Jax & Sam #1 September 30, 2003 - Jan 9, 2004: 8 hour original edit

In the meantime, a young woman named Samantha McCall, fakes a suicide in order to break out of a small town jail. Later, Jax arrives at a bar called "Bolivar" in Galveston, to meet the holder of the remainder of the lucky cards, and spots Samantha McCall, playing cards with some of the locals. When Sam fleeces some of the locals in the card game, the locals angrily accuse Sam of cheating. As the men begin to threaten Sam, Jax moves in and rescues her. Later, Sam blasts Jax for interfering with her "fun." However, when Jax asks some of the customers at the bar about John's card, Sam suddenly becomes very interested and challenges Jax to a card game. As they play, Sam tries to pump Jax for information about the old playing card, but Jax remains mum. When Sam comes up short for putting money into the kitty, Sam offers Jax the keys to her boat. Jax reluctantly accepts Samantha's offer and wins the pot with two black Aces, two black Eights, and a Jack of Diamonds. Samantha pulls a knife and threatens Jax because he has just played The Dead Man's Hand!

Jax plays poker with Sam. After he wins another hand, Sam pokes a knife into the keychain in the middle of the table and tells him that is a dead man's hand. Jax tells her she already lost her boat to him and asks her what she has left to wager. Sam tells him that if she wins she gets her boat back and if he wins he gets to have her for the whole night. Jax wins the next hand. Sam isn't too happy but agrees to follow through. Jax tells her to show up to his room and gives her the number and the place he is staying in. He tells her if she shows up he will give her the keys to her boat. Sam does show up all dressed up in a nice dress. Jax gives her back her keys. Sam starts to seduce him but he holds back and tells her he wants to take it slow and get to know her better first before considering sleeping with her. Jax then turns the tables on her and asks her what she knows about the "deadman's hand" and what she wants with him. Sam denies she knows anything about some old playing card. She empties the contents of her purse. He sees her license and that the name printed on it matches with who she told him she was. Jax dismisses her. He gets a call from some anonymous caller telling him he knows more about the card if he is interested to meet him at some bar. Jax shows up later at the bar. A man is sitting at a table in the dark. Jax asks him to reveal himself and what he wants with the card. Jax takes out the card but it is a joker from a new deck and not the old card his father gave him. Jax realizes that Sam switched the card on him back in the hotel room but is knocked out from behind before he can do more. The man in the dark turns out to be A.J. He tells the goon that they will find out from Jax where he had the card hidden. Meanwhile, Sam is back on her boat and holding the card she stole from Jax and is quite pleased with herself.

Jax wakes up from being knocked out in the bar. The bartender wakes him by pouring cold water on him. Jax tells him that someone knocked him out and asks him if he saw who did it. The bartender tells him that he didn't see anything and asks him to leave immediately. Jax asks him about Sam, the woman he was playing poker with last night. He tells the bartender that she has something of his that he needs to get back and asks if he knows where she keeps her boat. The bartender pretends to not know anything until Jax takes out his wallet and hands him a several hundred dollars. Meanwhile, Sam is sitting on her boat all smug and satisfied that she retrieved the card from Jax and looks at some book with the pictures of the other three cards that go with it. She pats herself on the back for it and how she plans to get the other three cards. Jax shows up later to get his card back. He ends up retrieving his card back since Sam left it lying around the boat. Sam pulls out a shotgun and points it at him. Jax tells her that the gun isn't even loaded and laughs at her. He asks her why she pretended not to have interest in his old playing card when it is obvious it means a lot to her to go out of her way to steal it. He tells her he saw her name on her license and knows she is related somehow to Jack McCann. She denies that she is related to that man from the past. Jax disagrees with her. Sam eventually confesses that Jack McCann was her great grandfather and that when he shot Wild Bill during that infamous poker game, he was given a life of bad luck ever since and that her whole family has been cursed through the generations, including her.

To prove a point, her boat breaks down suddenly and she tries to fix it but nothing works including the radio. Sam gets out the flair gun to signal they need help but Jax tries to grab it from her to show her how to use it properly when he doesn't like what she is doing with it. The flair gun ends up shooting at the window in the boat and the boat catches on fire. Sam offers to help Jax with the card. Jax doesn't trust her with helping him but does explain about how his father once owned all four of those valuable playing cards and that three of the four were stolen from him and he only has that one left and feels that without the luck those cards brought him, he has convinced himself that his life is over and is waiting to die. Sam realizes how personal this is for Jax and not so much about profit. Sam and Jax realize they will have to dive overboard to safety since the boat fire is spreading and they have no way to get help now. He pushes her overboard before he follows her into the water.

Jax and Sam are shipwrecked on a deserted island. Stranded and with only each other to rely on, they agree to call a truce, albeit temporary. He knows he can't turn his back for one second around her when he catches her trying to steal the one playing card that he holds. Sam finds herself being harassed by two unruly surfers. As Jax listens unseen, he overhears the guys are also after Dead Man's Hand and, in particular, the Jack of diamonds that Jax holds. Meanwhile, back in Port Charles, A.J. is revealed to be the mastermind behind the menacing dudes. Samantha plays dumb when the two menacing surfers demand to have the Jack of Diamond from the Dead Man's Hand. Samantha spots Jax in the bushes, flashing the card, and sends the surfers after Jax! Samantha is shocked when she hears a shot and the surfers return to report that they just shot Sam's "boyfriend," and Jax plunged over a cliff, to his death! Samantha angrily blasts the two men because they managed to insure that they would never get the card that Jax held! Samantha berates the surfers for gunning down an innocent man, all for one crummy card! Sam declares that she believes that Jax was a true hero, who only wanted the card to take back to a dying man and would probably have given the men whatever money they were expecting to get by stealing the card. But Samantha realizes that she might need to fight for her life when the surfers turn their attention to her.

As Samantha fights the men off, Jax suddenly materializes from the bushes and knocks the two attackers out. Samantha becomes angry when Jax makes it clear that he was listening to her tirade as Samantha blasted the surfers for shooting 'a hero!' When the surfers regain consciousness, Jax quizzes them about the boss who was paying them to steal the card and learns that the two men were hired by someone calling from an area code near Port Charles! However, as Jax begins to untie the surfers so they can fend for themselves on the island after Jax and Sam leave, Sam grabs the surfers' gun and announces that she plans to leave Jax stranded on the island with the surfers, while Samantha takes the boat that the surfers used to get to the island! Jax protests that Samantha needs Jax's help, but Sam flashes the card showing that the Jack of Diamonds is now in Sam's possession and insists that she no longer needs any help from Jax! After firing a warning shot at Jax, Samantha skips out into the bushes, in a hurry to board the surfers' boat!

Ned and Skye have dinner at the Port Charles Grill. Ned shows her the newspaper which has printed a story about how Jax is missing and presumed dead from a boating accident. Skye tells Ned that Jax was the one man other than him that treated her well and that she hopes that she will see Jax again and worries about him. Ned assures her that Jax is a survivor and is probably fine. Jax shows up at the Grill moments later and surprises them. Skye is startled to see him looking all happy and well. She throws her glass of water at him and yells at him for scaring her to death. Skye and Ned fill him in on what is happening with them and that Alexis was behind Ned's false arrest for rape. Jax doesn't believe Alexis would go that far but Ned and Skye mention there is evidence that connects her to the girl. Jax tells them that people who are desperate sometimes cross the line. Sam shows up behind Jax and asks the waiter for a job application. She spies on Jax as he sits and talks to Ned and Skye. Jax explains what happened to him and that his father has given up the will to live because of some lucky cards he lost. He tells Ned and Skye that he intends to get them back and help his father get out of his depression. Ned listens to his story with apprehension. Skye inquires about John Jax and sends her love to him. Ned is dismayed when Skye takes in Jax's every word as gospel and is awed by his heroics. A.J. shows up and intrudes on their discussion. A.J. listens to Jax's story and shows no sympathy.

A.J. questions whether Jax is using this story as a cover for some hidden agenda in trying to steal ELQ from them. Jax doesn't care what they think and leaves to attend business. Skye blasts Ned and A.J. for their lack of sympathy for Jax's dilemma. A.J. leaves and makes a mysterious phone call about Jax. Skye orders an inexpensive item on the menu. Ned resents it and picks a fight with her about her feelings for Jax. Skye fights back and leaves him alone at their table. Jax returns to his penthouse suite at the hotel and makes a phone call before heading for the shower. Moments later, Sam shows up, dressed in a maid's uniform and carrying a cart. She knocks on the door and says "housekeeping." When Jax doesn't answer, she lets herself in his room and starts to search his desk. She doesn't find what she is looking for and notices his briefcase laying on the coffee table and goes over to break into it. She takes out her hairpin and tries to unlock it. A hand reaches out and grabs her by the wrist. She swirls around to find Jax there. He asks her what took her so long to show up.

