Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

AN: Kindly words for my Kindly reviewers. Finally!

KImmers: I know you! Welcome to I'm glad you like it and are reading it in both places. Here's a new chapter! Enjoy. Although, technically, you already have. Nevermind.

lostinwonderland1226: He won't. I promise. And I'm glad you like the Jason/Carl&Emma interaction. He is, after all, their father. And I'm glad you like Monica in this. I like her too.

Samantha Newswanger: Interesting name. Oooh! Just a fair warning, this isn't a Ryan/Marissa story. This is a Ryan/Carl story. I hope you don't mind. Although, Summer and Seth are together! That should make you happy! Right? And yes, Jason's headaches suck. And thanks for the compliment about writing the mob. I think. I'll get back to you on that. And I'm glad you like the kids. And personally, Sam was born to be a mother. That's just the way I think of it. And we'll find out who is after Jason soon. And there will be Corinthos/Morgan interaction, I promise. And I'm glad you liked the wedding. And I hate it too that everyone so easily forgets Lila now that she's dead. It's really not fair to her.

calitabbyangel: Thank you for the compliment! I'm glad you think so.

papaslittlecj: Don't we all wish they would get married. Period.

Leanna R.: I'm glad you have been reading it. Thanks for the loyalty. Keep reading, okay?

MelindaM: I'm glad you liked the wedding. And I'm glad you liked the ring, and now we're at the OC. Enjoy!

brownsugar1681: Thank you for the compliment! Here's my update!

Leentje: Two stories for you in one day? Not bad! I hope you like. And I'm glad you're a huge fan. So am I! (J/K)

Chapter Seven:

When the children met up with them at the front entrance of the hotel, the three little ones immediately lunged at Jason and Sam, clamoring for attention. Their parents chuckled, dropping to their knees and into crouches, catching the children as they ran laughing toward them. Each got millions of kisses, before the two adults listened to all the fun things they'd done the night before while they'd been away from their parents. Carl and Emma ducked into the group inconspicuously, allowing tiny smiles as Sam hugged them both tightly and Jason ruffled Emma's hair. "How were your nights?"

"It was good. The driver took Danny back to school last night at about six. The kids were all in bed before eight, and then Carl and I just watched TV."

Jason nodded. "Good. Come on; we don't want to miss the plane."

The family climbed into the seat before the limousine pulled away from the hotel. The jet landed in LAX nearly eight hours later. Emma pulled open the hatch to the cargo hold, dropping down into it as the back started to open. He smiled at the sight of his Viper, Jason's Harley Davidson and Carl's Ninja. Jason had refused to leave them behind, knowing that they would probably need an escape from his family once or twice.

Jason and Sam stood with the babies as Emma carefully pulled the Viper out of the jet, Carl following with her Ninja seconds later. Jason kissed Sam before jogging into the belly of the plane to get his Harley. Sam smiled happily at the gesture, before herding her children into the limousine that Kirsten Nichol-Cohen had sent for them. "Be good, my darlings. We'll see you soon," she reassured them, kissing each of their heads.

Querida nodded, sitting demurely in her seat with two fingers in her mouth, looking every inch the young lady. Ivory and Montana were having a bit more fun, giggling with each other in amusement. Sam smiled at them before backing out of the limo and into Jason's arms. Looking back at him, she was entranced by the playful gleam in his eyes. "My lady?" he questioned softly, raising her hand to his lips.

He eyes met his and she couldn't pull herself away if she had wanted to. "Jason," she sighed, feeling her whole body turn to mush as he laid a tender kiss to the inside of her wrist.

His lips curved. "Your chariot awaits."

She followed him in a daze, her eyes locked on his. He helped her slip into her leather jacket, zipping it up snuggly around her so that no bare skin showed on her arms or back. Sam pulled her leather gloves on, and looked back up at Jason, who was holding her helmet. Before he handed it to her, he leaned in for a heart-stopping kiss. Carl rolled her eyes at their PDA and shouted with a fond undertone, "If the Parental Units could cease any and all public displays of affection, we could get off the airport tarmac!"

Sam groaned, burying her face in Jason's trademark leather jacket. "Is it possible to go one day without any interruptions? We're on vacation!"

Jason kissed her temple. "I'll make sure we have some 'no interruption' days. I promise, Sam."

