Title: Winter Wonderland
| Part Ten | Part Eleven | Part Twelve | Part Thirteen |
Author: LLE
Email: saturnchild@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: No one belongs to me, except for the ones who do.
Archive: www.realmoftheshadow.com/lle.htm (big thanks to Kim for taking me along)
Distribution: Just ask. There's a 99.9% chance in your favor. Feedback: "I had rather be hissed for a good verse than applauded for a bad one." –Victor Hugo.
Rating: Not my strongest suit, so I'll leave that one up to you.
Pairing: Hmm... Sam/Mette or Sam/Brooke? Right now, I don't know.
Author's Notes: Wow, this one took a while, didn't it? My sincerest apologies, just haven't had the drive lately.
Brooke watched as Sam and Mette once again took to the dance floor, moving slowly to the beat of Santana's `Smooth'. The brunette had been a little more reluctant at accepting Mette's offer this time, not being too keen on leaving the obviously distressed blonde all alone in the couch. Brooke had sent her off; needing time to think about the ideas Eve's words had started in her head.
The way Brooke figured, she had 3 choices.
1: Tell Sam to her face that she was in love with her.
2: Drop hints and see what happens
3: Don't do a thing.
The blonde wasn't too sure she wanted to risk her heart at the first option. Eve could be mistaken when she hinted that Sam might have feelings for Brooke too. The third one was definitely out of the question. That was what Brooke had been doing up until now, and it had hardly been efficient.
(Guess that only leaves number two. Now how do I do that?)
*~*~*~*
(I've heard all the blonde jokes in the world, but I never knew they were actually this slow!) Mette sighed internally as she secretly watched the seated blonde. (I know that there's something there, something strong. Come on Brooke! Can't you see what you're missing by doing this?) The shrill ring of her cell-phone brought the redhead out of her reverie, and she smiled apologetically at the young brunette in her arms.
"Sorry." Mette smiled. "Minor disruption. I'll just be a sec, ok?"
"Sure." Sam said as she released her hold on the redhead's shoulders and stepped back. "I'll just go see what Brooke's up to."
"You do that." Mette replied, once again taking a gentle hold of the brunette's hand. "And I really am sorry about this. Comes with the job I guess."
"It's ok." Sam smiled, giving the soft hand inside her own a small squeeze. The phone rang once more, and the reporter grinned. "You go take your call now, and I'll go have a chat with my not-exactly-in-the-holiday-spirit sister."
Mette nodded. Whipping the blue Nokia 9310 out from her pocket, the redhead made her way across the room in search of a quiet place where she would actually be able to hear the person on the other end of the line.
Sam remained standing in the middle of the dance floor for a minute, her eyes following the retreating girl and her eyebrows furrowed in thought. (What am I going to do?) She mused. (Mette's sweet, attentive, caring and funny. Not to mention gorgeous, sexy and apparently interested.) Sam let her gaze follow the walls of the dimly lit club, coming to a halt on the blonde on the couch. (Then there's Brooke.) Sam heaved a heavy sigh, feeling the familiar weight settle upon her heart. (Brooke, who's also sweet, caring and funny, but not interested in that kind of relationship with me. And I can't help but love her anyway.) Another soft sigh escaped the brunette's lips. Fighting back the beginning of desperate tears, she made her way towards the couch. (You're in big trouble this time, McPherson. But do you really want to get out?)
*~*~*~*
Martin was in the process of yelling several expletives at the bartender, since the man had still to bring him the drinks he ordered almost an hour ago. His minor tantrum, however, was interrupted by a gentle, but insistent poke on his shoulder.
"You'd better watch that tongue of your or Mom will wash your mouth out with soap once we get home." Came the playful voice of his sister.
"You think so?" Martin said, feigning ignorance. "Calling someone?" He added as he spotted the cell-phone in his sister's hand.
"Nah, Dad just called. He needs our help."
"With what?"
"Seems that he just got several last-minute orders. 5 families from Trondheim want a tree each, plus some newly arrived tourists are looking for a 7-footer." Mette sighed. "And we forgot to bring one back for our own house yesterday."
"Damn." Martin muttered. "Guess we'd better get going then."
"Yeah." Mette agreed. "Oh, another thing. Mom wants us to invite Sam and Brooke for dinner tonight."
"Always thinking of hospitality, isn't she?" The young man grinned. "Well, we can always ask."
*~*~*~*
"Ok, so the two of you'll go back to your cabin and change. We'll meet you at the main road in say... An hour?" Martin asked as they stood by their separate cars outside Club "Khan"
"Will do." Brooke replied. She and Sam had both agreed to help Martin, Mette and their Dad bring the last trees back from the forest, albeit for different reasons. Sam's main reason for going was her love of the rough, but beautiful, Norwegian nature, while the blonde was only going because she wouldn't trust the redhead as far as she could throw her. (Mette will not have a snowball's chance in Hell of being alone with MY Sam. Not if I can help it.)
"And you're absolutely sure that your parents won't mind us spending Christmas Eve at your house?" Sam asked, wanting to make sure they weren't imposing on their new friends.
