Brooke watched as Rebecca paced the floor, "Open the email we just got."
"That's what I was about to do before you came in here."
Brooke clicked the link and a YouTube video titled "Girl fight at Beach Bonfire" opened up.
By then Rebecca had strode to watch along with Brooke. She had already seen it, but why not keep fueling the fire?
Brooke put a hand to her mouth as she watched the video play out. It seemed to have started after something was said because she heard Tamara scream something about a twig and then saw her whole body flash across the screen and come at a sitting….Ashley. That little demon spawn. Of course it had to be her.
They watched as chaos ensued and she reflexively gasped when she saw her daughter hit a girl square in the nose and then get punched in the stomach herself.
"Oh. My. God." She muttered.
Rebecca then frowned and took a deep breath as she saw Liz get slapped and her reciprocate the move but added a few shoves and hair pulls as well. Her bug was a little fighter apparently.
Brooke fell against her chair, "How bad?" She already knew that the reason her publicist sent it was because it had reached the public eye.
"All over the web. TMZ picked it up."
"Shit." Brooke felt her stomach bubble up with nerves. Her daughter was now the highlight of a media shit storm, but worst of all her baby girl decided it was okay to not tell her that she had, quite literally, gotten into a fight.
"We have to get them out of school."
Brooke's head snapped up from the hand it was resting on, "What?" She was in her own world for a bit.
Rebecca sighed, "We have to bring them here. Rose already said she wants to get ahead of this and know the whole story as soon as possible, and seeing that you're just as surprised as I am, I'm assuming you didn't even know this happened either?"
Brooke rubbed her temple, feeling a headache coming on. She wasn't even sure how to confront this. She didn't know how to feel. Her daughter got into a fight, but she wasn't angry. She wanted to be, but she wasn't. Sam had stood up for herself, and Brooke felt that's exactly what Sam needed to do. To empower herself. And she'd done it! Albeit in a way that she couldn't condone.
"I'll call Lucas let him know what's going on so he can sign her out and I'll send a driver to bring them here."
Rebecca sighed, "I'm frustrated. They should've told us what happened!" She looked at her friend and could tell they were thinking the same thing. She sat down and spoke more softly, "But at the same time. I'm, I'm not-"
"Not mad?"
Rebecca sighed and sat down. "Yes."
Brooke nodded, "I know. I don't, I don't know. Becs, what do I do?" She looked at her friend, "I, I'm so tired of punishing her. That little face she gives me when I do." Brooke thought back to the scrunched up, angry pout, Sam gives her whenever her punishment was being handed down. She sighed, "I just, I don't want to. Not for this."
Brooke just wanted to hear what Rebecca thought. She trusted Rebecca. After all, she was more experienced. She'd had her kid for 15 years. Brooke had Sam for a mere seven months.
Rebecca could see how conflicted Brooke felt. She gave her friend a reassuring look, "The girls are fine." She spoke softly, "They need a good talking to because they shouldn't have kept this from us, but if you don't feel that you should punish her, then follow that voice...It's usually right Brooke. That's your maternal instinct, but I'm sure you already know that."
Brooke sighed, "If I wasn't famous this wouldn't have spiraled. We wouldn't have to be dealing with the repercussions. If I wasn't-"
"If you weren't Brooke Davis, we wouldn't have found out that this happened. The girls would've kept it a secret from us. Aren't you relieved to at least know?" Rebecca added before Brooke kept going.
Brooke looked at her friend with some sadness, "Millions of people just watched this. The tabloids are going to have a field day. Sam's so fragile, I don't want this to affect her even more."
Rebecca gave Brooke a very knowing look, "One thing I've learned is that kids will surprise you. She's probably stronger than she looks Brooke."
A small voice in Brooke's head also agreed with Rebecca. Her daughter was a trooper, and she probably wouldn't even care. But she'd just have to wait until the two little culprits walked into the office to see just how things would turn out. Brooke also knew she'd have to have a long talk with a certain 16 year old by the name of Tamara.
Just then Millie came into the office, "Brooke, Sam's school is on line 1."
