A/N: Good news, besides the new chapter, I officially have an outline for the rest of the story, so I won't be stuck anymore. Yay! Okay, I'll stop talking now and you can just read the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. All characters, places, etc., belong to Terri Farley.

Chapter Nine

By: TheEquestrianWriter

Sam came to to the jarring impact of her body being slammed into something hard. She could only see blackness, but her body was crammed into a small space, the smell of exhaust filling her nostrils and her hands were bound behind her back. The car lurched to a sudden stop and Sam hit the back of the trunk with a muffled cry. Just as fast the car sped off launching Sam across the small space until the opposite wall stopped her.

Don't cry, Sam told herself as she bit her lip to stop the tears that were filling her eyes. Blinking the tears back, Sam flipped onto her back, relieved that her legs were still free, and started kicking at the top of the trunk. She started screaming as well, hoping wherever she was, someone would hear her.

The car came to another sudden stop and this time it was followed by one of the doors opening and then it slammed shut. Sam pressed her lips together as she listened to the footsteps coming closer. They stopped right in front of the trunk and then the sound of a key sliding into the lock. Sam held her breath and shifted her position so that she could get a good view of her kidnapper.

But when the trunk opened, sunlight flooded in blinding Sam for a moment. All she could see was a large shadowy figure looming over her. They were broad-shouldered like a man and he reached down toward her. Sam shrank back, but she couldn't stop him from covering her face with a cloth. She struggled, kicked out with her legs, but he didn't waver.

Sam started to get light-headed and her eyelids drooped closed. But she fought to stay awake, though it was a losing battle. Her body became limp as the darkness crept over her.

X/X/X/X/X/X

When Sam awoke again, she was disoriented and her head felt weird. She lifted it gingerly to see her surroundings. She was lying on a bare mattress of a four-poster bed, her hands were unbound she realized. There was little light in the room, a bare, yellow light bulb on the ceiling. A wooden chest sat at the foot of the bed, the rest of the room was empty.

Easing off the bed, Sam walked to the only window in the room. It faced a deserted alley, trash littering the pavement. Sam tried to open the window, but it didn't budge. She jiggled it more, but still nothing happened. Sam banged on the glass with her hand, crying out. The reality of her situation was setting in.

Eventually, Sam turned toward the door. It looked like any normal door anybody would have in their house. But Sam felt fear slide down her spine as she thought of what could be on the other side of the door. She had to do something, though, she couldn't just do nothing.

Sam went to the door and tried the door knob. It was locked. She began tugging on it with all her might, hoping it would open, unrealistic she knew, but she was desperate.

"Let me out!" Sam yelled, knowing there was somebody who could hear her. "Please let me out!" She banged on the door a few times with her fist. Sam paused for a moment, listening. The sound of footsteps echoed from the hall.

"Help, please help me!" Sam called, hoping they were friend and not foe. She resumed her banging.

"Go check on the other one," came a gruff voice. Sam froze, knowing that voice. "I'll take care of this one." Another pair of footsteps echoed, but this time they moved away from the door.

Sam's heart beat fast when she heard a key slide into the lock. She didn't move though, she couldn't. Her breaths came in short gasps as there was a click of the door unlocking and then the door knob started to turn. Still Sam didn't move, even though her head was screaming at her to move.

Suddenly, the door was shoved open, knocking Sam to the floor. Caleb stalked into the room and almost looked surprised when he saw her on the floor.

"Going somewhere?" he smiled down at her and held a hand out as if offering to help her up. Sam didn't take it, instead she stood up on her own, glaring at him.

"That's not a pretty look," Caleb said closing the door. All hope of escape vanished. "What's the matter, princess?"

"You've made a big mistake when you kidnapped me," Sam replied. "The police are going to find you and when-"

"Your father is the one who made the mistake when he stole my wife from me," Caleb interrupted. "I'm sure he regrets that choice now that I have two things that are his."

"She wasn't your wife, she was my mother, and you took her away from me!" Sam exclaimed, anger fueling her words. "And I took her back. It was me, my father had nothing to do with this."

"Oh, well, thanks for clearing that up. I'll be sure to repay you for that later," Caleb told her. "Too bad it's too late to make it all right. Anyway, you are needed someplace else." He grabbed her arm and started to pull her toward the door, but Sam twisted out of his grip.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Sam snapped.

"Then what will I tell your brother?" Caleb asked her. "He's been really upset, seeing you would have brighten his spirits. Oh, well, that's the way of half-siblings I suppose."

"Cody," Sam gasped. This time when Caleb grabbed her, she didn't struggle. She let Caleb pull her out of the room.

He led her down the hallway, a few doors down, a door was slightly ajar. Hysterical crying could be heard from inside the room. She bolted forward into the room.

The room was identical to hers. A crib, which was bare, was against the far wall and a rocking chair was in one corner. A man was leaning over the crib trying to console Cody, but making it worse instead. He spun around when Sam ran in.

"Good you're here," the man said to her. He came over to her and dropped a clean diaper and some wipes into her hands. "You're going to need these." He walked over to where Caleb stood in the doorway.

"You have ten minutes to get him quiet," Caleb told her. "Or else, our little visit will be cut tragically short." At that, the two men left the room. Sam flinched when the door slammed shut and the click as the door was locked.

Cody's cries had slowed to whimpers and Sam looked over at him, he was peering at her through the bars of the crib. "Hey, Cody," Sam said, trying to keep her voice calm, even though it was difficult. She walked up to the crib and reached down toward the baby.

Her baby brother was still in the same blue and white striped pajamas he was in before he was taken. "Do you want to get cleaned?" She undid the snaps on the pajamas and stripped off the soiled diaper. Cody started to quiet down as Sam cleaned him and put on a new diaper.

When Cody was all clean, Sam picked him up and carried him to the rocking chair. It was old, but looked relatively safe. Sam sat down and started rocking back and forth, letting Cody suck on her finger. There was a small cut above the baby's lip, but it looked like it was healing. She also didn't know when he had last eaten. He wasn't fussing anymore, so it must have been recent.

The rocking motion was putting Cody to sleep and it was starting to ease her fear, even though their situation hasn't changed. There was something soothing about rocking a baby to sleep. Sam leaned her head back against the chair and started to sing softly.

Just close your eyes

The sun is going down

You'll be alright

No one can hurt you now

Come morning light

Sam looked down and saw Cody's eyes closed and his breaths were slow and even. She stood up and went to put Cody in the crib. She covered him with the small, ripped blanket and then the door burst open. Caleb walked in, grabbed Sam and started to drag her out of the room. Sam didn't fight, she stared at her baby brother sleeping quietly in the crib. He deserved to be home with his parents, safe and happy, not here. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her brother's image. She was the reason he was here and Sam was going to make sure Cody got back home safe, no matter what the cost.

You and I will be safe and sound

A/N: So, what do you think? Like I said before, I have a complete outline for the rest of the story, but I will also be updating my other stories at the same, so I'm not sure how fast the next chapter will be up. Hopefully, the updates will become more regular. Please review and tell me what you thought. :)