"No problem whatsoever." Mette smiled. "They have an old friend coming over along with his wife and baby-daughter anyway. The more the merrier."
"Just remember to bring your clothes for tonight with you." Martin said. "Christmas Dinner at our house is considered a formal event, which means women in dresses and men in suits." He smiled apologetically at the two young women as Sam pulled a face.
"Alright." The brunette mumbled, not at all happy with the idea, but deciding to go along with it anyway.
"Aww, come on Sammy." Brooke said softly, squeezing her housemate's shoulder. "I'll bet a million dollars that you look absolutely stunning in a dress." Sam merely quirked a disbelieving eyebrow in response.
"After all," Brooke added with a teasing glint in her eyes, "it can hardly get any worse."
"Hah. Hah. Very funny Princess." Sam grumbled and stuck out her tongue at the blonde.
"Promises, promises." Brooke smirked. With that comment, she turned on her heal and headed for the car, leaving an utterly bewildered and slightly flustered brunette in her wake. (Option 2: Drop hints and see what happens. Project "Sammy" is now underway.) The blonde thought with a self-satisfied smirk.
"Err..." Sam ran a hand through her hair while trying to make her verbal skills function properly. (What the Hell was that about? I could have sworn Brooke just flirted with me!) Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Sam shook her head slightly and sighed. (Yeah right. Wishful thinking, McPherson. Just get going already!)
"We'll see you guys later." She said, smiling faintly at Mette and Martin before she, too, headed for the car and got inside.
"What was that about?" Martin asked, staring after the rental-car as it turned a corner and disappeared from their view.
"That." Mette replied with a slight frown. "Was Brooke starting to make a move on Sam."
"Good." Martin smiled. "Looks like our plan is working then."
"Yeah." Mette nodded. (I wanted them to be together, so why aren't I happy for them?) The redhead sighed internally. (Because I like Sam, probably more than I should.)
Chop. Chop. Chop.
The monotone sound of the axes blended with the chatter of the five people working in the pine forest. Sam and Martin were using each their axe for cutting down a 7-foot tree. Brooke, Mette and John were busy some 200 feet away, tying the other 6 trees onto the back of the gray pickup truck.
"Alright Sam." Martin said. "Get ready to move, she's gonna fall pretty soon now."
Sam nodded briefly before swinging the axe again. The large tool felt heavy in the hands of the young girl, causing tiny beads of perspiration to trickle down her forehead. (God! Why do things have to be so confusing?!)
*~*~*~*
Broke blew out a breath and wiped a gloved hand across her forehead. (Man, I'm glad the next tree's the last one. I'm exhausted!) The blonde turned her head towards the dump thuds produced by the axes. (Oh my. I didn't know one would have to bend over THAT far...)
*~*~*~*
"Ok." Martin said, panting slightly as he took a few steps back and surveyed their work. The tree trunk, which had been a good 8 inches in diameter when they had first started chopping, was now less than 2 inches thick with two triangular holes going towards the center from opposite sides. "Give it a few more good chops and we'll push it over."
"You got it." Sam growled and swung the axe with all her might. (Damn you McQueen!) The head of the axe cut the wood with amazing ferocity. (Why do you do this to me?!) A large splinter sailed through the air and landed several feet away. (Why can't you make up your mind?!) The swings rose in strength, the dump noises becoming more insistent. Sam found herself blinking back frustrated tears yet again. (No! I'm NOT going to cry, God dammit!)
"Sam. Sam?" Martin called gently. He couldn't believe the change that had taken place in his young friend. When he and Mette had picked Sam and Brooke up at their cabin, the brunette had been in good spirits, looking forward to spending the next few hours in the forest. Now on the other hand, she was apparently furious beyond comparison.
Samantha didn't hear him though. She swung the axe with even more force and brought it down on the tree trunk as hard as she possibly could. The axe hit the tree, but slid off in the wrong direction. Sam broke the force of the swing as much as she could, but couldn't prevent the freshly sharpened blade from impacting with the soft skin on her lower leg.
"Sam!" The young man exclaimed, grabbing the brunette's arm and pulling her away from the tree. "What the Hell are you doing, girl?" He scolded. "Damn, kid! This thing," he took the axe from her and held it up, "is by no means a toy!"
"Don't `kid' me!" Sam growled and glared at him. "So I miscalculated a little, big friggin' deal!"
"It IS a big deal!" Martin half-yelled. "Jesus Christ, girl! You could have taken your own leg off! Now sit your ass down!" He guided the brunette to a large rock behind a group of 20-year-old pines. The trees had enough branches and needles to hide them from the view of the three other people.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Martin pushed up the leg of Sam's loose-fitting jeans and took a good look at the damage done. It wasn't as bad as it could have been. There was a cut approximately halfway up on the brunette's left shin, it was 3 inches long and ran in a parallel line with the bone underneath the skin. Thankfully, the axe didn't strike the girl's leg too close to the bone. That could easily have resulted in a break.
