What Should Have Been

Part 15

This updates for a friend who I spend waaaay too much time talking to over Tom Chambers 😉😂 Hope the wait was worth it

Waking up Connie was in a daze. She rubbed her eyes staring to the windows where the curtains were blowing gently in the breeze. She'd had such a vivid dream that she could have sworn it were real. She cursed herself for wanting Sam to be there, she shouldn't do but she did.

She sighed loudly placing a hand just above her eyebrows as she began to wake up properly. A warm hand caressed her shoulder before his soft lips pressed to her neck. Connie closed her eyes briefly before regaining herself and rolling onto her back. She hadn't dreamt anything. "Sam?" "Uhmm, unless my name was changed over night yes..."

Connie rolled her eyes pushing his chest as he moved his hand to the dip in her waist. "Good morning-" "Certainly seems that way." Sam smiled seeing Connie so relaxed with him there. "Do you want me to go?" "Only if you want to." He shook his head as her smile grew before rolling onto her front stretching.

Quickly she got up from the bed picking up her phone. "Where are you going?" "To make a call, whether Grace is still sick or not I'm staying right here with her today." Sam smirked as she disappeared from the room towards Grace's. Poking her head around the door she saw her daughter still sleeping, sprawled out in the bed.

"Charlie it's Connie, yeah everything's fine. I just wanted to let you know I'm not going to be in." Sam was sitting up as Connie came back in perching on the side of the bed. He moved behind her resting his chin to her shoulder before placing chaste kisses to her skin. "Grace hasn't been well and I want to make sure she's better before leaving her again-" "Say no more Connie, I hope she's feeling better soon."

Ending the call Connie turned her head to face Sam who quickly met her lips. She moaned quietly against his lips before breaking away. "I'd really appreciate not being distracted while on the phone-" "What was distracting?" A cold glare was sent his way which he just laughed off. Rolling her eyes she climbed back into bed with him making the most of the quiet house.

Laying on their backs, they looked up to the ceiling. "Sam?" "Yes?" She looked across at him as he gently turned to her. "Do you really regret leaving here?" "All the time." Sam glanced to her as he rolled onto his side. He placed a hand to her stomach gently tracing circles over the smooth material. "Do you ever wander what could have been? With us I mean..."

Connie was deadly silent and Sam feared he'd pushed it too far already. Last thing he wanted to do was mess it up, but it was in his nature to ask and hers to be reluctant and ignorant. "Yes..." He almost missed the quiet admission, bringing his eyes up to meet hers. "I wish things had been different, I mean I don't blame you for leaving... There's things I wish I could have done better."

Sam moved his hand to her cheek where he gently tucked her hair behind her ear before caressing her cheekbone. She swallowed the lump in her throat thinking to Grace in the other room, and the final night she'd seen him at the staff Christmas party. Maybe if she'd told him, been honest about Grace then they wouldn't be like this now.

He could see the tears building in her eyes before she knew they were there. "Hey, this isn't like you..." She quickly pulled back shaking her head but he stopped her in her tracks. "Don't hide Connie." Freezing he held onto her hand before kissing her gently. "Don't shut me out like you always used to, please?"

She sighed moving back into his side laying her head to his chest. "You know I'm still a bitch right?" "Of course, I knew that wasn't changing any time soon!" Connie punched his chest pouting before he held her wrist eventually lacing his fingers through hers. "And I'll enjoy, almost all those moments... Almost..." She smirked becoming comfortable once again.

"Anything you want to talk about then?" "One day, but not today." He nodded accepting that as the best answer he could get from her before gently falling to asleep with her again. Both unaware of movement from another room in the house they continued to drift in and out of sleep.

Eventually when she couldn't keep still any longer, Grace moved across the landing to her mothers room, confused to see Sam with her. "Mummy?" Connie's eyes snapped open as she sat up looking to Grace. "Hey baby how are you feeling?" "Better... Mummy why is Sam here?" He was asleep again causing a smile to come to her lips. "He stayed because he couldn't get home-" "Is he your friend Mummy?"

Connie laughed at the term. Sam had never been her friend, ever. It wasn't something she was even sure she could say about Elliot or Charlie let alone Sam. "Yes sweetie, that okay?" Grace nodded before Connie lifted her onto the bed. A quick glimmer flashed through her eye before she placed Grace across Sam's stomach.

He groaned involuntarily before hearing Grace's giggles. "Aghhh... Who's this little munchkin?!" Sam opened one eye as Grace covered her mouth trying to supress her giggles. "Would that be a particular Little Miss Beauchamp?" Grace's smile couldn't be hidden, and neither could Connie's as she watched.

Sam wound his arms around her waist before tickling her as she collapsed onto his chest laughing. "Stop! Stop! Mummy help! Help! Help Mummy!" Grace continued to laugh, her belly aching as Connie knelt up beside them attempting to help Grace. The plan backfired as Sam stretched out to her, catching her unawares tickling her too.

Connie yelped before falling down to the bed, Sam no longer paying full attention to Grace. He kept both girls under his grasp while they laughed rolling about the bed. Soon Sam placed both his hands on Connie's waist while Grace giggled from the side, standing up with her arms around Sam's neck leaning on his back.

"S-Sam! Please, please stop! Sam!" Connie laughed trying to hit his hands away but to no avail. He was just stronger than her and able to overpower any move she threw his way. Grace laughed rolling down onto the bed again watching as Connie fell closer to Sam. He stopped moving his hands as their eyes caught the others.

Sitting quietly Grace watched her mother, intrigued by the look she had. It wasn't something Grace had ever seen her Mum do before and so was entirely focused on her. Connie though saw nothing but Sam in that moment. His hands were still on her waist as she lay close to him, Sam towering above her.

He leaned down kissing her gently, all their emotions behind it. Grace smiled before making some noises alerting them both to her sitting there. Connie's cheeks immediately flushed with colour while Sam smirked looking between them both. "Mummy and Sam..." "Yes Mummy and Sam are friends-" "You kiss all your friends like that?"

Connie glared at him as he held his hands up in defeat. "Name how many friends I have Sam-" "Oh... So you do kiss all your friends like that." Again she pushed his chest before he pecked her lips once more. "Breakfast!" "What?" Connie watched Grace in confusion before realising her daughter was referring to the rumbling in her stomach. "Go put the tele on, I'll be straight down sweetie."

Grace left the room leaving them to look at one another. "Well that was interesting, friend." "Shut up Sam." Connie got out of the bed as Sam trailed behind her unable to stop his laughter. "What now?" "Nothing, friend." Groaning she opened the bedroom door beginning to descend the stairs. "You're annoying-" "That's what friends are for!" She huffed glaring at him once before shaking her head. "I hate you." Sam just laughed once again. "That's no way to talk to-" "A dead man soon!"

He stopped talking but didn't stop smiling as he leant against the kitchen counter watching Connie move about. He never saw himself standing in her kitchen, after spending a night with her. Without any drunken mistakes, or awkward regrets it was surprisingly comfortable. Almost like a regular family morning...