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During lunch Elrod sends Sammy a text.  Pick you up after school?  We have to decide what to wear to the dance?

About the time band practice is over Sammy gets another message.  In the back lot, heat on, see you when you get here.

As promised the heat is on in Elrod's car.  He gives her a hug and a kiss once she's inside.  "So, any idea what you want to go to the dance dressed as?"

"I dunno.  What we thought of before, the mobster and gun moll thing for the St Valentines day massacre, that could be fun.  School might object to guns though."  She waggles an eyebrow at him.  "Wanna be a super?  I could wear the costume you gave me on Friday."

"Even without powers you do sort of look super in that."  Elrod says, stealing another kiss.  "I wouldn't want to blow your cover though.  As much as has happened no one really realizes that you're one of the schools supers.  We could do a gangster theme.  Or something Renaissance Fair like.  Maybe some group costume thing?"

"Group like you-me group, or group like you-me-and a cast of thousands group?  Or something in between there?"  She snuggles up against him.  "Renaissance Fair like.  Hmmm.  A lord and lady from the Faerie court?  Or something out of Shakespeare that isn't Romeo and Juliet?"

"I'm sure Will wrote some other stuff.  I was thinking of you and me and anyone else that crossed our minds.  Heather and some of the other bands folks.  Maybe you could have a band of traveling minstrels follow you around all evening."

"My own traveling minstrels following me around, performing my own theme music?!"  Sammy bursts out laughing, then sing-songs, "You're giving me an ego..."  She laughs again.  "I know.  In honor of the holiday, we'll set ourselves up a renaissance Court of Love.  You and I can be the high lord and lady, with the others as our courtiers and the jury.  People can come and plead their cases to us, and we'll dole out wisdom, sympathy, and judgements all night long.  Just leave time for dancing."

Elrod nods and smiles, and a few minutes later chuckles.  "You should see if you can convince Sylvia to get the pep squad involved.  Acrobats and minstrels.  Isn't Sarah an acrobat too?"  he says.  "Offer her a bribe if you think it'll help."

"A bribe?  A bribe?  Syl made every boy in the cafeteria groan in delight at lunch today; what kind of bribe can you offer to someone with that kind of power?  Other than a paid weekend getaway to someplace warm and sunny -- she'd probably go for that.  Sarah too.  You're going to have to help me convince them though.  You're not getting off the hook."  She raises a questioning brow.  "Am I supposed to recruit Nick to be the court jester too?"

She pulls out her phone and calls Sarah first.

"Oh crap!"  Elrod says with a laugh.  "Give Nick an audience that big?  His ego wont get ouot the door after."  he says grinning.

"You've been warned!" Sammy says.

She decides to text a bunch of people instead of calling.  That way she can keep talking to El. 

Sarah!  Sylvia!  Heather!  Want 2 B p/o a RenFair court of love 4 V-day?  Acrobats & wandering musicians needed 2 entertain the Lord & Lady.  U get 2 B p/o the 'Love Jury' 2. Might B a prize in it 4 U!!!

Nick gets his own message.  Nick -- We R setting up a renfair court of love for V Day dance.  I get 2 B the Lady.  Will U B my Court Jester?

"Let's go find some costumes, m'lord!"

"That I can do m'lady."  he says as he takes them into town.  "There is a theatrical costume place they use when they do video shoots, I think they'll have the stuff we're looking for,"

Sammy giggles with delight.

The theatrical costume store is not generally open to the public.  Sammy has learned that Elrod is not often considered the public.  "So we might need costumes for twenty people, give or take.  It would be nice if we could swing them in school colors.  Especially the court jester."

The man blinks, then blinks again.  "By Friday you say?"

Elrod smiles, "Unless it's outside your comfort zone."  he says, "If you have a big show you're crunching for, I can let it slide."

"No, no."  the man says.  "I'll need measurements."

"I can have someone from the drama club email them to you tomorrow evening."  Elrod looks at Sammy, "If you can get the band kids to stand still during practice tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I think I can do that.  We could probably even get a lot of them tonight, if word gets around fast enough.  I could get Nick here pretty soon."

Elrod puts an arm around Sammy, looking back towards the gentleman, "I'll have those measurements for you tomorrow evening at the latest then.  Assuming we're in business?"