"That swing was more than a miscalculation." Martin continued in a more gentle tone as he pulled iodine and gauze from one of the many pockets in his coat. His father had always taught them to carry the most necessary supplies on themselves in case they got too far away from the truck and a wound needed tending immediately. "You've got a mind to tell me why you were so angry?"
"I wasn't angry." Sam muttered, leaning back on her hands as she sought to calm herself down.
"Uh-huh, and the Vikings were a peaceful bunch. I may be a guy Sam, but I'm certainly not blind."
"Whatever." Sam sighed. "How bad did I hurt myself?"
The change of topic was painstakingly obvious to the young man, but Martin decided to leave it alone for the time being. He looked at the wound. It was now cleansed and the bleeding had come to a halt.
"Not as bad as it could have been." He replied, prodding gently at the reddening edges. "I don't think you'll need any stitches or medical attention. If I took you to the hospital, we'd just have to wait 6 hours to hear those exact words from an MD."
"Not my idea of Christmas Eve." Sam said, hissing softly when Martin put a little more iodine on the wound.
"Mine neither." Martin wrapped the gauze around Sam's legs, making sure that it was tight enough to put pressure on the damaged spot, yet still loose enough that the brunette's circulation wouldn't be cut off. "Ever considered anger management classes?" He asked with a grin.
"I said that I wasn't angry." Sam sighed.
"Doesn't mean that I believe you." Martin said, looking the young girl straight in the eye as he spoke. "Does it have anything to do with your feelings for Brooke?"
Sam stared at him in amazement. "I... I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You're a terrible liar, did you know that?" Martin asked with a small smile. "Sam, I'm not judging you here. And even if I were, it would be based on your poor skills as a woodsman, not your sexuality. My sister is gay, remember?"
Sam bowed her head and nodded. "Sorry." She mumbled.
*~*~*~*
"Brooke, can I have a word with you?" Mette asked when the blonde climbed down from the truck.
"Uh, sure" Brooke replied, eyeing the redhead warily. She brushed some loose needles off of her clothes as she followed Mette to a small clearing a few hundred feet away.
"What's up?" The blonde asked with a nervous tilt in her voice. She wasn't quite sure exactly what is was that the redhead wanted to talk to her about, but she fairly certain that it had something to do with Sam.
Mette walked over to a log lying on the ground and brushed in free from snow. She sat down with her face towards Brooke and patted the log next to herself, indicating that the blonde should join her.
"You probably know what I want to talk about, right?" Mette asked, studying her nails intensely.
"Sam?" Brooke asked as she looked at the girl sitting next to her. The redhead nodded slowly, still not looking at the blonde.
"At first," Mette explained, "I was only putting the moves on Sam to make you realize what you were missing out on. I never meant to actually..." She trailed off.
"Fall for her?" Brooke's heart sank.
"Yeah." Mette breathed. "I'm not going to lie to you Brooke, I am going to go for it with Sam." The redhead lifted her head and looked hard at the blonde. "I found a good thing, and I'll be damned if I'm just going to let it slip through my fingers."
Brooke looked at the older girl, surprise written all over her features. The blonde wasn't surprised that Mette was going to pursue a relationship with Sam, she had known that all along. What surprised the blonde was the fact that Mette was giving her this information in the first place. It took courage, Brooke grudgingly admitted, and she instantly got a new sense of respect for the young lady.
"I could say the same thing to you, you know." Brooke retorted, returning the hard look directed at her.
"You could. " Mette nodded. "And you will, won't you?"
"No question about it." Brooke said without hesitation. "Your plan has worked up until now. Seeing Sam with you made me insanely jealous, it still does. I know that I have feelings for Sam. I'm not just falling for her, I love her."
"You really do, don't you?" Mette asked softly.
"With every single fiber of my being."
"So, I guess the game is on then?" Mette stood up and extended her hand to Brooke.
"May the best woman win." Brooke stood up, took the offered hand and shook it firmly. "One more thing though."
"Yes?" Mette released the blonde's hand and crossed her arms on front of her chest. Brooke mirrored her actions.
"No matter who wins, the loser can hold no grudge." Brooke said sternly. "I think… No, I know that Sam cares about both of us. Us fighting will only cause her pain, no matter which one she chooses to be with."
"Deal." Mette nodded her head once, and both girls turned around and walked back to the truck. The fight could begin.
*~*~*~*
Mikkel knocked the door softly. Getting no reply from the other side, he slowly opened the door and peeked inside. Eve was lying on her bed, wearing her headphones. As Mikkel walked closer to the dozing girl, he could hear Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" blaring from the headphones.
The young man frowned at this. He knew his cousin very well, well enough to know that this song was her new favorite for when she was upset about something. The volume of the music only increased his suspicions. Eve was trying to drown out the world.
"Eve?" He called gently, fully aware that she probably couldn't hear him. He sighed quietly, looking over his younger cousin. Her long hair was lying in a semi-circle around her head, the deep black color of the soft curls shimmering in the small amount of luminance coming from the lighted candles in the room. Her eyes were closed, but Mikkel could see the pain in the dark orbs almost as well as if the girl was looking at him.
