Two weeks ago he had a son, a vibrant healthy son, and now two weeks later his son is long gone and buried in a tiny white casket. From the moment he heard about the hit and run that killed his son, his head swam with the many regrets that he had in his life. His biggest regret was not claiming Jake in the first place, his second biggest was not telling Sam, the woman that he loved more than life itself that he had fathered a child with another woman, the third biggest was listening to the mother of said child. If he had only told Sam the moment he stepped off the elevator after the Metro Court explosion, if he had only explained to her that he wanted to marry her and claim his child, if he had only grew some balls and taken control of his life, than none of this would have happened. He wouldn't have had to bury another child, he wouldn't have lost another child. NO, instead he listened to the one person that caused this heartache, the one person that should have been watching his son as she had promised to because she had told me that his life was too dangerous, Elizabeth Webber.
Looking out the balcony doors in his penthouse at Harbor View Towers, Jason shook his head at thinking of the short life that Jake led. In the three years that Jake was alive that little baby boy has been kidnapped twice, in a house fire, and… and killed by a car, and only one of those four things did it have anything to do with his dangerous life, when he was kidnapped by the Russians. The others were due to the incompetency and negligence of the one person he had told him that his life was too dangerous. She made him feel that he wasn't good enough, that he didn't deserve to see his son and because of that stupid mistake of not claiming his child, he had not only lost the woman that he loved all those years ago due to HIS lies but he lost his son as well. If he had only claimed Jake than maybe his son would have been with him and Sam that night, if he had only claimed his son than he would've had a guard posted outside of Elizabeth's house to make sure that his son was safe. If there had been a guard there, then he would've seen Jake and stopped him from running out into the road (something his mother should've done). Instead Jason stands looking out into the harbor, thinking of what ifs and regrets. But among all this darkness of hate and regret that he feels for himself and at his deceased son's mother, came a ray of light from the woman that he loves, Sam. She was there for him, she picked him up, let him cry, heard his sobs, his sorry, his regrets, and turned them into hope. She was his hope, she was his future and with all the good and bad that has happened to them, they would get through it…. Together.
A knock on the penthouse door brought Jason out of his thoughts. He quickly brushed the tears from his eyes and made his way towards his door. Opening it, he found Detective Dante Falconeri on the other side. "Hey…" Jason said as he stepped back for him to enter. "Come in."
Taking his appearance, Dante knew that this had to be hard for him. Lulu had told him that Jason was really Jake's father and Dante couldn't help but to feel sorry for the guy. "Ah, listen, I'm sorry to bother you, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for your loss."
Nodding in appreciation, Jason closed the door and faced him. Him and the detective have never and probably would never be friends but they had one goal in common, one person that they both loved to protect, Michael. "Thanks. Is that why you came by?"
Looking around the penthouse for a particular person, Dante faced Jason again. "Actually, I'm looking for Sam." Looking towards the staircase, remembering how many times he had seen her run down them ready to battle with him to protect Jason, he questioned. "Is she here?"
Shaking his head, Jason furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, wondering what he would want with HIS girlfriend. "No, she should be at the office."
"Oh… I… uh called but she didn't pick up." Dante said suddenly feeling a little unwelcome.
Jason shrugged his shoulders. "She's probably busy." Jason noted the sudden uncomfortable tension that came from Dante. Normally he hated to interfere in Sam's business but keeping her safe and happy was Jason's number one priority, he couldn't help but ask. "What do you want from her?"