"Her school?" Brooke asked,
Rebecca looked on with a resigned dread. They were getting called in.
"This is Brooke Davis."
Rebecca watched as Brooke nodded her head and said "Mhm. Yes, I understand."
She felt her own phone buzz in her pocket and figured it was the school calling her in as well. She exited and went to answer the phone call.
When both mothers exited their respective offices they both gave each other a sigh for what was to come.
"Luke couldn't do it?" Rebecca asked.
"They're trying to find a sub for his class so he can come in, but to be safe they're asking me in."
Millie shyly spoke up, "Brooke, I know Sam's your priority but Rose just got here and if you want to calm the media storm you need to get ahead of this, like, now."
Brooke bit her lip as she thought of what to do. She made a split second decision, "I'll bring Rose with me. She needs to hear the story and she'll get it at this meeting."
Rebecca gave her an uncertain look, "Are you sure?"
"I know it's not ideal, but we'll kill two birds with one stone. Milie, where is she?"
"Downstairs."
"Tell her to wait for me there. We'll be down in a minute."
Millie gave her a short nod and phoned Maurice, letting him know to have Rose wait for Brooke and Rebecca.
… …. ..
Liz and Sam were sitting in the school's office their heads down. Liz nervously moving her leg up and down, Sam sitting on her hands, squirming with unease. The moment they got to first period and were shown a phone with that video playing they knew they were in for it. It wouldn't be long before the press caught on, and oh boy did they. Liz, who understood the celebrity world told Sam in advance this would happen. Sam looked at her incredulously but realized that she was probably right. Her parents were certainly going to kill her. She internally wondered if they regretted taking her in. She certainly would've regretted taking herself in.
Sam turned when she saw Liz sink down into the chair.
"What's wrong?" She whispered to Liz
"My mom. I hear her." Liz muttered nervously.
Sam wondered how in the world she had known that, but when she heard the familiar click of Brooke's stride in her heels she understood.
Both girls braced themselves. Liz was trying hard not to burst out in tears right then. Her mom was going to kill her. She had already made it clear that fighting was a huge no-no in the Stein household. Liz had learned that early on at 5 years old when her mother had made her go to nasty Ernie's house to apologize for purposely pushing him and making him scrape his knee. Liz could distinctly remember knocking on the big white door waiting for dumb mean Ernie to come out.
When the women entered Sam noticed another woman with red hair, probably in her late twenties trail behind them both.
Brooke and Rebecca stood before their daughters.
"Mom we-" Liz tried to put in her two cents while Sam just wrung her hands tighter and decided that her fingers were much more interesting than her mother's eyes.
Rebecca put her finger to her lips, effectively silencing her. "This is Rose. Say hello."
"Hi"
"Hello"
Both Liz and Sam said through mumbles and blushing faces.
Brooke saw Sam's confused face, and so explained who she was, "Rose is my publicist. She's here because she needs to fix the media storm surrounding that video of you two."
Sam looked up, "We weren't the only ones though Brooke, and you don't know all of what happened yet. I-"
Brooke put her hand up, "Sam...I know I don't know everything yet. That's why I'm here and why Rose is here. So we can get the whole story. I'm sure what happened was for a reason. I'm not saying otherwise."
Sam sunk back down. What did that mean?...Did that mean they were out of the woods? But her mom still looked so serious.
Rebecca studied her daughter. She could tell her bug wanted to cry. She figured the girls could hold some of that apprehension until after, when they'd be told that they weren't in any trouble. But for now, her bug could wallow in her thoughts. "We're going to sign in alright. You guys sit tight." Rebecca finally said.
"We've been sitting tight." Liz said through a sigh.
"Sorry." Liz quickly responded to her mother's pointed glare.
Rose sat down between the girls and gave them a bright smile, "It's nice to meet you Sam." She had already met Liz before.
Sam gave her a half hearted smile, "I'm sorry we messed up."
Liz turned to her, "Yeah Rose, we weren't thinking. I should've known. I'm sorry."
Rose gave both their hands a squeeze, "We'll fix this. I'm excellent at this stuff. No worries. As long as you're honest in what happened I can fix it."