When Jax steps out of the shower, he discovers Samantha, trying to break into his brief case. Jax reminds Sam that she already has the only card from the Dead Man's Hand that Jax possessed. When Jax starts to search Sam for the missing card, Sam resists and, in the struggle, Jax loses his towel! At that moment, Skye arrives to complain about Ned and is shocked when she discovers Jax, naked, with the maid! Skye warns Jax that it is inadvisable to sleep with the help. Skye hands Sam a $20 tip and urges the girl to be on her way and not to make any trouble for Jax. But Samantha proclaims that it would take more than a measly $20 to buy her off! As Skye and Samantha argue, Ned suddenly arrives and accuses Skye of trying to throw herself at Jax. Skye hotly denies Ned's charges. As Ned and Skye argue, Skye admits that she actually cares about Ned. Jax and Sam settle down and watch Skye and Ned argue. After Skye storms out of the apartment, Ned tries to explain his complicated relationship with Skye to Jax. When Jax suggests that perhaps Ned has fallen in love with Skye, Ned throws up his arms in exasperation and follows Skye. As Jax insists that it is now time for Samantha to leave, the Hotel Manager arrives and announces that Skye complained to him that Jax was having a problem with one of the maids. Sam is mildly surprised when Jax does not take the opportunity to get rid of Sam. After Jax praises Sam as a fine, hard-working maid, the manager orders Sam to get back to work and Sam beats a hasty retreat with her cart. Later, Jax is surprised when Samantha returns with all of her luggage and declares that, since Jax sank her boat and he owes her. And Samantha is moving in with Jax until she finds a better place to live!

Sam asks Jax to let her stay in his guest room. Ned returns and asks him if he plans to reconcile with Skye. Jax asked how Ned if he is in love with Skye. Jax tells her that he has no intentions of being with Skye. Ned leaves. Sam continues to ask to stay in his guest room. Jax agrees. They talk about the obtaining the rest of the dead man's hand. They discuss the possibilities of who may have the cards. Suddenly, the hotel manager knocks on the door. Sam quickly removes her top and kisses Jax to hide from him. The hotel manager leaves and Sam slaps him.

Jax and Sam talk about the missing cards. Sam is getting ready to work as a chamber maid at the hotel. A knock on the door alerts them and Sam hides behind the couch. Jax opens the door to find A.J. there. A.J. tells him he came by to inquire about some problem he was having with a certain maid. Jax tells him everything is fine and there are no complaints about the maid. A.J. eyes the feather duster laying the table but doesn't say anything. Jax asks him what he really came over for. A.J. goes on about not allowing Jax to try and take over ELQ while he is CEO. Jax tells him that word on the street says that ELQ is ripe for a take-over right now. A.J. leaves. Sam asks him what that was all about and steals Jax's cell-phone and puts it in her pocket while he is distracted. He reminds her she needs to get to work. She leaves his penthouse and makes a call for a cab. Jax calls for a ride also. Sam shows up at the Quartermaine estate just after A.J. makes a call to someone about the cards Jax is looking for. He puts a card he has inside a book and places inside the shelf on the desk. He leaves the room. Sam comes in and looks around the room and checks out the contents of the desk. She finds the card inside the book but Jax touches her from behind and asks her what she is doing there. She hides the card behind her back and A.J. walks in the room to find them there.

Jax and Sam try to explain to A.J. why they are at the Quartermaine estate tonight. Jax announces to A.J. that Sam is his new girlfriend and agrees with her that he came by to show her the place. A.J. doesn't really believe them but keeps it to himself and tries to put them in an uncomfortable situation when they try to leave the house. A.J. calls for the family to come in the living room if they around. Monica and Edward come in and are arguing about something. A.J. tells them that Jax came by to show Sam around the estate and to introduce her as his new girlfriend. Sam tells them that she is an heiress and wanted to see the estate. A.J. asks her a bunch of questions about what her family fortune came from. She tells them that it came from oil. However, she goofs up a bit by mentioning her boat and A.J. questions about what her grandfather got his fortune from, oil or shipping. Skye shows up with Dillon. She recognizes Sam from the hotel and confronts him about allowing Sam to lie to the family and claim to be an heiress when she really is some white trash maid. Sam denies that she isn't an heiress and claims she still can work for a living even if her family is rich. She tells everyone that she got a job as the maid to see how the poor half of society lives. Jax makes a quick exit with her while Skye argues with the family. They head to the park. Jax tells Sam that now that she screwed up and told the Quartermaine family that she was an heiress, he will now have to show her how to act like a lady.

Skye agrees to help Luke steal from the Quartermaines. While she keeps Ned distracted, Luke finds the Ace of Spades from the Dead Man's Hand in the Quartermaine den. Luke hides and listens in as Jax asks Skye if she saw any antique playing cards at the Quartermaine mansion and explains their significance. Jax takes the jack of diamonds back from Sam.

A.J. meets with Coleman outside of Kelly's. A.J. peeks through the window of Kelly's to see Sam sitting at a table eating. Coleman tells him about the night before when he got her drunk and she beat him at pool. He tells A.J. that she showed him an old playing card. A.J. asks him if he got it from her. He tells him that Jax got there and grabbed the card from her and it didn't look to him that she liked Jax all that much like a girlfriend would. A.J. goes inside Kelly's and sits at her table. He starts asking her questions about her being an heiress and how she met Jax. Sam doesn't give him the information he wants. He tries to make a deal with her but she turns him down and walks out of Kelly's and leaves him with the check. He follows her out and asks her if she has changed her mind about a deal. He asks her out to dinner the following night. She leans into him and whispers to him that she may be persuaded to go out with him. He tells her to meet him somewhere and leaves. She holds up a keychain that belongs to A.J. that she lifted from him when she leaned into him. A.J. goes home.

Sam enters the Q house, and sneaks into Dillon's room to search it. When he finds her there, she tells Dillon some sob story about how her father has lost a reason to live because he needs those old playing cards and that she knows the cards are in the Quartermaine mansion. She basically tells Dillon what Jax told her about his father owning the cards. Dillon tells her that he doesn't know where the cards are but will let her know if he finds them. Sam leaves his room. Skye lets Luke inside the living room at the Quartermaines'. She tells him to go and look around for some money and get out of her life for good. He tells her he needs the other playing cards. She asks him to give her the one he has. He shows it to her but refuses to give it to her and puts it in his shirt pocket. She brings out a bunch of decks of old playing cards that Lila has collected and looks through them for any signs of the dead man's hands cards. She hands him back the card he let her look at. He puts the card away and leaves. Skye takes the real old card out of her sleeve. She calls Jax over. Jax had come home to his penthouse and called to Sam. He checked his messages and found one from Sam telling him that she is out looking for the other playing cards so that he will have to pay her $50,000 that he owes her for their return. Jax goes to the Quartermaines. Skye brings him into the living room, where Sam quickly hides when she hears them come in. She overhears Skye tell Jax that she got one of the cards for him and found it in some old book on Wild Bill Hitchcock. He thanks her. She tells him that she feels they are at that place where they can be friends without wanting more from each other. Jax kisses her on the cheek and takes the card. Sam follows him home.

Sam gets to Jax's suite right before him and hides behind the couch when he comes home. Jax calls his mother and tells her has two of the playing cards back. He puts them inside a appointment book on the desk and walks over to the other room while talking to his mother. Sam walks over to the appointment book to steal the cards but Jax comes in and catches her trying to steal them. He tells her to drop the cards and that she's been caught. Sam tells him that she overheard Skye talking to him while she was at the mansion. He tells her that Skye is more of a woman than she is and accuses her of being this little tomboy who rather trade insults with another guy than admit how she really feels about him. She walks over to him and tells him she has no problem with showing how she feels and kisses Jax passionately. Dillon had taken the playing cards he had stolen for his mother and put them inside a cd holder. Georgie comes over to see him. He brings her up to his room. He shows her the playing cards he stole from the family for his mother. He tells her that he knows his mother is going to use the playing cards in a bad way and that he feels bad for Sam's father and for Luke. She asks him what he is going to do with them now that he has them. He tells her that he doesn't know what to do now. She tells him to hold on to the cards awhile longer and agrees to be his partner in crime by keeping the cards in her diary at home since no one would suspect them to be at the home of the police commissioner. Luke searches Jax's penthouse but is caught in the act by Jax. At the same time, Skye walks in on Sam snooping in Dillon's bedroom. Jax and Luke bicker over Skye, with each accusing the other of using and abusing her. Later, Sam slips Jax a mickey, giving her the perfect opportunity to steal the two cards from Dead Man's Hand that he holds.

