Chapter Two
Dr. Ford started at Milo, and the gun, for one second then he moved to Lulu.
After touching her throat, he said "She needs CPR and I can't do it alone. We're short staffed. One of you will have to help me."
Spinelli immediately put his mouth on hers and Ford started doing chest compressions.
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Sonny said "Pick her up, Max. We're getting out of here."
Carly was sobbing. "Where is he? He was just here. I saw Jason right before the bomb went off. I saw him. Didn't you see him, Sonny? He was here."
"I said pick her up, Max."
"I can't do that, sir."
Max started to sift through the wreckage with Carly.
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JASON tried to climb out of the elevator. When that didn't work he slid to the floor, feeling distraught.
Liz was barely holding it together, which was the one thing that kept him from crying right there on the spot.
"Just wait it out," she said, trying to be strong for him. "There is nothing we can do to help them from in here."
Jason said, "She got out. She had to."
"I am sure she did, Jason."
He nodded, over and over until nodding didn't mean anything at all. So he stopped and hung his head.
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"She's breathing," Dr. Ford said
He turned to Milo and snapped "Put that thing away."
Milo drug his eyes away from Lulu and told him. "Get her on the next ambulance."
"That is not how it works around here. Threatening to shot me won't get you faster treatment."
"Don't listen to him, kid. It seems to be working so far." Luke stood up and looked at Ford. "You heard him. Get Lulu on the next ambulance."
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"I will pay 1 million dollars to the first person who finds Jason Morgan," Sonny shouted
No one paid him any attention.
Carly stopped searching. Her hands were raw, they had cuts that were bleeding. Her dress was torn, her arms were cut. Her tears hadn't stopped since she woke up.
But that isn't what stopped her. She suddenly couldn't catch her breath.
Max jerked his head up at the sound of her gasping.
"Mrs. C, breath. Slowly. You are having a panic attack."
She mouthed, "Jason."
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Spinelli and Luke crowded into the ambulance with Lulu.
Milo said, "I'll meet you there."
"No, I think you won't." Mac said "You're under arrest, Milo Giambetti. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against in a court of law..."
The ambulance door were pulled closed and it sped into the distance, with its lights roaring, and Milo's eyes glued to it.
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"Why didn't I say yes when Lucky asked me to marry him?" Liz asked "I should have said yes. It's one word. What was so hard about it? I love him. I've always loved him. But you know what I always couldn't do, Jason? Forgive."
"So forgive him tomorrow."
"That simple, huh?"
"Do you want that life he offered you? That marriage? To raise your kids together? If you do, forgive him. Don't say no when you mean yes. Don't wait..." his words drifted off and his eyes became unfocused.
"You could forgive her tomorrow."
Liz didn't have to say Carly. She knew this was about Carly. He was falling apart before her eyes. Of course, it was about Carly.
Jason answered, "That is not the problem between me and her."
"Then what is it?"
Jason only stared at Liz, unable to think of a way to put it that made sense.
Nothing made sense right now. He wanted to know if Carly was alive. That was all he wanted to hear. Until then, everything would stay wrong, the world would be off its axis, and nothing, nothing at all, would make sense.
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Alexis stumbled through the destroyed lobby, past the rescue workers, cops, and victims. She knew her daughter and nephew were safe. But he was still in here somewhere. Sonny, her old friend and nemesis. Her...where was he?
It would be just like that infuriating man to make her come in here and drag him out. Was he trying to play hero?
Didn't he know he had a daughter who needed him alive? People who loved him and needed him to not go and get himself killed in some damn fool mob dispute?
Sonny turned and saw her approaching.
The mad look she gave him made him smile, for a brief second. Then he said, " I'm trying to get out. So don't yell at me. Carly won't leave."
"You haven't found Jason yet?"
"Not yet."
Alexis bent down and started picking up pieces of the Sheetrock.
Sonny placed his hand over hers. "Come on, now, you shouldn't do that. You shouldn't even be in here."
"Don't boss me, Corinthos. You are in here. She is in here. And now I am in here. And, not for nothing, I don't look nearly as wrecked as you two do, cancer or not."
She continued picking through the building materials.
Nearby, Max had calmed Carly down. She whispered to him, "Jason is not dead."
"He's completely fine," Max said.
"Completely fine," Carly repeated his words, though her voice was barely audible.
She once again began digging though the wreckage.
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Milo sat in the back of the police squad car. Cruz opened the door and said "Sit tight. I came to grab another flashlight. We don't have time to transport you right now."
"Can you call the hospital and check on Lesley Lou Spencer?"
"Lulu?" Cruz seemed to freeze for a moment. Softly he asked, "She was hurt?"
Milo said "That's how I got arrested, trying to get her help."
"Okay. Yeah, yeah, I will look into that. Oh, man, Lulu."
Then Cruz was slamming the car door again and speaking into his walkie talkie.
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She was stuck in the blackness.
The voices seemed far away.
"Stay with me, daughter."
"Come on, Blonde One, come on. Don't you dare, Lulu."
And then her mom was there "I love you, Lesley Lou."
I love you, mom.
Her mother's image was replaced by Milo, the guy who lived in her fantasies and always came to save her just in time.
He smiled and she tried to reach for him, but like all the times since Christmas he was close and yet right outside of her grasp.
"Lulu!" he called
Milo.
"LULU!"
Everything faded to black again.