Chapter 27 - Sam

A sigh escaped her mouth as she let the bed mold into her back. This was bliss. Even after moving out of her parent's years earlier, she relished the time she was able to spend in her old room. She didn't know if it was because it was different, or if a part of her still held onto it, but this bed was the one spot she could lie down and think. It was her equivalent of Scott's thinking room. A smile formed on her lips when she thought of the man. He really was adorable. Even with his impeccable clothing, the man had a childish aspect to him. That was something that both him and Graham had in common. He was different from Graham though.

Graham, she thought with a small sigh, he was the man who would never let you sulk in a room by yourself. He would never let her get away with keeping secrets, and she knew for a fact that the man had been trying to find her for the past week that she had been at her parents. He didn't quit. Even when she had made Max call him, Graham didn't stop looking. It made Sam feel oddly wanted. It made her feel as if, maybe, she was more important to him than he said.

She shifted into her mattress, getting more comfortable as her thoughts continued. Would she be happy just being friends with both of them? Would she be able to watch as they moved on in their lives? What if Scott found a wife, would Sam mind? Oddly, she didn't think she would. She wanted the man to be happy, wanted him to have a life and wife that he deserved. If she chose Graham though, would Scott be happy? Would her selfishness break two friends apart, make them hate one another?

Sam shook her head at the question. She couldn't do it, couldn't come between the two of them when they had been friends with one another their entire lives. She loved the both of them, would always love them, and she refused to hurt either of them, even if that meant hurting herself. With defeat in her movements, she pressed the palms of her hands into the mattress and sat up. This was it, she told herself. She had made her decision.

Her feet connected with the floor as she pushed off the bed. Maybe she had been hiding from the truth during her week stay at her parents, maybe she hadn't wanted to admit that she loved Graham more than she loved Scott, and maybe she was afraid. She was afraid that she would lose all of her courage, that she would beg Graham to be with her, beg Scott not to hate them.

A disgusted snort escaped her mouth at the direction her thoughts were taking. This was getting her nowhere. Standing in her room while her thoughts went everywhere, wasn't helping a thing. Her spine straightened as she stepped towards the door. Before she could open it herself, it was wrenched open.

Muffled curses reached her ears as her father and Max came into view. Her eyes widened as she saw what was in their hands. Both with black sacks around their heads, Graham struggled out of Max's grip while Scott attempted to free himself from her father.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a shock voice.

Immediately, Graham quit moving while Scott still fought against his capture. "Sam?" Graham asked, his voice a little rough. "Is that you?"

Scott's movements halted. "Sam?"

"Uh," she stuttered, glancing towards her father and Max in silent help.

"Sorry," Max said with a smile that let Sam know that the man was lying. He wasn't sorry. He was downright bursting with glee. "Got to go." He pushed Graham forward at the same time her father pushed Scott. Without looking back, they exited the room, a solid click letting her know that they had locked the door behind them.

She whirled around, running towards her bedside table. Jerking the drawer open, she groaned when her key was missing. "Damn it all to hell!"

"That doesn't sound like Sam," Scott mumbled behind her.

"Of course it's her," Graham answered while kicking towards his friend. "It sounds exactly like her. Even the walk sounds the same."

Scott chuckled while shaking his head. "The walk sounds the same? I thought you had gone insane when you told me you could smell her in the car earlier. Now, you think that you can hear the way that she walks?" His chuckle stopped. "Look, man. I know that you love the girl, but we're in a serious situation right now. Whoever those men were, they'll be asking for money."

Graham bumped into Scott, making the man take a step to gain his balance. "Shut up. I'm telling you, she's in this room." He turned his head away from Scott, and even though Sam knew he could not see her, she gasped when he turned towards her. "Sam?"

"Yeah?" she croaked, wondering where her voice had gone. Only moments before, she was confident; she knew what she wanted. Now, with both of them in front of her with no escape, she wasn't sure.

A relieved sigh escaped Graham as Scott just shuffled on his feet. "Are your hands tied too?"

"My hands?" she asked in confusion. "Why would my hands be tied?"

Scott turned, showing her his back. "Because ours are," he said with a small laugh. "But seeing as they weren't smart enough to tie you up, why don't you help a friend out?"

"Are you?" she asked quietly as she walked towards him.

He shifted slightly as her fingers worked against the scarves around his hands. "Am I what?"

