Seasons with Samantha: Autumn

"Hold on, T.J.'s dead?"

"I don't know, Vincent may be lying but I don't think he is. I need to go check this out."

"I'll come with you, I don't believe him. You know where it is?"

"No but I know the way Vincent came up, we'll find it."

Bryce and Jonathan left the house and rushed off to find the possible murder site, Jonathan led the way, smoking almost an entire packet in the ten minute walk, Bryce decided to stay quiet about bumping one. Pretty soon however they reached a crime scene and they feared the worst. A small crowd had gathered to see what was going on, in the crowd Bryce spotted a familiar face, James Morrison from the party.

"Hey, James." Bryce and Jonathan approached him.

"Bryce, hey how are you?"

"Alright, James this is Johnny my friend, John this is James."

Jonathan and James shook hands. "Morrison? You Frankie's brother?"

"Aye."

"I knew him, he tutored me during the summers."

"Good to hear my brother did some good, I think Bryce mentioned you. You the one with the shitty past?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry Johnny, I was in the same boat, got saved luckily enough."

"Good to hear, what the fuck's going on?"

"Dunnoe, let me just ask."

James called down a passing policeman. "Ross, hey Ross?"

The policemen came over to them. "Hello James, staying out of trouble are we?"

"Where's the fun in that? Hey can you fill us in on what's happening?"

"Fuckin shame, some kid got stabbed last night. Barely out his teens, my partner and I did a check on him, turns out he's married, got a two year old."

The colour drained from Jonathan's face "Shit, oh god oh shit."

"What's wrong with him?"

"We knew the victim, he was a friend."

"He can't be fuckin dead, not T, he's got a family he can't be dead."

Still in shock over the death of their friend, Bryce, Jonathan and James headed to a cafe for a drink, Johnny was near comatose by the whole experience and sat quietly in the corner, something James picked up on.

"He seems a lot quieter than before."

"He's in shock, T.J. was a good friend. He was silent for almost a whole day when his sister was... attacked."

"Ah, say no more."

"I think the fact that he heard it from his brother makes it all the worse."

"That Vincent?"

"Yeah. By the way, Vincent told me before we came here he says hi and that Katie's, um, Katie's cunt was as loose as ever."

James looked away, partially in anger but mostly in shame.

"Who's Katie?"

"Remember the fight between the couple at that party in July."

"Yeah."

"Remember the girl that got punched."

"Yeah."

"That's Katie, she's got a reputation as a major slut, will fuck anything that lets her. She was the one Vincent had his little fun with."

"That's horrible, why hasn't anyone done anything?"

"Did you not hear me, she's as promiscuous as they come. Like anyone's going to believe Katie Gallagher got raped."

That got Jonathan's attention. "What was her name?"

"Katie Gallagher, why?"

"T.J.'s surname was Gallagher, you think there's a chance..."

"I don't know, I think I remember T.J. mentioning a sister but he never gave a name, it's possible."

The three of them sat there in silence, news about T.J., in life and death, still embedded in their minds.

**

T.J.'s death hit Johnny pretty hard, me as well but I'd only known him a few months, Johnny was obviously a good friend of his. We paid a visit to his widow Jane to pay our condolences and find out about any possible sibling, turns out T.J. did have a sister but Jane couldn't remember her name having never met her. Sam comforted me over the death of a friend but I could tell Johnny needed more support. The night after T.J.'s murder Johnny and I met up at the abandoned train station, normally during our midnight walks we'd head there to talk for a while.

**

Bryce arrived first, he didn't have to wait long for a tired Jonathan to arrive.

"Sorry I'm late Bryce, fell asleep."

"No doubt you woke up though."

"Ugh, don't remind me. I wish I had your problem, I can't just stay up all night I have to sleep and when I sleep I see the same thing over and over again."

"I know Johnny, I've been with you through 'All The Evil'."

"Are you going to be with me for much longer, I swear Bryce death fucking follows me like a shadow."

"That's not true, shit happens to everyone you're just unlucky to have a lot of shit happen."

"There's the fucking problem, I can't wait for shit to stop happening to me. I can't keep watching friends and family die around me, T.J. wasn't the first and he isn't going to be the last."

"What do you mean?"

"Come on Bryce you know what I mean; it started with that girl I dated in primary school, Carol Townsend, she got hit by a car, then there was my tutor Frankie Morrison, he killed himself. Then my father and everything that happened that day and now T.J. I am become Death."

