Disclaimer:This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Michael Grant, various publishers including but not limited to Harper Collins Publishers. No money is being made and No copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Literally he owns it I don't, Enjoy!

Thanks to

MotoKia217- Now you get to find out what happened . . .

WhitexxPaperxxHeart - Thanks for adding me to your Favourites list

piratekaine - Hope you enjoy this chapter and notice the increased length and decreased time between chapters . . .

Here's Chapter 12 . . .

Chapter 12: Blood is Thicker Than Water

FLASHBACK!

Astrid could feel Sam's warm breath on her lips as he leaned in to kiss her. But just as he was at his closest Taylor popped in and saw them. Astrid shrieked and frantically grabbed for the covers trying to hide her nude body.

"Taylor? What are you doing here?" Sam asked starting to get up. Taylor backed away.

"St-St-Stay AWAY from me Sam or, or I'll-"She reached behind her and grabbed a knife, (a long one) from the kitchenette behind her, but in her rush knocking over the whole knife rack.

"Or I'll run you through!"

"It's alright Taylor I was just getting my boxers." He reached over the bed and grabbed his boxers he also picked up Astrid's underwear and passed it to her before slipping on his own boxers.

"Taylor calm down, and put the knife down let's sort this out like adult's" Astrid tried reasoning with her.

"YOU! You took him from me!" Taylor shouted pointing an accusing finger at Astrid.

"No Taylor you tried to take me from her." Sam said hugging Astrid close to him. Taylor's eyes flickered from a tea colour to a dangerously dark Chocolate shade. Then unexpectedly she ran full speed at the bed Sam and Astrid sat. Sam shifted in front of Astrid as if to protect her but just as Taylor was a few strides away from the couple, Sam stood right in her path.

"Sam, NO!"Astrid shouted trying to pull him away. Then out of nowhere just as she was a few inches away, she bounced, leaving Sam and Astrid a bit bewildered. Suddenly Taylor reappeared near the bathroom with a maniacal look on her face. She gave a sinister grin before bouncing again this time closer than before all while holding the knife at her hip. Astrid tapped Sam on the shoulder and whispered into his ear, "We need to get out of here."

"Ok as soon as she bounces make a run for it." All this time Taylor had got increasingly close to the bed, she only needed to bounce one more time and she would be in arm's length of the bed. As soon as she'd bounced and was out of sight, Sam grabbed Astrid's hand and they both ran at the door at full speed.

Despite their running from the bed Taylor was still faster than both of them, So when she noticed what had happened so they certainly didn't expect to see Taylor blocking their path seconds after they'd started running. Unable to stop Sam fell straight into Taylor and knocked them both to the floor.

Sam landed with a grunt but didn't immediately get off as expected. Astrid looked at them on the floor just as she'd found them two night's ago but this time . . . something was definitely wrong. She bent down to roll him over and nausea hit her like a slap across the face.

Sam had visibly paled with beads of sweat running down his forehead. Astrid looked further down his body and saw Sam clutching a knife wound in this torso, blood was pouring out at a rapid rate staining his boxers, hands and floor.

Astrid screamed, "SAM! NOOO!" she yelled before kneeling next to him and bringing his head into her lap.

"HELP! Please someone! Help me!" She was sobbing hard and clinging to Sam gently rocking.

"Here, let me-" Taylor started placing her hand over the wound before Astrid slapped it away.

"NO! Get away from him!" Sam's breathing had been very laboured it was obvious he was having difficulty breathing. Then out of nowhere Sam started shaking. His eyes looked up towards the ceiling but his eyes were unseeing, unblinking Astrid could here Sam gasping and she instantly knew what was wrong.

"HE'S CHOKING" He can't breathe!" Panic gripped at her throat making it hard for even her to think straight.

"Someone help us please!" The tears raced down her cheeks at a rapid rate pace and yet she held onto his hand.