Mikkel walked closer to Eve and gently pulled off the headphones. The girl didn't even stir, she was fast asleep. He studied her face with the loving eyes of a brother. Her full, red lips were slightly parted as she slept, showing the barest hint of even, pearly teeth. Her olive skin, one of many hints to her native-American heritage, was softly stretched across the high cheekbones.
Mikkel closed his eyes and silently wished that Eve could have looked more like her mother. His aunt Lisa had blonde hair and green eyes, had Eve had the looks of her mother, she wouldn't have to deal with her past every time she looked in the mirror. (She looks so much like her father. Too much for her own good probably.)
Lisa Jensen had been on a journey to the United States almost 20 years ago. The trip was only supposed to last for two months, but one week before returning home, Mikkel's grandparents had received a telegram from the, at the time, 22-year-old girl, saying that she had met the man of her dreams and wouldn't be coming back. Rohán and Lisa were married within two weeks, and Eve was born 8 months later. Their marriage had lasted for 10 years with both Lisa and Eve being beaten regularly. One night, when Eve had been 9 years old, her father had once again come home drunk.
** "Really Mom, I'm fine. Married life is wonderful." Lisa Jensen-Jonoca said with false cheerfulness in her voice. She couldn't face telling her mother just how horrible her life truly was. She had bragged to all of her friends and family back in Norway how wonderful her husband was and how much he cared for her and their little girl.
Lisa turned her head and looked towards the dining room table. Her daughter, Eve, was sitting there. The child had always had a very creative mind, and she was now using her new crayons to draw a picture. They were alone in the house, Rohán was at work, and mother and daughter had some much-needed peace and quiet. At least until later tonight.
"Ok Mom, I love you too. Pass my love on to Daddy. Bye." Lisa hung up the phone and sighed. She missed her family more than she ever thought possible. She had to call them during the day, since Rohán didn't allow her to keep any contact with them. It was his way of making sure she had no place to go.
"Mommy?" A small voice called from the table.
"Yes sweetie, what is it?" Lisa said as she stood up and walked over to her child. She lovingly ran her fingers through the girl's thick mane of black hair and held back a tear as she saw the dark bruise at her daughter's eye.
"Why can't we go stay with Grandma and Grandpa? I don't like it here."
"Oh honey." Lisa sighed and pulled the girl into her arms. "We will dear." She whispered. "Soon, I almost have enough money for us to leave."
"But what if Daddy finds out?" The child asked with fear in her voice. "He's gonna be real mad."
Lisa hugged her daughter tightly and choked back a sob when the girl winced at the firm embrace.
"Take off your t-shirt honey." She said gently. "I'll go find the ointment, ok?"
"Yes Ma'am." Eve nodded.
*~*~*~*
Lisa came back down the stairs. Stopping at the bottom step, she felt an icy chill run down the length of her spine as she looked at her baby girl. Eve was lying face down own the brown couch in the living room. The numerous red welts on her back stood in stark contrast to the girl's naturally tanned skin. The blonde woman shivered at the thought of how her once kind and loving husband had made those marks with his own belt just two nights ago. His only reason had been that Eve had laughed at a toy commercial on TV.
*~*~*~*
"LISA!" Rohán's voice boomed through the house when he stalked through the door. "Lisa! Where are you, you goddamned whore?!"
Eve looked up from her homework, her dark eyes wide with fear. "Daddy's home." She whispered.
*~*~*~*
"Rohán... Stop, please." Lisa begged as she stumbled back towards the wall. Her lip was bleeding where her husband had struck her, and her upper arm ached from his fierce grip on her.
"Don't tell me what to do, bitch!" The drunken man boomed. "You have no right to run around with another man and then go ordering me around!" He raised his fist and punched the woman hard in the face.
"I didn't..." Lisa sobbed. "I swear to God I didn't."
*~*~*~*
"Daddy, NO!" The child screamed and threw herself onto her father's back. Hanging on for dear life, she tried to pull him away from the unconscious woman on the floor.
"Get away from me, half-breed!" He snarled, backhanding the girl hard across the face. Eve fell to the floor. Her head was spinning from the force of the blow. She looked at the beast her father had become through unfocused eyes.
"Please Daddy." The child cried. "You're hurting her. Please don't hurt Mommy."
"I told you to shut up!" Rohán yelled as he held the girl up by her throat and flung her across the room. The child impacted with the brick wall and slumped to the ground as she fell into blackness. **
Mikkel squeezed his eyes shut when he felt the tears burning in his eyes. (God, I can only imagine what she felt when she came to. The house was empty, her mother was on the floor with a knife in her chest, stabbed more than 15 times, blood everywhere. The floor, splatters on the wall, ceiling and furniture. Nine years old, father killed mother, and she had to grow up with him. I don't even want to think about the things that happened when he found out that she was gay.)
The young man sat on his cousin's bed for a few minutes to regain his composure. He was greatly upset and angered by the events that had taken place in a life as short as Eve's. He knew that his cousin was a strong young woman, she had proved it time and again. Growing up with a man who battered and sexually assaulted her countless times, turning him into the police on her 18th birthday, testifying against him in court and finally getting to see her tormenter get 56 years of incarceration for murder one, multiple rape, numerous DUI's, battering and accomplice to rape. There was no chance of parole, Rohán Jonoca would never walk this earth as a free man again.