The man's hand almost leaps from his side to shake Elrod's, "Of course Mr. Janush.  Only happy to help with your project.  Friday will be fine, if we can arrange a final fitting say Thursday night?"

Elrod looks at Sammy, then back to the proprietor.  "If you have some space we could have a pizza party in, then get the fitting taken care of?"  The man nods.  Elrod looks back at Sammy, "Let's start making calls.  I'll have Greg get someone from the drama department on the measurements, and then we just have to get them here Thursday.  Parents, kids, pizza, costumers and pins.  Sounds like fun."  He snaps his finger, "I still have to line up some bands."

"Bands would be nice." 

After they've done with the fitting and the prodding and the poking for their costume measurements,  Sammy walks out on El's arms.  When they get out of the proprietor's earshot, she nudges El.  "I hate to break it to you this way, because I know it'll come as a shock, but... I think you have paranormal abilities.  Some people are strong, some go fast, some fly, some read minds.  You, m'dear, have the power to make things happen.  Ordinary mortals don't stand a chance against you once you've set your mind on a goal."

Elrod chuckles, "That's a nice thought."  he says, kissing her, "Now we just need to pull this off by Friday, and."  he stops.  "I need to call the dance chair.  We need to have a King and Queen of the dance.  And it shouldn't be us."  he says, kissing her again, "Anyone you think we could get Dave's minions to vote into the position?  Maybe head off some budding psychopaths, or give some wall flowers the night of their high school lives?"

Sammy chuckles.  "I don't know which budding psychopaths need attention at the moment.  That's Sylvia and Colin's specialty.  No wallflower ideas either.  You'll have to get help from somebody else with that one."

He shrugs.  "We'll ask around then.  Let's get you fed and home in time to do homework, otherwise your folks will have a fit."

Sammy makes a face at him.  "There you go, sounding like my dad again."

"No."  he says, finger raised, "Like the guy dating the girl and not wanting to get on dad's bad side.  although, I doubt your dad has a bad side actually."

"He does," Sammy says reflectively, "But its hard to find.  Its more like a hard, sharp edge than a side.  Something has to really upset him for it to show though.  I think you're safe.  You act like you're trying to protect the same thing he is."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."  he says hugging her close.  He gets the door for her, "Chinese?"

"Sure you don't." 

"Chinese sounds good to me."

Sammy and Elrod have dinner, and the call goes out to get measurements.  Some of them are already in the hands of the drama department from the Winter Concert.  Some more calls are made to confirm agreement and arrange the measurements and fitting Thursday.  "Ok.  Assuming we don't cause a social implosion, Friday should be cake."  he says as they finish dinner.  "I need to call some bands too.  Someone needs to entertain the masses." 

"Told you.  Superpower.  See how everything is falling into place?"  Sammy pops a last dumpling into her mouth.  "Which bands are you going to rocket into popularity this weekend?  I want to know what t shirts to buy."

Elrod shrugs.  "It's going to depend on who is in town, and who answers the phone."  he says, wiping sauce from the corner of her mouth, then kissing her.  "I'll find someone."

"That's funny," she says, and kisses him back.  "Me, I'd be freaking out right now if I was in charge of finding something.  But I'm not at all worried, not even in your behalf.  I just kind of know in the back of my head that you'll get it done, no big deal."  She sips some water.  "Definitely something going on there."

Elrod takes her home, making sure to walk her to the door for a goodnight kiss.  "I need to get home and start calling some bands.  I'll see you Thursday if not before."

"OK.  I'm going to be wandering around some at lunch time for the next couple of days.  Maybe at a table with Heather and Janie, maybe in a music room, the library, whatever.  Text me if you want to find me."

She moves in close and squeezes him tight.  "Goodnight."  He gets a kiss and she steps back with a smile.  "Later." 

OOC: Let me see how some other threads go and then we can pick up Thursday maybe if need be.

Wednesday night it's just mom and the girls for dinner.  Mom indicates that Dad is having dinner with Elrod.

He sure didn't waste any time.

Sammy puts on an innocent face, not too hard because she really doesn't have all that much to hide.  "Oh, okay.  Probably finding out if 40 horsemen on 40 steeds escorting 40 musicians and 40 dancers and 40 servants carrying 40 golden bowls each filled to the brim with 40 precious gems will pay the bride price for the Sultan's daughter."  She resumes doing whatever she was doing.

