A/N: I'm a few days late with this chapter, but it's longer than the others have been, so I think that makes up for it. Enjoy. Song lyrics are Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars and Wherever You Will Go by The Calling.

Chapter Seventeen

Sam and Jake were sitting in the hallway just outside the hotel room. Caleb had been right; there was no one else in the hotel. Jake only made it to the end of the hallway, leaving a trail of blood in his wake, yelling for anybody. By the time he came back, Sam was cowering outside the door, unable to go back in. Having discovered they were in a hotel in Reno, Jake had called for an ambulance on the hotel phone. After that, he hadn't had the strength to stand any longer and collapsed to the hallway floor. Sam had crawled over to him and he wrapped his arms around her.

Now, they leaned on each other as they waited for the ambulance. Sam lifted her head from Jake's shoulder, when she felt his arms slacken from around her. "Jake?" Sam whispered, looking at him. His eyes were half-closed and his head lulled to the side. His skin was pale and he had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"Jake!" Sam cried, shaking his shoulder.

Jake's eyes flicked open and glanced at her. "'S okay," he muttered incoherently. His eyes slid closed again and Sam panicked. She looked around for anything to bind his wound with. When she found nothing, Sam ripped a piece of cloth from the bottom of Jake's t-shirt she was wearing. She moved to Jake's left leg and started to wrap the cloth around the wound. Jake jerked hard and groaned when she pulled it tight, but Sam was glad. It meant that he was still with her. Afterwards, Sam pulled Jake into her lap and put her head down next to his.

"Please don't leave me," she whispered in his ear.

I remember tears streaming down your face,

When I said, I'll never let you go

When all those shadows almost killed your light

I remember you said, don't leave me alone

But all that's dead and gone and passed...tonight

Five minutes later, Sam heard the faint roar of sirens and then the ding of the elevator. Footsteps ran toward her along with the sound of a stretcher being pushed. Sam didn't move until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She flinched away from it and looked up.

A woman in her early thirties, with mocha-colored hair was kneeling in front of her. "Are you hurt?" she asked Sam.

Sam just stared at her, unsure of how to answer. Another paramedic kneeled down next to Jake and started assessing the damage to his leg. Sam watched him, her grip on Jake tightening. Meanwhile, the female paramedic was still trying to talk to her.

"What's your name?" she was asking. "Do you know what happened here?"

Sam opened her mouth, but shook her head when no words came out. "Sam..." she managed to say in a hoarse whisper.

"Hello, Sam, I'm Julia," she smiled. "Can you stand?"

Sam gripped Jake even harder, not wanting to leave him. Before she could answer though, the paramedic working on Jake turned to a third one. "Get that stretcher over here!" he told him. "He's lost a lot of blood." Together, the two male paramedics started to lift Jake up onto the stretcher.

"Noo!" Sam screamed, pulling Jake toward her. All three paramedics stopped and stared at her, startled by her outburst. "Don't take him!" Sam wrapped her arms around him, holding him against her.

"They're just trying to help him, Sam," Julia assured her. "He's been hurt badly, he needs medical help." She look at the other two paramedics worryingly.

"You can't take him away from me," Sam mumbled. She sniffed. "Don't take him away from me."

"Sam. Sam, look at me," Julia said. Finally, Sam looked at her, her eyes wet with tears. "He needs help. We can help him, if you let us." Sam stared at Julia and her arms loosened from around Jake. Two other paramedics took the advantage and lifted Jake onto the stretcher. As they started to wheel him away, Sam lunged toward the stretcher.

"No, please, no! Don't take him away!" Sam cried, reaching out as if trying to grab a hold of the stretcher. Julia caught her before she could get that far and the other paramedics kept pushing Jake toward the elevator. "Please, come back! Come back!"

"Calm down, just calm down," Julia was saying. She held Sam against the floor as she continued to thrash about, trying to get to Jake.

"Please let me go!" Sam begged.

"Just calm down," Julia soothed. Then, Sam felt a sharp prick on the side of her neck and her whole body started to go numb. Sam fought the sleepy feeling that came over her, needing to get away from here and to Jake. She cried out Jake's name as her body went limp and everything faded to black.

