Jason stared at Maxie’s silent form on the hospital bed. It was three in the morning and he had snuck intothe hospital to be at her side. Four days. It had been four days since the shootout at the zoo. Four days since Maxie had collapsed in his arms. Four days of waiting and praying and desperately hoping. Four days of struggling to hold on. Four days of planning his revenge.

They were going to pay. Helena Cassadine. Katherine Bell. In ways that they could not even begin to imagine, they were going to pay. Helena for what she did to Emily and Jonathan. Katherine for what she did to the woman he loved.

He expelled a slow breath. He loved her. If that fact hadn’t been crystal clear three years ago it had become as solid as a rock over the last four days.

Not that it did him any good. Not that he would ever tell her how he felt. God what a stupid thing that would be to do. Maxie was young and beautiful and for all that she spent her days working homicide, still incredibly innocent in ways that Jason couldn’t even begin to remember being. Jason was....a middle aged mobster.

He winced as he the words crossed his mind but he knew they were true. The decisions he had made at 23 and 24 had left him alone as he approached 40. The organization was his family. His various lieutenants across the East Coast his sons and daughters. The violence that his life was steeped in was his mistress. He was who he was. There was no changing that. Not now. He had had two opportunities to make a life for himself outside of the organization. He had thrown them both away.

He had lost Robin because of his blind stupidity, pride, and anger. He had lost her because he tried to hold on to a child that by all rights had never been his. And when she had done the right thing after he had failed to do so, he had lashed out at her in such bitterness and anger that she had stayed away from. Until she had needed one last favor.

Then there had been Maxie and one incredible day and night in New York City. It had been a time out of time. Only he had thrown that chance away too. Deliberately. Provoking her too hate him. Hurting her in ways that she couldn’t forgive. He had told himself at the time that he was protecting her. Protecting her from the destructive force that Jason Morgan had become.

Now he knew that he was protecting himself because he was scared.

A stirring movement from the bed brought Jason out of the past and into the future.

God please let her wake up. I will do whatever you ask of me. Just let me see those green eyes again. Please.

More stirring from the bed and Jason reached for her hand and held it tight.

Maxie’s facial muscles moved slightly and her eyes fluttered open, their green brilliance dimmed by confusion and pain.

“BJ?” Her voice was hoarse and a whisper. “BJ? Don’t leave.”

“Maxie. Maxie.” Jason touched her cheek as he leaned over her, careful not to disturb the numerous tubes and wires still connected to her. “You’re okay. You’re at the hospital, but you are going to be okay.”

He watched as recognition and awareness filled her.

“Jason?”

“Yeah. It’s me. I’m right here.”

“I thought I heard you’re voice talking to me.”

“I’ve been talking to you. So has Mac. And your mother. It’s the middle of the night so they’re sleeping. I can call them....”

Maxie shook her head slightly and then regretted it as the pain overwhelmed her. Tears rose unbidden.

“Shhh. Try not to move. You were shot and you were badly hurt, but you’re going to be okay.” Jason soothed as he his fingers gently wiped her tears. “I promise that you are going to be okay.”

Maxie looked at the dried tears on his face, the exhaustion and fatigue that were clearly apparent.

“You’ve been crying. Because of me.”

He can’t lie to her again. He can walk away from her. Will walk away from her. But he can’t lie to her. Not now. “I was worried about you.” He says simply.

She absorbs this for a moment. Waking up in a hospital room is not nearly as disorienting as realizing that Jason Morgan was worried about her. It was something to think about and ponder when her head wasn’t sending tremors of pain through the rest of her body.

“How long?” She whispers.

“Four days.”

God. Four days.

“How bad?”

“Bad. The bullet came near your heart and did a lot of internal damage. They almost lost you several times. I think the doctor who operated on you is in shock that you made it. He doesn’t know how tough you are.”

