Forgotten Love

Title: Forgotten Love
Written by: CRene
Rating: R
Summary: A love from Sami’s past comes back to haunt her teaching her that no matter what she tries to
do, he will never forget. A love from Lucas’ past comes back to teach him a lesson. Will Lucas and Sami
survive their past loves or will their hearts be broken once again?

[Note: Thank you to Kelly for making the banners for Forgotten Love.]

                                                                    *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Prologue

    Samantha Jean Brady Roberts was never a woman to regret her past mistakes, but today something
was making her relive the mistake of destroying the life of her first love. She didn’t know why she was
thinking of him today.
    “Earth to Sami,” her husband said leaning over his wife of three months. Lucas couldn’t believe he had
finally done it. He had married the mother of his child and the one woman who scolded him for every
mistake he had ever made. Yet some how he couldn’t ever stop loving this firecracker he called his wife.
    “Austin,” she mumbled opening her eyes to see her husband, the love of her life, the man who wasn’t
Austin Reed, but his brother.
    “Austin,” Lucas asked in anger jumping out of bed. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing his wife was
dreaming of another man.
    “Lucas, I’m sorry, it’s not what you think,” Sami replied stripping off the blankets that surrounding her in
bed. At night it wasn’t the blankets that kept her warm, it was Lucas, it was always Lucas.   But she couldn’
t understand what would make her dream of Austin. It had been months since she heard from her – what
was Austin. At one point he was everything to her, her husband, her lover, her best friend, and one of the
only people that believed in her. Now he was a distant memory until last night when she dreamed of him.
    “Sami, what is going on? Were you seeing my brother last night when we made love?”
    “No, of course not, Lucas. It was you I was with last night not your brother. I love you, I married you.
Now this conversation is over,” Sami demanded as she grabbed her robe and walked out of the bedroom.
    Lucas stood there for a minute and wondered if his wife was telling the truth. Was he the one that she
was truly with? Or was it another fantasy like she had with Brandon last year? Right now though it didn’t
matter, his brother was thousands of miles away from Salem and there was no way Austin would show his
face in town again especially with Nicole on the prowl.
    Suddenly there was a knock on the door, Lucas grabbed his blue robe tying it together he walked out of
the bedroom noticing Sami standing at the door with her pink rosebud robe and nothing else underneath.
    “Mrs. Samantha Roberts,” the older gentlemen in the blue striped suite questioned at the door.
    “Yes,” she answered.
    “This is for you,” the man said handing an envelope to her then disappeared down the hallway.
    “What is it,” Lucas asked coming up behind Sami before she could shut the door to the apartment they
shared with their teenage son.
    “Not sure.”
    The red envelope with a seal of a heart was rose scented neither Sami nor Lucas knew what was inside.
Sami tore it open and quickly read the invitation to a costume ball for Valentine’s Day on the top floor of
the most prestige hotel in Salem.
    “Who is throwing this thing,” Lucas questioned.
    “It doesn’t say, but I say we go. It’s a week from tomorrow which gives us enough time to find a costume.”
    “What if it’s my mother trying to split us up again?”
    “She can’t break us up, Lucas, we’re unbreakable,” Sami whispered putting her arms around Lucas’ neck
then kissing him passionately.
    What they didn’t know was the mastermind behind the costume party was in fact someone from their
past that wanted revenge. This was a chance to show all of Salem that this person was back in Salem and
ready to take charge in every way possible.

