I wrote this the day after Alexis told Sam that she was proud of her and she loved her.

The Verdict

Chapter One

"Surprise!!"

Alexis smiled as she saw the look on Sam's face as they pulled into the airport hanger and right up to a private, unmarked plane.

"You bought me a plane?"

Sam stared in amazement at the plane, then her mother.

"Well, Nikolas, Kristina, Spencer, Molly, and I all chipped in, but yeah, we bought you a plane," Alexis beamed, as did Kristina and Spencer in the back seat. Molly was sleeping … dead to the world.

Sam smiled back to the kids and returned her eyes to her mother, "Not that this doesn't amaze me, and not that I'm not appreciative, but … uh … Mom? Why?"

"Right … random gift, yeah? Well, it's not just the plane … the purpose is for you to have a way to travel wherever you want to go. Today, it's me, you, and the kids … to wherever you want. It's spring break for Kristina, and I figured with Nikolas … busy," Alexis didn't want to worry the kids with the phrase, 'in the hospital', "we're bringing Spencer along."

"But … your work …"

"Ric took the DA position back."

"What!? He 'took' it back?"

Sam was sarcastic and angry … it was never his position to 'take' in the first place.

"Yeah, well, he can have it. I get to spend more time with my girls, he can work."

"But you love it!"

"I did."

"You don't anymore?"

"Not as much as I thought. Not as much as I used to. The whole mess with Diego really opened my eyes … and with the things going on with two of my daughters, I figured I needed a vacation."

Kristina still wasn't speaking much, although she was improving, and Alexis was worried about Sam's mentality … she just basically lost her job. A job that she was proud of … that she really loved. Alexis needed a break from Port Charles 'justice' as well.

Alexis gathered the sleeping Molly out of her car seat as Sam unbuckled and helped out the older two. She walked up to join her mother, leaning against the hood of the car.

"What about Nikolas?"

"He's recovering from the surgery … wanted and I think, needed, time alone. Alfred and Robin are looking after him."

"Ric and Sonny?"

"What about them? Did I get their permission? I told Ric. 'Told' him, and Sonny?" Alexis gave Sam a look, "Who's Sonny? I haven't seen or heard from him in days … no," she corrected as she thought back, "weeks! He forfeited his rights to say anything about where I take that baby," Alexis looked sadly at Kristina, who was standing by a patch of grass next to the plane, watching Spencer pretend that he was a plane, flying around her with his arms out. Alexis saw the hint of a smile on her face when a plane in the distance took off. She smiled at her daughter, yet wanting to cry.

"She'll be better soon. We'll get her through this," Sam assured, watching her mother closely.

"She's strong," Alexis agreed.

Sam wrapped her arm around her mother's shoulder, "We all are."

Alexis met Sam's eyes, "The Davis girls."

"Yep," Sam returned her gaze to the plane and thought for a moment, "So where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere but Greece … or Russia … or China …"

"The beach? Alaska? Nevada?"

"Nevada?"

They laughed.

Sam joked, "I've never been to Nevada."

"Do you want to go to Nevada? Las Vegas, hey … that doesn't sound too bad, but we have little one's."

"Yeah."

Sam thought more, "I want to go somewhere different. Somewhere where we can pretend that we don't exist back here in Port Charles."

Alexis kissed Molly's forehead as she stirred awake in her arms, "Nevada it is then."

Sam smiled, "Italy?"

"I would definitely be up for that!"

"Well, yeah, to Venice or Rome, but we're going somewhere else."

"Where?"

Sam giggled and collected up the kids, leading them into the plane. Alexis gave her a funny look and soon followed.

They all piled in and settled in their seats and on their couches. Sam was amazed at how large the cabin was. It had three adjoining rooms … one for the kids, and one for each adult.

"Well, hell, Ma, we don't have to leave the plane!!"

"It is rather big."

"It's good."

"Just good?"

Sam linked her arm with her mother's and pulled her to her side, watching the kids run around, not so much settled anymore, "It's fabulous, fantastic, amazing, completely beyond belief!"

"Alright, don't over do it!"

The plane lifted off with three children and two adults, staring out the windows in excitement.

Three hours later, the three kids were fast asleep in their room. Alexis was in the comfortable recliner chair and Sam was lying on the couch, flipping through a magazine.

"So," Alexis got her attention, "are you happy?"

"Yes. More than I have been in quite a while."

"Good. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Uh oh."

"It's not that bad … I just wanted to question you about something you said the other day."

Sam listened, her heart beating faster … she knew that it had to be the comment she made about not having anything left in her life, but she was always worried when their next fight would be, so she grew nervous.

"You listed everything that has happened to you over the past few years and everyone that you've lost … and you said that …"

Sam interrupted, "I lost everything that meant anything to me."

