This chapter is set in 6x10 and has multiple scenes that are pulled straight from the show. I'd like to reiterate that this story is supposed to be entirely cannon, so a lot of times it's helpful to use actual scenes to help set the scene for how I fill in the blanks. Lmk if that's annoying or if you don't mind the actual dialogue sprinkled in. I know it's pretty heavy in this chapter, but it usually won't be!
Peyton and her brother Derek had been organizing a USO show for weeks now. They had everything perfectly planned out, and the sibling pair couldn't wait for the big day. It was a couple of nights before, and Peyton had one more favor to ask her best friend regarding the show.
Brooke was laying in bed decompressing from the day when she received a call from Peyton. "Hey P Sawyer what's up?"
"Hey B Davis, I wanted to ask you… for the USO show on Saturday do you think Sam would be up for being my assistant backstage? She's still got a debt to pay off for my wedding dress and I'd love an extra helping hand."
Brooke smiled on the other end of the line. "I think she'd find that really cool, actually. That doesn't seem like much of a punishment."
"Ha! Well I figured you already covered that part. Besides, I'm not really mad at her anymore. This seems like a great way for her to make it up to me without making her miserable."
"Okay, well I'll let her know her duties tomorrow morning," Brooke said. "It's awesome that you're doing this, Peyton. Sam will be thrilled to be a part of it."
And Brooke had been right. The next morning when Brooke had told Sam about Peyton's proposition, Sam was excited.
It was now the morning of the event and Brooke lazily crawled out of bed and made her way into the kitchen to make breakfast. She was barely conscious yet, so when she saw her foster daughter sitting at the table smiling with breakfast already made, she was sure that her eyes were deceiving her. Hesitantly, Brooke walked closer.
"Sam… what is all this?" Brooke asked surprised as she approached the girl.
"What does it look like?" Sam replied sarcastically. "I made breakfast, sit down."
"Oh Sam this is so thoughtful of you," Brooke gushed as she took her seat at the table. She was so pleased with her foster daughter and she wanted to cherish this moment forever. She took a bite of the pancake on her plate.
"Are they okay?" Sam asked nervously.
"Delicious," Brooke said as she chewed her food. "But, you know, my complete guide to "Raising a teenager" says that if your teen cooks for you, they're likely to ask for something or confess to something. So let me just tell you right now, whatever you did, I am so impressed, you're not in trouble."
"I just wanted to do something nice for you," Sam smirked. She couldn't blame Brooke for being suspicious, this was pretty out of character for her.
"Really?" Brooke raised an eyebrow.
"Besides, I think that book says "breakfast in bed and doing the dishes after", which is not happening," Sam said as she shoved a bit of food into her mouth. She would never go that far.
"I see. So, are you excited to work for Peyton at the concert tonight? get backstage with Angels & Airwaves?" Brooke said, bringing her hands up to her mouth and gesturing enthusiastically.
Sam smiled, "Yeah, I guess it'll be pretty cool."
Brooke was about to say something else when the phone rang. Sam started to get out of her seat to answer it, but Brooke stopped her.
"No, let the machine get it. I want to enjoy this time with you, which my book says will rarely if ever happen."
Sam smiled to herself. She felt genuinely appreciated and wanted by Brooke at this moment, but the voice on the answering machine quickly dampened her mood.
"Hi Brooke, it's Patricia from the adoption agency. I need to speak with you regarding placement for a newborn. Please call me as soon as possible."
Sam's heart dropped. Right then and there she knew that her time with Brooke was limited. "Wow, you're like the new Angelina," she said, trying to lighten the mood and push down her feelings.
Brooke felt horrible. Yes, she wanted a baby, but she wanted Sam too.
"Sam, you don't need to worry about that," she said gently. "You're not going anywhere."
"Mmhm, I know. It's okay," Sam replied, trying to act like she didn't care.
Brooke smiled sadly but decided to let it go for now. She circled the conversation back to the USO show, but the rest of breakfast had a different vibe to it that both of the girls noticed but neither addressed.
