We'll Be Okay [Solby]

Chapter 9

"Kat... there's something I should probably tell you..."

She looked up from her comfortable position curled into Sam's side. It was late into the night now, Sam's family and most of their friends had retreated to their beds after a long and emotional day. Kat knew Elton was with Colby at this point, a decision they had tried to talk him out of because "God dammit Elton you need to sleep."

But Elton had always been a little more protective over Colby, and wasn't going to let anyone talk him out of it. "I slept plenty out in the waiting room," he'd insisted. "You guys go home." It was bullshit, but no one wanted to fight him too hard on it.

They didn't want Colby left alone either. Especially after the fiasco with his parents.

Oh they had faked it well enough in front of him, saying they were fine. But Kat had watched the meltdown out in the hallway, heard it grow fainter as they walked away from their rooms, eventually leaving the hospital floor altogether. She had spoken angrily to Jackie about it while Sam took a nap, unable to understand how they had been able to leave.

"Some people can't handle watching the people they care about suffer," She had said sadly, "We see it all the time here."

Elton had been napping out in the waiting room when all this had happened. After being roused by Colby's parents' reaction, he had firmly planted himself in an armchair in Colby's room. He may have gone back to sleep, but he was refusing to leave.

The rest of their friends had headed home soon after, and now she and Sam were alone. After initially being afraid to touch Sam (she had seen the handholding scene earlier with Colby), her boyfriend had stretched out his arms, making it very clear she could get as close as she wanted. She had immediately snuggled into his chest like she'd been longing to do for days now. Sam only hugged her tighter and kissed her head.

So it must be Colby who needed the more careful handling. Was it because of Sam?

She knew better than she wanted to what they had been forced to do together. Had initially found out they had been kidnapped when one of their fandom sent her a graphic photo of Sam being forced to have sex with Colby. Had cried about it for hours, even after calling the rest of their friends together. She knew Sam loved Colby, knew it must have ripped his heart to pieces to have to hurt the guy he thought of as a brother.

Kat wouldn't dare bring it up. Instead, she talked about pointless, inane things, trying to make Sam smile and laugh again without that haunted look in his eyes, the sweeping gaze towards the doorway that she knew was him looking for Colby or potential threats.

Kat thought she knew Sam pretty well at this point. They'd been dating for over two years, and he'd never shirked at revealing himself and how he felt about things to her. It wasn't like Sam was ever all that good at hiding his emotions, but Kat found it endearing how much he really wore his heart on his sleeve. Mama Golbach had raised a son very in touch with his emotions and not afraid to express them.

Taking all of this into account she figured she knew before Sam did that they needed to have some sort of conversation. Knew it was going to have to happen before she walked in the room that morning but still dreading it. She'd just had a slightly different conversation in mind before she watched them reunite, come back in after giving them time to find them holding hands.

It was obvious to her that something had changed between them in that room. And she knew Sam well enough that when he told her there were things he needed to tell her, she knew she was going to find out what.

"What's up, babe?" She asked, looking into those blue eyes she loved so much.

Sam was struggling with something, maybe trying to find words. His eyes cast to the curtain granting them some privacy and back to Kat. "Do you remember the first time I invited you over to our apartment?" He asked suddenly.