(A/N: I am incredibly sorry! Between writer's block, my word processor's subscription timing out, and lack of funds to re-establish it, updating has been nigh on impossible. The internet where I live is crazy unreliable, so google docs wasn't even an option. One of my techy friends helpfully downloaded a free word processor onto my laptop, so I'm back in business! I own nothing but the plot and Sam.)
Chapter 11: Car Radio
Digging distractedly through the dufflebag that had been brought up to the room she was staying in for the least offensive outfit she could, Sam tried to wrangle the swirling mess that was her train of thought at the moment. There were simply too many things she had to do. And set up. And scheme. She started to develop a headache; whether it was from stress or from lack of sleep was hard to say. Rubbing her temples, Sam decided to take things one step at a time and select an outfit that looked less rumpled and nightmare-d in. A slight grin appeared on her face at the sight of the sheer amount of violet rose themed items those cheeky twins had stuck in there. Slinging on a violet rose patterned tank top and some black skinny jeans, Sam called it a victory and headed down to the parlor. She figured that that would be where they would all convene again.
The silence while she waited for Tamaki to finish primping and for the other hosts to arrive wasn't the best thing for her admittedly fragile mental state at the moment. Her thoughts kept straying back to the moment she saw the life leave her father's eyes before she would forcibly shift her focus on something else. Like when she would be getting her phone and other things back. Sam hadn't realized how much she fidgeted with her phone until she didn't have it. Like when she was alone in her room in- Nope! She needed to figure out where to live now that she never planned on moving back to California. She also needed to figure out how to convince the Fujiokas that they would be doing her the hugest favor by moving in with her. After all, her father had proven that their apartment- Woah, brain! Stop right there! Sam studied the room around her very thoroughly so as to keep her mind blank.
It was a very lavish French styled room with marble floors and antique furniture and rugs. The thing that caught her attention, though, was the beautiful grand piano by one of the large windows with a beautiful view of the meticulously landscaped garden below. Now, Sam could freely admit that for all her musical know-how that the piano was definitely not her strong suit. Not even close. But maybe if she tried, she could still play "chopsticks."
She wandered over to the polished instrument and tentatively started plucking out the notes with what she was certain was poor hand positioning due to her natural leanings towards the guitar and other stringed instruments. She was so focused on trying to not screw up such a simple song, that she fairly jumped out of her skin when Tamaki joined her with a lavish accompaniment.
Once they had finished the song, Tamaki turned to her and said, "I never realized that you could play the piano, daughter."
Sam smiled softly, not quite up to a full chuckle at the moment and replied, "That was the extent of my ability, right there. My hands just don't cooperate with anything that isn't some form of guitar. Much to my father's-"
Sam cut off that thought and then tried desperately to change the subject, "The point is, that you're definitely safe upon your piano throne. Speaking of, we still need to work on that performance I promised you ages ago. What better way to start the club back up than with a live performance of one of the coolest arrangements of a medley that I've ever heard! I'll give you the sheet music once I've transposed it to suit guitar and piano…."
Sam trailed off at the sad and knowing look her pseudo-brother was giving her. Damn it.
Tamaki had just placed a hand on her shoulder and was about to say something when the doorbell rang.
Sam fairly bolted towards the door to greet the hosts, her boyfriend, and Ranka as they came into the mansion.
"Hey you." Was all Sam said as she greeted her boyfriend with a hug that she was very reluctant to release him from.
Kyoya returned the hug and studied her face before commenting, "How long have you been awake?"
The others, who had been watching this cute scene from the sidelines quickly voiced their concerns when they, too, spotted the presumably worse dark circles underneath Sam's eyes and her generally frazzled demeanor.
They all waited for her response.
Sam sheepishly replied, "…. a while?"
Kyoya quirked a brow at her, unsatisfied with her vague response.
She tried again. "A couple of hours?"
Her love's eyebrow quirked higher and he tilted his head.
Sam sighed in a defeated manner and answered truthfully. "Since two this morning, alright? Turns out that when traumatic things happen, you get nightmares. Lucky me."
At once, she found herself in the center of an impromptu group hug that threatened to crush her and Kyoya into paste.
"Poor Sam-chan!" Cried Hunny.
Mori patted her head.
Ranka patted her back from where he was using this situation to his advantage and also cuddling his daughter who had been unceremoniously roped into this large display of affection by the mischievous twins and Tamaki.
Tamaki was the unlucky sod who was behind Kyoya, who had slowly been losing his patience with all of his friends crowding them when all he was obviously trying to do was guide Sam to a couch for a nap.
Finally, Sam had enough and gasped out, "Guys, I love you but you're-" gasp "-really crushing my lungs!"
Kyoya had snapped at pretty much the same moment and spat, "Back up, you idiots!"
