* * *
Sam dragged one hand through his hair and shook his head. He closed his eyes tightly as an image flashed through his mind, a vivid portrait of Josie wearing an old-fashioned gown singing softly and slightly off-key, the sing-song about Mrs. O'Leary's cow. He rubbed his eyes. "You're just stressed out, Coulson," he muttered to himself.
He took a deep, steadying breath and strode purposefully down the hall to the waiting area. He sat down beside Aldys who looked completely worn out. "How are you holding up?" he asked quietly.
Aldys glanced at Sam. He looked like he was in agony. She smiled bravely. "I'm okay. I just want Josie to be all right," she said softly.
"I know. Me too. Look...we probably won't know anything for hours. Why don't you go home? You've been here all day long. You must be exhausted."
"I can handle it. Josie's my friend, regardless of if she's seventeen or twenty- five," she stated firmly.
"Mine too," Sam answered quietly. His mind had finally accepted what his heart had known for weeks - he was deeply and truly in love with Josie Geller. 'Please God,' he prayed silently, 'don't take her from me know. I need to tell her I'm in love with her.'
Sam glanced up as Rob Geller pressed a Styrofoam cup of coffee into his hand. It was hot and black and carried a slightly burnt odor, as if it had been sitting on the burner for too long. He nodded gratefully. "Thanks."
"You might not say that after you taste it," Rob warned with a wry grin. "Kind of tastes like jet fuel, but I figure it's going to be a long night." He took a sip of his coffee and scrunched up his face at the unpleasant taste as he sat down beside Sam. Rob shifted uncomfortably in his chair then cleared his throat. "I...uh...appreciate your being here for my sister," he said nervously. "I know it would mean a lot to her."
"You really think so?" Sam asked hopefully.
"Yeah. She's mentioned you. Quite a few times actually."
"Josie's talked about me?" Sam asked hopefully. 'Could it be true,' he thought. 'Does she care about me?'
"Yup. Ya know...if she wasn't...Josie...I'd think she kinda has the hots for you."
"H-h-h-hots?" Sam questioned, feeling his face flush at the thought. "What makes you think that?"
Rob rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "You know...she gets this dreamy, far-off look on her face when she talks about you. Haven't seen that in...well, in a really long time. But don't worry...Josie doesn't date..."
"Josie doesn't date?" Sam interrupted incredulously. "You've got to be kidding! Josie's beautiful and smart and sweet! Is the entire male population of Chicago blind, deaf and dumb?" Sam shook his head in wonder.
"You think my sister's beautiful?" Rob asked, surprised.
Sam's eyes traveled around the room, from Rob, to Tom and Janet, to Josie's work friends, to Aldys. He swallowed nervously and cleared his throat. "Josie is the most amazing person I've ever known," he professed, the true depth of his feelings evident in his voice. "I..." Sam shrugged his shoulders and blushed a little embarrassed by his emotional declaration.
"Oh My God!" Rob exclaimed. "You...you're...with my sister?"
Janet shot Rob a quelling look. "Robert Geller, you leave Sam alone!" She smiled reassuringly at Sam. "We all love Josie."
Rob hung his head shamefully. "Sorry, Mom. I didn't mean anything bad, I swear! It's just...Josie." He glanced meaningfully at Sam, looking him up and down in silent assessment. He squinted, satisfied, then nodded and stuck out his hand. "No hard feelings?"
Sam grasped Rob's offered hand and shook it gratefully. "Of course not." He smiled wistfully. "Josie's told me a little about you too, Rob."
"Uh oh," Rob said with a grin. "That's probably not good."
Sam chuckled softly, remembering the conversation. "She told me you were kind of a goofball, but overall a good brother and that when it really mattered you were always there for her."
Rob blinked back tears. "She said that?"
Sam nodded.
"She's always been there for me when I'm in a jam. And that's pretty often. Josie's the best," Rob choked out as fresh tears threatened to spill from his eyes.
"That she is," Sam said softly. "The best."
"Sam?" asked a voice from the doorway.
Sam turned to find his best friend Jon Richards, along with Jon's wife Joanna. "Jon, Jo," he murmured wearily as he stood up to greet them.
Jon hugged him quickly, slapping him firmly, reassuringly, on the back. He stepped back and Joanna enveloped him in a warm, almost motherly hug. "We're so sorry, Sam," she said softly.
"Did you bring the ring?"
"As promised." Jon reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring Sam had asked for. He let it drop into Sam's outstretched hand. "You gonna explain what's going on here?"
* * *
Josie beamed up at Sam as they stood before the preacher in Sam's parlor. The last twenty-four hours had been the most extraordinary of her life. She knew that marrying a man she'd met just hours ago was ludicrous, but marrying Sam Coulson felt so right. In her heart she believed that somehow her being where she was, when she was, was no accident. Sam was her soul mate. Josie was more certain of it than she'd ever been of anything in her life. And it seemed that Fate had intervened to bring them together.
"Sam, do you take Josie to be your wedded wife? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?" the preacher asked.
Sam smiled at Josie. "I do," he promised, his deep voice trembling.
"Josie, do you take Sam to be your wedded husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live?" The preacher had been amused by Josie's adamant refusal to promise to obey Sam, so he chuckled in amusement as he emphasized the words she had insisted on in their place.
Sam squeezed Josie's hand reassuring. "I do," she vowed solemnly.
The preacher nodded at Sam.
Sam smiled down at Josie and took both of her small hands in his. "I, Sam, take thee, Josie, to be my wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, and I promise my love to you forevermore."