Chapter One

    “Don’t worry what your brother will think,” the older lady said over her cell phone walking down the halls
of Salem Hospital. “He is a big boy who can take care of himself.”
    “Then why do you keep on asking me when I’m coming back,” her oldest son questioned.
    “Because it’s been so long since I seen your handsome face. Austin, can’t a mother miss her son.”
    “Yes, you can, mom, but I know you too well. You still believe that Lucas is better without Sami,” Austin
Reed commented. He had wanted to be there for his brother’s wedding although seeing the bride was not
something he really wanted to do. He was happy for his brother that he had finally settled down, yet it was
with Sami. At least Lucas was happy and sober.
    “Austin, are you happy?”
    “Of course I am.”
    “It’s because you rid yourself of the pariah named Sami Brady,” Kate explained. “Austin, you left her at
the altar which was the best thing for you. And if only your brother could see that, he could be happy too.”
    “From what I heard he is happy. Mom, Sami and I weren’t meant to be just like Carrie and I weren’t. I’m
not supposed to be with a Brady woman, I know that now.”
    Austin still thought of the two sisters throughout his days. He couldn’t help not thinking about the two
blonds that stole his heart and broke it in pieces. Throughout the years he thought Carrie was the love of
his life, now he knew better, there was no such thing as soul-mates.
    “That’s not true, Austin, Carrie was the one meant for you. She didn’t trick her into marriage or lie to you
time and time again. Carrie is the one for you,” Kate stated.
    Kate knew how his marriage to Carrie had ended. She knew that Carrie had cheated on him with Mike
Horton, but what Austin didn’t know was Carrie never followed through with her marriage to Mike. Carrie
wasn’t happy with her life these days nor was Austin. The two of them were always happy together and
Kate would make sure it would happen once again for them.
    “Mom, something has come up, I have to get going, but I will talk to you soon,” Austin told his mother
before disconnecting the call.
    Kate stood there near the nurses’ station of the hospital hoping that her plans for a reunion between her
son and Carrie would happen. All of her children deserved to be happy, yet some of them never rose to their
full potential pursuing their one true loves. Their mother would fix that problem for sure.
    At Basic Black, Sami sat down at the reception desk where she had worked for the past three months.
Her mother proved to be her biggest asset when it came to this position.
    “Sami, I need to see you in my office now,” John ordered from the speakerphone. Her step-father wasn’t
her first choice in being her boss, but he did own the company and she needed the job. She did her best at
Basic Black unlike some of her other places of employment. She needed this job more than anything. Sami
Brady Roberts needed to support her family and show everyone in Salem that she was past her
manipulative ways.
    “You wanted to see me,” Sami stated walking into the large white office with designs all over the walls
along with awards of accomplishments.
    “Did you send the package to Italy out Tuesday like I ordered,” John asked. “The customer is saying they
never received it.”
    “Yes, I did, John. I made sure to get a copy of the receipt from the delivery man that day. Plus I checked
on the item the next morning on the delivery company’s website. I kept up with where it was every day until
Friday morning when it was delivered to the company,” Sami explained in detail. She knew covering her ass
was the only way she was going to stay here and move up in the company as well. If John would let her move
up that is.
    “Well they are saying they didn’t receive it,” John balked standing up coming around his desk in a fowl
mood.
    “I can print up a copy of the delivery from the site. It will give the time it was signed by someone at their
company.”
    “Sami, I told you to make sure it was delivered,” John shouted leaning against the front of his desk and
slamming his fists against the desk. This was a very large order for Basic Black.
    “Am I interrupting,” Marlena asked walking into her husband’s office. It was always a delight to
Marlena when she was able to come see her eldest daughter at work with her husband. The two of them
weren’t the best of friends the past ten years or so, although when Sami was younger she adored her step-
father. Now things were different, all of them were different.
