Freddie stared at the figure that stood in the door; their expression was of shock and relief. Freddie stood up and looked at the figure

"Spencer!" He shouted Spencer didn't even hear him he was too concentrated wondering why there were two girls sobbing on his apartment floor. He suddenly snapped into action

"Freddie! Go and make two cups of hot chocolate and then put on the Girly Cow box set!" Freddie quickly started to make the hot chocolate whilst Spencer helped Carly onto the couch. He then turned his attention to Sam, the girl who had been missing for years, his sister's best friend, the girl who used to basically live in his house. Gently he pulled Sam up and led her to the couch; he set her down next to Carly. The two were still crying hysterically when Freddie brought over the hot chocolate, he set them on the table before he turned the TV on and put the Girly Cow disk into the machine. The girl's cries started to stop. Soon they were just sniffing and rubbing their red, swollen eyes.

"Are you two okay?" Freddie asked, Carly nodded her head but Sam didn't respond. Spencer sat on the sofa in between the two girls and smiled at them both. Carly smiled back but once again Sam didn't respond.

"Sam?" Spencer asked. No reply. "Sam?" Spencer asked again. Still no reply, she just sat there staring at the TV screen.

"What's the matter Sam?" Freddie asked as he sat on the floor beside her. Still no answer, Carly was starting to look worried now.

"Please Sam, tell us" Carly said. Sam suddenly stood up and threw a cup against the wall causing it to shatter to the floor in a million tiny pieces. Carly now looked scared and sunk into the couch; Spencer stood up and faced Sam whilst Freddie just stayed where he was and stared at her.

"Leave me alone!" Sam screamed before she ran out of the door. Carly started to cry again and Spencer tried to comfort her whilst Freddie ran after Sam. He ran out of the apartment building and onto the street before chasing her into the town centre, he then lost her. He stopped running. He felt like such an idiot, he should have caught her, he should have stopped her-no he shouldn't have left her. Freddie went into a bar and drank until he started to throw up and was kicked out, he staggered along the street until he found a Taxi. He jumped in and slurred where to go to the Taxi driver. When he got back to his house he saw Amy flicking through a magazine, he glared at her. She looked at him with fear, she didn't say anything. Freddie didn't want to waste his energy talking to her but he needed to know something.

"Amy?" He asked.

"Yes"

"Why did you call Sam a bitch when you don't even know her?" Amy looked startled by his question but managed to stay composed.

"It was a spur of the moment thing, I was angry. I'm sure she's not a bitch" As she answered the question she seemed nervous and after she had answered she started to bite her nails, which was something she never did. Freddie knew she was lying but decided to not ask her anymore, it would just lead to another fight and Freddie was not in the mood, instead he staggered to the bedroom and fell onto the bed. He fell asleep instantly.

Sam kept running, she ran and ran not caring that she was lost, not caring Freddie had ran after her and not caring that Carly was probably upset. Soon she had to stop, she was panting heavily and her speed had dropped since she first ran out of the apartment. She felt like an idiot, why did she throw the cup? Why didn't she reply to their stupid questions? Ughh, her head was filled with the blaring noise of drunken men. She looked around and saw one of the bars she used to come to, a long, long time ago. Memories of her past started to swirl around her, covering her, smothering her to the ground. It was like a cloud of fog hitting her in the face, she tried to scream but found her mouth intoxicated when she opened it, she hit the floor and curled up into a ball. She started to cry as she thought about the mistakes she made, all the times she ran away when she should have stayed.

Spencer was sitting in the kitchen whilst Carly slept on the sofa. Her eyes were red and puffy; her usually pale face was red and blotchy. Spencer gazed at her sleeping figure, she kept sniffling whilst she slept and occasionally would call out to Sam. Spencer's mind drifted back to her, how she had disappeared without a trace, how she had just left without even a note. He remembered how Carly had been the first time Sam left, how she had cried for months, how she couldn't sleep without waking up screaming, how she wouldn't eat more than a mouthful at meals. He doubted this time would be any different. Though Sam might come back, maybe she just needed time to cool off. Spencer knew he was kidding himself but he wanted to believe it so badly. He heard movement from the living room; he glanced in to see Carly sitting up running her eyes.

"Hey" Spencer said softly, Carly just glanced at him. She didn't smile or even nod to acknowledge him, she just stared. She walked into the kitchen and sat next to him still in her mummy like state. Spencer sighed heavily and reached for the news paper.

"Why did she run again?" Carly whispered her voice was hoarse and croaky. Spencer placed the news paper down and grabbed her hand, he held it tightly.

"I don't know" Spencer replied truthfully.

"Why did she have to go again?"

"Maybe she needs time"

"Time?" Carly stood up and looked furiously at Spencer "She's had eight bloody years!"

"I know, but Carly you need to understand Sam has had it hard" Carly glanced at the floor "She just needs to think about everything, that's all. She'll be back one day, for good."

"You promise?"

"I promise" Spencer replied, he then hugged Carly. He hoped Sam would return soon for Carly's sake, for his and Freddie's.