Belief and Celebrations

Five Days Later - La Dore Hospital - Sam's Room

Sam cradled Sadie in his arms as she slept. He couldn't seem to put her down, and Sadie had been unusually quiet and cried if she was pulled from his bed. "My girl," Sam whispered as he caressed his daughter's head.

Jules leaned back in the chair. "That she is. Daddy's girl through and through."

"Jealous?" Sam asked Jules with a quirk of his brows.

"Absolutely!" Jules chuckled and stood. Coming to the bed, she carded her fingers through Sam's hair. "Though, I guess it is alright seeing as she is your daughter. Wouldn't want it any other way."

The room door opened slowly, and William popped his head in. "Up for company?"

Sam nodded and smiled as his mother walked in followed by his Aunt Ann.

Yvonne strolled to the bed and warmly smiled seeing Sam holding Sadie. She bent over and kissed his cheek. "Beautiful sight. How are you feeling?"

Taking his mother's hand and lightly squeezing, Sam answered, "Good. Ready to go home."

Yvonne glanced at the nasal cannula that still provided oxygen to Sam. He was doing world's better according to William, but to her, he still looked like he needed to be in the hospital. She kept that to herself. "Did Dr. Larsson given you any indication when you can travel home?"

Jules replied, "She said he could leave tomorrow, so long as he keeps the oxygen on." She tilted her head and eyed Sam firmly.

Ann chuckled. "I see he has been a stellar patient as always." She patted her nephew's leg. "If I were you, I wouldn't cross Jules. She has a wicked right jab."

William chuckled at the look Samuel gave Jules. He knew from the first night, years ago after Samuel had been shot in the chest, as he listened to the two of them talk that Jules was a firecracker. She was exactly what his boy needed. Jules kept him in line and ensured he took care of his health.

He stepped forward and said, "I've arranged an ambulance to take you to Dolbeau-Saint-Félicien Airport, about a thirty-minute ride. Bella's plane will then fly us all to Toronto. Jim will meet us at the airport and make sure you are all set up at home."

Sam could only shake his head slightly. His father still amazed him. "Thank you."

Yvonne beamed at her husband. William moved well beyond hiding his concern for Sam. He showed it openly now. Their relationship seemed stronger than any of his brother's relationships with their sons. Perhaps it was because both had experienced what it was like without out it. A relationship forged in adversary and stronger for it. She put her arm around William as she said, "If you will have me, I'd like to stay with you while you recover. I can help out when Jules returns to work."

Sam glanced at Jules and noted her smile and nod. Her gave his mom a bright smile. "I'd like that."

A light knock at the door had everyone looking towards it. Charlie poked her head inside. "Sam Sam, are you up to visiting with a special someone?"

He nodded, and the door opened wider. A small girl walked in holding the hand of Dr. Chasseur. Louise stared at the man in the bed, and a big smile came to her face.

Sam recognized the little girl. She was instrumental in saving his life. "Hello again."

Jules, Yvonne, and Ann backed up from the bed to give the little girl access. Louise walked forward with no fear or hesitancy. She took his hand. "My Sammy helped me draw the picture of you." She quickly glanced at her dad and bit her lower lip. "Sorry, I'm not supposed to talk like that."

The 'my Sammy' startled Sam a moment, but he recovered rapidly and squeezed Louise's hand. Whether he should or not, he said, "I still talk to my little sister and my best friend. Sometimes I hear them talking to me, too. It's good to remember the ones we love. Thank you for helping to find me."

Louise's eyes opened wide. "Your sister Sara and brother Matt are nice."

Everyone's eyes turned to Louise.

Sam swallowed a lump in his throat. "How do you know their names?"

Chewing her bottom lip, Louise said more than she should. She glanced at her dad and wondered if she would get in trouble.

Mathieu Chasseur took a knee in front of his daughter. "Louise?"

Her eyes darted around and down. "Sorry, papa. I know I'm not supposed to talk like that."

Pulling his daughter to him, Mathieu hugged her. "Poppet, it is okay. How did you know the names?"

Louise peeked up at her dad and then over to Sam. "My Sammy said that Matt and Sara have a connection with Sam like I have with my Sammy. It's special. He told me about Sara and Matt and how they watch over him, like my Sammy watches over me."

Jules and Sam locked eyes. Sam smiled when he saw Jules smile. In a rational mind, what Louise said didn't make sense, yet they both felt the truth of it.

Sam said, "Louise." He waited until she looked at him. "I believe you."

Mathieu hugged his daughter close again. "I can't explain it, but I believe you too, poppet." He stood and lifted his daughter with him.

Emboldened by her father's and Sam's words, Louise peered at Sam. "My Sammy says that you need to take better care of yourself because you are running Matt ragged and his feathers are all falling out."

The room erupted in laughter.

Sadie blinked open her eyes, startled by the laughter. Her eyes landed on her daddy, and she promptly started babbling, "Da da da da dada."