Mikkel looked at the sleeping girl. So much had happened over the past year. After sending her father to prison, Eve had re-established the contact with her Norwegian family. Their grandparents had been thrilled to hear from her after all those years, and had immediately suggested that the girl should come live with them. Eve had declined the offer though, not wanting to leave her girlfriend, Jamie, behind.
The young man had never even met Eve until a few short weeks ago when his cousin had first come to Norway. They had talked on the phone twice a week for more than 8 months, and had become fast friends. The more time they spent with one another, the closer they grew. Now, they were more like siblings than they were cousins. (And I swear to God Rohán Jonoca, if you ever come near this girl again, I will kill you with my own two hands!)
"Eve." Mikkel called, gently nudging the girl's shoulder. "Come on chica, time to wake up."
"Hmmm." Eve stirred slightly and threw an arm over her eyes to block out the soft light. "What is it?" She mumbled sleepily.
"We're invited to dinner tonight." Mikkel replied, lifting the arm away from Eve face. He frowned when he, as expected, saw the pain in the dark eyes. "What's wrong chica?" He asked softly.
"Jamie called." Came the whispered reply as Eve averted her eyes. "It's over."
"What? Why?" Mikkel was baffled to say the least. Eve had always made Jamie sound like the most considerate person in the world, she definitely didn't sound like a woman who would break up with someone, especially not over the phone.
"She said she couldn't wait for me any longer." Eve whispered softly. "Guess she's not the person I thought she was."
Mikkel balled his hand into a fist and gritted his teeth in barely controlled rage. (Damn it! Why can't the world go easy on her for a change?! She's been through enough! Damn you, Jamie! You know what happened to her! You promised to wait for her! You knew from day one that she wasn't ready for that part of a relationship!) He reached out a gathered his younger cousin up in his arms, offering what support he could as the 19-year-old girl broke down and cried helplessly on his shoulder.
*~*~*~*
"I really don't want to go with your parents to see Grandma and Grandpa tonight." Eve sniffled. "I just want to be alone."
"On the contrary, chica." Mikkel said, rocking the girl gently and rubbing slow circles on her back with his free hand. "You need to get out as soon as possible. Take your mind off of things."
"But..." The girl protested.
"No buts, kiddo." Mikkel interrupted. "Besides, we're not going with Mom and Dad. Martin's parents invited us over."
"Why?"
"The universal question." Mikkel joked, feeling his spirits lifting when he noticed the small smile on the girl's face. "John said that they had guests coming over anyway, and they thought they might as well invite the two of us too."
*~*~*~*
"So basically, what you're saying is that Mette hitting on me was a scheme?" Sam asked, glaring at the young man in front of her.
"Whoa, hold on there." Martin replied, holding up his hands. "Initially, it was a scheme, yes. I don't think it is anymore though." He reached out and placed his hand on Sam's knee. "The question is not whom my sister wants, but who YOU want."
"I don't KNOW who I want!" Sam half-yelled, pressing the palms of her hands against her eyes. "This is all so goddamn confusing! Brooke's been the one for as long as I can remember, but she never seemed interested. Then Mette came along, showing me all these wonderful things, and suddenly Ms. McQueen decides that she wants in?" Sam looked at Martin, tears brimming in her eyes as she spoke. "What am I supposed to do? Choose?"
"I think it's the only thing you CAN do, Sam." Martin replied gently.
"But I can't... " Sam whispered, lowering her head as the tears trailed down her cheeks. "It's too sudden, too much. I don't know how to choose..."
Author's Notes: Has absolutely nothing to do with the story this time, then again, in my case, when do they ever? Anyway, I just wanted to say welcome back to Jos. Glad you decided to rejoin us. I hope to see more postings from you soon :)
~~~~~
The late afternoon breeze played with the soft tendrils of long, black hair framing the tanned face, making them tickle her neck and jaw as she tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She felt the end of the long braid against the exposed skin of her lower back, reminding her of what she was wearing.
She touched the cigarette to her lips and drew in the smoke, inhaling deeply before pushing the bluish-gray cloud back out of her lungs and watching it disappear into the slight mist that surrounded her.
It was a strange feeling indeed, she mused silently as she watched a flock of blackbirds fly across the lake that lay a few hundred feet away from her, accessible only by walking through the pine forest covering the downhill slope to the waterfront. She hadn't worn a dress since she'd lived with her father, and then it had only been because he had demanded that she would do so. "Easy access" he'd called it, the bastard. She shivered slightly at the thought, just barely resisting the urge to vomit.
"I miss you, Mom." She whispered into the silence of the early evening. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop him." Her voice trembled as the emotions from that fateful night returned to her. "I tried...I really tried Mommy, but he was too strong..." A half-choked sob escaped her throat as she wiped away the tears that had made their way down her cheeks. "I'm sorry."