Just close your eyes

The sun is going down

You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now

/X/

"Come morning light, you and I will be

Safe and Sound."

Sylvie stood by the window of the apartment looking out at the San Francisco night. She was holding Cody in her arms and was singing softly to him. The one-year-old was having a hard time going to sleep and Sylvie was trying anything. She looked down at the little boy in her arms, his head resting on her shoulder, he had finally fallen asleep. Sylvie turned her head slightly when she heard soft footsteps enter the living room.

Corey walked toward her clad in only a towel that hung low on his hips and his blonde hair was still damp from the shower. "I see he finally went to sleep," he whispered. Sylvie nodded. Corey gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"I should get him to bed before he wakes up," Sylvie said. "Or you'll be the one putting him back to sleep."

Corey grinned. "Okay, go." He sent Sylvie off and went to their bedroom. He pulled open his dresser drawers and pulled out a pair of boxers and black sweatpants. After pulling them on, his eyes glanced at something nestled among his socks. It was a small, white bracelet, but when he picked it up, he could feel the fine, soft hairs it was made of and it glinted silver in the light. He had found it down in the tunnels, it must belong to Samantha. It seemed like something she would wear.

Suddenly, a pair of arms slipped around his waist. "What's that?" Sylvie asked, peering around him at the bracelet. Corey jumped a little, he hadn't even heard her come in. He quickly dropped the bracelet into his pocket and turned in Sylvie's arms. His hands rested lightly on her hips.

"Nothing," Corey said, hoping she wouldn't press further.

Sylvie grinned. "It wasn't nothing. I saw it, it was like some kind of bracelet." She thrusted her hand into his pocket and, before he could stop her, she pulled the bracelet out. "Oh my god, what is it?" Sylvie held the bracelet up, admiring it. Corey tried to reach for it again, but Sylvie walked away, holding the bracelet away from him.

"What do you think it's made of?" Sylvie asked. "It's got to be some kind of animal hair, right?"

"I don't know," Corey said, holding his hand out. "Can I have it back, please?"

"Why?" Sylvie asked him, giving him a sly look. "If you want it, come and get it." She held the bracelet at bay and danced away from him. Corey lunged for her, but Sylvie was quicker. She jumped on the bed and landed on the other side, laughing the whole time. Sylvie raised the bracelet triumphantly over her head and then slipped the bracelet over her wrist.

"Dammit, Sylvie, take that off! It's not yours!" Corey snapped. Sylvie lowered her arm, the laughter dying on her lips. Corey instantly regretted yelling at her, but before he could apologize to her, crying started from down the hall.

"I should get him," Sylvie muttered, walking to the door. As she passed him, Sylvie shoved the bracelet into Corey's hands.

After she left, Corey sighed and plopped down on the end of the bed. He ran a hand through his hair. The last few days were nothing but stress, but she shouldn't have yelled Sylvie like that. It wasn't her fault. He was the one who went along with Caleb to kidnap a young girl, only because he promised them a baby, who needed to be adopted. It would be a fast and easy adoption, Caleb had told them. They just had to do one thing for him. Corey hadn't wanted Sylvie involved, so he went alone.

Corey opened his hand and stared at the silver bracelet. He couldn't help but think of Samantha when he looked at it. The last time Corey saw her, he'd hurt her and had delivered her to Caleb's waiting van. Caleb had told him, he wanted to get know his daughter, but that didn't give him the right to kidnap her and treat her like a prisoner, did it?

From the corner of his eye, Corey saw Sylvie enter the room, her tan, bare legs passing him. She didn't say anything to him as she climbed into bed. Finally, Corey stood up and faced her, unable to take the silence any longer.

"I'm sorry," he burst out without preamble.

"It's okay," Sylvie mumbled, taking off her necklace. She put it down on the bedside table and looked up at him. "Stress comes with having a new baby."

"No, I shouldn't have yelled at you, period." Corey said. He held up the silver bracelet. "This belongs to Sam- Caleb's daughter. Sylvie, I did something awful."

Worry lines creased in Sylvie's forehead, as he waited for him to continue.

"I kidnapped her," Corey managed to keep his voice low. He would have shouted it, but he didn't want to wake up Cody again.

