Title: Details of Despair

Author: Balticbard

Email: balticbard@yahoo.com

Disclaimer; Popular, and its characters are copyrighted; for entertainment purposes only.

Warning; heavy angst

Dedicated to Jos...MoUs

Part 11

"What the hell is going on here?" Brooke asked in desperation, as she banged heavily with her fists on the glass window of the reception desk, behind which, sat the cool, composed nurse on duty, "why is it taking so long to find out about my sister? I want to know how Sam is, damnit!"

"Brookie, please," Nicole pleaded in desperation, as she tugged at her fiery lover's arm, "stop that...it won't do any good!"

"Stay away from me!" Brooke hissed, as she turned, and pushed Nicole away from her, "don't touch me again!" Brooke turned back to the nurse behind the glass window, "I want to see Sam!"

"I'm sorry, Ms. McQueen," the nurse replied icily, "that's not possible right now."

"Why not?" Brooke's high, shrill scream echoed through the waiting room, "I want to see the doctor immediately!" the blond girl continued to bang her fists on the glass window.

"Samantha McPherson is still in surgery, miss," the nurse replied nonchalantly.

"You're lying to me!" Brooke had begun to cry again, as she leaned against the glass window.

"No, Ms. McQueen," the nurse replied, a bit more sympathetically now, "no one is lying to you. But if you don't calm down, you will be removed from the premises for causing a disturbance."

"I don't care! I just want Sam!" Brooke replied angrily, with a wild look in her eyes.

"That's enough, Brooke!"

Harrison had come up behind Brooke, and had wrapped his long arms around her. Brooke started to squirm, then kick violently, as he tore her away from the window.

"Let me go, Harrison! Let me go right now!"

Harrison ignored Brooke's demands, and screams, as he imposed his greater strength, and height on Brooke, "just calm down, Brooke," the young man said, as he dragged the feisty girl back from the reception window, toward the waiting room, and to her seat, making her sit down, "stop acting like a spoiled brat!"

Brooke stopped squirming, and looked up at Harrison in surprise, "but..."

"You're not the only one who loves Sam, Brooke!" Harrison said firmly, "Lilly, and I love her too. We are just as worried about Sam as you are. But we know that kicking, and screaming won't solve anything!"

Brooke became sedate enough so that Harrison relaxed his hold on her. Brooke remained calm, but saw Lilly out of the corner of her eye, and that was enough to enrage her once more. Brooke fixed her attention fully on Harrison, as her face became a mask of pure rage, her eyes seeming to glow unnaturally, "you stole Sammy away from me!" Brooke's voice was filled with vicious, resentful, jealous ire which descended into a low hiss.

"I can't believe what you just said, Brooke," Harrison replied, with consternation, as a smile began to form on his thin lips, "you are just amazing sometimes," he looked unblinkingly into her angry eyes.

"Its true!"

"Brooke," Harrison began quietly, "Lilly, and I never stole Sam from you, because she was never yours. In fact...you never wanted Sam."

"I know," Brooke looked down sadly, "I was so wrong," the girl repented.

"I think..." Harrison continued, "that the idea of owning Sam is quite archaic...barbaric. But if ownership of Sam is to be established...and I know that you want to do so..."

"Sam wanted me," Brooke whined, "she love me first. Then, you, and Lilly butted in."

"Sam ran TO us, Brooke. She ran to get AWAY from you."

"YOU RAPED HER!" Brooke shouted in rage at Harrison.

"That is not so, Brooke," Harrison replied with amazing calm, "is that so, Lilly?"

Lilly stepped forward, and stood next to Harrison, "you treated Sam like shit, Brooke. Harrison, and I put her back together after you nearly destroyed her!"

"But if ownership of Sam must be established," Harrison had an evil leer on his handsome face, "we are the ones who took Sam's virginity."

"You'll pay for this, Harrison," Brooke said quietly, with a murderous glare in her dark eyes, "I mean that with all of my heart."

"You lost her forever, Brooke," Harrison said gravely.

"Sam loves us, and not you, Brooke," Lilly said with a cruel smirk.

"Sam was coming to live with us just before the accident, Brooke," Harrison added, "and she was so happy to start her life with us...to get away from you!"

"If she's on the operating table, its all your fault, Brooke!" Lilly yelled.

"Stop talking to Brooke that way!" Nicole exclaimed loudly, "you know that's not true! Stop blaming her! It was an accident!"

"Yeah, sure," Lilly said with sarcasm, "but the results are just the same; Sam got hurt because of Brooke!"

Brooke remained very still, as Harrison backed away from her, and turned to leave with Lilly. Brooke's eyes became downcast, not wanting to look at Harrison, and Lilly, whom she despised tremendously at that very instant.

Flashback;

A drab day had rolled into a quiet evening at the McQueen residence. The family sat at the dinner table, the place of gathering for quiet union, broken occasionally for casual chit chat about a variety of topics that ranged from the most profound, to the most ridiculous. Also, this was an important moment, for the family to share time together, to gauge each other, to share moments of their respective day with the others.

Mike, and Jane ate slowly, casting shy, cautious, lover's glances at each other, for despite their married state, and a new child on the way, the two still shared the magic of romance between them.

Samantha, the dark, brooding beauty, ate slowly also, cutting her food into small pieces, looking up shyly, almost expectantly at her parental figures with a question in her eyes.

Brooke, the golden sibling, ate heartily, smiling to herself occasionally, sometimes glancing at her parents, nodding in agreement at some comment that her handsome father might make, but mostly discreetly staring at Sam.

"Mom, Mike...may I ask you something?" Sam asked quietly.

"Yes, of course you may, Sam," Mike said encouragingly with a smile, delighted that the girl was finally including him in her life, in her decisions, as he put down his fork, and fixed his attention solely on the girl.

"What is it, Sammy?" Jane, the mom asked, hoping that her usually taciturn daughter would confide in her once more, and feeling guilty that she had lately been ignoring the girl.

Brooke didn't say a word, but simply placed her piercing gaze upon Sam, and delighted that now she could do so openly, without needing an excuse to do so.

"Harrison's mom, Robin, just lost the boarder who was renting the top part of her house," Samantha explained nonchalantly, "the house once had two floors, but she turned the top floor into a separate apartment."

"Yes, we know that," Jane said, somewhat impatiently.

"Harrison just got a job after school," Sam continued, "and he has decided to rent the apartment from his mom."

"Yes. So?" Jane found Sam's conversation aimless.

"Harrison has asked Lilly, and me to move in with him," Samantha said quietly, as she fixed her eyes on both Mike, and Jane.

"WHAT?" Jane exploded, with a wild look in her eyes, as she got up from her chair, and put both of her hands on the table.

