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There was something peculiar and familiar about this. A glass on the small table that was primarily used for keys, phones, and random bits that were hidden in their pockets after coming home. A bottle of alcohol stood beside the glass and she stared at it for a good second as if she was inspecting it for an answer to the question she was thinking. That question might have been dangerous if she had been at a club and not their small apartment that didn't even fell safe anymore, she carefully brought a hand up to the bottle and rubbed the engraved name on the glass bottle before making up her mind.

"To drink or not to drink? That is the question," She lifted the bottled up in front of the small mirror that was placed above the small table and she sighed. "To drink! Yet again!" She declared to herself.

This had been her- well she didn't remember how many glasses this would make, but she was certain she getting drunk by the end of it one way or another. Her sense were dulled and mind not like it would be if she'd had none to start with, then again what would none help her do? She had opted for the choice of a drink or...several over brooding again on the couch until Lara needed her. If she was tipsy per say then she could take the questions that Lara would shoot at her or the mini interrogation of what was wrong when in reality she just didn't want to speak about it.

The fact was, ever since a certain incident causing Lara to nearly assassinate (over exaggeration perhaps) an interviewer and the others avoiding them at all costs, with the media hungry for a story down her throat constantly..Sam realized this couldn't be avoided and had taken it up on herself to provide the answers no one would give them. They'd never stop until they got their answers so Sam gave them answers just vague enough to keep them at a certain distance and not crawling all over their apartment, in their trash, unmentionables, and dark corners of their lives. None of the others could do it and she understood that so she stood up and did it. To protect them, she told herself. If anything she could at least do this for them.

She was sure none of them paid attention to the channels that would broadcast the interviews (she was sure of that and it was a deal she made with her father), so she didn't need to worry about them finding some of the things she'd tell them to be too much. Although she was careful about what she would say to anyone and everyone, sometimes she struggled with what to say and what to keep withheld when she just wanted to curl in bed and never come out. Still at least no one gets stabbed, she joked to herself.

This last interview, however, had been particularly draining, it had been broadcasted not too long ago and she took a glance. She wished she hadn't. The interviewer had been as skilled as her and saw how she'd try to evade certain questions or how she'd not tell the full story on certain things, the interviewer would reask the question or rephrase it until she'd answer to the point she'd ask him to ask something else because she didn't feel comfortable with it only to be asked yet again and told "The world deserves to know" and she'd fight with him. The world did not deserve to know because it was her and her friends story, it was personal. It got to the point she told him to fuck off and just left the stage. They did cut the bit out however where she walked out telling everyone to fuck off and that if he was going to run a 'respectable' show he needed to be respectable. Of course they would. Prick.

So now she stood pouring herself another glass debating whether or not it had truly been worth it taking him on in the interview. Probably not, but there was nothing she could do now. It was in the past and she just wanted to stop thinking about it. The problem though was he kept asking about their personal lives if they were mentally okay. If Reyes' daughter had an insane mother, if Jonah could be trusted within a public setting, if Lara had killed- she lost it at Lara. THAT was where he crossed the line, her jaw clenched and fist tightened before she knew it she was giving him a glare that scared the man. She shut him down effectively and walked off. He knew far too many things he shouldn't and while she should be worried about it she'd try to figure it out tomorrow.

Tonight, she just wanted a drink and some silence before Lara came home in a few days. Lara was out so she had some time to herself to become reacquainted with the couch and hopefully pass out on it later perhaps. She didn't want to avoid Lara it was just she should already hear the questions and statements clearly that Lara would ask. What's wrong? Sam, please stop. Sam, look at me. Why are you crying? What's happened? How much are you going to drink before you die? Samantha stop acting this way. She shook her head. She didn't care. Take care of all of that later. No more questions. More drink.

"Jack meet daniels." She sighed to herself and held the glass up with a sigh. "I think I'm hilarious." So with a last sigh she brought the glass to her lips and sipped before it was brought away from her lips and set back down on the table by a hand that hadn't belonged to her. She turned to in much shock find Lara standing there. Her jacket dropped and her expression turned soft and concerned, so very concerned. It reminded Sam of the interview and everything and she- her eyes began to tear up.