    “Your daughter just lost a very important set of designs,” John stated walking past Sami and into the
arms of her mother.
    “Excuse me,” Sami mumbled leaving the office. She wasn’t in the mood to watch John badmouth her to
her mother. No, she was going to show him. This was the new Sami Brady Roberts, a type of woman that
would be the bigger person. No more revenge and misdeeds, no she would show John the proof to prove her
innocence.
    As she settled back at her desk the phone began to ring. This wasn’t the type of job she needed, no, she
wanted one where she was shown some respect, but it was the only place she could find.
    “Basic Black, John Black’s office, how may I help you,” Sami answered politely without sarcasm dripping
from her mouth.
    “It’s me, babe. I was hoping you would be able to get away for lunch,” Lucas said standing outside the
skyscraper known as Basic Black.
    “Not today, Lucas, I’m sorry. I have to find where this package disappeared too that was delivered to
Italy last week. If I don’t find out what happened, I could be walking the unemployment line.”
    “Maybe I can help,” Lucas suggested.
    “There’s nothing you can do, Lucas. I’ll just meet you at home tonight.”
    “Okay, maybe there will be a surprise for you when you get home tonight,” Lucas said.
    “Does it include marshmallows,” she asked trying not to smile at the thought of marshmallows and
Lucas.
    “Maybe, well I better let you get back to work then,” Lucas replied. “I love you.”
    “I love you, too,” Sami said before the line went dead.
    She knew if she didn’t find the information John was needing no amount of marshmallows would be able
to save her.
    Five hours later she walked into the apartment with her hair out of place and her blouse untucked from
her black knee-length velvet skirt. She had been looking forward to this time all day, the time where she
could put her feet up and have no worries for the next twenty-four hours.
    Instantly she could smell the cinnamon coming from the kitchen along with the smell of chocolate. Sami
noticed the two men in her life working hard in the kitchen with flour, marshmallows, pans and sugar
scattered throughout the kitchen. She couldn’t help but laugh just a little.
    “Mom, you’re home,” Will squealed running up to his mother with a bowl full of cinnamon hearts for her
while Lucas followed with a cup of hot chocolate filled to the rim with marshmallows.
    “Thank you,” Sami replied grabbing a few hearts off the plate then kissing her son on the cheek. “You
knew exactly what I needed.”
    Dinner had passed without mention of the day’s events but when Will went to the bed for the night a few
hours later; Lucas knew it was time to ask all the right questions.
    “So,” he asked drying the last of the dinner dishes.
    Sami sat at the bar drinking a glass of milk trying not to think of what would happen tomorrow at the
office.
    “I showed John the proof that someone in Italy signed for the package. It seems though that the person
who signed for the package was on vacation last week. Luckily this factory was going to give John another
chance although he is going to be letting Kate fly to Italy to hand-deliver it this time. You should have seen
the way your mother and John ganged up on me though. I stood my ground with them as best as I could,”
Sami explained in detail.
    “But you still have a job,” Lucas wondered.
    “Yeah, I still have a job. It’s just so weird, Lucas, its like someone set me up to fail. Who would do that?
I mean other than your mother.”
    “Sami, don’t start getting paranoid, it was probably a simple mistake on the delivery. My mother wouldn’
t do something like this especially involving Basic Black.”
    “I’m serious, Lucas, this isn’t the first time things have disappeared at the office. The past two weeks
invoices and important documents have come up missing and most of it I had a handle in someway or
another. I’m seriously thinking someone is trying to sabotage me,” Sami said moving towards the window.
    Someone was out there trying to make Sami pay for her past mistakes. The list was long on all of the
people Sami had hurt through the years. Was it only Sami this person was after or was it everyone she
loved? Would this person succeed in ruining Sami Brady Roberts? Not if she had anything to do with it
since Sami could play just as dirty and if need be she would turn back to her old ways. Sami would go back
to the days of blackmailing and manipulation if need be.

