Seeing the beginnings of a fight, Sam thought it best to step in, intervening when James threw another punch in Brooke’s direction. Her actions weren’t anticipated and before she could see it coming, Sam caught the punch instead, lost her balance and hit her head against the decorative molding on the wall before she crumpled to the floor.

“Sam…” Brooke’s eyes widened in horror as she watched her lover slump to the floor in slow motion, knowing that she could not stop it. The woman spun around with such a force that one would think she was possessed by the devil. Her eyes so intense with hatred that they could have been mistaken for the fires of hell, she bared down on James.

“You FUCKING BASTARD.” Brooke let go with a yell as she grabbed his arm, wrenching it up behind his back, then rammed him across the room, slamming his face into the wall.

“What? What did I do? She stepped into it.” James tried to justify his actions.

The tall woman was having none of it. She dragged him to the entrance of the house and pushed him out, slamming the door, unintentionally catching his hand as he tried desperately to gain access to he house.

“Dammit, Brooke…that’s my fucking chord hand.” He let go with a strangled scream as she threw her weight into the door.

His plea fell on deaf ears as Brooke opened the door, then pushed him further out and into the rain. Once her mission was accomplished, she slammed the door, locked it, and then ran back over to where Sam laid sprawled out on the floor in the living room.

“Sam? Baby? Oh God…Sam?” Brooke gently pulled her up into her lap as she knelt on the floor next to her.

Dazed and confused, Sam opened her green eyes to look into concerned blue. “What…Brooke? Whoa! Who turned out the lights?”

“Oh God, Sam…I am so sorry, Baby.”

“Sorry? Why are you sorry?” Sam asked, her speech slow and wispy.

“Sam? Come on stay with me, Sweetheart.” Brooke wrapped her arms around Sam and tried to keep her conscious.

Lackluster green eyes tried to focus on Brooke and her mind was trying to make sense out of what the woman was saying to her. “Staying? Where am I staying?”

“With me, Sam…stay with me.” Fearful blue eyes flicked over her lover’s delicate features, making out the angry red mark on her face that was quickly turning a very distinctive hue of blue. Oh God, why didn’t I just throw him out on his ear to begin with. This is all my fault.

Somewhere through the brain fog, Sam tried to regain a little of her senses. “Brooke, is that you?” She asked, unsuccessful in her attempt to focus her eyes.

“Oh shit… Mario!” Brooke yelled for her faithful companion. Not a moment later, she could hear the sound of eager paws as they clawed at the kitchen door. Within moments, the dog came running into the living room as the sound of loud banging came from the front door.

“Phone, Mario. Bring me the phone.” Brooke motioned to her cell phone laying on the coffee table, then refocused her attention back on the blonde in her arms. “Sam? Come on…talk to me, Sweetheart.”

Mario was torn between doing as he was commanded by his mistress or to protect her by standing guard at the door where James continued to bang and yell obscenities. The next second decided his fate as a rock came smashing through the side panel of the entryway. Mario took off with a vengeance, growling as his upper lip rolled back, exposing menacing white teeth.

“I’m not leaving without those masters.” James stuck his hand into the open window but hurriedly pulled it back out when the sound of a savagely barking animal made him shiver with fear.

“Brooke, why am I sleeping in the living room?” Sam’s dazed eyes rolled around, taking in the room.

“Honey, you’re not. I just need you to talk to me, Baby, keep talking to me.” Brooke stretched out her long arm for the phone, understanding her dog’s refusal to leave his post at the broken window. Grabbing the phone on her second attempt, she quickly punched in the numbers 9-1-1. She turned to look in at the window, when she heard more breaking of glass, to see James starting to come through it. She waited for the operator to come on the line and quickly gave her location and name before stating the reason for her distress. “I’ve got someone breaking into my house,” her words were brief but to the point.

“You better have them, Brooke. I’m coming for them.” James called out, putting his leg through the shattered window, but it didn’t get very far before Mario bit down on his calf. “Yeow! Goddamn dyke loving dog…”

Brooke pulled the phone from her ear and yelled out her warning. “James, I’ve called the cops and they’re on their way.” She paused for a second, then issued her command, “Mario, release.”

The dog did as he was instructed this time, allowing James to pull his leg out of the window. “Ah shit!” James cried out in rage when he tried to put his weight on the leg. He left the door, cursing with each step as he limped all the way to his car. Once there, he yelled out as loud as he could before getting in. “I’ll be back, Brooke. You can count on that.”