At Mac's Place, Dillon is shocked when Georgie confides that she is hiding the cards from the Dead Man's Hand in Georgie's Diary. Although Dillon remains unconvinced the cards are safe, Dillon finally leaves, while Georgie waits for a math tutor Mac hired to help Georgie ace the college entrance exams. Unknown to Georgie and Dillon, Samantha is spying on them through Georgie's bedroom window. Jax catches Sam with her ladder against Mac's house and warns Sam that she is peeping at the house of the Police Commissioner himself! Jax offers to pay Samantha $1 million each for the cards that Sam has and Sam agrees to think about Jax's proposition. Later, Jax meets with Dillon and offers Dillon $1 million for each of the cards that Dillon has in his possession. Dillon doesn't exactly admit that he has the cards, but promises to bring to cards to Jax if Dillon ever finds them. Meanwhile, Samantha arrives in Georgie's room and, passing herself off as the expected tutor, Samantha finds a way to send Georgie out of the room for some ice water and Samantha grabs the cards while Georgie is gone. Later, Dillon rushes home with the news that the cards are worth $1 million each. But, when Dillon and Georgie go to get the cards, they are stunned when they discover the cards are missing! Dillon calls Jax and alerts Jax that Samantha now has Dillon's cards. When Jax finally tracks Samantha down, Jax finds Sam at Kelly's, with a pile of ashes in an ash tray on the table. Samantha announces that she burned the cards because of the pain the cards had brought to her family. Jax warns Sam that if Jax's father dies, John's death will be on Samantha's head. Then Jax storms away!

Skye comes by to see Jax at his penthouse. He is packing a travel bag. She asks him if he can take her as just a friend as her date to the masquerade ball that evening. He tells her he can't do that since he is heading off to Texas to see his father and try to explain that he no longer can give him the cards. Skye asks him why not. He explains to her that Sam stole them and burned them to ashes. Skye asks him if he is positive she burned them. He tells her he saw an ashtray full of ashes. She tells him that she doesn't believe that Sam would burn the cards like that without trying to use them herself first. Meanwhile, Sam plays poker with a bunch of guys who are working on the Versailles room for the party that night. She beats them all at poker and gets a huge amount of money. She keeps touching a pouch she brought with her as a purse. Luke, using a fake southern accent acts like he is o.k. with her beating them at poker and packs up to leave. He goes over to her first at the table and is charming to her and thanks her. He leaves. Sam starts playing a new game of poker with the men. Jax comes over and grabs her playing cards out of her hands and shows the men her hand and tells her the game is over and she is coming with him. She starts to protest but he grabs her and throws her over his shoulder. She grabs her large stack of money while she is yelling at him to let her go. He carries her back to the penthouse. He accuses her of lying to him about burning the cards. She tells him she was just playing poker because she was good at it and needed to make some money. She reminds him that he sank her boat and that he owes her $50,000. He grabs her pouch and starts to pull out some cards. She grabs the pouch from him when she sees him just pulling out pieces of white paper. He asks her where the cards are. She sees that she has been scammed and tells him there are gone. Jax guesses that Luke stole the cards from her. When Sam realizes she has to start over again to get the cards back she acts like she and Jax are partners again. He tells her that he can't trust her to be his partner after what she pulled. She tells him that she is going to get the cards back and wants his help. He tells her that she is on her own and that he can't be partners with someone who he can't trust and who has no integrity or loyalty. She vows to him that she will find the cards and that he will regret not helping her later. She is upset by what he says but keeps the tears at bay. She walks out.

At the masquerade ball, Jax shows up and tells Skye about what happened and how he believes Luke has the cards now. Later, the room's lights are dimmed and the stage lights up with a magician in a mask (its Luke). He holds out a scarf and then magically a playing card appears in his hand and one after another is displayed until all the playing cards are in his hands. Jax recognizes the playing cards as the "dead man's hands" playing cards. Dillon, and A.J. as well as Sam, who shows up all dressed up notices what they are as well. Sam had told Jax at the party that she knows what she is doing and how to handle herself as well. Jax, Sam, Dillon, Georgie, A.J., and Skye watch while the magician reveals the "dead man's hands" to all of them and then makes himself disappear in a cloud of smoke. Jax tells Skye he needs her help to find the magician. Sam goes off to look to see where the magician disappeared to. Skye and Ned see a man with a magician costume on with his back to them on the terrace. Jax grabs him thinking he is Luke. It turns out to be the messenger who sent them the invitations to the private auction. He hands them cards that say for them all to meet at Luke's Club. They all go there to find Luke waiting for them. He invites them all in for his private auction of the cards. He asks someone to start the bidding war. Dillon starts it by yelling out $1 million. A.J. continues it. Jax reluctantly adds on another money wager and he ends up in a bidding war with A.J. and Sam. Jax reminds Sam that she doesn't have any money. She tells him that she can raise $5 million by playing poker any time and win that kind of money. Jax continues on. Dillon tries to add on. A.J. asks him where he is getting that kind of money. Dillon tells him his mother Tracy will pay for it.

However, as the bidding gets more into the multi-million dollar range, Dillon puts his stick down and stops wagering. Jax keeps upping the wager until it gets to $10 million. A.J. wants to continue but Skye interrupts and reminds A.J. that he needs Edward's approval to spend all that kind of money and makes a plea for Jax's father, who really needs the cards and he shouldn't have to spend millions of dollars to get what belongs to his father anyway. Luke tells her to stop interfering and tells her to sit down. Jax gets the cards for $10 million. Jax pockets the cards. Sam saddles up to him and starts to act like nothing happened with their partnership. Jax tells her he has no interest in conducting business with her and tells her to go away. Suddenly, some gas comes out of the vent and everyone starts to fall to the floor, unconscious. A man (Chase) in what looks like an astronaut suit comes in and takes the cards and leaves them all there. They wake up stunned, and begin accusing each other.

Sam is asked to meet with Chase at Jake's. He is a man from her past who says he is the one who stole the Dead Man's Hand. He propositions Sam, she gets the Dead Man's Hand if she sleeps with him. Sam is outraged and reluctant but Jax agrees and basically pimps out Sam to Chase. Sam finally agrees because she wants the cards more than her self-respect and leaves with Chase to seal the deal. Jax tries to wash away his sliminess with tequila and trades barbs with Coleman before leaving. Chase takes Sam back to his hotel room and shows her the cards in return for some stripping. While Chase takes the cards to another room for safekeeping, Sam hides something underneath the pillows (the better to bash you with, my dear). Chase and Sam start the bed rolling when Jax kicks in the door and carries Sam off with him. Back at Jax's, Sam accuses him of being jealous. Jax counters that he just didn't want her to get her grubby little hands on the cards and that he'd deal with Chase directly. Meanwhile the sexual tension between these two goes absolutely...nowhere.

Sam and Chase, the astronaut who stole the cards at Luke's club talk at Jake's bar. Sam tries to get close to him again to get the cards back. Jax shows up and offers Chase cash for the cards. Chase is interested in making a deal with Jax. Sam is miffed when Jax gets one step ahead of her again. Dillon and Georgie show up at Jake's. They watch as Sam, Jax, and Chase talk about the cards and figure out that Chase does have them and is about to hand them over to Jax for money. Chase leaves to go get the cards and return to Jax and Sam. Sam starts to cozy up to Jax again but he tells her he can't really trust her when she asks him if she can borrow the cards once he returns them to his father so she can use them to bring her good luck at poker. Jax tells her that she doesn't need luck to win at poker but just to use her skills and talents to do it and goes to kiss her. Chase returns and wonders about their relationship. Jax hands him a check and tells him to go verify the amount by calling the bank. Chase does that and it is verified that the check will clear. Newell goes to hand over the cards but there are not in his pocket. Chase, is stunned they are gone. Jax can't believe they are gone. Georgie watches from the bar and leaves to go meet Dillon outside the bar. Dillon shows her the cards. Georgie asks him what he is going to do now that he has the cards back. Dillon is torn between selling the cards to the highest bidder or handing them over to Luke to auction them off. Georgie asks him to make a decision, selling the cards to save himself or giving them to Luke.