Soon enough Rebecca was sitting next to Liz as they waited to be called in. The girl, although still unsure of what her mom was going to do at home, instinctively melted to her mother's side and was glad when her mother wrapped an arm around her and kissed her head.
"We're talking later little bug." She whispered into her daughter's ear. Liz stiffened, and Rebecca just rubbed her back until she relaxed once more. She felt bad that Sam was by herself, but Brooke was currently talking to Lucas, trying to explain everything. He had seen the video, but that was it.
Sam was giving her parents surreptitious glances as she turned her head to look out the window. Her father had just come and Brooke and him were having a conversation outside the office. Lucas turned and saw her watching them through the window. She quickly turned back around and folded her hands onto her lap. What the hell were they talking about?
When both came in they didn't get a chance to say anything because the principal called them into the office. Sam saw her dad extend his hand and Sam slowly got up and took it. He looked down, "Come on. Let's do this so we can talk after."
All the adults and the two girls crammed into the principal's office. Sam felt her father place his hands on her shoulders as he was standing behind her, and her mother took the seat next to her. Rebecca doing the same for her daughter.
The principal looked on and Brooke saw his eyes go towards Rose, "She's my publicist."
She chanced a look at Sam when she said that and could see her blush and sink a bit in her chair. She knew it was probably embarrassing to have your mother's publicist lugged around with you. She sighed a bit, but quickly returned to the situation at hand.
The principal began, "Before anyone asks I will talk with Ashley, but I wanted to get both of your sides of the story. As this happened off school grounds and not on school time I cannot discipline you, but this cannot happen anymore." He looked at Sam, "And my worry is not what the media thinks. Ms. Davis."
"Walker." Sam corrected him.
"What?" The principal was caught off guard.
She bit her lip, "My name's Samantha Walker...not Davis. They haven't adopted me yet."
The principal looked at the uncomfortable and stunned faces on the others in the room. Sam realized her mistake, "I mean, I didn't mean it like that. I just mean that-"
Sam didn't really know what she meant. It had just come out. It popped in her head and she said it. "I..I'm"
Lucas placed a kiss on her daughter's head and whispered in her ear, "It's okay baby."
Sam turned to look at his dad who gave her a reassuring smile and then quickly nodded.
Brooke looked at her daughter with curiosity, then when the principal continued to talk she grabbed her daughter's hand and gently squeezed it letting her know that it was okay.
"Well...Ms. Walker. I don't care about this media storm, what I care about is the well being of my students. Now I assume, that, parents, you will assure that this doesn't happen again."
Rebecca spoke up, "Don't worry we will."
Liz closed her eyes for a second wishing the world could swallow her up.
"Okay, now if we can move towards figuring out what happened that caused this video to erupt." The principal added.
Liz stayed quiet, so Sam took a deep breath and spoke up, "She came up to us talking about how we were Liz's vagabond crew, and I told her to back off and take her, umm." Sam squirmed a bit, "Her, umm, attentions seeking butt elsewhere and I guess I kinda embarrassed her when I said that she didn't want to do anything mean because her mom would drag her back to my house to apologize. That kinda set her off and she came at my friends from Southside, so my friend Tamara came at her and I had to help because I couldn't leave her alone and then it just turned into a huge thing."
"I was just trying to help both of them." Liz adde. d
The principal looked at the parents and sighed, "Is it too much to ask to have you both not interact with Ashley to the best of your ability. I will talk to her as well."
Sam nodded, "She's the one that starts everything though."
"And I'll talk to her at length about it, with her mother present. I'll also inform you all how we will proceed once I talk to them, but I assume it'll be what I just said. Just stay away from each other. I understand you guys have classes with her, I ask that you guys be cordial to one another and that is all."
"Yes sir." Both girls said.
Brooke felt relieved, she had a feeling Ms. Harris didn't know too much about her daughter's bullying nature. Hopefully this would change things.
As Liz was explaining some things Sam turned and looked at Rose who was writing vigorously then silently walked out. She really hoped this didn't hurt her mother's work too much.
…. … ….