Sam felt the first semblance of a laugh that she had experienced in days leave her mouth involuntarily as her patchwork family immediately jumped back in self-preservation at the tone in her boyfriend's voice. He smiled slightly at the sound and led her to the only unoccupied couch left from the Hosts plus Ranka's retreat. She leaned heavily on Kyoya as they settled onto the lavish couch.
Haruhi concernedly said, "You really should sleep, Sam-sempai, you're obviously exhausted."
Sam shook her head and replied, "We need to figure out a game plan first. This latest fiasco is going to have a lot more repercussions if I don't play this correctly. I won't be able to rest until we have some semblance of order restored in my life."
Kyoya sighed as Sam looked stubbornly back at him and said, "Since I know that there is no arguing with that face, let's get planning. What would you like to address first, Sam?"
The others chuckled slightly at Kyoya's inability to say no to her.
Sam's lips twitched slightly upward at the slight blush that was appearing on her love's face as she replied with fervor, "Please, for the love of all things holy, tell me we're getting closer to getting my phone back! ….and y'know, my other stuff might also be nice."
She ducked her head at the knowing chuckles from Kyoya and the twins, Mori's raised brow, and the disbelieving looks from the others.
She then tried to defend her admittedly pathetic dependence on her phone. "I need it to start straightening out McIntire Co, manage my bank accounts, arrange all of my belongings being shipped over here, to attempt finding a new place to live over here, and for talking to you all because for whatever reason that escapes me right now, I happen to like you!"
Sam was panting from the surprising amount of force she had put behind that rant. All of the others besides Kyoya and Haruhi were stunned from the outburst from the recently very fragile girl.
Kyoya asked in a gentle tone, "Feeling better?"
Sam looked at him and a slight smile curved her lips. "… a little. Sorry guys, I guess I needed to get all of the things causing me stress out here in the open."
They all smiled in acceptance.
"No problem, daughter!" Tamaki exclaimed.
"Understandable." Haruhi replied, while Ranka nodded beside her with a caring smile on his face.
"Yeah, don't worry about it Sam-chan! We'll help you!" Hunny said in a more serious tone than usual.
Mori reached over from where he and Hunny were sat in the couch next to her and Kyoya to ruffle her hair.
"Awaiting orders, Shadow Queen!" The twins impishly cried out with snappy salutes and devious grins on their faces.
/ Kyoya POV /
Kyoya whipped out his phone with his right hand, firmly keeping his left arm around his girlfriend's shoulder to provide both of them with the assurance that they both still needed that they were both indeed still here and not dreaming. He mentally composed and revised a message in his mind before typing out:
Agent Peters,
Exactly how much more time do you all need to examine my girlfriend's things? Surely you recall that she has a rather large company to re-brand and rehabilitate so as to soothe some rather internationally spread outrage? My, it would sure be a shame if it were to get out that the reason that the unfortunate victim of this horrific incident was being denied the chance to make things right was because she was denied her belongings by same organization that is supposed to keep us all safe.
-Ootori Kyoya
Satisfied that he had most likely just sped up the process of Sam getting her possessions back, Kyoya returned his attention to his surroundings and was amused to notice that his girlfriend was arguing with both Haruhi and Ranka about them coming to live with her and thoroughly out maneuvering them. He started taking notes on his phone as they continued so that he could laugh unrestrainedly at this later in the privacy of his own room.
"We are fine where we are, Sempai!" Haruhi was retorting forcefully.
"Yes, in the very apartment next door to where some brainless thugs were oh-so-easily able to break in and wait to jump me when I got home. Completely safe and fine." Sam replied in that completely poisonous and overly sweet tone she used when she wished to make someone feel completely ridiculous for disagreeing with her. Kyoya almost pitied Haruhi, having been on the receiving end of that tone a few times himself.
Ranka chimed in, "We've lived in that complex for years without any trouble. We appreciate your concern, Sam-chan, but those vile creatures were only after you. We don't have any terrorist organizations after us."
Sam's eyes flashed and Kyoya hid a smirk, knowing that flash to mean that Ranka had walked straight into a verbal trap she had lain. God, he loved this girl.
Sam smiled ever so politely and replied quite softly, "Not true, Ranka-san. Not anymore, I'm afraid. He never did anything by halves and I'm sure that those excretions of society have files on everyone I so much as shared a class with. But the reason I'm not buying a damn fortress for the entire student body of Ouran, is that all of their situations are vastly different than yours. They all have top notch private security teams and their wealth to protect them, and frankly the majority of them are mere classmates to me. You two rather unfortunately have the burden of me considering you both to be family. You're unprotected and that is unacceptable to me."
Kyoya squeezed her a little more tightly and had to admire the very effective argument his love so expertly crafted. What made it even better was that it was obvious that even though it was worded very manipulatively, she meant every word she had said.
