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Thursday - early morning

Sam walks lethargically across the grounds, his cowboy boots damp from the dew on the grass. The heat and humidity are already oppressing, even at such an early hour, and he feels as if he pushes through a thick curtain of wet air at every step. Sighing deeply, he lets his mind return to the conversation with Piotr of last night, and the sketch of Alison sitting up in his room.

Al...why is this so hard for us? I can't even talk to you anymore, and more that just brooding about things, I feel the worst 'cause I've lost my best friend, which is what I was trying to prevent from the beginning.

He looks up, hearing rapid footsteps on the path, and holds his breath without realising it.

Alison rounds the corner a few paces behind Scott, and nearly trip as she sees Sam standing there, looking straight at her. She settles for stopping, still looking at him - until Scott clears his throat faintly in mingled curiosity and amusement, and raises his eyebrow at her when she realizes that he's waiting.

"Um... Scott... would you mind - I mean, ah..." she ends up waving in Sam's general direction, catching her breath slowly from the jogging. "I need to talk to Sam."

Scott glances between the two of them, and with a barely-there smile, turns and starts jogging again.

"See you in class."

With a grateful nod she takes a deep breath, and jogs towards Sam, coming to a halt a few feet in front of him. She looks up at him searchingly, trying to figure out what to say or ask, and finally settles for waiting to see what he has to say.

Sam just looks at Alison for a moment, noticing the glow about her from her exercise, letting his eyes brush over her jogging clothes and smooth skin beaded with sweat.

Finally, he speaks. His voice is calm and controlled, "Alison, I...I'm sorry." Sam lets his eyes flick to the ground, but after a moment he meets Alison's gaze again. "I can't stand this anymore, and I've been so stupid, and we... We need to talk. Like, now, before I waste away into nothin'."

She stares up at him for a second, and then reaches up to cradle his cheek in one hand, naked relief shining in her eyes and nearly choking her as the strain of the past days lifts at his words. Her hand drifts down to settle over his heart as she smiles at him, tears brimming in her eyes, and without a word she steps closer, leaning against him and hiding her face against his shirt. "Talking is good," she manages to say, finding her breath again.

Sam is taken aback, not expecting her tears of what he hopes is happiness, or her immediate need for contact. This may be easier than I thought... Please God, help me...

Sam runs a hand through her ponytail gently, organizing what he wants to say. "Alison... Al. After you fell and you took that pain medication, do you really not remember anything? Because. You kinda, did... somethin'... and I jus'..." His eyes are pleading at he looks down at her, willing her to remember and say that it wasn't all a big mistake.

She feels a thrill at hearing him call her 'Al' again, finally - but the relief changes to concern, and worry starts to gnaw at her as he speaks further. Oh shit. I did something while I was under the meds. And I don't remember. Oh no no no, what did I do? Her thoughts whirl crazily and she raises her eyes to meet his, one hand curling to hold on to his shirt, not willing to give up the nearness.

"Sam, what did I do?" she takes a deep breath, shaking her head and not letting him speak until she can say more. "Hank said it'd take time for me to remember but that I would if I hadn't just slept it off, but you're saying something happened and if you say something did, I believe you, but... I need to know . To... fix things and-" she pauses, catching her breath.

"I'll ask Emma to yank it out of my skull if I have to," she finishes with determination. And Hank will have a total fit at me for doing that too, if he ever hears about it.

Worried about Alison's reaction, Sam tentatively makes some non-committal noises. "Erhm. I know you weren't yourself, but...um...Al..."

Not yourself...that's half the problem, right there. If only you meant it...

Sucking it up, figuring that really, in the long run, there's no time the like the present, Sam spits it out. "Alison, you kissed me. Not a peck, like usual y'know, but...um. Really. Kissed me. And I..." He flushes deeply, voice dropping so she can barely hear it. "I kissed back, Alison." Rushing on before she can interrupt, his words tumble over each other. "But I stopped it, I swear, I pushed you away and you just fell asleep and that's all that happened and then I left...and now..." his voice trails off, ready for whatever she's going to throw at him.

She stares at him, eyes widening as the implications of his words rush through her. I kissed Sam. I kissed him… how the hell could I forget that?! "I..." she trails off, at a loss for words. Busted. "I don't think I can 'fix' that, Sam," she finally whispers. She takes a deep breath, and continues with a trembling smile. "See... I don't think I could say I'm sorry for doing that. I've wanted to do that for weeks and I just wish I could remember more than ever now really, and I know you said friends were just friends and no more and - waitaminute. Did you just say you'd kissed back?" Her hand tightens into a solid grip on his shirtfront, mouth shaping into a slow 'o' of surprise.

Shrugging, looking out over the grounds, Sam nods. "Course I did. How could I not? But, Al, it's just...the last time I tried that...well. It ain't exactly the best experience I ever had, y'know? And I really just. Don't want to ruin this. The way it is."

