Ok so I know I have Gone for Good out there, and I promise that I am working on it, but this oneshot came to me on Thursday and it wouldn't go away. All this weekend I've sat and slowly plucked away at it trying to get it finished and FINALLY I did! So now I can go back to my story! I hope you all enjoy this oneshot it really was a lot of fun to write and gave me a run for my money since these two really took on a mind of their own.
Little summary: So am I the only one who thinks Sonny's plan has one too many flaws for it to actually work? Am I the only one that thinks that Jason just needs to tell Sonny they aren't going to just fall in line this time? Well I certainly hope not! Because I was waiting for someone to finally tell Sonny that he may have good intentions, but there are other people to consider in all of this.
Disclaimer: I don't own General Hospital or its characters.
Jason was still fuming when he got of the elevator to his penthouse after leaving the hospital. Sonny was willing to risk everything and for what…a cop who for the last year betrayed them all, gathering evidence to take Sonny down. Yes Dante was Sonny's son and Sonny shot him in the chest, Sonny had a lot to make up for. But to put that traitor above the business and everyone who has been there for him over the years was ridiculous. If it was just the business Jason wouldn't care as much, but it wasn't. There was Michael, Morgan, and Kristina to consider, not to mention Carly and Sam, Sam who already done so much for Sonny. Hearing voices on the other side of the door Jason doesn't bother with the key, but just opens the door to find Carly and Sam both sitting on the couch talking, both looking very serious which caused Jason to worry. "What's going on?" There was a wary edge to his voice. He had talked to Carly earlier at the hospital and he knew that she was desperate to protect Sonny, at any cost, Jason just didn't know if he wanted her to drag Sam into it as well.
"Sam and I were just going over our statements, both the original ones we have given to the PCPD and the new ones that we're going to have to give once Sonny pleads guilty." Carly says too caught up in her own concerns to notice Jason's obvious agitation at her words.
Sam, who was always aware of Jason and his moods, could practically feel the tension rolling off of him in waves. She assumed it had to do with the upcoming trial, something that had everyone a little on edge. "We were just discussing that we're both going to have to be very believable since the PCPD already doubts us." Sharing a small smile to hopefully calm everyone nerves Sam shrugs her shoulders. "Let's be honest here, Carly and I are never very creditable witnesses."
"That's why we're both going to have to work together before the time comes to get our stories straight." Carly agrees nodding her head. "I don't doubt that we both can spin a tale that sounds convincing enough…"
"It's more important that they match…the simpler and straight to the point the better…" Sam says while her gaze continued to wander over to Jason who was still standing by his desk, staring at them blankly.
"We're going to have to have a good reason for why the change now right before the trial." Carly says, practically oblivious to Jason and his silence.
"Mac isn't going to be pleased." Sam says biting down on her bottom lip. She really didn't like the complications that might create for Alexis and him. "He will be the most suspicious about this. It might get a little ugly…"
"This has got to stop." Jason finally says sick of listening to the two plotting their possible downfall. It wasn't going to happen, he wouldn't let it.
"What…Jason…?" Carly says confused shaking her head before turning on the couch to stare at Jason. "We don't have time to…"
"Carly stop!" Jason shouts slicing a hand through the air. "Just stop." He says quieter, but with the same amount of anger and frustration in his tone.
"No I will not stop." Carly says matching her tone to his and standing to be on a more even footing with him. "Not until you explain what you're problem is."
"Carly." Sam says on a sigh and standing up as well. Couldn't she see Jason was obviously upset and something clearly was wrong here?
"No, don't 'Carly' me Sam." Carly says with a quick look over her shoulder before turning back to stare at Jason. "There isn't a lot of time left between now and the trial and I want to know what is going on here. I just spoke with you at the hospital Jason…what changed between then and now."
"Dante is going to testify at Sonny's trial, he is going to do everything in his power to see this case through to the end. He is practically staking his life on sending Sonny to prison for life."
Rolling her eyes Carly crosses her arms over her chest. "Tell me something I don't already know Jason." She was trying to be strong here, but Carly was getting tired of the front. She was depending on Jason to help keep her going. She needed Jason to help her through this, to help Sonny through this.
Looking at Carly Jason can see the desperation and fear that she had been trying to keep locked away breaking through. Moving his gaze to Sam he sees just concern. "You two aren't changing your statements."
"What do you mean not changing our statements?" Carly says scoffing. "That is just ridiculous. How can you joke at a time like this Jason?" When Jason just frowns Carly's eyes go wide and her arms drop limply to her sides. "You're joking right."
"No Carly, I'm not." Jason shakes his head.
"Jason!" Carly's voice going shrill. "Sonny is depending on us to do this for him. We have to."
