AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, so how many of you got where I was going with that before I, you know, got there? LOL

Now extra brownie points if you can work out who the faux EJ really is. ;) In this story I'm writing Rafe and Sami as friends because that is the vibe I get off them. In real life the actors have known each other for years and years, just like BD and AS and I think it really shows in how comfortable they come across on screen - as friends. Rafe, just like Lucas and for that reason just don't work as a romantic pairing for Sami - there is no sexual tension in their scenes IMO but respect the opinions of people who think they sizzle of course - just can't see it myself. They both want her to change into a good girl and resort to stomping their feet and storming off the minute things don't go their way and then Sami has to grovel after them begging for another chance. Call me crazy but for me that isn't romantic. I want a love story between equals and for my money EJami is that. They both give as good as they get and they don't flinch away from the hard truths about each other. Of course the writers on the show seem determined to keep Sami as an adolescent girl and never let her grow up and learn from her mistakes - something I'm working to fix in my story "Fated" in particular and I find that utterly frustrating.

For anyone looking for a real EJami fix and a lot more of my EJami stories then a good place to check out is "Forbidden Love" which has absolutely everything your EJami lovin' heart could desire and then some. lol As I said, you'll find more of my stories there and on that board I'm able to add screen caps to my stories - I do love a little colour and movement to my story telling. :)

But enough waffling, let's get back to this story now and we'll get things from EJ's POV for a little bit...

Chapter Three

TWENTY FOUR HOURS PREVIOUSLY:

EJ lay on his cot in his cell, watching the sunbeam make its way steadily across the concrete floor. It was his morning ritual, waiting until the little ray of light streaming through the small barred window made it to a crack in the concrete before getting up to face another day of imprisonment. He'd invented a hundred little games like this to keep occupied and stop himself from sliding into desperate desolation. The angle of the sunbeam had changed as the weeks rolled by, telling him of the change of seasons even as he kept score mentally of each passing day. He'd been taken in summer and then that had passed way into autumn and now they were nearly done with winter.

It was hard to come to terms with the fact that he'd been kept away from all that he loved for such a long time now. At first he'd expected to be rescued promptly but when that hadn't happened EJ had taken it upon himself to escape and now bore the scars to prove it. He didn't even know how far he was from home only that no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get back there. There had been many low moments for him in the last eight months, particularly when he thought of his children. The thought of them growing up without him was a constant ache inside EJ.

Even though technically Ali wasn't his daughter EJ loved her as though she were and all he wanted was to be able to hold both the twins in his arms again, breath in their baby smells and tell them that he loved them. EJ tortured himself daily with what new thing they would be learning. Johnny in particular had been so close to his first words when EJ had been taken and no doubt they were both chatting away happily now and even taking their first steps. Fresh pain washed over EJ at the thought, longing to have been there when that happened but that along with everything else had been taken from him.

It was hard not to let himself sink into a depression as the days continued to stretch into weeks and months. That was why he'd developed all his little rituals, intent on keeping his sanity, knowing he'd need it to exact his revenge on those who had done this to him. Once the sunbeam hit the crack in the concrete EJ would get up, wash his face in the basin in his cell and then proceed to exercise. The cell he was in was very small, only about twelve feet square but he made good use of it. A regime of pushups, sit ups, pull ups using the exposed beams above his head and several other creative uses of the limited space and furniture ensured that he kept himself fit. Every couple of days they would take him out into a little exercise yard as well and EJ would get a chance to stretch his long legs, running back and forth for often the entire two hours he was out there, just happy to be breathing in fresh air again. The exercise yard gave him no idea as to where he was, the high walls ensuring limited view, only the tops of the taller trees giving EJ some sensation of perhaps being out in the back of a forest perhaps.

EJ always looked forward to his time in the exercise yard, such as it was. His cell would become utterly stifling after awhile and it was just good to be out in the elements again and feel the sun on his face. Of course his time outside was the first thing they would take from him after an escape attempt but that only ever lasted for a couple of weeks before he'd be taken back out to the yard again. In EJ's mind the promise of escape was worth a few beatings and lack of sunshine if it meant he could get back to his family. Apart from missing his children and planning his escapes there was only one other thing that occupied EJ's thoughts and helped him to hold onto his sanity.

