The rest of the week went by fairly smoothly. There were no more sexual encounters between Sam and Nick. They spent their time getting to know one another again. Filling each other in on the past few years. Learning new things about each other and reliving old memories. It was more about them becoming friends again than becoming involved in a relationship. They were packing everything up one morning as they waited for Brian to come get them. He had called the night before to make sure they were still alive and warn them that they'd be by the next day to take them back to civilization.
"Hey Nickers, what about all this left over food?"
"What?"
"What do we do with all this left over food?"
"No.......what did you call me?"
"Um......Nickers......"
"Yea...."
"Sorry I forgot how much you hated it....."
"No, it's okay Sam. It actually sounded pretty good. Just a surprise. I haven't heard it in so long......now as for the food, just leave all the dry goods and canned goods. We'll dump the milk and anything perishable will go back with us or in the trash"
Sam smiled and went back to packing. Later they sat on the couch, waiting for Brian to show up. Nick had his arm around Sam's shoulder and they sat in silence, each lost in their own world.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jordan waited impatiently by the door.
"Dammit!! Come on Brian!!!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming, Geez! Take a pill already Jordy."
"Oh bite me, I wanna see Sam!!"
"Okay, okay, lets go!"
Brian followed Jordan out the front door, rolling his eyes at her. Hopping in his car, they began the journey to get Sam and Nick. Their trip was made with Jordan chattering nonstop and Brian trying not to kill her.
"FINALLY!! We're here, now shut up!!" Brian hollered, frustrated.
Jordan stared at him open mouthed, in shock. Finally she shut her mouth, opened her door, got out of the car and stomped up to the cabin. Brian followed behind slowly. He reached the porch as Nick opened the door and was pushed out of the way so Jordan could enter.
"SAM!!"
"Jordy!!"
"Oh brother," Nick mumbled, rolling his eyes at Brian while they watched the girls embrace.
"You mad at me Sam?"
"No Jordy, I'm not mad......thanks."
Pulling apart the girls looked at each other, both of them began to cry.
"Wha?? Whoa....wait a minute.....what is wrong??" Nick asked, baffled.
They didn't bother to dignify him with an answer, they just hugged again and wiped their tears away. As the girls stood there talking, Brian and Nick began loading the car up so they could head out.
"So buddy, how are things between you two now?"
"Everything's cool.....or getting there. We did a lot of talking, got to know each other again and everything."
"Did ya use the gift I put in your bag?"
"The glow in the dark condoms? No, we didn't use them."
"Darn!"
Nick just laughed at Brian as he went back for another load. He still didn't know whether to tell Bri about their one night stand ordeal or not. He just figured he'd decide later. For now it wasn't important. Once the car was loaded, Sam and Nick hopped in the back-seat while Jordan took the front and Brian got in the drivers seat.
"Ready to go back to civilization?"
"Oh yea!" Sam and Nick answered together.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The closer they got to town, the more nervous Sam became. Brian had told them that they had decided to hold a small party to honor the fact that Sam and Nick had finally grown up. At least they had hoped the two had on the way up. If not the party was going to be for.........well nothing, just to party. So Sam knew she'd have to face the rest of the guys, and that made her incredibly nervous. She had no idea who was mad at her still and who wasn't. Biting her lip, she stared out the window at the passing scenery. She was so lost in her own world, she didn't notice that Nick was trying to get her attention.
"Sam? Hey.......Sam? You in there....."
"Huh? What? Oh sorry.....what were you saying?"
"I was asking if you were okay. You're kinda pale and if you continue, you're gonna bite your lip off. What's wrong?"
"Just nervous."
"About what??"
"Seeing everybody......I don't know who's mad at me still or what....."
"Relax Sam. I won't let anyone pick on you or be mean or whatnot. Just relax."
Sam leaned against his shoulder, closed her eyes and sighed. Moments later she was fast asleep.
"Hey guys....." Nick started quietly.
"Yea?"
"Just wondering.....has AJ calmed down? I know he was pretty pissed at Sam.....has he chilled out a bit?"
No one answered him for a few minutes.
"AJ has.....well, he is a lot more calm than when you left. Thank Jordan for that. But he's still a little angry at her for what she did to you. They're gonna have to talk and work that one out. I think he's got this protective instinct for you Nicky. And that's why he's been mad."
Nick nodded and just stared out the window for the rest of the trip.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"GUYS!! Come on, hurry up, they'll be here any minute," Jane hollered at everybody who was running around.
All they guys and the whole Carter clan were trying to decorate the Carter house and get everything ready for the party. Everyone rolled their eyes and went about what they were doing. Jane had been going crazy all morning. Everyone was pretty much used to it by now. Jane supervised as Kevin, Howie, Angel and Aaron decorated the house. AJ, BJ and Leslie were preparing the food. Well BJ and Leslie were preparing the food, AJ was just kinda watching and trying to stay out of the way.
"So AJ, you gonna still give Sam a hard time or have you moved on yet?" BJ asked innocently.
"Why is everyone asking me this?"
"Because for some odd reason you hate her. And since Nick doesn't.....or we hope he doesn't, none of us understand why you hate her."
"Cuz.......she hurt Nicky...bad. And we all saw how he dealt with it and we all heard about it. I'm not willing to give in that easily."
"What is it gonna take for you to move on?"
"An apology. Her admitting her fault."
BJ just shook her head and went back to preparing the trays that would hold crackers, lunch meats and cheese. AJ turned and left the room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Here we are guys," Brian said pulling into the Carter's driveway.
Everyone slowly got out and stretched and began walking up to the door. Nick walked behind with Sam and grabbed her hand as they got closer. Just as Brian reached the door, it was pulled open by Aaron who burst out.
