nyc prep continued

He nodded, "you should get that."

She pulled it out. It was her mom, she had 10 missed calls from her. "Mom, what's wrong?"
"Sam, how's Jeff?" Her mother asked.
Sam looked down at him. "Uninjured." She wanted to say fine but he wasn't.
"He's there with you?" Her mother asked, but it was more like a statement.
"Yes, mom, what's wrong?" Sam demanded.
"You're father just called. The police had called him because when the case comes to trial he'll be prosecuting." Her mother was silent for a moment. "Sam, it was his daughter," she said softly.
Sam felt her heart stop for an instant. She didn't have to ask whos daughter, she knew just by the way her mother said it. "Are you sure?" She asked, trying to control her expression.
"You're father is going to make sure in the morning but the name matches. He told me you were the one that called the police."
"Yeah, I was bringing Jeff his lunch," Sam said. She couldn't talk about this now, not with Jeff so close. She'd have to talk to her father too. This couldn't be true, it just couldn't be. "Mom, can I call you back later?"
"Of course, sweetheart. It could all just be a big mistake," her mother said hopefully.
"Yeah," Sam said. "Bye mom." She hung up and put her phone on silent. "She was worried about you," Sam said to Jeff."

Jeff sat up, "is that all?"

"And my dad needs to talk to me tomorrow, after I give my official statement and all." Sam put her phone on the table. "She's glad your ok."

~MJ~ wrote:

The nurse cane back into Jaime's room, "tge doctor advises you stay but he will release you if you are set on going."

"don't be silly," he said with s chuckle, "what would you like?"

"I'm fine," Jaimie insisted. "I don't need to stay the night. I wasn't even hurt."

Brooklynn smiled. "Thank you. And I suppose something light. I uh, I don't think I could anything heavy down right now. A salad would probably be good. If you don't mind," she added. She didn't want to be a burden for them.

Not physically any way. The nurse wanted to retort but didn't

He nodded and left the room. Carl's mom finally settled on a channel. Carl reached over taking Brooklyn's hand without a word. Having her closer was a comfort

She would have to take a taxi home, she decided. She wasn't going to call her mother. Jaimie looked around. They must have thrown away her clothes away. They were probably covered in... In blood.

Brooklynn squeezed his hand. She'd been lucky. Carl less so, but they were both alive. "Are you in any pain?" She asked softly.

He chuckled, "i can't feel anything from my diaphragm down....I think they over drugged me."

Jeff nodded standing up,"yeah....me too."

Sam stared at her phone for a minute then stood. She picked up the almost empty whisky bottle. "I'm gonna put this away."

"No...I'd like to finish that."

Brooklynn smiled. At least there was no pain. "I'm glad," she told him, rubbin her thumb along the back of his hand.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Jeff." Sam said. He drank almost all of it. "You've already had a lot."

"Hows you're arm?" He asked after a moment

"damn it Sam! This is one of those times you don't get to call the shots!" His voice was angry but the emotion on his face said broken, "you stood out on the street surrounded by cops...I..." He frantically trapped his chestwwith his index finder, "i was inside! I had to watch my studants get killed by their peer...shot point blank! I had to sit in the room...With their bodies for 45 minutes!" He reached out for the bottle, "you don't get to make this call."

"It's fine," she lied. It hurt but she wasn't going to complain. Not when he'd been hurt trying to get to her.

"And I had to stand outside and listen to the shots while I waited for the cops!" She stepped back. "I wont let you try to drink it away. Because it doesn't work and you'll keep trying." She tried to calm down, yelling at him would do no good.

"Give it to me Sam!" He yelled

"You're a trooper." He said with a small grin

"No!" She yelled back. She took the lid off and headed for the sink, she'd pour it down the drain.

"I didn't have to go through surgery, Carl." She replied. "I'll be fine."

"sam!" This was hardly about the liquor any more. He took three large strides and grabbed her arm whipping her around

"Are you being tough just for me?" he asked his smile growing

"Let go!" She demanded. She tried to pull her arm away but he was a lot stronger than her.

"No," she replied stubbornly, but she looked away from him.

Jeff grabbed the bottle, and key het go

Carl shifted a little in his bed, " Brooklyn, what's wrong?"

Sam rubbed her arm, looking at him sadly. "Don't drink it," she said softly.

"Nothing," she replied. "I just... I'm sorry you got hurt because of me."

"Why not?" Jeff asked hid tone calm again


"it wasn't because of you. I got hurt because of some psycho with a gun ." He said firmly

"Because it wont help, not really." Sam said. "All it does is cover the pain, not make it go away."

"i know...I just need to cover it for a while."

"But if you hadn't been coming for me," she said quickly, "then you would be fine." She did feel awful about that.

Sam nodded, she still thought it was a bad idea but it was his choice. "I...I wont try to stop you then, its your choice."

"We don't know that." He sighed, "what of I had staid and caught a bullet between the eyes."

Jeff walked back over to the couch and sat down. He looked at the jar but didn't drink

Sam followed and sat down beside him. "Sorry for yelling at you."

"That's true," she had to admit. "But... I can't help but feel bad about it."

He nodded, " you don't have to stay if you don't want to."

"please don't." Carl said squeezing her hand, "dont feel bad about any of it."

"I'm not leaving," Sam promised. "Unless you want me to."

"I'll try," Brooklynn replied. "And don't worry about me, alright? I'm perfectly fine."

Jeff rested his head against the back of the couch. He was so tired.

Before Carl could respond his dad cane bursting through with his arms full of food

Sam reached over and touched his arm. "You should try to sleep."

"Oh, wow. Here, let me help," she stood and offered her good arm to help with some of the food.

Jeff nodded, " I do but im not sure I can."

"Oh no...you rest I got it." He grinned setting the food on the table, " I got a little bit of everything."

"Thank you for going out and getting food," Brooklynn said, opening the containers of food.