"The apartment has two rooms, and two bathrooms," Sam continued to relate calmly, almost oblivious of Jane's outburst, "its really quiet large," Sam now spoke almost directly to Mike, "Harrison would get one room, and Lilly, and I would share the other room. The three of us working, will be able to pay the rent!"

"You want to move out!" Jane's voice cracked with emotion, "but why? So soon?"

"Yes, Sam," Mike agreed, "you're still a minor."

Brooke's fork had dropped out of her hand, and she no longer ate, as her heart beat madly with desperation, "Sammy wants to leave?"

"I'm almost seventeen," Sam replied firmly, "I am grown up enough."

"Not really, Sam," Mike said, "you still have quite a lot of growing up to do."

"You're too young!" Jane yelled at her daughter.

"Its time that I went out on my own," Sam replied calmly, "its time that I learned to take care of myself, to learn about
responsibility..."

"NO! NONONONONONO!" Jane was shaking her head vigorously, "no!"

"Calm down, Jane," Mike reassured, "Sam is going through a phase."

"No, Mike," the girl said, "I've put a lot of thought into this. I have discussed this with..."

"Lilly, and Harrison? Is that who's been brainwashing you lately?" Jane was suddenly filled with resentment toward Sam's friends.

"I'm not being brainwashed by anyone, mom," Sam said defensively, "I'm trying to act like a responsible adult! Lilly, and Harrison are the same age as me, and they have their parents permission to leave home. Why should I be any different?"

"I won't let you go!" Jane exclaimed.

"Mike...please understand," Sam pleaded, "mom, you're pregnant...the bills are piling up...you need more space in the house, and you're both planning to take out a new mortgage to resize the guest room. Now, with me gone, you can use my room for the baby, and save money at the same time."

"It does make sense," Mike said thoughtfully.

"Don't encourage her, Mike!" Jane declared angrily.

"I won't be living too far away, mom," Sam said softly, "I'll come to see you everyday," the girl's voice became gently, "I do need to start living my own life."

"Oh no!" Jane was breaking down, "why can't you be like Brooke? She's happy with us...she isn't trying to leave us behind!"

Brooke's eyes nearly popped out of her head at the mention of her name, "if they only knew!" the lanky girl said to herself, "if Sammy goes...I go too!"

"Mom," Sam tried to reason with her mother, "Brooke has her own fate, her own life. If she is happy staying here, then its her decision. But I want to go live with Harrison, and Lilly."

Brooke was still beside herself, as she listened to the commotion around her, "no...I don't want Sam to leave...I'll go with her!"

"Ingrate!" Jane yelled at Samantha, so loudly, so hard, that saliva sprinkled from her mouth, "you want to abandon us!"

"That's not true, mom!" Sam replied fervently, "please try to understand," then the girl turned to Mike, "please...I'm not running away from this family!"

"Yes, you are," Brooke said unexpectedly, and all eyes turned toward her briefly, as she mentally added the last part, in unspoken words within her heart, that she dared not verbalize, "you're running away from me, from my love."

Sam ignored Brooke, after giving the blond a brief, angry glare, and turned all of her attention toward her parents, whom she knew, held her destiny in their hands, "mom...Mike...please let me go!"

Jane had started to cry, and hid her face in her hands. Mike got out of his seat, and hugged her.

"Mike?" Sam pleaded.

"Please, Sam," Mike replied quietly, "I'm going to take Jane upstairs to rest. We'll discuss this tomorrow." Mike then led Jane out of the kitchen, and up the stairs.

"Nice going, Sam," Brooke spat angrily, "great way to ruin dinner!"

Sam turned around, and fixed her angry, dark eyes on the blond, "I don't appreciate you butting into my business, Brooke. I try to stay out of yours, so stay out of mine!" Sam turned away once more, and was about to exit by the back door of the kitchen, but a cry from Brooke made her stop.

"Sam! Wait!"

"Yes, Brooke?"

Brooke trembled, as she gazed adoringly into Samantha's eyes, "please...don't move out."

"Its all for the best, Brooke."

"But why, Sam?" Brooke was puzzled, "is it because of me? Of what I did to you?"

"Yes, and no," Sam replied, "its also just time for me to go."

"But I want you to stay here with me!" Brooke said in desperation, "I'll be lonely if you go!"

"But you have Nicole," Sam said with a grin.

"I don't want Nic," Brooke said with anguish in her voice, "I only want you!"

"No...Brooke," Sam was edgy now, "that's not right."

"Yes it is!" Brooke exclaimed, "and I know that you are moving out because of me...because you still love me."

"That's not so, Brooke. Don't say that!"

"Just say it, Sam. I need to hear it from your lips. Please...just give up, and admit it!"

"What I feel now isn't important anymore, Brooke. You are with Nicole."

"I KNEW IT!" Brooke screamed, "you do love me! I'm going to break up with Nic!"

"No!" Samantha exclaimed fervently, "Don't break Nic's heart the way you broke mine, Brooke!"

"Its MY bed, Sam," Brooke stepped closer to the girl, "I decide what to do...and YOU are the only one that I want in it with me!"

"No, Brooke," Sam looked away, trying to avoid Brooke's lustful gaze, "don't."

"I was stupid, Sammy! I made the wrong decision. But I refuse to give up on us!"

"The choices you made determined my fate, Brooke. They are permanent."

"NO! They aren't, Sam. I know that somewhere in that solid rock that you have for a heart, that you still love me. You are just too stubborn, and proud to admit it to me. You're just doing all of this to punish me for rejecting you."

"Brooke..."

"Please...Sam," Brooke was now agitated, and desperate, "you've got to come to your senses...this is serious! You...and I...we love each other! We're meant to be together!"

"Oh...my," Sam whispered sadly, as she looked down, and tears rushed to her eyes, "once..." she shook her head, "once I lived, and breathed for one single purpose; to win your love, and hear those words come from your lips. But then, everything changed, Brooke."

"When?"

"When I saw you in bed with Nicole," Sam replied painfully, "that changed everything. That night my entire life changed."

"No, Sammy," Brooke stepped close to Sam, "don't say that," the blond girl was crying now, "I can make it up to you. I can make you so happy."

"Its too late," Sam said with a tired sigh, as shadows suddenly began to engulf her.

"No...wait!" Brooke was confused, as she saw everything getting dark, "what is going on here? Sam?" the girl reached out in her desperation, trying to grab onto her brunette's pale hands, "come back to me, Sammy!"

"Its too late," Sam repeated mechanically, as her voice seemed to become a distant echo, and her form began to fade into the darkness that finally enveloped her completely.

"Sammy! I love you!"

Fadeout.

