Castle's partner

Saving Her

Please reread my last chapter, part of it got deleted and you need it to understand this one.

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I let go.

"Hey Samantha, Jenny made dinner. You coming?" Ryan asks.

"Yeah, yeah give me a sec." I turn to Nick. "I'll see you later."

"Little sis, I need to be a part of your life now too. I need someone, and you're all I've got. I can't lose you again."

"I know Nick, you won't lose me. I'll be here everyday, you know where to find me. Plus, as it turns out, I'm a sucker for butter pecan ice cream."

He chuckles. "I'll remember that. Will you stay with me sometime?"

"Of course Nick, why'd you even ask? You know I will."

"Okay. Just making sure."

He hugs me one more time, and I leave with Ryan.

The car ride home is quiet, but it is a comfortable silence.

Jenny made lasagna, and it is a great first meal back home.

Jenny can't stop talking about how happy she is that we are both okay.

I stay fairly quiet, and I'm not sure why.

"Why are you so quiet?" Jenny asks.

"Just thinking," I shrug.

She nods, understanding.

We start cleaning up.

"Hey Samantha, can I talk to you?" Jenny asks.

I nod.

Ryan stands next to her, his arms crossed over his chest.

Jenny clears her throat. "Alone?"

"O-oh." Ryan takes the hint.

I start laughing as he leaves, dropping his head in fake shame.
When he's gone, Jenny sits down and gestures for me to do the same.

"I wanna tell you something."

I wait for her to continue.

"Kevin's not going to tell you this, but he blames himself for what happened to you, the car accident. He thought he could stop it."

"He couldn't."

"That's not what he thinks. But not only that, you saved his life. You could've died or gotten out without him, and you chose to save him. Thank you, thank you so much." By now she starts to tear up.

I take her hand, and give her a sad smile.

After talking for a few more minutes, we go to bed.

"Ryan!" I scream as the car crashes into us.

Immediately it erupts in flames. Ryan was knocked unconscious. The flames dance ever closer, but I can't move. I try to yell at him so he wakes up, but he doesn't, and I just have to sit and watch as the fire envelopes him and I th with every fiber of my body to move, and I scream and cry but it does, no, good.

Finally the flames catch up to me, and I scream in agony as they burn my body.

I wake with a real scream, my chest heaving and tears falling.

I stand up slowly and do something I've never done before. I make my way to Ryan and Jenny's room.

The door is open and I start to go inside, but I have second thoughts.

I stand there for a moment before I turn away.

"Samantha?" Jenny mumbles groggily. "What's wrong?"

"I just had a bad dream," I whisper.

"Come here."

She pats the spot on the bed in between her and Ryan, and gently moves him while he snores so there's more room for me.

I get on quietly, and she kisses my forehead and moves my hair.

"It wasn't real. We're right here."

And I fall asleep again, the warmth of their bodies making me feel safe.

---------------------------------------------------

We load the groceries into the back of Ryan's car, and I roll the cart back into its' place. Though I'm not looking, I hear a family on the other side of the aisle in the parking lot do the same.

As I walk back to Jenny and Ryan, a car comes barreling through the aisle, and out of the corner of my eye, I see a girl standing in its path.

"Lydia!" A voice screams, and out of instinct, I dive for her.

I knock her out of the way just as the car passes, close enough that I can feel the tires roll over the ends of my hair.

I feel pain in my arm and leg, but I ignore it.

I realize I've wrapped my arms around the girl, and protected her from the ground.

I open my eyes, and get up slowly, pulling the girl up with me.

As she stands, she pulls me into a strong hug, and starts crying.

"You just saved my life, thank you. Thank you," she sobs.

I carefully hug her back, and then I see a familar face staring at me.

"You saved my little sister," Oliver says.

"Oliver?" I pull away from the hug, only for the girl to be enveloped in Oliver's arms. She buries her face in his chest.

He stares at me with tears in his eyes, along with the woman standing next to him, covering her mouth in shock with her hands.

Ryan and Jenny have now arrived.

"Are you okay?" Jenny asks, tucking loose hair behind my ear.

I nod.

I can feel blood dripping from my lip and both knees and an elbow, but I'm otherwise unscathed.

"Hey Lydia and Mom," Oliver moves his sister so she looks at me, and takes the woman's hand. "I'd like you to meet my girlfriend Samantha. She just risked her life to save yours Lydia."

Oliver's mom reaches out to me and takes my hands.

"You saved my daughter's life, and you didn't even know her. Thank you. Thank you so much."

She kisses me on the cheek, which makes me blush.

When she moves away from me, she sees the blood.

"You're hurt!" She exclaims.

"It's okay, just a few scrapes and bruises. I'll be alright." I smile.

"Here, I have a first aid kit in my car," Ryan says. He grabs it and brings it to me.

He takes out a few wipes and gently wipes away the blood on my knees and elbows.

I wince at a few spots that really sting, and he gives me apologetic glances.

When he's done, Oliver helps me up.

He looks at me, then his mom.

"Samantha, meet my mom Estee. Mom this is Samantha."

I stick out my hand, but instead she goes right in for a hug, wrapping me up tightly. I am shocked by her sudden acceptance, but I hug her back.

"Why don't you come over for dinner tonight?" She asks letting go. "It's sloppy Joe night."

I glance at Jenny and Ryan, half hoping they'll say I can't go, but they nod their approval.

I turn to face Oliver's family and smile.