Mom almost drops a dish full of baked beans, and life continues.

Hours later, Sammy waltzes over to the couch with two bowls of ice cream in her hands.  She sits down next to her mom, and hands over one of the bowls.

"Better now?  Heart slowed down to a normal pace?"

Mom takes the ice cream, "You gave me a start.  Elrod seems the type to ask your dad it it's okay to marry you."  She takes a bite, then waves the spoon about, "If your father even entertains the idea I will so smack him."  She says with a smile.  "And you."

Sammy smiles.  "No worries, not today.  I told him last weekend that if he was serious about sticking with me for a long time, he'd better talk to Dad.  Its only fair since Dad has, you know, been through it.  Dad will tell him exactly as much as he thinks El ought to know for now.  I'll do the same thing for anybody else who might deserve it.  Or anybody that I can't scare off on my own."

Mom giggles.  "Oh, your father the sage."  She giggles again. 

Sammy giggles too.  "I know."

Thursday after school, before going home or meeting up with El, Sammy runs down the street to the CVS to buy some hair color.  As she's browsing through the display boxes, her phone buzzes.  She looks at it, chooses to ignore it, and keeps browsing until she finds what she wants.  She'll get her sister to help her with this later tonight.

Elrod sends Sammy a text after school to arrange a time to pick her up and find out who else needs to be picked up.

OOC: Will we need a thread for the fitting party or can we use this one?

Whatever.  Depends on what you think is going to happen and who you think is going to be there.  If its just a Sam/El/Nick chat, no point in changing pointers.

OOC:  realized I didn't move anything along.  Oopsie.


Details are exchanged.  When he gets to her house, Sammy's hair is all hidden by a hat.  She's bundled up in her coat and ready to go.

Elrod gives Sammy an appraising look and then they head to the fitting party.  Dave and Rob made the rounds for anyone that needed a ride.

As final fittings are done food is delivered and people begin to get social and discuss what sorts of things they'll do at the dance.

Nick makes plenty of passes by Sammy and Elrod.  He seems to be relaxing a lot more aroudn the pair, which seems to be good.

There's nothing wrong with the hat; it's cute, even if her hair is all tucked up inside of it.  It's obviously home made, probably knitted by Sammy for Sammy, in a shade of blue that looks nice on her and with details that give it a face-flattering form.  She doesn't take it off when she gets there, but she might just want to avoid displaying hat head.

In an attempt to be modest, she has her fittings done where there are no boys present; the big reveal can wait, unless she's pushed to parade the costume ahead of time.  When she's not being fitted, she moves around between preferred members of the crowd, listening a lot but not really providing many of her own thoughts unless she's specifically asked.  If the question is about her or her own plans, she simply smiles and says something innocuous that turns the conversation back onto the person asking the question.  She doesn't seem sulky, moody, or inordinately preoccupied; she's just quietly letting other people agree between themselves what they would like to do to have fun tomorrow.  She's not inclined to play Queen Bee tonight.  What she'd really like is to fly, fly away, maybe to Daytona or Rio de Janiero or Australia, but she's supposed to be here now, doing this now, and other people are here now because of her, so she anchors herself to the moment.  She nibbles at pizza and sips at Cokes.  She nods.  She smiles.  She laughs at Nick's antics.

While Sammy is on her way back from one of the many pinnings Nick slides into view, just before she reaches the open and into her arms.  "Happy Valentine's Day."  he says, kissing her softly.  Then he pinches her nose, and with the tip of his thumb sticking between some fingers proclaims, "I've got your nose."  with a grin and then runs back into the room where everyone else is.

I wasn't expecting that.  Sammy grabs her face in mock horror and says to his departing form, "Aw man!  Now I smell bad!"  Then she laughs and goes back out to the general area.

Things wind down.  Everyone is fitted and addresses are sorted out for delivery the next afternoon.  Elrod goes up to the office to make the last of the arrangements and Sammy plays hostess bidding goodnight to the last of the guests.  A minute passes and she takes a breath, then John is standing there.  "Happy Valentine's Day."  he says smiling, then pulls her close and kisses her.  The warmth of it flows out of him like a river.  He lingers there, it's hard to say how long since Sammy doesn't need to breath.  Then they part.  "Someone told me it's the only day they could kiss people without getting punched.  So I thought I'd take a chance."

