The Plot Thickens

Chapter 2

Early the next morning Katie found some cereal and watched cartoons. It usually helped to make sense of things. There was a knock at the door. Katie almost threw the cereal on the couch. Her nerves had kept her awake all night.

When Katie opened the door, Sam was standing ready with two coffees and two huge muffins.

"You won't make it through till lunch if you don't fuel up." Sam said with an uncertain smile. " Can I come in?" 

" Oh..yeah..yes please come in." As Sam stepped in Katie offered her to sit down. Katie all but sprinted into the room to fix her appearance.  A few minutes later she raced back to enjoy her coffee. She really hoped she hadn't looked as tired and gross as she had felt.

Samantha handed her a coffee and muffin and waited for Katie to take a seat opposite her at the kitchen table.

" Katie I'm sorry. I have no proof that you did start the fire. I'm just so pissed off it happened. I've been wanting to get you to take an offer from The Royal Academy for almost a year now. I couldn't believe you would do such a thing. I decided to find you and see for myself.When I finally got in touch with your mom." Sam stopped and looked into Katie's eyes.

 She didn't know how to say the next part without hurting her. It alarmed her to see Katie upset. She wasn't sure why that was but she was going to avoid causing it at all costs.

Samantha had grown up in a house filled with love and joy. Katie's mother seemed cruel and uncaring but she knew better then to judge.

"Let me guess my mom couldn't have cared less." Katie says softly as tears sting her eyes. She didn't want Sam to feel sorry for her. She was the popular girl that everyone hated. She was The Queen B of Westwoke High. 

" She welcomed the idea of you taking the apprenticeship." Sam replied as she took a gulp of coffee. Katie sat picking at the innocent muffin. This was going to be the last time her mother would hurt her. She was going to do this and ace it. 

" I appreciate everything you've done for me Sam. Although usually there's interviews and a normal process to getting new students you know." Katie said as she took a huge chocolatey bite of the muffin.

" I admit it may have been a little unorthodox of me. Thing is the hospital wouldn't discharge you on your own. I thought I'd meet you both there to discuss everything. Only when I got there I waited but...your mom never showed up." When Katie didn't say anything Sam went on. " I decided to say that I was your sister and that was all it took."

" Well since you went to all that trouble. How can I say no?" Katie said as she wiped her hands from the crumbs and finished the last of her coffee. " Also I am easily seduced by double cream chocolate muffins."

" Duly noted." Sam said with a brilliant smile that didn't meet the fascinating storm in those steely eyes.  Flashes from last night filled Katie's mind. It didn't help that it seemed like Sam was also thinking of the same thing. Katie wondered if she had the same blush crawling its way up her face. Sam cleared her throat.

" So are you ready to get your hands dirty?" Sam asked as she got up to leave. Katie was very proud of herself for hearing anything past the word "dirty" and nodded as she grabbed a coat and followed Sam outside.

" Sam come quickly she's not going to make it!" It was bitch Barbie who came running towards Sam. The same wench that had called her "scruffy."

" Barbara calm down. Who are you talking about?" Sam spoke to the creature.

'BARBARA! This is too good.' Katie thought as she followed closely behind Sam. They came to a very sad sight. A dog had been rescued and was skin and bone. The animal was on a drip and lying motionless under warm blankets.

" Doctor she was just rescued from town. We have her stable but she's terrified. She's Fear Biting but we can't muzzle her. We think she has an obstruction in her airways and she won't let us near her." A medical student explained as he tried to calmly pet her. She cried loudly and tried to bite him. Sam approached the scared animal and went to sit nearby. 

Katie couldn't help herself. She dessparetly wanted to help the dog so she moved closer till she touched her snout.

" Hey baby girl." Katie  started in a soothing voice. " I'm so sorry someone did this to you. They don't deserve such a beautiful girl, do they girl." Katie gently scratched her ear and the dog's eyes closed. Sam took the opportunity to administer a small amount of painkillers and sedation medication into the drip. A moment later Katie held the dog's mouth open while Sam dislodged a bone from the dog's back teeth. Sam looked up at Katie with a victorious smile that she returned. 

Time stood still untill Barbara swooped in for a hug. Sam stood uncomfortably and smiled. The whole class just shook their heads. Barbara had been after Sam since Middle School. Sam on the other hand had avoided her like a plague.

The rest of the day was spent meeting recovering patients. She met faith who was born with three legs but nothing stopped her from getting into trees. Katie gave Handsome a bath. He had stopped a robber from shooting his owner. Unfortunately he has gotten shot, deforming his mouth and nose a little. 

Katie thought he was brave and adorable. He splashed and played in the water, wet tail hitting Katie in the face. When she was done she was more clean then the dog. How wonderful animals were to trust humans again and not feel sorry for themselves.

Chapter 4

Katie decided to have a quick shower and change after she had checked on all the post-op patients. She had just gotten home and had stripped down to her underwear, when there was a knock on the door. Katie felt so worn out that she forgot she was on her way to the shower.

Barbara stood there with her arms folded.

" Expecting someone else are we?" She said with enough hate to melt paint.  "Listen pet I don't think I made myself clear. Everyone here knows Sami is mine and they have the sense to stay out my way. You stand no chance of getting an apprenticeship here. Let alone someone like Sami.

