"Took me a while to find you. Searched the entire neighborhood. Lily’s been entertaining the idea that you’ve been kidnapped or something. She’s got a very vivid imagination, that girl," Brooke explained. Sam smiled.

"Sammy, can we stop a sec? I didn’t stretch before coming after you and I’ve got a catch in my side," Brooke panted. Sam slowed to a stop. She watched as Brooke caught her breath.

"What’s up?" she asked Brooke. Brooke shrugged.

"Nothing really. You’ve just been gone a long time and I got kinda worried is all." She stared at Sam’s sweat covered countanence for a minute. "What are you running from, Sammy?" Sam frowned at her.

"Nothing. What kind of question is that?"

"A concerned one," Brooke pointed out patiently. "Sam, you never jog for this long. I know you run to think out your problems. So what are you thinking about?" Sam sighed and pushed her damp bangs out of her face.

"This screwy mess we find ourselves in," she said as she set off walking back towards Terri’s house. Brooke fell into step beside her.

"What about it? Find any answers ‘oh wise one?" Brooke joked. Sam smirked.

"Unfortunately no. God, Brooke, did you ever think we’d find ourselves in such a freaking mess?" Sam asked. Brooke shook her head.

"Honestly? I never thought that the ‘we’ in question would be you and me," she said quietly. Sam stopped walking and looked at her in silent question, a slight look of hurt on her face. Brooke arched an eyebrow and cupped Sam’s face in her palm.

"Remember, Sam, I was so far in denial over how I felt that I couldn’t even see daylight," she reminded the brunette. Sam nodded and pulled away.

"I remember," Sam said sardonically. She started walking again. "Now what do we do?" Brooke shrugged.

"Damned if I know, Sammy," she sighed. She wrinkled her nose. "But for right now, you need a shower." Sam stuck out her tongue.

"Har har, McQueen," she said sarcastically. "I happen to think I smell Mountain Fresh."

"Ew, Sam. A mountain in a landfill maybe…"

"Hey!" Sam protested. She smiled devilishly at Brooke. "I might be persuaded to shower if I had, oh say, some company…" she teased. Brooke wagged her eyebrows and smiled back at her.