Sorry I took so long, but I've been writing a lot of this fic so that I can keep up continuous posts because I'm also doing a few OTH fics. Next chappy should be up soon...enjoy!
Nothing's Changed
XxXxX
Lucky reluctantly swung open the door to reveal Jason standing there in his usual, plain attire. Navy blue tee, fitting jeans and kombat boots--which was only heightened in bad ass by the leather coat he wore. Lucky tiredly rubbed at his bare chest and shook his head. "Jason, Sam's asleep." The guy was there six times a day--was he even over her?
Jason almost punched Lucky until he remembered that he let her go and it wasn't any of his business that Sam was sleep and that Lucky answered the door shirtless, obviously stating that they had progressed on over to that next level. His eyebrows raised as he hid his raging jealously. "I don't need to talk to her, I just need to check on her. Make sure she's alright." He said casually.
"She's alright." Lucky informed agitatedly before trying to shut the door, but Jason stopped him.
"Hey, I don't want to cause any problems but--"
"Well, you are." Lucky hissed, stepping out into the hall and shutting the door.
Jason motioned to the stairs. "You shouldn't leave her up there--"
"Look, you gave up your rights to Sam when you took my wife and got her pregnant, okay? Sam and I have something now. She told me what's going on. She trusts me." He sneered a little, shaking his head. "So can you just leave?"
As if he'd heard nothing Lucky said, he shook his head softly. "Not until I see Sam." He put his foot down. He wasn't going anywhere until he saw that she was okay.
Lucky sighed and shook his head, opening the door. "Try not to wake her up." Lucky demanded.
"Where is she?" Jason questioned at the foot of the stairs.
"In my bedroom." He said, his eyes meeting Jason's in a challenge.
Don't punch him, Jason reminded himself as he heard Lucky mumble which room was his. He ran up the stairs and then stopped in front of the door, pushing it open and peeking in. He saw her laying on the bed with no blankets and fully clothed. That gave him a little feeling of relief, but he remembered that someone had threatened her, and that relief quickly washed away. Glancing at his surroundings, he decided to walk inside and see her closely--even if just to look at her beautiful face.
When he made it to the side of the bed, she groaned and wiped at her face before turning over. The room was dark except for moonlight and he watched as she reached for the empty spot beside her. He heard her disappointed sigh and watched as she tucked her hands beneath her pillow and wondered if that's what she used to do when she would wake up and he wouldn't be there...he wondered was she looking for Lucky or him?
Suddenly, her head whipped around and she tried to kick Jason, succeeding but regretting it when she saw who it was. "Oh, Jason!" She covered her mouth with her hand and hopped up as he cradled his knee. "I thought you were someone else."
He smirked and stood back up straight. "At least we know you know how to defend yourself." He half joked, smirking as he sat down on the bed.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, still a little hyped. "Where's Lucky?" She looked around briefly, as if frantically searching for the man.
He looked away from her when she asked him that. Who cared where Lucky was? Lucky was going to be tumbling down a flight of stairs if he didn't back off Sam. "Downstairs. He just let me in to check on you."
Sam shook her head with a sardonic laugh and walked over to the window, crossing her arms. "Jason, you don't have to check on me. Lucky knows whats going on. Lucky has guns." She said, raising a hand in her defense. "He's trained. I'm safe." She struggled to convince, maybe even herself.
The truth was, Jason was the only one that really ever made her feel safe. Lucky could have all the guns there were but there was something about Jason that just made her feel like she would be alright. Being with Lucky wasn't the same. But she needed someone to hold her at night and she would never tell Jason that he made her feel safe again. That would basically be begging for him and she was sick of begging for him.
"Okay, but he doesn't know what he's up against." Jason continued. He needed her somewhere with him.
"Neither do we. So until then," she turned to face him and sighed, "goodbye."
"Goodbye?" Was he hearing right? He stood up and walked towards her.
"Yeah." She confirmed, pushing a piece of her hair behind her ear and then stuffing her hands in her back pockets. "Bye."
"Sam, Sam." He called as she tried to walk away from him. He grabbed her arm and leaned towards her. "Why are you doing this? Why are you pushing me away?"
