It had been a week since Michael was alternating between Sam and Sawyer. They were all growing accustomed to the pattern. Michael kept clothes in his locker, and in Jack's locker as well. He would hang out with them until they all had to go about their way, and he would either go with Jack, or stay in the library and read, one of his favorite pastimes. He would crawl into one of their rooms at around midnight.

Sam was growing a bit worried that he and Sawyer might do something one night, because it was becoming clearer and clearer that they liked one another, but she knew that Michael was a respectable guy. The bond between all of them was growing, as was the stakes for Michael and his mother.

… … …

Peyton waltzed into Clothes over Bros. with a cafe latte especially for Brooke.

"Babe!" She said loudly enough for Brooke to turn around.

Brooke smiled when she saw Peyton and left the counter. Her assistant took over.

"Peyt!" She said with a huge smile, she missed her best friend. "Sweetie I missed you so much!"
Peyton gave her a strong squeeze, "I brought you coffee."
"Oh My God. Thank you." Her voice sounded beyond relieved.

Peyton looked around the store, and figured Brooke could take a break. "Why don't we go in the back? I just wanna talk ."

As they sat down Peyton noticed how tired Brooke looked, and her pregnant stomach was barely noticeable.

"How're you holding up with everything Brooke?"

She took a deep breath, "I'm getting there. Sam's finally accepting that she was wrong to leave."

Peyton looked at her with empathy, "Soy really wants to go over."
Brooke bit her lip, "I know. I'm sorry we've kinda had her caved in lately."

"And you know, we've all been worried about our kids lately, but we never really got the chance to celebrate the fact that you're going to have another one. B. Davis YOU"RE PREGNANT! How are you not jumping up and down right now?!"
Brooke chuckled, "I have been! But it's been low key, just Julian and me, and you know the other day when I told everyone, and we all went out to dinner, that was exciting too!"

"We all need to get together, the kids and everything. I miss that."
Brooke sighed, "Yeah, me too. We can do it soon."
"It'll be an official celebration for your baby. Let's do it tomorrow. We'll get together at my house. It's Friday, we can go as late as we want."

Brooke hesitated. She was thinking of Sam. Hesitant to make Sam any more uncomfortable about the baby, then she already seemed, but when she looked up and saw Peyton's excited face she couldn't say no, "Alright. Let's do it then!"

… …. …. ….

Haley was driving Sam home, "Sweetie, you're not lying right? Brooke actually wants you home, and not in the store?"

Sam rolled her eyes, "Haley, I'm not lying geez. Do you want to call her and ask?"

Haley lifted her hand, "Alright, alright. I get it."

Haley let the car come to a stop, "Do you want me to wait with you 'til your mom or dad come home"
Sam smirked at her sarcastically, "Yeah Aunt Haley, and while you're at it, could you also change my diaper?"
Haley rolled her eyes, "Sam sometimes you need to get off the defensive. It was just a question."

"Or maybe everyone needs to back off. "

Haley turned over and gave her a look as if to say, "Do you really want to do this now?"
Sam looked at the floor, "Sorry, just freaked for a second."

Haley sighed and then gave her a kiss on the cheek, "Just know that not everyone is out to get you kiddo."
"I know, I know."

Haley looked at her intently, "Are you sure you know that?"

Sam looked at her Aunt. Did she know that? Had her three years at Tree Hill finally taken away all the doubts that her past 12 years had inflicted upon her?

"Sam?" Haley's voice broke her thoughts.

"Uhh, yeah Haley. I'm fine. It won't happen again. So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course. Bye sweetheart."

She waited for Sam to go inside and then drove off. Sam headed into her house, and then sent Sawyer a text.

"Hey, are you with Michael right now? If you are, can you ask him around what time he'll come into my room? I'm kinda tired, so I might just leave the window open for him."

Sawyer texted back a few minutes later: "Hey, yeah he is! And he says that he'll come around 11:30, and that it's cool if you're asleep."

Sam opened her text and smiled, "Great! Thanks :)." She then went ahead and unlocked the window.