Sammy steps back in shock, then she starts shaking.  "Get... you get away from me!"  Tears fill her eyes and start streaming down her face.  "Go away, okay?  Just leave me alone, don't talk to me, don't look at me, just... just DON'T!  You're with her, there are rules, I ought to know, you don't play with people's feelings!"  Her hand flies up but fails to keep a sob from escaping her mouth.  "Oh hell!"  She bolts out the door and takes to the sky.

John stands there for a minute, he's not entirely sure what happened.  "Hey John.  You see Sammy?"  Elrod asks.  John just looks at him, nods stifly, and then is gone in a blur.  "Oooookay.  That can't be a good sign."  Elrod takes his phone from his pocket and sends a text to Sammy.  Just saw John.  Guessing something is wrong.  Call if you need me.

No problem.  Love you as well.

Elrod gathers up Sammy's stuff and heads home. 

Sammy flies fast and furiously, going where she will, no doubt causing massive headaches for the local air traffic controllers.  She doesn't allow herself to think too much.  She pushes the edge so much that all her focus has to be on collision avoidance.  She flies until she's too cold to go any more, and stops at a diner somewhere to warm up.  Not quite sure where she is at the moment, she hunkers down at a table near a heat vent and orders a cup of coffee from the sore-footed waitress.

John sits down on the beach.  It was dark still, but not as cold.  He wasn't sure where he'd gone to, and he didn't care.  Nothing was making sense, and he didn't have the strength to try.  He lay back on the sand and tried to imagine what a normal person would feel now.  He wondered if the knot of confusion in his stomach was normal, or if it was just his broken emotions laying there pent up.  Retreat was not a good answer, but it was the only one he knew well.

Sammy drinks the coffee, and determines that she still doesn't really like the stuff.  She cuts it with a lot of cream and sugar, making it more palatable.  Then she looks around for a clue where she might be.  She's tired.  She picks up her phone and stares at it.  I should let somebody know I'm okay.  I am okay, right?  Lost, maybe, but all right.

Alicia gets a message.

2 favors.  Tell mom/dad/El I m ok.  If they ask, I m @ your home, plz?  Dont tell I am lost sumwher.  Dont no if I can get home 2night.

Heading home herself, Alicia hears the silent throbbing of her cell phone in her bag and fishes it out. She reads the text message glowing on the small screen.

Crap. First she snubs me with her Valentine Dance plans, and now she's using me as an alibi.

She bites her lip as she ponders the situation. No, whatever may be going on, Sammy is a friend. She can't turn her back to that.

She types a message back.


K. wil take care of it. u owe me a talk tho, ok?

Now or ltr?

There is a pause, and another line follows.

I m rly lost.  No lie.  Dont no whr I am.

Alicia rolls her eyes. Ay, Dios mio.

soon. wat do you see round u?

Gas?  Dont have my coat.  I left fast.  Sammy gets up to use the ladies room and looks for a menu or some other clue on her way.  She didn't ask for a menu when she came in, just a big cup of coffee.

Alicia is getting concerned. Sammy sounds a bit more out of it than usual. She frets that she's not physically there to help. The tenuous link via text message is the best she can do.


thot you could hold warm in wid ur powers.


Something else occurs to Alicia as she hits the Send button and she hastily types out another message:

got any $$$?

The menu says Olympic Diner, Port Angeles, WA.  It offers an address and phone number.

Alicia actually stops walking as she stares at the words.

WA. Washington State?!? Jesús, Maria y José.

With slightly trembling fingers, she types:


u sure  u cn make it bak on ur own?

"Hey, no sleeping on the beach kid."  The police officer said, tapping John with his baton. 

"Sorry."  John said sitting up.  "Must have dozed off."  He looked at his cell phone, "Wow, it's late.  I should get back to the hotel.  My mom is gonna be worried."  He gets up and calls his mom, "Goodnight officer."  He begins to walk away, "Hey mom, it's me.  I'm okay, just dozed off on the beach, I'll be back in a little bit." 

"Beach?"  his mother says softly.  "Something wrong?"

"People stuff."

"People stuff?"

"Girl stuff."

"Sammy, Laney, or Sylvia?"

"Can we not talk about it mom, I'm not really up to it."

"Okay.  I'll see you when you get home.  I love you honey."