How was he supposed to answer that? What did he want from her? He wasn't sure himself what he wanted from her. From the first moment he met Sam he had felt an undeniable pull towards her but chose to keep it to himself. She never gave him the time of day and before he could pursue her further, he heard that she was already back with her old boyfriend, mob enforcer and boss at the time while he was under cover, Jason Morgan. When she came to him to confess that she thought she was the one to hit Jake, the attraction to her only grew and he wasn't sure what to do about it. Ever since that night of her confession, they had been working together to prove her innocence, all the while getting closer, and Dante couldn't be more confused if he tried. He loved Lulu, he truly did, but Sam brings out something inside of him that he couldn't explain. He knew about her close relationship with Jason but Dante also knew one thing that Jason didn't, and that was the fact that Sam had been having intense migraines since she had been released from the hospital and she made Dante promise not to tell Jason. A secret. A secret between them. What did that mean? So what did he want from her? He still didn't know. "I uh… just came to tell her and you too actually that recent evidence came up to point Lisa Niles as the driver behind the car that killed your son." He paused to gauge Jason's reaction and when he saw no emotion, Dante figured that he already knew. "But… I'm sure that Spinelli had already informed you of that by now…" He shook his head and walked towards the door eager to get to Sam's office. "You know, I don't know why I waste my time if you already have someone hacking into the PCPD files." He said as he opened the door, but before he walked out he turned back to the enforcer. "She's currently in custody and is being charged with Vehicular Manslaughter. I'm hoping she makes it to the courtroom and then to lock up. Look Jason, I knew that he was your son, but she needs to suffer the best way possible for what she did, and a 10 or more years behind bars is the best."
For the first time in history, Jason actually agreed with the man. He knew that it was an accident, but she should've gotten out of the car and helped out. She was a doctor for God's sake, but he couldn't place the blame solely on Lisa Niles, that blame originated at the hands of a Nurse. Nodding Jason surprised Dante with his agreement. "I will let the PCPD handle this." And before he shut the door, he looked the detective square in the eye. "AND… I'll let Sam know." Jason said informing him that he doesn't need to talk to HIS girlfriend, he would be happy to pass the news.
Nodding, Dante stepped out, not wanting to tell the man that he was actually going to the office to talk to Sam anyways and to check up on her, he walked towards the elevator, more than ready to leave. He wanted to tell her the news about Lisa himself and he wanted to make sure that she didn't have a headache and to beg her to go to see a doctor. At hearing the penthouse door close, Dante let out a breath that he was currently holding. He was tempted and conflicted to tell Jason the truth behind Sam's symptoms. But he had promised her to keep that to himself.
Ever since Sam had came to him at the PCPD and told him that she may have been the one to hit Jake, Dante felt an overwhelming pull towards her. He had recently learned that when she first came to town she was pregnant with Sonny's child, the baby was going to be his little sister. Even though the baby didn't live, they still had a connection of some sorts. According to some evidence that came about, he didn't believe that Sam was the one to hit Jake and he felt compelled to help her clear her name. She had told him that she had a headache that night when she was driving on that same road where Jake was found and the next thing she remembers was waking up in her car in a ditch. According to forensics done on her car, it came up clean and the timeline from when she was on road to when the Webber-Spencers were home didn't match up. Sam had called for a tow truck, and the timing of that phone call was placed before Jake was hit. He had helped her clear her name all while promising to keep her secret that she had been having headache's for the past two weeks straight that have resulted in a few black outs. He was amazed that Jason had never noticed but he knew that it was because Jason was too caught up in his own grief to notice that his girlfriend was sick. Only Dante noticed. Only he noticed her headaches, her pains, her weight loss, her pale skin, her life practically draining out of her. It didn't take a detective to notice. But he had. Why hadn't Jason?
Sitting at her desk in her office, for the past 30 minutes, Sam had rested her head in her hands and her fingers rubbed her temples to hopefully relieve the headache that has been growing nonstop from the first moment she woke up. She had just taken her medication 10 minutes ago and she couldn't wait until they finally kicked in, she was just afraid that she had taken them too late. The headache that started had now formed into a migraine and the pills that Patrick had prescribed her were really no match. They would take the edge off but they wouldn't clear it up. He had prescribed a month's worth two weeks ago, take 2 a time as needed every 12 hours, 60 pills. Now she was down to less than 20 pills. She knew there was no way she was going to make it to a month without going back to him, so she has had to cut way back and live with the edge that has been slicing through her skull.
She let out a deep sigh, knowing that she wouldn't be getting anything done when she could be home sleeping, Sam powers off her computer, grabs her keys, bag and folders and starts for her office door. More than ready to get home, into her comfortable pajamas, and in her warm cozy bed in the arms of the man she loves. She felt guilty not telling Jason about her headaches but she didn't want to add that on top of everything that he has been dealing with, especially the loss of his son. She needed to take care of Jason, the same way he took care of her when her daughter died, not the other way around. Walking towards the door, her hand suddenly flew to her temple as a sharp pain suddenly took over, causing her tremendous pain and blurring her vision. And before she could take another step, she blacked out and dropped to the floor.
