[center][h1][color=a187be]Ta[/color][color=4682B4]sam[/color][/h1]
[img]http://oi66.tinypic.com/33kvvbq.jpg[/img][/center]
[hr][center][b]Location:[/b] Sam's Apartment[/center][hr]

	Tas stood there outside the door after she knocked. She felt nervous, much more than she had felt in the past. As each second slipped by she felt more and more like running. She could make an excuse; she was tired. She had been up for nearly forty hours straight at this point. He would understand if she just wanted to to home and sleep.

	Doubt began to set in, reasons why she should run creeping into her mind. That it wasn't the right time, there was too much going on in her life, that if he felt anything for her beyond friendship he would have said something already. Tas figured Sam was a bit better at going after things he truly wanted than her on this level. At least that is how she saw it. Maybe she was just being silly, misreading the signs. 

	No, that couldn't have been it and even if it was, she needed to do this. She couldn't keep hiding and running. Life was too short. She saw it every shift in the ER; people drawing their lasts breaths. There was always regret in it; things they wished they had done, things they had said. She didn't want that type of life. Tomorrow wasn't promised to anyone. Taking a deep breath she held her place and knocked again, for better or for worse she was not going to run again.

	[color=4682B4]"Tas?"[/color] Sam said, opening the door to his apartment. [color=4682B4]"The pasta just finished. Hopefully it's good enough for tonight's hero."[/color] The man gave his guest a charming smile and wink before leading her to the kitchen. Tas smiling nervously towards Sam, she never felt nervous around him but tonight was different and it was showing. She tried to push it down but it wasn't exactly working. He was acting smooth so far, but his mind was going at a rapid speed of 200 miles per hour. Thoughts went left and right, with him trying to figure out what to say and how to say it.

	[color=a187be]"It smells wonderful,"[/color] she said as she followed him into the kitchen, tucking her hair behind her ear. She was glad she had at least had a chance to change out of the blood covered outfit the night had produced and into her scrubs. It wasn't exactly the best outfit to try to look pretty in but it was better than the remains of Eddy Munster.

	He questioned himself constantly, was he going to do it or was he not? Should he do it or should he not? Is it the right time or is it not? Too many self-doubting questions came into his brain as he saw the look on Tas's face. She was tired, or so it seemed. Something was troubling her and Sam knew then that he had to do something to make it right. Maybe saying how he felt wasn't going to cheer her up, but he knew that him feeding her always did.

	The chef of the house pulled a plate from the cupboard and placed it down in front of his beautiful guest, filling it up with his vegetable pasta with a three cheese cream sauce. [color=4682B4]"What's on your mind?"[/color] He asked, seeing her thoughts in her eyes.

	Tas stepped over next to him, watching him and biting on her thumb nail slightly; it was something she only did when she was nervous; a bad habit she had never been able to shake. As he asked her what was on her mind, she nearly stuttered [i]you,[/i] but took a deep breath instead.

	[color=a187be]"Um, a lot actually..."[/color] she said as she pulled her hand away from her mouth, finally realizing she had been biting at the nail. [color=a187be]"Remember what you said earlier today? You know, about me leading the hospital one day and people pitching your ideas?"[/color] she said, bringing up their conversation at lunch that she had to run out on. Running her fingers through her hair she paced a bit before sitting down in the first available seat she should find and looking back over towards him.

	[color=a187be]"Well, is it bad I don't want to see that happen?"[/color] she said, trying to figure out a way to word this and finding herself stumbling over to a completely different topic. [i]Smooth Tas, real smooth.[/i] [color=a187be]"Not that you aren't good with your internship there and such but um... Well this is what you do, this is what you love,"[/color] she said getting out of the chair and walking back over to him, motioning towards the food.

	[color=a187be]"And you're awesome at it. This is what you should do,"[/color] she said, finding herself a little less nervous but knowing that was only because she wasn't talking about what she needed to and was sidetracking.

	[color=4682B4]"Reaching for and doing what I want and love is easier said than done,"[/color] Sam sighed, glaring at the girl who had a piece of his heart. Tas looked away from him for a moment, he had never glared at her before; she didn't know what to think.