Unlike Rebecca, who was talking to Rose about how to proceed and had Liz sitting in a chair right by her, Brooke and Lucas knew they needed to talk to their girl before her thoughts consumed her.
They went up to Lucas's office and Sam sat down on the couch.
"I'm sorry guys. I really am." Sam began quickly as she looked up at her parents, "It's just she was being so mean and I freaked. Brooke I'm sorry this is gonna ruin stuff for you. I didn't know this was gonna happen."
"Sammy don't worry about the media. Rose will take care of that. Don't even entertain the idea of guilt for that. And Dad and me, we're not mad."
Sam's head shot up at her mother's words, "What?"
Lucas chuckled a bit at Sam's surprised face. Her mouth completely agape, "You stood up for yourself, and even though we don't want you fighting again, you were protecting your friends and we know you meant no harm."
Sam then frowned, "But I didn't tell you guys. I-I lied to you."
Brooke sighed and Sam looked up at her mom with tears threatening to fall, "I didn't wanna get in trouble that's why I didn't say anything. I'm sorry."
Lucas motioned her to stand up and gently held her arms. "Stop apologizing. What's done is done. Mom and me don't want you fighting again. But we're not mad about this okay? I get that you didn't want to be in trouble baby, but this is important stuff that we need to know. You need to know that it'll be one hundred percent better for you, if you just tell us the truth. Is that understood? No more secrets like that. Especially because you could've been hurt."
Brooke saw Sam squirm a bit when Lucas said she could've been hurt. "Sammy?"
She looked at her mom, "Y-yeah?"
"Are you hurt?"
Sam just turned away and hung her head, "N-no. I'm, I'm fine."
Lucas let go of his daughter, "Samantha. What did I just say about the truth?"
Sam sighed and played with her hands. Brooke took her daughter's hand and moved them back to the couch. She sat down and moved Sam between her legs. This made Sam feel like a child...and nervous. What was her mother doing?
"Mom?" She asked quietly.
If Sam was hurt Brooke knew that it'd be on her stomach, where she got punched.
"Sweetie, lift up your shirt. Is that where you're hurt?"
Sam nodded and slowly did as she was told, just enough for her mom to see the bruise. She looked away when her mother's face fell, "Samantha Walker!" Brooke chastised once she saw the massive purple and blue bruise on the side of her daughter's stomach. She took over and moved Sam's hands with her own so she could get a hold of the shirt. Lucas went over and inspected the bruise as well.
Sam felt all the blood hit her face. All the fussing was making her embarrassed.
"I-I've been putting that stuff Tamara had. It's gotten better guys."
"You mean it was worse?!" Brooke said taking her eyes away from it and looking at her daughter. Sam could tell her parents were a bit, umm, tiffed about this.
Her dad's hand made its way to his hip.
"You guys aren't mad at me, remember?" Hopefully that would work.
"Sam, please be serious." Lucas said.
"I am being serious!"
He leveled her with a look, "You could've broken something, like a rib. And we wouldn't have known! "
"Tamara checked for me. She knows how to tell that stuff. I was fine! It's just a bruise."
Brooke took a deep breath and butt in before father and daughter's argument escalated, "Okay!" She put her hands up, "Sam, after school you're going with dad to make sure it is just a bruise. Okay? Tamara is not a doctor, and I'd appreciate a medical opinion. Understood?"
Sam pushed her shirt back down pushing Brooke's hands off in the process and crossed her arms across her chest, "Yes m'am." She mumbled, even though Sam hated the doctors. It scared her. It was the worst.
She looked at her dad, who still looked kinda mad, "Dad I'm sorry."
Lucas sighed and brushed a hand across her face, "I can't have you hiding things like this young lady. You'll worry me to death. Is there anywhere else you got hurt?"
Sam lifted up her shirt sleeves, "I just have scratches. But I put medicine on them too."
They looked their daughter over and sighed a few times, but deemed her arms as fine.
After what seemed like an eternity of being fussed over to Sam, her parents finally backed off. Brooke stood up, "I love you peanut but I'm upset that you didn't tell us about this."
Sam pouted sadly at her mom's words.
