“You stay the hell away from me and Sam. You really don’t want to piss me off anymore, James.” The enraged woman was trying not to kill the bastard.

“Brooke…” Sam came up behind the angered woman and with her small hands around the muscular arms of the drummer, tried to hold her back. “Not here. Not now. Think of your family.”

The woman’s tone was sharp and cutting. “I am, and he’s not part of it. You are.”

“I never was a part of it…of you…was I?” James looked her straight in the eye, challenging her to say differently.

“You were my best friend. You were more a part of me than anyone. Damn it, James. We grew up together. We’ve known each other since we were four years old.” She leveled a cold, clear glare at him. “You were the one that screwed that all up with that shit you pulled the night I left.” She brought her fist down with a vengeance onto the small table next to where she stood, causing it to rock from side to side. “I will never forgive you or trust you ever again after that.”

“We grew up together, but into separate worlds.” James raised his hands and feigned pushing her and the others away. “I’m out of here. You can tell Peter that he doesn’t have to pick between us. I know that he already has. You won,” he snarled. “You always win, Brooke.”

“No, he wanted out.” Brooke corrected him. “He won.” Brooke turned to walk away, muttering under her breath, “That’s because you’re such a loser.”

“Yeah,” James yelled back, trying to hurt her. “Whatever, Loran.”

Quickly turning, Brooke lunged for James again. The prudent actions of Sam only slowed her down enough to barely miss him as he started walking away.

“Hey, James,” she yelled.

“What?” James yelled back as he turned, snarling at her.

“Come anywhere near her and you’ll regret the day you ever met me.” Brooke’s angry stare was as much a part of her threat as was her words.

The man smirked and cockily replied, “We all do what we have to do. It was nice seeing you again.” He gave a little wave, then smiled sweetly at her, letting his waving hand turn into an obscene gesture.

“Fuck You!” Her voice was filled with rage.

“Oh, Happy Birthday, Sam.” James winked and blew her a kiss.

The emotions ran through Brooke like water over a dam. Between her anger, rage, and her need to protect Sam, she took off after him without any thought to her own safety.

She rounded the house, gaining on him with her long strides. Just as Brooke was ready to latch onto him, she found her body starting to slow down. The weight on her arms, like anchors to a ship. First one, then the other and with only the smallest amount of space left between them, James slipped by.

“Damn it! Let me go.” Brooke thrashed, swaying C.C. from side to side until Sam finally caught up to them, coming to her roommate’s aid. The two young women held on tight to the raging drummer, letting her pull them along until she gave up any idea of advancing further.

“Why…” C.C. tried to reason with her sister, “so you can do something that Randi will have to work on? Brooke, he isn’t worth it,” the sibling appealed to her sister.

The two roommates watched Brooke as they tried to figure out her next move. They were both a little surprised when she gave up, just hanging her head with her eyes tightly closed. The slumping of her shoulders was the clinching act of defeat.

“Hey, what’s all the commotion out here?” Peter’s voice came from the front door.

The dark-haired woman raised her head and looked to Sam, seeing the concern in her eyes. “Nothing, Petey. It’s over.” She turned to face the front door. “Go back inside.” Brooke turned back to Sam, the guilt of the ruined evening weighing heavily on her mind. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin your birthday.”

Still a little out of breath, Sam took in a few deep ones as she tried to calm the beleaguered woman down. “Let it go, Brooke. It was a great day. Let’s not let him end it on a wrong note.” The blonde placed her hand on Brooke’s back and rubbed soothing circles on it.

Randi came to the door and watched the interaction of her sister and Sam, then shook her head in a motherly kind of way. “Maybe you kids will grow up one day and not squabble. But then again, hell could freeze over, too.”

Brooke looked over at the woman in the doorway and rolled her eyes. “Randi, please give it a rest. You have no idea.”

“Sorry Brooke, but I think you said that already about this band. Now maybe you’ll see it’s true.” Randi took a deep breath in. “I really don’t care what you do. Just don’t let me see your name as a defendant…”

“Yeah, yeah…” Brooke waved her hand in the air as she looked away from her sister. “Okay.”

“I’d really hate to have to send my own sister up the river,” Randi warned.

Trying to think of something to caution her older sister with, C.C. could only think of one thing. “Yeah, and remember…no conjugal visits…”

“Bite me, Smart Ass.” Brooke snapped out under her breath, keeping it from Randi’s ears.