"Johnny that's crazy."

"Is it, is it crazy to know that one of us will be speaking at the others funeral and I want to not rehearse my speech. I'm fuckin fed up of people dying around me, I swear to God, I think I'm fucking jinxed."

**

It's difficult to talk to Johnny when he's like this. I often thought he was too melodramatic but he was convinced he was cursed. I managed to calm him down and we got to our real talking but I knew in the back of his mind he still thought he was doomed. Truthfully, sometimes I did as well.

A few days after T.J.'s death Sam's band had a gig at a local pub, I felt a little iffy since the bar was owned by the father of my ex-girlfriend Paige and I knew she worked there, hell she literally lived there. Thankfully Sam convinced me to go, despite how bad we'd left each other Paige and I were on good terms and her and Sam were still friends. The day before the gig Sam and I went shopping, Sam wanted to pick up a new outfit.

**

Bryce and Sam wandered aimlessly around the shops, they had a reason for being there but they also had an afternoon to kill so they spent most of it not doing anything special. Bryce noticed at one point Sam putting her hand in his, he felt exposed to anyone who knew them to see their relationship but he could tell Sam didn't care, she had him and that's all that mattered to her.

Sam led them into a clothes shop, Bryce jokingly groaned to which Sam slapped his arm. Bryce feigned hurt and got a kiss from Sam as reparations.

"Go off on your own for a bit little brother, I'll be fine here."

"You sure?"

Sam kissed him again, out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw someone watching them. Bryce left Sam to brows on his own, turning round she saw she was being watched, by her friend Leanne Martin. Sam was terrified they'd been caught but she thought could at least try to explain it to Leanne.

"Hello Leanne."

"Hello Sam. Was that your cousin?"

Sam couldn't look Leanne in the face, she was ashamed, not at the incestuous relationship but at how her friend had found out about it.

"Yes." Sam looked behind Leanne and saw an older man with her, it looked like Joseph Martin, Leanne's dad.

"Is that your father?"

"Was, not anymore, long story."

Sam put the pieces together in her head, Leanne's parents had broken up but Leanne never said why. Plus she seemed happier, her and Rachel had guessed there was a man in her life but she never expected this man. "Oh. I won't tell if you don't."

"Deal."

Joseph joined them. "Hello Sam, what you and my little girl gossiping about?"

"Not much Mr Martin, just discussing our gig tomorrow."

"A gig, Anne never told me about a gig."

"Yes sir our band's playing in a battle of the bands type thing at Dreyer's pub. You should come."

"Would you dad, I was going to invite you honest it just slipped my mind. What with all we've been doing lately."

Sam had to stop herself from laughing, if she didn't know Leanne and her father -- or whatever he was now -- were fucking that sealed the deal.

"I would love to, I'll even give you girls a lift there."

"Thanks Mr Martin but we have a lot of gear to set up beforehand. Well I'll see you tomorrow Leanne."

"You too Sam."

The two friends hugged and went their separate ways, Sam returned to Bryce.

"You weren't long."

"I bumped into Leanne, she saw us together."

The colour drained from Bryce's face, Sam could see his worry. "Don't worry little brother, she isn't going to tell anyone. Leanne's fucking her father."

"What?"

"Well, not her father, the man who was her father but from what she told me he isn't actually her father and now they're fucking."

The look of confusion on Bryce's face mirrored her own. "I don't care Sam, as long as you and I don't have to worry I'm fine."

Sam kissed Bryce once and hugged him, with her face away from his Bryce bit his lip in frustration.

The next day Sam had her band gig so she spent most of the day with Leanne and Rachel practising, Bryce spent time with Jonathan who was still upset about T.J.'s death but calmed down, Bryce invited Jonathan to the gig but he reminded Bryce that it was Sunday and he was visiting Lori in the hospital.

Bryce arrived at Dreyer's pub around 6, pretty early for the bands but Bryce wanted to spend time with Sam before she played. Dreyer's pub was pretty small but big enough to have a stage and a curtain leading to the store room which Bryce guessed would be backstage, Bryce scanned the near empty room but couldn't find Sam, that meant he'd have to talk to Paige.

Bryce approached the bar, heart in his mouth and cleared his throat. Paige, who was tending the bar, turned round and saw him.

"Well hello Bryce." Despite living in Scotland for almost three years Paige still had a thick South African accent.

"Hey Paige, you seen Sam anywhere?"

