This chapter is dedicated to jazzy5 on Dominoes and Tequila and to forever babe on Fanfiction. You both are amazing and its reviewers like you that keep me from completely giving up, because you guys don't let me. So thank you so much! And that goes to everyone else as well, you're all awesome. I hope with the JaSam we're getting on screen it will kick me back into writing gear!
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
"Jason, can you come here?" Sam calls from the bedroom as she takes another turn in front of the mirror. She had already made four wardrobe changes, but she still wasn't sure. "Jason!" Sam shouts again and practically jumps out of her skin when she turns around to see him standing silently in the doorway. "You could announce yourself!" Sam scolds playfully and clutching at her chest. "Practically gave me a heart attack." She says with a laugh.
"Did you need my help?" Jason asks stepping into the room now, but a little disappointed that Sam had discovered him so soon. He had enjoyed being able to just watch her get ready in the mirror, not even realizing he had missed it until now.
"Yes." Sam says and gestures down to what she was wearing.
"What do you need?"
"Well?" Sam stares at Jason with an expectant look.
"Well what?" He asks confused and looks around the room as if he's trying to find a sign.
"Jason." Sam sighs and rolls her eyes, she had forgotten he wasn't good at this sort of thing. "How do I look?"
His eyes going wide and quickly giving her a once over Jason isn't sure what to say. Of course she looks fantastic, but that never changes. He honestly thought Sam looked great all the time, whether she's covered in bruises/scrapes and wearing sweats or if she had make-up and one of her sexy little dresses on. She was always beautiful to him. "Sam…"Jason says with a small smile.
"I know this isn't your thing." Sam quickly says interrupting whatever he was going to say. "But I'm serious Jason how do I look?" She asks giving a slow turn in front of him. "I'm not trying to be vain or anything, I just don't want to look like I just got out of the hospital, you know? Plus Maxie would never forgive me if I came to her wedding looking less than fabulous." And still without letting Jason respond Sam turns back to the mirror to give herself another once over. "And I really don't want to look like poor pitiful Sam and draw everyone's attention to me, the girl with a limp." She huffs out brushing back at her bangs and frowning slightly. "Maybe I should go with pants?" She asks aloud glancing at the cut going up her one knee. It wasn't very large, but if anyone thought to look they would be sure to notice it. "But if I'm going to try and cover up my injuries I probably should throw on a turtleneck and paper bag." She mutters darkly, silently cursing her bad luck and Jerry Jacks. Even with the wonder of make-up you could still see the purple hue surrounding her one eye and the red markings going up the side of her neck.
Jason had just let Sam talk, knowing that she had to work through her thoughts on her own and any input from him wouldn't even be heard. But when she started talking about covering her face, he knew the time for silence had passed. So with quiet footsteps he walked up behind her and even though she was staring in the mirror she was too preoccupied to notice him there with her.
She doesn't even realize he's there until she feels his arms wrap warm and tightly around her waist. "Oh…Jason…" Sam says on a sigh leaning back into his embrace, enjoying the warmth he gives off.
"If anyone is going to be looking at you is going to be because of how beautiful you are." He all but whispers into her hair while gently holding her close to his chest.
Sam, startled by Jason's romantic comment, turns quicker than her body was prepared to and she felt instantly the pull at her stitches. "Aww Jason…" Sam tries to smile through the pain, but she knows she fails to hold back completely by the shadow that enters his face. "It's fine...I'm fine." She quickly waves away his concern, knowing what was coming.
"Sam maybe this isn't such a good idea." Jason says dropping his arms.
"No!" She is her immediate response. "No Jason, I am fine! Honestly." She insists with a jerk of her head.
"What about your stiches Sam?" He asks with an determined look on his face.
"They're fine!" She says with forced cheer.
"Then what just happened?" He asks reaching out to carefully brush her side where the stitches were located. "If you're in pain Sam…"
"I'm not." And before Jason could argue Sam starts talking again. "Seriously Jason it was nothing, just a little twinge to remind me to take things slow. That's all." She waves off his concern. "Nothing that I can't handle and nothing that is going to keep me from watching two of my best friends get married. Nothing is going to stop me, Jason."