She hesitated, knowing that she needed to ask the question but hating what the answer might be. "Are you my friend?"

With his hands now free, he turned towards her. He pulled the covering from his face before smiling at her. "Of course I am. How could I not be your friend? I love you, Sam." He must have noticed the panic on her face, because an amused chuckle flew from his mouth. With a quick hug, he patted her back reassuringly. "As a sister. I promise that I love you like a sister. I tried to make it more. I really did, but I can't do it."

"Me too," she admitted as she pulled back from him. "From the beginning, I tried loving you more than a friend. I did everything I could think of to stop wanting Graham. I even lied to myself for a long time. It didn't work."

Reaching up, Scott swiped his thumb under her eye. "Don't cry, Sam. I'm not good with crying women."

A throat cleared, making her glance over. Graham stood completely still for a moment before turning his back on them. His hands jerked slightly, bringing her attention to them. "Do you mind?" Quickly, her hands unknotted his. Before she could react, he turned and wrapped his arms around her. "Why did you run?" he whispered through the black sack still on his face.

She shrugged, pulling back from him slightly. With a quick tug, she smiled at his now uncloaked face. "I was afraid," she whispered. "I had so many emotions flying through me at once. I didn't know what to do, say, think, or anything. I was so afraid to hurt one of you that I knew I could never have either of you. I think it made me panic," she admitted with a shrug.

Leaning down, he pressed a small kiss to her mouth. "Promise you won't run away from me like that again."

"Graham-"

He cut off her protest with another kiss. "Promise me."

She hesitated as Scott's voice rang though the air. "You might as well promise, Sam. Now that he has you, I have a feeling that he wouldn't let you run if you wanted to."

Staring at Graham, Sam realized that Scott was right. With the determined look on the man's face, she knew that he'd never let her run. "I promise," she whispered as a relieved sigh escaped his mouth.

Arms tightening around her, Graham hugged her tightly. "Good," he said with the same humor that was always in his voice. "I was afraid that I'd have to put a tracker on you."

"He already found a guy who would do it," Scott spoke up, reminding Sam that he was there.

She pulled away from Graham, ignoring the slight frown on his face. Turning towards Scott, she smiled. "Are you okay with this?" Her hand gestured between her and Graham to make sure he knew exactly what this was.

"Yeah," Scott admitted with a nod. "I really am. We do have a problem though."

Worry hit her, but as Graham wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back into him, all worries flew out the window. She was happy. She was finally where she belonged. "What?"

"How are we going to get out of here?" Scott asked as he glanced towards the window.

Letting a laugh escape her lips, she shook her head. "All I have to do is tell Dad to unlock the door."

"You mean," Graham started.

"Yep," she interrupted. "My dad kidnapped you two. I guess the man was tired of me moping in my room." With a shake of her head and a large smile on her face, Sam leaned further back into Graham. "I have to admit that I'm happy he kidnapped you. I thought I was going to have to leave."

Graham gently turned her in his arms. With a frown, he shook his head. "Why would you think that? I love you, Sam." He smiled. "And Scott hasn't had his heart in it from the beginning. No matter how hard I pushed you two together, nothing happened."

Standing on her toes, Sam pressed a light kiss to the side of his mouth. "I love you too. I love you so much."

With a small noise in the back of his throat, Graham dipped his head. Capturing her lips, he only pulled back with Scott made a gagging noise. He took a step away from her, but held onto her hand as if he weren't willing to let her go just yet. "You know what?" Graham asked with a mischievous smile.

"What?" Scott asked with caution in his voice.

Graham raised his and Sam's connected hands. "I've found the woman I want to marry, but if I'm not mistaken, our mission isn't complete."

Scott took a step back, his hands waving in the air in protest. "No, Graham. I changed my mind. I had a lot of time to think about it, and my plan was stupid, idiotic, unreasonable."

"Don't worry," Graham mumbled, ignoring Scott's protests. "You're going to get that ugly wife. I'll make sure of it."

A pale sheen flew onto Scott's face, making Sam laugh. She didn't know exactly what the two men were talking about, but the conversation made her relax in relief. They were back to being normal, back to being the two dorks that she knew so well. And as the door behind her opened, Sam smiled. It looked as if everything did turn out fine, better than fine. Sam had finally gotten her happy ending.