Part 12

Brooke was conscious, but found herself in a dark, empty place. Brooke felt herself floating in what seemed to be nothingness, and she heard a distant echo of a voice that seemed to be calling to her;

"Brooke!"

The blond felt herself floating toward the beckoning sound that drew her to it like a magnet.

"Brooke...wake up!"

Brooke felt herself spinning like a top, then being drawn downward, as if she was suddenly trapped in a powerful funnel.

"BROOKE!"

Finally, Brooke stirred, and opened her eyes to see Nicole shaking her, "wha...what is it?"

"Thank God!" Nicole exclaimed with relief, "you're awake."

Brooke had fallen asleep in her chair, and now her entire body ached, "it was all a just a dream. I was dreaming."

"Brooke...get up!" Nicole exclaimed, "Sam is out of surgery, and in intensive care. The surgeon who operated on her wants to speak to you!"

"Oh...YES!" Brooke cried, as she got up from her chair, and quickly arranged her clothes.

"Brooke...please let me go with you," Harrison pleaded, as he gently put his hand on the blond girl's shoulder.

Brooke brushed Harrison's hand away brusquely, "no!"

"Let him go with you, Brookie," Nicole said, "you can't do this on your own."

"Just shut up, and stay out of this, Nic," Brooke said abrasively, "I don't want anyone with me."

"Let bygones be bygones, Brooke," Harrison said in desperation, "please..." the young man's eyes were welling up with tears, "if not me...then let Lilly go with you."

"Ms. McQueen," the nurse behind the glass window of the reception desk said mechanically, "Dr. Gunther is waiting to speak to you. Please enter through the side doors."

"We want to see Sam too," Harrison said to the nurse.

"Are you a member of the family?" the nurse asked him.

"We're Sam's good friends," Lilly said tearfully.

"I'm very sorry, miss," the nurse said neutrally, "only family is allowed inside."

"Brooke," Lilly turned to the lanky blond, "you have got to let us see Sam..." the girl pleaded in desperation, "please...PLEASE!"

Brooke shrugged, "I can't deal with you guys right now," the blond said coldly as she turned, and walked away with a rock for a heart, and a deaf ear to Lilly's pitiful wail.

A sudden, dark sense of foreboding gripped Brooke's heart, as she entered the double doors that were next to the reception desk. When she stepped beyond the doors, Brooke saw a tall, dark haired, bearded man in a light green, hospital uniform, standing in the middle of the hall, and she approached him, "Dr. Gunther?"

"Yes," the bearded doctor replied, "I'm Dr. Gunther. And you are?"

"My name is Brooke McQueen. I'm Sam's sister."

"Oh?" the doctor seemed puzzled, as he scratched his head.

"Sam, and I don't have the same last name. Her mother is married to my father, Dr. Gunther."

"Please forgive my confusion, Ms. McQueen. It was just that; the last name. Now I understand."

"How is Sam?" Brooke asked quickly, suddenly flooded with deep anxiety.

"Well," the doctor's face darkened, "Ms. McPherson suffered very grave injuries. Her internal organs were almost entirely crushed, and she was bleeding heavily because of that. Add to that a skull fracture, two broken legs, and a broken arm."

The doctor's sudden pause chilled Brooke, so that she began to feel a coldness creeping into her heart, "oh...no..."

"We tried to repair her organs as best as we could," the doctor continued, "and to stop her internal bleeding. Those are the two, worst factors against her right now," he said gravely.

"But Sam will be okay?" Brooke asked, more of a plea than a question.

"I don't know, Ms. McQueen. I can't answer you truthfully," the doctor replied quietly, with a sad look in his eyes, "I can only tell you that she is still in a very precarious condition right now. All that we can do is wait, and hope that she gets better."

"Oh," Brooke replied weakly, as thick tears slid down her pale cheeks, and her heart began to break, "I need to see Sam..."

"Yes, I understand," the doctor said, "Ms. McPherson is in intensive care, which is on the third floor...her room number is 328."

"Thank you, Dr. Gunther," Brooke replied amid small sobs, as she turned, and began to walk toward an elevator that was just a few feet away.

"Goodbye, Ms. McQueen," the doctor said, as he turned, and went in the opposite direction.

Brooke's entire being was on the edge of desperation, as she rushed into the nearby elevator, who's doors opened at precisely that instant, to let two orderlies, and one nurse off on that floor. Brooke rushed pas them, almost knocking down the nurse, and bumping squarely into one of the orderlies.

"Hey!" one of the orderlies yelled, "watch where you're going!"

Brooke was so desperate to get to Sam, that she flung herself into the elevator, quickly pressed the button that shut the elevator doors, thus eliciting curses from several people who had the intention of boarding the same elevator with the blond girl. Brooke didn't care, because at that moment, she preferred to be alone, and she had to get to Sam's side as soon as possible. Brooke was aching for Sam. The blond was trembling, her nerves felt like they were about to explode, "have to!" the girl chanted inwardly, as her breathing became labored, "have to get to Sammy!" Brooke wished that she had been able to fly, and silently cursed the sluggish elevator that seemed to move slower with each passing second. Brooke was on the verge of a scream, when the elevator finally stopped moving, and its doors opened onto the third floor. Like a swift wind given to wild abandon, Brooke rushed out of the elevator, and began to walk briskly down the hall, "317...315...wrong direction," the girl doubled back, and then walked down the other end of the hall, "322...326..." Brooke almost found counting the room numbers hypnotically addictive, "328!" Brooke felt a surge of triumph when she finally found Samantha's room.

Flashback;

Being a prosperous, and very busy businessman, kept Mick McQueen frequently away from home on long, business trips. To quell his loneliness, Mike would very often take his pretty, pregnant wife, Jane, with him, thus leaving their two, combative, adolescent daughters to fend for themselves.

It was only the day before, yet Brooke could remember every detail of it clearly; it was Thursday morning, and her father, Mike, was getting ready to go to Texas on a four-day business trip. Every detail of the awful day, even to the smallest detail was forever burned into Brooke's memory as if it were a movie that she could watch over, and over, to review countless times.

It was very early in the morning, and the McQueen family was astir, as the household prepared for another day, and the absence of the adults.

"Jane," Mike called out from the room he shared with his wife, as he busily packed their suitcases, "have you seen my socks?"

"Third drawer down, left side, bottom," Jane yelled back from behind the closed, bathroom door.

"We have to hurry, Jane," Mike said, as he scurried about the bedroom, "the private jet my company has scheduled for the trip leaves in two hours, the cab I ordered will be here soon!"

"I'm done," Jane said, as she quickly exited the bathroom, and began to aid her husband in his packing.