"I'm gonna go chill for a while before I start getting ready," Sam said when they were finished, getting up from the table and walking towards her room.
"Okay," Brooke replied. She smirked when Sam neglected to take her plate to the sink. She didn't say anything though; she was grateful that Sam had made breakfast in the first place.
Once she was in her room with the door closed, Sam felt her throat constrict and tears well in her eyes. She hated that she'd almost allowed herself to believe that this situation with Brooke could maybe be permanent. She was angry at herself for acting like a baby and crying over something so stupid. I've practically been on my own for fifteen years, she thought to herself. Get it together, Sam, you shouldn't have gotten so comfortable here. The anger and disappointment pooled up inside of her, and suddenly in a fit of rage, she marched over to her closet and began ripping clothes off of hangers and yanking them out of drawers. She silently cried as she tore apart her room, being quiet enough so that Brooke wouldn't hear. She grabbed a suitcase that was kept in the back of her closet and began shoving her clothes and other possessions inside. She aggressively zipped up the suitcase and pushed it under her bed. If Brooke wanted a baby instead of her, that was fine. She was prepared to leave whenever she needed to.
The hours passed by quickly, and before Sam knew it, it was time to prepare for the USO show. While Brooke was off doing her own thing, Sam showed up for Peyton to assist her. Although she was still upset over what had happened earlier, she couldn't help but remain excited for the concert.
"Hey!" Peyton yelled over the intense background noise as she walked with her arm around Sam. "It is gonna get really chaotic today, so in case I forget to say it later, thank you for helping me."
"Well I got to pay you back for your wedding dress somehow," Sam said. "This seems like a pretty cool way to do it."
"Yeah, about that," Peyton reached up and smacked Sam across the head.
"Ow!" Sam exclaimed.
"Tonight will pay for like a sleeve. But as long as you don't ruin anything else, I might let you live."
Sam smiled at the ground. "So can I ask you a question without getting slapped?"
Peyton grinned at her as the two continued to walk. "Depends on what the question is."
"Umm, Brooke told me you were adopted. I was just wondering if you ever met your birth parents," They stopped walking and Sam turned to face her.
"Uh yeah," Peyton replied, surprised by the question. "Both of them, one pretty recently. That didn't turn out so great," she laughed. "But my other parents are always gonna be my real parents, you know?"
"Seems kind of greedy though don't you think? I mean, you've got like, what, four parents? I've got none."
"Well, you have Brooke," Peyton frowned, saddened by the young girl's statement. "She's pretty great, right?"
"Yeah but it's not gonna last, I mean, she's getting another baby," Sam said sadly.
A look of confusion washed over Peyton's face, "A baby? How?" She asked, furrowing her brow.
"You see when two people love each other…" Sam joked. Peyton cocked her head and raised an eyebrow, clearly not impressed. "Some lady from the adoption agency called, said they had a kid for her," Sam admitted.
Peyton opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted when Derek approached her. The conversation shifted, but Peyton kept Sam's words in the back of her mind. She was planning on confronting Brooke to make her aware of Sam's insecurities as soon as she got the chance.
A little while later, Brooke and Peyton introduced Angels and Airwaves onto the stage. The two girls ran off, and Peyton decided that this was the perfect time to express her concerns to her best friend. Brooke felt an immense amount of guilt. She hadn't realized that Sam had taken that phone call so seriously, and she felt terrible for not soothing the girl's worries sooner. Brooke wandered around backstage searching for her foster daughter when she finally found her talking to Mia.
"Can I borrow you for a second?" Brooke asked Sam, after she had approached her and Mia and said hello.
Sam nodded and the two split off. "Look, I want to talk to you about the message from this morning about the baby-," Brooke began.
"It's none of my business," Sam cut her off quickly, not exactly wanting to have this conversation right now.
"It is absolutely your business, Sam."
