twins.

"You're sure about this?" EJ asked.

Well, everybody got an opinion now, don't they?
But, it ain't no thing to me.
It really don't make any difference now to me
If you don't like what you see.
I pay no mind to the negative kind
'Cause that's just no way to be.
I don't stop to please someone else's needs.
Gonna live my life for me.

"Yes, I'm sure," Sami said. "We're going in there and I really don't care what anyone has to say. I'm not gonna let it bother me. They can't tell me how to run my life. Only I can do that."

EJ nodded silently, slightly taken aback by the attitude Sami was asserting. He loved it, of course. It was just that it was something he hadn't seen from her in a long time. He was proud of her, though.

"This is me," Sami said. "And she can take it or leave it." She stared in through the window at her mother.

Before EJ could say or do anything, Sami had flung open the door to the pub and was marching inside with a look on her face that threatened murder. Hiding a smile, EJ followed behind her.

I'm gonna keep on, I'ma do my own thing.
We all got a song that we're meant to sing
and no matter what people say or might think,
I ain't goin' no place, no, I'm here to stay.
Gonna keep on doing my thing
'Cause whether they love or they hating on me,
I'll still be the same girl I used to be.
'Cause I ain't going no place, no, I'm here to stay.

Sami stopped in front of their table. Belle and Hope looked up at her and immediately glanced towards Marlena. Hope, obviously, knew what was about to go down. Belle looked at Hope, who glanced at EJ. Belle's eyes widened, grasping what was going on.

"What is this?" Marlena asked sharply.

"What does it look like?" Sami asked in reply.

"Oh, God," Marlena said. "It just goes from bad to worse, doesn't it? Not only does this put shame on Lucas, but now he's holding your daughter?"

"His daughter," Sami said. Handing Tom over to Belle, she pulled two sheets of paper out of her bag and shoved them in front of Marlena's face.

I've never been the type to be shy.
I know that some would say I'm too headstrong.
But, I'd rather be a woman who voices her mind
Whether you think I'm right or wrong.

Marlena read over the divorce paper, the muscles in her face tightening. Hope and Belle sat there, almost afraid to move. She put the paper aside and picked up the next one with the results of Colleen's test. The blood drained from her face. In the next instant it all came rushing back and then some.

"And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse," Marlena said quietly. She glared up at EJ. He gave her the same look back, holding on tight to his daughter.

Looking back at Sami, Marlena said, "Sami, I don't know who you think you are – "

"I don't think I'm anybody," Sami said. "I know who I am. And that certainly isn't your perfect little girl. Tell me your disappointed in me; that I'm a terrible daughter. I don't care. You can't change me."

And I know some people wanna criticize,
Makes 'em feel better about themselves.
So, say what you will, time will reveal
In the end that I will be here still.

"I'm living my life how I want to from now on," she continued. "I don't care what you think and I don't care what you have to say. I'm doing what makes me happy."

Just then, Kate walked into the pub. She had the nerve to saunter over to where Sami was standing over Marlena. EJ looked at her warily as she passed.

"Why, hello," Kate drawled. "How is everyone today?"

Sami turned shocked eyes on her. "You btch."

Kate played innocent. "What?"

"Um…excuse us," Hope said. She and Belle got up from the table and moved a safe distance away. They didn't want to be in the middle of this.

EJ felt his phone vibrate. "I'll just, uh…take this outside," he said to no one in particular. He gave Colleen to Hope and walked outside.

"You will do anything to ruin my life, won't you?" Sami asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Kate said.

"What happened?" Marlena asked.

Forgetting that she no longer cared to speak to her mother, Sami said, "She took pictures of me and Lucas discussing the divorce together and sent them to EJ on his phone so he'd think me and Lucas were still…in love with each other or something!"

Kate didn't answer. She couldn't deny it any longer. Marlena's eyes widened and for a second, Sami thought she'd jump to her defense. But Marlena's head snapped towards Sami.

"You've been with EJ since before the divorce?"

Outside the pub, EJ was still on the phone. He wasn't expecting this call. He didn't want to be having this conversation.

"Look, I cannot help you," he said.

"But isn't that what family's for…cousin?"

EJ closed his eyes, torn between what to do.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Yes, Mom. I have," Sami said.

"I can't look at you anymore." Marlena got up from the table and sat down at the bar.

Sami turned to Kate. "Stay the he11 out of my life." She went over to Belle and Hope, took the twins from them, apologized for what just happened, and promised to explain everything soon.

Without another glance, Sami walked out of the pub.

Gotta get up,
Keep my head up.
Gonna keep on turnin' it up,
Never let up.
If I keep steppin' it up,
I'ma prove that I ain't never gonna be stopped,
Like it or not.

EJ had just hung up the phone when Sami walked out. She looked ready to kill.

"How did it go in there?" he asked.

"Oh, just dandy," Sami said. "Who called you?"

"Just, uh, someone from Mythic. So, tell me. What did Kate have to say?"

"Nothing. I called her out on what she did to us and my mom freaked that I was with you before the divorce."

"Are you alright?"

"Yea, I'm fine. By my mother practically disowning me, it's helping me to become a stronger person. I don't care anymore. This is it for me. You are it for me, EJ."

No matter the pressures that face me
I believe they will see.
I'll never let anyone break me.
All your doubt can do now is strengthen me.
And life it ain't always that easy,
Gotta fight to see past the boundaries.
Crossing the lines, I will define every time that forever is mine.