"Great!" Mike yelled excitedly, as he took Jane in his arms, and kissed her romantically.

Meanwhile, Brooke stood outside in the hall, listening to her parents, and their intimate sounds. Brooke grinned when she saw the door of Sam's room open, and Sam step out onto the hall.

Sam was still half asleep, despite the cold shower that she had just taken. She stretched her legs, adjusting the fit of her tight, faded jeans that clung to her curves, "damn!" Sam cursed angrily, as she pushed away the loose, stray locks of her recently shampooed, blow-dried hair that fell errantly in her eyes, "I should just end the hassle, and cut my damn hair!"

Brooke gazed hungrily at Sam's voluptuous, yet slender frame, but felt sudden panic at the girl's angry words, "no! Please, Sam...don't cut your hair!" the blond exclaimed a bit too loudly, for she often fantasized about having the brunette's gorgeous head nestled between her thighs, and those long, silky, thick locks of the girl's hair tangled in her trembling fingers to anchor her, "don't even think about it!"

"Lilly says that the body is just a shell," Sam replied, deep in thought, as she nodded to Brooke to acknowledge her, "what matters is what we have inside."

Brooke frowned, because she was insanely jealous, because she didn't like having Lilly thrown in her face, because she was aware that the girl was her rival for Sam's heart. Brooke recognized the challenge in Sam's voice; the girl was subtly testing her, "she's comparing me to Lilly," Brooke thought to herself, as she noticed the defiant glint in Samantha's eyes, "I have to be careful of what I say now...or Lilly will win in her eyes," Brooke smiled, and said aloud, "Lilly is only half right, Sam."

"Oh?" now, Sam was extremely observant, and interested in the lanky blond, "really?"

"The body, and the soul are extensions of each other," Brooke said gravely, inwardly delighted at having Sam's undivided attention, "one can't exist without the other until death...so both matter," Brooke was proud of her answer.

"Mmmmhhhmmm," Sam smiled softly, then nodded approvingly, "good answer, McQueen."

"Yeah," Brooke blushed, then smiled shyly, "I'll bet you thought that I was so stupid, that Nic did all of my thinking for me."

"No."

"Really?"

"I have never thought that you are stupid, Brooke, or that you are Nicole's stooge."

"Um," Brooke was visibly trembling now, "thanks," she stepped closer to the girl of her dreams, "so...you won't cut your hair then?"

"I won't."

"Promise, Sam?"

"Promise," Samantha replied with a slight smile, "so...are you listening to mom, and Mike kissing?"

"Yeah," Brooke was smiling back at Sam, and gushing, and melting at once, "I like doing it sometimes."

"You are such a pervert, McQueen."

Brooke had a wide, goofy grin plastered on her pretty face, as she stepped closer to her brunette, and tangled her pale hand in the girl's thick, wild hair, "I love your hair, Sammy," the blond was delighted to see that Sam was not trying to avoid her as the girl usually did when Brooke came to close to her, "and you smell heavenly."

"Tease," Samantha replied huskily, as her pupils visibly dilated.

Brooke went crazy when she noticed the obvious signs of arousal in Sam that she had caused, and lunged madly at the girl, pushing the both of them against the wall. Brooke was about to kiss Sam, when a voice stopped her.

"Brooke?" Jane asked, "Sam?"

"Mom?"

"Yeah, mom?'

"What are you two up to?" Jane eyed both of her daughters suspiciously, although she didn't know why, but there was something about them together, something...intimate.

"Brooke was trying to start a fight again, mom," Sam replied, "she was pulling my hair!"

"I was not!" Brooke countered loudly, "she's a liar! I just wanted to smell her hair."

"Oh," Jane rolled her eyes, as the old view of the girls constantly bickering, and fighting re-established itself in her mind, thus erasing the odd impression that she had gotten of them before.

"Jane!" Mike's voice boomed, as he left his bedroom, toting two suitcases, and headed down the stairs, "come on! Our cab is waiting outside!"

"Coming, Mike," Jane replied quickly, then turned to her daughters, "okay, girls...you know the drill; I'll call everyday. Lock the doors at night. Don't stay out late. No parties or sleepovers. Don't bring strangers home. Money in the cookie jar. Fridge is stacked...and..."

"And?"

"No Nicole for you, Brooke. No moving out for you, Sammy!" Jane yelled as she headed down the stairs.

"Okay, mom," Brooke replied calmly.

"That is so not fair, mom!" Sam exploded.

"Live with it, Sam," Jane replied, as she left the house, and shut the front door behind her.

Silence ensued for several seconds. Then...

"Well...that was nice of her," Sam said angrily.

"Sammy," Brooke said softly, huskily, as she stepped closer to her brunette, "we...," she swallowed hard, "we're...alone."

"Oh."

"And you've changed, Sammy."

"How?"

"You're not running away from me like you do when I get too close to you, Sam. That means that you've forgiven me!"

"Wait a minute, Brooke..."

"You were always avoiding me, Sam. You couldn't bear to have me anywhere near you. Right now, I am standing really..." Brooke moved closer to the girl, "really close to you...and you're not moving away!" the blond felt triumphant.

"I suppose," Sam said with a sigh, "that its because I finally let go..." Sam shook her head slowly, "I finally accepted the fact that you were never meant for me, and I'm happy with the fate that I do have."

"Wait," Brooke was puzzled, "what do you mean that we were never meant to be?"

"Exactly what I said, Brooke."

"That is so not true, Sam!"

Samantha simply turned, and went back into her room, then into her closet, where she began to rummage through her things.

"Sam!" Brooke followed the girl, angered by her apparent indifference, puzzled by Sam's cryptic words, "how can you say those things? I don't know how you go that impression...but I have the opposite one. We are...MEANT to be!"

Samantha exited her closet, carrying her suitcase, which she threw on her bed, "whenever I think of you, Brooke...I will remember the way you used to treat me."

"That's all over, Sam! I've changed. I want you!"

"I can't help it, Brooke," Sam proceeded to open the drawers of her bureau, and throw clothes randomly into the suitcase on her bed, "that's how it will always be."

"Sam...I," Brooke was about to start an argument, but stopped, "what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm moving out, Brooke."

"RIGHT NOW?"

"Yeah," Sam replied nonchalantly, "before mom, and Mike get back from Dallas. I'll just take a few things with me, and go straight to Lil, and Harry's place. They're waiting for me."

"What about mom, Sam? You're still a minor. She can get you back!"

"I'm getting a lawyer, and suing for my independence, Brooke."

"NO!"

"What?" Sam was so shocked by Brooke, that she stopped her packing, "what do you mean?"

"I won't let you go, Sam."

"?"