She smiled up at him, before noticing the lack of his sling for the first time. She smacked his good arm hard, scowling. Jason flinched backward, having forgotten how hard she was capable of hitting him. "What?"

"The second we get to your cousin's house, that sling is going back on. Your mother said two weeks, Jason. Two! Weeks!"

"All right! The second we get to K's, I'll put it back on."

Sam nodded once decisively, "Good. Let's go."

Meanwhile at the Cohen house, Ryan Atwood was packing a duffel bag so that he could move temporarily out of the pool house. He had volunteered his room to Jason and Sam, and would be sleeping in Seth's room on the air mattress. The twins would take the garret room and the youngest children would get the two guest rooms. Kirsten came to the door of the pool house, watching her foster son quietly. He was pale and had deep circles under his eyes as though he had not slept in days. Knocking quietly, she stepped into his line of view. "Ryan? You okay in here?"

He nodded, eyes flicking toward her before returning to focus on the clothes in front of him. Kirsten smiled sadly, her heart aching for the boy in front of her . Since Marissa had shot Trey all those months ago, Ryan had become even more introverted. His older brother had survived the shot, but was in a coma and it was unclear as to whether he would ever wake up. He had struggled through senior year, despite graduating at the head of his class. He had been invited to attend any university of his choice. But only two were holding sway. Stay close to home and go to UCLA? Or get the hell out of Dodge, forget the memories and go to NYU? Personally and silently, Kirsten was hoping that he would choose to go to NYU and spend some time with her family in New York. Her husband would freak out if he knew her secret hope, but Jason had his own burdens to bear and she knew that he'd be able to help her son.

The relationship between her son and Marissa had grown strained and finally the two teens had broken it off. Both of them were deeply in love with each other and probably always would be, but it was too hard to remain in the relationship. It had hurt them both deeply and sometimes, Kirsten just wished she knew what to say to make it better for him. She had considered therapy, but knew that Ryan wouldn't do it. And legally, he could refuse to go, no matter what his parents thought.

Coming over, she did the only thing she knew that seemed to help. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. He tensed for a second, before his own arms came around her and he laid his head on her shoulder. "What happened, Kirsten?" he asked plaintively, as her fingers stroked gently through his hair, "How did everything get so screwed up?"

Kirsten smiled slightly, "Ryan, don't say screwed." Ryan chuckled a little against her, sighing heavily against her body. "I don't know, baby. But everything will all work, you'll see. I promise."

Ryan nodded against her shoulder just as his foster brother and Kirsten's biological son, Seth Cohen, leaned through the door of the pool house. "The front gate just called. They're on their way."

Kirsten nodded, squeezing Ryan tightly once more, before letting him carry his stuff into the main house and into Seth's room. Kirsten sighed, "I hope he'll talk to Jason."

"Why Jason?"

"Jason has his own burdens to bear. And most of them are from his job." Kirsten explained, before rounding the house to stand and wait for her cousin and his family.

Her lips curved into a smirk as the limo arrived, followed by a early 80's Harley, a silver motorcycle that Seth would have called a "crotch-rocket" and a fairly new black & silver Viper. She should have known that Jason would bring an escape route for his family. The limo parked, the Harley behind it pulling alongside and parking as well. Jason looked over at her, smiling. "Sup K?"

She smiled and shook her head at him, as the rider behind him pulled off her helmet. Raven hair spilled around her face and chocolate eyes flashed at Jason as she started to scold, "Sling Jason! Now!"

"Yes Samantha," he teased, his pale blues twinkling at his cousin.

Kirsten was surprised at the person before her. Last time she'd seen Jason, he was stoic as hell. Seth, only a few years old then, had called him "The Cyborg". But she didn't know this Jason. The face was the same, but he was happier and secure in his place in the world. Turning her attention to the woman, Kirsten couldn't help but notice the bruise, as Jason reached back and rubbed his thumb gently over the mark. Apparently not yielding to his attempt at placating her, "Samantha" pinched his chest hard through his button-down, mock-scowling as she snapped, "Don't call me that, Jase."

Jason flinched back from her fingers, laughing at her annoyance. Both of the adults whirled as the crotch-rocket suddenly pulled a wheelie and sped back down the driveway. Jason called after the driver, "Carl!" before turning to the Viper. "Emma! Go!"