"I love you too mom."  He disconnects and puts the phone away.  When he's out of site of the police officer he heads home, after figuring out where he is.

I kno.  I will.  Gonna try 2 get hm by myslf 1st.

Sammy finishes her coffee, pays for it, then goes outside and starts walking down the highway, looking for road signs that might tell her which way is east.  East would be a good start.

She begins a long talk with herself as she walks along the road.  Why did he do what he did?  He's with Laney, he likes Laney, that much is obvious, so why this and why now?  All the clean up work of the past week seems for nothing, the feelings are there and raw and...  East.  Just go east.

About 11PM Sammy gets a message from Elrod Resisting urge to call Dave and have him find someone to SatNav you.  Need me to come get you?

the reply comes a few minutes later.  It's late.  I can make a call and get you a room someplace.  I'm worried about you flying tired.

A few moments later, Elrod gets a text message.

Half a continent away, Sammy is distracted by the chirping of a bird. Looking up, she notices a little blackbird perched upon a streetlight.

tks

She walks a little while longer until she spots what looks like a residential area.  She is about to sit down on the edge of somebody's lawn and wait, when she hears the bird.

She looks up.  "Hey bird," she says softly.  "I'm just going to sit here for a while."

The bird chirps again in a tone that sounds strangely disapproving.

He dives down, stopping on the iron gate right next to her, and gently pinches her wrist with his beak. Then he flies further down the road to the right, and chirps again.

"OW!" she exclaims as the bird pinches her.  "I just want to rest a little, ok?  I'm not going to bother your nest.  I expect black helicopters and a Search and Rescue team to swoop down out of the sky any minute... oh.  You're a blackbird, aren't you?  Are you the Search and Rescue team?  Fine, fine, I'll follow."  She trudges along behind the bird.

The bird leads Sammy several blocks to a Best Western Hotel.

Inside she's greeted by the desk clerk, "You must be Sammy."  the woman says brightly.  The clerk gets Sammy a room key and lets her know that the breakfast bar opens at seven in the morning.

A few minutes later Elrod sends her a text.  Will have cloths and stuff for you @ school.  Let your folks know you're ok or your dad will kill me.  *hugs*

Dad will only kill you if you are in range.  You're innocent. I'm the one he wants to kill.
She sends him the room number.
I'll phone home from the room.

She gets herself settled, cracking a window open in case the bird needs to get in.

She sends Alicia another message.  I call my folks now.  El sed 2 do it.  I safe in hotel.

Then she phones home.

Dad answers the phone, and mom can be heard in the background asking if it's Sammy.  "Everything okay sweetheart? Your mom is a little worried but we agreed not to call, to let you call us."  Mom is denying it was a group decision and announcing she is going to the kitchen to make a cake.

"I'm okay, I guess.  Just tired." is Sammy's slow and tired response.  "I'm in Washington, in a Best Western in a town called Port Angeles.  Before you ask why I came here, I don't know.  I got upset, I flew off, and this is where I came down.  I'm safe.  Don't kill Elrod.  He had nothing to do with this, other than getting me a safe place to rest tonight.  This one's all me."

"As long as you're okay, that's what's important.  Are you going to get back in time for school tomorrow?"

Sammy hesitates.  "I don't know.  I'll try.  I might miss some morning classes."  She's quiet a moment.  "There's a box sitting by the boot rack.  Its wrapped in a map.  Could you put that back up in my room, please?  I was going to dump it in the lake, but I might still need some of the stuff in it."

"Okay, I'll take care of it.  Just call us when you tak....when you leave tomorrow.  You get some rest, you sound bushed."

"I will.  I am."  She yawns.  "Good night, daddy."

She cleans herself up a little, then drifts off to sleep.

After about an hour or so, Sammy wakes up.  Maybe it was because of the ice machine down the hall, or a loud car driving by on the highway.  Maybe its her conscience.

She picks up her cell phone and starts to send a message to John.  Then she stops.  This kind of thing is properly done in person, but she's half a continent away.  Voice is the best she can do.  Besides, if it doesn't go well, if a truce cannot be agreed upon, the map shows Canada is only a few miles away from here, just a hop over the strait.

She hopes he's asleep, so that she can blurt out what she has to say on voice mail and be done with it.  She uses the room phone to call.

The phone rings once...twice...thrice..."Hello?"  At first Sammy's not sure it's John that answered the phone, the crispness of his voice is absent, and the tempo is too slow.