“It wasn’t me.” Maxie pauses, wondering if Jason will think this as crazy as she thinks it is. “It was BJ. She was there telling me to keep fighting. To hold on. I wanted to go with her. But she wouldn’t let me. She told me that I had to give her heart a happy ending. I know it sounds crazy....” Her voice trailed off.

“It doesn’t,” Jason assured her softly, gently smoothing her forehead. “It makes sense to me that when you needed her the most your cousin would be there. She loved you. You loved her.”

“Sometimes,” Maxie’s voice is little more than a whisper. “Sometimes I feel guilty that I lived when she died.”

Survivor’s guilt. Jason pretty much thought he could write the book on that one.

“She loved you,” He repeated firmly. “She wouldn’t want you to feel guilty. She would want you to do what she said and give your life a happy ending.”

Their eyes caught and held. Is he talking about BJ or Robin? He isn’t sure anymore.

“Do you think happy endings are possible?”

“For you, yes.” He looks away for a moment, hoping she understands what he is not saying.

Maxie feels a tremor of pain that is not at all physical. A happy ending for her. Singular. Not plural. She gets the message. She wants to argue that his eyes are saying one thing and his words another, but she isn’t up for it. Later, when she’s stronger, she’ll figure out for herself what she wants. Not now.

There is a moment of awkward silence.

“The kids? Your nephew? The Cassadine girl?”

“Safe. Safe and back in Port Charles with their families. Thanks to you. You saved their lives.”

“I did my job,” her voice was growing weaker as exhaustion worked to reclaim her. “Did you find the leak?”

“Leak?”

“Someone had to tip off Helena’s men that we were going to be there.”

Hell and damnation. She was right of course. He had been so caught up in his worry over what happened that he had given no thought as to why it had happened. Someone in her department had leaked this information to either Helena or Katherine and Maxie had been shot as a result.

“We will. We’ll find the leak.”

Her eyes closed.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what?” He asked.

But there was no answer as Maxie drifted to sleep.

Port Charles

Emily sat in the back of the car blindfolded. She had no idea where she was being taken. She leaned back against the smooth upholstery.

“You could at least give me a clue about where we are going.” She complained for the fifth time since they had set off from the hospital.

“But that would definitely blow the surprise,” Lucky’s voice teased her from the driver’s seat. “And we wouldn’t want to do that, would we kiddo?”

“Nope,” Jonathan said with satisfaction from his seat in the back next to his mother. “After all, it’s the surprise that’s the best part...isn’t that what you keep telling me when I want to open my Christmas presents early?”

“It’s not fair to use my own words against me,” Emily said laughingly.

The car drove on to a gravel road for a few minutes and then stopped.

Jonathan and Lucky helped Emily out of the car.

“Are you ready?” Lucky’s arm came around his wife from behind and he kissed her neck playfully.

“Come on Dad, no mushy stuff.” This time it was Jonathan’s turn to complain. “Let’s show her.”

Lucky laughed. “You heard the little general. No mushy stuff. At least not till later. Okay, here goes Em.” And he gently pulled down the blindfold.

Emily blinked. And then blinked again. And then turned in amazement to stare at Lucky. “Is it what I think it is?” Her voice was a tremulous whisper.

“Yeah,” Lucky smiled. “It is.”

She turned in his arms, buried her head in his shoulder, and started to cry.

“Mom,” Jonathan said concerned. “You don’t like it? We can take it back can’t we Dad? Maybe pick out another one?”

Emily’s voice was muffled against her husband’s shoulders. Lucky looked at his son and shook his head. “She loves it Jonathan. She’s just a little excited. Why don’t you run up and check out the inside of the house. I think you grandmothers spent all day yesterday shopping for furniture and stuff. And I do believe your grandfather Alan left something for you in the back yard. We’ll be in in a minute.”

Once Jonathan had left, Lucky turned to his wife. “Em..” he said softly. “You do like the house don’t you? I probably should have waited till you were out of the hospital so that we could look together but......”

She stops him with a kiss. A long full kiss. When she breaks it off a few minutes later, they are both breathing hard. “I love it.” She whispers. “I love you. A home. A home of my own. With my own name on it .” She takes a deep breath and relaxes against him as she turns and looks at the house that Lucky has bought for her.