Chapter Two

    The young blond woman brushed her long blond locks for the last time looking into the floor length mirror
that stood in the large marble master bathroom in her hotel room. She was a woman scorned by all in
Salem. She was treated like trash so many times during the years when she was a resident of Salem a few
short years ago. Now she is back for her revenge.
    Everyone she ever loved had deeply hurt her one way or another. There was Samantha Brady, the woman
who stole her soul too many times. Then there was Samantha’s dear husband, Lucas, who conspired with
Samantha to destroy her life and marriage. Now she was back in the town she grew up in to wreck havoc on
them all.
    The costume party on Valentine’s Day she had set up would reveal it all. Now she just had to make sure
the man from her past would be arriving in time. He didn’t know yet that he was involved in all of this, hell,
he didn’t even know he would be coming to Salem yet. All in good time, she thought as she pinned her blond
hair up leaving a few curling trundles down surrounding her face. No, this would be his revenge also because
he had left her. The mistakes she made in the past with him would be resolved one way or another. Now
this was her time to show him just how much she still loved him.
    “I can’t believe you are making me wear this thing,” Lucas Roberts said walking out of his bedroom he
shared with his wife in a football uniform except the helmet which he was holding in his hand. “I look
ridiculous.”
    “No, you don’t,” Sami replied smiling at her husband. She always wanted to date the jock in high school,
but all she got was her sister’s leftovers. Now she was staring at her own star of the team.
    “These pants are way too tight, Sami,” Lucas stated trying to pull the fabric from his thigh. “You can see
everything in these things.”
    “I believe that is the point, hon,” she mumbled as she walked by slapping his butt. “Nice butt.”
    “This is so not fair,” Lucas whispered as the bedroom door shut.
    “No one said life was fair in love and marriage,” Sami snapped from the other side of the door where she
was changing into her matching uniform for the costume party tomorrow night.
    A knock at the door interrupted Lucas’ fantasy of opening that bedroom door and ravaging his wife in the
middle of the day.
    Lucas slowly walked across the apartment while the person on the other side of the apartment knocked
several times. He knew how crazy he would look in this uniform to the person in the hallway. Opening the
door slowly, he was afraid the person would fall down laughing so hard at the one man who could be farthest
from ever being a star football player.
    “What in the hell did I walk into,” Kate said pushing her way into her son’s apartment.
    “Mother,” Lucas mumbled walking behind his mother into the apartment. His loving mother sat down
on the couch while Lucas sat in the living chair. “What are you doing here?”
    “Can’t I come see my son,” Kate asked. “Or has your wife turned you totally against me?”
    “Sami wouldn’t do that,” he commented as the bedroom door opened with Sami walking out in a very
short and revealing cheerleader uniform that matched Lucas’ football uniform.
    “How about we play grab the pom poms later,” Sami suggested before she looked up and noticed her
horrible mother-in-law sitting on her couch.
    “I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that,” Kate said standing up from the couch. “I came by to see my son, not
to hear what the two of you do in the bedroom. For the life of me, I don’t know what you see in her, Lucas.”
    “Mother, please, not this again,” Lucas ordered.
    “You’re right; I didn’t come here for that. I came here to tell you the wonderful news,” Kate commented.
“Your brother is coming back to Salem. He should be here tomorrow night for the costume party and he
would really like to see you.”
    Sami stood there hearing the news in shock. The man who once held her heart was coming back to Salem
for Valentine’s Day. After her dream the other night she figured it would be years before she got to see him
again.
    “I really don’t feel like catching up with him,” Lucas stated standing up and going to the door. He wanted
his mother to leave, he wanted everyone to leave. He couldn’t deal with this now; not after the other night
with Sami dreaming of Austin.
    “I demand you to speak to your brother,” Kate ordered as she walked towards the door. “Family is very
important to me, all of my children need each other these days. And whether you like it or not, you are going
to see Austin.”
    Kate walked out of the apartment seconds later leaving both Lucas and Sami in shock of what just
happened. Sami wanted to see Austin and apologize for everything she did to him throughout the years, yet
she knew with Lucas around that would be impossible. She couldn’t risk losing Lucas now.
    All Lucas wanted was a drink; a few stiff drinks if possible, maybe even a beer or two; anything to make
the pain go away. He walked past his wife slamming the bedroom door. He desperately needed to get away
from this place and find somewhere quiet to think about all of this. Lucas just needed to get away from
Sami for the night.
    “Lucas, please,” Sami murmured standing at the door running her hands on the door. She knew what he
was thinking; she knew what he was thinking about. Samantha Brady Roberts knew that right now what
Lucas probably wanted more than anything was a drink. Yet she couldn’t let that happen, she couldn’t let
the man she loved with all her heart fall of the wagon once again.
    On the way back to her penthouse, Kate Roberts made the call she was dreading. Dialing the number she
was made to memorize, she wanted patiently for the person on the other end to pick up.
    “Hello,” the deep voice answered.
    “It’s Kate Roberts, I wanted to let you know that I did what you asked. I told Lucas that Austin was going
to be back in town. I still don’t know why you are making me do this.”
    “Ms. Roberts, you will be well compensated like I informed you last month. Don’t worry, your sons won’t
be hurt in all of this, the person I really want is Samantha Brady,” the person informed Kate. “Now just
finish the job and the money will be in your account by the end of the week.”
    The phone was disconnected before Kate could protest another minute. Who was this person that wanted
to destroy Sami so much? And what did Austin have to do with it? Maybe it was the only way to get rid of
Sami once and for all. Maybe Sami Brady would be out of her family’s life for good after tomorrow night.
Kate smiled at the fact that all of this was coming to an end and she would behind her son’s marriage
falling apart. It would be the best night of her life.