Brooke hurled herself at Sam, and caught the girl in her open arms. Then, both girls fell on Sam's bed, making the suitcase tip over, and fall onto the floor. Brooke was on top of Sam, "I guess Lilly will just have to share a room with Harrison, Sammy."

"What do..."

"I'm moving out too, Sam. I'm going with you."

"That is ridiculous, Brooke!"

"Then...stay here with me, Sam."

"I can't."

"Harrison, and Lilly don't own you, Sam," Brooke huffed angrily.

"They do," Sam whispered, as she turned her head to the side, away from Brooke's piercing gaze, "in a way."

"Then I'm going with you," Brooke said firmly, "all four of us in the apartment," she began to tickle Sam, "they can shack up in one room, and be lovers. But you, and me...we get the other room, and they don't touch you...cause only I can!"

Sam couldn't think clearly, "stop that, Brooke," she was out of breath, "you know I hate to be tickled!" the girl was giggling hysterically.

"Just...you, and me, Sammy," Brooke said huskily, as she stopped tickling her brunette, and began to grind into the girl's plush, soft, warm body, "you...me..."

"Yes," Sam replied, as her emotions exploded, and she no longer tried to fight Brooke's advances, "you...and me."

What transpired next, Brooke would cherish forever; without saying anything more, she began to kiss Samantha passionately, and the girl kissed her in return.

Fadeout.

"Harrison, and Lilly were so wrong," Brooke said quietly, as she stood outside Sam's hospital room, "Sam wasn't running from me. Sam was going to stay with me."