A tear trickled down Josie's smiling face. "I, Josie, take thee, Sam to be my wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, and I promise my love to you forevermore," she promised, her voice quivering with emotion.
"Do you have rings?" the preacher asked Sam.
He nodded and turned to Abby. She handed the two rings to the preacher for his blessing.
He handed Josie her ring for Sam, a plain, mellow gold band that had belonged to Sam's grandfather. With shaking fingers, she slid the ring onto Sam's finger. "With this ring, I thee wed," she whispered.
The preacher dropped Sam's ring for Josie into his palm. It was as strikingly beautiful as Sam's was plain, artfully carved gold filigree set with one perfect sapphire that matched Josie's deep blue eyes. His fingers trembled as he slipped the ring onto Josie's finger, to find it a perfect fit. "With this ring, I thee wed," he vowed faithfully.
* * *
Sam sat carefully beside Josie and took her left hand in his. He blinked back tears as he slipped the antique ring onto her third finger. "This ring," he told her quietly, "has quite a tale and maybe even a little bit of magic. My grandmother gave it to me two years ago, just before she passed away. It's been in my family for several generations now and family legend says that if it's given to one's true soulmate, then that love will be truly blessed. My grandfather gave it to her and they were blissfully happy for fifty-odd years. She made me promise to give it only to the woman who owns my heart."
"That woman is you Josie. I knew it the instant our eyes first met and it scared me to death. I felt this other-worldly connection to you from that moment. It didn't matter that I thought you were seventeen. I fought it, God knows, but you're irresistible to me."
He reached up to gently cup her face in his hand, lovingly stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I hope that somehow you can hear me. I wish...God I wish I could look into your beautiful eyes..." Sam swallowed hard. "Josie Geller, you are the most amazing woman I've ever known. You are sweet and funny, brilliant and beautiful and I am completely and totally head-over-heels in love with you. I need you, Josie. Please come back to me."
* * *
Sam followed Josie up the steep, narrow staircase. He thought about what a strange, magical day it had been. Had he truly met and married Josie in less than a day? He shook his head in wonder as the lamplight glinted off her wedding band.
A smile played at the corners of his mouth as he remembered the family legend surrounding that ring. It had come to America from Scotland with his grandfather who had entertained his children and grandchildren with tales of it's romantic history. No one could quite remember how old it was or where it had come from, but for the Coulsons, its magic and power were very real. The ring when exchanged by true soulmates promised a happy blessed union. Sam grinned broadly. He'd tell Josie that story someday, when the time was perfect. For now, he was content to take things slowly.
When they reached the top of the stairs, Sam walked Josie to the door of his spare bedroom. They were both blushing and fidgeting uncomfortably. "I...uh..." Sam stammered.
Josie giggled nervously. "Yes, I know what you mean," she whispered.
"G'night, Josie," Sam said softly. He bent and pressed a sweet, gentle kiss to her lips. "Sleep well."
Josie raised her eyes to meet his, smiling shyly. "'Night, Sam," she murmured.
* * *
Sam glanced up at the clock in the ICU. It was past midnight. He'd finally convinced everyone else to go home and rest, offering to take the night shift and promising to call if there was any change in Josie's condition. The unit was eerily quiet except for the beeping of the various machines and the idle chatter of the nurses and residents at the nurses station.
He pulled his chair close to Josie's bed. Sam couldn't explain it, but he needed to be close to her, to touch her, to maintain the connection. He still felt it, as strong as ever. "Come back to me, Josie. I need you!" he whispered.
* * *
Josie tossed and turned restlessly as a terrifying nightmare disturbed her sleep. Sam was calling out to her, begging her to come back to him, but she was lost in a thick, choking fog and couldn't find him. "SAM!" she yelled. "Sam...where are you?"
In his bedroom, sleep had escaped Sam, so he was sitting up in bed trying unsuccessfully to lose himself in Pride and Prejudice in the dim light of the oil lamp. But tonight the adventures of Mr. Darcy and Lizzy failed to move him. All he could think of was Josie.
Her cries startled him from his reverie. He flew out of bed and into Josie's room. His heart broke as he saw her lying on the bed, the covers twisted around her, sobbing inconsolably. "Josie," he said softly, not wanting to startle her. "Josie, it's Sam. I'm here," he whispered as he sat carefully on the edge of the bed. He reached out a hand to gently rub her shuddering back. "Shhhh...shhhh."
Josie cries quieted as Sam tenderly massaged her back.
"You're okay now," Sam said gently.
"Sam," Josie murmured sleepily as she rolled over. "You're here?"
"Shhh...yes, my love, I'm here."
Josie opened her eyes slowly, needing the reassurance of actually seeing him. "Oh Sam, I had the worst nightmare," she whispered, sitting up. "You were calling for me and I couldn't find you. I felt so lost and alone."
"It's all over now. I'm here," he murmured reassuringly.
Josie surprised him by throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. After a moment, she loosened her grip and smiled up at him shyly. "Sorry."
"Don't be. I quite liked it," Sam admitted with a grin. He gathered her into his arms and hugged her again, then kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I should let you get back to sleep," he said regretfully as he moved to stand.
Josie placed a hand on his arm. "Stay?" she begged softly. "I...don't want to be alone. Please, just hold me?"
Sam nodded slowly as Josie scooted over to make room beside her. He smiled down at her as she nestled comfortably in his arms. "I'm here Josie. I won't leave you alone, I promise," he vowed quietly.
He felt her breathing deepen as restful sleep claimed her, before he let his own bleary eyes drift shut.
* * *