New Paths, Old Faces
|~ Please Sammy, Pretty Please ~|~ Obeying The Dress Code ~|~ I'm Looking For Something In Red ~|~ I Dream Of Sammy ~|
Feedback: Yes, please
Archiving: Ask, and ye shall recieve. Just ask first.
Rating: PG/ Language, angst. Actually, it's angst light and light on language too, go fig. We'll call this one Aeryn-Light.
Spoilers: Any episode is fair game, Strange Road, the Telling Series, Even If, Down Time, and High School Hell.
Summary: Senior Prom, graduation, and a surprise twist
Couple: Sam and Brooke.
Warning: If the idea of two women involved in a romantic relationship together disturbs you, run, run far far away and never look back. If it's illegal where you live, move quickly. Too young? Age quicker, it's fun here. Other than that, enter at your own risk, and enjoy.
Author's Notes: Look, no Sam whumping. Everyone mark your calendar. There is significant emotional torture to Brooke tho. I have, to make everybody happy and let everyone know I do not suffer from some sort of obsession, put a temporary moratorium on Samabusage (�Aeryn) in my fics for the forseeable future. At least until I post Secrets. And I know absolutely nothing about California, or if there even is a U. of Southern Cal. If there isn't, there is now.
Disclaimer: Not mine, but you knew that all ready, didn't you? Unless secretly I've been lying all this time and I'm really the guy who created the show�nahhh. Still Aeryn. ;)
Brooke was not one to beg, it was beneath her. But Sam was being unreasonable. Not that Brooke could really blame her. Last years prom had been a horrible experience even before Nicole's bad personal impersonation of Speed Racer and Sam had gotten so badly hurt. The whole Harrison debacle was enough to make anyone want to swear off formal occasions and dances for life. Brooke almost lost everything that night and it still frightened her. The occasional nightmare reminded her of that fact. Sometimes, usually around three in the morning, she'd see Sam in her dreams, lying hurt in the street and the only thing that chased that image away was seeing Sam lying there safe, with her in bed asleep.
But right now, Sam was being her usual obstinate self and refusing to go to the Senior Prom despite the fact that Brooke wanted to go. Sam gave Brooke her blessing to go without her because she had no real interest in going herself but Brooke didn't want to go without her. The fact that the school board had said `no' to same-sex couples attending the prom was a small inconsequential problem to the girls. They knew that they could go stag or with dates and hang out together. There were always ways around the rules. And if anyone could find them, it was Brooke and Sam.
Which was why Brooke was as frustrated as she was right now. While she could wholeheartedly understand Sam's reluctance to attend the prom, Brooke saw it as an opportunity to erase the bad memories from last year or at least create new, better and happier ones together. She just couldn't get Sam to see that. And then there was Sam's notoriously infamous pathological hatred of formal dresses. Even if Brooke somehow got her to agree to go, it'd be a whole other battle to get her to wear a proper dress.
(One thing at a time) Brooke told herself as she quietly approached Sam's room. She could hear the typing coming from Sam's keyboard filtering out through the open door. (First we get her to say `yes' and then we worry about the dress)
She peeked through the door and spied Sam sitting at her desk typing on her laptop. She felt her heart do its usual flipflop in her chest at seeing her love. No matter how many times she looked at Sam, held Sam, or how many times Sam said `I love you' there was still an aura of wonder and disbelief that it was all true, that Sam returned her feelings as strongly. It was like a beautiful soap bubble with its changing colors in the light; Brooke was still slightly afraid that too much pressure or a strong gust of wind would burst it. But they'd been through a lot and with each hurdle, their bond grew stronger and Brooke's fear diminished more. She walked up behind Sam and put her hands on Sam's shoulders.
"Heya, Sammy, what are you working on?" she asked, watching Sam smile at her through the reflection of the screen. Sam leaned her head back so that it rested against Brooke's abdomen and Brooke started running her fingers through Sam's long brown locks.
"Nothing much, Princess, just an English paper," Sam murmured. "How about you? What are you up to?" Brooke grinned.
"I came to see what my hot and sexy girlfriend was doing," she answered leaning down to kiss Sam lightly. Sam's lips quirked up a little further and she arched an eyebrow.
"You have a hot and sexy girlfriend? Lucky you," she joked earning herself a light swat on the head from Brooke.