“All those years living at the Quartermaine mansion after my mom died. You know it never really felt like a home to me. I love the Monica and Alan and Edward and everyone else, but I always felt in some small way that I was a guest in their house. It was never my house. Then all those years on the run when Jonathan was little. Motel rooms. Street corners. Underpasses. Studio apartments. All kinds of houses but never a home.”

His arms around her tighten as he pulls her further back against him. “Then,” she continues. “When you and I and Jonathan became a family...I realized that a home wasn’t made of brick or wood or stone. You and Jonathan became my home. It didn’t matter that we moved every few months or changed our names or any of that as long as were together.”

“But this,” she looks at the house in front of her. “Knowing that this beautiful home is also our home and that we will be here for a while and that I can plant a garden and be there to see it grow.” She stops as the realization hits her that maybe she won’t be there to see anything grow.

“Don’t,” Lucky says urgently. “We promised that we wouldn’t think about it until you saw the specialist in New York. Your appointment is in two days. The medicine Tony gave you in the meantime will inhibit the infection a little bit and doesn’t hurt the baby.”

She nods, knowing that he is right. It is hard sometimes, especially at moments like this when she feels strong and secure in her lover’s arm with her child’s laughter ringing out and another child nestled safely within her, to think of the last few days at GH as reality. Reality is Jonathan. Reality is Lucky. Reality is the future they are going to build together. A infection that might destroy that future is not real.

She turns to Lucky in sudden apprehension as another thought occurs to her. “Is it safe to stay?”

Lucky wants to tell her no. He has no idea where Helena is or what she is planning, although Jason’s men have been a silent shadow for all of them. He personally oversaw the installation of state of the art security in their home. He is also worried about what Nikolas will do. His father’s call that Nikolas had seen a lawyer had prompted him to see one too. Scott Baldwin. And his mother’s ex-husband had suggested that a home of their own and a stable environment would help in case Nikolas decided to file custody. Once he knew more about what Nikolas was up to, he would talk to Emily. He had been serious when he had told Nik in El Paso that he would take his family and go underground rather than lose their son.

But his first priority had been Emily’s medical condition and their baby. And that meant staying in Port Charles where she could be seen by the doctors at GH. Where their families were here to support them in whatever decision they had to make. It also meant following Tony’s directions that she was not to be become tired or stressed or worried if she could help it. He could help it. He would shelter her from their worries until she was stronger. He looked into her beautiful face. He could not lose her. He would not make it without her. Not for a moment. Not for a day. And not for the rest of his lifetime. Please God let the specialist in New York help.

He looked at his wife’s expectant face and nodded. “It’s safe.”

His lie was rewarded by another kiss before they walked up to explore their new home.
Later that day Spencer House

“Ruby, hurry up,” Stephanie Cassadine pounded on the bedroom door. “Grandma says that we have to leave in a little while to go to Jonathan’s new house.”

Three days back in Port Charles had restored a lot of Stephanie’s natural exuberance. She had spent most of her days with Jonathan, except for today when he and Lucky had left early to pick his mother up from the hospital and take her to the new house. She wanted to see him again this evening. She had made up her mind to ask him straight out if what she had heard Lucky and him talking about was true. Was Jonathan really her brother? Did her father know?

Ruby Spencer stuck her head out and looked at her niece. “Tell Mom I’m not going. Tell her I’m coming down with a case of ....” Ruby shrugged. Nothing short of the bubonic plague was going to get her out of this evening. “Forget it. Tell Mom I’ll be down in ten minutes.”

Ruby closed the door and looked around her room. She was not in a good mood and she knew it. She missed her dad. Luke was still in El Paso. Her one day off school yesterday had been spent tagging after her mother and Monica Quartermaine as they hit just about every furniture store in Port Charles. Every conversation had been around Jonathan. Alan was planning a surprise for Jonathan. Jonathan had kicked Edward Quartermaine out of Emily’s room when his mom had need to sleep. Jonathan was just like Luke and Lucky. How many times had her mother praised St. Jonathan? Too many to count.