Jax questions Chase about who may have stole the cards from him suddenly. Sam accuses Chase of playing games. Chase insists that he doesn't have them. Jax leaves Jake's bar and overhears Dillon and Georgie discussing what to do with the cards, give them to Luke or to Tracy. Jax offers to pay Dillon $5 million for the cards. Dillon still worries that Tracy may still send him to military school for losing the cards in the first place. Jax reassures Dillon that he will talk to Tracy himself and convince her that the $5 million will be worth it to her. Dillon asks him why the cards are so important for him to have. Jax tells him that his father owned the cards and that he lost his will to live when he lost most of them. Jax tells him he promised his father he will do anything to get them back for him. Dillon tells him that "they seem to be sticking to that same story to get the cards." Jax asks him what he is talking about. Dillon explains that the woman who has been hanging around Jax told him the same sob story when he first met her.

Sam comes out of Jake's. Jax looks at her and asks her if she has no shame. Sam looks up at him with her puppy-dog eyes and apologizes for using his story as her own to get the cards but she didn't have a good story herself. Dillon agrees to the transaction and hands over the cards to Jax. Sam tries to persuade Jax that they have something between them that they should explore. Jax tells her they have nothing between them since all she is interested in is the cards and not him. He tells her she is on her own and leaves. He drives on toward where his father is. He talks to his mother on his cell-phone but the reception is bad in the desert where there is not a good signal. He gets disgusted with his phone and throws it in the back seat. He hears a noise. He ended up hitting Sam in the head with the phone when she was hiding in the backseat of his car. He pulls her out of the back and stops his car. He tells her to get out of the car. His car starts to have trouble and he raises the hood to see what's the matter. He seems to have fixed the problem. As he is getting back behind the wheel after telling her he is leaving her there. He points out that there is a casino down the road and to go there since she is comfortable in places like that anyway. Sam pulls some wires out of his car when he isn't looking. Jax goes to start his car but it won't start. He looks at Sam. Sam tells him he will have to join her at the casino since he can't call on his cell-phone.

At the casino Sam tried to prove to Jax that the cards are good luck to her but then proceeded to lose at cards. Jax then tries to prove that the cards mean otherwise by playing a slot machine but to their surprise he wins the grand prize which is a boat. To prove that she is still lucky he gives her the boat and they kiss. Back at the room Sam reveals to Jax that she believes in him and that they should get the cards back to his father. They then proceed to make love. Jax arrives at the hospital to give his father the Dead Man's Hand, but it's too late... his father is dead. A guilt-ridden Sam recalls sabotaging Jax's car, which resulted in them being delayed in getting to John with the cards that could have saved his life. Meanwhile, Courtney learns that the house she is staying in used to be Brian's and asks him about his wife and child. As Jax bitterly throws the Dead Man's Hand at Samantha's feet, Samantha scrambles to gather the cards up. Jax accuses Sam of being so eager to get her hands on the cards that she doesn't seem to care about John's death. However, Samantha hands the cards back to Jax and insists the cards are for Jax. Sam reminds Jax that his father DID believe in the cards and that Jax COULD bury the cards with John or keep them as a remembrance of his father, but Jax refuses to even consider keeping the cards. After Jax goes with Jane to make final arrangements for John's memorial service, Samantha waits in John's room. When Jax returns, Samantha points out that the nurse left John's things in a bag on the bed. When Jax worries that Samantha has no place to stay, Sam insists that she is used to being alone and landing on her feet.

However, Jax insists that Sam stay with him in his hotel room. Later, as Jax confides to Samantha some of his fondest memories of his father, Samantha remembers her sly trick, which disabled Jax's car and delayed Jax's rush to his father's bedside with the cards. After Jax and Sam make love, Jax receives a call from his mechanic, who reports that Jax's car was deliberately sabotaged! He tells him that someone pulled some wires from the hood and that means someone didn't want him to go anywhere. Jax hides what he found out from Sam and tells her that the call was from the funeral home concerning arrangements for his father's funeral. He decides to try and make her feel guilty by casually mentioning that if the car hadn't broken down, he may have been able to get to his father in time and prevented his death. He continues on about it.

Sam tells him he needs to stop blaming himself for his father's death. Jax turns around and looks at her and tells her he blames her not himself. She realizes he found out about the car. He confronts her about pulling the wires on his rental car and preventing him from getting to his father in time. He accuses her of also seducing him to keep him from being suspicious of her. He tells her that he should have trusted his instincts and never got involved with her from the beginning. Sam doesn't deny what she did and tells him that she never would have pulled the wires on the car if she knew what would happen to his father. She also tells him that they made love and it wasn't just sex for her. He tells her that it was just sex to him to hurt her and it works. She starts to cry. Jax grabs his coat and tells her that he is leaving and when he comes back he wants her to be gone from his room. Sam writes a letter to him while he is gone. She tells him again how sorry she is for his father's death and how she wished she could have changed things. She tells him she is leaving the cards for him to prove that what she told him was partly the truth and tells him that at one point it became more than about the cards for her and wished they could have continued with their relationship. She seals the cards in the letter and places it on his pillow before she leaves. A shadow moves across the floor in front of Jax's room. Jax returns to his room to find no signs of the cards or a letter from Sam. It seems that the shadow that had moved across the floor in front of Jax's room belonged to Tracy Quartermaine who intercepted the letter from Sam and burned it and took the "dead man's hand" for herself.

Jax sits and waits for his father's funeral to begin. Sam shows up to pay her respects. Jax isn't too happy to see her and tells her she isn't welcome there since she is part of the reason his father died. Sam tries to comfort him by saying some nice things about his father and what he must have been like. Jax tells her that he loved him and that to love someone means that you respect what they did in life and what they wanted. He tells Sam to go off to some casino and use the cards to help bring her some luck. Sam looks at him in confusion and tells him she doesn't have the cards and that she put the cards in a letter she left for him. Jax can't believe she could keep lying to him after everything. She insists she wrote him a letter and left the cards with him. He tells her to leave him alone. She leaves. Skye shows up and walks in the room with Jax's mother, Jane. Ned and Alexis also show up for the funeral to pay their respects to Jax and Jane. Alexis offers to help Jane if she needs her for any reason. Ned and Alexis suggest to Jax that the three of them go out and have a drink to toast John's memory. He tells them he will do that with them later. Jane tells them that John was very proud of his sons and that she told Jerry not to risk his freedom to come to the service. Jax asks to be left alone and they all leave.

Jax sits by John's casket and says goodbye to his father and cries with tears of guilt as well for not being able to come through for him. Later when he is back home there is a knock on the door. He answers the door to his room to find Sam there. She tells him she tried to come and get her things but the hotel manager refused to let her in without his permission. He allows her in to get her things and asks her to leave afterward on her own since he has to call his brother and wants his privacy. Sam goes and gets her things. Tracy comes into his room, unaware that Sam is in the next room. She leaves a note and one of the cards from the "dead man's hands" with it. Sam catches her as she tries to sneak out of Jax's room quietly. She confronts Tracy about stealing the cards and the note she left him. Tracy tries to dismiss her but Sam grabs Tracy's arm and prevents her from leaving. Tracy makes a remark about how she started to read the letter she left Jax but realized it was some overly sweet and sentimental stuff. Tracy tells her that she has business with Jax that doesn't concern her anymore. She also comments on how little Sam is and that she isn't too intimidated by some "China doll." Sam threatens to punch her in the face to show how tough she can be. Jax comes in the room and tells them to stop fighting.

Sam leaves Jax. Jax tells Tracy that the dead man's hand no longer means anything to him even though Tracy is convinced that the cards mean good luck to anyone that comes in contact with them. She proposes that they go into partnership and open a casino together. At first Jax is against the idea but Tracy gets him to agree to it if she can come up with half the money. This sends Tracy over to the Quartermaine mansion to ask Lila for the money. Edward tries to stop her from seeing her mother but this threat sends Tracy straight up the stairs to the mansion and more determined than ever to get the money. Shortly after Tracy tells Edward that her mother has given her ten million dollars and that she is moving back in. Wanting to irk Jax, Sam pushes his buttons by making nice-nice with Sonny.