"But I know that you just didn't want to get us mad, but next time you're in serious trouble. Never again. Not. Ever. Got it?"
Sam nodded, though still a bit pathetically. Brooke could see the slight dramatics her daughter was pulling on her, but she didn't let on. "Dad's taking you home. Can we trust you to be by yourself until dad get gets home from school?"
"Isn't Liz going with Rebecca? Can I go with you?"
Brooke smiled at her sadly, "She is, but you can't sweetheart. There might be paparazzi waiting by the office, and I don't want you there for that. They'll be vying for you because you're mine. We can't have you out and about until Rose gets everything under control. Okay? So can we trust you?"
She didn't necessarily want to be with her mom all day, but hanging out with Liz was a way better deal than being by herself, although TV would work just as well in the end, so she gave a nod to her mother's question.
"Yes m'am. I'll be good. Promise."
Lucas picked up his keys from the desk, "Alright champ. The sub's covering me only for two periods. So we should get going."
"Wait." Sam said.
"What's up?" Lucas asked as he was heading towards the door.
Sam began to wring her hands, "Mama?"
Both of them stopped.
"What's wrong Sammy?" Brooke took a step towards her daughter and brushed some of Sam's hair behind her ears, "What is it honey?"
"You're sure it's okay? The whole media thing. They're going to start criticizing you as a mom, aren't they? I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking."
"Hey champ." Lucas said gently, "Mama's gonna take care of that, okay? The tabloids love the juicy stuff, watch in two days they're going to move onto Angelina Jolie adopting some other kid from Africa or something." He cracked a smile and saw Sam do the same.
Sam looked to her mom.
"We'll be okay Sam. I know that it's a bit rough having someone who's in the spotlight as a mom . There's certain things you have to be careful of, and you know that now. But don't worry, Rose is gonna help us."
Sam pushed herself into her mom and hugged her. Brooke was a bit taken aback but recovered quickly and hugged Sam tightly to her. She kissed the top of her daughter's head, "I love you sweet girl."
"I love you too mama."
Sam felt a bit better about the whole thing and decided to trust her parents. A sense of relief washed over the young teen.
… …. ...
Liz was now in the elevator with her mother, her Aunt Brooke, and Rose. She was leaning on the elevator wall as far away from her mother as possible. Rebecca rose her eyebrow at her daughter's purposeful distance and Liz just looked down and away.
Rose was already on top of it, releasing a statement on behalf of the company and Brooke, and once in the office she would minimize the damage by reaching out to the websites and YouTube itself letting them know that these were minors and they would face legal charges if they didn't take it down. Just like she had talked to Rebecca about. Of course, these were all threats but they'd just have to either comply or risk it.
"Okay, Brooke do you prefer the phrase "respect the privacy of all parties involved" or would you much rather make it more personal?
"I think more personal. That's how your fans know you Brooke. You've always been the personable Brooke Davis." Rebecca opined.
Liz lifted her head and watched as Rose quickly wrote what her mom said. She sometimes forgot that her mom had a fancy title. She folded her hands behind her back and tapped her leg waiting for the damn elevator to ding.
Brooke stayed quiet for a moment, "Make it personal. Let them know that what happened was between teenagers and that everyone is okay, and that I want everyone to remember what it's like to be at that age and how much they would prefer to have not had the whole world looking at them."
Rose nodded, "I'll fix it up and send it to you before I release it."
When the elevator finally dinged Brooke stepped out along with Rose.
Liz felt her mom walk towards her then grab her hand and gently pull her out the elevator, "Let's go Lizzie."
Millie was the first face Brooke and Rebecca saw, "Rebecca you have a few missed calls from the New York office and a call on line 1."
Rebecca's face fell and sighed as she held her fidgety daughter's hand.
Brooke could tell Rebecca really just wanted to talk to Liz. She had talked to Rose while Brooke talked to her girl, and so she'd do the same.
"I'll take the call."
Rebecca gave Brooke a grateful smile and mouthed the words 'thank you.'
"Damn it." Liz thought to herself, that phone call would've bought Liz time! Now she had to figure out how to get out of trouble. She could try crying and begging but usually that didn't work. Puppy dog eyes? For some reason it worked better when Sam did it to her parents, than when she did it on her mom.