Chapter Three

    Lucas couldn’t help it. He knew thinking of his brother and his wife was a bad idea. Yet Lucas couldn’t
get the image of those two together out of his head. He loved them both very much, but Austin was trouble.
    Throughout the years it was Lucas who was the troublemaker. When it came to Sami though, it was all
Austin. Lucas could remember the days when Sami was still a teenager and schemed her way into Austin’s
bed. No, Lucas couldn’t do it. He couldn’t replay those horrific times of Sami and him trying to win Austin
and Carrie’s affections. Lucas ended up with the right woman.
    As Lucas sat down at the bar in Cheatin Heart, he couldn’t help but relive some happier times with
Sami. The schemes they pulled together and then the miracle of Will. He had hoped that by now he would
have another child, but Sami had decided one was enough.
    Lucas ordered a beer hoping to chase his troubles away. Once the beer arrived, he started to take a drink
of it when a woman who smelled like roses put her hand on his shoulder.
    “Is this seat taken,” she asked pointing over to the empty bar stool next to him.
    “Nope, go ahead,” Lucas replied bringing the beer closer to his lips.
    “You know you shouldn’t be drinking that,” the woman said ordering a drink for herself. She knew that he
hadn’t once looked up to see her.
    “Who do you think you are, my mother,” Lucas questioned before taking that sip of beer that would ruin
his night. After taking a guzzle of beer he slammed the half empty beer bottle on the counter and looked
over at the woman beside him. He couldn’t believe it.
    “Carrie,” he mumbled seeing the woman who once held his heart. It was the one who he had obsessed
about for ages. Her blond shiny hair had gotten much longer since the last time he had seen her. She still
looked as young as ever. Carrie Brady aged with grace unlike him and unlike anyone else he had ever seen.
    “Nice to see you too, Lucas,” Carrie smiled pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Now what made you
come here tonight?”
    “You don’t want to know,” Lucas said taking another drink of his beer. He wanted to get really drunk
tonight and drown in his sorrows. Now that Carrie was with him, he wanted to drown himself in her too.
    “I can make your pain go away,” she whispered into his ear. Suddenly all of those feelings came rushing
back to him. His body began to feel the effect of Carrie Brady being so close to him.
    He turned around to look at her and in the doorway of the Cheatin Heart he saw his future. His wife had
come after him, but it was too late. He had already drank his sorrows away, now he was feeling a different
kind of high - a high he hadn’t felt in years.
    Carrie put her hand on Lucas’ thigh inching it closer to her target. As she leaned into him, he started
drawing closer to her. Within seconds their lips had met in a passionate kiss.
    The kiss may have only lasted mere seconds but for the woman watching in the doorway it was a
lifetime. When the kiss broke apart, Lucas stared at his wife then took Carrie’s hand in his and pulled her
in for another kiss.
    Sami knew it was no use. She had lost Lucas once again and this time it had nothing to do with her
scheming ways. She had lost him due to his own insecurities. Sami had lost him because of her past with
his brother and his infatuation with her sister.
    Sami Brady Roberts turned her back on her husband walking out of the Cheatin Heart. It was too late
for them to fix this mess his mother had made. Once again Kate Roberts had won, and Sami had lost
everything that mattered the most to her. She was defeated.
    As she walked away from the Cheatin Heart Sami pulled her wedding ring of her finger and dropped it
onto the ground of the dark alley. She knew what pulling of her wedding ring meant, it meant it was over.
Sami walked away from it all; she walked into the darkness known as her life.
    When Sami had finally disappeared within the darkness the lone figure came out from hiding into a dark
corner. He had noticed the ring instantly sparkling on the filthy pavement. He picked up the ring putting it
into his pocket for safe keeping. Now he knew what he had to do. He had come to Salem for a reason, and
he was to go through with the plans. Even though it didn’t happen exactly how he wanted it too, he was
going to win the heart of the woman he desired for so long. Their future may have been interrupted before by
the manipulative ways of some evil residents of Salem before, but not now. Now this man would live
happily ever after with the woman he rightly deserved.