As Samantha tries to convince Jax to break his agreement with Tracy, the Harbor Master informs Sam that her ship has arrived. Sam is appalled when she learns the boat that was delivered is really a derelict that looks nothing like the yacht in the picture the casino handed her! Luke arrives on board Sam's ship and proves that "The Lucky lady" is really "The Haunted Star!" Sam continues to insist that she won the ship after a lucky turn at the slot machines in Las Vegas. Tracy and Scott arrive and Tracy is upset that Luke plans to turn the ship back in to a casino. Tracy offers Luke $5 million for his gaming permit and Skye urges Luke to take the money pointing out that the ship is in need of mammoth repairs before it can be turned into a casino! But Luke insists he wants the haunted Star as Port Charles' only gambling casino! But Samantha reminds Luke that she is still the owner of the ship and the only one with a title. Skye suggests that Luke and Samantha could end up in court for year, trying to determine the exact ownership of the ship. Skye suggests that Samantha and Luke pool their resources and, between them, they would have a ship and a gaming permit! Samantha is suspicious about why Skye would suddenly seem willing to help Samantha show Jax that he made a mistake, and Skye admits that she is willing to go to any lengths to make sure that Jax's venture with Tracy fails. Luke and Samantha agree to go into business together. Tracy reports to Jax that Samantha and Luke are going into partnership and that Luke has the only gaming rights in town. Tracy suggests that Jax charm Sam in to spilling Luke's plans for his casino. Jax agrees that he has no problem with teaching Sam a lesson. Later, Jax meets with Sam on the docks and apologizes for blaming Sam for his father's death. But Samantha doubts the sincerity of Jax's apology.

He says that he shouldn't have come down so hard on her. He tells her that he lied to her about the night they spent together and admits that it meant more to him than he let on and that he was just trying to hurt her by saying that it didn't mean anything. Sam isn't quite ready to forgive him and makes him work at it. Jax continues to be apologetic. Sam tells him that Luke owns the gambling rights for Port Charles but she technically owns the yacht. Jax asks her out to dinner to make up for what he did. She accepts as long as she can order what she wants from the menu this time. Jax waits for her at the Cellar club. She comes down the stairs all dressed up and joins him. Tracy shows up and tells Sam to leave them alone to talk business. Jax tells her Sam is his date and won't be leaving. Tracy insists on talking business with him about the dead man's hands. Jax insists she give him the other cards or their deal is off. Tracy hands him the cards and leaves. Jax pretends he has to go to the restroom and makes it point to leave the cards on the table in front of her. Jax meets up with Tracy in the lobby. Tracy can't believe he would be foolish enough to leave the cards alone with Sam when she could steal them again. Jax tells her it is a test and he left the cards there on purpose. He believes that Sam won't steal the cards since she is starting to fall in love with him. They watch as Sam eyes the cards and is tempted to take them but keeps pushing them away from her. Jax tells Tracy that he has Sam McCall exactly where he wants her now.

Jax and Tracy watch as Sam leaves the cards on the table. Jax tells her it is because she is falling for him. Tracy isn't quite so trusting about it and thinks that maybe Sam is just playing him right now and pretending she isn't interested in the cards. Jax is confident that his plan is working so far. Jax goes back to sit down with Sam. Jax distracts Sam while Tracy takes the cards back. Jax invites Sam back to his place but she turns him down. Sam goes to the yacht to meet with Luke and Skye. They ask her if she stole the cards from Jax. She tells him she wasn't able to do that yet but will soon. She goes back to see Jax in his room. Jax opens the door to his room to find Sam there. He grabs her and kisses her passionately. They end up making love. Jax apologizes to her again for the hurtful things he said to her and acts like he may not go through with his business partnership with Tracy. Sam doesn't give much information about Luke and her partnership either. Sam leaves and goes back to the yacht. Luke is there alone. He asks her if she got the cards. She tells him she wasn't able to this time but will try again. She tells Luke that she has Jax believing that she is in love with him when he is really in love with her and is falling for everything she tells him. Luke isn't so sure of that and tells her that it seems that Jax has her where he wants her.

Sam and Jax continue to hide from each other the motives behind their affection. Sam thinks that he is buying her act, and presents the situation to Skye, who laughs at her and tells her she's being played for a fool. Skye tells Sam that Jax will not forgive her role in his father's death, and until he specifically says he knows that Sam is not to blame, he can't be trusted. Ned demands to know why Jax is going into business with Tracy. Jax explains it is solely to get back at Sam, and to crush her heart for her contribution toward his father's death. Later, Sam goes back to Jax, and they continue their ruse toward one another. In order to test his loyalty, Sam asks Jax to give her the cards.

Sam tells Jax she wants to have the cards in order to prove to him that she won't steal them and that he can trust her. While she speaks of trust, she is bugging the conversation for Skye to overhear. Jax goes to Tracy to get the cards. Although he believes that Sam's plan is to seduce him and then steal the cards, he is tired of the game and wants it to be over. While Jax is gone, Skye lets herself into his penthouse and warns Sam not to fall for Jax. If they're going to work together, she says, Sam must be functional, lighten up, give Jax time. But Sam doesn't want to waste any more time. She tells Skye that she cares for Jax, and that she's going to make him care for her, starting tonight. When Jax returns to the penthouse, Skye is waiting with champagne. She toasts to the first night, and to whatever is going to happen. They kiss, and are about to make love when Jax stops, abruptly. He tells her that he was going to sleep with her one last time, then catch her red-handed as she attempted to steal the cards, but he can't go through with it. He gives her the cards and tells her to leave. Sam, infuriated that Jax still didn't trust her, decides to give him just what he expects. Taking the cards, she storms out of the penthouse. She is about to throw the cards into a fire, but gets caught up in a conversation with a homeless man warming his hands and gives him the cards instead. Maybe they will bring him luck. But was it a homeless man? Or was it Luke Spencer? Jax overhears Tracy and Skye arguing about him and Sam, and breaks it up by telling them that he has given the cards to Sam, and that she's gone.

Sonny in a standoff with police, stops Sam's truck and takes her hostage at gun point, and forces her to go with him. Sonny later confides in Sam about how Carly called the police to tell them he was going after Alcazar. Sam convinces him that Carly was only doing what she thought she needed to keep him safe and Sonny releases her. Jax reacts with great fear to the news that Sonny took Sam hostage. Skye calls him on it, claiming that it's obvious that he loves her. Although he denies his love for Sam to Skye, he later greets Sam with a passionate embrace when she returns safe and sound. Sam refuses to press charges against Sonny despite pressure from Scott and Jax. Sam claims Sonny offered to let her go once he was away from the police and he did not hold her against her will. Once Scott leaves, Sam assures Jax that Sonny isn't threatening her, but rather she understands his motives and can relate. Jax tells Sam that he knows she gave the cards away and wants to know why. They continue to talk in circles with each other, and Sam walks out. She heads to the airport to leave Port Charles for good. As she waits for her flight, she remembers her time with Jax. Once she gets up to board the plane, she sees that he is waiting for her. He tells her that Port Charles is beautiful at Christmas, in an attempt to get her to stay. As he walks away, a police officer arrives and arrests Sam for helping Sonny.

Jax is shocked when Tracy informs him that Samantha has been arrested for aiding and abetting Sony when Sonny fled the Police. At the Port Charles Police Department, Sam discovers that she will share an interrogation room with Jason. While they are alone, Jason explains to Sam that Scott is just using Sam as a pawn to get to Sonny. When Sam declares that she will not be testifying against Sonny, Jason promises to finance Samantha's legal involvement and get the best attorney available for her defense. Jax suddenly arrives and begins trying to convince Sam to go ahead and testify against Sonny. Jax is shocked when he realizes that Sam is continuing to refuse to testify against Sonny. Jax listens to Samantha defend Sonny's actions. He warns her that she is merely part of a long string of young women who have risked everything to protect Sonny. Sam continues to refuse to cooperate. Alcazar suddenly arrives and announces that he wants Dillon to take Sage out of the country for safekeeping.

