Title: Don't Go

Author: Casandra

Email: rozwellrulz@aol.com

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Sam/Brooke of course. As much as I enjoy all the fics of the Popular slash variety, Sam/Brooke are THE slash couple in my opinion.

Summary: What if when Brooke was going to leave for San Francisco Sam made a confession that made it impossible for her to go?

Spoilers: Anything up to and including 'Baby Don't Do It' is fair game.

Feedback: Please, I crave it like a bad, naughty drug!

Disclaimer: I of course own absolutely nothing having to do with Popular. In fact, I'm not really sure who holds that honor anymore. Besides, I only have about 12 bucks to my name not counting my college textbooks, so you wouldn't get much anyway.

Author's Note: Well this is more of a snippet than not actually. Ii was just watching 'Baby Don't Do It' the other night and I felt inspired by the poolside scene. Keep in mind that this is only my second attempt at slash fic. Also be warned, this fic is completely un-beta'd. Thoughts are in [ ]

Brooke sat in her mother's car, still torn as to if she had made the right choice. She was leaving. Leaving LA, leaving her friends, and worst of all, leaving her family. As loathe as she was to admit it, she loved having Jane and especially Sam around. She had realized a long time ago that she was falling in love with Sam, so when Jane and her gorgeous daughter had moved in it had made her feelings that much more present. Part of her knew that she was leaving Los Angeles to try and forget her feelings for her brunette housemate. She usually didn't run away from conflict, but she knew this was one challenge she just didn't have the heart to face. The ramifications her secret would cause would be devastating, that much she knew. Her social life would be completely destroyed, she knew Nicole would personally see to that. She wasn't as naive to her best friend's backstabbing ways as everyone seemed to think she was. Her home life would also be turned upside down. She had figured that Jane would be supportive, or at the very least, try to be. But how do you really react to the fact that your soon to be stepdaughter is head over heels in love with your only child, who just happens to be a girl! But Brooke was not nearly as worried about Jane's reaction as she was about her father's. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that his reaction would be at the very least, explosive. After all, she was his only child. His stereotypical blonde haired, popular, cheerleading daughter. To tell him she was gay would be horrible enough. But to tell him she was in love with her soon to be sister would be beyond devastating. Unfortunately, her father, while pretending to be Mr. Hip Cool Dad, was at heart utterly old fashioned.

Most of all though she was petrified of Sam's reaction. Brooke honestly had no idea what Sam would do. Would she gently let Brooke down, being the kind, sweet, caring Sammy that Brooke had fallen so hopelessly in love with. Or would she freak out, using Brooke's humiliation to further her Kennedy High journalistic career. Brooke wasn't sure which scenario would be worse. The thought that Sam could feel the same way wasn't even something that had crossed her mind. The idea that Sam could return her feelings was beyond preposterous to Brooke.

So here she was, driving to Nicole and Mary Cherry's party. She was going for a dozen different reasons, but only one important one. Sure she wanted to say one last good-bye to her friends. Of course she wanted to set things right with Josh. And yeah, she didn't want to leave with her baby still kidnapped. But she knew she could not, would not, leave for San Francisco without seeing Sam just one last time. She would give just about anything for a small hug from Sam, or even a gentle touch from the woman she had come to love so much.

When she arrived at the Dick house she immediately headed for the backyard in search of her doll. The quicker she handled that problem the sooner she could seek out her gorgeous budding journalist. She spun around when she heard a sudden wail coming from the Dick family pool. There, sitting in a little baby inner tube, was her doll. She gently picked it up out of the raft and sat down on the hard concrete, cooing to the mechanical baby in an attempt to ease its crying.