"Please, please don't leave Sam. Keep fighting please." She begged him knowing there was a great chance he couldn't hear her. BOOM! Astrid looked at the door; someone was trying to get in. Help had arrived! She then noted her and Sam still lying in front of the door, unless they moved they'd be crushed when the door gave in.

BOOM! Without hesitation Astrid grabbed Sam under his arms and dragged him towards the sitting room. She looked back at Sam and Screamed His lips were now blue and his eyes glazed over, and he'd stopped ! THUD! Astrid didn't even bother looking up when the door fell in. Whoever it was had come too late.

Sam was dead.

When Lana had run into the Caretaker's Quarters she'd been prepared to see many things, what awaited her was not one of those things. Seeing Astrid sobbing next to Sam's body shocked her for a second, only a second before swiftly ran to Sam.

She checked for a pulse it was there but weak. Lana frantically searched for the wound but had difficulty at first due to the amount of blood. When she finally found the wound she was about to put her hand on Sam to heal him when out of nowhere Astrid grabbed her hand.

"What the –" Lana started

"NO! What's the point?"

"What do you-"

"HE'SDEAD!" "Astrid listen to me, Sam's not-"

"Look at him Please, your just wasting your time, let him rest"

"He's not dead let me heal him." She tried to place her other hand on Sam but Astrid grabbed that one as well.

"Please just leave him alone."

"Astrid." Lana was starting to get desperate. "Please."

"NO" She pushed at both the hands knocking Lana to the floor.

"I won't let you touch him!" Astrid flung herself over Sam, completely blocking Lana. All of a sudden Edilio grabbed Astrid's waist from behind her and pried her off Sam. Astrid screamed bloody murder and struggled against Edilio but the Honduran boy held firm. At the moment Astrid left Sam's body Lana placed her hands on his torso and started healing him. Quinn knelt down on the other side of Sam's body and quickly assed the situation.

"What's happening?" he asked.

"I'm healing his stomach but his airway is blocked."

"What can I do?" Lana looked at Quinn. She wondered how loyal Quinn really was to Sam. She like every other kid in Perdido Beach had heard how Quinn had betrayed Sam last year. Well now she was going to find out where his loyalties lie.

"Well you can start by turning his head to the side, so that hopefully whatever is blocking his airway comes out." Lana explained Quinn did exactly that and as soon as Sam's cheek touched the floor his chest heaved and a concerning amount of blood gushed out his mouth. Quinn paled for a moment before turning back to Lana.

"Ok what now?" he asked.

"Check! Is his airway clear!" She shouted at him. Quinn turned Sam's head back upwards and parted Sam's, lips and looked down Sam' mouth. After a minute he turned back to Lana, "It looks clear."

"Ok now I need you to . . ."

After a while Edilio ended up dragging Astrid out of the Caretaker's Quarters'. She wouldn't stop kicking and screaming and overall the entire scene was very upsetting. If Lana and Quinn failed to bring Sam from the clutches of death he wanted Astrid as far away as possible from something she could use as a weapon should she get angry. When they'd gotten outside Edilio noticed Taylor was gone (thank goodness!) so he and Astrid sat outside in a disconcerting silence. Eventually Astrid turned towards Edilio and buried her head in his shoulder.

"Edilio, will you look after me if Sam doesn't make it?" Astrid asked in a tiny voice that Edilio had to strain to hear. When he had made out she said he had been shocked. He and Astrid had never been close but she sounded like she could really do with the support. Also Astrid really the type to see the cup half empty so hearing her talk like that was a bit of a surprise.

"Come on now" He put his arm round her."There is no need to talk like that Sam'll be fine we've seen him bounce back from worse"

"I'm so scared"

"I know we all are, but talking like that isn't going to make you feel any better."