Sam goes to see Sonny to ask him why he won't let her tell the police that he didn't kidnap her against her will. He tells her that he can't allow her to be charged with aiding and abetting on his account and thanks her for trying to help him. He asks her what she is getting out it by helping him this way anyway. Jax comes into Sonny's hospital room and tells Sam he wants to know why also. She tells Jax that it doesn't concern him and that she is helping Sonny because she knows how it feels to have someone think she betrayed them when she didn't and she knows that Sonny and Carly love each other and understood why Sonny did what he did. Jax doesn't like to hear her take his side. Sonny also wonders what her relationship with Jax is. Sonny thanks her for trying to help but refuses to let her take the fall for something he did and asks her to leave. Jax escorts her out. They head over to his place. He tells her that it is dangerous for her to get involved in Sonny's life at all and explains about his past rivalry with Sonny and how his ex-lover Brenda was involved with Sonny and he destroyed her life. Sam explains to him that she felt that she could somehow relate to Sonny's predicament when it happened and that she has no plans to get involved in his life again. They talk about her current situation financially and she tells Jax that right now Luke has taken over her yacht. He tells her that she owns that yacht and that Luke can only take over it if she lets him. She tells him that she doesn't have a plan on what she is going to do to make a great living other than salvage wrecked boats. Jax gives her advice. Sam goes to take a shower.

When she comes out in her robe she calls to Jax but there is no answer. She finds a garment bag on the chair and a note attached that is addressed to her. She opens the card and it asks her to meet Jax in the conference room downstairs. She gets dressed up and meets Jax. He tells her he invited her to come down to discuss business and suggests that she would do well in his line of work. She is surprised when he turns a name plate around to show her name on it with the title of Vice President of J&J Jax Co. She thinks he is joking but he tells her he never jokes about money or business. She doesn't think she can do the job but he reassures her that she is smart and savvy enough to handle the job working for him and that she will learn as she goes along. She asks him what he does for a living. He tells her he deals with high-powered businesses and makes million dollar deals every day and the key is to bluff and make others think they are going to make a deal and not go through with it in the end. She accepts the job offer and they seal the deal with a passionate kiss.

Tracy shows up at Jax's office to find him and Sam in a compromising position. Tracy is disgusted but tells him she is there to discuss a business proposition. She dismisses Sam from being present but Sam insists on being present. Tracy tells him that she has another business venture after Sam ruined the other one by losing the cards and the gambling rights to Luke. Tracy tells Jax and Sam that A.J. has managed to ruin E.L.Q. within the weeks he has been CEO and that the company is ripe for takeover. She suggests that she wants to raid the company and wants Jax to pay for the takeover and take 50% of the profit and allow her to be CEO and receive the other 50%. Jax asks Sam for her opinion. Sam tells Tracy that she is expecting Jax to foot the bill but only wants to give him 50% of the profits if it is successful. She tells her that Jax she at least get 75% of the profits and that she should not be allowed anywhere near the CEO position. Jax thinks Sam has a point. When Tracy realizes that Sam's opinion has been taken seriously by Jax, she gets nasty and tries to insult Sam more for being a gold-digger. Tracy storms off.

Jax is concerned when he learns that Samantha plans to testify that Sonny did not actually "kidnap" her. Meanwhile, in court, Scott and Ric wonder if Justus will be able to prove that Alcazar conspired with the police to entrap Sonny. As the same time, Justus reminds Alcazar that IF Lorenzo's testimony gets Sonny convicted, Carly would never be able to forgive Lorenzo and Carly would be lost to Alcazar forever. When the trial gets under way, Ric presents the prosecution's case against Sonny. Jax is devastated when Sam takes the stand and insists that Sonny did not kidnap her. Scott and Ric object to Sam contradicting her own statements. Ric finally gets Sam to admit that Sonny did not drop his weapon when the police instructed him to drop his weapon. Ric also gets Sam to admit that Sonny dragged her into her vehicle and ordered her to drive away, while waving his gun in her face. Justus tries to put a spin on Ric's examination by encouraging Samantha to detail Sonny's belief that Sonny had been set up by Alcazar and the police. Jax blasts Sam for trying to protect Sonny and goes into detail about the way that Brenda ruined her life trying to protect Sonny. Samantha retorts that she is not Brenda and storms away, after accusing Jax of being the one who is trying to make Sam over in Brenda's image.

Later, Nikolas and Emily are surprised when Samantha arrives at Wyndemere and informs Nikolas that she believes she can successfully salvage the sunken Cassadine freighter. Jax meets with Tracy and informs Tracy that Samantha is no longer involved with Jax's business. Sam asks Nikolas if he would be interested in a business proposition. She asks him to be partners with her in salvaging a boat she has on the pier and that they would share the profits. He is interested but doesn't really know her. He agrees to meet her later on the docks to see the boat and then he will make a decision. Sam thanks him for hearing her out and then leaves.

Sam shows up at Jake's bar to see Coleman. She tells him she saw in the paper that he has a salvage boat for sale. He tells her that he knows the person who wants to sell his salvage boat but questions how much she knows about boats. She tells him what she knows and he is impressed. He agrees to get in contact with the owner. He gives her a price for the boat that is about $300,000. She thinks that price is too steep for a salvage boat she hasn't seen yet. He agrees to accept a down payment from her. She goes over to the Quartermaine mansion to see A.J. She runs into Ned and asks to speak to A.J. Ned tells her he isn't home right now and asks her what she wants with him. She tells him that she has a business proposition for him and needs to borrow $60,000 from him. Ned laughs at how much she expects to get from A.J. He asks her what the money is for and why she didn't ask Jax for the money. She tells him that she needs someone more objective about her to help her. Ned goes over to the desk and signs a check for her for $60,000 and hands it to her. She is surprised that he has no more questions about her salvaging a boat. He tells her that he likes it when Jax owes him a favor. She tells him that she will be paying him back not Jax. Ned doesn't care and gives her the check. She thanks him and heads out.

Sam runs into Tracy who wonders what she is doing there. Sam rubs in the fact that Ned just gave her money for her boat. Tracy asks Ned if he has lost his mind giving Sam money. Ned informs Tracy that he can do as he pleases without her permission now that he is CEO of ELQ again. Jax and Tracy talk again about a business partnership. Jax listens as Tracy tells him that she has always had to try and prove herself to Edward who never took her seriously as a businesswoman because of her gender and that by taking over ELQ she will prove to Edward how good she is at business once and for all. She tells him that she will only ask for 10% of the profits they make. Jax agrees to the partnership only after she admits that it is about money as well as power. Sam heads over to Jake's bar to pay for the boat. When she gets there, there is no sign of Coleman but some strange man is hanging around the bar. She asks him where Coleman is. He tells her he is not here and tells her that he is the boat's owner. She hands him a check and tells him it is as good as cash. He takes the check and has the bartender call the bank to make sure the check will clear. The bartender comes over and whispers something into his ear. He dismisses the bartender for the day and then turns on Sam. He grabs her and accuses her of trying to pull a scam on him. She asks him what he is talking about. He explains that the check she gave him is no good. She is surprised and tries to talk her way out of things but the man becomes violent with her and grabs her as she tries to get away from him. The man goes to hit Sam but Jax comes over and punches the guy and knocks him out. He tells her that Ned called him after he realized that the check wouldn't clear and he guessed where she was after he investigated about any salvage boat sales. He picks on her and asks her to thank him for getting her out trouble. She reminds him she has been able to get out of tighter situations. He tells her to get out of there with him.

Sam waits on the pier for Nikolas and Emily to arrive. Alexis had gone to Wyndemere to see them and advised them to sell Wyndemere so they can get some big cash fast. Emily doesn't like the idea of Alexis pressuring Nikolas to sell his home. She tells Emily that they need the cash now and this is the way to do it. Nikolas and Emily show up on the pier and are apprehensive about Sam's boat. Sam starts to ramble on about not being able to be on time for anything. She realizes she has no boat to show them and is stalling for time. Jax shows up with a bottle of champagne and points out the salvage boat to Emily and Nikolas. Nikolas comments that the boat is smaller than he expected. Jax assures him that Sam can fix it up good and make a profit on it. Nikolas and Emily agree to give it a try.

Sam collides with a man outside of Kelly's. He turns out to be her estranged father. She isn't happy to see him and asks him to stay out of her life. Jax meets him. Her father makes a remark about her being a great schemer. Jax surprises her by firing her as his vice president and tells her she is always full of surprises. Sam accuses her father of ruining her life again by interfering. Jax finds her on her salvage boat. She acts like she doesn't care what he thinks of her. He catches her trying to hide her tears from him. She tells him about her childhood and how her father taught her to steal money for him by picking people's pockets at carnivals and fairs and how he taught her how to swim and dive as well and that he made a promise to help her get enough money to buy a boat and then squandered the money on women and gambling. She tells him her father actually stole from his own daughter. Jax feels bad for her and approaches her. She goes into his arms for comfort. He helps her go out for a dive in her wet suit.