That was how Spinelli found her.
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Walking up to the offices of McCall and Jakyll, the Jakyll was excited to see Fair Samantha to tell her the good news about the memoirs of his Jakyll PI book featuring Stone Cold. It was to be published by the end of the week and he wanted to celebrate with his partner. He knew that Jason wasn't happy about his place in Spinelli's book, but Sam was more than thrilled. And here he was, he was going to take her out to dinner to celebrate and maybe come up with ideas for his next book. Opening the office door, Spinelli glided through. "I come bearing…." He started to shout happily and wanted to say 'Great news' but cut himself short when he saw his partner basically lifeless, passed out on the floor. "Fair Samantha!" He dropped down to her, shaking her lightly. "Samantha! Fair Samantha! Tis I the Jakyll! Arise!" He called out to her as he lightly slapped her cheek. Hearing her moan, Spinelli let out the breath that he had been holding.
"Spinelli…?" She groaned softly as she furrowed her eyes in confusion and looked around her. She couldn't understand why she was on the floor.
"That's it, wake up Sleeping Beauty…" Spinelli softly coaxed as he tried to help her sit up. "Easy Fair Samantha, take it easy…" He was grateful to see that she was awake but needed to get to the bottom of this. "Does Fair Samantha know what transpired?"
Shaking her head no, was a big mistake. Her headache was just worse, if at all possible, than before. "No. I had a headache and… and was on my way home when I blacked out."
"Isn't this the second time that this has happened?" He questioned at first but when he saw the guilt that had crossed her face he knew that it has happened many times before. "Has Fair Samantha told Stone Cold? Or perhaps the Good Doctor Drake?"
"No Spinelli…" Sam said straightening out. "Jason doesn't need to worry about me and yes Patrick knows. He told me that this might happen." She gathered her things again and headed towards the door, ready to leave so that Spinelli doesn't find out more.
"But Stone Cold would want to know…" Before he could continue, Sam stopped him.
"NO! Jason doesn't need to know. He has enough to worry about, he just lost his son for Heaven's sake, he doesn't need to worry about some stupid headaches." She opened the door to leave but stopped to turn back to him. "Promise me that you won't say anything to him." She paused but when he shook his head no, she pressed. "Promise Spinelli!"
"Fine, the Jakyll promises not to say anything." And when he heard Sam leave and close the door, Spinelli finished his promise. "For now." He said defeated. He knew that Sam was tough but sometimes she was just too stubborn for her own damn good. Walking towards his desk, Spinelli wasn't in the mood to celebrate anymore, instead he pulled out his trusty laptop and proceeded to find the Balkan, somewhere in France. Instead of concentrating, his thoughts were plagued by telling his mentor what has been happening with his beloved… To tell or not to tell.
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Walking, more like stumbling through the walls of her office hallway towards the elevator. Sam had to squint at the bright lights that surrounded her, more like attacked her. Each bulb was directed at her eyes shooting powerful beams of light, magnifying her pain. She was just about to rub her temples as she walked but suddenly stumbled over her feet and was about to fall into the open doors of the elevator when she was suddenly surrounded by two warm, strong arms engulfing her, her head colliding gently with his chest. Looking up, she looked right into the deep brown eyes, so much like his father's, Dante. She often wondered, ever since she learned that Dante was Sonny's son, did her daughter have Dante's eyes, deep brown like hers but shaped different. It was something she often wondered, and yet something she would never know.
"Wouhh, Sam?" Dante held onto her tightly against his chest. He couldn't help but feel how comfortable it felt to hold her, how right it felt. "Are you ok? Sam? Is it another headache? Sam?" Each question came with a little more panic.