Jason studies Sam intently and tries to gauge his chances of changing her mind. "Fine." He reluctantly agrees and rubs the back of his neck knowing it was pointless.
Sam smiles and has to resist jumping up and down in excitement, knowing it would only cause her pain and cause Jason to worry some more. "And now that that's settled we can move on to our next problem…you." Sam says and points her finger into Jason's chest.
"Me, what about me?" Jason asks confused looking down at the finger Sam has pointed at him.
"Jason." Sam tsks and shakes her head. "You can't go to a wedding in the standard jeans and black t-shirt. Especially to Maxie's wedding, she would never allow it."
"Well what would you have me wear? This is all I really have since Mac and the PCPD has blocked off the entire top floor of Harborview."
Sam stared at Jason for a moment and considered their options, but he had a point. Until Mac removed the police tape Jason wasn't allowed anywhere near the scene. Not that Sam was too upset by that since it was obvious she wasn't safe from Jerry there. "Give me a minute." Sam says holding up a hand. "I'll think of something."
"Sam I don't think anyone will care what I'm wearing." Jason sighs.
"Oh Maxie will." Sam says responds with a laugh.
"Well I don't care what Maxie thinks. There are a lot more important things for Maxie to be concerned with today than what I'm wearing."
"Jason you don't understand Maxie obviously…"
"I don't want to either." Jason grumbles, but he has no impact on Sam. She just starts listing off a number of places where they might be able to find him a suit on short notice and soon enough she's making a call to a tailor downtown. And faster than he thought possible there was a tux fit perfectly to his size was delivered to Sam's loft.
"I still think is absolutely ridiculous." Jason grumbles as he reluctantly works at his tie.
"It's not about what you think Jason." Sam smiles and quickly brushes his hands away before he wrecked the tie completely. "Here let me do that."
"Well I look ridiculous." Jason responds almost petulantly.
"You look handsome." Sam disagrees and takes a step back once she finished with the tie. "And very, very sexy." She practically purrs, earning herself a heated look from Jason.
"I could say the same for you." Jason says in a deep timber and reaches out to brush his fingers lightly down her cheek.
Smiling softly Sam bites gently on her bottom lip. "You look so good in fact I almost think we could just stay here alone together…all day." She says and her smile grows at the spark of excitement that enters Jason's eyes.
"Really?"
Stifling a laugh Sam quickly leans forward and pecks Jason right on the lips. "No way Morgan." Sam says with a giggle. "You're not getting out of this wedding that easily."
"Not funny Sam." Jason says releasing a sigh.
"I really had you going didn't I?" Sam says still laughing lightly.
"Yea you did." Jason says back to grumbling.
"Oh Jason don't be that way." Sam says going to grab her clutch and her shawl.
"I'm sorry Sam." Jason says stepping forward and grabbing her shawl to drape it on her shoulders. "I just have a bad feeling about this."
"Well don't." Sam insists turning to face him and seeing on his face that he was genuinely worried. "This is a happy time. It's Maxie and Spinelli's wedding day!" Stepping forward and giving him another quick kiss on the lips she smiles brightly. "Besides I don't even want to try and imagine the tight security you have set for today."
"It's all necessary." Jason says seriously.
"I know." Sam agrees with a nod of her head. "But seriously Jason, with the amount of people that are going to be at this thing…all those eyes looking out for trouble…what could possibly go wrong today?"
Lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling Elizabeth Webber thought about the position she currently found herself in. Lifting her phone to her ear she replays the voicemail that had just been left for her, it was one of many. "Nurse Webber I'm a bit disappointed that I've tried calling you numerous times this morning and haven't received any word back. I hope you haven't had second thoughts about our little arraignment, because it is much too late for that. I am in position to make my move later today and I expect you to hold up your end of the bargain…otherwise expect consequences. Serious consequences." With a disgusted sigh she erases the message and sits up in bed. She had been having second thoughts ever since leaving Claudia's motel room last night. After having heard the other woman's entire plan she was chilled to the bone at how cold and calculating the whole thing sounded. Was it really worth it?