"Ha ha, funny Sam," Brooke said sarcastically. She spun Sam around in her seat and sat on her lap, straddling her. "Can I talk to you?" she asked seriously. Sam tilted her head and nodded.
"Of course, Princess," Sam told her. Brooke ran her hands through the hair at Sam's temples. She loved Sam's hair, it was silky and soft and smelled of vanilla scented shampoo.
"Why won't you go to prom?" Brooke asked directly. Sam rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Why do you keep harrassing me about that?" she asked annoyed. "You know I'd rather give Mary Cherry a pedicure. And after last year's `wonderful' experience is it any wonder why?" Now it was Brooke's turn to roll her eyes.
"Sam," she started patiently as she chased the image caused by the words `Mary Cherry' and `pedicure' from her mind. "No one's going to be drinking obsessive amounts of Jose Cuervo or running into the street upset." She cupped Sam's face in her palms. "So, no one's going to be gunning their car at me in the middle of the street. And you lived through the wedding so, let's go to the prom."
"I know all that, Brooke," Sam said a little less annoyed but no more enthusiastic. "It's just I don't want to go." Brooke frowned.
"Why?"
"Brooke�" Sam hedged. Brooke kissed Sam again softly and looked intently into those chocolate brown eyes she loved so much.
"Why Sammy?" she asked again. Sam looked away unable to keep the gaze.
"Cuz I can't go `with' you," Sam finally answered in a voice so quiet Brooke almost missed it. Brooke couldn't help the small smile that crossed her face.
"That's what's bothering you so much?" she asked. Sam nodded and Brooke brought Sam's face back up to meet hers. "Sammy, there are ways around that stupid rule." Sam sighed.
"I know but it's so stupid," Sam said. "I love you, I'm dating you and I would want to go with you if I were to go. I don't want to have to find a way around the rules. I mean, everyone knows about us now so what's the point in going with someone else?" An idea suddenly struck Brooke. It was beautiful in its simplicity.
"So we'll go together," she said happily. Sam stared at her like she suddenly went bald and toothless.
"Excuse me? Reality check, aisle three," Sam joked. Brooke shook her head in amusement.
"OK, try and stay with me, Swifty," Brooke kidded while Sam smiled at her. "We'll go alone, together." Sam still looked at her like she was strange.
"Recently experience a head injury, Princess?"
"God, you're infuriating sometimes," Brooke sighed. "We go stag and spend the night together. It bends the rules but doesn't really break them. What are they going to do, throw us out?"
"You never know," Sam challenged. She searched the pleading look on Brooke's face. "Does it really mean that much to you that we go, Princess?" Brooke nodded.
"Yes, Sammy, it does," she responded sticking out her bottom lip in a pout. "Pretty please, Sammy, with sugar on top?" Unable to resist that look, Sam finally relented.
"Ug, OK, fine, we'll go. But what's in it for me?" she asked cheekily. Brooke's face lit up at Sam's agreement and upon hearing the last part of Sam's statement, she pulled Sam's face closer and smirked.
"Hmm�let me think on that last part," she said huskily. "How about me on top?"
"She actually said yes?" Nicole asked dumbfounded. She couldn't believe Sam had actually agreed to go to the prom, again. (She's either really brave or really stupid) Nic mused. Not that she had any plans to run the poor girl down again, it was just surprising. Brooke nodded as she fixed her makeup in the mirror of the Novak.
"Yup, it took some convincing but she's gonna go," she chirped happily. Nic grinned evilly.
"What'd you have to promise her to get her to go?" she asked wickedly. Brooke glared at her suspiciously but with a small smile.
"Just me," Brooke answered as her smile grew wider. Nicole rolled her eyes.
"Spam is so whipped," she sighed with an answering smile. Brooke shook her finger at her.
"She is not and she is not Spam," she told her friend. Nic shrugged.
"Whatever," Nic answered. "So, what are you going to wear? And is Sam going to wear a tux?" Brooke looked at her horrified.
"God, don't say that to her, you'll give her ideas. We're both wearing dresses if I have beat her over the head with a stick." Nic laughed.
"Can I watch?"
"Oh, knock it off, Nicole. You don't hate her, we both know it," Brooke huffed.