"Look, I get it, okay? Everybody wants the puppy, not the mutt. It's happened before, I know what happens next… you get the baby, I go back to the pound," Sam said dejectedly. She felt her heart rate increase and her throat constrict like it had earlier. Of course she didn't want to go back to living on the streets, but she didn't want to be a burden to Brooke either.
Brooke's heart sagged and she looked at the girl with sadness. Was this how Sam really felt? "You are not going back to the pound!" Brooke said seriously. "I don't ever want you to feel threatened or afraid that I am going to ask you to leave," her eyes looked right into Sam's. She wanted to make sure that she was taking in what she was telling her. Sam stared back at her with watery eyes.
"My home is your home, now, Sam," She continued. "And it's gonna be that way as long as you want it to be." Her voice cracked with emotion as she searched the teenager's face for any indication that she believed her. "Okay?"
"Kay," Sam whispered quietly, but Brooke gave her a pointed look. That answer didn't seem very convincing to her.
"Okay." Sam tried again after seeing Brooke's unimpressed expression, more confident in her response this time.
Brooke pulled the girl in for a hug, and Sam couldn't help but let a few tears fall onto Brooke's shoulder. She was so overwhelmed with emotions; relief that Brooke still wanted her, and confusion as to why she was being prioritized over a baby. At this moment, she never wanted to be released from Brooke's embrace.
Brooke could sense that Sam wasn't ready to let go just yet, so she squeezed tighter and rubbed her back softly. When she finally felt Sam start to pull away, she pulled back as well. She noticed a stray tear on Sam's cheek and she gently wiped it away with her thumb.
Sam blushed. She was slightly embarrassed that Brooke was watching her cry and act so vulnerable, but she was also grateful for the affection she was being shown.
"Okay, we should probably get going in about half an hour, the concerts almost over," Brooke said. "Do you want to go and hang out with Mia for a little longer?"
"Yeah," Sam nodded.
Brooke smiled at her. "Alright, go find her. You two are a good match."
Sam was about to turn and leave, but something washed over her. Before she could lose the confidence to do so, she wrapped her arms around Brooke for one more quick hug. "See you in a bit," She said, and quickly darted off.
Brooke grinned to herself. She was thrilled at where her relationship with Sam seemed to be heading. Just a couple of weeks ago, Sam would have never accepted a hug let alone initiate one herself. Sam was making enormous progress, and Brooke was so grateful that Haley had brought this amazing kid into her life.
Thirty minutes later, Brooke found Sam and Mia still talking. "Hey guys," she said as she approached them. "Sam, it's time to get going. it's getting late."
"Okay," Sam said. "It's been really nice getting to know you Mia," she told the musician.
"Right back at you!" Mia told her. "You should definitely text me soon."
"I totally will!"
"Bye Mia. Great job tonight, you killed it out there," Brooke told her before she and Sam turned away and began walking to the car.
"So, what'd you think? Did you have fun?" Brooke asked once they were walking outside the venue.
"That was pretty awesome," Sam admitted. "I should really throw some more parties and damage more personal possessions if it means getting to help out backstage with all these super cool bands."
Brooke stifled out a laugh. "Don't even think about it," She said as they approached the car, and Sam giggled.
"I don't know about you, but I'm starving," Brooke said as she started the engine.
"Me too," Sam agreed.
"There's a 24 hour diner a few blocks from here, do you want to stop?"
Sam grinned. "Yes please."
Brooke and Sam had a lovely dinner at the diner where they talked and laughed over the events of the night. Both girls thoroughly enjoyed each other's company, and they were definitely warming up to each other more and more. After they finished eating and were back at the house, Brooke decided to give the adoption agency a call back since she'd let them go to voicemail earlier.
"Hi, Patricia, it's Brooke Davis. I'm calling regarding your message. Yes, I'm definitely interested, and I just wanted you to know that I'm currently fostering a teenager and it's going great so I-"
"Ms. Davis, you are aware that it can be incredibly difficult to get placement of a baby with a teenager already in the home, right?" Patricia said.
"...Uh, no...no, I didn't realize that would complicate things…" Brooke trailed off. She was completely oblivious to Sam standing in the doorway, listening in on her conversation.
