seattle ; sunday ft

[necroslacker]

At some point after the funeral, Sam had passed out in the car. The world had started spinning brutally and he had closed his eyes just to stop from puking again. Sleep had overtaken him.

The next time Sam became aware of the world, he realized Ramon was carrying him and they were at his mother's house.

"This is pretty sweet, Ramon," Sam slurred, giggling. "You're like my Latin Romeo."

"Keep saying that and I'll give you something to puke about," Ramon said, shaking his head. With James leading the way, they walked the path up to his mother's house where James knocked and waited.

Haley opened the door a crack, peering out from behind a chain. Sam frowned because that was new. When she saw Sam in Ramon's arms, she frowned but opened the door for the group.

"You need to get a robe," Sam told her, looking at the pajamas. "Don't you think so, James?"

James said nothing and Sam looked over to see James standing there, tense and coiled up like a spring.

"James?" Sam tried again.

"Yes," James said, finally speaking. "And a better lock." With that, he stepped in and covered Haley up with his jacket all in one smooth motion. "We're sorry to bother you this late but we're in need of your mother's services."

As if summoned, Sam's mother stepped out of the kitchen. Frowning, she immediately ushered everyone into the kitchen to gather around the kitchen table. Ramon dumped me at the kitchen table and Sam's head immediately flopped down since it was just too much work and effort to keep it up. He still felt awful.

He could hear James and Ashley talking with his mother while Haley took a seat across from me. She looked amused, of all things. How she could look that way with all that was going on, Sam didn't know.

"Earth to Sam," Haley said, snapping her fingers in front of my face. She sounded annoyed now. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Anything in the fridge?" Sam mumbled, looking around. "I'm starving."

"Sam, it's like four in the morning," Haley said.

"So?" When Haley didn't answer, Sam mentally called for Brooke. He just wanted someone to get him a sandwich. Brooke appeared quickly, smiling, but it was gone in an instant when she saw that state of Sam.

"What's wrong with him?" Brooke whispered to Ramon and Haley.

"Not sure," Haley answered while Ramon shrugged.

"You okay?" Brooke asked Sam. Sam shook his head and Brooke started patting his back soothingly. That simple movement evoked another person and he suddenly wanted Natalie very badly. He almost started crying again.

She kept up the motion for a few seconds before moving onto to try and comfort Ramon with the same action. "You know, I bet Mrs. LaCroix wouldn't mind if you went outside and did a few laps to burn off some energy."

Ramon nodded and Brooke escorted him out. And Sam still didn't have a sandwich. So, if no one was going to get him a sandwich, Sam was going to have to do it himself. He started to stand up but Haley put a hand on his shoulder and shoved him back down.

"Yeah, no. I'll get it for you so you don't end up drinking Draino on accident," Haley said, standing up.

Sam nodded and dropped his head back down onto the kitchen table. While Haley was off getting him a sandwich, Sam noticed that James, Ashley and his mom had stopped talking and his mom was heading towards the stove, looking drawn.

"I gotta go," Ashley said when her Blackberry buzzed. "Keep an eye on him and I'll check in when I can." With that said, she opened up a vortex and was gone.

Sam turned his attention back to his mother. The worry he'd seen was gone, replaced by calm and reassurance but Sam knew better. He knew he'd feel her fear he got up and touched her. Sam frowned and rubbed at his burning chest.

"She's worried," Sam said to no one in particular.

James took a seat and nodded. "Yes."

There was silence in the kitchen for awhile until Haley finally brought me a snack. It wasn't a sandwich but it'd do. "Thanks, Haley."

Smiling, Haley placed a similar snack in front of James. "Figured you might need one too."

James stared at the plate and got that tense look on his face again.

"Look, if you don't want it -- "

"No." The word was loud and Sam frowned. "No, I do. I'm sorry for my lack of manners. Sincere apologies."

Haley nodded, mollified and took her seat again. "If there's something wrong with my choices..."

"No." James shook his head again. "No, please. As I said, lovely, especially at this hour, and after we barged in unexpected." He quickly bit into a strawberry to prove it to her. And then another. "I think these are the best strawberries I have ever tasted."

"Why, thank you, James,” my mother said from over by the stove. "I grow them myself. With Haley's help, of course."

"If I may be so bold, I would love to get either your or Haley's advice with our own garden. The gnomes aren't much help, and I’m having a bit of a problem with—"

Sam snorted and shook his head as best he could. He even laughed when James glared at him. "How scary you are, James. You've got some brown on your nose, by the way."

Haley stifled a giggle and when she noticed that James didn't understand, she leaned over and whispered something in his ear. When he finally knew what Sam was talking about, his eyes narrowed even further. But, he calmed down once Haley shook her head and patted his arm.

Sam reached for something else on his plate but found it gone and was replaced with a mug. "I was eating that," Sam told her, frowning.

"Drink," his mother said, nodding at the mug.

Sam reached for the mug and started drinking it...and almost gagged. Sam pushed it away. James pushed it back.

"Either you drink it or I will pour it down your throat. Your choice, of course. I would like to add that I’m pretty sure your mother owns a funnel."

"Yeah, yeah," Sam mumbled and dutifully drank it. When he finished the mug, he found himself really sleepy and without meaning it, he fell asleep. Again.

[NFB. TBC since this chapter is super long. Lifted lovingly from Necromancing the Stone Warning for: not much. Nothing objectionable here. Open if you wanna talk to Sam (or, in this case, his sister, mother or James).]

Comments

[lacroix-family.livejournal.com]

It was Haley who opened the door, keeping the chain on and peering at Natalie through the crack.