Chapter Four

    “I can’t believe you made me come to this thing dressed like this,” Lucas said taking his football helmet
off of his head while his wife and him walked into the large ballroom filled with Valentine’s decorations and
people dressed in costumes.
    “I told you that you didn’t have to come,” Sami replied grimacing at the events that had played out just
twenty-four hours ago.
    “You weren’t going to come alone,” Lucas told her grabbing her hand and leading her farther into the
ballroom.
    Sami couldn’t believe the gall of her husband. He was the one that cheated on her; he was the one that
went out drinking last night and ended up making out with her sister for the entire town to see. When he
came crawling back into the apartment early this morning, she didn’t have the energy to confront him on his
indiscretion.
    “Let go of me, Lucas,” Sami yelled pulling away from him. She needed to come to the costume party
tonight to get her mind off of the visions playing over and over in her head. She needed to find peace with
this and not do something stupid like seek revenge.
    Sami ran into the crowd as far from her husband as she could. Walking through the residents of Salem
dressed in all sorts of costumes she felt trapped and confused. As she opened the doors to the balcony to get
some fresh air she felt someone touch her hand. As she looked up there he was – her hero. The hero was
dressed in black leather with all of his muscles showing in the right places. She couldn’t see his face
because of the mask he was wearing, but looking into his eyes, she knew instantly who it was.
    “Austin,” she murmured looking into the tall, dark, handsome man wearing the batman costume.
    “Call me Batman,” he whispered in her ear making the little hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
    “I always preferred Superman, but I can go for a guy in leather,” Sami smiled leading the Caped
Crusader onto the balcony. “You don’t know how happy I am to see you tonight.”
    “Likewise. I always wanted my own cheerleader,” he blushed looking her over in the cheerleader
costume. “Sami, it’s so great to see you.”
    Sami couldn’t believe it – the man from her dreams was back. He looked even better than he had the last
time she had seen him. It didn’t matter if he was dressed in a potato sack or a Batman costume. He was
here.
    Both of them looked out into the dark skies filled with stars. Austin remembered why he had come back
to Salem and why he didn’t want to go through with his original plans. When he looked into Sami’s eyes, he
saw a woman who wasn’t happy; a woman who didn’t have that sparkle in her eyes.
    “How is Lucas,” Austin asked standing next to her leaning against the railing. He noticed Sami looked
down to the streets below them all of the small people in the world.
    “Carrie’s back in town,” Sami sighed taking a deep breath trying not to revisit last night again.
    “That doesn’t answer my question, Sami. How’s Lucas,” he questioned putting covering his hand with
hers.
    “Carrie’s back in town,” Sami repeated trying not to shed a tear. “I found them together at the Cheatin
Heart last night.”
    “Was he drinking?”
    “Yeah, the two of us got into a fight yesterday and he ran out. I figured he would go there, but I didn’t
know he would go as far as he did,” she cried losing her emotions completely.
    Austin held his arms out to her and she fell into them. His strong arms is what she needed right now.
She needed someone to look after her – to be her hero. Austin would always be that man.
    As Lucas walked through the ballroom he noticed the two figures out on the balcony. He noticed Sami’s
outfit instantly and the Caped Crusader holding her is what made his blood boil. After everything Lucas
had done for her – she goes and does this to him.
    “Lucas,” the female voice whispered in his ear. “Come with me.”
    Lucas didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. He had heard her voice in his dreams for years. At
one point he thought she was his one true love but she never returned the feelings then. Maybe it was time
to show his wife that two could play at this game.
    “Wonder Woman to the rescue,” said the woman who wrapped her lasso around Lucas and led him away
to a secluded area.
    “I can’t believe you are here,” Lucas commented looking the dark haired beauty before him. He knew it
was a wig and that her long blond hair was hidden underneath the dark hair. Other things he noticed about
her costume were starting to make him feel things he should only feel for his wife. This woman was dressed
up as Wonder Woman and what a wonder she was.
    “What the hell is going on here,” a familiar male voice wondered coming up behind Lucas and Wonder
Woman.
    “Phillip, get lost,” Carrie demanded to the younger brother of Lucas who was dressed up as a penguin.
    “Sorry, Phil, this isn’t the greatest time,” Lucas said looking over at his brother trying not to laugh then
at Carrie who made him smile.
    “You’re about ready to cheat on your wife with an old flame, Lucas, that is my concern,” Phillip explained
remembering when he caught his wife with her ex.
    “This isn’t like you and Belle. Anyway, you and Belle found your way back to each to other. Sami and I
are hopeless,” Lucas sighed recalling what he had seen on the balcony. “Anyway I’m not the only one here
fooling around.”
    “You’ve been drinking,” Phillip pointed out finally smelling the liquor on his brother’s breath.
    “I had one drink, no big deal,” Lucas said grabbing another drink from the waiter that walked bye.
“Cheers.”
    “Phillip, he’s upset about Sami’s latest scheme. You can’t blame him for trying to blow off steam, can
you,” Carrie responded trying to get Phillip out of the way before he became a target.
    “From what I understand Sami has been nothing but an Angel lately. Belle said Sami has been doing
everything she can to turn a new leaf,” Phillip pointed out.
    “Well how many times has she promised she would turn a new leaf then something happens to make her
turn back into that back-stabbing, scheming woman that everyone in town loves to hate,” Carrie explained.
“She’s at it right now with your other brother out on the balcony. Go stop them before anything happens
because I can take care of Lucas here.”
    “That’s what I’m afraid of,” Phillip commented shaking his head, but she was right. Sami needed to be
taught a lesson and someone would do it once and for all.
    Phillip left Lucas and Carrie alone and now it was time for her plan to continue. She needed to get
revenge on Sami for what she had done to her. No one knew why she was back in town, but all of them
would know by the end of tonight.