She hadn't heard Lara run up the stairs to their apartment, she hadn't heard Lara burst through the door only to stop and stare at Sam with extreme worry, and she hadn't heard Lara call her name. Lara was supposed to be camping with Jonah right? Well, that was true but before heading out they stopped at a favorite bar the Nine Bells. Jonah suggested it because they wouldn't be back for a few days, but the TV was on as a customer requested a news channel. Lara hadn't thought about it at the time, figured it'd be a random break-in on headline news, but it wasn't. Lara was listening to Jonah's story about spirit fish and found it intriguing until-

"Samantha Nishimura," Jonah stopped mid sentence and listened. "Daughter of-" No not their Sam right? "had what the interviewer Jimson described as a complete breakdown on set the other day. Footage just released yesterday-"

Until that. Lara swung her body around mouth wide open in shock. It was Sam.

"He seemed to be ruthless in his endeavor to get answers to his questions. Samantha could be seen storming off after telling him 'you're nothing but a complete asshole who doesn't know a fucking thing. Come near us again and you'll have a lawsuit on your hands-"

Lara turned back to Jonah who looked as shocked as she did and gaped. She motioned for him follow her outside and he did. Before he could say anything she pulled him off to the side and looked for the interview on her phone. Jonah remained silent as he watched the full thirty interview. They watched in silence. She almost regretted instantly deciding to watch it. Jimson seemed nice at the start which was obviously a ruse but as it dragged on his questions and comments became more personal and eventually attacking Sam for answers. Not to mention his comments on her old party girl life style and her 'close' friendships. To put it plainly he was a typical asshole, but he was cunning and wouldn't back down no matter how many times she'd ask him to ask something else. There was at one point a long silence when he asked how the others died on the island and who suggested the trip to the dangerous island. Lara had wanted to rip his head off at that point. Once it was over Jonah suggested he take her back to see Sam and she agreed.

"Jonah?" She asked as she realized something getting into the car. He looked at her. "Have you done any interviews? Been hassled often?" He shook his head no. "Reyes?"

"Not that I know of, if she had she'd have given Sam an earful about it like she did when they first tried. Then they just stopped I guess, why-" Lara looked regretful and he instantly knew. His stomach dropped and he sunk back in his seat.

"There are tons of them Jonah," She scrolled through several videos. "I didn't even notice that I hadn't been hassled or stalked by them. I-" her voice caught in her throat. "I didn't even think about this...she's been taking the front for us Jonah. For all of us, she's been careful about her wording too." Jonah rubbed his forhead in frustration.

"She hasn't complained or said anything to any of us." Jonah muttered looking at his younger friend. "Why didn't she-" Lara shrugged.

"Can we reschedule?" He nodded understanding her meaning. "Thank you." She gave him a small smile and squeezed his arm thankful for the understanding.

"Just take care of her okay little bird?" She nodded. He drove her back.

The car ride was completely silent and void of needing to discuss it further, the only thing she did voice was a grunt or two when Sam wouldn't text back. Something was off about that because unless Sam was at 'work' or something she'd never not reply to her ASAP. Lara had been the same, as soon as she recieved a text from Sam she's reply right away unless she was extremely busy. Sam was supposed to be home ignoring her fathers attempts to hurry her about a project that was a few weeks away, or rather binge watching TV like she had wanted to do since last week.

Now here she was face to face with Sam whose eyes were brimming with tears, her hand still on Sam's wrist waiting for her to let go of the glass. It was obvious she had had enough and Lara couldn't let her take another drink to settle down everything that she'd been keeping secret for awhile now. Sam was desperately trying to hold her tears back and Lara felt the lump in her throat threatening to release her own tears. Sam's arm begun to shake as she bit her lip looking away as if seeing Lara would bring her tears out or as if Lara seeing her cry wasn't what she'd like. Lara wrapped her arms around Sam and pulled her into a close embrace, Sam gave in and let it out crying and sobbing into her arms.

