Until The Trial

Samantha

The next two days stretch on, a weird blend of both going quickly and agonizingly slow. Lucas remains a constant but distant presence. Their interactions are minimal; and the ones that so occur, he seems to vanish as soon as they're over, leaving her with the uncomfortable feeling of abandonment. 

Still, he checks on her frequently, asking how she's feeling and insisting she eats three meals a day. By the second night, Samantha grudgingly gives in to his insistence and finishes her meal. Lucas seems oddly pleased by her compliance, and his chatter during dinner is uncharacteristically animated.

Another thing she admittingly finds comforting is, that each time she gets sick, Lucas is right outside the door, waiting patiently. No matter how silently she tries to be, he hears her and lingers outside until she's done. 

At least he always leaves eventually. 

Which is what he did tonight. Samantha leaves the bathroom, silently going to her bed and slipping under the covers. Over the past two nights, she's managed to stay awake, taking short naps during the day. But tonight, exhaustion overwhelms her. Despite her efforts to stay awake, her eyes grow heavy. 

She sets her movie aside, hoping her fatigue will finally grant her a full night's sleep. Within moments, her head tilts to the side, and she succumbs to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She opens her eyes, only to find herself back in the kitchen she dreads, a nightmare she knows all too well.

"Sammy, come over here," her mother's voice calls softly from the kitchen. A younger version of herself, with wild, poofy hair, scrambles toward her mother's voice.

"Mum, he's coming," she whispers urgently, her little hands clutching her mother's sleeve. "Come with me. We still have time to leave."

Her mother, with a gentle kiss on her forehead, cups her face. "I'm going to talk with him. After tonight, we'll be safe, I promise."

"Mum, no, come with me!" The steps creak ominously.

Samantha's heart races as she desperately tries to escape the dream. She runs, but the door keeps shifting, eluding her grasp. The echoes of her past torment her, inescapable and relentless.

"You can't do anything right. You're worthless and sick!" her father's voice reverberates through the house.

"Stop it!" Samantha screams, tears streaming down her face as she clutches her head, trying to block out the pain.

"No!" her mother's shadowy figure yells, raising a knife that casts a sinister silhouette on the hallway wall. Samantha's tears mix with her cries of anguish. The loud banging at the front door intensifies her panic.

"Police! Open up!" a man's voice demands.

"No," Samantha whispers, her voice trembling as she tries to hold the door shut against the force pushing from the other side. "No!"

"Mummy!" Little Samantha's terrified scream echoes from the kitchen. The force on the door stops, and the man's voice becomes softer.

"It's okay, it's okay," he says soothingly, "you're safe now."

"No, no, no," Samantha repeats, her voice cracking with fear. "It's not okay."

"You're safe now. Let me help you."

"NO!" she shouts, agony piercing through her. "You killed her!" Anger and fear surge through her as she throws open the door, only to collapse into a ball of terror. Her father's sneer looms over her, his presence overwhelming. His hand rises menacingly, making her flinch.

"No, you killed her," he smirks. "This is your fault."

Cowering on the ground, Samantha cries, "I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to!"

"But you did."

"Stop it!" she yells, her voice hoarse. "I didn't do it. Stop!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"No!" Samantha cries out, jolting awake. Her breathing is rapid, her chest heaving as she tries to grasp reality.

"Wake up, Myers!" Lucas's voice cuts through the remnants of her nightmare.

Blinking in the dim light, she adjusts to find Lucas kneeling beside her. The sight of him, relaxed and bare-chested, hits her with a wave of unexpected awareness. His arm muscles are pronounced as he grips her arms with his hands. Her stomach flutters with a mix of apprehension and attraction.

"Good, you're awake," Lucas says softly, his voice laced with concern.

She yelps, instinctively pulling away from him. "Sorry," she stammers, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to—"

"It's okay," Lucas says, his tone soothing as he gently touches her arm, trying to calm her. "You were screaming."

Samantha takes a few deep breaths, her heart still racing. "I'm sorry for waking you," she murmurs.

"I don't mind," he replies, settling into the chair next to her bed. "Want to talk about it?"

"No," she shakes her head, unable to meet his gaze.

"Alright," he says softly, "but it might help if you do."

"I do talk about it," Samantha says, her voice cracking. "I tell my therapist, but it doesn't change anything. The nightmares keep coming."

"It happens every night?" Lucas's concern deepens.

"Almost every night," she admits. Turning on the bedside lamp, she blinks against the light. Lucas shields his eyes, blinking rapidly as his tousled curls fall loosely around his face. The sight of him, shirtless and vulnerable, strikes Samantha with a surprising intensity. His smooth, toned skin and body catch her off guard, making desire pool at her stomach. 

"I haven't heard you scream since before tonight," Lucas says, his voice gentle but firm.

"Yes," Samantha says, her gaze dropping to her hands. "I've been taking naps during the day."

"What? Then you haven't been sleeping enough," Lucas's voice carries a note of worry. "Naps aren't sufficient for a pregnant woman."

"Well if you say so."

"Don't be difficult, you know I am right," he rolls his eyes. The act might have annoyed her some other time, but the sass mixed with his delicious-looking self only increase her want. "You need to sleep better."

"But I never know when the dream will come," she protests quietly. "I might wake you up."

"I'll stay here," Lucas says after a second of thinking, "I'll bring in the comfy chair from the living room and sleep here. If you have another nightmare, I'll wake you up."

Samantha's face flushes . "That still seems unfair to you."

"I need you well-rested," Lucas insists. "And I'm used to not sleeping much."

"Do you have nightmares too?" she asks curious.

Lucas hesitates, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yes, but let's keep it between us."

"Alright," Samantha says, her tone softer. "Thank you, Flynn."

"Sure," Lucas says with a small nod. "I'll see you tomorrow. I'm staying in again."

As he leaves, Samantha pulls the covers up, her thoughts swirling. Maybe Lucas is one of the good ones. But she quickly shakes off the notion. She can't afford to trust too easily, not after everything she's been through. She'll accept his offer but will keep her guard up.

******

Now we know how her mom died :(

Let me know if the chapter is too short!

This was a sad chapter to write, but necessary for her background.

Please comment and vote and thanks for reading.

Love, love <3