"Dude, they're holding hands!!! Are you guys back to normal finally??"
Nick and Sam began laughing. A little bit out of relief and definitely due to the bluntness of Aaron's questioning.
"Um....well buddy, we're getting there."
"Cool, lets party!!"
As Aaron sauntered back into the house, followed by Jordan and Brian, Sam pulled Nick aside.
"What have you been teaching that boy?!"
"Me?? What makes you think I have anything to do with it?"
"Well I'm recalling you at the age of 14.......you were just like him. Or he was just like you......besides who else would he take after?"
"My father."
"Ha ha, yea right, like any 14 year old boy wants to be like their daddy."
Nick just smiled that famous Carter smile and ushered her inside. Once inside they were surrounded by people wanting to know what was up. After repeating themselves a good 20 times, everyone began to mingle and dance. Sam pulled Nick aside and whispered something in his ear. Nick slowly nodded and gave her a hug. Sam slowly walked over to Kevin and Howie and all three of them stepped out back.
"Um....I just wanted to personally apologize to you two. I know you all went through a lot because of what I put Nick through and I'm sorry. I hope one day you will be able to forgive me for that....."
"It's okay Sam. We aren't mad at you.....we never were. What happened to you two was between you and Nick and we didn't have any right or reason to be mad at you." Kevin said gently.
"Yea Sam.....we never knew the whole story so we didn't think we had any reason to be upset. At least me and Kevin didn't feel that way. AJ's the one you have to worry about," Howie said placing a hand on Sam's shoulder.
"Thanks. I still needed to apologize. Do you think you could send AJ out here? I owe him an apology as well and I know it's not gonna be pretty."
Howie and Kevin nodded and quickly went back inside. A few minute later AJ stepped outside and stood by the door.
"Sam."
"Um.....hi.....I was hoping that we could...uh talk..."
"Bout what?"
"About why you hate me so much." Sam said boldly, "Look, I know you hate me for what I did to Nick......but why are you still holding this grudge? Nick has accepted my apology and so have the others. Why are you being so cruel about this?"
"I don't know...."
"What?"
"I don't know......maybe it's because I was in a similar situation as him. Not the you and him part.....but the alcohol and other parts. I went through that and it killed me to watch him go through it for no good reason."
"I'm sorry AJ, I don't know what else to say.....I've apologized repeatedly to everyone.....it's up to you now. I'm not gonna worry about you forgiving me anymore........if you do....great, I'd like to be friends, but if not, that's your decision."
Sam gave a sigh of relief once she said her peace and waited for a minute to see if AJ had anything to say.
"Okay.....I don't wanna fight with you Sam.....Nick would probably kill me anyway.....so shall we say truce?"
"Yea I'd like that."
After a quick hug, Sam sat down and breathed a sigh of relief as AJ headed back inside. She felt as if a huge weight had disappeared finally. Sam had never really understood why AJ hated her so much, but it was finally coming clear. Sam sat in one of the lawn chairs and closed her eyes, enjoying the time alone for a few minutes.
"Sam??"
Sam opened her eyes and just stared.
"Sera?"
Sam got up and hugged her as she nodded.
"The Carter's invited me, hope you don't mind."
"God no! It's been so long......."
"Yea it has.....so how have you been?"
"Okay I guess, things are getting better now.....how about you?"
"Oh I've been doing great actually. I have my own printing business, got married last fall and I just had a baby a few months ago."
"Really? Wow.....who'd you marry?"
"This guy I met in college, his name is Brad Richards.....he's inside with the baby..."
"What did you have?"
"We had a little girl, her name is Katina, Kat for short. She's adorable....." Sera trailed off.
They sat in uncomfortable silence until Nick came bouncing out, holding a baby and cooing like an idiot. Sera and Sam tried to stifle their giggles without success.
"What?" Nick asked in an exasperated voice.
Neither of them could answer as they bent over laughing.
"Well fine.....if you two are going to be that way, I'll take Miss Kitty here and we'll run away together!"
"Oh no you don't Mr. Carter. I'm not letting you corrupt my little girl! Hand her over mister."
Nick pretended to pout as he handed a giggling Kat over to Sera.
"Kat.....this is Sam......Sam this is my little angel."
Sam grinned as she took the bubbly baby in her arms. She was gorgeous....with bright hazel eyes, black curls and the rosiest cheeks. The four of them sat out on the deck for over an hour, catching up and laughing at the baby.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that night, after the party was over and the cleaning was done, Nick and Sam sat on the deck. As Sam leaned back against Nick, she couldn't help but think back over the past few years.
"I'm sorry Nick...."
"About what?"
"Everything...."
"Samantha Micheals......stop it. Look, everyone has moved on.....it's time you did too. It's over, done...."
"I know.....but...."
"No but's about it. Stop living in the past...look to the future."
Sam began to open her mouth to speak again but Nick turned her around and silenced her with a kiss. When they parted, Sam laid her head on his shoulder.
"Thank you."
Nick just smiled into her hair and tightened his grip around her waist. Standing like that, they didn't notice the crowd gathered inside, looking out the window at them.
"Come on, I'll walk you home...."
"Oh it's such a long walk Nick," Sam said sarcastically.
"Oh shut up and let me be chivalrous."
Sam shook her head and followed him down the stairs to the sand. Once there, he grabbed her hand and began to slowly walk her to her door.
"Milady......til I see you again......goodnight," Nick stated with a flourish, kissing her hand.
Without another word, he turned and walked away while Sam stood on the porch, smiling. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Sam turned and went inside and directly up to her room, smiling the entire way.