"Danny?" Called Sam as she headed into The Palace, Reuben resting on her hip and Alfie and Lily happily walking either side of her as she looked around for her brother. She had been trying to call him all morning.
Hearing Sam's voice, Lou's eyes widened as he got up from his desk and headed out, greeting Sam with a soft smile. "Sam…" He smiled to her. "What brings you here?" He asked before he smiled to Reuben and gently ruffled his hair. "Hey buddy." He mused to him before looking to Alfie and Lily. "Hey guys."
"Hey uncle Lou!" Beamed Alfie with a grin as he shared a bag of sweets with his sister.
"Have you seen Danny? I can't get a hold of him." Sam asked looking to her.
Lou felt his mouth suddenly go very dry. He cleared his throat a little. "Ugh he's out on a case right now…is everything okay?"
Sam frowned a little. "Out on a case? Why aren't you there too?" She nodded a little. "Yeah it's just he said he'd watch Reuben for a few hours while I took Alfie and Lily to the movies and he's not answering his cell."
"My backs playing up so Danny said to sit this one out." Of course it was a lie but he couldn't tell her where Danny was. He didn't know how she would react!
"Did he say how long he'd be?" Sam asked with a sigh as she looked down to Alfie and Lily.
Lou shook his head. "Sorry Sammy but no…" He looked to her. "You know if you want I can watch Reuben for you?"
Sam frowned a little. She was getting suspicious. "Your back is playing up but you're happy to babysit my kid?" She looked to him and sighed. "Where is he Lou? And please don't lie to me. Like my brother you are very bad at it."
Lou sighed as he looked to her. "I promised I wouldn't say anything…"
Sam looked to him. She knew. "He's gone to Japan hasn't he? To chase up that photo and see if it's real."
Lou gave a small nod. "He just had to see for himself. He wanted you here safe with the kids."
Sam shook her head as she clenched her jaw. "He had no right going behind my back. He knew I wanted to be a part of this."
Lou looked to her. "You're his baby sister Sammy. All he wants is the best for you and those kiddies and he just wanted to know if he was able to bring your husband back or not."
"Have you heard from him since he left?" She asked.
Lou shook his head. "No. I'm not sure of the time difference. But Joe is with them. He called here. I tracked them for him. They're altogether. If Steve is alive they're going to bring him home." He promised with a soft smile to her.
Sam looked to him briefly before looking to Reuben and then down to Alfie and Lily. She needed to get out there. She couldn't just sit around and wait. That wasn't her style. She looked back to Lou. "Would you and Renee do me a favour?"
Lou looked to her. "Sam I love you girl but you need to stay here…out of harm's way and with your children."
Sam shook her head, her eyes filling with water. "I can't Lou." She whispered with a sigh. "The more I think about the more it drives me crazy. If he's out there then I want to be the one to bring him home to his children. To which one he doesn't even know exists. My children need their dad and each day it kills me more and more. I want him home Lou. I want to bring him home. If you were in my shoes wouldn't you want to do the same?" She asked looking to him.
Lou looked to her and sighed. How could he say no to her now when it was so clear how much bringing Steve home meant to her? "We'll take care of them for you."
"Thank you…" She smiled to him before she passed Reuben to him before she then looked to Alfie and Lily before she sighed as she bent down to their level. "Hey guys I need you to do mommy a really big favour."
Alfie looked to his mother. "Of course mommy."
"Mommy has to go and sort something. So you, Lily and Reuben are going to stay with Uncle Lou and Aunt Renee while I'm gone."
"Where's Uncle Danno?" Lily asked to her.
"Mommy's going to find him. But I promise I'll be back as soon as I can. Will you promise to be good and to help Uncle Lou look after your baby brother?"`
"I promise. I'm the biggest so I make sure that they behave." Alfie beamed proudly to his mother.
Sam smiled. "You need to behave too." Laughing a little she smiled before she bought her children in for a hug and kissed each of their heads. "I love you guys to the moon and back."
"We love you too mommy." Lily told her as she hugged her back tightly.
Sam smiled hearing her before kissing their heads one more time before getting to her feet and heading over to Reuben and Lou. Cupping her youngest son's face she pressed a kiss to his forehead and smiled down to him. "Be good." She whispered before she then looked up to Lou. "Thank you…this means a lot to me."
Lou looked at her. "You just make sure you are careful."
"I will I promise." She smiled a little to him and leant up and kissed his cheek before kissing each of her children's head once more before she then headed out of the palace. Yes she should be staying home but the more she thought about it and let it play on her mind the more she was convincing herself that Steve was alive. She wanted him to be alive more than anything in the world and right now she wanted to be the one to bring him home. It was too hard without him. She'd admit that. She's struggled and her struggles came even more when Reuben was born for the simple fact that it broke her heart looking at this beautiful little boy who was the image of his father when his father didn't even know about his existence. She wanted to put that right if he was alive. She wanted her family together again. He wasn't just her lover but he was her best friend too.
Quickly driving to the house Sam grabbed her passport and some money and a bag of spare clothes before heading back to the car. She hoped she wouldn't be gone long. Driving to the airport she parked the car up before heading inside to see the next available flight to Japan. Glad that the next flight was in two hours Sam grabbed her ticket before she took a seat in the departure lounge and waited. Danny would probably have a fit when he knew she was there but she didn't care. Her focus was finding Steve and bringing him home.