"No you don't." His gaze looking over Carly's shoulder to stare at Sam, Sam who was being uncharacteristically silent at the moment, but then Jason shouldn't really be surprised. She too had probably planned to do everything to protect Sonny and now wasn't sure what to think.
"Yes we do. Sonny can't survive in prison…you know that."
"You're right, but…" Jason doesn't get to finish his thought before Carly starts talking again.
"Than what…why?" Carly asks shaking her head. "If we don't change our statements Sonny doesn't stand a chance in court." When Jason doesn't say anything right away Carly turns quickly to Sam. "Will you please say something to him! He listens to you."
Sam felt a little like a deer caught in the headlights when both their gazes land on her. She really rather not be thrown in the middle of what was obviously a stressful situation. She wanted to help, but wasn't sure what that entailed anymore. "Carly…I…" Sam's gaze wanders to Jason and her voice cuts out. Shrugging her shoulders she quickly looks back at Carly in time to see her jaw clench in anger.
"Of course you would agree with him." Carly nods her head furiously, taking turns glaring at them both. "You two always side with each other, I don't know why I'm so surprised." Going to grab her purse off the coffee table Carly pauses halfway towards the door and turns to look back at the two of them. "I don't know what's gotten in to you Jason, but whatever it is…" Shaking her head Carly sighs. "You have been second guessing everything since Franco, but that has got to stop. Sonny needs us right now. All of us." Carly's gaze includes Sam. "Call me when you get over whatever is bothering you." With that parting thought Carly storms out of Jason's penthouse leaving him and Sam standing in silence.
After watching Carly storm out Jason turns to Sam, he wasn't sure what he expected but the irritated look on her face wasn't it. "Sam…"
"Do you want to tell me what that was all about?" Her tone, despite the look on her face was still soft.
"Well you know how Carly can get." Jason shrugs his shoulders.
"I'm not talking about Carly, Jason. I'm talking about you." Sam says coming to stand right in front of him. "Do you want to explain why I just might've wrecked this tentative friendship, or whatever you want to call it, between me and Carly?"
"You didn't..."
"Oh, but I think I did." Sam interrupts him, her annoyance clear. "You saw that look on her face Jason. She acted like I betrayed her by siding with you…which I can't necessarily blame her since that's partially true." Crossing her arms over her chest she gives him a cursory glance before sighing. "What happened today, Jason? This morning I thought we all were in agreement about helping Sonny and now what…" Sam shrugs her shoulders when nothing comes to mind. "We're going to be doing nothing?"
"No, not nothing." Jason shakes his head and tries to avoid Sam's inquisitive gaze.
"Then what Jason? What is going on?" Sam asks her frustration fleeting with every passing second, it was obvious there was something bothering him.
Looking down at Sam Jason reaches out and brushes her bangs out of her eyes. "I'm not about to risk you." He says in response to her question.
"Risk…? What?" Shaking her head in confusion Sam swipes at the bangs herself. "Jason I'm not at any risk here. Sonny is. Michael is. Even you could be at risk if this trial gets too out of hand. But I am fine Jason." Sam rests a hand on her chest and staring up at him, trying with both her words and her eyes to reassure him.
"I could care less about myself and Sonny right now. And Michael…I don't know what could be worse at this point, Sonny taking the fall or Michael. Either way the kid is going to be left reeling once this is all over. This is all just one big mess...Right now all I really care about is keeping you clear of it all."
"Jason." Sam says tilting her head to one side and raising a hand to cup his cheek. "You don't have to worry about me in all of this. If there's anyone who can handle herself with the cops and in a courtroom, it is me. So please, don't. Not with everything else you have to deal with right now. I'll be just fine in all of this. I'm more concerned with Sonny."
"Well don't be." Jason says pulling away with a shake of his head. "Because Sonny isn't concerning himself with anything…well except for Dante."
"Dante is Sonny's son Jason, he should feel a little concerned for him."
"But to the point of excluding concern for everyone else?" Jason asks pacing the living room.
"I'm sure Sonny didn't…" Sam says reaching out and stopping Jason so he's standing in front of her again.
"But he did Sam. Diane and I both tried explaining to him what this might mean if he went through with it. And the only response Sonny could give was that this was the best way to protect Dante. The make it easier on Dante. Dante Sam! The man who has betrayed all of us for months! He's putting that traitor before everything else right now."
"He's his son Jason." Sam says shrugging shoulders unsure of what else there was to say. She could understand Jason's anger; she had been there once herself. "Fathers sometimes do extreme things for their sons." The double meaning to her words isn't lost on either of them. Both stare at each other in silence for a moment and Sam starts to regret those words. "That didn't come out right. Jason I didn't mean that…" Sam says taking a step backwards fearful of the damage she might've done.
