Chapter 17 ~ Tears and More Tears.

Sam sat on the edge of the bed. She was focused on her breathing. In and out. In and out. She closed her eyes and squeezed her clasped hands. The image of her father burning still haunted her but she wouldn't allow herself to focus on it. Jed sat beside her. She listened to his breathing and felt comfort in his presence.

"Are you okay now?" He asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She flinched involuntarily then nodded weakly looking up at him.

"Will you tell me what it was about now?"

Sam shook her head. She'd refused to put what she'd seen into words. "No."

Jed sighed knowing he'd lost the battle. "Okay. Well try and calm down. You're still jumpy. Just let yourself relax. Remember that whatever you saw it wasn't real."

But that was just the problem. Sam was afraid it was real. That somehow she'd seen her father burn. That somehow, her future was to be burned to death just like her father. Sam stood to distract herself from the thoughts swimming in her mind. She heard voices outside the door and looked quickly towards it.

Jed remained seated. Not even glancing at the door. He just stared at her. Sam began breathing faster. What if it was Wakely? What if he had found them?

Jed stood. "Sam? Are you okay?" He asked stepping in front of her. His bulk blocked her view.

She looked up at him. His eyebrows were furrowed in confusion. She opened her mouth to speak but the anxiety choked her words. She wanted to run and hide. She was sure Wakely had found them. He was going to burn her. She stared in horror at the door and began breathing faster and faster.

"Sam? Hey, what's wrong?" Jed said putting a hand on her cheek. "Sam, look at me. Tell me what's wrong."

Sam glanced up at his eyes and again opened her mouth to speak but found no words coming out. She felt tears fill her eyes. Wakely had come for her. He was going to make her burn just like he burned her father.

The tears fell and so did she. She felt herself lose control of her body. She tried to scream as she fell but couldn't. She vaguely felt Jed's arms around her, saving her from hitting the floor. She heard him call her name, then silence. Then black.

--

Sam moaned and opened her eyes. It took her a moment to realize where she was. She was in the room lying on the bed. She looked around. She saw no one and sat up. A killer headache hit her and she moaned again.

Jed appeared from behind the bathroom door. He saw her and rushed over. "Sam. Are you okay?"

She nodded then regretted it as the headache pounded. She closed her eyes. "I'm fine."

"What happened?" She felt him sit beside her and she opened an eye.

 "I don't know. I remember vaguely what happened but nothing else. You tell me."

"You just started freaking out. Your eyes got all wide, you started breathing quicker, you were ghostly white. You just kept staring at the door. It was like you tried to speak but couldn't." He said running a hand through his hair.

Sam opened the other eye. "I remember that, I remember trying to speak but not being able too. It was in my dream. I remember why I was scared too. I was sure Wakely was here. I was sure he'd found us." Sam shuttered. Maybe that man had frightened her more than she thought.

Jed looked at her and asked, "Did you see that dead man's body?"

Sam glanced up at him and gave him a questioning look.

"It could be a trauma. What you saw disturbed you emotionally. Arthur told me about you crying over his body." He said looking away slightly.

Sam stared at him. "What if he had family? What if he had a wife?" Sam paused and looked away as he met her eyes. She felt herself choke on emotion. "What if he had a daughter who's now alone like me?" She looked at Jed and felt her tears spill.

His face immediately softened. "Sam." He stood and sat beside her and putting an arm around her shoulders. "Sam you're not alone. You will never be alone."

She nodded but couldn't help it as her shoulders shuttered in a silent sob. He turned and pulled her into his chest. "Sam no matter what you always have me. I will never leave you. Understand?"

She turned into him and buried her face in his shirt. She pulled her legs up and let herself be held. She put an arm around his neck and he wrapped his arms tightly around her body. "Promise?"

"I promise." She heard the deep rumble in his chest.

She tried to slow her breathing. "Jed?" She asked when she'd finally calmed herself.

He pulled away slightly and looked down at her. "Yeah?"

"I love you."

A smile grew on his face. "Really?"

She nodded.

He leaned down and kissed her softly.

Reviews

[K8lyn]

Okay where is everyone else? where is arthur? and why havent her brothers showed up yet?