	[color=4682B4]"My parents are expecting me to run their restaurant from the office not from the kitchen."[/color] He stood silently before grabbing his guest her own cup of wine. Things were easier said than done, that was just how it went. He told himself he was going to express his undying love for the woman when he saw her tonight, but that all changed because now he was both too afraid of rejection and because of feelings he could possibly have or not for another. And now she was talking about him becoming a chef, something she already knew that was almost impossible for him unless he wanted to hurt his parents.

	Sighing she looked back over to him; she knew how hard it was to go for something. She knew the situation about his parents, how they wanted better for him. Umma pressed him for a lot of things; no being in a kitchen, to have a relationship, and more. She adored his mom, was even envious a bit over her meddling; wishing she had a parent who cared much even if it was a tad misguided in her book.

	[color=4682B4]"There is something that I want to say to you though,"[/color] Sam said. He was attempting to work up the courage and finally say what he had to say, but for sure he needed a bit more of liquid courage.

	[color=a187be]"Sam, before you say anything, please... let me explain,"[/color] she said nervously as she fiddled with a fork laying on the counter. [color=a187be]"Every day I see people die, I hold their hand when their loved ones can't be there or if they don't have any,"[/color] she said in a depressing voice.

	[color=a187be]"You know what they tell me? That they wished they had done this or said that. I don't want that for you, I care about you too damn much to see that happen,"[/color] she said looking back over to him slowly. She was nervous, her heart feeling like it may leap it of her chest it was beating so fast; even her hands were trembling as she dropped the fork back onto the counter.

	[color=a187be]"Those that love you just want you to be happy. I.. I just want you to be happy.. Don't let fear or doubt stop you from what you truly want. You're amazing, you could have anything you wanted if you just went for it,"[/color] she said softly as she stepped in front of him, gazing into his eyes with a gentle smile coming to her lips. 

	[color=4682B4][i]"I want you,"[/i][/color] Sam's inner voice shouted. [color=4682B4][i]"I love you, Natasha."[/i][/color] That's all he wanted to say, that's all he wanted her to hear, he knew that now, but still he was hesitant. She was helping him work up the courage that he needed, she was telling him to reach for whatever he wanted and to just try because that was everything that rejection and regret wasn't, it was at least trying for something that you wanted instead of being afraid and regretting your choices later.

	Reaching up she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she looked down, trying to figure out how to say what she was so desperately trying to tell him; she felt terrified to tell him. But how could she stand there and tell him to take a chance if she wasn't willing it.

	[color=a187be]"You're perfect,"[/color] was all she could manage to say, echoing his slip of the tongue from earlier; her eyes drifting back up to meet his, biting her bottom lip slightly. 

	[color=4682B4]"I'm not perfect."[/color] Sam chuckled, blushing at the thought of him being the spitting image of perfection. He let out a deep breath and inched closer to the woman of his dreams, bringing his hands to her face and cupping her cheeks. Tas felt her breath catch and her face warm as he touched her; her hands coming up and resting against his chest, fingers trembling. Then he spoke and she froze in place, unable to even blink.
	
	[color=4682B4]"You're the one who is perfect, in ever possible way. I... I love you, Natasha Paige Brinne. Most of the time you confuse me, I'm dumbfounded around you. You hurt me unintentionally and you leave me with nothing to go on at times, but you make me want to become a better person. You make me feel like I can do so much more and I want to do that for you, because again... I love you. I was scared to say it before, but like you said, I don't want to regret anything anymore. So I'll tell you as much as I can from here on out, even if it destroys our friendship, I just want you to know, I love you, Natasha. I love you."[/color]

	Tas stood there, she felt as if she was in a dream. Did he really just tell her he loved her or was she just so utterly exhausted that she was hearing what she wanted to hear? No, he had actually said it. She didn't know whether to scream out in joy or faint. He felt every bone in his body loosen up, like the heaviest burden he had ever had just became lifted. He held her face and inched closer this time whispering the three words that were exploding from his every being. [color=4682B4]"I love you."[/color]

	Slowly her hands slipped up his chest, draping over his shoulders as she gazed up into his eyes; a nervous laugh softly escaping her lips as they curled into such a happy smile. Leaning closer to him as she rose up onto her toes. [color=a187be]"I love you Sam,"[/color] she breathed against his lips as her eyes drifted close before her lips pressed against his; he tasted like lemons...[i]She loved lemons.[/i]