"She's round back, just her and Leanne at the moment

"Thanks."

Bryce left Paige to find Sam, as promised she and Leanne were backstage tuning their instruments, Sam spotted Bryce and waved him over.

"Glad you made it little brother."

"Same here Sam." Bryce hugged Sam quickly so as not to draw suspicion from Leanne who looked a little different than normal.

"You look different Leanne, I can't put my finger on it."

Sam smiled. "My girl's wearing a skirt, first time ever."

It was true, Leanne was wearing a skirt and as far as Bryce could remember she hadn't worn one before, she was always a far shyer girl, very beautiful -- Bryce had a crush on her before Sam -- but never realising it. Now she was.

"Isn't it great, remind me to thank your father for bringing you out your shell."

"How many times Sam, he's not my father anymore. It might be weird for you but there's nothing illegal in our relationship. Unlike a certain someone I know."

That hit close to home for Bryce and Sam, neither of them could look at Leanne.

"Sorry for bringing it up but if you're going to judge me for sleeping with my father I'm going to judge you right back, at least I'm not related to my boyfriend and I don't have a God to answer to."

"If God thought it was a sin for me and Bryce to be together he wouldn't have brought us together. The good lord made it so that we would find each other and make each other happy, I've followed his every word and this is not difference."

**

To hear Sam talk about God bringing us together you would believe it as much as she did, I nearly did. She made good points as to this all being God's work and that he was the one that brought us together, therefore our sinful relationship wasn't a sin. She really believed that shit, blinded by religion.

**

As the night went on Rachel and James arrived not long after Bryce, Rachel was surprised to see Leanne in a skirt as well, then Leanne's father a few minutes after seven, strangely enough Joseph seemed to know James' brother Frankie before he killed himself. At around 8 the Battle of the Bands begun; Bryce didn't like the first few bands, not his type of music although the band that did a rendition of M.I.A.'s Born Free put on a good show. The band on before the girls were also pretty good, their first song started with a mechanical heartbeat which got everyone cheering.

"What's this?" Asked James.

"Closer." Yelled Rachel over the cheering. "Nine Inch Nails. My sister lost her virginity to this song, she sung it for a week afterwards. Drove my father nuts."

No doubt Father Aiden would be a little annoyed at his eldest daughter singing a song with such sexual tones. When the song finished Sam and Rachel were laughing at Joseph and Leanne, they looked as though they were about to start fucking on the floor. After that embarrassment the girls left to get ready for their set.

"I'm going to get a beer." Said James just before the girls were to come on. "You want one Bryce?"

"Sure."

"What about you Mr Martin?"

"It's Joseph, and no thanks, I'm teetotal."

"A Scot that doesn't drink, there's a first."

Joseph held up his left hand, there was a large scar running from the bottom of his middle finger all the way to just above his wrist. "That's what happened the last time I drank myself to self-destruction, before Anne saved me. It hasn't been long but 23 days sober and I plan to keep that up."

James returned with the drinks just as the girls were coming on stage, all three of the guys cheered the loudest. Rachel took a seat at the back on the drums, Leanne picked up the bass and Sam took lead guitar before stepping up to the microphone.

"Hello, we are Erin Clapton and this is one of our favourite songs. We hope you'll love it as much as us."

Sam stepped back from the microphone, she and Leanne nodded to each other to get the timing right. Then Leanne started playing the opening tune to 'Sunshine Of Your Love', the crowd went wild as one by one they recognized the song. Soon Rachel and Sam had joined in, Sam returned to the microphone.

"It's getting near dawn, when lights closed their tired eyes. I'll soon by with you my love, give you my dose of pride. I'll be with you darling soon, I'll be with you when the stars start falling."

Sam stepped back again and joined with the others for the break. Bryce had heard them play 'Sunshine' before years ago but they had obviously been practising, they were fantastic. Sam took the microphone again.

"I've been waiting so long."

Leanne joined in. "To be where I'm going. In the sunshine of your looovvvvveee."

Sam's eyes met Bryce's and they never left for the whole of the song, Bryce felt she was singing to him. When 'Sunshine' was over Sam left the stage and Leanne took the microphone.

"Hey everyone, our next song is very appropriate for me because I just found out my parents are splitting up."

As one the crowd gave out a sympathetic 'Aww', Leanne laughed.

"Don't be like that, I don't mind really and because of it I've found a great man."

Sam returned with a table and a metal pint mug, she placed them beside Leanne and picked up her guitar.