"Shh Sam." Jason says reaching out to grab one of her hands, preventing her from walking away. "It's ok." He says rubbing his thumb on the back of her hand to calm her jittery nerves. "You weren't just referring to Sonny and Dante, but also with me and Jake…right?" Jason could see the anxiety in Sam's eyes, something that always appeared whenever they discussed Jake. Something he wished he could take away, but knew there was no magic answer here.
"Jason I didn't mean to bring Jake up right now." Shaking her head Sam looks down at their joined hands, avoiding his gaze. "This isn't the time…" Sam's voice fading out on it's when words fail her.
"But you did, because there are similarities here. I put Jake first before you and everyone else, just like Sonny is doing now with Dante." Jason couldn't believe he didn't see the connection before and wondered how long Sam had been silently thinking it. "I'm just now starting to realize how painful it can be to not..."
"Jason I want you to know that I don't hold that against you." Sam says hurriedly interrupting his words. "I know at one point I did, at least a little, but not anymore."
"I understand Sam and…"Again whatever else he was going to say was cut off by Sam continuing her rambling.
"Just like I think that someday you'll realize that what Sonny is doing might seem wrong now, but it won't always look that way. Just like I now know that you were only trying to protect Jake the only way you knew how." Yes Sam still questioned his methods, but no longer did she resent his reasons. Jason was if nothing else a great and protective father. "Dante is his son Jason, Sonny is going to do anything in his power for him right now. Surely you can understand that."
"I can." Jason nods his head and releases Sam's hand to run both his hands up and down her arms. "I was in Sonny's place once, but if anything that whole experience has taught me is that you can't disregard people who have stood by you in the past. I don't normally believe in regrets, but that is one thing that if I could, I would go back and fix. And I won't allow Sonny to make the same mistake, especially when you might get caught in the middle."
Pulling away from his touch Sam sighs. "There you go again…Jason I am fine. You have no reason to be worried about me in all of this. So why are you?"
"Sam you already gave the PCPD a false statement for the night of Claudia's murder, one that they don't believe a word of. Mac has already hauled you in once to question you again…"
"And look Jason, I'm standing here to talk about it with you." Sam says with a smile.
"Next time you might not be so lucky Sam." Jason runs a hand down the side of his face. "If you and Carly change your stories now it's going to look suspicious and might have a complete opposite effect on Sonny's trial. Mac isn't going to be very happy either. You said it yourself Sam…it could get ugly."
"And we could be worrying over nothing Jason!" Sam shrugs her shoulders, trying to deflect.
"I don't want to take that chance." Jason says shaking his head once. "You have done enough for Sonny already. You've lied to the PCPD numerous times for him and even stolen the gun he used to shoot Dante. Enough is enough Sam. I can't let you do this."
"You can't let me?" Sam rests her hands on her hips and stares at him with a look of disbelief. "Since when do you get to start making decisions for me Jason?"
"Sam…I…that came out wrong." Jason says wishing he could take back those words, but it was too late.
"If memory serves me right you making decisions for the both of us never turns out right Jason…in fact that's usually when things get all screwed up. So please don't tell me that you're trying to do that again now, not now when things between us have been so great. Because if you are then I'm out of here, because than nothing has really changed." Sam couldn't look at Jason as she said the words, because she feared if she did she would be able to leave. Heading towards the door Sam silently curses and turns back to grab her purse that she left on her desk, reaching for it she freezes when Jason's hand rests over hers. "Jason…" Sam says breathlessly, her chest felt like it was being crushed.
"Sam, stop. Please." Jason says lifting Sam's hand and pulling her purse from her grasp, setting it back down and pulling her into his arms. "I don't want you to leave." Jason says resting his head on top of hers, running a hand down her back needing to feel her to gain reassurance that she wasn't going anywhere. When he had watched her walking towards the door his heart froze in his chest and his mind screamed STOP! "Yell at me all you want. Punch me if it makes you feel better, but please. Just don't leave."
Sam felt herself softening at his words and resting her head on his chest. "I don't want to leave Jason, but I'm not going to let you make decisions for me. I can't. Not if this is going to really work." Sam lifts her head to look up into Jason's face. "Do you understand that?"
"Yea." Jason nods his head looking down into Sam's eyes and seeing the tears that had been stirring in her brown depths. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that the way it sounded." Bringing up to brush away a tear that had escaped Jason releases the breath he had been holding. "I'm not trying to make decisions for you…honestly. I know that I can't and I don't want to."
"Then…why?" Sam asks wiping at the corner of her eye.