Part 13

Author's note; sorry about the depressing story, guys...I guess I just couldn't help myself...but I will try to write some fluff next time...or at least I'll try to fluff my very flat pillow...deal?

~~~~~

Brooke paused for a moment at the doorway of Sam's hospital room, inhaled deeply, and tried to compose herself. Then, the lanky blond girl straightened her posture, and went inside.

The first impression that hit Brooke like waves as she entered Sam's room, was the smell of sterilized alcohol, and gauge. The next impression that hit Brooke, was the typical, cold, hospital atmosphere of the room, followed by its bright lights, mingled with the mint green colored walls, and lastly, the spaciousness, like an odd void around Sam's bed.

Brooke swallowed hard, as her eyes finally focused on the raised hospital bed, and the small, seemingly sleeping figure lying upon it, covered in white, sterile blankets, "Sammy," she whispered, as her heart was overwhelmed by aching love for the fragile girl that she deeply adored. Tears came unbidden to the blond's eyes, as she approached the bed, standing beside it, and looked down upon Samantha, feeling her entire being tied up in knots of emotional pain, at seeing most of the girl's body covered in a body cast, "oh...Sam," Brooke smiled a bit, noticing that even in tragedy, despite her bruises, and bandages, the brunette was still utterly stunning, and beguiling, "I was such a fool," the lanky girl brought up her hand, then tangled her long, slender in Sam's wild, locks that spilled aimlessly around her pale, serene, sleeping countenance, and danced upon her undisturbed forehead, "how could I have been so cruel to you?" Brooke leaned down, and very gently lay a lingering, tender kiss on the bed stricken girl's cheek.

Samantha stirred slowly, seeming like a gentle, fragile current disturbing the surface of a dormant lake. Sam's eyes fluttered open, revealing the dark orbs of her tired eyes, "hhhhmmmm?"

"Sam..." Brooke whispered, "can you see me?"

"Brooke?" Sam turned her head slowly, wincing in pain as she did.

"Does it hurt much, Sammy?"

"Yeah," Sam replied in a tired voice, barely above a whisper, "lots...like a train wreck..." the girl was making an immense effort to speak, "Brooke?"

"Yeah, Sammy?" the blond couldn't keep her tears hidden any longer, and began to cry forlornly.

"What did...the doctor...say, Brooke? Is it...bad? Am...I going...to be okay?"

"Um..." Brooke wiped the tears from her eyes, "yeah...Sam...you got banged up pretty bad."

"It...feels that way," Sam replied as she lifted her head a bit, and looked at herself, only to see both her legs, and left arm in casts, "guess...I'm pretty...messed up."

"Sam?"

"Yeah...Brooke?"

"Why did you do it, Sammy? Why did you save my life? I just can't understand why you...did it. I've been so awful to you...yet you saved me from..." Brooke was too choked up to keep speaking.

"I guess...it was just..." Sam made an enormous effort to raise her voice a bit, "I...just can't...stand to see you hurt. Seeing Josh...abuse you...then the car...in that split second...feeling what it would...be like if...you died...it was awful...I just couldn't...bear it..."

"Oh...Sammy!" Brooke bawled, as she buried her head in the brunette's shoulder, and cried like a baby, "I'm so sorry."

Sam made an almost superhuman effort, and slowly lifted her free arm. It seemed to the girl that her arm weighed a painful ton, and Sam winced in agony, as she managed to bury her trembling fingers in Brooke's golden hair, "its...okay...Brooke," she whispered, as she too began to cry, "I...guess Harrison...was right about...about you."

"What do you mean?" Brooke lifted her head from the hollow of Sam's neck, and looked at her.

"He said....that you were...so endearing," Samantha whispered hoarsely, with a small smile, as tears ran from her dark eyes.

"Sam," Brooke said excitedly, as a rush of hopefulness ran through her, as she remembered their brief, sexual encounter of that morning, as she somehow could intuit what her brunette was trying to say, "you love me...please say it, Sammy...please."

"I...can't."

"But why," Brooke asked with furrowed brow, and pained heart, "this morning we..."

"Don't, Brooke...its...just all...too late anyway."

"No. Nononono. Don't ever say that again, Sammy," Brooke was sobbing now, "its not too late. I love you."

"I know," Sam replied with a sad sigh.

"Now," Brooke said happily, "we can be together for the rest of our lives, Sammy. We'll be so happy...you'll see. I'll take such good care of you."

"No," Sam said, wincing once more, as another stab of pain shot through her, "no, Brooke."

"Why not, Sam?" Brooke asked plaintively, as if she were a little girl suddenly deprived of her favorite doll, "I thought that we were together now."

"It was...a mistake," Sam said slowly, "I'm with...Lilly...Har...rison...I promised them," the brunette suddenly felt very odd, and her speech started to slur, "I...need to...see them."

"NO!" Brooke exploded in fury, and couldn't contain her jealous rage anymore.

"Please, Brooke!" Sam was now flooded with fear, as she perceived a coldness beginning to seep into her body, "I need to...see them...please bring them!"

"No! NEVER!" Brooke became almost raw, brutal in voice, and manner.

"Brooke!" Sam cried, as a wild look entered her eyes, "please," she said in quiet desperation, "bring...them."

Brooke's heart had turned to stone, as she vigorously shook her head again, and again, "no! No."

"Please..."

"You belong to me now!"

"Brooke..."

Brooke couldn't contain herself anymore as she leaned down, and kissed Samantha furiously on the lips, with all of the pent up desire in her heart. After about a minute, Brooke paused, stopped kissing Sam, but still kept her face pressed against the girl's own countenance, "I love you so much...I just can't let you go...can't you understand that?" Brooke sighed, as a new batch of tears ran down her cheeks. Brooke was about to kiss Sam once more, "Sammy," but the blond noticed that her brunette was strangely still, and silent, "Sam?" Brooke felt a sudden, cold chill grip her heart, as a sinister thought invaded her mind, "no!" but as Brooke's eyes fell on Sam's pale face, as the blond's trembling hands touched the girl's now pale cheeks, and searched her body, there was no longer any doubt of it, "NO! It can't be. NO!"

Samantha was dead.

Brooke stepped back from Sam's bed, with her fists clenched in desperation, as she opened her lips, releasing a long, painful scream that carried her grieving, broken heart with it; "Sammy!"

The blond girl's echoing scream startled the entire ward, and brought both nurses, and doctors running to room 328. When the doctors, nurses, and orderlies entered the Samantha McPherson's room, they found her dead, and Brooke McQueen in a heap on the floor, in a corner of the room, crying like a battered child.

The doctors, and nurses promptly acted to try, and revive Sam, but all their attempts failed. Samantha was officially declared dead.

Part 14

Brooke felt physically numb, yet her heart was filled with wild desperation, and the sudden urge to just get start screaming, "Sam is gone forever," a voice whispered to her within her mind, "Sam is never coming back!" When Brooke exited the double doors that had once opened to take her to Samantha, she saw three, expectant faces awaiting her; Nicole, with eyes of love for her, Lilly, and Harrison with anxiety over news of Sam. Brooke stopped moving as she faced all of them, and just stared at them in silence.

Lilly had been enfolded in the safe, warm cocoon of Harrison's embrace. Lilly felt a sudden rush of adrenaline when she saw Brooke come out of the hospital doors. Lilly's heart was beating madly, as she quickly left the confines of her lover's embrace, "Brooke?" Lilly took a few steps toward the tall, lanky blond, "is Sammy okay?" But the golden girl that stood before Lilly didn't reply verbally to her question, and just stared back at the short brunette with wild, desperate eyes. For a brief moment, Lilly stared back at Brooke in total silence. It was then, after staring fixedly into Brooke's dark, tormented, grieving orbs, that Lilly saw the undeniable truth; the details of despair, and she finally understood, "oh no," Lilly's voice rose up in a breathless, anguished cry, "Sammy is dead!" Suddenly, Lilly felt a wave of weakness overwhelm her, as everything before her eyes began to spin, blur, finally turning into a comforting darkness that embraced her, as she finally lost consciousness.

"No!" Harrison cried, as he lunged forward, and trapped his pretty lover within his arms, holding her up, saving her from falling to the floor, "it can't be!" tears were rushing up to his dark eyes, then sliding generously down his cheeks, as a knot of pain formed in his throat, "no!"

Brooke stared blankly at Harrison, nodding slightly in response, then turning away to face an expectant Nicole.