Sam hugged his daughter close reveling in her latest sound. Yeah, it was time to take better care of himself. He had two special ladies who depended on him. His eyes moved to Jules, his beauty of life, and he gave her a lopsided grin. His life was great.

One Week Later - Sam's and Jules' Home

Free of the oxygen, at last, Sam shuffled to Sadie's bedroom to peek in. The corners of his mouth lifted as he listened to his mother softly singing a lullaby to Sadie. His mom had been a so helpful the past week. He tried to help out, but with pneumonia, his lungs were knocked for a loop. Breathing had almost felt as bad as after he was shot years ago.

Team One and Team Three had been rotating checking up on him in the last week too. Actually, his home was a veritable spinning door of visitors. Jim stopped by daily to listen to his lungs. Blaze, Winds, and Mason each showed up twice. Scott, Adam, Jeff, Kyle, and Zach all showed up. The Boss came by each day after his classes, too. The only one missing was his father, but he had an important security summit to attend.

Sam quietly closed the door and continued down the hallway to the stairs. Only yesterday was he allowed out of bed. He was going stir crazy. He gripped the rail and carefully made his way down the stairs. A weird thought popped into his head. At least he didn't have to crawl up and down the stairs like he did when Jeff found him on the stairs in his parent's home. The memory was one that he cherished even though it was one of the lowest points in his life. It was representative of how much his entire family cared for him.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs he stopped and coughed a bit. The congestion had cleared significantly. His ribs barely twinged with the coughing now, mending nicely Dr. Fraser had said at his check up yesterday. He headed for the kitchen, intent on getting coffee. Luckily that had not been denied him this time.

A knock on the door had him shifting directions. He opened the door to find Spike, Ed, Wordy, and the Boss standing there with their hands full of take-out bags from Jules' favorite Chinese restaurant.

Spike's eyes danced as he bounded into the house. "Samtastic is up and walking. When did you get to lose the oxygen?"

Sam stood back while the others entered then he shut the door. "This morning. What brings you all here?"

Ed tapped him on the head lightly. "Your brain working?"

Looking at Ed strangely, Sam answered. "Yeah. But that doesn't answer the question."

"Celebration night," Ed stated and moved towards the kitchen.

Eyeing Wordy, Sam asked, "Celebration?"

The doorbell stopped Wordy from answering. Sam opened the door again to find Leah and all of Team Three standing there with more bags of food. Now he was really confused. He allowed them all to enter and as he was about to close the door he caught sight of Winnie approaching so he waited.

Jules headed down the stairs and smiled in greeting to everyone and went straight to the kitchen to organize things. Bewildered, Sam started to ask Wordy again what was up, but Rollie ushered him into the dining room and told him to sit. Very quickly everybody congregated into the dining room with plates of food and bottles of beer. Jules brought Sam a plate and a glass of tea.

Once they all found a place to sit, Sam asked, "What are we celebrating?"

Greg smiled. "One, everyone has been cleared of any wrong doing in the death of Ms. Tocci. Her death was ruled accidental due to an unknown allergy to mangos."

Ed said, "Two, no charges against Mason for knocking down a house. The structural engineer that investigated it said it was a wonder the house hadn't collapsed years before based on the rotted timbers."

Wordy grinned. "Third, the birth of my daughter Paisley. I have pictures if anyone wants to see." He held up one and showed it to everyone, getting awes from Jules, Leah, and Winnie and smiles from all the guys.

Jules brushed Sam's shoulders. "Fourth, you are off oxygen and well on the mend."

Lance beamed brightly and shared, "Fifth, Gibbson helped me arrange a new hearing for custody. I have an excellent chance of getting the fifty-fifty custody of Milo now."

Spike took hold of Winnie's hand. They shared a look deciding who should tell. Spike won. His grin was a mile wide as he said, "Winnie and I are engaged."

Whoops of congratulations rang through the house. The group celebrated long into the night. It was only when they noticed Sam and Jules both conked out on the couch that the group quietly cleaned up and let themselves out.

Once everyone was gone, Yvonne locked up the house and set the alarm. She brought down a blanket and draped it over Sam and Jules. Then she headed back up to the nursery to check on Sadie before heading to bed herself.

.

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OUTLIER Summary:

Dan Broderick finally believed Brody's 'beauty of life' existed for him. His dad cared, his mom loved him, his blood family and unit brothers found him, and best of all Sexy Lexie wanted him! Life was great … until he crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

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Come peek into the lives of Daniel Broderick, Lexa McKenna, Jon Hardy, Nick Pastore, Loki Baldovino, Bram De Haven, Ray Palomo, Brody Hunter and the rest of your favorite characters (General Broderick, Yvonne, the Broderick cousins, Blaze, Mason, Patch, Winds, etc.). Delve into a complex world of brave men and women riding a roller coaster of emotions and danger. Explore the nature of relationships and bonds developed, tested, and strengthened in the face of adversity as they seek to find the beauty of life.