The rest of the Cohen family exited the family just then. There was a shadowy nod from inside the car, before the engine roared to life once again, the car pulled a squealing 180 and sped after the motorcycle. Sam looked up at Jason, worry sparkling in her eyes. Jason climbed off the motorcycle and helped her stand as well. "Hey," he murmured, too low for his cousin and her family to hear, "he'll catch her."

Leaning back, he chuckled, "Remember? No one can outrun Emma."

Sam nodded, yielding her forehead to his kiss. She smiled at him for a moment, before suddenly frowning. Jason winced, knowing immediately that she'd seen through his trick. "You're distracting me, Jason Morgan. Sling! I'm serious!"

Jason threw up his arms in frustration, before his shoulder protested and his opposite hand flew to the injury. Kirsten noticed that Sam seemed strangely satisfied. "See? I told you. Sling. Now."

Jason nodded, still grimacing as he slipped off his jacket. Sam rummaged in the saddlebags and pulled out the sling. He let her help him slip his injured arm into the fabric and then drape it around his neck. When the sling was sitting comfortably, Sam smirked up at her husband. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

He glared down at her, just as the limo driver opened the car door and three adorable children sprang one by one from the car. The elder two looked up at the people in front of the door curiously, but the youngest was having none of it. She saw her parents and shouted, "Da! Catch me!"

Kirsten moved to stop the little girl, but Jason just caught the little girl about the waist and slung her up carefully to sit on his injured shoulder. She giggled uproariously, before teasing, "You're silly, Da!"

Jason smiled up at her, before Sam reached up and pulled the little girl down. "What did we say about jumping on people, Querida?"

Querida shook her head. "I wasn't jumping on people, Mommy. I was jumping on Daddy."

Jason chuckled, before conceding, "Well, mariposa, can't argue with that logic. Can we, Mama?"

Sam looked up at him deadpan, obviously not amused by his obvious humoring of her. "Jason!"

Jason pulled her up for a desperate kiss, causing Querida to giggle and clap her hands together, while "Mommy" melted against "Daddy". Kirsten slapped her hand over her son's mouth as Seth went to say something. The other two children looked between their kissing parents and the strangers, before the girl let out a frightened squeal and dashed at her parents. Apparently that was all the little boy needed, as he too started to cry, plopping down onto his bum in the driveway.

Sam wrenched away from Jason, dashing toward Montana as Ivory collided hard with Jason's leg, throwing her arms around it. Querida, confused by her the terror in her siblings' voice, started to cry as well. Sam hit her knees and pulled Montana into her arms with his sister, murmuring in quiet Spanish to soothe them both.

Once the children had calmed, Jason pulled Ivory into his arms, as Sam lifted Querida into her arms and held Montana's hand tightly. All of the children watched the strangers balefully, before Jason carried Ivory toward his wife and children. Montana was still teary-eyed, raising his arms for his daddy to hold him. Ivory clambered down her father and wrapped her arms around her mother's leg, letting Jason lift Montana into his arms. Jason kissed the little boy's head, soothing him gently.

Kirsten watched the scene and could only smile. Jason was a very different man. She'd always thought that he'd be a good father. "Hello, cousin."

Jason grinned, "It's been a long time, K."

"It's been about ten or eleven years, at least."

Jason nodded, "Kirsten, I'd like you to meet my family: my newly wedded wife, Sam; and our children, Ivory, Montana and my mariposa, Querida."

"Mariposa?" Seth asked.

Querida turned up at her nose at the teenager. "I'm Da's butterfly. Who are you?"

"I'm Seth. That's my brother, Ryan."

Sam glanced at the silent, blond teen and back-stepped. She'd seen that haunted look in Carl and Emma's eyes after they had nightmares. Jason's eyes slanted at Sam at her reflexive movement. Kirsten's eyebrows rushed together as the two seemed to hold a silent conversation. Sam shook herself once and nodded once at Jason. Jason nodded back, before they turned back to Kirsten. "The two you saw take off were the twins, Carl and Emma."

"Hello, Sam. Children. My name's Kirsten. This is my husband, Sandy Cohen, and our sons, Ryan and Seth."

Sam nodded, hitching up Querida. "It's wonderful to meet you, Kirsten. Say hello children."

"Hi!" the children shouted exuberantly.

