it's you, it's always been you

chapter 23

Sam's dad called the hospital and police to let them know Sam had been found and was returning to the hospital.

When she arrived at the hospital and made her way to her room, one of her nurses that treated her ran up and hugged her while one of her doctors scorned her to never do that again.

Deena laughed as the doctor spoke to Sam like he was her father, but she was grateful that more people were looking out for Sam.

"Hey lady, the visiting hours are long over with." A nurse said, stopping Deena and Sam from going into Sam's room.

Sam stood in front of Deena, looking the nurse square in the eyes, trying to be as imitating as she could be. "She's staying, or I'll escape again and blame it all on you, Nurse Chloe."

Deena put her hand over her mouth as she laughed at Sam, she's never seen Sam try to be imitating. Sam was trying hard, Deena will give her that, but Sam was too innocent and adorable to be able to scare anyone.

The nurse gave in and let the girls into Sam's hospital room. Sam sighed at the sight of her hospital bed, immediately missing Deena's bed.

She changed into her hospital gown again. Then nurses came in to give her medicine and did paper work with her to admit Sam again in the hospital.

"You're first dose of chemotherapy will be tomorrow at 1pm. It will be a low dose, and we will add more each time." A nurse said as Deena and Sam looked at her, both of them looked scared.

"It's just like an IV, it will take about an hour and a half. We have medicine prescribed for you to help combat the side effects." The nurse sighed as she saw Sam's face and how small and scared she looked. 

"Leukemia patients have some of the highest remission success rates. Even without treatment they can live a few years. But chemo will kill the cancer cells and stop more from growing. It's worked so many times before, I have hope for you Sam, a lot of hope for you." The nurse gave both Sam and Deena a smile, feeling sorry for Sam and tried her best to reassure Sam.

Sam bit her bottom lip as the nurse spoke, a lump growing in her throat. She was tired of crying, and how hard she sobbed in Deena's car gave her a headache.

Deena reached over on the bed and squeezed Sam's hand. "She's right, Sam, there's so much hope."

Deena planned to sleep there with Sam, she had the couch pulled up right next to Sam's bed.

She wouldn't be able to sleep or rest if she wasn't with Sam tonight. Not after the day they had and the news of how much worse Sam's cancer had gotten.

"Deena, your back and neck will hurt if you sleep like  that. That couch doesn't look comfortable at all."

Deena interrupted Sam, "it's fine, really, I'm just happy I get to stay with you."

Sam moved over in her bed and lifted her covers, patting the spot next to her.

"I'll run away again if you don't get in bed with me," Sam said with a huge smirk on her face.

"Okay first, you have to stop using that as a threat," Deena laughed and rolled her eyes at Sam. "Second, what if your mom comes in?"

Sam sighed at the thought of her mom, at this point she was so hurt by her mom that she didn't care if her mom saw her and Deena together.

Actually, she wanted her mom to see it. She wanted her mom to know that she was done controlling Sam's life. She loved Deena and she wasn't going anywhere.

"I don't care about my mom, I saw her tonight when I walked past my house and she was kissing Caleb's dad, so fuck her."

"Seriously? That's fucked up. I'm sorry, Sam. And you're right, fuck her." Sam patted the spot next to her in bed again, and Deena gave in. She crawled into bed with Sam, putting the covers over both of them and laying her head back on Sam's pillow.

Sam melted into Deena's arms, laying her head in the crook of Deena's neck. Sam smiled as she could hear Deena's heartbeat when she laid her head there.

"Please don't leave again, Sam. Please stay, I need you." Deena whispered to Sam after kissing the top of Sam's head.

"I won't. I was scared, but I won't. I swear. I need you too." Sam wrapped her arm around Deena's waist, breathing in the shampoo and body wash Deena used the day before on Sam.

Deena's eyes grew heavy, the day exhausted her physically and emotionally. But laying with Sam in bed, their bodies tangled together, holding onto each other tightly, made it all worth it. 

Deena prayed for Sam before she fell asleep, hanging onto the hope that this treatment will work.