It was always burning, since the world's been turning

  

Gabe didn't like this. Sammie tossed and turned in bed until she told him about her visit from her step-sister, Caitlin.

"What is she expecting you to do?" He asked while putting peanut butter on a rice cake for her in the wee hours of the morning. They'd managed to maneuver to the kitchen. And she went ahead and got the jug of milk out because he was going to need more than a rice cake. He'd make himself a peanut butter and honey sandwich on bread.

"I don't know, exactly."

Sammie sat at the dining table, looking over the rice cake and watching Gabe lick his fingers and down most of a glass of milk.

"Well, you just leave them alone. I'm beginning to think she's gone mental," Gabe said between bites. "You know, how upset Wade was when this happened with Craig. They hadn't spoken to each other in years. I guess."

He stuffed most of the sandwich in his mouth without choking, but finished off the milk, and she poured him another glass. She was taking little bites of the rice cake so it wouldn't crumble everywhere. 

"Just..just act like it never happened." Gabe quipped. "She's a nutcase. What has she ever done for you? You're not even related."

"But..but her dad has done so much for us."

Sammie looked in limbo.

"Quit worrying about it," Gabe practically snapped. "It won't do any good. Wade has been great for Pan and for us as well. You know how nice he was. He was the one who got you to the doctor to find out you were pregnant." 

Gabe pushed his fingers to his forehead and pulled his shock of hair back. "I'll talk to Deano."

"No." Sammie squinted hard as if that would make things worse.

"Fine. Just. Just don't talk to her." He shrugged. But he was going to talk to Deano about his wife, Caitlin. Just not at two in the morning.