"I know but that doesn't change the fact that we are sitting here talking about my pessimistic tendencies while SAMIS IN THERE LYING DEAD!" she tore herself away from Edilio and started pacing in front of him constantly running her hand through her hair. Soon she stopped pacing and just stood facing the forest, tears streaming down her face. Sympathy drove Edilio to walk up behind Astrid and wrap his arms around her waist.

"I'm sorry" he whispered into her hair. She turned in his arms and hugged him back. "Yeah, me too" she replied before she broke down, sobbing into his shoulders.

Jack had been on his way to Clifftop but had been slightly side tracked, after breaking up with Brianna he had been walking around with a forlorn expression on his face. He'd just gotten to the plaza when he decided to stop and tie his laces. Jack had just crouched down when he heard approaching footsteps. At first he ignored them when these feet stood right in front of him, his curiosity was peaked.

He kept his eyes on the person in front of him as he stood up. It was a girl. Definitely. She had long dark wavy hair that was unexpectedly shiny. She was fairly pretty with green eyes that shone like emeralds. She was dressed in a white tank top, jean shorts and light blue Vans. She didn't carry and kind of weapon with her which as kinda weird.

"Umm, hi?" Jack said holding out his hand.

"Hello" the girl replied talking Jack's hand. She stood there for a moment looking him up and down slowly as if studying him, before she looked him straight in the eye.

"Dakota, my name's Dakota."

"Oh, that's a nice name." He offered. She didn't reply instead she just raised a perfectly curved eyebrow and gave him a curious look before turning around and walking away. Jack looked after her wondering why she had approached him just to walk away. He pondered this as he walked down ocean boulevard* he decided he wanted to find out more about Dakota. Turning around he followed in the general direction she went.

After tirelessly working with Lana for 45 minutes Quinn was exhausted. It had taken so long because Lana had trouble healing Sam's pierced stomach especially since the skin healed over the puncture causing internal bleeding. Finally after they both were thoroughly covered in blood, their work was done. Sam was now lying on the floor completely healthy but still unconscious.

Lana looked absolutely drained having used her powers continuously for almost an hour she barely had enough energy to walk. She now sat slumped on the sofa head in her hands. Quinn sighed before looking over at Sam, seeing his best friend so close to death did prove to be traumatic but Quinn knew he needed to be the one to step in since Edilio and Lana clearly wouldn't be able to resuscitate Sam on her own. Quinn definitely had some newfound respect for the girl she'd been through similar experiences all the time it was a wonder she was as sane as she was. He and Lana were definitely a great team first cleaning up Clifftop and now saving Sam he'd probably be staying around her more often. She could use a friend besides Patrick.

Quinn glanced between Lana and Sam, who was still only wearing underwear and decided to quickly get cleaned up, he was feeling a bit nauseous after seeing the blood splattered all over his clothes. Shakily he got up and headed to the bathroom to wash his hands and hopefully clothes.

Sam could hear shouting but it was only background noise compared to the pain and ringing in his ears. It was dark and he felt so cold but hot at the same time. He'd lost feeling in his legs and his head constantly throbbed. His eyelids were heavy and he felt exhausted.

Then a sound broke through the ringing."HE'S DEAD!" Was it true? Was he . . . dead? No it couldn't be true he couldn't fathom why but he knew he had to get back. Suddenly a cool, numb feeling rushed over him originating from his belly. He could instantly hear everything the ringing had stopped and where he was wasn't so dark. Feeling returned to his legs, he could even wiggle his toes. Sam felt a floating sensation as if lying on a cloud.

Soon after many failed attempts his eyes snapped open and light filled his vision. Fortunately for the first time in a long time Sam knew things were gonna be fine.

The End . . .

Just joking there is still about 15 chapters to go so buckle your seatbelt!

*refer to map at back of every gone book

(A/N) Now I know what your all thinking how can Astrid be alright with sleeping with Sam in the books she's soo different well rest assured that issue will be faced very soon . . .

Wow . . . that was loooooong! Whew(!)

Please review!

Hunnybunny