*~*~*~*
"Here we are." Martin said, jumping out of the door with childlike glee as the truck pulled up at the old farmhouse.
The older man shot a grin at his son and said a few sentences in Norwegian before smiling and nodding at Sam and Brooke.
Sam turned her eyes to the redhead who had walked around to the door from her seat on the truck body during the ride home. "What'd he just say?" She inquired.
Mette barely suppressed a laugh at the brunette's expression before replying. "He told us to go inside and get ready for dinner while he go deliver the trees. He said that if we're not ready when Mom is, she'll have a green cow."
"Now, there's a sight I really don't want to see." Martin chuckled. "Come on ladies, and bring your bags too."
As the two siblings headed for the front door of the house, Sam and Brooke looked at each other, eyebrows raised in wonder. "A green cow?" Brooke mouthed, pulling her brows together in a very disbelieving, baffled expression that Sam just couldn't help but smile at.
"For some reason, I just don't want to ask." She muttered, grabbing hold of her overnight bag and sliding gracefully out of the truck with the blonde not two steps behind her.
*~*~*~*
"You think they'll be surprised to see us??" Jane asked her husband. She was walking around the living room of the small cabin they had rented, bouncing baby Mac on her arm and unpacking a few things while trying to keep the tiny human from eating her hair.
"That's a very good possibility." Mike smiled and reached his arms out for Mac. "Here, let me take her for a little while, I've got less hair for her to stuff her face with."
Jane laughed gently and handed their baby daughter over to the man, who took the little girl in his arms and cradled her gently against his chest. The baby stuffed her tiny fist in her mouth and gurgled, smiling happily up at her father.
"Don't you think it'll be a little strange for her?" Jane asked in a slightly worried tone. "Growing up with two older sisters who just happen to involved with each other, I mean?"
"Well." Mike said, getting a pensive look on his face as he looked at his youngest daughter. "It's not going to be the most normal family ever, but probably not the most unusual one either. No Mac, Daddy's pen is not edible." He gently chided the child with a smile as he removed said object from the tiny fingers and put in back in his chest pocket. "The most important thing," he said, returning to the subject, "is that Brooke and Sam love Mac, and that Mac loves them."
"And you do, don't you baby?" Jane cooed, stroking her daughters brown locks softly. Mac responded by giving a wide, toothless grin and gurgling once more.
*~*~*~*
"Oh my God! She's so cute!" Brooke exclaimed as she and Sam entered the house, finding Martin kneeling on the floor and playing with a Golden Retriever puppy.
"She is, isn't she?" The young man grinned.
The blond puppy turned her head towards the newcomers and tilted it slightly to one side while raising the fluffy ears slightly. Large brown eyes peered curiously at the two girls as they disposed of their things and knelt on the floor a few feet away from Martin.
"What's her name?" Sam asked.
"Gyll." Martin responded, the annunciation of the word making it obvious to both girls that it was Norwegian. "It means Gold in your language."
"Yarf?" The puppy barked upon hearing her name and sat up, placing her paw on Martin's leg and peering almost pleadingly up at him.
Martin rolled his eyes and grinned as he fished a treat out of his pocket and gave it to the puppy. "Some times I wonder if I'm the one training her and not the other way around." He rumbled, scratching the small animal's head gently as Gyll munched contentedly on the treat.
"I think those eyes could turn even the hardest man into butter." Sam grinned. "I wouldn't worry too much about it."
"Probably not." Martin smiled. "Go say hello Gyll, come on girl." He coaxed the puppy, pointing towards Sam and Brooke.
The puppy cocked her head to one side and looked at Martin for a long minute before turning her head towards the two strange girls.
"I swear, she's quirking an eyebrow at us Sammy." Brooke smiled. "Come here Gyll." The blonde reached he hand out towards the puppy, holding her palm up so that the dog could sniff it.
Gyll trotted closer to the newcomers and tentatively sniffed the held out hand. Apparently satisfied that this one wasn't going to be any trouble, she turned her head to the brunette while allowing Brooke to pet her. "Urrr?"
Sam raised her eyebrows and looked at the small dog. "I'm sorry, I don't speak puppy." She smiled.
"Here." Martin said as he stood up and walked over to the three females. "I think this is what she wants." He retrieved a small biscuit from his pocket and handed it to Sam.
"Looks like it." Sam grinned as the puppy placed her paw on Sam's thigh and gave her the same look she'd given Martin only a minute or so earlier. Sam gave the treat to the puppy and petted the soft head gently. "Sure is a charmer that one." She mumbled.
"She sure is." Gyll turned her head towards the new voice and practically flew across the room, whining happily and pushing her head against the legs of the redhead who had just joined them. Mette laughed softly and bent down to pick up the puppy, cuddling it close to her.
"Hey girl." She smiled. "You missed me, huh?" Gyll responded by licking the girl's face and trying to find a good place on the girl's shoulders where she could put her paws. "Hey...hey...I missed you too...Ow!" Mette muttered as a set of small, but fairly sharp teeth found her ear. "No biting, ok?" She placed the puppy on the floor and grinned as Gyll just looked up at her and wagged her tail happily.