Hearing the loud rumble of the engine as it started up, Sam tried to see what all of the commotion was about. She tried to get up but Brooke held her tightly against her body, rocking the young woman gently and whispered, “No, Sam, stay right where you are, Baby. I’m going to get someone to check you out.” Brooke reached for the phone and hit her sister’s designated number on the phone book. “Come on, Terri. I need you.”

“Man, does my head hurt.” Sam complained as she raised her hand feebly toward her head.

“Just hang tight, Baby.” Brooke stressed as she waited for her younger sister to answer her cell phone.

“Maybe, I should’ve hung tighter,” Sam joked, then winced at the throbbing in her head.

“Hey, what’s up sis? Don’t you just love caller ID?”

Hearing her sister answer the phone, Brooke sighed in relief. “Terri, are you still at Mom’s? I need you to get over here to the house like five minutes ago.”

“No, I’m not there. Why? Did Mario eat the garbage again? I’m a pediatrician, Brooke… not a vet.”

“No, it’s Sam. James was here and threw a punch at me but ended up hitting her instead.”

“WHAT?” Terri’s voice turned into a shrill screech. “No, don’t answer that. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” The pediatrician abruptly disconnected.

Casting the phone aside, Brooke pulled Sam up into her lap and held her tight. “Sam, talk to me, Baby.”

“Yeah, babe? I’m here… at least I think I am.”

Brooke looked at the woman in her arms and wanted to cry. “Terri’s on her way over. I want her to take a look at you.”

“Why… do I look different? I just feel tired. Honest, Brooke.” Sam tried to get up but thought better of it, as she was feeling dizzy.

“No. Come on, Sweetheart. Stay awake, Sam. Keep talking to me. God, Baby…I’m so sorry, but you should’ve stayed behind me, Sam. I never meant for you to get in the line of fire between James and me.” Brooke tenderly placed her lips against the top of Sam’s head and kissed her.

The young blonde disagreed, shaking her head. “I’m beside you, all the time, remember that. There are no leaders and no followers in this relationship, Brooke. We’re partners all the way, side by side.” Sam brought her hand to her head and winced at the pain her headache was giving her. “Right, hubby?”

“Hubby?” Brooke’s eyebrow arched at Sam’s statement.

“You know what I mean.” Sam sounded annoyed as she closed her eyes, trying to keep the headache at bay.

“Open your eyes, Sam. I know what you mean but I wanna hear it from you.”

“Brooke, baby… I’ll feel better when I wake up and I’ll tell you whatever you wanna know. I just wanna sleep right now.” Sam began to protest against Brooke’s attempts to keep her conscious and at least semi-coherent.

“Sam… do not go to sleep. I want to hear more about this hubby business. Come on, keep talking to me, Sam.”

A smile found its way onto Sam’s face. “Hubby… nice ring to it, huh? All the girls want one… all the girls get one. Now, I’ve got mine. I knew you were, from the first time I laid eyes on you at that dinner. You can’t deny it now, can you?”

“Oh yeah? I ‘m your hubby, huh? I don’t have the requisite equipment to fulfill that role, Sam, but…you know what?”

Sam continued to ramble before she realized that Brooke was speaking to her. “You’re my strength… you’re my… what? Someone say something?”

“Hmmm…I think we might have to discuss this hubby business in further detail when you’re fully alert.” Brooke looked at the out of sort blonde and smiled. “I love you, Sam.”

Dull, green eyes took on a slight twinkle. “Then, do I get to sleep now?”

“No…not until Terri gets here and says that it’s all right.” Brooke shook her head from side to side while she heard the sirens get louder as they approached the house.

“Terri?” Sam asked in surprise, then furrowed her brows. “Why is she coming? I thought it was going to just be me and you tonight.” Sam’s eyes shifted to see the woman in question opening the front door. “Look, she’s here.”

Brooke turned to see her sister coming through the door followed by two uniformed police. “Thank God you’re here, Terri.” Blue eyes sent a message of concern to her sister. “She’s still a little confused about what’s happening.”

Assuming her role as a professional, Terri placed a comforting hand on Brooke’s shoulder and nodded. “I’ll take over from here. Was she out for long, Sis?”

The dark-haired woman had to stop and think about that for a moment. “I…I guess maybe a minute…no…make that at least two, before I got James out of here and the door locked.”