After a moment of utter blankness, Alison manages to puzzle out the meaning of his words - and the references he's making. "Sam," she ventures carefully, taking a deep breath before locking eyes with him intently. There won't be any way to take this one back. And I don't want to pretend anymore. "This isn't just up to me. Just… tell me. What do you want?" Because I know what... who I want.

Leaning down, pressing his damp forehead against hers, giving in, finally, in a soft whisper... Oh, to finally give in...nothing could ever feel as good. I just don't care anymore. I don't care what happens, who else I care about. I have to say it, and I have to say it. Right. Now.

"You."

After a brief moment of pure disbelief, she closes her eyes, forehead against his, hands still tangled in his shirtfront. A feeling of lightness sweeps across her, and she re-opens them slowly, lips parting as she takes in a deep breath and whispers tenderly.

"Close your eyes."

She smiles as he does as she has asked. There is an intent, purposeful look in her own as she breathes in and out, steadily - taking in the sight of him.

So long. Wanted this for so very long...

She shifts slightly, her body now millimetres from his - but not quite touching. Body warmth radiating she reaches up, lightly trailing on finger against his cheek down to his chin, using the faint touch to bring his face a bit closer. And smiles at the hitch in his breath, at that simple touch.

Oh yes...

She tilts her head slightly, rubbing one cheek against his in a slow motion - and then brushes her lips at the edge of his mouth once. Twice. She knows he's stopped breathing, without touching him at all - he doesn't move, eyes still closed, as though afraid any motion at all might break the moment.

Walking on air..

Nibbling at his lower lip briefly, she reaches up to frame his face gently before finally giving in and deepening the teasing into a deeper kiss, leaning into him fully even while twining her arms around his neck, running her hands through his hair.

After his eyelids flutter closed, it seems like years until Alison's hand touches his cheek. He feels himself shudder, breath hitching, disconnected as if it weren't really his body at all. Still and silent, he waits, aching for her deep inside his muscles. He stops breathing, hanging in the balance, perched on the edge of something he can't quite figure out, but doesn't quite want to...

At the brush of her lips on his, Sam can feel himself falling off that edge. Her soft, warm lips teasing at his mouth...he has to remind himself to breathe again, and he wraps his arms around her waist, lining up their bodies as he pulls her firmly to his chest. Strengthening the kiss, his tongue traces her lips as a hand slides up and down her back, across her hips, taking in every curve, every inch of skin as if he were drinking it in. Never, ever want to forget this...

She moans faintly at the feel of his hands, almost purring against him as he pulls her closer, heat skimming along her skin at each touch. Opening her mouth under his, she shifts against him slowly, deepening their embrace - vaguely aware in the back of her mind that they are putting on quite the show on the school's front lawn and not caring in the least.

Sam lessens the fervour of the kiss, trailing his tongue ever so lightly along Alison's jaw line to her ear, where he nibbles lightly at her earlobe, whispering with his lips pressed against her, "Al..." He threads his hands together at the small of her back, pressing kisses to her neck intermittently as he continues. "Don'tcha think people are gonna start comin' out here soon?"

"Don't care if they do," is the lazy reply, laced with amusement as she nuzzles his cheek, lips curving into a smile. "Let 'em." Her breath hitches as he kisses her neck and she tilts her head obligingly, murmuring something unintelligible. She starts chuckling quietly against him however at the thought of the children all tromping out of the school and gaping at the sight of them, and buries her face in the crook of his shoulder after kissing the hollow of his neck, giggling from the high of the moment as much as anything else.

Laughing softly into her hair, Sam hugs her tightly, feeling the classic feeling of floating on the breeze. I'm in love. This time, I'm really in love. This is it...

He tightens his arms around her and spins, grinning as Alison twirls with him, lifted off the ground. "I didn't think there was anything better than flying, Al...but." He rubs noses with her, a chaste Eskimo kiss. "There is." Almost absently, as he looks into her eyes, "Flying without ever leaving the ground."

He takes a deep breath, thinking, suddenly serious, trying not to show her that he's afraid. "I'm just...Al..." He lets his eyes fall to stare at the tip of his boots. "...Don't. Leave me for someone else, please? If... If I'm not your, I dunno... first choice. Then just... Tell me. Okay?"

Though she'd been laughing as he twirled her off the ground, she sobers up quickly as his words. Cradling his face so that he's looking at her again, she smiles at him gently, caressing his cheekbone gently with her thumb. "I want you, love," she murmurs quietly, though there is an unyielding glint in her eyes. She presses a tender, brief kiss against his lips, and then traces them with her fingertips. Voice strangling under the strength of the emotions rushing through her, she smiles crookedly. "Only you."

Sam smiles and nods, eyes twinkling, breathing a sigh of relief, having been holding his breath without realizing it. He kisses her forehead lightly and takes her hand, entwining their fingers together, inclining his head towards the mansion. "Let's go inside, huh?"

Laughter bubbles up once more, and she gives him a sidelong smile as they stroll towards the mansion at a slow pace. She drifts lazily while they walk, sometimes until their arms are stretched out between them - and then is drawn back towards him as he tugs her back gently, where she leans her head on his shoulder.