"Right."

"I was angry about just losing my job … I was venting …"

"I know, but you have …"

"You, Kristina, Molly, Nikolas, Spence … I know. I regret saying that. I regretted it right after it came out of me."

"I just wish that you knew above anything else that you have us forever."

"I know that, Mom."

"Do you?" Alexis' eyes challenged hers.

"Yes! I misspoke, I'm sorry."

"I didn't bring this up to hear an apology. I want confirmation that you'll never say or better yet, think that again. I want for you to move past your pain and some guy and put us in the forefront. I don't expect to be first in your life, but when you're listing regrets and experiences … I want to be something to you. I want our relationship, and your relationships with your sisters and cousins, to be a meaningful reminder that you are loved. I'm being selfish here, I know, but I want to mean something to you."

Sam sat up, "I know … you do mean something to me. More than something, Mom, you and those two little girls are my world now."

Alexis looked away, misty eyed, and accepted the declaration.

Sam continued, "Ever since, I guess your cancer, I've changed. Because of you, I've changed. You are helping me to become more independent … stronger."

"Good. It's not that you weren't strong before, Sam … I wasn't trying to change who you are."

"I know. I was dependent on Jason and his money, and I was honestly beginning to feel that way toward Lucky. I wasn't like that before. I was, however, hateful and pessimistic and I didn't value my life at all. I was self-destructive and I pulled away from everyone, until I met Jason. He did change me in some positive ways. He wasn't all bad."

Sam looked down, almost ashamed to still be defending Jason.

"Oh, honey, I know! I think sometimes that you forget …"

"I know, you and Sonny … you were their lawyer …"

"Sam, I was their friend. Jason, I mean … I considered him a friend. I never, in my life, considered him a horrible person. Not Jason, the boy … or the man now even. It's his life … Sonny's life. They choose for it to be dangerous, and that's unacceptable when my children spend time around them. Look at Jason now … he has a child that he's worried about his life hurting. The fact that he's worried about that doesn't surprise me. Jason, I'm sure, makes a wonderful father, but his life is just … unacceptable. The fact that Sonny doesn't worry about that … with his kids … does surprise me. He's turned over completely from when I knew him."

"Do you know why? When?"

"I don't know why. When I left his 'circle', he cut me out of his life. He hated me."

"You left him."

"That didn't bother him as much … I think that he felt betrayed, I guess … so we became enemies."

"I don't think that you're thinking about the obvious, Mom."

"What would that be?"

"You left him! No one leaves him. You were completely erased from his life and you moved on. You seemed happy, and I think that killed him inside … he probably thought that he didn't mean anything to you … that your friendship wasn't as beautiful as he thought it was. He missed you."

"I don't think so … no … that's not what happened."

"You're in denial."

"Sam!" Alexis smiled, "Where is all of this coming from?"

"Just my brain," Sam smiled.

Alexis laughed.

"So I have a question," Sam began.

"Oh goodie, changing of the subject!"

"Kind of, but not really."

Alexis grinned, "What?"

"Okay, are you ready?"

"I don't know now."

"Okay, if Sonny called you, or better yet, came to see you and told you that he's always loved you … always has always will …"

"Sam!"

"No … wait! Okay, so that's Sonny. He leaves, Ric stops by …"

"Hell no!"

Sam laughed, "Stop interrupting! Ric comes by and says that he'll surgically remove part of his heart and brain so that he can be the perfect man for you. He swears that he'll just die if he ever hurts you again … blah, blah, blah. Then, Ned comes around to sweep you off your feet, just as Jax calls and says that he's divorced that ole' hag Carly because he realizes that you're the only one for him … that it's more than just friendship between you two … um … oh, right, okay … then his brother, the infamous Jerry Jacks confesses his undying love for you once again. Who would you choose? Sonny, Ric, Ned, Jax, or Jerry?"

"It disturbs me that only one of those men aren't related to another in that list. Also … that two of my three children's father's are mentioned."

"That's the way you pick 'em!"

Sam smiled and waited.

Alexis thought out loud, "Well, Ned would be the safe choice … no mob connections … Jax would be the practical choice being that I already love him. Ric? No chance in hell. I already said that. Sonny and I would have to see a therapist together every week because I'd kill him if not, and …" she paused.

"I knew it," Sam blurted out.

"You knew what?"

"It's Jerry. You saved the best for last."

"As did you, sweetheart. You said him last."

"Oh … true, go on …"

"So maybe yes … there's an attraction there. I blame it on James Brosnan, the man I met first, but once he turned into James Craig … then Jerry … I denied his advances."

"Advances?"

"He kissed me."

"Mom!!"

"I didn't kiss back," Alexis stalled, "… much."