Chapter Five

    “I can’t do this,” Sami proclaimed leaving Austin’s arms fleeing the balcony and going back into the
costume ball.
    Sami knew that if Lucas had seen her, he would never forgive her. She wasn’t that person anymore. Even
though she would do anything for Austin, she would do even more to keep Lucas as her husband. She would
be the wife he deserved to have. Sami knew Lucas didn’t need the scheming Sami Brady as a wife’ he
needed a wife to support and comfort him when times were tough. Since they had been married everything
had been perfect between them until a couple of weeks ago. Carrie wasn’t going to take Lucas away from
her again; not on her watch.
    As Sami walked through the crowd to find her husband she heard the sound of Carrie Brady over the rest
of the crowd.
    “Thank you everyone for coming tonight to this costume ball. I am your host, Carrie Brady,” Carrie
announced from the top of the balcony taking off her mask and wig with Lucas standing right beside her. “I
know many of you are wondering what I am doing back in Salem, and I’m about to tell you, but first a little
announcement.”
    Sami stood there looking up at her sister feeling trend through her entire body. This wasn’t good and she
knew it. Sami had to get out of here before all hell broke loose because the feeling she had in her gut was
telling her that one of her deepest secrets were going to be revealed. She started to weed herself through the
crowd but suddenly a spotlight was upon her.
    “Sami, it’s rude to disappear on such a wonderful occasion,” Carrie said into the microphone. “I mean we
are here to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day and what better people to celebrate than with the people you love.”
    Carrie grabbed onto Lucas’ arm and pulled him into a kiss with everyone watching. Sami was aching
deep within her heart when she noticed Lucas wasn’t pulling away from the kiss; he was enjoying it. She
needed to get out of here.
    When the kiss broke, Carrie shoved Lucas away and stood tall and confident because what she was going
to say would do so much damage to so many people in Salem.
    “I never thought I would be back here in Salem after I rode off into the sunset with Mike to Israel. But
what many of you don’t know is it wasn’t Mike’s idea to go to Israel. It was Sami’s. Sami planned every last
detail and she is the one that paid for Mike’s son to come to Salem to talk him into going to Israel. See, I
didn’t leave Austin because of Mike, I was tricked into it by none other than my little sister,” Carrie
announced to the crowd. “A good doctor is dead because of my little sister. If it wasn’t for her Mike would
still be with us, but instead he was killed last month in a bombing. Don’t you see, Sami, you ruined another
life, once again and for that you should be punished.”
    “How is it Sami’s fault that he was killed? She didn’t cause that bombing,” Austin asked loudly over the
entire crowd who began to mourn a good doctor that they all loved.
    “You would defend her, Austin. You always had a sweet spot when it came to Sami. You said you loved
me and that you would always be there for me, but what you meant to say was you would be there for me
when Sami didn’t need you,” Carrie explained.
    “No, this isn’t Sami’s fault. This isn’t the place to bashing Sami though. She has been through enough
these past few months. You weren’t here when she almost lost her mother and grandmother. No! You weren’
t here for any of your family comforting them when they were going through such heartache. Instead you
were bent on revenge, you are even worse than Sami, Carrie,” Austin shouted letting all of his anger out on a
woman he once loved.
    Lucas sat on the chair confused about all of this. It wasn’t Sami’s fault that his half-brother was killed.
It wasn’t her fault that Carrie cheated on Austin with Mike, no, it was all on Carrie. If her marriage to
Austin was solid, she wouldn’t have cheated on him. This had nothing to do with Sami, yet Carrie didn’t
believe that. Sami was a different person now; she was a good person.
    “I’m sorry,” Lucas murmured knowing his sweet wife could hear him.
    “It’s not your fault, Lucas, that you married a manipulative bitch,” Carrie replied looking over to her
friend.
    “I wasn’t talking about you, Carrie; I was talking about my wife. You came here hell bent on revenge to a
woman who would do anything to be a better person. She looked up to her big sister for years; wanting
everything that you had; and this is what you do to her,” Lucas told her. “For years all she wanted was to be
a respectful Brady woman like you, now you are even worse than she could ever be. Everything she did was
out of love for someone or to protect someone she loved. You did this just to get revenge.”
    Lucas looked down trying to find his wife, but she was nowhere to be found. She snuck out of the ball
before he began his speech on the woman he truly loved. He had to find her and set things straight. Yet
suddenly he noticed Austin making a beeline for the door also. Would Lucas go after his wife or would he let
his brother do it?
    “Daddy,” Carrie cried as her father, Detective Roman Brady, dressed up as a clown came upon her.
“What did I do?”
    “I’m sorry, princess, but you need to come with me,” Roman told his daughter as he led her away from the
ball she had planned to perfection.
    “This isn’t over,” Carrie cried as her father took her away from the costume ball she had or castrated to
ruin her sister.
    Lucas sat here debating on whether he should fight for his wife or deal with the consequences of believing
in a woman who was seriously in need of some help. How could he make the same mistake again? He
should have believed in his love for Sami and trusted her. Will she ever be able to forgive him?

