Twist of Fate
So here is the idea: This is AU. Port Charles isn't in New York. It's in Northern Maine. It's still an epicenter for mob relations, serving as the port of call for Sonny Corinthos shipping business. Port Charles is the largest city in the area, surrounded by sleepy little fishing towns, but is still smaller than the show portrays, the cityscape giving way to a more seaside beach bum feel. During the course of this story an attack is made on the United States that leaves the nation crippled and the residents of Port Charles to fend for themselves. Jason and Sam take center stage as the citizens fight to restore order and truly learn the difference between survival and what it means to be human. This is based loosely on the events of the first season of Jericho.
Character back stories:
Sam McCall: Sam grew up in the underworld of society raised into running con's until her Father's passing when she was only 16. She then entered into an abusive relationship with Nico that left her even more afraid to trust in love or her own heart. When Nico's crimes were exposed, only a year ago, Sam testified against him, putting him behind bars in New York (where he presumable is to this day.) Sam needed a fresh start. To that end Sam has just moved to Port Charles. She is not related to Alexis or Kristina or Molly.
Jason Morgan: Jason's story is essentially the same save that five years ago while doing a job for Sonny over seas he disappeared. Sonny did everything in his power to find out what happened but it is still a mystery. Jason was imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit in Siberia and was essentially left for dead. He's tried not to blame Sonny for the fiasco but has still grown bitter as he feels that his best friend did nothing to help him. When Jason returned 2 years ago he left the business and moved just North of town where he went into a venture with Ethan Lovette running of all things, a pick your own berry, apple, and pumpkin farm.
So there are some other major differences but you can read about those...Jason and Sam haven't actually met, but they're about to :)
Other characters that will play smaller roles are:
Ethan Lovette
Kristina Davis
Molly Davis
Lulu Spencer
Lucky Spencer
Dante Falconeri
Johnny Zacchara
Sony Corinthos
Emily Quartermaine
Robin Scorpio
Mac Scorpio
Patrick Drake
Maxi Jones
(though the main focus of this story is JaSam as they grow closer during the crisis).
On the Horizon
"Does any of this seem too good to be true?" Sam looked into the rear view meeting attentive eyes as she drove, shifting her attention back and forth from the rear view to the road. "I mean there we were tapped out, about to be thrown out on the streets, only this lovely jewel of a van to our name." She patted the dash board as though any blasphemy of the 4 decade old dinosaur might cause it to break down right there on the spot. Otherwise she would have told the hand me down from Nico that it would soon be traded in for something that didn't remind her so much of the bastard. "And suddenly we find that Daddy dearest bought a bar in Port Charles."
She saw a slight arch in the eyebrows and turned her attention to the two lane black top once more. "I only bring it up because I know that I didn't really ask your permission before packing us up and heading this way." There was a slight whine as the large English Mastiff moved from the middle seat and leaned it's head down on the console between the front and passenger seat. Sam gave a gentle stroke down his face, scratching behind his right ear as she kept her eyes on the lonely road. "We really didn't have a choice though, did we, Boober?"
Boober, so named for his affection for all things fraggle, nuzzled her hand lovingly as if agreeing with her, letting her know that he was alright with it. Sam smiled and let out a breath, trying to steer her mind to more optimistic thoughts. "But it's a fresh start. We've got a business to run, there's a loft apartment and I hear there's a park within walking distance." Boober picked his head up and gave a joyful pant at that, getting a laugh from Sam, just as they passed a marker sign, telling them they were 15 miles from Port Charles.
ZZZZZZZZZZ
"Alright everyone, say mac and cheese." Lulu Spencer couldn't help but smile herself as she watched the third graders scream out 'mac and cheese' while all huddled together behind the pumpkins they had picked out on their field trip. She quickly checked the picture on the digital read out as she walked over to Emily Quartermaine. "It's good." She gave her a thumbs up and showed her the picture with a smile. "Are you sure you have to head back now?"
"Yeah, we're the last bus out. I was hoping we could see the orchards but we'll just have to plan more time next year." Emily sighed in disappointment. "Alright everyone time to load the bus." She motioned them towards the door, giving the majority of her attention to her class as she looked over her shoulder to Lulu. "Tell Jase if he wants a ride back to town, he better hurry up."
"K," Lulu turned on her heels heading at a sprint to the large pale yellow farm house, passing the garage where Ethan was still working on the truck. She paused, sticking her head in to check on him. "You've been working on that for hours, any progress?"