She knows its him, and it stabs at her.  She starts to cry again. Its hard to speak.  "I just... I just wanted... I'm so sorry... date who you want... my jealousy is my problem... I'm so sorry, John."

"Jealousy?"  He says slowly, "Huh?"  There is a pause.  "I don't do well with people.  This isn't the first time I've done something I thought was nice and had it backfire.  Puberty isn't helping.  It's just isolating me more.  I'm sorry.  I'm just falling out of sync with everyone.  Are you okay?  you sound like you've been crying."

"I'm in Washington," she replies haltingly, as if that answers all his questions.  "The state, not DC.  You... you were trying to be nice?  Buh... but I thought you and Laney...  Aren't you?  And you're not like me."

"Like you?"  She hears something get knocked over, "Washington?  Are you alright?"  his voice has snapped back into focus.

"I'm in Washington," she repeats slowly. "I'm safe for tonight.  Are you ok?"

There is the sound of things being moved, and more objects falling.  "As long as you're safe."  he says, then she hears the phone hit the floor.  "Sorry, I knocked the desk down."  he says as he picks the phone up.  "I didn't realize you would be jealous."  There is a pause.  "Jealous?  you like me, I mean you like me more than just as a friend like me?"

For a long, long moment that seems like eternity, there is silence, not even the normal sound of someone breathing.  Then there is a soft sigh.  "Yes-s-s," she admits.  "Since before the goo kiss.  But I'll get over it.  I kept it under control when you were going out with Megan, right?  And while you were getting over Megan and didn't need a girlfriend, just a buddy? And now you like Laney, you're going out with Laney, and you're not like I'm turning out to be, so I kind of have to, don't I?  That's how the rest of the world works."  Something brushes the phone as she rubs her nose.  "So I might have to steer clear of you guys for a while, until I get a grip on myself again.  So I don't accidentally drop her off the Sears Tower or something.  But it'll be okay.  I cleaned out my room so there's nothing to trap me there, I have more than enough to keep me occupied, it'll pass, and we can be friends again someday.  We still can, right?"

(OOC:  Kat has meetings and assorted aggravations scheduled for the rest of the afternoon into the early evening, so don't expect a quick reply.)

"I like Laney, but I didn't think it would be good for either of us.  She needs someone to look after her, well no.  I think she does, and that just undermines her so I have to not get trapped doing it.  I didn't realize you liked me.  More than just, well, yeah, more."  John pauses  "Maybe we're just out of sync.  I'm attracted to people for odd reasons.  And they never make sense, not really.  I'd like to think we're still friends.  I avoided lunch a few days, I didn't want Sylvia to get the wrong idea about something I was thinking.  About how she'd be a good girlfriend for me.  She'd know I cared about her and even when I forget to say it, she'd know.  I envy you.  You can follow all the little paths your heart wants to go down and the worst that could happen would be you'd break someone's heart."

"The worst.  That's a pretty bad worst."  She's quiet.  "Sylvia's all right.  You could do a lot worse.  But if you do wind up with someone like her, do yourself a favor and remember to say you care, even if you assume the girl knows it.  That kind of stuff goes a long way."

She's quiet again.  "If you're all right, I should go.  I need to try to rest.  People are expecting me home tomorrow."

"Call if you need anything.  And, I'm sorry.  I never meant to make you feel bad."

"I'm sorry I yelled at you."  She winds up the call.

"I'll let somebody know if I get lost.  I don't have a GPS or a map or even a compass. I do have my cell, $4 in my pocket, but no ID.  It might get weird. I'll probably be ok though."

"Okay.  Get some rest, and don't hesitate to call me if you need anything.  I'll see you tomorrow."  And he hangs up. 

She rolls over to go to sleep, and eventually does.

Unless something disrupts her sleep, she sleeps through till morning.  She'll call (voice, not text) Elrod to let him know she's awake and okay.  Then she'll get some breakfast and figure out her way home.  She'll call her parents to let them know she's on her way.

Elrod tells her that there is a package for her at the front desk, and that he'll see her when she gets back.  The package is warm cloths and a credit card.  Once she has some breakfast she feels up to the trip home.  She got up early, and with the time difference gets home in time to catch most of her classes.

Sammy stops at home long enough to be hugged by her mom, then goes to school.