The Hopper and His Mount

"Hey Sam, wait up!" James called out, running quickly to catch up to her. She'd just about made it to the door when he managed to catch her.

"James, not now. Look, I'm not mad at you." Samantha assured, turning around and attempting a small smile. "I am super confused about what happened tonight and I just want to go home and get some sleep. Some real sleep not some weird bodyhopper enduced coma." She paused briefly allowing her gaze to linger on James's eyes. "I promise I don't hold anything against you. I was just reeling from this headache and just needed to vent. I love Jessica to **** but sometimes she doesn't know when to stop working. Thanks for jumping in early and pointing out how rough I looked. She would have probably just kept on going all the way through the night otherwise."

"Oh yeah, no worries there. And you really don't look that bad. I could just tell you were annoyed to still be in the lab" James breathed a sigh of relief. "Look, either way I just wanted to apologize I again. I was not expecting you to come back to your body in that state."

"Ha, in the state where it feels like the morning after only I didn't even get to enjoy the fun part?" Sam said playfuly, forcing a weak smile. "Don't worry about it, I know I kinda came off a bit hard on you there. After all, I did give you permission to use me as your little toy." Samantha smirked, looking up at him with a sassy smile. "So, technically, it isn't your fault." Her smile looked much more at ease now that she could see freedom from the lab in her line of sight.

"So, uhhh you free this weekend? I figure we might be able to go out like we did last month? Maybe try out that new restaurant we've been talking about," James offered, smiling nervously.

"Sounds perfect," Samantha accepted, giving him a small peck on the cheek. "You know, it's nice to know you actaully want to hang out sometimes and aren't just trying to get into my pants." Samantha teased, playfully nudging james in the arm.

"Well, I mean, I've very literally already been in your pants" James laughed nervously. "But I've got to admit, I prefer hanging out with you when you're in control of your own body."

"You're a real charmer" Samantha laughed softly as they stepped outside and into the cool night air. "Good night, James." Samantha waved goodbye as she crossed the parking lot. Her beautfiul face lit up in the glow of the moonlight. James watched her walk toward her car.

James really did like Sam and he was happy that she really liked him to. Was she someone he could see settling down with? Maybe. After all, she was one of the few people who accepted him for what he was. She was definitely the best thing to come out of this whole adventure. These thoughts were what kept him going. One day in the future he probably would settle down. But for now, he had something else on his mind.

Dr. Jessica Yuri was definitely hiding something from him and that concerned him. He'd been in her body just two weeks ago and nothing in her cute little noggin sparked any suspicions. Yet now, she'd stumbled upon something that could very well effect not just himself but all bodyhoppers. He couldn't let that happen. He needed to find out exactly what she knew.

And so, as he waved good bye to Samantha, James turned away from the door with a new sense of determination on his face. Knowing that with Sam's departure it was just him and the doctor left in the building. The fluorescent lights of the hallways illuminated a much more stark version of James than what Sam had seen just moments before. His shadow stretching out behind him, casting eerie darkness on the pristine white walls. Almost as if creating a perfect homage to the brain waves the doctor was viewing in her office at that very moment. In her comfortable swivel chair, Dr. Jessica Yuri leaned forward at her desk studying the very interference pattern that would be soon suppressing her own mind. With eyes glued to the paper on her desk, she didn't hear the knock on her office door.