"OK, so I don't hate her. But I don't have to lead the `Pro-Sam McPherson' parade either," Nicole countered. Brooke nodded.
"This is true," she agreed as she headed to the door. "Anyway, I have to go meet her and talk to her about dress shopping anyway. See you later."
**
"No, no, no, no, no," Sam protested vehemently. Brooke threw her hands up in the air in frustration.
"Saaaaam," she complained.
"No," she repeated firmly.
"A dress, Sam. A simple dress. That's all I'm asking." Sam shook her head.
What part of `no' don't you understand?" Sam asked snottily from her seat at the table in the coffee shop. Brooke glared at her from her seat across the table.
"The `n' and the `o'," she answered in the same tone. They were warming up for what could be a good fight and Brooke didn't want that. She took a deep breath to calm herself.
"Sam," she started again in a more normal voice. "You're a girl and you're not wearing a tuxedo." Sam rolled her eyes and let out a deep sigh.
"I'm acutely aware of the fact that I'm female, Brooke," she said also calmer. She didn't want to have a huge fight in public either. "And I never said I was going to wear a tuxedo either. There are other options."
"Like what?"
"Like a tasteful pants set that matches whatever dress you decide to wear, I don't know but not a dress, love. I'm just not comfortable in them," Sam explained.
"But you look so nice in them," Brooke argued with a slight pout. "With those sexy legs and that body." Sam smiled.
"Ah ah ah, flattery won't work this time," Sam scolded lightly. "Not even the sexy pout or plying me with great, mind-blowing sex is going to change my mind." Brooke frowned at that comment.
"Damn," Brooke swore. Sam laughed.
"It's like this, Princess: I'll go to the Prom with you because you want me to. I'll do that much because I love you and it means so much to you. In return, all I ask is that you let me wear what I want." Faced with that argument, Brooke had no choice but to nod her agreement.
"OK," she said reluctantly. "But no tuxes, OK Sammy?" Sam nodded. She really had no interest in wearing a tuxedo anyway, as much as she liked the ones with tails and top hats and the little canes. She had had enough of canes to last a lifetime and figured she's look stupid anyway.
"No tuxes," Sam agreed. "Not even a frilly blue one with a ruffly shirt," she added with a devilish smirk. Brooke smiled at her.
"Terrific. Now about that great mind-blowing sex�" Brooke started letting the rest of the comment hang and looking at Sam with a rather lecherous look on her face. Sam blushed just looking at her.
"Check please!" Sam called out.
I'm Looking For Something In Red
Brooke shifted through the racks of dresses looking for something, anything remotely like what she had in mind but it was becoming increasingly clear that she was going to have to have something specially made. She was beginning to think the whole thing was hopeless and she could tell that Sam was nearing the end of her patience. She wondered how Sam could have such a short attention span when it came to shopping.
"Any luck?" Sam asked in a monotone from the chair a few feet away in the boutique. God, she was bored. She figured Brooke had tried on at least 30 dresses. While it was somewhat fun to watch, it wasn't high on Sam's list of how to spend an afternoon. (I'm growing old over here) Sam lamented. Brooke walked out from behind the rack and shook her head defeatedly.
"Nope," she sighed. "I'm gonna have to go to the dressmaker that made our wedding gowns and have something made." Sam stood up and stretched. Brooke watched the display with a lazy smile. Sam quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Enjoying the show?" she asked with a smirk. Brooke nodded.
"Uh-huh, especially the way your shirt rode up," Brooke told her. Sam laughed.
"And you say I'm bad," she joked, wrapping an arm around Brooke's waist as they left the boutique. Brooke laughed and pinned Sam against the car with a passionate kiss.
"You're rubbing off on me," Brooke rasped after breaking away. Sam placed her index finger on the end of Brooke's nose.
"That's not necessarily a bad thing," she grinned. "Unless it gets us arrested," she added as an afterthought. "Where to now?" Brooke thought a minute.
"Well, the dressmaker, I guess. I know exactly what I want, Sammy and I think that's the only way I'm going to get it." Sam opened the car door for her.
"Your wish, Princess, is my command. Your chariot awaits," Sam said galantly with a bow for added effect. Brooke giggled.
"And they say chivalry is dead," Brooke quipped.