While she is diving, her father, shows up uninvited onto her boat. He had just come from Kelly's and overheard a conversation about how Sam had seemed to be in on Sonny's plan to try and kill Alcazar. He tells the guys that his daughter has always worked alone. Jax is protective of Sam and asks him how he got on the boat without permission. Her father tells him that Sam probably told Jax some sob story about how he had stolen money from her years ago and tells him that Sam was the one who stole money from him and took off and that she is just scamming him. Jax basically dismisses him. Her father drops the top piece of his cigar onto the deck floor before he leaves. Sam comes back onto the deck after her dive. She notices that Jax is acting differently and asks him what is going on. He won't tell her. She guesses what is wrong when she notices the piece of her father's cigar on the deck floor and asks him why he didn't tell her her father had shown up. She asks him if he thinks she is still scamming him and if he believes what her father told him. She overreacts to what happened and doesn't give Jax a chance to explain that he didn't believe her father and throws her scuba gear against the wall in a fit of temper. A piece of the scuba gear breaks and a shiny diamond shows up from inside the scuba rubber. Jax and Sam look at it in shock.

Angry with Jax, Sam throws what she found while diving. It hits the deck, and she realizes that it's a valuable diamond tiara. She tells Jax that there must be more, and she dives back into the water. Once she's under, Nikolas arrives and inquires about what Sam has found. Jax tells him about the tiara and offers it to him since Sam is technically working for him at the time. Sam surfaces and overhears their conversation, and clearly does not agree with Jax. Nikolas gives her the tiara back, and she tells him that she will use the money from it to pay for more divers to help salvage his sunken freighter. He leaves and she reveals to Jax that she's found more-a ship that's centuries old and likely housing a treasure. Jax suggests that she give it to, or at least split it with, Nikolas. Sam refuses, and seduces Jax instead.

As Jax and Samantha dive to salvage the sunken Cassadine freighter, Jax again tries to persuade Sam to tell Nikolas about the second ship she found at the bottom of the harbor. But Samantha continues to refuse to heed Jax's advice. As Sam tries to explain why she is anxious to continue looking for the second ship, Jax cautions Sam to at least wait until they have the proper equipment to conduct the dive safely. But Samantha argues that her conniving father will swipe the treasure for himself if Sam does not hurry to grab the treasure first. Sam's father arrives at Wyndemere. Calling himself Bartholomew Cody, he applies to Alexis for the job of butler, bodyguard and launch pilot. Nikolas immediately voices his distrust of Cody, but Cody explains that he only wants to have a job in Port Charles so be can be near his estranged daughter in the hope of a reconciliation. Alexis agrees to hire Cody on a trial basis. Nikolas and Emily return from a walk on the beach, carrying an unconscious Sam! As Emily and Nikolas report that they found Sam collapsed on the shore, Alexis calls for the paramedics and a helicopter. Cody uses the distraction to quietly disappear.

As Samantha regains consciousness, she mumbles something about a ship named Courage, and Cody overhears his daughter's delirious ramblings. When the Emergency Team arrives and Sam begins to come around, Cody disappears again. Samantha insists that she does not need to go to the Hospital. When Alexis goes looking for Cody, an alarmed Jax suddenly arrives. As Jax reassures himself that Sam is okay, Nikolas and Emily try to quiz Sam about her delirious reference to "The Courage." However, Sam insists that she was just remembering one of her father's favorite sayings about courage. Later, aboard Samantha's salvage ship, Jax warns Sam that her obsession with finding the Courage treasure could end up costing Sam her life. But Sam argues that it is important to her to beat her father to the treasure. Jax warns Sam that Nikolas and Emily are suspicious of her reference to The Courage. Samantha confidently insists that she was successful in convincing Nikolas and Emily that she was not talking about a ship. Nikolas asks Edward a ship the Quartermaine family had in the far past called "The Courage" and asks him what he knows about it. Edward tells him about some ancestor of the Quartermaines named Celeste who was engaged to some man with a treasure and she was sailing on the ship "The Courage" with her brother when it sank and she died by drowning. He tells Nikolas that there was a rumor that a treasure was on that ship.

Tracy overhears Jax getting information from some old seaman named Elias about the Courage and the information about whether there was really a treasure on the ship. Jax pays him for the information when it is revealed that a tiara was part of the treasure. Tracey talks to Jax about what he is doing helping Sam with her salvage business. Jax tells her that he is helping Sam and that whatever makes Sam happy makes him happy. Sam runs into her father who is coming out of Kelly's with a coffee in his hand. She grabs his coffee and starts drinking it. Her father Cody becomes annoyed with her. She tells him that she wants him to stop working for the Cassadines as their butler because it is interfering in her business. She tells him that he will stop spying on her and if he doesn't she will tell the Cassadines that he is her father and what he is really up to. Cody tells her that she should be careful about what she does and says against him and threatens to make her life miserable if she ruins his cover. Sam drops his coffee on the ground and pretends it was an accident before taking off. She goes back to the salvage boat and gets into her diving gear. Jax gets ready to join her but cautions her about trying to keep all the treasure for herself since Nikolas owns a big chunk of the salvage business with her and may want some of the treasure himself including the tiara. Sam tells him that this treasure including the tiara is going to be her big break and that since she is diving for the treasure she is gets to keep it. Jax worries that Nikolas will find out what is going on and insist on at least half of what she found. Sam distracts Jax and they kiss. Later, Nikolas shows up on the boat and overhears Sam talking to Jax about the tiara she found and how they are going to get rich. Nikolas spoils things by insisting he will get some of that treasure as well. A defiant Sam declares the treasure that she's found to be hers and hers alone. Nikolas disagrees with her, and tells her that it doesn't belong to her, and she ought to check out the state property laws. Sam tries to get Jax on her side, and he is, but only in front of Nikolas. Nikolas warns Sam that he'll press charges against her if she takes the treasure. Alone, Jax tries to reason with Sam and get her to cut her losses and leave the treasure alone. She agrees, but Tracy walks up after Jax leaves, and offers to help Sam if she splits the profits with her. Reluctant, Sam nevertheless agrees. Jax returns later and gives Sam a Christmas gift. She opens the box to find a compass on a chain, and Jax tells her that its symbolic of her the courage she has to give up on the treasure.

Sam secretly meets with Tracey to discuss their deal on diving for treasure and what cut they will each get. They agree to a 70/30 deal. Jax shows up on the pier and they pretend to fight with each other so Jax won't get suspicious of them. Jax tells her to go home and change since they are going to the "Haunted Star" for the opening of the casino. Sam tells him she doesn't want to go and socialize with the rich. He tells her he promised Skye he would show up at least. Sam isn't interested but Tracey is and asks him if she can be his date instead. He takes her up on her offer.

Meanwhile, Nikolas takes Cody up on his offer to dive under his freighter and create an explosion to knock the freighter away from the Courage to get to the treasure more easily. Later, and explosion underneath the water shakes up the "The Haunted Star." literally but then everything gets calm again. Tracey suggests that the boat is haunted after all. Jax worries about Sam and tells Tracey they have to go. They head to the pier where Jax finds Sam floating unconscious in the water. He dives in to get her. Sam isn't breathing very well and he orders Tracey to call 911. Jax tries to revive Sam, and Tracy calls 911. As Jax attempts to resuscitate Sam, he sees a jewel fall out of her hand and realizes she was diving for the treasure. He's disgusted and tells Tracy that he knows that Sam was doing it because of her. At the hospital, Jax questions Sam after she wakes. She admits that she went diving, but tells him that she didn't find anything. He pulls out the jewel and confronts her. Realizing she's been busted, Sam tries to explain. Jax is tired of her lies, though, and won't listen to her. Unable to trust her, he breaks things off and storms out of the hospital room. He goes to the casino to see Skye, and they discuss Sam. Skye tries to make him understand Sam's motives, but he won't listen. Later, Tracy rushes into Sam's hospital room and finds it empty. She runs out and looks for her, finding her on the docks. When Tracy asks her what she found, Sam tells her that the treasure was gone, but doesn't realize that her father is the one who took it.