"Shhhh…" She whispered as she closed her eyes and rested her head again his chest as the elevator descended down to the ground floor. She felt awkward, being in Dante's arms. After working together to clear her name, she felt close to him. This man was going to be her baby's older brother. If she had lived, he would've protected her, loved her, cared for her, just as he does for Kristina and his other siblings. She felt a connection to him, but it was more brotherly than anything. She felt somewhat comfortable in Dante's arms, but she wanted someone else's wrapped around her. "Jason…" She whispered out, almost calling to him. As if he had heard her, her cell phone suddenly rang. Gaining back her composure, she pulled away from Dante to answer her phone. Instantly feeling better to hear Jason's voice, the headache was still there, but the pills and Jason finally took the edge off. After telling him that she was on her way, she closed the phone and placed it in her pocket. "Sorry about that…"
A little pissed off and a little hurt Dante couldn't stop his next words. "Damn it Sam, you need to see Patrick." He felt a little guilty at his raised voice, especially at seeing her flinch.
"I already did, he said that this was normal."
"Normal my ass. You have had a migraine everyday for the past two weeks, you've blacked out more times than you can remember, and…" He reached into her bag to steal her pills, pulling them out of reach when she yelled out. "You've been popping these like they were Pez candies. You need to tell him, or at least tell Jason."
Snatching the pills back from him, she stepped off of the elevator. "YOU NEED to mind your own damn business and stay the HELL out of MINE!" She angrily said as she stepped out into the cool night air. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards her car.
Catching up to her, Dante reached out to grab her arm. "I can't let you drive Sam."
"Take your damn hands off of me!" She pulled out from his grip.
"Why are you being so damn stubborn? Why are you so against seeing a doctor, huh, what are you afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid of anything…"
"BULLSHIT! You're afraid that this is something worse, you're afraid at what you'll find out, of what's really wrong with you."
"There is NOTHING wrong with me and I don't need a damn doctor." She started for her car again, unlocking her doors.
"So what then Sam? Live the rest of your life with migraines, passing out, waiting for the next one to end your life. Is that what this is about? Do you have some sort of death wish or something?"
"Excuse me…" She whirled around, fire melting her tear filled eyes.
Seeing her teary eyes, Dante knew that this wasn't the right approach or the right way to handle this but he needed to ask. "I know about you losing your daughter, my sister, and…" He spoke louder to continue at seeing her opening her mouth to stop him. "And you lost your brother. Is this some way of thinking that if you die, that you'll finally be with them, that you'll finally see them again in Heaven."
She couldn't stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She had to admit that there were times were she thought of that exact same thing, but one person had stopped her from thinking that, Jason. "This has nothing to do with them." She whispered. Turning back to her car, she opened her door. "I need to get home."
"LOOK! I'm just trying to help ok, at least just let me drop you off at Jason's. I don't want you to drive in this condition." He said holding out his hand for her keys.
Knowing that he was right, she really was in no condition to drive. She dropped the keys in his hand and made her way to the passenger side. They made their way to Harbor View Towers in silence, and Sam was grateful for it. Stopping out front, Dante put the car in park and got out. "I can make it fine on my own." Sam said as she saw him making his way towards her.
"Just let me see you safe to the penthouse and I'll leave. Besides, I don't really feel like dying tonight if something were to happen to you." He joked hoping it will get her to smile. He hated seeing her upset, especially if it had to do with him.
"Fine." Sam said rolling her eyes and smiling at his humor. As they made it to the front steps of Jason's penthouse, Sam turned to Dante. "Thank you and sorry about snapping at you back there."
"You're welcome, and you can make it up to me by going to see the doctor…" He held up his hand to stop her from interrupting. "Please don't tell me this is normal, because you know that's not true. Look Sam, there are a lot of people that care about you, your mother, your sisters, Spinelli, me, Jason and many others. We don't want anything to happen to you. I just found a new friend and I don't want to lose you." He could see that he was winning the argument but continued, hating his next words. "And besides, Jason just lost his son, I don't think he is ready to have something bad happen to you too." He held out his hands and embraced her in a tight hug, elated that she was in his arms and happy that she was listening to him.
Nodding, Sam couldn't stop the tears that ran down her cheeks. She was scared, plain and simple. She knew this wasn't normal but she was afraid of what it might mean, of what the doctors would find. Before she could pull back to 'Thank' him once again, the penthouse doors opened up to reveal a pretty pissed off Jason standing in the doorway watching the detective hug HIS girlfriend.