Thunderstruck and comforting her father who had burst into tears at being called family, but still not willing to give in just yet; Haruhi responded carefully, "We get that, Sempai. You're like family to us, too. Which is why we don't want to burden you with having to look for a bigger house than you need just so that you can look after us. We can manage on our own as we always have."
Sam straightened up and lost the smile on her face, completely serious.
The twins munched on the popcorn that they had requested from the maid right when Kyoya had tuned back in to this argument, thoroughly enjoying Sam's verbal artistry like he was.
Sam looked Haruhi dead in the eye and stated. "I know you can. But the thing you don't seem to grasp is that you don't have to. You have to accept that you both, along with everyone except Kyoya in this room are like family to me. I excluded Kyoya for the obvious reason that unlike some in this room, I don't think the 'sibling love' shtick is for us. Returning to my point, I believe that I have amply proven that I will do anything for those I consider family. Even point out the obvious, like that trying to take on an international terrorist organization alone is one of the most boneheaded things one could do. Don't give me that look, I had: a plan, intimate knowledge of my enemy, Kyoya, and Interpol on my side. I can admit that I was immeasurably reckless in regards to my own safety as you yourself have pointed out. What you need to do is let me return the favor. And add on to that that I don't think that I can necessarily handle living alone at the moment, so maybe this is a bit selfish on my part…. Please move in with me. I really need you both."
Sam then slipped from under his arm and bowed deeply to emphasize the gravity of her request. Kyoya had the most inappropriate urge to kiss the ever-loving breath out of his girlfriend at the moment. This was art.
The others held their breath, the twins even putting down their popcorn, as they all waited with baited breath for a response.
/ Sam POV /
Sam continued to hold the bow even as she sensed the practically palpable lust coming from her boyfriend's direction.
Finally, it was Ranka who spoke. "We will move in with you, Sam-chan. However, we will pay rent."
Sam concealed a smirk as she rose and agreed. "If you wish. Thank you very much."
She was already plotting on just how to subtly return every bit of whatever money they gave her.
Her love's eyes were glittering in knowing amusement as she retook her place by him and Haruhi was eyeing her suspiciously. She decided to change the subject before her cute little sister could call her on it.
She turned to the twins, "So, I couldn't help but notice that you two veritably flooded me with Kyoya's rose color themed clothes."
They cackled and high-fived.
She sighed.
/
Later, when it was just her, Kyoya, and Tamaki left; Sam asked about her phone again, having an inkling that Kyoya might have some new information from the way he was smirking at his phone earlier. "So… did Agent Peters ever get back to you?"
Kyoya smirked as Tamaki looked on in slight bewilderment at the seemingly random question. "He said that they should have your phone and wallet back to you tomorrow. The clothes are all individually being combed for tracking devices and bugs and therefore will take a bit longer. He also called me a fair few unsavory names."
Sam actually laughed at that, imagining just what her love had written to get such a response. "Only you, love."
However, mentioning the agent was reminding her of why she even knew the name of an Interpol member.
/ Tamaki POV /
Tamaki, who had been smiling at the sweet scene between his closest friends noticed the darkness seeping back into Sam's eyes. That wouldn't do.
"So, daughter, what exactly is this medley you wanted to perform at the club? You never told me!" Tamaki exclaimed with what he hoped was his usual exuberance.
She lit up and asked, "Have you heard of 'Phantom of the Opera?'"
As they went into a discussion about how to accomplish the theme of the aristocracy of late-1800's France, he locked eyes with Kyoya and came to a silent agreement.
They would both do their utmost to make sure that Sam didn't slip too deeply into the darkness ever again.
/ Back in Sam POV /
That night, as Sam got ready to attempt going to bed and shook her head fondly as she recalled just how persistently Tamaki and her love battled her dark thoughts with her.
Laying in the bed, she stared at it's canopy as she willed sleep to come before the silence invited those thoughts back in with the absence of her brother and her boyfriend.
Several minutes later, she felt the familiar rage of a person who can not for the life of them sleep. It was just like back in- She shook her head and rolled over, attempting to focus on her breathing to drown out her thoughts. Thoughts of her fath- No. She sighed and decided to get up. She recalled that Tamaki hat told her where some blank sheet music was.
She might as well be productive and start arranging the Phantom Of the Opera Medley for the club.
/
Hours later, Sam fairly passed out among the sheet music she had strewn all over her bed as the sun rose on another day.
/
(A/N: I hope this was worth the absurdly long wait! I drew heavily upon my own experience with Anxiety and was also heavily inspired by the song "Car Radio" by Twenty One Pilots. If you haven't heard it, it is pretty much the uncensored thoughts of a person with Anxiety. I highly recommend listening to it. Anyway, please let me know if you enjoyed this chapter, I really enjoyed writing it!)