Chapter 13: Thirteen.

It had been a week. A whole week that Sammy had deliberately stayed in Portland; which  was longer than she had originally planned. Dax knew something was up, because despite his sister's best efforts at smiling and laughing, he could see through her act; Dax could see his sister was broken hearted.

Eventually he got it out of her, everything that had happened, and the underlying fear that was plaguing Sammy; she was terrified of becoming her mother.

Then in the kind of response that only a true family member can give, he kicked her out and sent her home.

Of course, that was after he reminded her how strong she was, and that there was not a rat's chance in hell that she would end up like her Mom.

He sent her home, with a truck full of chocolate brownies, and an attitude of steel adjustment. No man, would chase her from everything she worked for, and he would be damned if he let her throw her life away, over a man who didn't even have the decency to call and check in, because his sister was made of stronger stuff than that.

Susan had been great about it all, apart from anything else, Sammy had the time off owing, and she was continually checking in to ensure everyone was alright, as well as liasing with the local veterinary practice in town.

Now though, she was home, and flicking on the trailer lights she was glad she hadn't gone back to her apartment first. She had spent more time with Daniel there than without, and the thought of being there unsettled her somewhat; but the trailer, that was solely hers.

It was four thirty in the morning when she arrived and she would be in the office for seven, this decided her next course of action. Sammy was asleep within ten minutes, but it wasn't exactly a restful event. Plagued by more of her childhood nightmares, it left her waking repeatedly in the small time she had to actually rest.

When she did arrive early the following day, she felt like crap. Between the long drive and the poor sleep, God help anyone who crossed her today.

Sammy was the first on site, Susan and Tom arriving half an hour later. They chatted amiably, while completing their paperwork. Both of them excited to hear about Dax's restaurant, and gladly receiving their share of brownies. No one mentioned the obvious elephant in the room, the reason Sammy stayed away so long.

Sammy was making her way out to feed the wolves, just after eight when the first volunteers arrived. It was the terribly concealed whispers that bugged her the most. That, and the way everyone avoided her. But at least no one bothered her as she was working.

Up until she was returning past Macy and Connor's enclosure, that's when she saw him.

Daniel, stood in the middle of the track staring at her. Such a strong range of emotions on his face she didn't know how to begin to read him. Then she reminded herself, she shouldn't want to.

Yet, somehow everything around her seemed to quieten, as she kept her internal battle over holding her head high hidden, determined not to crumble into tears.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Weston?" She asked, trying to keep a cold air of professionalism around herself as best she could.

Daniel watched her approach, she was finally back. She was standing there, in front of him.

"Well?" She probed annoyed.

"Sammy," he all but whispered her name, "Where were you?" He asked desperately.

Sammy sighed, annoyed to be having this conversation, annoyed at being near him, but most of all, annoyed at how he made her feel; that all she wanted was to crawl into his open arms and feel the strength of his embrace chase the outside world away.

"Look, Daniel," she stated, pushing her emotions aside, "I have work to catch up on, so if there isn't anything you need related to the animals here, then please, just leave me alone. You have done enough," she said on an exhale, her bravado deflating as she spoke.

"I can't do that," Daniel admitted, "I'm in love with you, Sammy. I can't just walk away."

This was too much, and Sammy snapped, "No. Don't you dare, don't you dare try to pull some emotionally blackmailing bullshit on me. You disappeared! You already walked away! You do not do that to someone you love!" She raged, "Besides, we have barely known each other a month, so don't lie to me. I do not tolerate liars, Daniel."

"I am not lying," Daniel ground out, annoyed at her rebuttal of his honest confession "And stop being a hypocrite. You disappeared too! What was it, some kind of petty revenge?"

Sammy laughed at this, the unbelievable gall of the man in front of her.

"No, it was some kind of Thanksgiving trip to see my brother, which has been planned for months, and you knew about!" She spat back, watching the realisation dawn on his face. "Also, I kept in touch with people, you see I don't ghost the people I claim to care about, Daniel."

"You ghosted me!" He called out exasperated.

"No. I moved on from the asshole who dropped me like yesterday's garbage, with no word of an explanation. From the asshole who couldn't even call to let me know he was fucking alive! So, dont you dare compare the two." Sammy stated with venom, pushing past Daniel to go to sort out Gomez's food.

But Daniel followed her.

"Sammy," he began quietly, "Please, I'm sorry. I just want to go back to how it was." He begged her, a while later when she finally stepped out of the bear's enclosure.

"That's the problem, Daniel. I do not." She said, "I trusted you, I let you in. I never do that," she cried out exasperated, "Yet, with you, I did. But, do you know why I don't do that, huh? Because, people always let you down."  She stated, waving her hand towards him as she spoke, "And you proved to be no different, Daniel. Except this time, I got hurt. I wont let you do that again, not ever."

Daniel's heart was breaking, he could see the tears in her eyes. Sammy was always cagey about her past, but someone else had broken her trust first. That much was obvious, and he wasn't just paying for his own mistake here, but for theirs. How could he fix this?

"Sammy, I promise I will never let you down again. Not ever." He tried, hoping beyond hope that she would believe him, and hoping she would give him a second chance.

Sammy's shoulders sagged, and he desperately wanted to hug her, to comfort her.

"I know you won't," she said softly, "Because you won't get the chance to, Daniel."

With that she began walking away, up along the fence line without looking back. Sammy would be damned if Daniel saw how much she was crying, how much he had truly hurt her. Her own pride just wouldn't allow it.

She radioed Tom, about five minutes later, telling him she was going to do a boundary check, on the fence perimeters, and turning down his offer of help, she made her way out there. She just needed to be on her own right now.

On her own and in the wilds of nature.

Forty- five minutes later, she was walking along the outer fence. She knew she was being followed, and she knew who it was. Why was it he could vanish for a week without a trace, but when she asked him to go, then he was her shadow.

But, Sammy wasn't ready for another confrontation with him. It was too much. So, she kept walking, hoping Daniel would get the hint.

He didn't, and ten minutes later, Sammy finally snapped.

"Daniel, please, just leave me alone," she said turning around, with a dramatic flap of her arms.

But, it wasn't Daniel standing there.

In front of her there was a larger than normal grey coloured wolf.

"Shit."

*Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this far with me.*