Skye and Jax hang out at the casino, and Skye continues to counsel him on Sam. Nikolas walks in, looking for Sam, and Jax tells him that they have broken up. Jax thinks Sam probably got her treasure and left town, and Nik mentions his diver, Cody. Jax puts it all together and realizes that Nik's diver is Sam's father, and they decide the two likely teamed up to steal the treasure. On the docks, Sam overhears Cody discussing the treasure with a man, and his plan to scam Nikolas so that he can pay the man back what he owes him. The man tells Cody he'd better repay soon, or Sam will be harmed. He leaves, and Sam confronts her father. She tells him she knows everything, and demands the treasure back. Cody admits to setting off the explosion, but claims he found nothing under the freighter. Sam doesn't believe him, and swims to the cave off of Spoon Island, where he's hiding the treasure. She hides as Cody comes out to bury the chest under branches, but emerges to take it once he's gone. Afterward, when he returns with the man, he discovers it missing, but vows to find it to repay his debt. Emily stumbles upon the cave, and as she bends to pick up a book left behind from the treasure, the man comes out of hiding and knocks her out. She continues to remain in the cave, alone and unconscious, as the tide rolls in. Jax runs into a treasure-laden Sam on the docks and chastises her for teaming up with her father to steal the treasure from its rightful owners-the Cassadines and the Quartermaines. Sam is hurt, but shrugs him off. Jax leaves, and suddenly Cody appears with the man, who is carrying a gun. They demand the treasure, but Sam is able to escape. Angry, the man knocks Cody out and chases after Sam.

The bookie that Cody owes money to, follows Jax around and sees him go into Kelly's. He watches Jax from outside Kelly's. Brian spots him lurking near Kelly's and asks him what he is doing. He tells Brian that he is just passing through town. Brian tells him that is a good plan and shows him his cop's I.D. and the bookie leaves the premises. He does return to watch for Jax. He makes a phone call to tell his contact that he is watching Jax and that he hopes to find Sam soon. He follows Jax as he leaves Kelly's and follows him to the pier. He pulls a gun on Jax. He demands to know where Sam took off to with the treasure. Jax doesn't know where she is. Cody watches the exchange between Jax and his bookie from afar. Jax insists he doesn't know where Sam is right now. The bookie tells Jax that he saw her get on a jet and gives him the number on the jet, thinking it belongs to Jax. Jax laughs and tells him that the jet Sam got on belongs to Sonny Corinthos.

Sam asks Sonny to let her get on his jet and reminds him he owes her a favor for helping him before. Sonny didn't forget and asks her what is going on with her. She tells him she has to leave town now and that it is too complicated to get into right now. Sonny sits down and tells her he has the time and to tell him. She tells him that she needs to get out of town and that the gunshots he heard were aimed at her. Sonny listens to her and asks her why she didn't go to Jax for help. She tells him that they are history. Sonny tells her he wants to show her something. He opens up her duffle bag and empties the contents, which are the jewels and coins from the treasure. He tells her that the one thing she needs to know about him is that he doesn't like being lied to. She tells him she didn't lie to him but he disagrees. She tells him the treasure rightfully belongs to her and that she needs to get out of the country. Sonny tells her that the jet belongs to him and that he gives the orders. She tells him where she wants to go. Sonny calls the pilot and tells him where to land the plane to drop her off. She lets him take a diamond necklace to bring back to Carly as a gift. They land on some island. The pilot comes over to them and tells Sonny that the plane has a fuel leak, most likely caused by the gunshots fired at Sam before they took off from Port Charles. She tells him that she is going to hitch a ride on some boat and will be fine on her own. He goes to walk her out but a tropical rain storm hits and they go back inside some small building. Sonny finds himself stranded with Sam there waiting for his jet to be fixed.

Courtney had been working at Kelly's earlier when Jax showed up to get a coffee. He surprised her by asking her all these personal questions about her split with Jason and her goals for her life. She asks him why he is suddenly so interested in her life and he tells her that he would like to offer her a job working for him. Brian comes into Kelly's and overhears their conversation. He says "no way" when he hears Jax offer Courtney a job. Jax turns around and tells Brian that he recognizes him as Courtney's date at the casino opening. Brian tells him he is correct. Jax tells him that just because he was Courtney's date, doesn't he think he is out of line for telling her how to run her life. Courtney points out that they are both out of line. Courtney turns down Jax's offer of a job because there is no way Sonny would approve of it and she couldn't work for her brother's enemy. She tells Brian he is out of line also. Jax gives her his business card and tells her to give him a call if she changes her mind. Jax leaves.

Sam and Sonny mildly annoy one another at the cabin, until Sam decides to go to bed. She attempts to sleep, but they continue to bicker and she angrily gets up to leave. Suddenly, she shrieks in pain as a scorpion bites her. Determined to not give up more of her treasure, she tries to leave, but is overcome by the toxins. Sonny begins to try and help her survive. As Sonny tends to a feverish Samantha, Sam mistakes Sonny for Jax and proclaims her love for Jax. When Samantha begs "Jax" to keep her map safe, Sonny spots the map inside Samantha's trousers. But, when Sonny lifts the map, Sam suddenly regains consciousness and angrily grabs the map out of Sonny's hand. Sam accuses Sonny of trying to steal her map, but Sonny reminds Samantha that he actually believes that he owes Sam a favor because her testimony cleared him of a kidnapping charge and Sonny would not have a reason to be stealing from Samantha. Nevertheless, Sam angrily orders Sonny to leave her alone! When Sonny returns, Sam declares that she burned the treasure map. Sonny warns Sam that anyone who wants the treasure will not have to grab Samantha instead of the map. As the two talk, Ben the Fence overhears Sonny's warning.

Skye is working at the casino at one of the tables. Jax plays at her table. As they are talking Alan, Monica, and Edward show up. They approach Jax's table and accuse him of letting someone get away with something. Jax tells them he doesn't know what they are talking about. Edward accuses Jax of letting Sam steal the treasure that belongs to the Quartermaines and take off. Jax informs them that he had nothing to do with the treasure being stolen and that whatever Sam does isn't his problem anymore. Tracey sits by Jax. She makes a remark to Skye about her involvement in what is going on. Skye defends herself. After the Quartermaines leave Jax alone, Skye tells Jax that he is a liar by pretending he doesn't care what Sam has done.

Emily goes to the casino to find Jax. She tells him about Cody's murder and how someone is setting up Nikolas for murder and how this Ben guy probably did it and took off to find Sam. Jax tells her that some guy pulled a gun on him on the docks before and that he could be that Ben guy who killed Cody. He agrees to help Emily by going to look for Ben. Emily thanks him and tells him about the book she found and that there is a mention of a map and a place where there is more treasure in Azure Keys. Tracy overhears the whole conversation about the treasure but hides in the corner of the deck. Emily takes off and Jax returns to the casino but stops first and tells Tracy that she is getting worse at eavesdropping. She tells him she was looking for her earring and didn't hear a thing. Jax pretends to escort her back into the casino but tells her they are going into this other room and talk privately first and maybe do something else in private. Tracy falls for it and goes into the room first, which turns out to be a storage closet. Jax shuts the door on her and padlocks the door. He takes off and leaves her there trapped.

At Azure Keys, Sam has recovered from her fever and packs her stuff up to leave. Sonny informs her that it isn't safe for her to go out on her own. She reminds him that she has been on her own for many years and can take care of herself. Sonny offers to go with her to find the treasure and then she can go back on the plane with him. She thanks him and looks as if she is going to take him up on his offer. Ben overhears their conversation. Sonny makes a phone call to his pilot and when he gets off the phone he sees that Sam disappeared. He curses and goes off after her when he sees the rain storm is getting worse. Sam returns to the cabin to find Sonny gone. Ben comes up behind her and points a gun to her head. He orders her to give him the map. She tells him she doesn't know what he is talking about. He sees her duffle bag and guesses it is the treasure from Port Charles. He tells her to give him the map or he will kill her. Sam refuses to tell him where the map is. He grabs her roughly and throws her on the bed. He lays on top of her and tells her he will strip her clothes off to find the map if he has to. Sam tries to fight him but he overpowers her on the bed. Ben is about to kill Sam but Sonny comes up behind Ben after he hears her screams. He points a gun to Ben's head. Ben refuses to put his gun down and get off of Sam. Sonny refuses to put down his gun and they end up in a stand-off. Ben grabs Sam and pulls her off the bed with him. He keeps the gun near her head and tells Sonny to put down his gun or he will shoot her. Sonny refuses to put down his gun. Ben decides to take Sam and the treasure with him and keeps her close to him. Sam distracts Ben and makes a move to get away from him. Sam fall to the floor. Ben goes to shoot Sonny but Sonny shoots him first and ends up killing him. Sonny picks Sam off the floor and hugs her to make sure she is all right. Jax walks into the little cabin and sees them in their embrace.

**The End**