"Come on sweetie. Let's go to the restroom." Rebecca told her daughter. Liz froze. Her mother walked expecting her daughter to follow but Liz didn't move.
"Lizzie." Her mother said more sternly.
The restroom? Oh, no. That only meant one thing for Liz. She was no fool. The last time her mother "went to the restroom" with her for misbehaving in public it only ended in a stinging bottom for Liz. That felt like ages ago!
"Mom...no. Please don't."
Rebecca rose her eyebrow at her daughter and stepped towards her taking her hand, "Come on Lizzie. Let's go."
Liz reluctantly followed her mother, painfully aware that some of the employees were beginning to notice.
The moment they came in Rebecca directed Liz to go to the counter. Liz watched her mother close the door. She began to sniffle,
"Mommy please don't spank me. I'm sorry! I was just trying to help!"
Rebecca turned towards her daughter from locking the door and felt her heart melt, "Oh sweetie."
She walked up to her baby and sat her on the counter, "I'm not going to spank you."
"B-but you took me to the restroom!" Liz cried now burying her head in her mother's shoulder. She heard her mother say she wasn't getting a spanking, but she was still emotional. She had been holding it all in since the principal's office for pete's sake!
Rebecca realized that maybe she should've told her daughter she wasn't in trouble a little earlier. She wrapped her daughter up, "Shhh." She rubbed her back, "I just need to look you over and make sure you don't have any cuts or bruises I need to take care of and the first aid kit is in here and not in my office."
Liz wouldn't move her head from her mother's shoulder and just took deep breaths to calm her down as her mother cooed to her. "Shhh. Buggy boo. Shh. I'm sorry. I should've told you earlier you weren't in trouble. But let's talk bug. We do need to talk about it."
Her little girl nodded into her shoulder and she grimaced as she felt her daughter wipe her nose on her shirt.
When Liz sat up Rebecca wet a towel and gently wiped her daughter's cheeks then nose.
"I only have some scratches on my arms." The teen mumbled as her mom cleaned her face, "I put neosporin on them like you taught me."
Rebecca smiled, "Show me where."
Liz unbuttoned her jacket then took it off and lifted her sleeves. Rebecca frowned as she examined them. They weren't bad at all, and was grateful that this was the case. They were basically just long scratches.
"Do they hurt, bug?"
Liz shook her head, "No. They don't bother me much."
Rebecca nodded, "You know I don't allow fighting."
Liz's stare fell and she stayed quiet.
"Elizabeth." Rebecca said more sternly.
Liz took a deep breath "I know mom. I just couldn't stand by and watch. Ashely was being such a bi-" The girl stopped herself from cursing when her mom gave her "the look", "such a big jerk."
"And that's why you're not in trouble because you were helping your friends out."
Liz breathed a sigh of relief.
"But I promise you Lizzie, next time I find out about you getting into a fight and you not telling me about it, I won't be nearly as forgiving."
"It won't happen again."
Rebecca smirked as she bopped her daughter on the nose with her finger, "We'll see about that. Now tell me is that Ashley girl still bothering Sam? And now you too?"
Liz sighed, "She stopped. It's just that she's been mad that I dropped cheer and that ruined all our routines which means we couldn't place at Regionals. I guess its just been building up, but I have a feeling she won't bother us anymore."
"You did the right thing sweetheart. I'm proud of you for choosing your friends over cheer."
The girl folded her hands on her lap, "I know you are. I'm glad I did too."
"And you're sure she hadn't said anything until the fight?"
Liz shook her head, "No. She's kept her distance."
"You stay away from her." Rebecca warned.
"I know mom. I will."
Rebecca studied her daughter to try and see how truthful she was being. Liz kept her mom's stare.
"Alright. I believe you bug. Now, come on, I have work to finish."
"Do I really have to stay here all day?"
"Yes." Her mother said with no room for argument. Liz didn't press on. She knew she had gotten off lightly and wouldn't push it any farther. She hopped off the counter and wrapped her mom tightly in a hug, "I love you mom."