She was dead tired. Between school, tutoring, and working in the store, as well as staying up waiting for Michael to come in, and also talking to him until the sun rose up on occasion, she felt her energy being quickly drained

. The house was empty until Julian showed up around 7 pm.

"Hey Samson!" He said gleefully, "Mom's gonna come back late tonight. She has a lot of work to catch up on."

Sam was building a mountain of sugar cubes, something that Jack got her doing, and reading a book simultaneously.

"Okay, that's cool." She simply responded. Julian came up behind her, and gave her a long hug, "Why so glum?" He asked.

"I'm just tired." She thought for a second then put her book down, "...and I wish I could hang out with Jack." She responded.

He gave her a sympathetic squeeze, feeling a bit guilty, "Hang in there."

"Whatever. Easy for you to say." Sam retorted.

Julian glanced at her, "Cut the attitude missy, you're not out of the doghouse yet."

Sam said nothing, instead she went back to her book, although all the words just looked like mismatched markings on the page. She had lost her concentration.

Feeling the tension Julian offered an olive branch,"How about we watch a movie? You know I haven't watched the Breakfast Club in a while."
Sam put her book down annoyed, "Oh, so you're actually gonna grace me with a movie? How sweet of you." Her sarcasm practically oozed off her lips.

Julian bit his lip, trying to control himself. It seemed like Sam only got along with him when she needed him. Only got close to him in her moments of crisis. "You know what Sam?

"What?" She asked, ready to hear him go off.

He took a deep breath, but then backed out, there was no use in fighting with her,, "Nothing. Just, just make sure you do your homework."

Sam heard him walking away, and Haley's advice replayed in her head, she sighed heavily, "Wait!"
Julian stopped. She looked at him, "I'm sorry. I was being a jerk."

He shrugged, "Just tone down the sarcasm Sam. You know that we do these things because we love you."

She nodded, "Can we still watch that movie?"

He couldn't help the smile that creeped up on his face, "Of course!"

They both sat down on the couch. Julian put his arm around her. As the movie progressed, Sam ended up falling asleep on his shoulder. Julian, unaware of the fact kept on rambling throughout the movie. "This part always makes me cry!" He said, then he turned around and noticed Sam was asleep. He slowly moved her, and laid her down on the couch, and then put a blanket around her. He lowered the volume, so as to not wake her.

Brooke got home just as the movie was ending. "I'm hoommmee!" She said happily. Julian got up and went ot Brooke, "Hey beautiful babe and babette!" He said. Brooke gave him a kiss, then scolded him,

"Julian! You don't know if the baby's a girl yet!"

"I just have a feeling." He said giving her stomach a kiss.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say." She said giving him a kiss,

"Where's Sam?" she asked.

Julian headed towards the couch and Brooke followed him, "We were watching your favorite movie, but she was a bit tired, so she fell asleep."

"My poor baby." She said with sympathy.,

Brooke folded her arms, "You don't think we're making her do too much, right?"

Julian nodded his head in disagreement, "A little work never killed anyone. And she's fine Brooke. He turned the TV off and then carefully picked the sleeping Sam up. "I'll take her to bed. It's already 9:00 anyways."

"Wait, wait." Brooke said as Julian was walking. He stopped, "What?" She smiled, "Well let me say goodnight at least. I didn't get to see her the whole day!"

She went up to Julian, who was carrying Sam, and stroked her cheek. "Goodnight sweetheart." She whispered.

Sam's eyes fluttered open, "Hmmmm?" She said groggily, "Wha-what's going on?" She said draggedly.

"Sshhhh." Brooke cooed, "Go back to sleep. Dad's taking you to bed. I love you."

Sam just closed her eyes, "Love you too." She said before falling back asleep. Brooke watched them go into her room. She steeled herself, determined to see Sam's whole punishment through. "It's not that bad." She kept repeating to herself.

Later at night Michael came into Sam's room. He tried to be as quiet as possible. Once inside, he froze, straining to hear if her parent's were still awake, but the house wasn't stirring. Sighing with relief, he looked under Sam's bed and laid out the sheets and pillow that he used.

He laid down and stared at the roof. It was at night that he thought most of his mother. He wished with all his heart that she wouldn't be sent back to Mexico. He couldn't bear to think of the possibility. Michael woke up at 6:00 am, and got ready to head out. Sam woke up and saw him putting his shirt on.