"Samantha."

Her name escaped his lips without him even realizing it as he waited patiently for the little light to hit its mark. The last time they'd been together they had made love properly for the first time. EJ relived those precious moments over and over again in his head, going through each tiny detail and remembering everything about their encounter. He'd waited so long for Sami to give herself to him and then when it had happened it had been all he'd ever dreamed of and so much more. Everything he'd had to endure up to that point, turning his back on his father, knowing she'd been cheating on him with Lucas, all of it had been made worthwhile in those amazingly intimate moments they'd shared together.

EJ's eyelids drooped as he remembered the feel of her soft skin under his hand, his fingers tingling at just the memory of it. The way she'd melted into him, her softness finding a home against every line of his hardness as thought they'd been made only for each other. When he'd striped the clothes from her body and laid her naked beneath him, every fantasy he'd ever had came true. It was such a short time together but EJ had memorized every dip and curve of her body, knowing her body as intimately as he did his now. The taste of her had been in his mouth as he kissed her during that first breath taking coming together and EJ had never known so much joy and completeness before in his life. She'd been all around him, enveloping him with her body and he'd drowned in her glorious beauty as she gave herself to him completely, only to be reborn as a new creation in that final earth shattering moment of release.

He'd held her in his arms afterwards, both tired and sweaty from their exertions and he'd felt the shift between them. It had been clear to him that Sami had finally let her defenses down around him even as she hastily tried to rebuild them, trying to fob off their encounter as just sex. She'd known that it was a lie just as EJ had and that had been proven when she willingly went into his arms for the promise of another bout of intense lovemaking only to be so jarringly interrupted by the unwelcome return of Lucas Horton. EJ supposed he had no one else to blame but himself seeing as he'd been the one trying to secure Lucas' release in the first place, wanting Sami to choose between them properly once and for all. The timing couldn't have been worse though because as soon as Sami saw Lucas she saw all those old feelings of guilt and fear return to her eyes.

How quickly she'd jumped from EJ's bed and chased after Lucas still galled him to this day, no matter how many hours he'd spent rationalizing it all. That was one thing being in prison gave EJ – the gift of time, relentless hour upon hour of it. So much so that it felt like his thoughts and memories alone would be the thing to drive him over that ledge. But EJ had learnt to take strength from his memories, to keep his brain active in trying to find a way out of this mess and back to the woman he loved and their children.

Things had been left badly between himself and Sami after having gone out for a walk to clear his head that night even as Lucas and Sami fought like cats and dogs over what the other man had walked in on. It had turned EJ's stomach to hear her begging Lucas for forgiveness for something that had been so special between them and he'd needed to get away. It was while he was out running that he'd been taken and now he was in this strange limbo of having no idea what had happened next between Sami and Lucas and of course his and Sami's fate was stalled by his absence.

Many times over EJ would torture himself with what had happened in the end. Had Sami been able to convince herself and Lucas that he really was the one for her? It seemed impossible to EJ but he was used to Sami's ability to delude herself so he wouldn't put it past her. It was almost an unbearable pain imagining Sami and Lucas together but EJ had to face the fact that might be the case. After all he'd just disappeared off the face of the earth so who knows what Sami must have thought. EJ was desperate to find a way out of his prison and get back to Sami so he could sort out everything between them. He was worried about what he might be going back to but EJ also knew that now that they'd made love at last he would never be able to let Sami go and if that meant he had to go back to Salem and fight for the woman he loved, well he was more than ready to do just that.

The sunbeam was at last on the crack in the cement and EJ got up, washing his face and then beginning on his exercise routine. He should be due for a turn in the exercise yard today but a recent escape attempt told him that wasn't going to happen. It hadn't been one of his more sophisticated tries when a fit of unbearable frustration had come over him as one of his wardens had been giving him his lunch. EJ had just rushed at him, trying to get past him in a fit of uncontrolled rage over what had been inflicted on him. It was unfortunate that it was the larger of the two guards that had opted to give EJ his lunch and things did not go well.