Lara could only hold her close letting Sam let go of the wall she'd built up over the past few months. Lara laid her chin on Sam's head as Sam rubbed her eyes slowly quieting down and trying to break her sobs in deep breaths and curses under her breath, she leaned into Lara embracing her friends arms wrapped around her eventually finding them to be a comforting warmth. She couldn't take it anymore. Sam had been denying herself the time she needed to comfort herself and take a break from the world for herself, her world had simply collapsed in on her Lara's arms just made it okay to realize that like always.

Sam finally managed to calm herself atleast enough to stop crying. She stood there in Lara's arms as Lara swayed back and fourth, she found comfort in laying her head on Lara's chest and the comforting circles Lara drew with her thumbs on Sam's bare arms. They stood like that for a few minutes before Sam eventually turned in her arms and wrapped her own arms around Lara resting her hand on Lara's back hiding her face in Lara's neck. Lara's arms rested around Sam in anyway they could to keep her close and soothe her. Sam inhaled and the scent of vanilla and oranges made her almost smile.

"You smell good," She said lowly. Lara nodded kissing her cheek but still swayed.

"Yes, Jonah and I listened to you. That cafe place was rather nice." Sam only nodded and sniffled.

Lara frowned, Sam was avoiding the inevitable. Not that she blamed Sam but if not tonight then tomorrow Sam would have to answer her questions. She wouldn't ask but one "what's going on with you Sam?" but even that sounded a little harsh to her. Sam had clearly been bothered and no one not even Lara had realized it. THAT was what bothered the most. Not only had Sam not told her or talked to her but Lara was sure she hadn't even noticed something was wrong. She felt guilty about it, especially with the way Sam was at this moment. Sam felt not fragile or broken but bended, and she hadn't thought about asking her about it till earlier.

"Sam-" Lara begun but Sam's head shot up and the expression on her face stopped her from finishing the sentence. Sam looked drained emotionally, eyes read, with a confused but upset look.

"Lara," She breathed. "Please no. Not tonight..I just can't." Lara nodded and gave her a small smile. Sam felt guilty. "I'm sorry..I really am but I-" Lara shook her head.

"No, it's alright love." She reassured her bringing a hand from the small in Sam's back to brush bangs behind Sam's ear. "I understand." And she did. There was a point not too long ago that Lara herself couldn't talk about what was bothering her, in fact it was only when Sam pushed her to find help that she realized she needed it. Sam had asked her about her dreams as well and Lara had only just last month started opening up about them.

Sam couldn't help but stare at her thinking of something to say when the words slipped out, "I love you." Lara had stood there shocked freezing, and Sam worried it had been...wrong to say but Lara gave her a smile kissing her forehead.

"You're drunk," She chuckled. "we can talk about it tomorrow as well alright?" Sam only nodded. Lara felt the need to believe it but.. she didn't trust the words of intoxication. "Now, off to the couch or bed?" She let go of Sam stepping back out of her arms.

Sam's heart dropped, had it been to much to say it? "Couch..?" She asked confused about the question.

"Alright," She took a moment to close the door and lock it before leading Sam to the couch and setting her down as she shed her long sleeve shirt revealing the tanktop beneath and kicking off her shoes. "Anything in particular you would like to view and criticize?" She asked as she joined Sam on the couch.

"Not interviews." She groaned leaning into Lara. Lara chuckled and of course and picked something.

Truth be told Sam hadn't paid any attention to what played at all, she was stuck in a limbo of sorts of thoughts racing through her head. Soon enough the world drowned out in black as she fell asleep silently. Sam was sure that the man Jimson had known too much and while she knew usually friends or family had sold out to people so-to-speak or accidentally let on more than they meant to she hadn't thought anyone she knew would do it. He knew too much she and the others had told very very few people. Lara wouldn't have told him about the therapy she sought out, or the times she'd leave her fathers work place yelling at him in japanese. Jonah hadn't been there, and Reyes never would not matter how much they'd bicker.

