Sam walked into the living room and saw Brooklyn's parents there. His eyes flashed with anger momentarily as he saw Brooklyn's Dad pick up Louis. [I]'What the fuck is he doing picking Louis up'[/I] he raged inside. Sam didn't want anyone to pick Louis up - no one! His father's instinct to protect kicked in and he walked across the room. His pace slowed as common sense and rationality resumed briefly. Of course, Patty had picked up Louis and there was no reason why Rick and Autumn shouldn't. "Hi, Autumn, hi Rick," he said as he walked over. Autumn was stood, arms outstretched a mournful look on her face. "I'm so sorry," she said as Sam hugged her, and tears dropped onto her shoulder. "I'm sorry to Autumn, I should have looked after her, I should have protected her," Sam sobbed. He stood straight and tried to compose himself. "Autumn, Rick, why has this happened? I can't believe she is not here." Rick Jones kissed Louis and put him down on his mat and stood too. He opened his arms to and tried to wrap his arms around his wife and was-to-be future-son-in-law. Sam cried and they held each other silently. "It's okay Sam, it's okay," said Rick. Sam had been a part of their life for such a long time and although he wasn't blood he did consider him almost like a son. The boy had needed a Father Figure more than most. He certainly loved him like a son and knew he and Brooklyn were good for each other. They'd gone through 'Dad handshake' (Brooklyn didn't believe Sam when he said her Dad had tried to break his hand when it was announced they were formally dating). They'd gone through that wary look when boys were turning into men, all gangly 'monkey arms', awkward and full of hormones. Rick had watched Sam become a man, a provider and a solid rock in his precious daughter's life. Rick always felt embarrassed when he recalled Brooklyn announcing her pregnancy and the first thing he did was ruffle Sam's hair and said 'well done' to him. "She's in heaven now," whispered Autumn, "she's watching us now. I know it," she said. Sam wanted to believe it, wanted it so much. Over the last day there were seconds he was sure she was there with them, other times he had never felt so alone in his life. Finding hope was seemingly impossible. "Remember her Sam, remember..." Autumn said softly... [hr] [I] Sam was besotted with Brooklyn. He found any excuse to hang out with her. She'd pop round to his house and they'd be in his bedroom and he'd try and play guitar for her. He'd sing light heartedly and smile with her. She had the sweetest smile as she tolerated him. He got on with Ella of course and they were a threesome in many respects but it was Brooklyn who he wanted to be around. To be fifteen. He knew that he loved Ella and was beginning to feel that she was the one. She sat on a beanbag in his room, her knees tucked up tightly to her chest as she wrapped her arms around her legs. He tried not to notice the curve of her legs in her jeans, the subtle changes in her hips as he sang. They still hugged - as friends of course, but Sam often felt uncomfortable at their platonic friendship. 'What would happen if she knew? What would happen if she felt the same way? What if? What if?' Now and then they sat together and she rested her head on his shoulder or they put their arms around each other. 'What if? What if?' Of course, school could be tough. He was quiet and a little sensitive, especially when Dad shot through. A couple of the other guys called him 'fag' and he knew having girls as best friends caused him a lot of trouble. It was Valentine's Day. Since they'd become friends they often claimed they were each other's Valentine but of course that was just kids playing. Brooklyn didn't know that he was serious when he said it back. He opened his locker in the school hall and out fell a card. It was a drawing with a heart with an arrow through it with Sam and Brooklyn's name written over it in cursive text. Sam opened up the card and his first thought was 'the bastards'. He was sure it was a practical joke. He read the words again and again. 'They're fucking with me,' he thought before a sudden realisation dawned on him... Like Archimedes descending into the bath and crying 'Eureka!' Sam's eyes widened. It was Brooklyn's writing. She felt the same way. She had said everything he could ever have dreamed of. So much time wasted! So much time lost! If only he had said something, weeks, months ago! She said, 'I love you!' 'And I love you too!' thought Sam as he clutched the card in his hand like it was the most precious thing in the world. He walked to class and saw Ella and Brooklyn chatting. Brooklyn looked worried about something and then she saw him. She looked afraid and nervous and her eyes cast down to the card in his eyes. Sam walked straight up to Brooklyn - his body millimetres away from her. There was almost friction between their clothes they were so close. He looked in her eyes as her eager upturned face displayed that recognition too. Without a word he tentatively kissed her, their lips cautious together. He'd never kissed a girl before and he was worried he wouldn't know what to do. His fingers slipped into hers. It felt suddenly different from the times they'd held hands before. Their lips parted slowly and their smiles beamed at each other. "Get a room!" said Ella sarcastically, although her face betrayed her joy at the two of them FINALLY getting together.[/I] [hr] "She's gone, and it's not going to be alright..." said Sam his heart broken as he remembered Brooklyn as a girl, before she became the amazing woman she would be. "I'm sorry Autumn, Rick. Your baby, your baby!" Patty discreetly entered the room. She had made tea for everyone. She hugged Autumn and Rick and expressed her condolences. Brooklyn's Dad just seemed to speak in platitudes and Sam wasn't sure he believed a word of it as he sat back and listened. It was horrible, everyone dealing with their private grief, everyone trying to support each other. The morning was shaken out of it's sadness by a knock at the door. Sam went to answer and there was the cop who interviewed him yesterday. "Sam - there's something we need to tell you about the accident."