"Wow. So after your make-out session, you didn't think about going further and …"

"No! Sam! First of all, it wasn't a make-out session, goof. Secondly, he hurt you. He hurt Nikolas," she wasn't about to tell Sam that even still, she wanted the make-out session.

"Well, what if he turned out to be an 'okay' guy? If Nikolas and I both told you that we were okay with you being with him?"

"That would never happen. I wouldn't want it to. For the record … don't get mad … but I think he actually is an 'okay' guy. He became too wrapped up with the wrong people and I believe that there is a valid explanation for the hostage situation … maybe even something resembling an excuse for poisoning Nikolas, but he did those things, honey, to my family … so no."

Sam noticed the sadness on her mothers face and in her tone. This conversation was far from over.

"Alright, so Ned, Jax, or Sonny?"

Alexis sighed, "Ned took my daughter away from me … Sonny's a mob boss … and Jax is almost like a brother …"

"So Jerry?"

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"Okay, so Ric does stand a chance …"

"Ha!"

"No?"

"No. Never. I'm crazy and bad with men, but I learn from my mistakes. I'd date Hannibal Lector before Ric. I'm not an idiot."

"So, Mom … who?"

"Really? You won't give this up?"

"Nope."

"Fine, then … Ned."

"Really?"

Alexis looked confused to Sam, "Yeah, why aren't you happy with that decision?"

"Well, like you said, he's the 'safe' choice. That's pretty boring, Mom."

"I have children. 'Safe' and 'boring' sounds like heaven to me! Ned and I weren't boring at all anyway," Alexis thought back to what seemed like thirty years ago, "Actually, I think I loved Ned more than I've loved anyone."

"I don't believe that for a second."

"Why?"

"Ned? Ned Ashton?"

"Sam."

"What? I'm asking!"

"You don't even know him. You didn't see how incredibly happy and sane I was with him. He was so good to me. He loved me so much … more than anyone ever has. He took care of me … made me feel worthy."

They were silent for a while, Alexis thinking about Ned, Sam freaking out, but then Alexis continued.

"He turned on me, though. He did the one thing that he knew would damage our relationship forever. I don't choose him. I change my mind. I choose no one. Why can't I be single?"

"That's not an option in this line of questioning."

"Well, this is stupid!"

"Thanks, Mom, and quit whining!" Sam laughed, quickly stopping when Alexis shot her a death glare.

"Don't make me send you to your room."

"So why are you so against Sonny?"

"Been there, done that … hey! In fact …"

"Don't say it!"

"… we both have."

"Awww, you said it!"

Alexis laughed. Sam didn't.

"Is that the reason?"

"It doesn't help."

Sam sighed in frustration.

"Yes Sam, I was in love with Sonny, happy? I honestly though … believe that it wouldn't happen with us again."

Sam watched her sadly.

"If he gave up the mob … focused more on me and the kids … maybe, but he values power and success over everything else, even his children. That's harsh, but true."

"You wouldn't want one more secret, passionate fling with him?"

"Would you?"

"Ew! Hell no!!" Sam responded quickly, "He's like a father to me now, or at least a big brother."

"That's odd."

"I know."

"So can we start another conversation please?"

"Fine. If you were stuck on a deserted island …"

"Oh, Lord!"

"Wait for it! You're stuck on a deserted island for a year … you have to get your own food, build your own shelter, everything … who would you chose to inhabit the island with you? Kate …"

"Uh huh …"

"Robin …"

"Okay,"

Diane …"

"Yeah …"

"Carly,"

"Ha!"

"… or Epiphany?"

"Hmm, no Alice? Damn."

"Heehee."

"Kate's too uh…"

"Be nice."

"I am nice! Kate, I guess, would be okay for company, but I'd have to do all the work. Carly's out, of course. She'd be fine to help build and scavenge for food, but I'd kill her the moment she opened her mouth."

"So Diane, Robin, or Epiphany?"

"I would take Diane. No. Robin. No. Epiphany. Okay, I feel bad for not choosing Diane, but Epiphany has it all. She's Robin and Diane all rolled into one. Medical, tough, and funny. Yeah … Epiphany."

Sam smiled, "Good choice. I would choose Carly so that I could kill her and say that a wild animal did it."

Alexis laughed, "Then you'd be all alone!"

"I'd have Wilson."

"Nice."

Sam drew in a sharp breath … it was time, "Mom?"

"Hmm?"

"Uh … I didn't want to tell you. I wanted it to be a surprise, but I think that you might want to know … I have a secret."

"What?"

"One of those five guys mentioned … um … one of them is going to be there when we land," Sam blurted out and quickly moved away so that her mother couldn't hit her.

Alexis sat, stunned, "What?"