nyc prep continued

Sam stared out her car window, she had stopped Nikki but how long until she would try again. She felt like she had been given a second chance. She could save all those kids from paying for her mistakes. She had been driving around for the past hour trying to think of a way to permanently fix this but she was out of ideas. She kept coming back to the same thing, that there was nothing she could do. Sam parked her car and slowly got out. She went to the only place she always went to think, the hospital. Somehow talking to David about her problems helped. She walked inside and flinched at the smell, she would never get used to it. David's room was in a private wing, his parents had insisted on it but Sam knew he wouldn't have cared. He would have rather been dead than stuck in a coma.

Jaimie nodded. It sounded so crazy. What would he do? Would he call her crazy? But it was the truth and he wanted the truth. "It doesn't sound like... like I am telling the truth, but I am."

Brooklynn looked down at their hands. They had gotten through today. Hopefully that meant that it wouldn't happen. She gave Carl a small smile. Everything was okay. It had to stay that way.

she sounded so sincere it was hard to think there was anything but truth in her story, "I...ok...I...I believe you," he said hesitantly

Jeff flopped down on the couch a coke in his hand as he flicked on the tv. he wondered if he was making an impact on any of the kids

"You're okay though. And that's what's important." she hesitantly took his hand. He was okay. He would stay that way. She had to make sure of that.

he squeezed her hand but didn't know what to say to any of this. she wasn't one to make up crazy things but this...could he really believe it?

Sam stepped out of the hospital and wiped her tears away. The nurses told her that David's brain activity had changed but they didn't know what that meant. She pulled out her phone and texted Jeff, how was your day?

the walk had been fun. it had lasted a few hours and they had said very little. she looked like she was almost in some other place. Carl smiled at Brooklyn as they got out of the car at his house

"You know I'd like you no matter what, right?" She asked. If something happened and he still got hurt, she wanted him to know that it wasn't just because he was normal. She liked him. Him, not just his mobile legs.

"Good to know." he chuckled with a little shake of his head, "The same goes for you."

Brooklynn smiled. "So what do you want to do? Anything in the world you could do, what would you do?"

"What has gotten into you?" he asked opening the door to the house for her

"Nothing," she replied. "I want to do something exciting, you and me. So what do you want to do?"

he grinned, "as you know I am not that exciting."

"Is there anything crazy that you want to do? Sky dive or fly a plane or.. I don't know, something you want to do but never had the courage to do?"

"I don't." he stopped and looked at her, "sure there are things that I want to do but..." he shrugged, "I don't know what about you?"

She grinned. "Let's go inside and figure it out," she decided.

he nodded letting her go in first, "Mom's at some fundraiser today for one of her charities." he said as they walked into the main area of the house

"Fun. And your dad?" she asked, looking around the still impressive house.

"Work." he said as he headed for the kitchen, " you hungry?"

"Sure," she agreed, following him.

`he walked into the kitchen opening the fridge door, "not sure whats here." he said digging around a little, "cookie dough, salad, lasagna..." he listed off

"Let's make cookies," Brooklynn decided.

the cookies were in after a minute and baking. Carl sat down on one of the bar stools to wait. he looked down at his hands then back at Brooklyn, "could I ask you a question?"

"Of course," she replied, taking one of his hands.

ooc: can't remember if they had this conversation before so if they did just correct me and I will redo it.

"Brooklyn...uhm.." he took a deep breath," I'm not sure how this is done or said seeing how you are the first person I have ever had a really close relationship with...like ever." he looked down at their hands and tried to find how he should say what he was thinking, "How...does...I mean how fast do things usually...." he looked up at her then aback down again.

ooc: i don't think they have

ic: Brooklynn bit her lip, blushing a little. "Uhm, however fast you, uh, want it to go."

"But...I mean..." he glanced up at her. perfect her had made her uncomfortable. perfect. he shook hsi head, " forget I said anything."

"No, I mean, it's a good question," Brooklynn said.

"Usually good questions don't make someone so uncomfortable." he replied

She laughed softly. "I just wasn't expecting it."

He let out a long breath, "yeah i wasn't really expecting it either." he laced his fingers with hers, "have you ever...taken a relationship...uhm...farther?" he asked but before she could answer the timer for the cookies started to squawk

They pulled the cookies out of the oven and as she was setting them on the cooling rack, she answered his question. "Once," she replied softly.

he felt his heart sink but what was he expecting? she was a beautiful young woman. of course she had more offers and opportunities than he had, "Oh." was ll that he managed to say

She nodded. This was awkward. "I don't really want to talk about it. Sorry."

he nodded, "if that's what you would prefer." now there was an elephant in the room and it couldn't even be discussed. great. he felt like a total idiot

She nodded. Then, working to forget what they had talked about, she turned and gave him a smile. "What would you like to drink with your cookies?"

"Milk." was his simple reply. he wasn't good at just letting things go. he had always been the type to figure something out right then and there if it was bothering him. today he would try to just move on

"Can you get the glasses?" she asked, then went to the fridge to get the milk. She wanted him to leave it, it wasn't something to talk about with him. It wasn't something she wanted to talk about at all. It hurt to remember and she just wanted to forget about it anyway.

he got up and grabbed two glasses out of the cupboard, "so...what would you like to do today?"

Anything but talk about that topic? she thought to herself before replying. "Will you teach me how to dance?"