"Hey." She mumbled.

He stopped, "oh geez. Sorry Sam, I thought you were dead asleep."

She got up, "It's okay. I think I slept a lot anyways. Are you leaving now?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

She crossed her legs, "Alright, I'll see you at school dude."

He grabbed his stuff and took off.

Once at school Sam met up with the gang.

"Sam you're coming over to my house right?" Sawyer asked the moment she saw her.

"What? For what?" Sam said confused.

"Dude, my mom's throwing your mom a congrats for the baby thing. Apprently, they decided yesterday."

"Oh, well I didn't see Brooke yesterday, but that sounds cool!"

"Do you think they'll finally lay off you?" Saywer asked.

"It's only been like two weeks, but we'll see."

Sam felt a bit hesitant about the baby, but was glad to see everyone so excited. She noticed one of the gang was missing, "Soy, where's Michael?"

"He told me he's gonna go see his mom today at the detention center. They hace some developments on her case and stuff."
Jack studied Sawyer's face, she looked nervous, "Is it good or bad developments?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. What're we supposed to do if his mom gets sent back? Just keep hiding him? This isn't gonna work for long."
Sam put an arm around her, "Soy, we'll figure it out."

… … …

Once at Brooke's celebration everybody seemed to be having a good time. They were outside, the boys were barbecuing and the girls were just hanging out. Sam was ecstatic that they let her bring Jack along.

"Sam, where's Sawyer?" Peyton asked a preoccupied Sam.

Sam and Jack were laying on the grass talking to one another.

"SAMANTHA." Brooke said louder.

"What?" Sam asked. "Peyton asked you a question."

She looked over at her, "Sorry, what's up?"

"Where's Soy?"

"Oh. She got a phonecall, so she went to her room."

"How long ago?" Peyton said suspiciously.

Sam hesitated, "Ummm, like twenty minutes ago maybe."

Peyton stood up, "I'll go get her. We're all outside, she can't be cooped up, like that. And I know she's talking with Michael."

Sam got up, "Wait! Wait. Aunt Peyton, hold on."
She looked at her. Sam gulped, "Umm, I'll go get her, don't worry about it."

Peyton motioned her the way, "Be my guest."

Sam went in and Jack followed her, "Umm I'll go too."

As they went in Brooke rolled her eyes, "Kids."

… … ….

Sam went into Sawyer's room and found Michael and Sawyer together. He was on her chair, and she was on her bed. His eyes were bloodshot, and she looked like a nervous wreck. .
"What're you doing here?! How'd you get in! They're all in the back!" Sam whispered angrily.

Michael looked stunend, "Through the door." He squeaked out.

"Sawyer, your mom wants you outside!" She looked back at Michael, "I thought you guys were on the phone with one another, not in the same fucking room!"

Sawyer looked back at Sam and Jack, "We have to do something!" Sawyer said oblivious to the orders Sam had just given her.

Jack looked towards Michael, "Dude, what's going on."
Sam was heated, "What the hell is going on Sawyer?"

Jack closed the door and locked it.
Michael wiped his tears, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just, I had to come! I had to talk to Sawyer. Immigration is going to send my mom back in three weeks,! The lawyer backed out. I'm going to foster care! I, I don't know what to do!"

Sawyer looked at Sam, "SAM! What, what do we do?!"

Michael stood up, "No. You, you guys have done enough. I really appreciate it guys, but you've put too much effort into my own life. And, you know, I think my best option is to probably just leave with my mom." His voice was shaky and devastated.

Sawyer's face crumpled when she heard his words.

Suddenly, they all froze. A knock came at the door.

"Hey guys, come on, the food's ready!" It was Lucas's voice.

He jiggled the door knob, "Hey! Why is this door locked Sawyer Scott?!"

Michael was about to leave through the window, but Jack stopped him, "Dude, no!" He whispered, "They're in the back right now!"

"Unlock this door, Sawyer!" They heard Lucas say authoritatively.

Sam covered her face with her hands. "We're screwed." She thought out loud.

Remember to review!