Sam’s eyes grew bigger as she listened to the sisters’ bantering.

“Bare it, and I will,” was C.C.’s final retort.

The low key lighting of the first floor and the absence of noise from the chattering guests of earlier were all hints that the surprise party was over. The glittering shine of the bright lights of the concert were now replaced by the soft twinkle of stars overhead as Sam stood on the deck, waiting for Mario to come in from the yard.

Brooke stood at the door, not trying at all to hide the look of love on her face for the small blonde who was lovingly greeting Mario as he made his way onto the deck. She wiped the towel through her hair once more as she watched them walk toward the door.

“Did he behave for you?” Brooke asked as she opened the door to let them in.”

Sam let her hand graze over Mario’s head. “Mario?” The dog looked up to her, then she winked, “We have an understanding, don’t we boy?”

“An agreement…really?” Brooke looked from Sam to the dog.

“Arf!” Mario barked and wagged his tail, looking up at his tall mistress who couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, it’s kind of like we both know that we each love you, but in our own separate ways.” Sam smiled at Brooke. “He has you during the day, and I have you at night. Well…” she thought for a moment, “at least when I’m here.”

Brooke looked down at the dog with a raised eyebrow. “Well, I hope he doesn’t love me like that,” she teased Sam.

The blonde shook her head vigorously. “No, silly. Only I can do that.” Sam sidled up to the tall woman, wrapping her arm around Brooke’s waist and leaning her head on the woman’s shoulder.

“Hey, Brooke, you won’t mind if Crystal and I raid your fridge, do you?” Peter stuck his head in the doorway of the kitchen. “Oops, didn’t mean to interrupt anything there, Ladies.” He winked at Brooke.

Brooke wrapped her arms around Sam and smiled. “Raid the fridge? No, go right ahead. And Peter, you weren’t disturbing us.”

“Hehehe…” the man chuckled. “Yeah.” His eyes twinkled and he looked back out toward the hall, then back at Brooke, “I think we might be staying up and talking for a while, and you know how I get when I talk.” He shrugged, and then stepped into the room completely.

Reaching out, Brooke patted his stomach. “Yeah, you have done quite a bit of talking over the years haven’t you?” She teased him, then turned to wink at Sam.

Giving a scornful look to his ex-band mate, he addressed Sam, letting a smile tug at his lips. “Happy Birthday, Toots.” Peter leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then whispered in Sam’s ear. “Thanks for introducing us. I think she likes me.”

Playfully, Brooke leaned toward Peter. “I think she does, too.” The subtle motion of her head aimed in Sam’s direction.

Peter backed away from the women and waved as he headed back into the living room. “Don’t worry about us, okay?”

The tall woman assured him, “Don’t worry, we won’t.” Brooke gave a little wave as he turned, leaving them alone.

Brooke held out her arms and waited for Sam’s return, letting the small woman nestle in against her. They stood like that for a few moments before the blonde nuzzled into Brooke’s neck.

“Thanks for everything, Brooke.” Sam spoke softly. “You really made my twenty-first birthday special.” Sam smiled into Brooke’s chest. “You know, in a way, tonight with seeing Anti-Zero in concert…it was like putting an end to my childhood and bridging the gap into my new life as an adult.” The young woman brought her hand up to rest on Brooke’s shoulder.

The dark-haired woman was warmed by the sentiment and kissed the blonde head just under her chin.

“You wouldn’t know anyone willing to guide me on that journey, would you?” Sam closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the answer she knew would be coming.

“Hmmm…” Brooke inhaled deeply, “You know, I think I might.” She grinned when she felt Sam’s body relax against her.

“I hope it’s someone that I can get along with…someone who…” Sam looked up, seeing the well-formed lips descending to her own and got caught up in the kiss.

When it was over, Sam savored the taste of those luscious lips on hers. “Mmm…That just answered all my questions.”

“Good, now come on,” Brooke wiggled her eyebrows, “I hear that there’s a bed upstairs in a room that has a great view of the sunrise. Do you think you might be interested in sharing that with me?”

“Sounds like a perfect way to start this new year,” Sam purred, “of life…” then she trailed off, “and love.”

“Oh yeah? I can think of a better way,” Brooke’s blue eyes twinkled, knowing all too well, that they would indeed be awake to see the sun rise.