"Seriously?" She sounded incredulous.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie just gave her a tired look.

"I would ask you to decide what you want from me, but I think I'm going to opt for a 'don't start, Haley' instead."

[lacroix-family.livejournal.com]

Haley wanted to start, she really did but she was stopped by the appearance of Sam's mother.

"Haley, don't start," she said, pulling her daughter gently out of the way so she could open the door. She'd changed out of her pajamas but still looked tired and worried. "Hello, Natalie. How are you, dear?"

[whenshewasnice]

"Better than Sam," Natalie replied with that patented mildness, although the expression on her face softened just a little bit. "And the rest of you, by the sound of it. No offence. Hello, Ms. LaCroix."

[lacroix-family.livejournal.com]

"We're sure he'll be fine," she said, inviting Natalie inside. "He's just a little ill right now."

It was an understatement. She closed the door behind Natalie.

"I gave him something to help him sleep a few hours ago."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie looked a little sceptical at 'a little ill'. It wasn't how Haley had made it sound.

She repressed the urge to fiddle with her bag or something. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked, and immediately felt like an idiot for doing so.

[lacroix-family.livejournal.com]

Haley has scowling at Natalie, arms crossed but she wasn't saying anything.

"You can go see him, if you'd like," she offered. "Just ignore the rather severe man near his door. That's James. He's Sam's...associate."

It was hard to describe James.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie raised an eyebrow, slowly. "Since when does Sam have an associate?"

[lacroix-family.livejournal.com]

"He's..." Ms. LaCroix paused. "James was formerly an associate of Douglas Montgomery's. When Mr. Montgomery passed away, Sam became James' master."

"He hates that word," Haley piped in. "James is fine."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie took this new information in in silence.

"Right," she settled on, after a second. "I'll keep that in mind. Can you remind me where Sam's room is?"

[lacroix-family.livejournal.com]

"I'll take you because James isn't going to let anyone just waltz in," Haley said, already starting down the hall. "And he doesn't know you so I'll vouch for you."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie wanted to add something about making her sound like an idiot while she was at it, but decided against it.

Just followed.

[lacroix-family.livejournal.com]

James came into view and stood up a little straighter.

"James," Haley said, coming over and putting a hand on his arm. "This is Natalie. One of Sam's friends. She just wants to check on him."

"He needs to rest," James said, giving Natalie an appraising look. "He's not awake anyway."

"I know," Haley said, nodding. "But, he can still have visitors. Come on, let's go get something to eat."

James wanted to protest but Haley pulled him along without much fight from James.

[whenshewasnice]

Well, at least Haley got stuff done.

And Natalie took another steadying breath before she went into Sam's room, closing the door quietly behind herself.

[necroslacker]

Sam was sprawled on the bed, completely still. It was probably the most peaceful he'd ever looked when sleeping and it was probably due to whatever his mother had made him drink.

He was covered in blankets and his hair was pushed away from his eyes. His features were paler than normal and there was water on the nightstand.

[whenshewasnice]

Jesus.

Natalie took a few steps closer to the bed, then stopped. She already felt like she was intruding on something. Like she wasn't supposed to be here.

And to tell the truth, he looked unnatural. She'd slept with him a lot. He didn't tend to look that peaceful.

[necroslacker]

It'd been a long few hours for Sam. His mother had taken care of his dirty clothes and she'd washed his face to make sure any lingering dirt or traces of tears and vomit were wiped away. His cheeks were a little more stubbled than usual, pointing to his forgetting to shave in the face of all that was going on.

The ghosts that tended to bother him during sleep? They weren't there. Sam's pouch was tucked under his shirt, keeping them away while he slept.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie just watched him for a moment. Just watched.

Then she moved closer, and gingerly took a seat on the edge of his bed. "Oh Sam," she sighed, quietly.

[necroslacker]

Sam probably would have asked what was wrong if he'd been awake. But, he wasn't awake. He wasn't even moving. His eyelids didn't even twitch. He was just...still.

His breathing was even though and his skin was warm though he tended to run cooler than other people.

[whenshewasnice]

Everything was wrong, Sam. Well – not everything. Just a lot of the stuff revolving around him.

His hair was already pushed away from his eyes, but she reached out to... make sure it stayed that way. She didn't know. She just had to act like she could do something.

[necroslacker]

In the past, if Sam had been sleeping or been hurt, he probably would have moved slightly at the touch. This time, he didn't. His mother had given him something strong and it was definitely working.

It was hard to tell if he was even dreaming or just unconscious. Maybe he'd give her a sign of something momentarily.

[whenshewasnice]

Maybe. Natalie wasn't counting on it. She pushed his hair back, then hesitated for a second before brushing the backs of her fingers just barely against his cheek.

That stubble was weird.

[necroslacker]

If he'd been aware, he would have leaned against her fingers, trying to be greedy and selfish when it came to her and her touch. He would have tried to get closer. Right now, he stayed still.

Somewhere, deep in his mind, something was registering but it was buried deep and covered in layers and layers of murky webbing. He wasn't going to come awake but his body was reacting.

By...crying again. His eyes stayed still but a few tears seemed to leak out, like they were trying to escape.

[whenshewasnice]

It was funny how few other people could make her feel as utterly helpless sometimes. Except it wasn't really funny at all.

Her fingertips were gentle and soft in wiping his tears away.

[necroslacker]

Sam was going to hate that he hadn't been awake at all for this. He wouldn't even remember crying. He'd remember Brannoc's body and the pyre and the lady with the flowers but he wouldn't remember feeling this.

Somehow, that made him cry a little more. His body reacting to the stress it'd been under while his mind rested.