Sam scoffed. "What? Me pushing you away? Jason, you've got to be kidding me. You've pushed me away for months. You succeeded." She laughed dangerously. "I'm gone. I'm here. With Lucky. And you're with Princess Elizabeth." She said her name sarcastically, rolling her eyes afterward.
"Sam, it's not like that." He started, rolling his eyes as if he was tired of this conversation.
"Yes it is, Jason. You can throw away what we had for her?" She could feel tears beginning to pool her eyes. "And I thought we had a lot." She admitted sadly, pushing hair behind her ears on both sides before re-crossing her arms over her chest. "But Elizabeth means more, doesn't she? She always has." She attempted to smile through her tears but failed. "She always will."
"Sam, that's not true." He started, but was interrupted by Lucky opening the door and clicking the light on. Jason glared at him.
"This is what you call checking on her?" Lucky started when he noticed Sam's tears. "Making her cry? Wow, Morgan. You really have a way with women."
"Lucky, stop it." Sam urged, walking up to him and putting a hand to his arm. She turned to Jason as she sniffed. "Jason was just leaving."
Jason pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "Yeah, I was." He reluctantly agreed. "Look, Sam," he began, "I need you to call me when um, when you wake up in the morning." He spoke distractedly as he watched Lucky slip his hand up and down Sam's back to comfort her.
"Okay." She nodded softly and smiled forcedly at Lucky. "I'm going to go take a shower."
"Alright." Lucky kissed the top of her head and she walked off, feeling both pair of eyes on her until she left sight.
Propping one hand on his waist, Jason motioned the other one to where Sam had walked off and looked on confused. "What do you think you're doing, Spencer?"
"Helping her with her broken heart." He stated seriously. "And she's helping me with mine."
Jason didn't want him to elaborate, partially because this was his fault and he didn't want to know how they were healing each other. He stared pensively before looking away and wiping a hand over his mouth, obviously frustrated. "You should get a couple of guards to secure the place." He started suggesting. "Lock all the windows, doors," he waved a hand in the air, "leave weapons close enough to where you and Sam can get to them in an emergency." He mumbled, wishing it was he and Sam going through this.
"I will." Lucky said gratefully. "Thanks."
"Yeah." Jason nodded as they heard the shower come on. "Well," he started, not knowing what to say. He didn't want to leave Lucky there while Sam was in the shower--naked! He needed to understand that what she did from now on was out of his control.
"I'll show you the door." Lucky said gladly, leading the way.
Jason tightened his eyes briefly before glancing at the bathroom door and walking out. He'd find a way to protect Sam on his own.
XxXxX
Jason typed in another name and realized that he had been going in circles all night. He was going to get up and get another beer when he heard a knock on the door. Sighing, he knew who it was. "Open it." He didn't even feel like answering it.
Elizabeth walked in, peeking her head around the door timidly. She smiled brightly. "Guess who I brought?" She sing-songed, revealing Jake wrapped in blankets. She bounced him in her arms as she made her way in.
Jason perked up at news of the little one but decided that he had something important to do. "I'm working right now. Can you give me a minute?"
"Sure." She said uneasily, coming to stand behind the couch to eye the computer. "What are you looking for?"
"Someone." He said quickly. When a possible answer flashed over the screen, his eyes lit up and he grabbed his cell phone. He dialed the familiar number and bounced his leg apprehenisvely as he waited for her to answer. To his complete dismay, Lucky answered. Jason was seriously getting sick of this guy.
"Hey." Lucky said in a surprised tone.
"Yeah, where's Sam?" He got rude, he was frustrated with Lucky being everywhere Sam was.
Elizabeth's eyes snapped to Jason.
"Right here." Lucky chuckled and handed the phone to Sam. Jason heard his name being mumbled before she came over the line.
"Hey." She said.
She sounded like she had been sleeping and Jason regretted waking her. "I have something to tell you, meet me at Kelly's in," he glanced at his watch, "fifteen minutes."
"Lucky's going to work right now and he wants me to stay in," Sam began explaining softly, obviously so Lucky couldn't hear. "But if you wanna..."