"You must be Sam and Brooke." A woman stepped into the hall. Her hair was a fiery red like Mette's, easily giving away the fact that this had to be the mother of the two young people. "My name is Grete." She shook the hands of both girls, gripping their hands firmly, but gently at the same time. "It's a pleasure to meet you both." She smiled.
"You too." Brooke echoed.
"Thank you for having us over for dinner." Sam added. "We really don't know what we would have done otherwise." It was true too, neither of them had a lot of knowledge as to how they should prepare Christmas dinner, so finding a way out of that particular problem had been a great relief to both of them.
A low growl was heard from the floor, and all five people glanced down to see Gyll tugging at Mette's shoelaces, her small paws sliding over the tile floor as she tried to find safe footing on the slippery surface. When the laces wouldn't budge, the small dog stood over the offending shoes and barked angrily at them before turning and sauntering into the kitchen, tail held high.
Grete chuckled and shook her head. "Silly little thing." She smiled. "But we love her anyway."
"I can see why." Brooke smiled. "How old is she, anyway?"
"Just over three months." Martin replied, leaning sideways slightly to look through the doorway at the canine in question. Gyll was currently lying in her basket, cheerfully chewing on one of her toys and growling lowly when the plastic object squeaked in protest. "We got her no more than two weeks ago."
"Oh." Sam nodded. "Should we watch out for a few small surprises then?" She asked.
Mette smiled and shook her head. "That shouldn't be necessary." She assured the two girls. "We've got her pretty much potty-trained already."
"But, eh..." Martin leaned closer to Brooke and Sam, a playful grin on his handsome face. "If the snow's steaming, don't go too close to it, y'know?" He said in a stage-whisper, grinning widely as his words had the intended effect. Brooke and Sam laughed, as did his sister and his mother.
"Sometimes he reminds me a little too much of his father." Grete joked, ruffling her son's unruly dark hair affectionately. "Always making jokes, those two are."
"So we noticed." Sam drolled, grinning as Martin gave them all a very over-done "who, me?" look.
"Oh, cut the act, Mart." Mette grinned. "You're a joker, and you know it."
"The wildcard." Martin laughed. "Yep, that's me alright. And I love it." His eyes twinkled playfully at his younger sister.
"Arf." Gyll barked as she re-entered the room, striding over to Sam and tugging at the brunette's pants leg before returning to the kitchen. The small dog stopped in front of her water bowl and gazed back at Sam with and expectant look.
"She sure took to you quick." Mette smiled and placed her hand on Sam's arm as she looked at the dog. "Already proclaimed you her personal water-girl." She added with a small laugh.
"Should I feel honored?" Sam grinned. "Better go get her some water then, if you don't mind?" She asked, directing the last part of the question at Grete.
"Go right ahead." Grete smiled. "But afterwards I want you all to go change you clothes and get ready for dinner, ok?"
"Sure Mom." Mette replied and took a gentle hold of Sam's elbow with her hand. "Come on Sam." She said, steering the brunette into the kitchen. "You'd better get the water from the bathroom, Mom's pretty busy with the sink in here."
Grete looked at her son with a questioning expression, the young man nodded sadly. "Yes, she is." He muttered in Norwegian, glancing over at Brooke.
The blonde just stood there, looking after the two other girls with grim determination in her eyes.
A little later in the evening, after Sam had returned with water for the puppy, and both girls had been given a small tour of the house, they, along with Mette and Martin, returned to the kitchen, where Grethe was waiting for them.
"Dinner's almost ready," she told them. "Why don't you go change?"
"Sure," Brooke picked both her own and Sam's bag up from the floor. "Where should we go?"
"You can use the bathroom at the top of the stairs," Martin said, pointing to a door just above the carpeted staircase. "There should be room enough for the both of you."
"Thanks." Brooke grabbed Sam by the elbow and guided her up the steps, shooting Mette a glance that could only be described as hostile, at best. "Come on, Sammy."
Sam, for her part, quirked an eyebrow at the blonde's assertiveness, but came along quietly.
Once both girls were inside the bathroom, Brooke locked the door and leaned back against it as the brunette started to take her clothes off. Hazel eyes raked over the smooth skin as it was exposed, the blonde not doing a thing to disguise her interest.
Sam didn't notice the intense gaze at first, as she was too preoccupied with stretching the wrinkles out of her dress. But before long, the short hairs at the nape of her neck started to rise, and she glanced over her shoulder. "What?"
"Nothing." Brooke smirked and ran her eyes slowly over the brunette's nearly naked form, her eyes lingering briefly on the ice-blue satin underwear that hid the parts she wanted to see the most.
"Well, then stop staring." Sam grumbled, forcing down a shudder as Brooke's eyes became lidded and the look in them more hungry.
"I'm not staring." Brooke's smirk grew even more devilish as Sam bent forward and pulled on the nylons the blonde had forced her to bring.
