Author's Notes: This is sort of AU-ish, as that it's still partially the Port Charles that we know, but the people are vastly different. For starters, Sam McCall is Robin Scorpio's half-sister and was a part of the teen group of the early 90s. Stone Cates is in this story, and he won't be dying of AIDS. Whether he actually contracts HIV or not is still up for grabs, but know that I don't plan to kill him off. There are other things that will be changed, as I'm going to be playing with the timeline and adjusting when certain things happened. The AJ Quartermaine I'm using in this story is the AJ that was played by Sean Kanan. The Carly that I'll be using will be Sarah Brown. Any other notes will be added as necessary. For now, though, I think that's enough information to start the story. Things are explained as the story goes along.

"I've had to contend with a lot since coming to Port Charles, but this… No, this isn't necessary, isn't happening, and damned if I'm not about to scream and shout even if I have absolutely no right to do so."

Samantha McCall was a tiny woman, but her temper gave her the feeling of at least another four or five inches. As she ranted, her head shook and caused her hair to move from side to side. It was as though her own, private wind was blowing her raven locks behind her. Her tiny frame was rigid, and she was sure that the only way to loosen it up was to punch Keesha Ward right in the face.

"This is because I dated AJ in high school, isn't it? Jesus! It's not like it lasted forever! It didn't even last three months! And… it was his own fault. I mean, he could have taken care of it easily, right? He could have paid me a little bit of attention instead of getting caught up with Brenda and chasing after Karen. But, he ignored me, so I went to the next best thing."

"AJ."

"Exactly! And I'd say that Jason was just returning the favor in a half-assed attempt… if Keesha Ward were even in my league! I don't like her, plain and simple. She's just so… so… perfect! It's like you, but worse. No offense, but until he came along, Uncle Mac didn't think you could do a single thing wrong in your life. And no offense to you, either."

Robin Scorpio and Stone Cates paid her no mind. Stone was quickly adjusting to her rants, especially considering that lately they heavily involved his estranged brother, Jagger. Robin, on the other hand, had been adjusting for the past couple of years. She'd had enough time to get used to the rants and ravings of the lunatic that showed up and, literally, became her sister.

Their father was dead, and often, Robin had wondered if Robert Scorpio had died with the knowledge of his eldest daughter's birth. She had never been mentioned, and she didn't think her father would have left something like that out. On the other hand, she hadn't exactly been known from day one, either. There was still a lot about her parents that Robin was uncertain about, and Sam's existence was just one of them.

Robin and Sam only shared one parent, but it was enough to bring them together. Sam started off angry that she'd been dumped on the doorstep of a horrible mother, but finding out that one's father was dead had a way of changing attitudes. Or at least making anger soften a bit. Robin had been given more time to adjust to the death of her parents. Sam had about the ten minutes it took Mac Scorpio to go all the way around the world and finally let his newly discovered neice in on the news.

The relationship had been tentative, at first. It didn't matter much to Sam that Robin hadn't known Robert forever, either. The point, to her, was that Robin had him for a while and all Sam got was a nosy uncle and some pictures. Not to mention that she still hadn't managed to find her mother. After a while, though, she'd come around and now, the only person closer to Robin than Sam was Brenda Barrett. She and Sam were close enough that her big sister was more than happy to cover for her when she wanted to spend time with the unacceptable boyfriend. Considering what they were talking about currently, though, Robin probably could have done without the help.

"I've been called worse," Stone said with a shrug. "Or at least, I think I have. Mac's said some things…"

"That shouldn't be said considering his friends and relatives, I know." Sam rolled her eyes. "It's just… this is so wrong. I should be with Jason, not her."

"Sam…" Robin sighed. "I don't know what you want me to say. I mean, you say that Keesha's too perfect, but isn't Jason the same way? Isn't that the reason everybody crushed on him in high school?"

"Maybe that's the reason you crushed on him," she told her with a smirk. "I crushed because he was rich and in love with somebody else. Pretty much the same reason I dated AJ. And he dated me because I wanted Jason." Sam paused, furrowed her brow for a second, then shook her head. "There's seriously something wrong with that family."

"It's the Quartermaines," Robin said with a shrug. "Tell me something new."

"Here's something, new or not. Jason needs somebody that's not so damned perfect that she elevates his perfection. He needs somebody that's gonna dirty him up a little bit." Sam tossed Robin and Stone a quick glance before she started to pace the living room again. She wanted to get back on point before Stone picked up on the 'crushing Jason' part of the conversation and the two of them fell into something sickeningly cute. "How he managed to survive in that house with Edward as an influence and not be dirty is beyond me."

"The same way you spent a couple of years living with Uncle Mac and didn't bend to his insistence that you were better than half the stuff you got caught doing, and all the stuff you didn't get caught doing. Sheer luck and some part force of will."

"Yeah, well… my will is strong." Sam stared out the window of her little room and groaned. The view from Kelly's was horrible. The view from anywhere was probably horrible, but from there she couldn't see anything but the next building over. Wonderful. But, then again, it was this or keep living with Mac. Sam had grown to love her uncle, but he drove her insane.

"So strong, in fact, that some way or another, I'm gonna get Jason Quartermaine away from her."

"Ya know, you could always go back to AJ. He's a good guy. He just needs some help sometimes. That house…" Robin shook her head. "It doesn't do him a single bit of good."

Sam shrugged. She felt bad for AJ, but… She was still under the belief that enough money could fix any problems, and the Quartermaines definitely had enough. "Maybe," she said wistfully, "but in the end, it's not AJ that I want. It's his brother."