Lifting herself out of bed she makes her way to her vanity and her attention is grabbed by a picture stuck in the frame of the mirror. It was a picture of Jason holding baby Jake, taken during the time when they all still thought he was the boy's father. Back when Sam and Lucky were only distant memories for Jason and Elizabeth, and they were working at being a family. Back when things were perfect.
Before Sam McCall had to come back to ruin it all.
Sure after Jake's true paternity was discovered things had gotten a little off track, but nothing that she wouldn't have been able to manage…nothing that she and Jason's love couldn't overcome. All they needed was a little time. Time that kept being taken from them and time was what Claudia was now offering Elizabeth now.
All she had to reach out and take it.
Raising her gaze from the picture to stare at her reflection in the mirror Elizabeth felt a new resolve coming over her. And she knew soon enough things were going to be right again. Her boys would have a father to look up to. And she would finally have a man in the house who would be her lover and her protector. Lifting her phone she sends out a quick text before tossing her cell aside and making her way to the bathroom to shower. She had a very important day ahead of her, one her entire future was riding on.
"Don't worry I'll be there." That was all Elizabeth had said in her message back to Claudia, but it would do. As long as Claudia had Elizabeth's assurance she was ok with the plan things would go a lot smoother. In fact, even if nurse Webber completely failed at her task Claudia didn't care. All she needed was one shot at the tiny woman who was turning out to be a lot more trouble than Claudia had originally thought. She was in the middle of responding back to the other woman when her phone started to ring and even though it was an unknown number Claudia still knew who it was. "I thought I told you to go to hell?" Claudia says instead of a hello.
"Really Claudia is that any way to greet a friend?" Jerry chuckles.
"You're nobody's friend Jerry, especially not mine." She says snidely.
"I guess this means you're still not ready to admit you need my help."
"Even if I needed it, I wouldn't take any help from you. And I don't need your help…I have everything under control. McCall will no longer be a problem after today, I'll see to that."
"What a shame." Jerry sighs deeply.
"What's that?" Claudia can't help but ask.
"That once Morgan is done with you I will no longer have something to laugh at. You really are quite an amusing and contrary woman." And if that wasn't enough to piss her off he said more. "It's a pity, but I'm sure I'll get over it quite fast."
"You bastard!" Claudia fumes. "Once I'm done with McCall I think I might come after you next, what do you think of that you son of a…"
"I think you should keep your eye on the task at hand." Jerry interrupts her smoothly. "It's going to take all your focus to not get yourself killed by Mr. Morgan and his band of merry men."
"I'm not scared of him." Claudia scoffs.
"Tsk tsk." Jerry sighs. "And that is probably the most foolish thing I've heard you speak." And before she can respond he is speaking again. "I will wish you good luck, because I feel it will be the only way going to succeed. But I'm sure even with that on your side I will sending flowers to your early grave…what a pity really." And then he was gone, leaving Claudia to seethe.
"What are you doing in here!" A short red headed woman all but shrieks causing Claudia to break out of her angry trance. "No one is supposed to be in here until I say so!"
Turning around she quickly stuffs her phone away. "I…I think I might be a bit lost." She says working up the most confused and nervous look she can muster.
The woman eyes her for a second with a critical gaze. "Where are you supposed to be? Are you one of the servers? I thought I had explicitly left instructions at the temp agency that all servers were supposed to meet in the dining hall a half hour ago. You're late!" She huffs.
"I am so sorry." Claudia says with fake sincerity, wishing she could claw at this annoying woman's face off.
"Whatever." The woman rolls her eyes. "Just follow me and I will take you join the others." And then she turns carefully and makes her way back through the rows of chairs. "It's a good thing I caught you when I did. We'll be seating guests shortly." And with a small smile Claudia brushed back the bangs of her blonde wig and followed the smaller woman out of the row of chairs and down the aisle, both walking right on past the guards without a second glance.
This was going to be easier than she thought.
This story is slowly, but surely, coming to an end. I just want to thank everyone for hanging in there and I apologize a million times over for being such a sucky person for disappearing. I promise to try and do better. SORRY!