Even though EJ was probably fitter than he ever was before in his life, his imprisonment leaving him little else to do but exercise in his cell, he was simply no match for the man mountain that was this man. He'd caught him by surprise though which was why EJ probably hadn't managed to get himself shot. The man hadn't appreciated this unexpected work out and EJ had taken the brunt of his annoyance. EJ wasn't exactly a small man himself though and had managed to get in more than one good hit before the other man had thrown him against the wall, knocking the wind out of him and leaving EJ with more than a few bruises.

He exercised for an hour, grimacing as some of the bumps and bruises from his ill conceived escape attempt made themselves known. EJ hadn't exactly thought it through that time but sometimes he just needed to hit something to get his frustrations out so he wouldn't lose his mind totally. Hitting one of his captors was far more satisfying than just hitting a wall, which he'd already done several times. Next EJ washed himself down with a cloth and changed into some fresh clothes. He never knew when he was going to get fresh clothing so he tried to save a set so he could launder the other ones himself. It depended on the whim of the guards as to whether they'd let him keep one set to clean. EJ doubted they'd be in a particularly benevolent mood after his escapades of yesterday so these might be the only clean clothes he had for a while.

The last part of EJ's morning ritual was to shave. At first he'd grown a full beard but on a whim had asked for something to shave with and rather surprisingly a razor and shaving cream had been provided. EJ had then set about amusing himself with his facial hair, again just for something to do and keep the mind numbing boredom at bay. He'd given himself mutton chops, a Vandyke, an Abraham Lincoln, an Imperial and then a goatee, all successively whittling down the size of his beard. He then grew a full beard back again just so he could carve a four letter profanity beginning with the letter 'f' into it. There had been two letters on each cheek so that when the guards called on him he would point to each cheek and then at them. This little game amused him for far too long until EJ got bored with that as well and had opted to go with being clean shaven for awhile now. The sound of the heavy metal door being opened told EJ that he had company then. He wiped that last of the shaving cream from his face with his shirt and turned around to greet them.

"Well hello Betty," said EJ brightly as the large man lumbered towards him, "Don't you look lovely today?"

The other guard walked through the door behind him then.

"Oh and you've bought Veronica with you," grinned EJ, "The whole gang is here it seems."

This was another game of EJ's, toying with the guards and being generally annoying to them. It seemed the least he could do seeing as they were keeping him imprisoned and all. Besides, it helped to stave off the boredom and kept his brain ticking over, thinking up new ways to harass them. Neither would give EJ their names no matter how relentlessly EJ had nagged them so he'd decided on names for them. He'd gone through quite a list of names, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Regis and Kelly, Burt and Ernie but in the end had settled on Betty and Veronica from the Archie comics. It was one of EJ's few pleasures these days, needling away at his captors and he did so with gusto. Neither man answered his cheery greeting as they walked down the passage way between the cells to get to EJ.

"I do hope you're not holding a grudge with our little misunderstanding from yesterday Betty?" asked EJ with a charming smile as the big man came to a halt in front of EJ's cell, breakfast tray in hand, "All water under the bridge now eh?"

The man's facial expression didn't alter as he held EJ's gaze steadily and then without a word he simply turned the tray upside down, sending EJ's breakfast tumbling to the filthy prison floor. EJ looked down at the remnants of his meal and then back at the guard whose expression hadn't changed one iota.

"It looks like that particular bridge is still under construction eh?" said EJ ruefully.

"Enjoy your breakfast wise ass," said the man bitterly, speaking at last.

EJ always took it as a little victory when he could get one of them to talk to him. He was starved for conversation, any kind of conversation and normally his guards were a reticent couple but any kind of human contact was a treat for EJ nowadays, even with these two. Betty than reached out with a giant foot and ground EJ's food into the cement while EJ looked on.