"Right, whatever." Sam gave up, deciding to enjoy the blonde's obvious desire while it was there. She pulled the chocolate brown dress over her head and spent a few moments making sure that the straps were covering her bra before turning her back to Brooke. "Could you help me with the zipper?"
"Sure." Brooke took the few steps over to the other girl and slowly closed the opening on the back of the dress, grateful that her hands weren't shaking. A few tendrils of raven hair had been caught under the smooth fabric, so Brooke gently slid her fingertips beneath the silky locks and pulled them free.
Sam reached back and gathered her hair into one hand, pulling it back into a tight ponytail to prevent it form hanging in her face while she applied her makeup. Adjusting the straps on her dress once more, the brunette turned to the mirror and carefully put on a little bit of dark lip-gloss, and a touch of brown eye shadow in the same warm shade as the dress.
"So," the brunette faced the blonde and smiled nervously. "How do I look?"
"Gorgeous." Brooke breathed. Unable to stop herself, the blonde reached out and rested her hand against Sam's cheek, feeling her heart skip a beat as the brunette leaned into the gentle caress.
"Brooke." Sam's voice was no more than a whisper as she drowned in the hazel pools opposite her own. Brooke was leaning closer, the brunette realized, her mind suddenly overflowing with images of what this moment could lead too. "Stop," she placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, holding her back. "Brooke, no. We can't."
"Why not?" Brooke frowned first at Sam, and then at herself as she realized that she was whining.
Sam bowed her head and sighed. "What would Mom and Mike say? And what about Mac?"
Brooke shook her head in confusion. "Since when do you care about everyone else's opinion?"
"Dunno," Sam shrugged and kept her head down, refusing to look the blonde in the eyes.
"Oh, Sammy." Brooke cradled the brunette's face in both of her hands, gently bringing the girl's head up so she could look into her eyes. "I don't know what the family's going to say, and frankly, I don't care."
Sam blinked and gazed curiously into the blonde's eyes. Her main worry had been that Brooke eventually would be unable to deal with the negative reactions that were sure to arise if the two of them got together, and that the blonde would decide that Sam's love just wasn't enough to put up with that. The brunette knew that a situation like that would surely tear her heart out of her chest, but now Brooke was saying that she didn't care about other people?
"I mean it, Sam." Brooke repeated, seeing that the brunette apparently was having trouble believing her. "I've wanted this," she trailed her thumb over Sam's cheekbone, "us, for so long, and I'm pretty sure that you feel the same way."
"I do," Sam whispered, trailing two fingertips over the blonde's lips and closing her eyes at the softness.
"And, no offense Sam, but I don't believe that you're truly worried about Mom and Dad." Brooke smirked and kissed the offered digits. "My guess is that you're more upset about hurting Mette."
"Guilty." Sam frowned and stepped closer to the blonde, seeking comfort in Brooke's embrace. "I know that she likes me, probably as much as I like you, not that I only like you...I...in fact I love you, but that's a whole other thing, and I know how I felt when I thought that you didn't love me, or like me at all, and would you please stop me before I get a knot on my tongue from all this babbling?"
Brooke laughed softly at Sam's little run of the mouth, and brought their foreheads together. "I think I can come up with a way to do that."
Sam's senses went from overdrive to hyperdrive as she felt the cheerleader's lips touch her own. An overwhelming sense of completeness filled her, and she wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck, burying her fingers in the soft, golden tresses.
Brooke moaned low in her throat as she felt Sam's tongue lick softly at her bottom lip, and gladly opened her mouth. The kiss was at first curious, both of them getting used to the new sensations running rampant through their bodies, but as it went on it grew more passionate, with both Sam and Brooke holding the other tighter, finally releasing the hunger that had been festering inside them for years.
When the oxygen levels reached a near-faint low, they finally pulled apart slightly, both breathing hard.
"Would it be terribly rude of us to go home right now?" Sam husked, the longing timbres floating over Brooke's skin like a coat of warm honey.
"Oh God," Brooke moaned as Sam's lips attached themselves firmly to her neck. "We can't, baby," a whimper escaped her as the slightly rough surface of a tongue found her earlobe, "we promised to stay."
Sam pulled away from the tempting skin with a pout. "Fine, I'll stop," she grumbled, "but you're in serious trouble once we get back to the cabin."
"I love trouble." Brooke purred and placed another searing kiss on the brunette's lips.
"God, Brooke," Sam breathed when they broke apart once more. "You do that and expect me to behave? No fair."
"Well, this ought to cool you down," Brooke smirked and placed a light kiss on a bare shoulder, "you need to go talk to Mette."
"Ahh, yeah." Sam blinked and nodded. "That pretty much did it. Meanie."
Brooke laughed and patted the brunette on the butt. "Go on with you, I still need to get dressed."
"Alright, alright, I'm going already."
Brooke smiled and offered a little wave as Sam opened the door. "Miss you already."
Sam rolled her eyes and grinned. "If it looks like a cliché and sounds like a cliché, it must be a cheerleader," she teased, before hurriedly closing the door behind her.
The blonde merely shook her head and bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet, a wide grin threatening to split her face in half. "Yes!!"
TBC...
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