Alexis hadn't seen Jerry Jacks in months except occasionally in her dreams. He'd been a man of many different aliases and who seemed to have more lives than a cat. His brother Jax had given up on him as being unredeemable in his evilness. But he'd certainly been a topic at water coolers all over PC. She had heard that Luke, Anna and others in the know had him on their radar. Did that mean that they were taking off after him or that he'd show up in town?

She hoped if he were still alive, he were on the other side of the planet not wanting to see or deal with the insane terrorist who had some twisted thing for her. She often wondered why it had to be her that was his object of desire but then she'd never had much luck with men. All they gave her were daughters. Not that she didn't love her girls and would do anything to protect them…but there had to be more to it than that…well not for her and not anymore. She'd sworn off men.

Look at her history for starters. Sonny, the mobster, Ric his brother who cheated on her twice including with her own daughter, Jerry the madman, Shawn…she couldn't figure out how she wound up with him and the former mayor who she couldn't even remember sleeping with at all. Then there had been the men in New York, even before she got to PC, the men at Yale which continued the list after…Julian.

Some faceless guy with a leather jacket who'd picked her up at a bar and took her to his car. The proverbial guy scoring with a different girl in the backseat probably every weekend.

"Mom…are they getting started yet?"

Alexis looked up at Molly who stood there with two lattes, handing one of them to her mother. She smiled at her.

"No…but they started getting Danny ready by helping his body get ready for his new bone marrow."

Molly sat next to her.

"So when's…Derek Wells coming back here?"

"In the morning. Silas wants to start bright and early with collecting it from him."

Molly tilted her face.

"Is it painful?"

"No…he'll be out while they do it and it shouldn't be too painful afterward. He'll be able to go home at the end of the day."

Molly digested that.

"It's good what he's doing…given that he doesn't know Danny or Sam or any of us."

Alexis sighed.

"I think he felt badly that the article he published wasn't on the front page."

Molly made a face.

"All that Q stuff…It's just boring. I mean I don't like how Kiki's treating Michael and Morgan…"

Alexis knew that though they weren't related, Molly had taken over Kristina's role of being protective of Michael.

"What do you mean?"

"Playing them off each other…and doesn't she know that Franco's evil?"

Alexis didn't answer that. She did understand the spells that evil men like Franco…and Jerry could weave on their marks and she knew that she'd been that to Jerry despite all his exposition. She'd been his mark that's all. But she'd used his twisted affection for her to get what she wanted too.

"Honey it might seem cut and dry on paper but in real life it can get…complicated."

She let it hang there not wanting to explain her own history to her middle daughter. Molly sipped her latte.

"It's too bad that Sam's father couldn't show up and donate his own marrow," she said, "I wonder what happened to him."

Alexis had wondered that too but speculation didn't do any good and it wouldn't help Danny at this point. He could be dead for all she knew or on the other side of the planet. For sure, he was completely unaware of her existence.

"He might not have been a match Molly."

"Still…you could still find him. How many men named Julian could there be?"

Alexis shrugged.

"Maybe it's a more common name than we think and it'd be sifting for a needle in a haystack. Okay maybe a smaller haystack but we can't think of him right now honey, we need to focus on what's going on with Danny."


Derek had left Ava and headed off to meet Carly for a tour of her hotel. She'd been raving about it over the phone but he thought he'd make it quick and then head over to GH to check on Danny…and family.

His family.

The one that he'd had for over 30 years that he hadn't known about at all as he'd been living his life, going to college, grad school, trying to fit into his father's shoes and then using his "death" to reinvent his life and return back to the battle over territory with a better plan. Him and Ava and some of his reinforcements who'd be arriving soon, quietly slipping into place while his adversaries remained unaware.

He knew that Carly had been a Corinthoes long before becoming a Jacks and that might be useful. He knew enough to know she might have designs on him as well, certainly to help promote her business. Sure enough Carly met him in the lobby wearing a black mini dress she could have pilfered off of Ava's collection.

"Hello Derek…welcome to the Metro Court," she said, "I've been overseeing the expansion since…an unfortunate incident."

Sonny had arrived muttering and pretty liquored up threatening to do himself in once again. God, he could be so dramatic, Carly thought after she ordered some maids to clean up a lot of broken china in the dining area.

He'd taken off after that and Carly figured his latest enabler, Olivia of the psychic visions would run off after him and try to pull him from the brink of self-destruction. Thank god, it was no longer her.

They walked through the glittering lobby past the gift shop where more damage from hurricane Sonny was being swept up. If Derek noticed, he didn't say anything, his eyes scanning over everything, not missing a detail like any businessman. Her blood raced and her skin prickled, she was on the hunt and every woman in PC better stand back and watch to see how it's done.

He sighed.

"I can't stay long. I have to head to GH for more medical tests."

She looked concerned.

"Tests? I hope it's nothing serious."

He shook his head.

"Not for me but for Danny…Danny Morgan. I'm his bone marrow donor."

Carly had heard something like that.

"Oh…that's certainly good news," she said, "The poor little boy…you know I was pretty close with his father Jason…Jason Morgan. We were best friends."

Derek digested that. He didn't know much about Danny's father or his daughter's husband and he hadn't pressed for details.

They continued past the elevator towards the kitchen.

"So you just happened to be…a match, what are the odds of that? I mean I remember reading in the paper that Dr. Clay said finding a match from a nonfamily member would be astronomical."

Derek smiled.

"I read that when I approved the article but astronomical doesn't mean impossible does it?"

She considered that.

"I guess not…well, this is the kitchen which was entirely rebuilt…twice after the fire and the terrorist attack…"

Derek shook his head realizing he still had to catch up on PC's rather colorful history since he'd last lived here. Ava had shared a bit of it but he was careful not to believe everything she'd said.


Sam had said good morning through her son who was behind a protective tent so he wouldn't risk catching anyone's illnesses or infections. He seemed happy enough, having gotten used to living in a hospital.

It made her sad to realize that but hopefully with the transplant process beginning tomorrow…she just had gone to the cafeteria after talking to Silas to get some breakfast. Not really hungry but needing her strength.

She didn't know how she felt about the quiet and enigmatic doctor. The kiss…well it had been spontaneous and unexpected. It had to be relief after he'd told her the transplant would go ahead. She'd never reached the point of feeling resigned that she'd lose Danny to the cancer always being hopeful, treating each new day as if it'd be the one that'd save his life.

Derek seemed willing to donate, even saying he'd been honored. She'd misread him a lot and judged him harshly. Not that she'd apologize for that being fiercely protective of her son, in part because she remained his only parent left but…after seeing him with Danny, she melted quite a bit. Something in his eyes…but no she was reading too much into things because she was so happy he'd offered to save her son.

Then walking on him and her mother, what had been going on there that she'd missed? She looked up and saw Patrick with a tray of food with his latest thing Sabrina with him. Sam knew how deeply he'd loved Robin, the whole town knew and yet he'd moved on with his life…finding love elsewhere. Yet his face looked strained, a few more creases and worry lines. Like her, he still wore his wedding ring and yet Sabrina didn't seem to notice or mind, the way she looped her arm in his when they were paying for their food.

Life did go on after tragedy interrupted it. Sam knew she'd have to move on with hers as well when she had a happy and healthy young boy to take home for good.