"I made it myself," he smirked, obviously enjoying himself.

"And obviously with a great deal of love," said EJ wryly as the man proceeded to scrap his shoe off on the bars.

"Bone appetite little man," he grunted, "Hope you choke on it."

"Actually it's pronounced bon appétit," said EJ sweetly, "But good on you for trying to improve on that third grade education of yours. Although I am curious, how do you manage to get that gargantuan ass of yours into those little seats in the elementary school? Is it some kind of ropes and pulley system?"

Betty made a lunge for EJ's throat through the bars but EJ was too quick for him, stepping back out of his reach. Whilst the other man might have size and strength on his side EJ definitely had speed and agility.

"I'm going to snap you like twig you limey, stuck up bastard!" growled the man, his arm still grabbing for EJ through the bars.

"Leave it!" ordered the other guard, trying to drag the huge man away from the bars with no success, "This is what he wants, don't give the prick the satisfaction!"

"Oh I hope you don't kiss your mother's goodnight with those mouths," tutted EJ with a shake of his head.

He then gave a mock concerned look at the man.

"All of this ire on your behalf isn't because I happened to break your nose in our little skirmish yesterday is it Betty?" asked EJ, looking aggrieved at the thought, "I mean some women find a man who looks like a dog who chases parked cars to be a very attractive quality."

EJ pursed his lips then, looking thoughtful.

"As long as you tip them well afterwards of course," he continued on musingly, "Those working girls certainly have a soft spot for a big tipper and if you pay them enough they might even let you get close to it… with the lights off of course. I mean there are limits, even for a whore."

"Don't poke the bear Elvis," said a voice mockingly, "You'll have the animal advocacy groups onto me."

The sound of a fourth person's voice made everyone turn their heads and look down the passageway to the door. Betty dropped his arms and took a step back from the bars at seeing who it was.

"Ah Jughead," said EJ with a twist of his lips, "I guess the whole gang really is here."

"Ever the comedian hmm?" asked the newcomer, strolling up to EJ's cell and giving a dismissing nod.

"I'm going to get you but good little man," growled Betty, sending him a death look as he left, "I'm going to tear out your spine and use it to beat you to bloody pulp with!"

"Well that sounds enchanting," said EJ sweetly, "It's a date Betty. Shall we say I'll pick you up at eight?"

The man's face darkened into a cold fury at EJ's continuing taunting of him.

"Wear something pretty won't you Betty?" asked EJ teasingly and sending him an impish wink, "I like my women in dresses – I see you in a little low cut, backless number with sequins myself."

It looked like the huge man wanted to charge down the passageway to EJ's cell and simply pull him out through the bars in one go but the newcomers presence stopped him. EJ could still clearly see however the death and destruction written in the man's face for him and couldn't help himself from pushing a little harder.

"Oh who am I kidding?" said EJ straight faced, "We've been fighting the sexual tension between us this whole time. Whatever you chose to wear Betty I'm sure I'll love it."

There was the audible sound of the big man grinding his teeth together before his cohort led him away, leaving only EJ and the newcomer.

"Making friends I see Elvis," said the man mockingly, walking over to stand directly in front of EJ now.

"I am a people person," agreed EJ readily and then gave a bit of a sigh, "It can be a bit of a burden sometimes but what are you going to do right?"

"You do realize that man could kill you in seven different ways before you could even blink?" asked the man wryly, "Not least of which if he simply decided to roll over on top of you."

"But you don't want me dead now do you?" asked EJ, all teasing gone now as he arched a challenging eyebrow at the other man, "Because if you did you and I wouldn't be standing here right now and you'd have done away with me long ago."

"Perhaps I enjoy the company?" offered up the man.

"Perhaps Betty and I will run off into the sunset together and start a whole new life together," suggested EJ sarcastically.

The man's lips curled into an upward smile at that, obviously picturing it.

"You do have your amusing moments Elvis," smiled the man.

"You know Andre," returned EJ calmly, "I wish I could return the compliment."