To The Extreme
Chapter Seven
Jason wondered where Sam was. He knew she got out of the hotel but had no idea where she might of ended up. He called home, no one answered.
He knew he should go somewhere, do something to find her. But Carly's hand was holding his, as they sat on the couch at Greystone, and he just didn't want to let go.
She rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, "I never want to feel that scared again."
"Me either."
"We could have lost so much...nearly everyone...Jase."
"But we didn't. And I think..."
His tone made her feel off balance, it was a premonition that hit her in that moment. Her life was about to change.
She lifted her head, laid her hand on his cheek and asked "What do you think?"
"I don't know."
Disappointment washed over her face, she broke contact with him. "Okay, fine. Be that way."
He said, in a rush of words, "I just don't want to walk away from you again..not be apart for even one more night.. is that impossible now? What do you think, Carly?"
She stared at him, with a gaze he gave her many times before. It said, Are you really doing this?
Jason added, each word slow and measured, "So much would have to change."
She studied him for a long moment more and nearly asked if he bumped his head in the explosion. But she wasn't about to give him an out.
"Not that much," she said. She took his hand again. "Just hold on to this and don't let go. And I will do the same."
He asked, surprised that it could be so simple,"Why would you want to? Now. After everything..."
"Why wouldn't I?" her words were shocked
Jason looked her in the eye, "Don't say I never hurt you. I hurt you. Maybe everyday I hurt you."
"And you are still Jason and I am still Carly." She lifted their hands " And this is still the thing that makes me happiest."
He let out a breath, letting go of years of pain.
He smiled. "Say it."
"What?" She would say anything he wanted to hear, she just needed a clue.
"You were right. We lasted. All this time I...you just will never know how...terrified... I was that we might not last. And, look at us, we did."
"Of course we did, Jase."
And then his face was inching closer and closer to hers, not caring that they were both covered in soot and wearing ripped up clothes, and soon his lips were on hers.
Finally, things started to make sense again to him.
(If
it's loving that you want,
well it's loving you'll receive.
Cause you've come to the right place, baby
Yeah, the door is always
open
if you need some company.
You've come to the right place, baby ) ( Taylor Hicks)
XXXXXXX
Lucky wheeled Liz into the ER.
"I'm fine," she insisted.
"Can someone take a look at my wife?!" he yelled
The he stopped and said softer "I mean my..."
"Lucky," she looked up at him and their eyes held.
Patrick walked over and Liz said "My husband is insisting I get checked out. I had some cramping earlier tonight."
"Lets get you into a bed and page an obgyn." Patrick said
Lucky went with them into a cubicle, feeling for the first time in months he was doing exactly the right thing.
(Heaven knows that I can't read your mind.
Angel, oh
angel, can't you see When there's no one left to trust
We
can turn it around,
darling' one step at a time
that I can't live without you,
so baby
won't you help me please?
Well,
I think that you'll agree
that you've come to the right place,
baby) ( Taylor Hicks)
XXXXXXXX
THAT AFTERNOON, Cruz brought Sam back to the penthouse.
"You ever get a hold of Jason?"
They had been at the hospital for hours, then at the jail. Sam had bailed Milo out.
"Yeah, he's home now," Sam answered.
"Good." Cruz angled his body toward her and let his eyes take one last look at this amazing woman who had risked her life in order to save people she loved and others who didn't even like tonight.
He would do just about anything to have her fall for him.
Sam gave him a small smile, and her eyes lingered on his.
(When
you're down on your luck
well, just look around, you'll see
that
you've come to the right place, baby ) ( Taylor Hicks)
"Cruz... thanks. You are good friend."
He smiled at her, " A good friend. The kiss of death."
She laughed. "See you around, okay?"
"I'll be around, Sam."
"Good."
She knew it didn't make sense, but when she climbed out of the car and walked into the building, she felt a wave of loneliness come over her.
(Sometimes
you don't know
what you've got until it's gone
Cause
angel, angel, you've got to understand
Then
you look around
and it was right there all along
that I don't want to be
without you
Oh,
won't you help me if you can? ) ( Taylor Hicks)
XXXXXXXXX
ALEXIS woke up first. She opened one eye and confirmed Sonny was really in her bed. Since he was still asleep she smiled, knowing he couldn't see just how happy he made her by being there.
But just then he started smiling, as he too woke up. The second before his eyes opened Sonny said, "Alexis?"
"Yes."
"Hmmm." they were eye to eye "I always sleep best when I am with you."
