Out Of Time

The Fit

This chapter is rated M for sexual content.

That evening, Arthur and Sam went to bed together for the first time in weeks.  They didn't make love, though.  They went straight to sleep.  And also for the first time in weeks, Sam didn't have a nightmare, but she did wake up in the middle of the night.  Arthur had his back to her and she frowned, so she rolled over and held him from behind for a moment, kissing the back of his head before getting out of bed.  She dressed in her clothes and left the room.  She needed a cigarette.  When she got to the deck, she pulled out a cigarette from her pack and lit it up.  Sam puffed on her cigarette for a while before she heard a presence behind her.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Arthur asked her.

Sam looked at him over her shoulder before looking back out on the ocean.  The moon was bright in the night sky, its rays cascading down through the clouds onto various parts of the bblack water.  It was beautiful.  "Yes.  Just woke up and wanted a cigarette, is all."

Arthur leaned on the railing next to her.  "No bad dreams?"

"Surprisingly, no."  A gust of wind hit them and Sam's long hair blew about in the breeze.  Arthur took out his own pack and lit himself a cigarette.  "Did I wake you up?"

"Yes, but that's alright.  Just wanted to make sure you was okay."

Sam smiled at him briefly before taking another puff.  "I'm sorry, Arthur."

"For what?"

"For being a pain in the ass lately."

Arthur put a hand on her.  "You wasn't a pain in the ass.  You was sufferin'.  You're still sufferin'."

Sam frowned as she looked at him.  "Babe...I just..."

Arthur moved closer and put an arm around her.  "It's alright.  You ain't got nothin' to apologize for.  None of this is your fault."

"But it feels like it is."

"Well, it ain't."

Sam sighed and took a drag from her cigarette, as did Arthur from his own.  "I know.  I...I promise I'll get through this, Arthur.  Especially since I know what's going on with me now."

Arthur chuckled a little.  "Just know that me and the others are here for you, okay?"

Sam nodded, took one last puff from her cigarette and flicked it.  "It's so nice out."

"It sure is."  Another breeze hit them and her hair went flailing about.  Sam snuggled into Arthur's arm and he tossed his cigarette.  "You cold?"

"No.  Just want to be as close to you as possible."

Arthur chuckled deeply and pulled Sam into a hug.  "You wanna go back to bed?"

"Sure."

Arthur took her hand and led her off the deck to the interior part of the boat.  They got to their room and he locked the door.  They undressed and crawled back into bed, Arthur wrapping his arms around her as she cuddled into his chest.  Their legs entangled as Arthur covered them up with the blanket.  Soon they both fell asleep and Sam dreamed about Micah, unfortunately.  He was beating her up again and saying the worst things as he hit her over and over.

"You don't deserve happiness!" he shouted at her.  "You're a piece of shit!  Arthur doesn't love you and thinks you stole the money!"

"That's not true!" Sam shouted back.

Micah hit her in the face.  "Arthur doesn't love you!"  He hit her again, repeating the words over and over as he kicked and punched her repeatedly.