A Rose in Shadow

Kelsey

"Knock, knock" came a voice as Samantha's apartment door opened and Finn and Kelsey came in together. Mac and Malachi jumped up from where they were sitting in the living room playing cards and Mac rushed over to pull Kelsey into a big hug.

"Kelsey James, you look as beautiful as ever" Mac smiled down at her and then grinned over her shoulder at Finn while he kept his arms squeezed tightly around her.

Narrowing his eyes, Finn snarled at Mac "Just because you're my best friend don't think that I won't punch you in the nose. Release my woman" Kelsey's sweet laugh filled the room as Samantha came down the hallway.

"Hi, you two" she ran over to hug Kelsey when Mac finally released her and gave Finn's arm a squeeze. "Thanks for coming to hang out with me tonight. I've made us caramel popcorn, nachos, guacamole, salsa, margaritas and have enough Dr. Pepper to drown a puppy, which we won't do but seemed like a good descriptive analogy" smirking at Finn whose number one weakness since he was a kid, was Dr. Pepper. He gave a fist pump and smirked back.

"Is that what I'm smelling? Caramel popcorn?" Mal asked while he squeezed past everyone and disappeared into the kitchen.

Laughing, Samantha took coats. "Well, that will keep him busy. Come on in – did you bring the movies?"

"We did. One that Finn wanted and one that I wanted" said Kelsey and putting her arm through Samantha's she quickly started leading her back toward Sam's bedroom "but first I want to hear about this hot cop" she murmured under her breath and wiggled her eyebrows at Sam. "We'll be right back" she tossed out over her shoulder to the guys as they watched them curiously.

Once they reached the privacy of Sam's bedroom, Kelsey closed the door behind them and sat down on the edge of the bed patting the space beside her. "Lay it on me" she said "and don't tell me you aren't upset about this asshole harassing you." Samantha blinked, not expecting this conversation. "You're putting on a brave front for those three but I know you. Let me be here for you".

Like with Finn's previous dates or girlfriends, when he introduced her to Kelsey, Samantha was careful not to make the other woman jealous of her relationship with Finn. She knew that some of his previous relationships had failed in part because of her, although Finn would deny it.

She could tell immediately when meeting some of them if they were okay with her being in Finn's life like she was. Some of them were polite and friendly and said all of the right things during their first meeting but still spent the whole interaction glancing at her, as though waiting to see if she would try to grope Finn under the table when they weren't looking.

Starting a relationship being that jealous or suspicious was always a glaring warning sign of things to come. When he inevitably ended things with these women he would just tell Samantha that it hadn't worked out but she knew that a large part of it was because of her. She had asked him about it more than once but he always brushed it off, saying that they were just too clingy for him.

It was obvious though, from the very first day, that Kelsey was different and she and Samantha had actually spent so much time talking together during that meeting that they had immediately made plans to meet up together again, just the two of them, for coffee. Now, several years later they still met once or twice a month without Finn.

Sam was happy for Finn. Kelsey was just what he needed.

Sitting down on the bed beside Kelsey, Samantha felt her eyes well up before she caught the tears and laughed at herself. "Wow, don't know where those came from" she smiled when she wiped her cheeks.

"Actually, I do know" she said turning to Kelsey who had reached out to grab her hand.

"I was holding up just fine, trying to stay calm for the guys because they so obviously are not fine" Kelsey squeezed her fingers "and then I talked to my mom on the phone" her voice softened.

"Mac called our parents – and so he should have" she quickly added "and then they both insisted on talking to me to make sure that I'm okay." She lay back on the bed and closed her eyes. "My dad was okay and I got the speech about noticing my surroundings, not being alone, staying in lighted areas, all of the stuff that he has been telling me since I was a kid but then my mom got on the phone"

Kelsey lay back beside Sam and linked their arms together. "I could hear her voice breaking as though she was trying to be brave and it broke my heart. I hate that I am making her worry and it is just making me more mad at Nathan Moore, whoever he is, for upsetting my life this way" she clenched her fists and Kelsey rubbed her arm.

"Good for you, Sam. Anger is a healthy emotion for someone going through what you are right now. Just don't brush away all of the fear though, because that is healthy too" when Samantha opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Kelsey she saw her friend studying her.

"Fear is what's going to keep you on your toes and one step ahead of this asshole at all times"

"Damn right".