Rebecca gave her daughter's bottom a light pat, "I love you too, my little terror."
… …. …
Lucas had gone home from work to pick Sam up and take her to get checked out at the doctor's. He had walked to her room where she was fast asleep. He woke her up and helped a groggy Sam into the car. They now sat together in the waiting room of the pediatrician's office, waiting to be called. The girl was leaning up against Lucas's right side with her eyes watching the random Nickelodeon show on tv. The constant talking from another boy annoyed Sam to no end. She just slumped further in her dad's side and narrowed her eyes at the screen, hoping to zone in and concentrate on the show.
Lucas leaned over from the magazine he was reading and kissed his child's head, "Just a few more minutes kiddo."
A woman in her early thirties with brown hair finally called Sam back five minutes later, "Samantha Walker, come on back now sweetie."
Sam tensed and Lucas felt it.
He already knew how Sam got at the doctor's. The last time it had been Brooke who took her to get some shots and Sam refused to leave her mother's lap when the doctor came in with the shot. It wasn't until they threatened to prick her bottom rather than her arm that Sam finally complied, and even then Brooke had to pry her off just enough so they could get her arm.
"Dad I'm fine. I don't want to do this." She whispered, not sitting up, but rather bunching up her dad's shirt in her hands.
The nurse noticed the problem and gave Lucas a gentle nod, "I'll be right behind the door when you're ready."
Lucas gave her a grateful look before focusing on his kid.
He looked down at his little scaredy cat, "Kiddo, there's no shots this time. He's just gonna check to see if anything's broken."
"Nothing is! I already told you!" She hissed in a whisper.
Lucas sighed. He was much stronger than her and could easily force her, but he wanted to give Sam the chance.
"Champ, if you don't get up I'm going to have to get you up."
"But dad!" She whispered in a watery voice, "I-I don't wanna."
"We're doing this Sam. You have to get up peanut."
Sam steeled herself, preferring to walk with dignity, then have her dad drag her, and got up slowly. Lucas stood up and took her hand. The two went towards the nurse and followed her into one of the patient rooms. Lucas sat down while Sam was measured and weighed. As soon as the nurse walked out Sam went over and chose to sit on dad's lap instead of the available chair next to him. Sam was nervous and scared. She wanted her dad and she didn't care if she looked like a baby or not.
Lucas held her in place and bobbed his knee up and down gently. Sam's head was resting on the crook of Lucas's neck.
"It's going to be okay." He said softly just as the door opened and a man with a kind smile walked in.
"Hi there. I hear someone got into a little tiff and I need to look over their war wounds."
Lucas chuckled at the joke and moved Sam slightly so he could extend his hand, "Nice to meet you I'm Lucas Scott."
"Mr. Scott, I'm Dr. Long. It's a pleasure. I've already met Ms. Walker here, except last time she was with mom."
Sam sat up in her dad's lap and looked at the doctor sheepishly, "W-what are you gonna do to me?"
"I'm gonna need you to lay down on the table so I can check out the bruise and if it looks like you need an x ray then we'll do that. Can you do that honey? Get on the table for me?"
Sam looked at her dad with sad eyes.
Lucas patted her bottom, "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. He's just going to check it out."
"Will it hurt?" Sam asked the doctor.
"I might have to touch it. Yes, but it'll be quick."
Sam sighed and got off her dad's lap and climbed onto the table. She kept her eyes on the doctor as he lifted her shirt halfway.
"Hmmm." He said as he looked it over only lightly prodding it, "I'm going to apply pressure now, okay?"
Sam sniffled out an okay. "Ah!" She yelped making Lucas wince as well, but the touch left just as soon as it came.
"That hurt." Sam mumbled.
Dr. Long looked to Lucas, "She's fine. Nothing is broken, just make sure nothing touches that area as it's very tender right now."
Lucas breathed a sigh of relief.
"Can I get off now?" Sam asked the doctor.
He smiled, "Yes m'am. You're free to go. See how quick that was?"
Sam hopped off and quickly latched onto her dad's side, "I guess so." She answered.
"Alright, well Sammy, I'll see you at your next checkup."