Sam heard all that she needed to hear. She quietly backed into her room and closed the door. She was sure that the rest of this interaction would be entirely too painful to listen to.
"How long have you been fostering this teenager for?" Patrica asked
"She's been with me for a couple of months now," Brooke replied. She heard a sigh from the other line.
"Listen, the agency can't give you a baby right now. Teenagers need stability, and adding a baby into the mix isn't the best idea. You need to focus on providing for her and getting a solid routine down first. That takes longer than a couple of months."
Brooke swallowed. "You know what, I completely understand," she said. "I don't want a baby if it means losing Sam. You're right, she is my top priority."
"You have a good heart," Patricia smiled. "That girl is lucky to have you."
"Thank you," Brooke said.
"Of course. Bye Ms. Davis."
Brooke smiled as she hung up the phone. Sure, she wanted a baby, but she'd never trade that for Sam. She got up from the kitchen island and started heading to her room, but she stopped in her tracks when she heard noise coming from Sam's room. She raised her hand and knocked on the door.
"What do you want?!" Sam yelled from behind the door.
Brooke was taken aback by the girl's harsh tone. She opened the door and was alarmed to see her foster daughter with tears streaming down her face sitting on the floor next to a suitcase. It was the same suitcase that Sam had shoved under her bed earlier that day.
"Sam what's wrong?" Brooke asked gently, stepping closer to her.
"You just assured me only a few hours ago at the concert that you wouldn't kick me out, but I heard you talking on the phone!" Sam said bitterly.
Brooke could feel the anger and betrayal radiating off of her foster daughter. "Oh Sam…" She said, "How much did you hear?"
"You said you didn't know that I would complicate things!" Sam yelled, tears continuing to fall. "Well you don't have to worry about it Brooke, I'm leaving." With that, Sam stood up and grabbed the handle to her suitcase and started for the door.
"Wait," Brooke said, grabbing her arm before she could leave. "Did you hear the rest of the conversation?" she asked calmly.
"It doesn't matter!" Sam screamed. "I know how you really feel."
"No. Sam, I told her that I don't want a baby if it means losing you. You mean way more to me, and I don't want to mess that up."
Sam stared at her for a second before replying, "Then why'd you ask for a baby in the first place?"
Brooke smiled softly. "Well, because I do want a baby eventually, but I want you more. And I don't want you to ever feel like I resent you because I can't get a baby right now, because I promise that I don't care as long as I have you."
"Oh," Sam whispered. She slowly rolled her suitcase back to the edge of her bed and sat down on the side of her bed. The anger and hurt was completely gone from her body, now she just sat there, crying for all she was worth.
Brooke was devastated at the sight of the shattered child. She moved to sit down next to Sam, desperate to calm her down.
"Honey come here, it's okay," Brooke sat down next to the shaking girl and wrapped her arm around her. "I'm so sorry that I scared you like that. I'm going to tell you again: my home is your home. I'm never going to ask you to leave. Ever." Brooke had told her this multiple times, and she was going to continue repeating herself until Sam believed her.
"But I stole your wallet and ID, and I threw a party in your store, and I piss you off and screw up all the time… why would you choose me over a baby?" Sam continued to cry and clutch onto Brooke.
"You could throw 100 parties in my store and break every rule I have for you and I'd still choose you over a baby," Brooke assured her.
"You're an idiot," Sam declared.
Brooke laughed. "Sorry, you're stuck with me."
Sam smiled. Brooke continued holding and comforting her for another couple of minutes even after the girl's tears subsided and she had calmed down.
"I'm tired," Sam finally said.
"Alright, I'll let you get ready for bed," Brooke chuckled. "And unpack your suitcase, you're not going anywhere," she smiled. She slowly released her embrace on Sam and softly kissed the top of her forehead before getting up and quietly exciting the room.
Sam fell back onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. She felt a lot better after her talk with Brooke. For the first time, she truly believed that she had a permanent home.