He instantly got it. "Yeah, I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"Is...is this about..." She didn't want to say too much over the phone.
"Yeah. I'm on my way, okay?" He said tenderly, understanding her broken question.
"Kay." She hung up and Jason kept the phone to his ear, absently waiting to hear those three words that they never forgot to say when they got off the phone. Coming to his senses, he closed his cell phone and stuffed it in his pocket before closing his laptop and reaching for his leather jacket on the couch next to him.
"You're leaving?"
Her voice startled him, he had forgotten she was even there. "Oh, yeah. I have to go. I...it's business."
"When did Sam become business?" She questioned in a sneer.
"Look Liz, you wouldn't get it. And I'm not involving you." He started, putting a hand up to halt anything she had to say. "I hate that Sam's involved but she is and I have to get her out of it." He threw his coat on and jerked his head towards the door. "You should leave here."
Elizabeth nodded in faux understanding and gathered her and Jake's things with a little of Jason's help. "Next time. I'll call before I come. I see I came at a bad time."
"You know how work is, Elizabeth. Don't even start with me." He interjected evenly. "Just go." He waved his hand to the door. Silently, she walked through it and he followed after.
XxXxX
Sam sat on the couch with her knees pulled up to her chin. She hated the news that Jason had just told her and it was the only thing that sounded logical. One of Manny's family members were avenging his death by torturing them--or trying to at least. There was a list of them, some had just gotten out of prison, some had never been convicted of anything--but had been arrested for plenty. Giving Sam and Jason the distinct notion that they were as professional as Jason and knew how to cover their tracks.
The knock on the door had been expected. Jason had called Sonny to explain to him what they thought was going on. Sam tried to listen as Jason explained everything to Sonny, but her hearing kept being interrupted by flashbacks of Manny and what he had tried to do to her numerous times. He was dead, she knew that. But someone out there like him was after her and out to destroy Jason's life--to avenge Manny's. She shuddered at the thought.
"Sam?" Jason called again. Sonny had called her twice but she seemed in her own little world.
"Hmm?" She looked up, pretending to be fine.
"I said," Sonny began to repeat, pushing one of his hands in the pocket of his slacks, "did you get a good look at the guy that threatened you?"
"No." She shook her head. "But he said that his boss knows about Jason and I and then he ran and jumped in this car." She explained, absently lifting her hair in an attempt to calm down. "But if it's Manny's family, which makes a," she paused for emphasis, "whole lot of sense, I mean," she rubbed the side of her face, "I can't go on unarmed. I have to have guns and ammo and," she started, standing to her bare feet, "I need uh, reinforcements." She looked between the two mobsters seriously, rubbing her hands together, ready for them to hand over her demands.
Jason put a hand on her shoulder. "We're going to get you all of that, Sam. But we have to get you out of the public eye." He knew she was more afraid than she'd ever admit to being, but he wasn't going to let anything happen to her.
"He's right. He's right." Sonny agreed, rubbing at his chin. "We could get her to a safehouse."
"I'm not sure that's good if she's alone." Jason said, hinting that he'd stay there with her.
Sam knew what he was thinking and wanted to burst his bubble. "Well Lucky could, stay with me." She said innocently, wiping her bangs out of her face and then resting her hands on her hips. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind." She kept her eyes trained on Sonny.
Jason looked at her dumbfounded. "He's law enforcement." He was thankful that that excuse came in handy at the moment. He wanted to choke Lucky out right now. When did she honestly start depending on him?!
"Jase is right." Sonny pointed to his right-hand-man. Jason smiled triumphantly on the inside until Sonny said, "I'll get Max to stay with you."
Jason frowned. Were they in on him not protecting her together? "I was thinking..." Jason started but was unnoticeably interrupted by Sonny.
"We have to check the latest whereabouts of every last Ruiz family member and track them all down, see where they've been lately, what they've been doin'," Sonny ticked off of his fingers, "who they've been calling...everything. If any are close to Port Charles, we're rushing in on them. No questions asked." He pounded his hand with a fist, signaling that they'd smash them.
"We can't leave Sam here." Jason was only concerned about that.