Trying to be fair, Ruby had to admit that Jonathan himself had done nothing to irk her. He had spent most of his time at the hospital or keeping Stephanie company. He was polite, well-mannered, and she supposed not a bad kid.

When he wasn’t showing her up. When he wasn’t taking her mother’s attention away from her. And she and Lucky had barely spoken since he returned.

Hell, she had been so desperate for some family attention that she had called Lulu at college and listened to her go on and on about her latest boyfriend for two hours.

She walked over to the shelf and picked up the computer disk she and Michael had stolen from the warehouse. She knew the kind of threat that Helena Cassadine posed to her family. The guards still followed her when she left the house. She knew that they were there because her father had asked Michael’s uncle for his help. If she could figure out what was on this disk and use that information to get Helena Cassadine.....

She picked up the disk and placed it in her bag. Everyone said that Jonathan was a whiz kid at computers. Tonight he could prove it by helping her crack the code on the disk. If he was as much a Spencer as everyone said, he would jump at the chance to help her get Helena. And keep it a secret from the adults.
Wyndemere

Nikolas Cassadine sat silently in his study. He had gotten home from Texas early that day, but had yet to go over to his mother’s house to pick up Stephanie. Wyndemere, never really a welcoming place since Kim and his son died, seemed particularly cold and empty tonight. He had talked to Laura earlier in the day and she had said that Stephanie was doing well and looking forward to going to a party tonight. Not a party really, his mother had hastily explained, just a little get together at Emily and Lucky’s new house. To celebrate Emily and Lucky’s return and Emily’s dismissal from the hospital. His mother had been vague about the reason why Emily had been in the hospital in the first place.

Nikolas looked at the portrait of his father that Liz had painted for him as a wedding present when he and Kim had married. He was trying to cope with all that Lucky had told him in Texas. All that he had seen with his own eyes. His grandmother had killed Stefan. She had been trying to kill Laura and Lesley Lu. God how old had Lulu been at the time- four or five? He would have lost his mother and his sister in that fire. Instead he had lost his father. That had destroyed his world. The only solace he had found had been in a bottle. He didn’t remember the first six months after the fire. They had passed by in this blur of alcohol and grief. He hadn’t really snapped out of it until his aunt had taken him to Greece.

But sometime during that time period he had taken the virginity of a girl he had called a friend and left her pregnant and alone. He tried to imagine, for even a second, what it must have been like to be Emily. Pregnant. Scared. How could she tell him she was pregnant when he didn’t even remember having sex with her? Then he had brought Kim back to Port Charles and announced his attention to marry her. What must Emily have thought? Then his grandmother had threatened her and Emily had run to protect her child. His child.

How many years had she lived on the run and alone? She could have died and none of them would have known what happened to her? Or why? His son could have been left alone. Or worse ended up with Helena. Another child to raise and torture. Like his aunt and his father.

Emily had protected their child. Emily had paid the cost. She had almost paid with her life.

Then Lucky had come along. Lucky had protected Emily and her child. Nikolas’s child. Lucky had been there to raise the boy. Lucky had been there to be Jonathan’s father. Not Nikolas.

And he had to admit that Emily and Lucky had done a good job. Jonathan was a bright, smart, intelligent boy. Jonathan had saved his daughter’s life. What a complicated mess-- the son he never knew he had saved his daughter’s life. Stephanie adored her “cousin” that had become very clear. The ordeal in El Paso had bonded the two children. How would Stephanie react when she learned the truth? She was only nine. Would she understand ? What would she do if he sued for custody? What would Jonathan do? Would both his children end up hating him?

Nikolas swore and knocked the papers on his desk off his desk. All he wanted was to be a father to his son. What had been denied him for twelve years. The chance to call Jonathan son. To hear Jonathan call him Dad. Him. Not Lucky.

