I Took Rose Hathaway's Place

Flight

The flight to Arizona was a long one, very tiring, but Dimitri insisted on paying for our tickets, first class. 

We sat in the large fluffy couches, and I snuggled up to Dimitri, falling asleep for the whole flight.

When we landed, Dimitri woke me up.

"Alice," he said softly. "We're here."

My eyelids fluttered open, and I stood.

"Where?" I asked.

"Arizona. Phoenix."

We got off first, and getting out was easy with no luggage. 

I found a cab, and we got a ride to where Sam lived.

I hesitated before knocking.

Sam answered the door. 

"Alice?" He seemed confused, like I wasn't actually there.

I wrapped my arms around him. "Sam. My Sammy. I'm here."

He wrapped his arms around me. "Alice. I have great news. Let's sit down." He looked up at Dimitri. "Who's this?"

I turned to Dimitri. "Sam, this is my boyfriend, Dimitri. Dimitri, this is my 'brother',  Sam." The two boys shook hands.

Sam let us in. "Mariah is at work."

Mariah is his mother.

We sat down. "So, Sammy. You look better. What is it you wanted to tell me?"

Sam smiled widely. "I'm all better! They -the doctors- said that the disease was gone. And it won't come back!"

I hugged him tightly. "Sammy..." Tears streamed down my cheeks.

I had known Sam since we were both in pre-school. We had met on the first day of school, when a boy shoved me down, and Sam had sat on his chest until the boy apologized. 

I had claimed him to be my brother ever since. 

But when Sam was 15, he had been diagnosed with a disease, and he had a 50% chance of living.

That percentage continued to decrease. He got really sick, and almost died, and that was right when I had moved. 

But I knew I had to come back.

And I did.

He pulled away. "Do you guys want anything to eat or drink?"

I looked at Dimitri. "It's fine, thanks."

"Alice, I know your hungry. Don't try to deny it." We laughed, and he stood. "How about, I make you my world famous sandwich, and you tell me about where you've been?"

I nodded, and when he left, I spoke quietly in Russian. "Can he know? About Dhampirs, or any of this? Where I've been?"

Dimitri hesitated. "I'm not sure. But if you trust him."

I nodded and Sam came back into the room with a plate, and sat it in front of me.

"Thanks." I took a a bite. "Mmmm, much better than I remember."

Sam nodded. "Okay. Where have you been, why did you leave, and who is this?"