Sam stiffened yet again, "When is that?"
Lucas rubbed her back, "Calm down. Not until six months from now. You're fine."
The doctor gave Sam a small wink. "Don't know if you still like lollipops but feel free to take one from the treasure chest by the door." He looked up at Lucas, "Take care of your little girl Mr. Scott!"
"Will do Doc. Nice seeing you!"
Lucas looked down at Sam, "See. Not bad, right?"
Sam shook her head, "No, not bad."
"Want a lollipop?"
"Not really."
Lucas knew what she wanted, "Want chocolate ice cream?"
That caught Sam's attention. Though they did not regulate much, Brooke and Lucas regulated Sam's sugar intake because the girl could live off of all things sweets, ESPECIALLY ice cream, so they made it an unofficial rule that Sam only ate ice cream when they went on Fridays. Of course Sam still had it if she was out with friends and they all decided to go get ice cream, but when she was around her parents they did their best to make sure Sam ate right.
Sam looked up at her father with a hint of excitement in her eyes.
"Chocolate syrup and sprinkles?" She asked. She might've been upset, but she couldn't pass up the opportunity of an all decked out ice cream.
Lucas rolled his eyes, "Fine. Don't tell your mom though."
Sam finally broke into a wide smile, "I won't."
Lucas sat and watched as Sam ate her ice cream to her heart's content.
She noticed him staring and chewed the mouthful slowly, "What?"
He smiled, "Nothing."
"You're staring at me."
"I have the right to stare at you."
Sam looked at him funny and just shrugged putting another spoonful in her mouth,
"Ju wan sum?" She could hardly speak through the chocolate deliciousness.
He laughed, "Nah, you can have all of it."
Once she finished, she dropped the spoon onto the bowl, "Dad this was awesome. We should do this more often. Mom doesn't have to know."
"Fridays is enough." He said stifling an eyeroll and a laugh, "This was a one time thing kid."
Eh, it was worth a try.
Lucas cleared his throat, "Baby, about the whole Walker not Davis thing that happened in the principal's office."
Sam bit her lip. "I don't know why I said it. I just did, and maybe if I said I was a Walker and not a Davis it'd be better for mom."
She rectified her statement as she saw her dad was getting ready to say something, "It was a dumb thought. I know you guys don't care whether or not I'm perfect and stuff."
"You're perfect just the way you are."
Sam rolled her eyes at her dad. "...anyways I'm never gonna be a Davis anyway."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because," Sam said slyly, "Mom's gonna marry you and then when you guys adopt me, I'll be a Scott."
Lucas let out a loud laugh, "Well you got me there kid."
"So you guys are getting married? Ha! I knew it! When, just tell me when?"
"Sam we haven't even talked about it!"
"I call shenanigans! You guys have totally talked about it!"
Lucas pretended to zip up his mouth, "My lips are sealed."
Sam threw her hands in the air, "But I"m your daughter! Come on, just tell me!"
"Nope. Nope. Nope."
Sam went over and sat next to her dad then gave him big puppy dog eyes, "Please daddy."
He wrapped an arm around her, "Sorry champ. You're out of luck."
Sam huffed, "Ugh. Fine. It doesn't matter, so I don't care."
"And why is that?" Lucas asked amused.
"Because you guys act like an old married couple already."
"Oh do we?" He asked menacingly poising his hands to tickle her.
Sam's eyes widened, "Daddy, no, not here!" She said already laughing.
He seized the chance and tickled her mindful of her bruise.
"Dad!" She cried. "Jerk!"
He stopped a few moments after and then wrapped her panting daughter in a hug.
"Meanie." Sam huffed.
It was a wonderful feeling for Sam to know that her dad would always be there to hold her and protect her. She caught her breath after all the tickling and remembered that they were sitting in the same booth as the first time they had come here. She chuckled to herself a bit and wished that she felt this comfortable every day of her life.
Hope y'all enjoyed this one! Sorry, it's shorter than usual. Anyways, I feel we needed a chapter with not too much drama. Please continue to review and let me know what you think. It's a busy time of the year, but I love this story and all of you too much to stop writing!