How had his father stood it all those years? Had Stefan cringed every time Nikolas had referred to him as “uncle”? How had Stefan lived all those years knowing that he had a son that he could never claim?

And could Nikolas do the same? Did he even want to try?

Nikolas picks up the phone and orders the launch. There is a party going on. A welcome home party for his brother and his brother’s wife. His mother will be there. His sister will be there. His daughter will be there. His son will be there. Nikolas grins slightly. He will be there too.
El Paso

Officer Thomas Sponberg lived in a modest one story home in a suburb of El Paso. He had been on the force for three years and had been a cop for almost two decades. Two years ago his wife and his child left him. Which explains why he sleeps alone most nights.

This morning he doesn’t wake up alone however.

He wakes up to two men in his bedroom. Both heavily armed. Both look as if they want to kill him.

He doesn’t know how right he is.

Jason looks at the man and all he can see is Maxie in that hospital bed. And all he can think is that this man put her there.

Killing is too painless.

Jason says nothing but his eyes remain cold and empty as they stare at Sponberg. It is Luke who does all the talking, his voice casually mocking.

“What are you doing here?” Sponberg’s voice cracks. “I have some money if you want it. Take it. Take anything. Just leave me alone.”

“Funny that you should mention money,” Luke puts the pistol he is carrying up against Sponberg’s forehead. “That’s why we are here. We wanted to ask you about some rather sizable deposits made to an account bearing your name. Made periodically over the years, but especially this last week...a total of one million deposited over the last seven days.”

“How do you know about that account? It’s confidential and private?”

“Don’t you know that nothing is truly confidential these days?” Luke smiled, but not a reassuring smile. “So tell us about the kind of work that you do for Helena Cassadine?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Sponberg stammered.

Jason takes his rifle and points it directly Sponberg’s genitals.

“He shoots and you might survive,” Luke says. “Of course you won’t want to.....”

“All right...All right..” Sponberg actually twitches. “Ten years ago Helena Cassadine contacted me. All she wanted was information. Little stuff. I was working in LA at the time. Information about drug raids. When customs was going to board her ships or check her warehouses. Nothing big. I never really talked to Helen Cassadine herself. All of my business went through an associate. Katherine Bell. A few years ago I quit the LAPD and moved here. The payments continued even though I barely did anything for them. Then she called last week and wanted me to tell her everything I knew about the Stewart murders, the Cassadine girl’s disappearance etc. When Detective Jones arranged for the pick up of the kids, I called her and told her. I didn’t know it was going to turn into a bloodbath. I didn’t know that she was going to try to kill the kids. And I definitely didn’t know that an officer was going to get hurt.”

“But I didn’t see you give back any of that money she gave you.” Luke looks at the man in disgust. Give him a cop like Mac Scorpio over slum like this any day. Even Taggert or Garcia would be better. “I want a number for contacting Ms. Bell. And an address. Now.”

Sponberg shook his head. “I have a number but I don’t have an address. Everything was handled electronically.”

Luke nodded and Sponberg wrote the number out and handed it to him.

“Is that all that you wanted? Can you leave now?”

“We’re leaving. This place is too depressing and we make it a habit of avoiding low lifes whenever possible. But we will be watching you. And if you make any attempt to contact Katherine Bell or Helena Cassadine we will have you killed. My partner over there wants you dead now. I told him that you weren’t worth it.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” Sponberg boasts.

“Which proves that you are an even bigger idiot than I imagined. A smarter man would be terrified.” Luke says as they walk out.

Ten minutes later, Jason and Luke are watching the house from a parked car half a block away.

“You should have let me kill him.”

“This way is better. We scare him and hopefully he runs straight to the kitty cat.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“Then you can kill him later.” Luke smiled. “But there was never a chance that I was wrong on this one.” He motions to the darkly clad figure leaving the house and getting into the second hand Olds sitting in the driveway.

A few minutes later, the Olds drives down the street, it’s driver not noticing the dark sedan following it.