"You and Sam have been in an accident. Don’t worry, you’re going to be fine," Nicole said more to reassure the both of them than anything else. Alarm flashed across Lily’s features.

"Sam!" she gasped and turned her head to where Sam still sat unmoving. Lily could see Brooke through the window trying to get Sam to wake up. She reached out a weak arm and felt for a pulse in Sam’s neck. Brooke watched anxiously.

"It’s beating, Brooke," Lily called out. "But it’s weak," she added sadly. Brooke nodded.

"That’s it, Sammy. Stay with me," Brooke spoke to the unconscious girl. Suddenly Sam stirred.

"Br…ke?" she stuttered. Brooke let out a sigh of relief.

"Here Sam, right here," she spoke through a hole in the window. Sam’s eyes opened for a moment and then shut again.

"Li…ly?"

"Here Sam," Lily answered the unspoken question. Sam let out a sigh.

"Sor…ry," Sam said quietly.

"Not your fault, Sam. It’s OK," Lily told her. Sam didn’t answer.

"Sam?" Brooke called. "Sam?" her voice became more insistant but Sam didn’t stir again. Before panic could overwhelm Brooke, the paramedics arrived.

It was an easy task to remove Lily and she was whisked off to the hospital with Nicole by her side fairly quickly but they needed the Jaws of Life to get Sam out. And that cost them time. Brooke stood by in silent agony as they removed Sam from what remained of her car. She was still unconscious and ghastly pale.

"Are you with her, miss?" a paramedic asked Brooke. She nodded.

"Yes, she’s my stepsister," Brooke responded on automatic pilot. The EMT motioned for her to climb in the ambulance. She jumped in with him and stared at Sam’s frighteningly still form.

"How is she?" Brooke asked quietly. The EMT looked at her sadly.

"She’s holding on. But she’s unconscious and that’s never good. But we’ll know more once we get to the hospital," he told her.

"I understand," Brooke told him. (Please be OK, Sammy. I just got you in my life, I can’t lose you now)

**

Nicole paced the waiting room frantically, somewhat resembling a tiger confined to an 8×8 cell. They’d taken Lily in a while ago but she still hadn’t seen Brooke or Sam. She was worried, distraught actually. Lily was hurt and there was nothing she could do. Nicole felt powerless and it was a horrible and unfamiliar feeling. She wanted to know what was going on with Lily. Was she OK? Was she badly hurt? Where was she? The questions were slowly driving Nicole insane. She looked up when she heard the ER doors open and saw the paramedics wheeling Sam in and Brooke trailing behind. She ran to Brooke’s side. The other blonde looked stricken.