Epilogue

     “Sami, please, wait,” Austin begged running up to his former fiancé. At one time he thought Carrie was
the woman for him, maybe now he was wrong. Sami wasn’t the woman he once knew, she had finally
grown up and now Carrie was the one who become the vindictive witch. Carrie tried to destroy her own
sister and for what - revenge?
     “She’s right,” Sami cried turning around in front of the elevator. “Carrie is right. I did send Mike away
because I knew she would go with him. It took a couple of months, but she ran off with him and after that
you were finally able to be with me. I got him killed.”
     “No, you didn’t. You didn’t fire the gun that killed him. You weren’t even in the same country as Mike.
None of this was your fault,” Austin said putting his hands on her shoulders. “You’re a different person
now.”
     “Am I,” she asked not being able to look him in the eye. “I am married to a wonderful man who loves
me; a man I fought so hard to love me, and now I wreck it by being with you. Austin, you left me because of
all of the lies I told. Now Lucas left me because of the same reason.”
     “I’m here,” she heard him say from behind his brother. She looked up and could see Austin standing
there with a smile on his face.
     “See, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Austin whispered giving her a peck on the forehead than walking
away from a woman he would always call a friend.
     Sami wanted to turn around and watch Austin walk away, but her eyes were fixed on Lucas’. No matter
how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. She had disappointed Lucas once again. She
turned away from him, not being able to look at him any longer.
     “He’s right, Sami,” Lucas stated. “You didn’t do anything wrong here.”
     “Yes, I did,” Sami cried as Lucas tried to turn her around to look at him. With all her strength she kept
her back towards him trying to keep him from seeing this side of her. “Maybe I didn’t calculate all of this
tonight, but I’m the reason Carrie is here. She’s here to punish me for all the bad things I did to her.”
     “You’re not to blame for Carrie’s mistakes. She left Austin on her own years ago; she could have decided
not to go. You made me see that Carrie is not as perfect as she appeared. Everyone including your mother
thinks Carrie walked on water and could do no wrong. Well as they seen tonight, that’s not true. She has
faults and problems like the rest of us,” Lucas explained putting his arms around her and pulling her close
to
him. “What you need to know though, is I love you, Samantha Roberts. It’s been you for as long as I can
remember and no matter how hard I tried to fight it, it was you.”
     “You tried to forget about me,” Sami replied trying to pull away yet not having the courage or strength
anymore.
     “Yes and no. No matter what I could never forget my love for you, but I wanted to try. Now I know
that it was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I want to spend forever with you and only you.”
     “What about next time,” Sami asked turning around to look her husband in the eyes. “What happens
when another one of our pasts loves comes back?”
     “We forget about them because us being together makes us stronger than being apart. Forgotten love is
just that - forgotten. As long as we are together nothing else matters, don’t you see.”
     “I want too, I really do, but how do I believe you when you went running to Carrie as soon as things
got rough,” Sami wondered.
     “No, I ran to the bottle then Carrie came running to me. I apologize for what happened just like I know
you are. Sami, both of us have done some stupid stuff over the years and the past few days top the cake, but
I’m sorry.”
     “How could you,” Marlena shouted running up to her eldest daughter from where the party was still
going on. “Your sister is going to jail for what you did.”
     Lucas grabbed onto his wife’s hand hoping it would give Sami the courage to stand up to her mother.
Through the years, Marlena had always sided with Carrie, her step-daughter, and not Sami.
     “Mom, it happened so long ago and you don’t know how sorry I am for what I did,” Sami apologized.
“I know it was a stupid thing to do now.”
     “Too late. A good man is dead because of you,” Marlena pointed out. “Your sister is devastated and you
don’t care.”
     “I do too,” Sami replied tightening her grip on Lucas digging her nails into his palm.
     “How could you? Don’t you ever learn,” Marlena wondered raising her voice.
     “I don’t believe you,” Lucas shouted. “Your daughter has lived with her mistakes over and over again,
she has tried so many times to be a better person, and when she does you still don’t want anything to do
with her. It’s only when she hurts your precious Carrie, who’s not even your daughter or Belle that you
come running to her. Do you even realize what your daughter has done to change her life?”
     “Sami will never change,” Kate interrupted from the doorway. “When are you going to learn, Lucas,
that your wife is still the same manipulative witch that tried to break Austin and Carrie up years ago.”
     “No, it wasn’t just her fault, I helped her back then,” Lucas admitted pushing Sami behind him. Now it
Lucas’ opinion this was war not just against his wife but also against him.
     “I am surprised Will hasn’t started his scheming being raised by the two of you,” Marlena stated.
     “Hold on right there,” Roman announced coming up behind Lucas and Sami. “These two may have
done some scheming through the years, but no matter what they have taken care of Will and loved him
through the fighting and scheming. I can’t say that the two of you have done that. I mean come on Kate,
how many times did you wreck your children’s lives by trying to control them. You have schemed to get
what you want time and time again. You may say that you did it for your children, but most of the time
your children didn’t want your help.”
     “Now wait just a minute,” Kate yelled back. “I love my children and everything I have done is for them.”
     “Exactly, that’s why Carrie told us who helped her in all of this. She wasn’t behind it alone,” Roman
explained when two officers came up behind Roman. “Sami, I know you haven’t always had it easy, and you
have done some nasty things in your life, but you have made up for it. You didn’t deserve this tonight nor
do you deserve what you are about to hear.”
     The two officers walked past Sami and Lucas and went to stand before Kate and Marlena. The party
wasn’t the finale of the night. There was more scheming than just the set-up at Basic Black of Sami’s
projects,
but there was also a little detail about whose idea it was and who helped with the little details.
     “It seems that someone made a few calls to Carrie to tell her what was happening here in Salem and
gave
Carrie account numbers and important documents so she could start this fiasco. I’m sorry to tell you this,
Sami, but it was your mother who started the ball rolling. It seems that she wanted you to pay for more than
Carrie leaving Salem, but also for me finding out about the affair with John years ago. And well Kate helped
by setting you up at Basic Black and getting Austin back to Salem. See, it looks like it was a family affair.”
     “How could you,” Sami asked her mother. Even though, Sami was never treated the same as Belle or
Carrie, she still loved her mother through everything even the affair with John. “I forgave you years ago for
the affair and marrying John. I may have not told you that, but I did. Now you come after me for revenge.
Why, mom? Why?”
     “Because I could have had it all if it wasn’t for you,” Marlena admitted. “You caught me that night with
John and haven’t let me forget it since. And you never paid for taking my precious Belle away from me and
trying to sell her on the Black Market. It’s about time you pay for all the things you have done to me.”
     “No, Marlena, it looks like it’s time that you pay,” Lucas stated watching the officer handcuff his mother-
in-law. “And mother, thank you, for showing me what love isn’t supposed to be. I finally get to see the real
you along with all of Salem.”
     Two hours later Lucas and Sami fell upon their couch exhausted from the night’s activities. Lucas put
his arm around Sami as her head fell on his shoulder. She was happy all of this was over.
     “I love you, Samantha Gene Brady Roberts, forever and for always,” Lucas said kissing the top of her
head.
     “Always,” Sami whispered before closing her eyes falling into a peaceful slumber.
     All was right in the world of Salem for tonight anyway. Who knew what tomorrow would bring for
Lucas and Sami and who from their past would come back to ruin them for all of their past mistakes. For
the moment though, forgotten love was just that - forgotten and Lucas and Sami enjoyed the night together
filled with love, desire, and the special moments they would treasure forever.

THE END