|~ One Quiet Moment ~|~ Going To The Chapel ~|~ School Daze ~|

One Quiet Moment

Brooke came home from school the next night, late from Glamazon practice and headed up to her room. It had been a horrible day. There had been a pop qiz in Chem she was unprepared for, a fight with Nic and Mary Cherry over whether or not she was going to the Senior Prom (undecided), a few altercations with the remaining homophobic section of the school population, she spilled ketchup on herself at lunch and had seen very little Sam. Not that Sam was avoiding her; their schedules just didn't gel that day.

So she trudged up the stairs feeling defeated and surly. She stopped at the top of the stairs in confusion. On the floor was a carpet of rose pedals leading to her room. A bright smile lit her face as she guessed the culprit behind the surprise. She kicked off her shoes and reveled in the soft velvety feel of the petals on her feet. She followed the path and slowly opened her bedroom door.

Her room was filled with flowers of all types, colors and sizes. Roses, carnations, daisies, you name it it was probably there and it took Brooke's breath away. On top of that were the candles softly illuminating the room and Sam standing in the middle holding a single long stemmed red rose. Brooke slowly approached her and Sam smiled shyly.

"Hi," she whispered. Brooke tilted her head.

"Hi," she responded. "What's all this?" she asked quietly motioning around the room. Sam looked down a second and then back up into Brooke's sparkling hazel eyes.

"An apology," she started. "For being such an ass. And a Valentine, a birthday, a Christmas, an I love you, and a just because." Brooke smirked.

"A just because?" Sam smirked back at her.

"Just because I can. And just because I love you. It's also my pathetic attempt at seducing you," she added coyly. Brooke smiled wolfishly.

"Not at all pathetic," she said huskily as she pulled Sam into a heated kiss. Sam returned the smile after they parted.

"I'm glad to know the effort wasn't wasted," she joked. Brooke took the rose from her and placed it on the nightstand before leading Sam to the bed.

"I love you, Sammy," Brooke said softly. She shivered at their close contact. "It's been so long." Sam reached up and cupped Brooke's face with her palms.

"I know, Princess. And I'm sorry. We have a lot of time to make up for," she whispered as she leaned in for another kiss. "And I plan on making every moment count from here on out."

Going To The Chapel

The big wedding day finally arrived and Sam was a big bundle of nerves. Not because her mother was getting married, but because she had to wear that dress. (Formal attire and I do not get along) she thought dryly. The last formal gown she wore had to be cut off of her in blood covered chunks. She shivered. (Geeze, Sam, morose much?)

"You ready Sam?" Brooke asked poking her head in Sam's room. Sam shook her head.

"Think they'll miss me if I don't go?" Brooke walked in the room and rolled her eyes.

"I think Mom will notice the conspicuous absence of her Maid of Honor, Sammy," she said lightly. "God, you're not even dressed. Put the dress on Sam, it's not going to kill you." Sam shot her a look.

"Promise me Nicole won't be drinking," she asked. Brooke looked at her in shock.

"Is that what's bothering you? Sam, that was a one time thing. As long as neither one of us goes running into the street we should be fine," Brooke pointed out logically. Sam nodded as Brooke walked over with the dress.

"I suppose one night won't hurt," Sam agreed. Brooke smiled.

"Good, cuz the sooner you put this thing on, the sooner I can get you out of it," she teased. Sam smirked at her.

"Frisky today are we?" she joked as she slipped into the dress. Brooke nodded.

"As soon as the wedding's over, the `rentals will be gone for three glorious weeks to the Bahama's on their honeymoon with Mac. We have the house to ourselves. I can't wait to get rid of them," she admitted her voice low and sending delighted chills up Sam's spine.

"Me either," Sam said as she captured Brooke's lips in a burning kiss. Stopping themselves before they got out of hand, they finished getting dressed and headed off to the wedding.

The wedding went off without a hitch, (pardon the pun) and finally Mike and Jane were married and they were really a family. An incredibly unusual family but a family nonetheless. The reception was a sight to behold. Sam and Brooke danced together but not any slow dances that would arouse suspicion and had a great time. They hated hiding the truth about themselves but for their mother they went through with it. Jane thanked them repeatedly.

Nicole noticed that the two girls were unable to dance together and, having heard the reason from Lily, she was trying to find a way around it, for at least one dance. A wicked smile crossed her face as an idea entered her head. She discussed the idea with Lily, Josh, and the rest of the mixed gang before going through with it.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the DJ started. "This is a special request from someone in our audience. But it's not a couples dance, it's a song to say how love can mean different things to different people and how doubts can sometime get in our way. We can't let that happen. So grab someone who means something special to you and dance." Sam and Brooke exchanged glances as Nic leaned over to them.

"Here's your chance," Nic whispered. "You can dance and no one will know." They watched as Lily and Josh got up to dance as did Mary Cherry and Sugar. To draw the attention off of Sam and Brooke, Nic rolled her eyes and grabbed a startled Carmen. Sam and Brooke slowly walked out to the dance floor in the middle of their friends.