"Because, the thought of you doing something to help Sonny. Or even me for that matter, and getting yourself in trouble for your efforts is my greatest fear." Jason says running a hand through her hair. "I know that you're in no physical danger here, but if Mac felt the urge he could arrest you Sam. And you could be the one on trial."
"But that's my decision to make Jason, my risk to take." Sam says pulling far enough away to be able to look up at him.
"But you shouldn't have to. I don't want you to." Jason shakes his head. "I know that you're going to do whatever you want. I've resigned myself to the fact that I am surrounded by people who are too stubborn for their own good. But just this once put yourself first, because Sonny isn't thinking straight in all of this."
Sam stared up at Jason and bit down lightly on her bottom lip. "You're asking me to go against Sonny Jason. And Carly." The meaning behind that wasn't lost on Sam, but she wanted to be sure Jason knew what he was doing. "Do you understand that? That Sonny could go to prison if I don't do this?"
"Sonny could go to prison even if you do Sam. There is no guarantee in this, but that's not my concern right now. Sonny has Diane working night and day to get him off. I'm leaving it to her to be concerned for Sonny. My concern is for you." Jason says cupping Sam's cheek. "I'm not trying to make this decision for you or tell you what to do, but I'm going to ask you Sam. What do you want to do?" Jason could see in Sam's eyes uncertainty. "Do you really want to do this?"
Sam had to admit she had real mixed feelings about changing her statement now, and not just because it's so soon before the trial and it looked really suspicious, but because Jason was right. She was leaving herself open to Mac's wrath over screwing with the case against Sonny and Sam doubted any relationship with her mother would protect her if Mac wanted her punished. Sam didn't want to put Mac in that position either, not if it could be avoided. "I don't know Jason." Sam says frowning. "When Carly and I started talking I didn't even think twice before jumping head first into planning what we were going to say. I didn't even think there was a choice…" Shrugging her shoulder Sam raises a hand to her brow and sighs. "I don't want Sonny to go to prison trying to protect Michael, but…"
"Sam." Jason waves his hand and silences her. "Sonny's fate is out of our hands right now."
"He's not going to see it that way Jason. Nobody is. He and Carly both won't understand and they won't care…"
"Let me handle Sonny and Carly." Jason says pulling her close and kissing her forehead until the wrinkles there are gone. "You aren't going to be pressured into doing this unless you want to. I won't let them."
Sam knew Jason meant it and she loved him so much more for it too. "You really mean that don't you? You'd stand up to all of them for me?"
"You've been there for me this past year when it would have been easier to bow out. I think it's about time I return the favor." Jason says bending down to kiss her lightly on the lips. "Whatever you decide, I'll back you."
"Jason and I both know I'm not afraid of a little police questioning…" Sam says taking a deep, cleansing breath.
"Are you saying you still want to go through with it?" Jason asks skeptically.
Shaking her head Sam rests her head on Jason's chest. "No I'm not." She could feel all the tension leave Jason's body which caused her to smile. "But I just want it on the record that I'm not backing out because I'm scared of a little police scrutiny." Looking up at his face Sam likes the smile she sees there.
"Of course you aren't." Jason says before bending down for a kiss. "Sam I watched you walk into the PCPD with a wig, some sunglasses, and prostitutes outfit all to steal a gun right in front of Agent Raynor. If anything you're fearless to the point of recklessness. You taking daring to a whole new level."
"What are you trying to say?" Sam asks smirking and linking her arms around Jason's neck and bringing his head down for another quick kiss.
"That scared would be one of the last word I would use to describe you."
"Really? How would you describe me?" Sam asks urging Jason to walk backwards and laughing when he practically trips over the couch.
After getting them situated comfortably on the couch, with Sam sprawled on top of him Jason runs a hand up her back in slow strokes. "Stubborn, competitive, argumentative…" Jason grunts when Sam's little fist gets him below the ribs. "Abusive!" He says chuckling.
"Jason!" Sam laughs her jaw dropping and reaching out to poke him in the chest.
Grabbing the finger she poked him with Jason gets hold of the whole hand and twines their fingers. "I would also call you caring and supportive…" His words are cut off by Sam's lips. "Warm." He gets out before leaning forward and capturing hers again. "Loving."
When Jason leans forward to kiss her again Sam tips her head back so he misses and gets her chin, she then has to repress a laugh at the look he gives her. "That's funny, because that's exactly how I would describe you."
Jason loved the look of pure happiness on her face and with his free hand he outlines her lips. "I love you Sam."
"What a coincidence." Sam smiles bringing her lips down to Jason's so they're barely brushing. "I love you too."
I hope you all enjoyed! Now back to Gone for Good!