Sylvie furrowed her brows. "Kidnapped who? What are you talking about?" she asked him.

"Sam," Corey elaborated. "I kidnapped her. I took her from her home, away from her family, and brought her to Caleb."

Sylvie sucked in a breath and sat up straighter. "He had you kidnap his own daughter?" she questioned. She shook her head. "That doesn't make any sense. Why?"

Corey shrugged. "I don't know," he confessed. "Caleb barely told me anything. Sylvie, he treated her like a prisoner down in those tunnels and she was literally terrified of him."

"Well, Caleb always had his own way of doing things. My dad was always saying how eccentric he was." Sylvie said. "I'm not saying what he did was right, but he is her father. I'm sure everything will turn out right in the end. But in the mean time, you should send that back to Sam. She'll be glad to have it back."

"I will," Corey nodded. He set the bracelet down on the dresser for now and walked over to the bed. "How did I get so lucky to marry such an amazing woman like you?" He leaned on the bed toward her.

"Oh, come on, that's not true," Sylvie replied, modestly, looking down. A blush creeped along her tan skin. Corey put a hand under her chin and lifted it, so that her brown eyes met his blue ones.

"You are to me," Corey whispered to her. Then, he pressed his lips to hers. The kiss started off soft and slow, but quickly became heated. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Sylvie smiled, breathlessly. She pulled him back on top of her and they kissed passionately. Corey pushed her tank top up her stomach, his fingers tracing circles on her skin. While Sylvie's fingernails raked up his back.

They stayed locked in their embrace long into the night until exhaustion finally took them. Corey pulled Sylvie to him, breathing in her scent of honey and cinnamon. No matter what life threw at her, Sylvie always believed something good would come out of it. Corey promised he would make it up to Sam, starting with her bracelet. He would send it back to her tomorrow, one small step towards making amends. Corey closed his eyes and let his mind drift off to sleep.

/X/

So, lately, been wondering

Who will be there to take by place?

Sam awoke to bright lights, the whirring of machines, and the hustle bustle of people moving to and fro. She squinted against the harsh light and saw a shadow hovering above her. A whimper escaped her throat as she tried to move away on the small, uncomfortable bed she was lying on.

"Oh, good, you're awake," the shadow spoke to her. Her eyes were beginning to adjust and she could make out a petite woman in purple scrubs, her long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"Where am I?" Sam croaked out, her body tense. She struggled to sit up on the gurney. She was in a small room, surrounded by a blue, plastic curtain. "What did you do to me?"

"You're in the hospital. You were hysterical when the paramedics found you, they a gave you a light sedative." the woman told her.

When I'm gone, you'll need love

To light the shadows on your face

Hysterical? She was hysterical? She could barely remember what happened after... after what Caleb did to her. There was just snatches of memory. Pain. Blood. Lots of blood. And then, there was Jake. The last she saw him, he was unconscious and had lost a lot of blood. She had to find him. Sam started to get up, when the curtain burst open, startling the nurse who had been attempting to stop Sam. She stared at the new woman, thinking she was dreaming, but then she spoke.

"Sammy! You're okay!"

"Mom?" Somewhere inside, Sam knew she shouldn't be surprised to see her mother standing in front of her, but after so many years of not having her mother there, it was still a shock.

"I'm here, honey," Louise said, coming to stand next to her and pushing her hand through Sam's hair. "Your dad and Brynna are here too, only one of us were allowed in to see you."

"And Jake?" Sam asked. But before Louise could answer, the curtain opened again and this time a middle-age doctor walked in. He had dark hair that was graying around the edges and an easy smile on his face.

If a great wave shall fall,

And fall upon us all

Then between the sand and stone,

Could you make it on your own?

"No," Sam gasped, shrinking back on the gurney until her back hit the wall. Louise stared at her daughter.

"Sam-" she started to say.

"Hey, Samantha," the doctor interrupted. "Good to see you awake. I'm Dr. Collins. I'm just going to check you over and if everything is alright, you'll be able to leave."

"No, stay away from me," Sam told him.

Louise looked at her in confusion. "Sam, he just wants to help you," she assured her daughter. She took her hand.