**
Now Sam sat reading a pathetically outdated magazine while Brooke discussed dresses with Arlene, the dressmaker. (Time magazine from March 1999? Ug, and I thought the hospital magazines were bad) Sam thought to herself. But at least Brooke had finally found someone who shared her vision of her prom dress. And it looked to Sam like the search was finally drawing to a close and for that she was immensely grateful.
"What do you think, Sammy? Red or blue?" Brooke's voice floated over to her. Sam looked up at her.
"Well, the blue would match your eyes but the red would look REALLY sexy," Sam answered after a minute's thought and with a wicked grin. Brooke smiled back at her.
"Red it is then," she said turning back to Arlene. "I'll go with red, in this shade," she pointed to a sample out of Sam's view. "And we'll need a matching pants set in her size," Brooke said pointing at Sam. Arlene nodded.
"We still have her measurements from when your parents got married," Arlene said with a smile. "Are you sure she wouldn't want a dress for the prom instead?"
"She's sure," Sam piped up before Brooke could open her mouth. Brooke shrugged at Arlene.
"We're sure," she echoed Sam's statement. Arlene nodded her understanding.
"All right then. We'll get started on it and give you two a call for fittings," Arlene said. Brooke smiled and nodded happily.
"Great, thanks again, Arlene, for seeing us on such short notice," she said.
"Not a problem, Brooke," Arlene said. Brooke and Sam got up to leave. "Talk to you later."
"Bye Arlene," Sam called from the door.
"Bye, Sam, Brooke."
**
Sam waited for the light to turn and watched Brooke out of the corner of her eye.
"Happy now?" she asked quietly. Brooke turned to look at her from the passenger seat.
"About what?" she asked slightly confused.
"That you're going to get the perfect dress?" Sam clarified. Brooke smiled a self-satisfied smile.
"Yes, yes I am," she responded. "Aren't you?"
"If you're happy, I'm happy, Princess," Sam told her. Brooke tilted her head slightly.
"Are you?" Sam sighed.
"Yes, Brooke, I am. I may be reluctant to go but if it's making you happy, then it's making me happy," Sam told her firmly. Brooke smiled.
"Thank you Sammy."
"You're welcome, Princess. I do have a question or two, though."
"OK, shoot," Brooke told her.
"Do you want to rent a limo or take one of our own cars?" Sam asked. Brooke frowned and thought about it for a few minutes.
"What do you want?" she asked Sam. Sam shook her head.
"This is your night, Princess, not mine. I asked you because it's your night," Sam explained to her. Brooke sighed.
"OK, fine. Yes, then. I want a limo," she said. Sam nodded.
"OK, done," Sam said. "Your wish is my command." Brooke smiled.
"So what is this? I'm Cinderella and you're my Fairy Godmother and those cute little mice all in one?" she joked. Sam snickered.
"And I'd like to think your Prince too," Sam added. She then rethought her comment. "Hey, how did I end up the masculine part of this couple?" Brooke burst out laughing.
"You did that yourself, Missy. `I hate dresses', `I'm your Prince'. It's all you, Sammy," she explained through her laughter. Sam sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Grrrr�." Brooke just laughed all that much harder at her.
Brooke twirled around in front of the mirror admiring her reflection. The dress was perfect. Mid-length, smokey red with a waist hugging bodice and it was strapless, coming up just above her breasts. It had a short matching jacket that went over it. Not her usual style but what she wanted for this go around. Sam's pants set was the same color with a little white trim and classically cut. Together they looked awesome. Sam smiled at her from a few feet away.
"Very nice," she whistled at Brooke. Brooke gave her a toothy grin.
"Not bad yourself," she responded. Sam spun around so Brooke could get a good look at the whole outfit. It really did look good on her. "Nice ass."
"Brooke!" Sam scolded but the grin on her face gave her away. Brooke was glad that they were back to teasing each other like they used to. The incident with Pierce had come close to destroying them, or at least Sam and it had taken a long time to settle back into their normal routine. Sam's depression still reared its ugly head from time to time but together they fought their way through it.
"So, we're really going to go to the Prom?" Brooke asked just to make sure although she knew there was no way Sam would let her miss it.
"I certainly hope so for the amount of money we've spent on tickets, outfits and the limo," Sam joked. "Besides, I wanna see everyone's face when I walk in with the prettiest, most sexy girl at Kennedy High on my arm." Brooke arched an eyebrow at her.