"How could you do this to us?" Harrison's sobbing had just begun, as his grieving words carried over to an emotionally cold Brooke, like a darkened, heavy echo, "why, Brooke?" he almost wailed, "why did you deny us the chance to say goodbye to Sam?"

Brooke turned, and looked briefly at Harrison. Brooke's face was pale, still, devoid of all emotion, "it just doesn't matter anymore. Nothing matters anymore." Brooke turned her back completely on Harrison, walking away from him, shutting him out of her, to be equated as an unnecessary, insignificant detail to be discarded. Brooke's tired, faded eyes were half-lidded, as she dragged her feet across the floor, "Sammy is gone forever...I'll never see her again."

Nicole watched her pale, heavy hearted lover walk toward her, "Brookie, I'm so sorry!" Nicole lunged forward, and hugged her forlorn lover, "I'm so sorry about Sam!"

Brooke clung desperately to Nicole's warmth, "Nic...can I stay with you? I can't bear to be alone right now."

"Yeah, Brookie," Nicole said lovingly, as her heart filled with joy, "you can stay with me as long as you want...I'll take care of you."

"No," Brooke broke briefly away from Nicole, "only as a friend, Nic."

"But..."

"It can't be any other way, Nic," Brooke walked out of the emergency room with Nicole in tow, "I can't lie to you. I can't use you either. Please...try to understand...I'll always love Sam."

"So that's it, Brooke? You're going to go celibate just because you love Sam? She's gone...you can't stay alone."

"I love her, Nic. I won't ever love again. My decision is final."

Nicole nodded sympathetically, outwardly submissive, but inwardly treacherous, "yes," quietly spoken, yet a deep lie, "I understand," but Nicole had other plans, "she'll fall back into my arms when the loneliness overwhelms her," Nicole took Brooke's hand in her own, "come on, Brookie...let's go home."

"Thanks, Nic," Brooke said quietly, her heart heavy with sadness.

"We'll take my Jaguar, Brookie," Nicole said ecstatically, for her plan was to isolate, disarm, then engulf Brooke completely, "I'll have my chauffeur, and butler come for your car later.

"Yeah," Brooke replied absently, for her mind, and heart had taken on the daunting, unacceptable, yet unavoidable task of coming to terms with the reality that she would never see Sam again.

Nicole led a submissive, quiet Brooke to her Jaguar, and helped the distraught girl into the passenger side of her car, "we can have dinner," the pretty, little blond babbled endlessly, "I've got Valium for your nerves, Brookie. We can watch some videos later after dinner!" Nicole was gushing with joy, for in her fragile mind, everything was wonderful, because she thought that Brooke belonged to her once more.

To Brooke, Nicole's voice became a distant, buzzing sound of an obnoxious wasp. The lanky, blond girl had simply shut Nicole out, then let go of the reins of her reality, immersing herself in a revelry of Sam.

Flashback;

Brooke parked her car in front of her house, then slowly got out. The blond carefully gathered her books into a single pile under her left arm, and closed the car door with her other free arm, "I'm just so damn tired today." As Brooke turned toward her house, she noticed the oddest thing; the sun seemed to be covered in a dull, hazy cloud that dimmed the daylight, and gave everything a strange, surreal, grainy look, as if a thin, gray film had been cast over the entire panorama, "that is so strange," the girl thought to herself, as she looked around her, "everything looks so different...so unreal!" Brooke then sighed, as she recalled that her day in school had been particularly brutal, "I can't wait to get into bed, and just go to sleep!" Brooke then unlocked the front door of her house, went inside, then managed to lock it once more behind her, while she still managed to balance her pile of books. Brooke looked around her once again, noting how different than usual everything seemed; empty, and strangely dreamlike, "where is mom? She's usually home cooking at this hour?" Jane was always there to greet Brooke with a kiss on the cheek, with an endearing smile, "the house seems to be empty, "maybe mom just went out shopping." Brooke then trudged up the stairs, down the hall, past the door to Sam's bedroom, "I wonder what Sam is up to!" Brooke pondered, for she considered Samantha to be an extremely annoying creature at times. Finally, Brooke made it to the door of her room, feeling every muscle in her young frame ache painfully. The girl felt a wave of relief, as she opened her door, went inside, and threw her books randomly on the bed. One, swift scan of her room by her tired eyes alerted Brooke, "Sam's been in here again!" Then, Brooke saw it on her night stand; the evidence of Sam's passing through her inner sanctum, "I knew it!" Brooke approached the foreign object, and inspected it with her eyes. On Brooke's night stand stood an ornately beautiful, crystal vase with a long neck, and a single rose in it. Brooke was lost in wonderment for a split second at the sight of the vase, and the flower, but then succumbed to anger, "she did it again! I told her not to...yet..." A sudden realization exploded within Brooke, and she seemed to wake up within her mind, "this isn't real...its either a very vivid memory...or I'm dreaming!"

Fadeout.

Brooke opened her eyes, and realized that she was in the passenger seat of Nicole's car, "Nic?"

"Yeah, Brookie?"

"Thanks, Nic," Brooke said quietly.

"Why?"

"For loving me so much, Nic. For being patient. For staying with me despite how badly I've treated you."

"Oh...Brookie," Nicole had started to cry, and her cerulean gaze had softened, "don't ever thank me for that!"

"I love you, Nic," Brooke said, "maybe not the same way you love me...but I do. Always remember that."

"It almost sounds like you're saying goodbye, Brooke."

"I'm just so tired, Nic."

"Just take a nap, Brookie."

"Good idea, Nic," Brooke said, as she settled back into her seat, looked out of the window, and away from Nicole. Brooke felt a sudden tightening in her chest, as she closed her eyes.

Flashback;

Brooke stood in her room, and for a moment her mind went blank. Then her thoughts resurfaced, as she put the vase back on her night stand once more, "there's a note with it," she said, as she took the small, white slip of paper gently in her hand, then read it;

"A single rose for a singular beauty, golden like your hair.

Sam."

For a moment, Brooke stood dazed, and just stared at the card in her hand. But then, a slow smile dawned on her pink lips, as she realized what was happening, "this isn't a memory anymore. This is my second chance to do things right!" The blond girl's heart danced with joy within her, as she began to cry out in a loud voice, "SAM? WHERE ARE YOU? SAMMY!?!"

Suddenly, the door that connected Brooke's room to the bathroom, which in turn was connected to Sam's room, burst open, and Sam rushed in, panic-stricken, pale, out of breath, "what? Brooke?"

Brooke stood silent for a moment, mouth agape, eyes wide, as she stared in disbelief at the sight before her, "Sam? Is it really you?"

Samantha returned Brooke's shocked stare with an equally incredulous glare, "yes, its me...but what are you doing here, Brooke?"

"I don't know, Sammy."

"You're not supposed to be here, Brooke. You haven't passed over."

"And you have, Sam?"

"Yes, Brooke. I passed over. I'm dead. This is my..."

"This is your personal heaven?"

"Yeah, Brooke," Sam crossed her arms, her brow became furrowed, "you're not supposed to be here. Its not your time yet."

"No, Sammy," Brooke said, a tender smile upon her lips, as she stepped closer to her gorgeous brunette, "this place isn't my heaven...but you are."

"?"

"You're my heaven, Sam," Brooke hugged Sam tightly, "wherever you are...I want to be!"

"Are you sure, Brooke? You're only seventeen...with a long life ahead of you, and so many things to do."

Brooke gently held the girl of her dreams in a warm, tender embrace, "I don't want to live an empty life without you, Sam."

"So," Sam stepped back a bit from Brooke, and looked deeply into her eyes, "its your choice to stay?"

"Yes," Brooke gushed, as she drew Samantha once more into the circle of her arms, "yes, Sammy...yes!" now, Brooke placed small, butterfly kisses on the girl's eyes, cheeks, nose, and finally her full lips.

"Brooke?"

"Yes?"

"I love you, Brooke."

Brooke began to cry with joy, as she kissed her beloved Samantha full on the lips, and whispered hoarsely, "I love you too, Sammy."

Fadeout.

Nicole parked her Jaguar in front of the magnificent mansion that she called home, she turned off the engine, took the keys in her hand, and turned to her companion, a smile playing on her lips, "Brookie," the pretty girl called softly, "wake up...we're home."

Brooke was silent, slumped in her chair, eyes shut, and pale.