Kirsten smiled at the children. "Come on in."

Jason hitched Montana higher onto his hip and gestured for Sam to precede him into the house. Ryan glanced at them, before Seth asked, "Why did the motorcycle take off?"

Jason rolled his eyes. "Carl hates the Quartermaines. Large house equals lots of money equals Quartermaines. Carl panicked and ran. Emma followed."

"When are they coming back?"

"Shouldn't be too long from now. Emma is probably taunting Carl with the fact that they're neck and neck. Carl will pull over. Emma will follow. Emma will yell at Carl for being stupid. Carl will yell at Emma for being too trusting. After a few moments, Carl will follow Emma back here," Sam sighed, sounding as though this type of reaction from Carl was normal.

Kirsten nodded, directing them to the couch in the living room. Jason situated Querida in his lap, with Sam tucked against his injured side, to shield him from his children's exuberant embraces. Montana lay on the couch, his head in his mother's lap as she stroked her fingers through his hair. Jason smiled at Kirsten. "When the twins get back, we'll introduce you."

An smooth, alto voice rang through the room. "Why not just introduce us now?"

Everyone turned to look at the front door. A young woman, just a bit younger than Ryan and Seth, stood there. She wore black jeans, a white t-shirt and a black leather jacket. Her dark-chocolate colored hair was pulled back in a ponytail, which swung across her shoulders as she breathed. One hand held a pair of fingerless gloves, while the other gripped the front of the a silver motorcycle helmet. Black boots and a Japanese symbol around her throat completed the look of a tough as nails young woman. A young man joined her, his own hair falling into his face. He smiled, flashing startlingly white teeth at the occupants of the room. Looking at Jason, he shrugged, "I don't know why she tries anymore."

The girl rounded on him, insisting, "One day, I'll outrun you."

"It's never gonna happen," he scoffed.

"And how do you know?" she snapped back, her eyes blazing at her brother.

"Count the trophies, Carl!" Emma taunted, before Carl growled, "Go to hell, Emma!"

Ryan's eyes flickered in surprise, before Sandy asked, "Wait a minute. The girl's 'Carl' and the boy's 'Emma'?"

Jason smiled at the confused look on their faces. "Carl….Emma, I'd like you to meet my cousin, Kirsten Nichol Cohen, her husband, Sandy, and her sons, Ryan and Seth. K, meet the twins, Carlotta and Emmanuel Morgan."

Both of their lips curved in disgust before the girl insisted, "Carl," as her brother agreed, "Emma."

Seth smirked for a moment, before making a snarky comment, "Emma is a girl's name."

Carl's eyes flashed in fury and she stepped forward menacingly, hissing, "Say that again, puny little rich boy!"

Emma grabbed his sister's arm, visibly holding her back. Addressing Seth, he shook his head, "Please don't." Returning his attention back to Carl, he murmured, "Carl, calm down. It's nothing new."

Carl hissed and wrenched away from him, stalking from the room. Emma sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Jason?" he asked, glancing at the older man.

Jason nodded once, used to Carl's temper tantrums. "Go ahead."

Sam looked between the two. "What are you going to do?"

"She's looking for an ass to kick. I'm going to go and volunteer mine. I'm just as talented as she is. She can't hurt me, Sam."

"Be careful anyway, Emma. She's angry."

"Sam, I'll be fine. You're right, she is angry. And that will make her both sloppy and careless. Fury easily exhausts one."

Sam nodded, watching as he grabbed a bag from near the door and followed his twin from the room. Realizing something, Sam shouted after his back, "Emma, don't swear."

Emma called back over his shoulder at the door, "Sorry, Sam!"

Ryan and Seth glanced at each other, before racing off after the two teenagers. They watched as Emma approached Carl, pulling four stout rods from the depths of the bag he held. Tossing her two, he shifted his grip on the others. He twirled them between his fingers as she cocked an eyebrow at him. He nodded once, to which she shifted her own grip. Lunging at him, she attacked furiously. Emma deflected the blow effortlessly, meeting each blow as it came. He stayed on the defensive, letting her get tired before pressing his own assault. She staggered in her defense and his rods came down on both her hands simultaneously before a well-placed kick to her gut collapsed her to the ground.

Emma gripped both rods and stretched high over his head. "You done, Xena? Or are you still playing at Warrior Princess?"