NYC, Sunday Evening

[psychic_wonder]

Sam hadn't been lying when he'd told Peter that his potential apartment wouldn't be too hard to protect, and once the place was officially Peter's, Sam hadn't wasted a lot of time in getting things ready. Still, putting down salt and sigils in an entire apartment took some time, so Sam had sent Peter to get dinner and dessert while he worked. By

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[repeterpetrelli]

Peter came back after Angela had left. He'd picked up Italian food and pastries so he and Sam could celebrate their first official dinner in Peter's apartment in style.

He hadn't known about Angela's visit, so he didn't expect anything unusual when he got back. "Hey. Everything safe?"

[psychic_wonder]

Sam glanced up when he heard Peter came in, and although he'd denied it to himself before, he couldn't help but wonder if Angela's visit had anything to do with something Peter had said to her. "Yeah, you're all set on the protection front," he said.

[repeterpetrelli]

"My hero," Peter said, moving to give Sam a kiss on the cheek. He paused when he saw the envelope Sam was holding. "What's that?"

[psychic_wonder]

"Something you need to give back to your mother," Sam said, offering the envelope to Peter. "She came by and left it here and I don't think she's going to take it back from me."

[repeterpetrelli]

Peter caught the envelope then looked inside. "What'd she leave this for? Trying to pay off the mortgage?"

[psychic_wonder]

Sam had tried to think of a way to explain the conversation to Peter without making Angela sound as terrible as he considered her to be, but in the end, the truth was all he could give.

"She offered it to me in exchange for breaking up with you," he said.

[repeterpetrelli]

Peter boggled at Sam, then the money, then back at Sam again. "The hell?"

[psychic_wonder]

"She tried to bribe me," Sam explained. "To leave, and not come back. Did you...did you know she was going to do that?"

[repeterpetrelli]

"Not really," Peter said, still trying to wrap his mind around all of this. "I didn't even know she was coming here. Let alone - what the hell?" Peter ruffled through the money, looking disgusted.

[psychic_wonder]

The look of disgust brought a look of relief to Sam's face in response. "She came by while you were out," he said.

[repeterpetrelli]

"You're worth more than this," Peter told Sam. Not that that was the point, but he wanted Sam to know. He threw the envelope aside. "Way more."

[psychic_wonder]

"She offered me twice that at the end," Sam said, like that would change Peter's argument.

[repeterpetrelli]

"You're still worth more," Peter told him. He moved closer to Sam. "You're worth everything."

[psychic_wonder]

"And no amount of money could get me to agree to stay away from you," Sam insisted. He'd been trying not to show how affected he was by Angela's visit, but thinking about what she'd said had him frowning deeply. "I know she's never been my biggest fan, but I didn't think she disliked me this much."

[repeterpetrelli]

"Maybe she was testing you?" Peter suggested, ever the optimist. "She doesn't know you as well as I do. Maybe she wanted to make sure you were with me for the right reasons?"

[psychic_wonder]

"Maybe," Sam said, for Peter's benefit. "I certainly passed if it was a test. My feelings for you are real, and nothing can make them go away."