Sonny gave her a once over. "Maybe we can right now. If the Ruiz's are smart, they know to take more time to approach this place. They'll do their research and find out that he's law enforcement. As long as she's staying with eh, Spencer, that gives us time." He said to Jason, not noticing the disappointment in the blue eyes. "We have to set this search up as soon as possible, Jase." Sonny ordered, then turned to Sam. "I'll send over guards, I'll have Justus bring over a case. We'll say it's some stuff you forgot at Jason's, it's gonna be protection." He waited until she nodded her head at him before patting Jason's arm. "Let's go."
"I'll be right there." He told Sonny and waited for him to walk out before turning to Sam. "Are you comfortable with this?"
"Yeah. Lucky's--" She started but was abruptly stopped.
"You'd rather Lucky protect you than me?" He asked doubtfully, though it sounded like irritation mostly.
She crossed her arms over her white tank top, keeping her straight face. "Why not?"
"That doesn't answer my question." He noted softly.
"Yes...I'm...comfortable with Lucky." She choked out, her eyes trained on his. She saw the quick hurt pass and go before he turned hard as stone again.
Jason glanced around the place, wanting to pick him apart. "He left you here without a guard, without anything?" He asked in disbelief.
"He only has to pick something up and that's it." She defended lightly.
"He can't take any chances." He said powerfully, pounding his hand against the other. "If he turns his back for a second, you could be gone. Like that." He snapped his fingers, anger in his features. When he saw her eyeing him strangely, he calmed down. "Sam, I'm just worried."
"Don't worry. I'm in good hands." She assured, putting a hand on his arm to push him out. But the feel of even his leather covered arm under her palm brought back memories she thought they'd cherish forever. Slowly, she looked up to see if he was having the same flashbacks as her and obviously he was. His eyes were trained on her face, his mouth was dangerously close to her skin. She blinked sleepily, as if it was slow motion. He was bending his head...
"Jase!" Sonny burst through the door, sending them flying away from each other. "We gotta go."
"I'll stay until Lucky gets back." Jason suggested, but felt small hands pushing him towards the door.
"No, go!" Sam said hurriedly, pushing her hands in the back pockets of her dark blue jeans when they stood outside the door. "He'll be here any second.
Sonny motioned to Sam as he looked to Jason. "Give her a gun. You still know how to shoot, right?" He asked her half-heartedly.
Jason didn't feel comfortable with this. He remembered all the times he never felt comfortable with this, leaving her to herself with a firearm. He hated it...and still did. He checked to see if it was fully loaded before handing her his handgun reluctantly.
In the meantime, Sam rolled her eyes at Sonny as she grabbed the gun. "I don't think I'll ever forget how."
"That's good. Maybe I should hire you." He joked, only smiling a little bit.
Jason almost punched him. "You're kidding." He softly responded, eyeing his boss seriously.
"I know, Jase. I was kidding." Sonny shook his head and laughed quickly. "Let's go."
Jason gave Sam one last look. "Lock the doors." He reminded. She rolled her eyes and closed the door.
XxXxX
She heard the door fly open and lifted from her sleep, the gun under her pillow quickly was between her two hands as she held it towards the culprit. Lucky put his hands up quickly as she sat there with the firearm aimed at him.
"Sam?" He questioned, obviously in shock.
She sighed and dropped the gun in her lap, pushing a hand through her disheveled hair. "I'm sorry. I'm just," she took a deep breath and shook her head, closing her eyes for a minute, "I didn't hear the keys in the door and I just uh," she rubbed at her neck.
Lucky dropped his keys and walked over to her slowly. "It's okay to be scared." He told her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He eyed the big gun. "Where'd you get this gun?"
"It's mine." She lied. Sonny had sent her guns, but she stuck with Jason's. It was one she was used to holding.
"You have a gun?" He questioned, a little perplexed with the news.