 Let me spell it out. You are a cominer. The rest of us are descended from Royalty. Lords, Ladies and even a Princess...MY Princess." With that she walked off, satisfied that this time she had been heard. 

Katie stood under the hot water long after she had finished getting clean. What did she mean Royalty? Something else was going on here and she was going to have to confront Sam about it. When Katie got out and wrapped a towel around her, she heard another knock at the door. If this was going to be round two then she was just going to punch Barbara in her throat this time.

Sam stood at the door with two huge pizzas. Sam tried her best not to look at Katie's chest but her eyes had a life of their own. Nearly dropping the pizzas in the process. 

"Hi sorry if I bothered you. I usually celebrate a good day with greasy food. I thought that since you do such a good job on your first day..." Samantha explained  as she looked around at anything but Katie. First the cute pajamas and now looking like THAT?! 

Katie let Sam in wondering why she could never just be dressed when she was around. 

" So you mentioned that we went to the same school right?" Katie asked as she bit into an insanely large slice of cheesy perfection.

" Yeah I didn't stay very long. I found the eighth grade boring so I applied to do Grade twelve at another school."

 Sam replied as she poured fruit juice into two glasses. "Hey just because the food is greasy that doesn't mean we have to play havoc on our hearts with sugery drinks as well." Sam said as Katie gave her a quizzical look.

'" I don't think sugar has anything on you." Katie said softly.

"What was that? Sam asked.

" I was just saying that's why you're a Doctor already." Katie recovered quickly.

" Oh, well yes I got a bit of a head start."

"Hey wait a minute.! I do remember you. The hot girl with glasses!" Katie closed her eyes hoping she hasn't actually just said that out loud. The smile on Sam's face told her that she had. 

" You thought I was hot?Wait there's just no way you remember me. I was the least popular, actually invisible and you were Queen B" Sam says trying her best not to revert back to High School days.

" I did and I still do.  Katie confessed knowing she was too glowing red to try and lie. That was about as brave as she could be. There was no way she could look at Sam without bursting into flames." You always stayed after school till a limo picked you up every day. I thought you were a celebrity or something.

Katie thought back to Barbara and her rant. Lords, Ladies... Princesses...MY Princess. She had to find out what the phycho had  meant. 

" My family are very well known. Our country is small but it's so rich in culture and beauty. It's a slice of peaceful heaven. " Sam says as though she's just reading the weather forecast.

" What do you mean by our country?" Katie asked but she already knew the answer.

" I'm sorta a Princess." Sam stated flatly.  Katie had never seen Royalty before. Never mind that she had been dreaming of Sam for YEARS and now had even less control over her emotions. She liked being super popular but didn't care for all the clicks and hated bullies.

" A Genius Doctor and a Princess, what an overachiever you are." Katie said as she attacked the next slice of pizza. Sam blinked in surprise. When her friends had found out most had started fawning over her and the others didn't bother speaking to her ever again. Katie's reaction was precisely what Sam needed. She loosened up and grabbed another slice too.

" So you don't mind being seen with a cominer?" Katie said and regretted it. They were finally enjoying each others company. Sam's smile didn't fade. She moved closer and took Katie's hands in hers.

" You are a talented, clever girl Katie. I've never cared about titles. You deserve a full apprenticeship just like anybody else here. In fact it's only the students and faculty that know who I am. Just treat me like a school friend please Katie."

Katie nodded as she looked into Sam's eyes. She moves closer slowly waiting for Sam to react. Sam captures Katie's mouth in a fevered kiss. Katie moans softly as Sam's tounge finds hers. The kiss is passionate and eager yet tender and pleading. Katie's hands slid down Sam's back, her nails digging in slightly as Sam bites lightly on Katie's bottom lip. Sam rests her head in Katie's. 

" Look I know it wasn't you. Samantha said with a sleepy smile. The security cameras are linked from the shop to our house. I made a copy and actually watched it a few hours ago before the system deletes it. Whoever did do it had help and they were both alot taller then you. Also seeing as they were both shirtless at the time..."Samantha trailed off as she burst out laughing. Katie couldn't help but join in. 

" Are you just going to drop a bomb after every time you kiss me also, why didn't you say anything?" Katie said feeling even more confused then a compass at a magnet factory. Samantha gave Katie a wry smile and took a deep breath.

"When we lost the store. It was like losing my childhood. I was so angry that one person could steal away something I loved so much.  In our family we are all required to go out and make a living on your own skills and salary. My mom and dad broke their backs working there.There were marks on the kitchen wall where my mom used to measure how tall I was getting. Thing is the copy I made is missing. This means not only is your only ticket out of jail is gone but, my parents won't drop the case without it." Sam said feeling deflated.

" I guess this means no meeting the parents huh?" Katie said trying to stop the dread filling the air.

" No this means we stop at nothing to prove you didn't do this. Katie whoever did this must live right in The Palace. That's like right in my house."

" We have to be careful though. I don't think I'm anyone's favourite person right now. We can't exactly be seen together outside these walls. " Katie replied sadly as the magnitude of the mission they were just about to go out on, dawned on her.It was as close to impossible as you could get.Also my parents don't know I also like girls." Katie added.

"Also?" Sam asked with a surprised laugh. "Who's the overachiever now?"