Then there was how she was going to word to Lara "I'm not okay, I wake up earlier than you so you don't have to see how much of a mess I am, I have nightmares constantly, I'm paranoid, my father is an ass, and I just find breathing hard" in a more desriptive manner and non-exhausting way. The thought of having to tell anyone this or the why specifically had run her down and she hated to think that's what it came to. Being tired at the thought of telling your bestfriend why you're not okay wasn't what she had planned today.

Soon enough Sam would be awakened by Lara to eat something and then head back to bed with her if she wanted announcing it was about 2:00 AM. She did eat, simple PBJ sandwich and grabbed a drink watching Lara as she sat at the table and ate a bowl of- whatever the hell it was. Some kind of rice as far she knew, but as Lara rose her eyebrow at Sam, Sam turned on her heels and headed for their room.

"I'm going to work." She said humourlessly immitating a business like demeanor and Lara snorted following her shaking her head. "Come along assitant." She joked.

"Yes ma'am." Lara retorted in a lously american accent. Sam sat at her chair on her desk and Lara sat at the edge of the bed crossing her legs and watching her. "You're really working?" Sam nodded.

"Yeah, if I don't then all of the shit dad argued to me about will come back to bite me in the ass." She stuffed her mouth full of her food as she opened her laptop and sighed in somewhat relief she hadn't shut it down. She had worked painfully for hours to recover what she could from a fried camera her father had been after her about. He hadn't meant any harm in it but she had promised to get it done and it still hadn't been done. She just wanted to get this over with so she could get him off her back.

"Sam?" Lara said clearing her throat as she watched Sam do- whatever it was she was doing. "What did you two argue about?" Sam froze but turned to her and seemed to nod to herself like she was agreeing to do something.

"This-" She pointed to the screen, "-is remains from a camera that- you remember that fire last week? The one that happened in the building?" Lara nodded, she had heard about it. "This is from one of those camera's that somehow managed to be salvagable. Dad called me down, I thought he wanted to have lunch you know? But he bothered me until I agreed to salvage the footage I could find and bring it to him. Earlier he called me back down to hassle me about it. We argued and I left. I'm just going over this to group project files and shit for him." She turned back to the screen.

"So, because you were taking your time on this he started a heated argument?" Sam sighed and nodded.

He had done that yet again? Before it had been an argument about denial, Lara had wanted to argue with him and she had even started but he begun to speak in Japanese and she had been rather rusty so she hung up on him after telling him to eaither support his daughter or pull the stick out of his ass. It always bothered Sam to no end when she and her father fought because truth be told she never wanted to fight with him but sometimes he liked the fight it seemed. It upset Sam more than anything, and most of the time it was when one or the other just refused to listen to each other. Yet, he knew how crucial it was she take her time on anything and everything. Her jaw clenched.

"Hand me the phone please," Sam blinked at her. "Hand me the phone. I am going to-"

"No, no, no." Sam told her scooting the phone further on her desk and facing Lara completely. "No Lara. Please don't. I've already had enough shit from him, I'd rather not get a call sometime this week from him yelling at me about my girlfriend grilling him." Sam sighed.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yeah he is still on the assumption we're together." Lara didn't say anything. "Lara, just- tomorrow okay? I can tell by the look on your face something's bothering you as well. We can just- have a confession day tomorrow all you want. I just want to save this and go to bed okay? My head is killing me here." Lara only nodded and continued finishing her meal.

The rest of the night would go in silence. Sam spending an extra hour on the project she was working on until Lara came back from the kitchen, switched to sweats, and convinced her to say then crawl in bed. A promise of it being there tomorrow and a warm welcoming bed beckoned her from the desk to her spot. In truth the thought of sleep enticed her more than anything as long as it was sleepless. Lara couldn't promise than but she did promise to be there during the night no matter what. Sam only nodded after changing into some shorts and a shirt of a bone and the words "You're my fossil, I'd dig for you" that made Lara snort but pull her into the bed underneath comfortable covers. Sam muttered something before she fell asleep against Lara and Lara could only nod and relax herself with the weight and warmth of Sam against her.

"Tomorrow." She sighed and soon fell asleep.