"Come on, Brookie...I know that you're tired...but you have to get moving. Just a few steps, and I'll have you all comfy in my room. I'll have Roger cook dinner for the two of us."

Brooke McQueen continued to sit beside Nicole, unmoving, and seemingly deaf to her friend's gentle words.

"Brooke?" Nicole reached out, and touched her friend's cheek, "wake up, Brookie."

Nicole's slender, delicate fingers touched Brooke's pale cheek, and instantly drew back at the touch of the girl's cold, hard skin. Nicole felt a horrible chill engulf her, as the unwanted realization hit her almost immediately; Brooke was dead, "no! BROOKE!" Nicole cried out her lover's name as loud as she could, "BROOKE!" but no reply came from the silent form beside her. Then, Nicole exited her car quickly, yelling at the top of her voice, "ROGER! ROGER!"

The front door of Nicole's mansion opened quickly, and several servants came running to where she still sat in her Jaguar. One of the first to arrive, a tall, thin, gray haired man peeked into the window of the driver's side of the car, where his young mistress sat, trembling, and in tears, "miss Nicole? Are you well?" the little blond girl whom he served with devotion looked up at him.

"Roger...call 911...Brookie is dead."

Epilogue

"I just can't believe it," Nicole said to herself, as she leaned against the furthest, darkest, most discreet corner of "Resurrection Methodist Church," where the wake for both Brooke McQueen, and Samantha McPherson was being held, "I mean...its just so amazing, its utterly pathetic!" The little blond wanted to scream until her entrails literally burst from her womb. But Nicole Julian withstood the inner torment that plagued her, and just simply resorted to crying quietly to soothe the pain that she felt, "she left me behind!" the girl screamed inwardly, as memories of Brooke's calm, dead face came to her, "she just simply left me behind!"

Nicole leaned forward, and peeked from her hiding place, only to see Mike, and Jane sitting a few rows away, in the rapt congregation that listened to the very interesting sermon that the preacher of the church gave;

"It is for reasons beyond our comprehension, that two young souls are taken to Heaven before their time!"

"Fart!" Nicole whispered angrily, referring to the preacher, "bag of hot air! Pompous asshole! You don't know shit about Brooke, and Sam..."

Nicole watched, as if drugged, as Jane cried forlornly, and Mike seemed to have aged twenty years in one day, "I'm so sorry for them...they lost their daughters," for a moment, the little blond felt pity engulf them, "but at least Jane is pregnant...she, and Mike have hope of starting over," and once more, Nicole's attention drifted to the preacher's sermon;

"Our great Lord, in his wisdom, called these two girls to His side..."

"NO! God has nothing to do with this!" Nicole screamed again, adding her chances of developing an ulcer, as she felt her anger, and resentment toward the preacher grow deep, "Sam's death was an accident! Brooke died because she was lovesick for Sam."

Nicole felt the weight of her pain increase to such great heights, that she found it hard to breathe, so that she quickly exited the church, fleeing from its strangely sad, dark, yet peaceful climate, which at that moment seemed to throttle her. The pretty girl fled out into the daylight, "why? Oh...God...why?" now, Nicole cried loudly, giving her emotions full venting, as her wails emerged powerfully from her young body with immense force as heart wrenching screams, "why did Brooke have to go too?" Nicole ran for her life, into the surrounding cemetery that engulfed the church, and added to its morbid atmosphere. Nicole ran, losing herself amid the countless headstones, until she found herself at the very other end of the cemetery, at the foot of two newly covered graves, with new headstones, that bore two, very painfully familiar names; Brooke McQueen, and Samantha McPherson.

"I can't believe how pathetic you are, McQueen!" Nicole yelled down at the headstone that bore her dead friend's name on it, as if it was actually Brooke herself that stood before her, "how is it possible to die of a stroke at your age? You were fucking seventeen years old!" Nicole was sobbing heavily now, as she threw herself onto Brooke's grave, and started beating her fists on the newly laid grass, "why did you go? Why?" the girl choked out in deep agony, "I loved you so much, Brookie! Why wasn't my love enough for you? You were supposed to be MY soulmate...not HERS!" Nicole continued to express her violence for several minutes, crying with all of her heart, until a strange calm began to seep into her soul, slowly drowning out her wails, and calming her sobs. It was then, that Nicole sensed that she wasn't alone, "who's there?"

"Nic."

The voice that came was the subtle kiss of a gentle breeze upon Nic's soul, and it made her sit up quickly, as she recognized it almost instantly, "Brookie?" the little blond brought her hands up to her face with the speed of lightning to wipe her eyes of tears that might blur her unfocused sight, "is it possible? Is that you?"

"Please stop crying."

The words seemed to float slowly, yet arrived gently at Nicole's heart, making her shudder with another possible bout of tears, "why? Why did you leave me?" Nicole felt a sudden stab of anger at the somewhat blurred figure of her dead friend, "I loved you so much."

"Then you know. I felt that for her. I had to be with her."

Nicole wanted to dig up the earth beneath her, and pound on her friend's coffin with all the strength of her feeble body, "its still not enough! YOU BITCH! I loved you...I STILL LOVE YOU! Why are you even here? You're just a figment of my imagination! Just go away! Go to hell, Brooke McQueen!"

"I came to say goodbye, Nic. I'm sorry I hurt you."

"Oh...Brookie," Nicole was now reduced to crying once more, "I'm sorry too! But I hurt so much! I ache so much for you. I want to go too! I want to be with you!"

"You'll find love again, Nic."

"No! I will never love anyone again!" Nicole hissed angrily, "love hurts...I only get hurt when I love someone."

"Your heart will heal, Nic. I promise."

"I don't care anymore!" the little blond replied furiously, "I don't fucking care!"

"Goodbye, Nic."

The voice faded away, its echo flying on the back of the breeze that briefly caressed Nicole's face. Through tear-filed eyes, Nicole spied two, shadowy, female figures walking away, hand in hand, through the sea of headstones that covered the cemetery, "goodbye...Brookie...Sam," she whispered softly, then lay down, and began to sob once more.

"Nic?"

"Go away, Brooke!" Nicole bellowed angrily, as she still lay on her dead lover's tomb.

"Brooke is gone, Nic."

"Lilly?" Nicole sat up, as she finally recognized the voice calling out to her. The pretty, little blond looked up to see both Lilly, and Harrison, hand in hand, standing close by, "yeah?"

"We were just passing by," Lilly said nonchalantly, "we saw you crying. Are you okay?"

For an instant, Nicole examined her mind, and heart, then smiled quietly, "yeah...I think so," the girl felt the oddest sensation of peace now, "yeah...I'm okay."

"Hey, Nic," Harrison said with discreet enthusiasm, "would you...like to have dinner with us? I mean...if you prefer not to...or if you..."

"Yes."

"Huh?" Harrison was amazed, "really?"

"Yes, I would like that," Nicole said with a small smile, "very much."

"Good," Lilly said with a smile, as she stepped forward, and offered Nicole her hand, "then come on."

"Yeah!" Harrison exclaimed, as he too stepped forth, and took Nicole's other hand, and helped her get up off the ground.

"This is comfy," Nicole said suggestively, as she found herself in both Harrison's, and Lilly's arms, "so let's go."

All three smiled, and started to walk away...

"You two go on ahead," Lilly said suddenly, "I have something to do..."

"We'll meet you by the church, Lil," Harrison said, and nodded toward Nic.

"Yeah," Nicole agreed, as she turned, and followed the tall, lanky young man.

"Okay," Lilly said with a sigh. Lilly watched with satisfaction, as Nicole caught up with Harrison, and laced her fingers through his hand, "well..." she was smiling now, "I see the threesome still goes." Lilly turned toward the two graves a few feet away, and quickly brought her fingers to her lips, and blew a kiss to them, "bye, Brooke...goodbye, Sammy...darling," she whispered, as a single tear found its way down her cheek. Lilly then turned, and followed Harrison, and Nicole furiously, "hey! Guys! Wait up!" Lilly finally caught up with Nicole, and Harrison, who separated, and put her between them, and put their arms around her.

Lilly, Harrison, and Nicole walked away, immersed in idle chatter, giggling at times, bursting into almost hysterical laughter at other times. Life was going on for them.

"Goodbye...Lilly," a gentle breeze whispered in reply to the girl now in the distance.

Fadeout.