"Thanks Sam, this is Elbow."

Sam and Rachel started playing the opening to the song, Bryce recognized it immediately. When Leanne started singing she started soft.

"Mondays is for drinking to the seldom seen kid."

Then everything exploded. "I've been working on a cocktail called 'Grounds For Divorce', whoa. Polishing a compass that I hold in my sleep, whoa. Doubt comes in on sticks, but then he kicks like a horse, whoa. There's a Chinese cigarette case and the rest you can keep, and the rest you can keep, and the rest you can keep."

Leanne's hand reached up and ran through her hair, Bryce had to admit this new Leanne looked really good. "There's a hole in my neighbourhood, down which of late I cannot help but fall. There's a hole in my neighbourhood, down which of late I cannot help but fall."

When the riff from Sam and Rachel came in Leanne picked up the metal mug and slammed it against the table in time with the music. She looked to be having the time of her life on stage, all the girls did. He may have been bias but Bryce thought Sam was fantastic, he'd never heard her play such a rocky tune before and it was a welcome addition to her more slow and calm style.

When the song finished the girls got one of the loudest cheers of the night, the cleared the stage and returned to their respective boyfriends, although Sam and Bryce did a quick one so as not to arouse suspicion.

"You guys were brilliant." Joseph told them all but specifically to his daughter.

"Really dad, you're not just saying that?"

"I mean it."

Happy that they entertained the crowd the six of them stayed to see if the girls won the Battle. Unfortunately they didn't but they came a close second and each received gift vouchers for a local music store. After the results everyone went home, Rachel and James drove back to Rachel's apartment, Joseph and Leanne drove back to their house leaving Bryce and Sam to take a taxi back.

"Well that was a fun night." Bryce said as they entered the taxi.

"I know, shame we didn't win but they were better than us."

"Ah you're kidding Sam, those guys had nothing on you."

"You're just saying that."

"What if I am?"

Bryce leaned in and kissed Sam, it was a soft kiss but growing, Bryce's hand reached up under Sam's top and squeezed her breast. They almost never heard the taxi driver knocking on the dividing window.

"Hey, I don't want that happening in my cab."

"Come on man." Pleaded Bryce.

"Sorry but if I let the two of you get busy I'm the one that has the clean the jizz out the seats. No thanks."

Sam ad Bryce sat back, disappointed. Bryce brushed his fingers against Sam's bare legs, just in an act of fidgeting but he soon felt goose-bumps run across her, Sam was getting excited. With an evil thought in his mind Bryce continued stroking Sam's legs, getting ever higher with each stroke until eventually he was rubbing her pussy through the material of her shorts. Sam let out a small moan that only encouraged Bryce, making sure the driver wasn't looking Bryce slowly unzipped Sam's short and slipped his hand inside, her juices had soaked her panties through. Bryce teased her clit for a few seconds through her panties before his fingers found their way over the waistband and into Sam's hot, wet cunt. Sam had to stop herself from moaning too loud, she couldn't believe her cousin had two fingers fucking her pussy and a thumb rubbing her clit all in the back seat of a taxi, this was definitely one of the more intense times they had together.

Sam moved closer to Bryce, wrapping an arm round his waist to make it look like they were cuddling, Bryce did likewise but his other hand never left her cunny, he kept stroking her, soft but deep, enough to excite her without making a scene.

"Oh God Bryce." Sam whispered. "I'm going to come."

"Do it Sam, come for me."

"God, Bryce this is so weird but I love it, make me come little brother."

With Sam's encouragement Bryce rubbed faster, not enough to cause a scene but if the driver looked at them they couldn't deny what they were doing. As luck would have it he didn't see anything, he didn't see Sam curse silently under her breath, he didn't see her bury her face into Bryce's shoulder and he didn't even see her jerk in the seat as her cousin's hands brought her to orgasm. Bryce removed his hand and Sam zipped her shorts up again, Bryce was about to wipe the remnants of Sam's come on his shirt when he thought differently. He brought his fingers up to his mouth and tasted Sam on them, Sam could only watch in a mix of shock and erotic confusion as Bryce licked her pussy juices off his fingers. Satisfied he'd had his fill Bryce removed his fingers and then wiped them on his shirt.

"Jesus little brother, what was that?"

"That was what you do to me Sam, I can't help myself around you. Besides you taste so sweet."

Sam could only guess it was the drinks Bryce had that was bringing out this new side of him but she was liking it.