{Where Would You Be �2001 Martina McBride}

I wonder where your heart is
`Cause it sure don't feel like it's here
Sometimes I think you wish
That I would just disappear
Have I got it all wrong
Have you felt this way long
Are you already gone

"My heart is with you Brooke," Sam whispered in Brooke's ear. "And I never left you."

Do you feel lonely
When you're here by my side
Does the sound of freedom
Echo in your mind
Do you wish you were by yourself
Or that I was someone else
Anyone else

"I want no one else but you Sammy," Brooke whispered.

Where would you be
If you weren't here with me
Where would you go
If you were single and free
Who would you love
Would it be me
Where would you be

"It'd always be you, Princess. I'll always be here."

I don't wanna hold you backNo I don't wanna slow you down
I don't wanna make you feel
Like you are tied up and bound
`Cause that's not what love's about
If there's no chance we can work it out
Tell me now
Oh, tell me tell me now

"You know all that, right?" Brooke asked. Sam nodded.

Where would you be
If you weren't here with me
Where would you go
If you were single and free
Who would you love
Would it be me
Where would you be

Have I become the enemy
Is it hard to be yourself
In my company

"Brooke?"

"Never."

Where would you be
If you weren't here with me
Where would you go
If you were single and free
Who would you love
Would it be me
Where would you be
Oh tell me tell me now
Where would you be
Where would you go
Who would you love
Would it be me

Jane watched the whole thing from her seat and thought it was sweet. Mike ignored it mostly but even he thought it was endearing and mostly unnoticable by the other partygoers. There was no doubting though, by anyone who knew Brooke and Sam, that they were deeply in love. They all but glowed on the dance floor together. After the song ended they thanked Nic and went back to their table. Brooke got her wish; she got to dance one slow dance at the wedding with Sam.

School Daze

School had actually started to calm down shortly afterwards. There was less vandalism and harrassment but both girls figured that had to do with both Pierce going to a mental institution and the school board finally doing something about the whole situation. And a few other students had come out as well so it wasn't just Brooke and Sam out on that limb. Brooke's popularity was soaring again, after the initial shock wore off and aside from a few minor incidents, their lives had returned to what passed for normal for them.

It was a welcome relief. Now they could look forward to the Senior Prom, if either decided to go although the school board had made it clear that couples were to be boy-girl and nothing else; and graduation after that. Sam had pretty much decided against the prom (like last years wasn't fun enough) and was focusing on graduation in a few months while Brooke was just trying to get through each day. But for now, things were good.

Well, unless you were Becky Wright that is. Thanks to Nicole's master manipulation and string pulling, not even April Tuna and Freddy Gong would have anything to do with that little pariah. She had to transfer to another school just to finish the school year because she couldn't function at Kennedy High with the way she was being treated. Sam and Brooke felt bad, and then they got over it. What goes around really does come around.

(The next song isn't mine, it belongs to Beth Hart and can be found on the Beth Hart Band's album Immortal �1996)

Brooke walked into Sam's bedroom and watched Sam get ready for bed. While she was happy she got one dance with Sam at the wedding a few days earlier, she wasn't satisfied yet. She put a cd in Sam's stereo and set it up before walking over to Sam.

"Dance with me?" Brooke asked extending her hand to Sam. Sam smiled and nodded.

"Of course," she responded. Brooke pressed play on the stereo and pulled Sam close to her. The soft sound of a piano filled the room as they started to dance.

If I whisper my thoughts
Would you hear the chanting of my heart
Praising melodies unsung in the dark
Saying hold me through the night

Hear the music from my room
Calling out to you, come home to me soon
Shadows bellowing duets with the moon
Singing hold me through the night

Hold me through the night
Hold me through the night

Oh yeah
Oh yeah yeah oh

And the water drops in the drain
Just like the sound it makes
You're coming round again
There's a soft piano in a warm summer's rain
Playing hold me through the night

Hold me through the night
Hold me through the night
Hold me
Hold me through the night
Hold me
Hold me through the night
Oh ya gotta hold me through
Ya gotta hold me through the night
Hold me through the night

The song ended but neither girl let go. They simply clung to one another and continued to move together even without music to move to.

"Always, you know?" Sam whispered. "I'll never let go." Brooke smiled into Sam's neck.

"Me either, Sam. Forever." Now she was satisfied.

THE END

Hey Aeryn!
{Huh? Oh, hi Sam. What's up?}
Can you do me a favor?
{Uh, sure}
If you play in this universe anymore, BE NICE TO ME! I can't take much more you sadist!
{Hey, calm down, Sam. It all worked out didn't it?
Well, yeah but geez you put me through hell first. Give a girl a break, will ya?
{OK, Sam. Maybe next in this universe I'll play in the future again}
Hey, with the kids? Sounds cool. Later.
{Bye Sam. Great, first Nic harasses me. Then Brooke runs around deleting my fics and now Sam's gonna bother me. sigh}