"I thought you were going with me," she pouted. Sam folded her arms across her chest and sighed dramatically.
"I was, although you keep that up and I might change my mind," she said dryly. Brooke smiled at her.
"I was just joking, Sammy," Brooke said as she walked up and wrapped her arms around Sam's waist. Sam wrinkled her nose.
"I know, Princess," she said. "I want prom night to be special for you so is there anything else you want besides the limo?" Brooke thought for a few minutes, genuinely touched by Sam's offer. Sam was determined to make Prom night everything Brooke could possibly imagine but all Brooke really wanted was to have a nice time with her.
"Just you," she finally told Sam. "And to have a great time." Sam nodded with a smile.
"Done," Sam said. Brooke laughed causing Sam to look at her strangely. "What?"
"Nothing, I just had this image of you dressed like the woman from I Dream of Jeanie and crossing your arms and saying `Yes, Master'," Brooke giggled. Sam's eyebrows raised.
"Ooo, costumes and dominance fantasies. Didn't know you had that in you, Princess. Kinky," she joked, loving the sudden blush that rose to Brooke's cheeks.
**
Brooke kicked off her covers with a sigh. (There are 87 ceiling tiles) she sighed. (I hate it when I can't sleep) She rolled over onto her stomach and punched her pillow, trying to get comfortable but she was too wound up. Everytime she closed her eyes, she relived that horrible spring night when Nicole's car came racing towards her. She hadn't been this bad off in a long time. With a final frustrated growl, she got up out of bed and headed to Sam's room.
To her surprise, Sam wasn't in bed. She was sitting in the window with her Walkman on with her feet up on the windowsill, letting the warm spring breeze flow over her. Brooke frowned. While Sam was notorious for suffering from occasional bouts of insomnia, she usually ended up in Brooke's room when they were apart, not sitting alone in the dark. It made Brooke wonder exactly how much sleep Sam really got and how often.
(Does she come to my room everytime she can't sleep or only sometimes?) Brooke wondered, bothered by the thought that Sam didn't sleep. (Is she not telling me something?) She walked up behind Sam and placed her hands gently on Sam's back causing Sam to jump slightly. Sam reached up and removed her earphones and gave Brooke a quick smile.
"Hey, Princess, what's the matter? Can't sleep?" she asked. Brooke sat down on the edge of the bed a few feet away.
"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?" she countered. Sam frowned before looking back out the window.
"It's a beautiful night," Sam said instead. Brooke sighed. (Defensive Sam, not a good sign)
"Yes it is, Sammy. But why are you awake?" Sam looked back at her.
"Why are you?" Brooke sighed again. (Defensive and stubborn. Great)
"I'm wired," she explained knowing the only way to get Sam to talk was to talk first. "And having flashback problems."
"Ah," was all Sam said.
"It's been almost a year," Brooke started. She saw Sam nod. "That's got to make you think, Sammy."
"Uh-huh," Sam responded. Brooke wanted to kick her. (Defensive, stubborn, and cavewoman. Batting 1000, Brooke)
"It was a night a lot like this one," Sam said suddenly, startling Brooke. "Warm but breezy and clear. I never thought my life would come down to one second caught in a pair of halogen headlights." Brooke leaned forward slightly.
"But your life is more than that one moment, Sammy," she said patiently. "It's made up of a series of moments. Some good, some not so good but you can't spend your time stuck in that one." Sam looked at her with an unreadable expression.
"It's like that U2 song, `Stuck in a Moment'- that you can't get out of. And while I don't regret it and wouldn't trade anything that came after it, Brooke, you especially, I can't help thinking that I'm still stuck there. Doomed to replay that moment."
"We both are, at times, Sam," Brooke told her. "But we have to stop letting it run our lives. Maybe this prom will do that for us, give us the closure we need to move on," she said hopefully. Sam gave her a small smile.
"You're a pathetic optimist, you know that?" Brooke smiled back at her.
"Yes, I learned it at Cheerleading camp," she joked. She stretched out her hand for Sam. "Seriously, we both need to sleep, Sammy, so come to bed." Sam grasped Brooke's hand and let herself be led to bed. They settled in together, snuggling close.
"I love you, Brooke," Sam whispered. Brooke kissed her forehead.
"I love you too, Sam."
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