"I found it in the hallway. I was going to give it back, but then I figured I'd need every weapon at my disposal to keep you around"

Brooke looked up to see Sam standing before her at the edge of the pool. [Sammy? Sam was the one who kidnapped my doll? But why?] Brooke's thoughts were running the gamut along with her emotions. She was over joyed to see Sam, she was confused as to why Sam would go to all that trouble just to get her to stay, and she also was infused with a sense of hope. Hope that there might be even the slimmest of chances that Sam could possibly love her back. Brooke choked down the sea of emotions that was swelling in her throat, trying to keep a semblance of calm with Sam standing not more than five feet away.

"I thought for sure that it was Josh," Brooke said, genuinely confused. She had honestly thought that the kidnapper was her quarterback boyfriend. Never in her wildest dreams did she think it had been Sam.

"Because only someone who cared deeply for you would go to such lengths?" Sam paused, a rosy hue coloring her cheeks. Sam thought about what she had just said. [OK, so maybe it's true what I said, but Brooke has no idea I meant it the way I did.] Sam stopped her thoughts from running away from her and continued. "Well there is one thing I care deeply for, and that's my family. And for better or for worse, you and Mike have become a part of it," Sam was desperately trying to get Brooke to stay. She couldn't even begin to imagine the thought of being without her cheerleading housemate. When Brooke had announced she was moving to San Francisco, the fear that had gripped Sam's heart had utterly confused her. The feelings that she had for Brooke were nothing new, but she had always passed it off as raging teen hormones. A fleeting attraction that she would most certainly grow out of. But Brooke's announcement had made her come to a stunning realization. She was in love with Brooke. And she most definitely did not want her to leave. So she used everything at her disposal to get her to stay, even if it meant being a tad bit deceitful. So now Brooke was before her, not angry, but with a sad, wishful look on her face. [To tell or not to tell Sam, that is the question.] She decided to play it safe, for now.

"Brooke, do me a favor. Consider carefully what you're leaving" [ME!] "Where you're going, the history you're repeating. I don't know much about being a parent. But there is one thing I'm certain of, a mother should never leave a child." This garnered another wistful look from her paramour. Sam was so very, very tempted to let her feelings be known to Brooke, but in the end her stubbornness won out and she didn't. She just hoped that she had said enough to keep Brooke in LA.

Brooke looked up at Sam, trying desperately to read her face. Sam's emotions were always betrayed by her eyes, her soulful, expressive eyes. Brooke saw the small golden sparks that danced across Sam's chocolate eyes whenever she was nervous. Brooke decided in the instant that Sam started to walk away from her that she needed to know how the brunette truly felt about her. She couldn't leave without knowing, the questions would eat away at her forever. Brooke quietly stood up, mustering all the courage she could as she turned to face Sam's retreating figure.

"What would I be leaving Sam?"

Sam stopped in her tracks, shocked that Brooke had responded. She slowly turned to look at her golden goddess. The light from the pool was dancing off the water, creating a luminescent glow around Brooke. Sam was faced with a huge decision now. Does she tell Brooke that she wants her to stay for her own selfish reasons?

"If you really need me to tell you then maybe you should just go" Sam inwardly winced at her own words, shocking herself at her curt tone. [Why did I say that? Damn emotional walls!] Brooke fortunately was undeterred, knowing from years of squabbles with the fiery brunette that her emotional barriers tended to let her mouth run away with itself.

"Well Sam, aside from the obvious parental reason, why shouldn't I go? My friends, and I do use the term very loosely, couldn't care less. In fact I bet Nicole jumped up and down on the furniture in the Novak after I told her. She finally has my social throne at Kennedy. Who else would miss me?" Brooke had laid it all out on the table, now the ball was in Sam's court.

Sam was caught off guard by Brooke's verbal assault. She had not given her enough credit when it came to Nicole. Brooke was much more aware of her backstabbing friend than she ever let on. Sam made a decision the and there. [ What do you have to lose? Brooke's leaving, what's the worst thing that could happen by telling the truth? Make her leave that much faster?]

"I would" Sam's voice was no more than a whisper, but Brooke knew what she had heard. The fear in her own body seemed to just melt away at Sam's quiet admission.

