She decided to ask Sam about it as they sat a few rows away from Tyler and Catherine in the movie theater.

"Sammy," she whispered to the head nestled on her shoulder. "Are you OK?" She felt Sam nod.

"Mmmm hmmmm."

"Are you sure? I don’t mean to be a nag or anything but you seem a little, I don’t know…off," she tried again. Sam sighed, a heavy sound that made a lump form in Brooke’s throat. She lifted her head so that her chin rested on Brooke’s shoulder and she could look the blonde in the eyes.

"I’m tired, Brooke. And still a little sore," Sam explained. "I’m fine, don’t worry about it."

"I can’t help it, Sammy. I love you and I can tell something more is bothering you. You’re getting so far away from me," Brooke tried to get her thoughts across to Sam. Sam leaned up and gave her a gentle kiss.

"I love you too. And I’m right here. Just enjoy the movie, Brooke. I’m not going anywhere." She put her head back down, signaling the end of the conversation. Brooke swallowed her frustrated sigh and turned back to the movie. She knew there was more going on than Sam was saying. She would just have to try to reach the distant brunette another time.

**

Brooke buried her hands in Sam’s curly hair as Sam slept against her side in the back-seat of Tyler’s car on the way home. She loved the girl with all her heart but she was afraid that she was losing her. She wondered if she held on tight enough physically she could prevent it. But it was Sam’s mind that seemed to be drifting further and further away. That brilliant mind that sparkled from behind clear, lucid brown eyes seemed clouded and mired in doubt and fear. And Brooke knew that her father was to blame for most of that.

As far as Brooke knew, such hatred and violence was foreign to Sam. From what she knew of Joe McPherson, he had been a loving and compassionate man, not a violent, close-minded monster like Mike McQueen. Brooke figured some of Sam’s withdrawal had to stem from an absolute lack of experience in dealing with a loud, threatening father figure. And when confronted with it, Sam had no way of knowing how to cope with both Mike’s anger or his violence so she was shutting down to protect herself. As Brooke thought about it and held the deceptively fragile girl closer in her arms, she realized that it made a lot of sense. But what didn’t make sense was Sam shutting her out as well. That bothered her.