Sam was dressed and had pulled herself together the best she could. Bellick returned nearly an hour later and when he stepped into the shower room, Sam took a step back away from him and dropped hr eyes. "Lunch time." He said in a flat voice. He reached for her arm but Sam stepped forward and around him. She couldn't stand for him to touch her. She never felt as weak as she did now. Bellick said nothing else until they had reached the doors to the mess hall. She began to enter and make her way to the kitchen when he leaned over her. "Remember what I told you." He whispered. Sam felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end. She trembled. "I remember." She whispered back. She pushed through the doors and almost ran to the kitchen.

Lunch was an easy meal. Sam stood at the island, making sandwich after sandwich. Behind her, a large pot of chicken noodle soup boiled. The sandwiches were chicken salad and tuna. Sam tried to fall into a stupor with the mindless work but she kept thinking of T-bag's hands on her and his words. "My women." Sam began to cry before she even realized it. A tear fell and splashed onto the counter. She quickly wiped it away and then used the back of her hand to wipe at her eyes before anyone could notice. Finally, it was time to bring out the food.

Sam could hear the men in the lunchroom. She piled platters of sandwiches onto the three-layer trolley and wheeled it out into the main room. She stood silently for the readings and then hurried to sit by Michael. She walked the far way around avoiding passing by T-bag. She passed by Cooper and the ever present cat meowed at her. Sam jumped noticeably and then forced a laugh. She reached out and stroked the cat between its ears. Its head poked out of D.B. Cooper's shirt and watched her purring. Cooper smiled up at her but said nothing.

Sucre watched her questioningly as she dropped into the seat next to Michael. Sam avoided everyone's eyes as she waited for the food to be distributed. "What is it Mami?" He asked and Michael turned to look at her. Under the table, Michael's hand moved to Sam's thigh and she pulled away before she could stop herself. She saw a flash of hurt in his eyes before Michael turned to the platters now being passed along. He handed the platter to Sam without looking at her again. Sam felt even worse now. Michael thought she didn't want him to touch her. He probably thought it was because of last night. There was nothing she could say to change his mind. "I've just had a bad morning." She told the men quickly and with downcast eyes. She bit into her sandwich to keep from saying any more.

*******************************************

Surprisingly, it was D.B. Cooper got the story out of Sam. It was three days later and Sam was in the exercise yard. Michael had not spoken more then five words to her since the last time he had touched her at lunch three days ago and Sam sat alone on the bleachers. She had a lit cigarette in her hand but she wasn't smoking it. She was lost in her thoughts of Bellick, T-bag and Michael. She suddenly spotted the cat sprinting along the yard towards her. If jumped and landed in her lap softly. Sam put her free arm around it to stop the cat from running away. Cooper was making his way after the cat, smiled at Sam, and then sat beside her. "It's Samantha right?" He asked. Sam looked at he older mans kind face. "Sam actually." She told him. Cooper nodded.

"You've been looking a little upset lately." Cooper said softly. Sam felt a sarcastic smile form on her face. "I've had a bad time lately." She replied. "Care to talk about it?" He asked. "I may be an old man but I'm a good listener." Sam shook her head. "I'm sorry." She told him softly. "I can't." Cooper thought about this. He could pinpoint the day that this had started because it was the day she started walking the long way around the tables. In addition, he could see that it may have something to do with Bellick and T-bag because she avoided being anywhere in the same proximity of either of them. Of course, everyone did in T-bags case but Sam more so. "You can't because you don't want to? Or because you were told not to?" Cooper probed. Cooper didn't want to have Sam think that he was nosey but he knew after all his years here, the way Bellick worked. Sam looked at him now. Cooper could see the surprise in her eyes. "How do you know that?" Sam asked in a whisper. Cooper offered a small smile. "I've been here a long time." He answered. "I know how this place works and seeing as you are the only female these men have seen in some time, I can imagine what you're trying to hide." He paused. "Also I know how some of these guards can get even with the prisoners." He looked at Sam silently for a few moments. "You can tell me. I'm a safe zone."

Sam wanted so badly to believe him. She needed to confide in someone. She sighed. She looked around for anyone who might be listening and then before she could stop herself, she began to tell Cooper everything. She cried many times through the reencounter and paused when she got to the part where T-bag had forced himself into her. By the time she was finished, her face was beat red and her eyes blood shot. Cooper said nothing at first. She looked at him fearfully. "I'm sorry." He told her. "I know that does nothing to help you but I am." He shook his head and sighed. "Can you think of anything you could have done that Bellick would have taken as such a serious injustice to himself?" "I can." Came a third voice. Sam's head snapped around in surprise. Michael stood about five feet away from them. His face was cold and hard. How long had he been standing there? Sam had looked for anyone else before she had started talking. "Michael." She said softly and broke into tears once more.