"Why would you miss me Sam?" Brooke needed to hear it, she needed to hear the words from Sam's own mouth.

"Do you really need me to say it Brooke?" Sam's voice was still laced with fear, but a quiet confidence was slowly creeping its way in.

"Yes, I do Sammy" Brooke tried to gently coerce Sam into admission.

"Fine Brooke" Sam paused, defeated. "God, this is so hard! Whatever I say will sending you running to San Francisco that much sooner. But you're leaving anyway, so I guess I don't have anything to lose. Well, except you," Sam started to babble, something she had never done in her young life.

Brooke gently cupped Sam's cheek in her palm, bringing Sam's eyes up to meet her own hazel ones.

"Tell me Sam, I promise you won't lose me."

"Brooke, how do you tell your soon to be stepsister that you've fallen madly, desperately, head over heels in love with her?" Tears started coursing their way down Sam's face, moistening Brooke's fingertips that were still gently caressing Sam's cheek.

"Oh my God" Brooke whispered breathlessly. The shock and overwhelming happiness surged through her body like a thousand volts of electricity. She looked at Sam, but was confused by the expression on her face. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming tractor trailer.

"Oh God, oh God! Hey, you know, it's OK, I know you don't feel the same way. I mean God, how could you? You're you, gorgeous, sweet, head cheerleader, most popular girl at Kennedy High. And I'm just me, plain, boring ole Sam McPherson. Oh Brooke, please don't tell anyone!" Sam babbled on and on as Brooke watched helplessly. To shut Sam up Brooke did the only thing she could. She cupped Sam's face in both of her palms and slowly, gently, brought their lips together. The kiss was soft at first, almost chaste. Brooke could feel Sam's shock, but soon felt her open her lips, inviting her in. Sam whimpered as Brooke's tongue slipped inside of her mouth, seeking her own out. After what seemed like excruciatingly fast moments Brooke pulled away to catch her breath. She gently pulled her lips away from Sam's, but did not break all contact, instead resting her forehead against Sam's.

"I love you Sammy. So very much."

Sam pulled away and looked into Brooke's honest, open eyes, the shock evident on her face.

"You do?" Brooke softly chuckled at the bewildered expression Sam wore. She twirled an errant strand of Sam's hair between her fingers, reveling in the silky touch.

"Yes I do. More than you can imagine. That was one of the reasons I was leaving. It hurt so much to be around you and not be able to touch you, to hold you," She paused and leaned in, capturing Sam's lips in a soft kiss."To kiss you" Sam smiled up at her, ever so slightly stroking her cheek with gentle fingertips. "I thought it would be easier to leave than to live with that. I never in my wildest dreams thought you felt the same way," Brooke's amazement was evident in her voice.

"I do, oh God, I do. I love you so much Brooke" Brooke smiled as she traced the curve of Sam's lips as they curled into a shy smile.

"I love you too" Brooke leaned in and once again captured Sam's lips with her own. When she broke away Sam was looking at her, a collage of emotions playing over her delicate features. There was pure joy, a sweet shyness, and a small ounce of fear.

"So, does this mean you're staying?" The uncertainty in Sam's voice was evident in the question. Brooke laughed out loud before she answered.

"Of course I'm staying!"

"Good" Sam whispered, capturing Brooke's lips. As they stood kissing, oblivious to anything and everyone else, a slow song floated out from the party inside. The sound's of Bif Naked's 'Lucky' wafted over them. Brooke pulled away from their embrace and held out her hand.

"May I have this dance?"

"You can have them all Brooke. Always." Brooke smiled as Sam placed her palm within her own, bringing Sam tight against her. She wrapped her arms around Sam's waist and buried her face in the dark tresses of her love. She breathed in the scent that was undeniably Sam, a hint of strawberry soap and soft vanilla scented shampoo. She exhaled happily, content for the very first time in her young life.

No, she wasn't going anywhere.

The End.... for now.