Her voice was disbelieving when she told him, "This is only the second time you have ever slept with me."
"And we are two for two."
She laughed. "Carly really did a number on you earlier. She has you talking crazy."
"Why do you do that?" Sonny asked, his voice soft and calm, but with hurt lingering on every word. "Can't anything just be about you and me? Ever?"
"I don't know." she answered in a tone that matched his "Can it?"
(I
ain't asking for the world
I just want you to believe
that you've come to the right place, baby ) ( Taylor Hicks)
XXXXXXXXXX
Milo went straight back to the hospital when he was released. He found Spinelli and Luke outside of Lulu's room.
"So Stone Cold like freaked when I put this online profile up for him so that I could hook him up with a new Betty. Then The Goddess would be free for me-"
"Is that one Carly?"
"No, The Goddess is Sam. Do you need the run down again?"
"Excuse me," Milo said "How is she?"
"Hero!" Luke bellowed "Lulu is looking better by the minute, actually."
"Can I see her?"
"First, we need to talk." Luke put his arm around his shoulder.
Milo tried not to shake.
The walked down the hall a few feet and Luke said "You did something today that I can never repay."
"I don't want any payment."
"You are getting one anyway. Don't worry about those charges Mac slapped on you. I will get that taken care of."
"How can you do that?"
"Well, I usually only tell my secrets to my family. And then only the cool ones. But you, kid, you are good people. Anyway, I plan to...well you might call it blackmail... I call it finesse the commissioner into dropping the charges. Me and him go way back and every man has his dirty little secret that he will do anything to keep dirty and secret. So, that's handled, okay?"
"Okay, sir."
Luke stepped away from him and looked him over. "My daughter has a thing for you, huh? Interesting. You seem so straitlaced but I know Corinthos don't hire anybody who has even a passing fancy for being law abiding."
"I wouldn't get Lulu in any trouble, sir."
Luke laughed, "Ha! She'll be the one getting you in trouble, kid! You sure you ready to date a Spencer woman?"
"Yes, sir."
Luke studied him again and then nodded, "She's waiting, Milo. And she doesn't like that."
That is all the younger man needed to hear before he took off into the hospital room.
She was sitting up now. "Milo!"
He stopped in his tracks at her huge smile.
XXXXXXXXXX
Sonny told Alexis, "I know you don't want to have feelings for me. And I also know you do."
She tried to climb out of bed and he gently pulled her back down, and near to him.
"Are you incapable," she whispered "of going one day without a woman in your life? Carly ditches you at dawn and less than an hour later it is Hello Alexis, I need you."
"Carly ditched me the day she found out about Kristina. She kept it from me and she knew it would be the end of us. Not because it was a lie. Because... she's not a stupid woman, okay? She can see...when we are together...and I could see with her and Jason. But it was easier to not feel so much so we kept playing our game. We are good at it. I am a master at it, actually." He smiled.
"God, you would compliment yourself about anything," she said and then smiled back at him.
He ran his hand up her arm, slowly, then over her neck and into her hair.
She said, softly, "You just want a place to hide."
"No, Alexis, I want a place to come home to."
And then his lips hit hers and there was nothing sweet to say or do or feel for a long time after that. Everything was fire and pent up neediness for this type of connection between them again.
In the back of her mind she realized she wasn't on any sort of birth control, but there was no way she was stopping now. It felt too good, too right , too close to heaven.
XXXXXXXXX
"Hello, Lulu."
She looked weak but so happy. She just stared at him for a long moment and then cried, "Will you get over here!"
Milo covered the distance in three large steps and without stopping to think- for he would never be able to do it if he did- he leaned down and brought her into a kiss full of every bit of love he had for her.
She pulled a inch back and whispered, "Mmmm, Milo, you're better than a dream."
He could cry at her words but instead choose to kiss her again- softer, slower, and tender this time.
She was smiling when he pulled away.
(When
there's no one else to hold you,
well, I'll be there yes indeed
Yeah, you've come to the
right place!
Oh,
you've come to the right place, baby
Oh, you've come to the right place, baby!
Yeah,
you've come to the right
place
Yes
indeed ) ( Taylor Hicks)
"I never thought," she said as he sat down on the bed "that such a bad night could lead to such a good morning."
"I think it was the worse night of my life, Lulu. I thought... you might be...I didn't want to lose my chance to tell you that I would very much like to take you on a date sometime. What do you think?"
"Kiss me again, Milo and then tell me if you can guess what I think."
Coming up next - an epilogue