"If you're asking if it works, the answer is still a resounding, No." Ethan called over his shoulder. "Are all the rug rats out of the pumpkin patch?"
"Yeah the last bus is about to pull out, Crap, gotta run." Lulu took off again without explanation and hurried up the front walk. She raced up the front steps and through the screen door stopping in the living room to catch her breath.
Jason was just running down the stairs, freshly showered in a clean white tank and jeans.
"Emily said they're about to pull out. You better hurry if you want a ride to town." Lulu panted out as Jason grabbed his leather jacket from the bottom banister of the stairs and pulled it on on the move.
"Thanks!" He called on the run out the door. He stopped short at the porch and stuck his head back in the door with a smile. "Be careful getting Lucky from the airport. I'll see you tonight."
"I will be, see you." Lulu smirked back. She felt like she had four brothers now that she and Ethan and Jason all shared the house in a effort to stay close to the farm. It took every single one of them and then some to keep the place running.
ZZZZZZZZZZ
Kristina Davis slung her book bag onto the table near the door and walked into the quiet house, headed straight to the refrigerator for a drink. She was savoring the stillness while she awaited her little sister's return. She was her responsibility while their Mom was on her stupid trip to San Diego. She had begged to go on that trip, but no. As if she couldn't make up the school work, as if her mom couldn't find someone else to watch Molly.
Kristina rolled her eye in disgust as anger flared through her once more. So not fair! She glared as the phone when it rang, reading the caller ID to find that it was her Mom. She let it ring as though this simple act of rebellion would somehow let her mother know just how upset she was. Kristina sank onto the couch sipping her diet soda and picked up the remote about to turn the TV on, when...
"Krissy, it's your mother." Kristina scoffed, she recognized the voice! Why did she have to explain everything? She wasn't stupid. "I'd like for you to call me when you get this. I just want to make sure that you and Molly are alright..." Kristina looked over to the phone when she heard people screaming in the background. "Ohmygod Ohmygod. What is tha..." She jumped when it sounded like something metal snapped and then crashed into something near the phone and all went silent. Kristina raced to the phone jerking it out of the handset in a panic.
"Mom?" All she got was silence, fearful tears now slipping down her cheeks. "Mom?"
ZZZZZZZZZZ
Sam arched an eyebrow when Boober let out a whine, sitting up rigidly as he looked out window, his apricot fur bristling. She frowned checking out the window herself and felt her breath hitch in her throat, mouth falling open in raw terror. On the horizon to the Southeast, past the thick rows of evergreens and towering mountains a growing mushroom of fire was stretching heavenward. "Oh. My. God."
She didn't know a lot about explosions but that – everyone knew that. It was like a beacon of death. A horror story unfolding right before her eyes. Boober suddenly barked and Sam tore her gaze from the cloud just in time to see that she was on a collision course with a school bus. "Shit!" Sam turned hard to the right, taking the van careening down a short embankment. She screamed, bones jarred in a metal clash of pain, glass raining all around her as her whole world flipped repeatedly. Blissful darkness ripped her from the agony while she was still spinning.
ZZZZZZZZZZ
Jason sat near the front of the bus across from his sister smiling as Molly was now recounting how she had single-handedly rescued a poor defenseless bird from the clutches of none other that 'Snowball' her neighbor's dastardly cat. "That was so heroic of you." Emily praised her, fighting the urge to laugh so as not to make Molly think that she was taking light of the action.
"So did you name it?" Jason asked as he leaned back against the seat.
"I did." Molly replied proudly. "I named him Mr. Peep."
"I love that name." Jason caught a gasp from the back of the bus and lost his smile as he looked back over the faces the children, now racing to one side of the bus all looking out the windows in horror. He saw the color draining from Molly and Emily as well all before he finally turned to see the monster. "Holy..."
The mushroom cloud on the horizon was billowing upward and outward and everyone was so caught up in what it could possibly mean that they didn't see that they had veered into the other lane and were now on a collision course with VW van. Jason jerked in his seat when the bus driver suddenly realized his mistake and turned hard to the right to try and avoid the other vehicle. The bus careened over the embankment crashing into a thicket of bushes and came to a jarring halt sending several flying towards the front...
I know, I shouldn't leave it there...I really shouldn't...I'm blaming my muse for being evil today...So okay If anyone wants to read more of this let me know. I haven't forgotten that I'm still working on "The Long Road Home" and "Force of Nature", those will still be updated regularly. My Muse just wouldn't let this one rest. So anyway let me know...