Sam shook her head. "Mom, please don't let him near me!" Sam begged, gripping her mother's hand with both of hers. "I don't want him here!" Louise looked at Dr. Collins with a worried expression.

"Sam, I'm not going to hurt you," Dr. Collins tried. "Just let me check you, okay, and then you can go home."

"No!" Sam cried. She turned toward her mother. "I want Jake! You have to find him, he was hurt bad. Please, you have to go find him!"

"Jake is here in the hospital, Sam, the doctors are working on him," Louise told her, holding Sam by her shoulders.

"I can get another doctor to look at her," Dr. Collins suggested, backing away toward the opening in the curtain.

Louise nodded. "I think that would be for the best," she said.

Dr. Collins turned to the nurse, who was still in the cubicle. "Nurse, will you page Dr. Edwards and tell her, we need her down here." The nurse nodded and hurried through the curtain.

"Sam, would you like me to leave?" Dr. Collins asked her. Sam didn't answer; she stared at him, her back still pressed to the wall. Taking that as his answer, Dr. Collins nodded to Louise and left the two of them alone.

When the doctor had gone, Louise turned to her daughter. "Sam. Sammy," she said. When Sam finally looked at her, Louise continued, "Can you tell me what happened? What did Caleb do to you?"

If I could, then I would

I'll go wherever you will go

Way up high or down low

I'll go wherever you will go

Flashes of images zoomed across Sam's vision. The abandoned house. The tunnels. Jake. The kiss. The van. Hotel room. Gunshot. Caleb's hands on her. Another gunshot. Blood. Sam shook her head furiously and the images fell apart as tears leaked out of her eyes. She stared at her mother through blurred vision and uttered only one word.

"Jake,"

/X/

And maybe, I'll find out

A way to make it back some day

"This is ridicules," Jake muttered as his mother pushed him down the hallway of the Reno hospital in a wheelchair. "I can walk on my own."

"Hospital policy, Jacob Ely," Maxine told him. "It's the wheelchair or you stay overnight."

Jake grunted. The doctors had suggested he stay overnight just to make sure infection didn't set in, Jake hadn't gone for it then either. The bullet had been successfully removed, after he'd been give a blood transfusion, four hours later, Jake was ready to go home. He had insisted on wearing his ripped and bloodied jeans and the nurses had given him a green scrubs shirt to put on.

To watch you, to guide you

Through the darkest of your days

As they entered the crowded E.R., Jake craned his neck, searching for Sam. He saw Wyatt and Brynna sitting in two hard, plastic hospital chairs. Wyatt had his head in his hands, both of them had their backs to him, so they hadn't seen him yet. Suddenly, there was a loud, panicked cry from one of the closed-off cubicles. The sound reverberated through Jake, so that he felt it deep in his soul. It was Sam.

If a great wave shall fall,

And fall upon us all

Well, then, I hope there's someone out there who,

Can bring me back to you

Wyatt and Brynna knew it too; they jumped up and ran toward one of the cubicles, hovering just outside. There was another cry, followed by his name. Jake didn't waste another second, he leaped up from the wheelchair, ignoring the dull pain in his left leg, and ran towards the cubicle and Sam.

Jake started to pull open the curtain when he heard the elevator ding. Then, two sets of heavy footsteps were approaching them. Jake turned and saw two police officers, their faces set and a pair of gleaming handcuffs in one of their hands. His heart sped up, he knew what was coming. He backed up closer to the curtain.

I know now, just quite how

My life and love might still go on

Seeing his movement, the first officer rushed him, wrenching his arms behind his back before he could move again. "Jacob Ely," the officer boomed. "You're under arrest for the murder of Caleb Sawyer."

In your heart, in your mind

I'll stay with you, for all of time

Jake didn't resist as the police officers dragged him away. His gaze never left the closed curtain, where Sam sat alone and terrified. Her frantic voice kept calling to him, wanting him to come. With each step he took away from Sam, Jake could feel himself losing her.

I'm sorry, Sam.

A/N: Well, how was it? The next chapter will be up, hopefully, some time next week, maybe sooner. Please review, it makes me write faster. :)