"I have several." She smirked as she watched him move closer to her. She didn't mind kissing Lucky, though she'd rather kiss Jason but he didn't want to kiss her anymore. He was probably off somewhere kissing Elizabeth's ass. With that thought, she grabbed Lucky's head and pulled him closer to her. She heard him moan deep in his throat and pulled him on top of her, sitting the gun on the floor. He got into the kiss, rubbing his hands up and down the length of her leg and she decided tonight wasn't going to be about Jason. It would be about her and Lucky getting over the past and the pain. She broke the kiss and looked into his eyes.
"What?" He questioned softly.
She nodded and put her hands over his face. "I want to."
He looked surprised. "Are you sure?"
Biting on her bottom lip, she nodded. "Yeah." She leaned up to kiss him again he returned the gesture softly before moving his lips down the column of her neck and the top of her breasts. She moaned gently.
Then, the door burst open. "Sam, we gotta--" He stopped, finally noticing what he had barged in on.
Sam pulled the hem of her shirt up and rolled her eyes as Lucky climbed off of her. "G-d, Jason! You've been hanging around Carly a little too long, don't you think? Just barging in people's apartments!" She sat up, a slight shade of red. She was embarrassed about being caught that way.
Jason didn't know whether to yell or leave at the moment. He'd never wanted to see that. Was he too naive to think that she wouldn't have moved on? She was an amazing human, of course she'd move on! But so soon...and to Lucky?!
He finally remembered what he had come to say. "Sorry Sam, but I have to show you something." He said, limiting his conversation around Lucky and saying as little as possible--maybe she wouldn't hear the crack in his voice.
Sam met his eyes and finally understood. She wiped her hand over her hair and blew out a breath of air. "Fine. I'm coming."
Lucky looked at her dumbfounded--amazed that she always jumped for him. "So...when are you coming home?" He asked her evenly.
Jason glared at him. "I'll worry about that, Spencer." He put a hand up to him.
"I'll try to be home later on." She answered Lucky as if Jason had never spoken. She slipped on her black leather coat and followed Jason out the door.
XxXxX
She got off of the bike as soon as he parked it, noticing they were at the penthouse. She glanced at him awkwardly. "What are we doing here?"
"This is where I live." He told her like she didn't know.
She eyed him as they walked towards the doors. "I thought you would've moved in with Elizabeth by now." She muttered nonchalantly.
"What? Like you moved in with Lucky?" He asked a little bitterly. "Sorry, I don't move that fast."
"What is that supposed to mean?" She frowned, stopping in her tracks.
He shook his head dismissively. "Nothing Sam," he said putting a hand on her shoulder and suddenly growing weary of their surroundings. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...
"No, tell me what that meant." She demanded, standing her ground. "Are you calling me a whore?" She attempted to get clarification. "Jason, that is so..."
As she continued to talk about how rude his comment had been, he could almost feel people closing in around them. Of course they would, it was no secret where he lived. But he'd been blinded by that fact because Sam had been consuming too many of his thoughts. He wanted her near him, he wanted to talk to her, he wanted her to here him and it was all he could think about. He wasn't in his right mind until now, when he could actually feel that they were about to be attacked.
"Jason, are you listening?" Obviously, she wasn't aware.
"I'm--" He heard a bullet zoom past his ear and immediately threw her to the ground.
Sam covered her head, remembering she left her gun at Lucky's. Jason was ducked down beside her, finding the perfect moments to shoot from behind the bush they were ducked under. She could see the small, spare pistol sticking from his sock. While he was shooting at attackers he spotted in the distance, she snatched the gun and stood up to shoot.
"Sam!" He yelled, pulling her back down. "What are you doing?! Are you crazy?!"
"I'm helping." She shrugged with her back against the wall. She checked how much ammo she had left before firing again. Before long, the shots had ceased and she and Jason were sitting behind bushes and a wall to the building, heaving heavily.
Their eyes met as they both held the guns up near their faces. Sam finally looked towards the bushes, nodding her head that way. "Are they gone?"
"I think so." Jason answered, never taking his eyes from her. "I don't think I should've brought you here."
"Then why did you?" She asked, looking at him again.
Jason shrugged, deciding on honesty. "I wanted to be alone with you." He said as shyly as Jason could, his eyes stuck to hers.
Sam eyed him warily, as if to see if he was telling the truth.
He was...and she was pissed.