Chapter 10:

Sam's POV

"Knock, knock!" I called out, walking into Carly's hospital room. She was sitting on the bed, Josslyn in her arms. "You two ready to go?"

"Yeah." Carly stood up and I saw her quickly wipe at her eyes with the back of her hand. Weird.

"You okay, Car?"

"Mmhmm. Why wouldn't I be?" she turned to fully face me and one look at her told me she had been crying.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

I can tell Carly's trying to be strong, and who would really blame her? For the past seventeen years, she's had to be strong for Michael, and then Morgan and now Joss. It's all she's ever known.

"You know you can talk to me, right?"

She sighed. "I just don't know what to do now. I thought my marriage with Jax was gonna be forever, you know? And now that it's over, I don't know what I'm gonna do. Who gets the house? Plus running the hotel will be awkward…"

"Don't think about that right now, okay?" I smiled at her reassuringly. "How about you and Josslyn spend the night tonight? Jason's doing something for Sonny tonight anyway, so he won't be home until tomorrow morning and I'd rather not be alone with the kids right now. I'm still a little freaked."

"Okay." Carly sniffled. "Back when I first met you, I never imagined we'd be as close as we are now, but you are truly my best friend, Sam."

"You're mine too." I handed her the carrier and she started strapping Josslyn in. "Do you wanna pick up Michael and Morgan on the way?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind." We exited the hospital.

No POV

Sam, Carly, the boys, and Josslyn walked into the penthouse to find Maxie sitting on the couch watching TV with Emmy and Jake.

Sam's eyebrows furrowed. "Maxie? What are you doing here?"

"Spinelli and I came to welcome Carly and Joss!"

"But how did you know they…"

"Okay, Spinelli was here signing stuff when you called Jason and told him they were coming over and I invited myself to dinner." Maxie said, rolling her eyes. "And you better be ordering in."

"You have a habit of making yourself at home, you know that?" Jason told her as he and Spinelli appeared. He looked at Carly. "How are you doing?"

"Okay."

"And Joss?"

"She's better." Carly turned to Sam. "How have Emmy and Jake been?"

"They both had nightmares. They slept with Jason and I last night." Sam sighed. "I hate that this happened to them."

"We all do." Maxie chimed in."But it's over now. You just have to focus on the future."

"Right." Sam went over to the couch and lifted up Emmy. "I wish Claws and Chloe were out of the hospital so they could come to dinner tonight."

"They'll be out soon." Jason assured her. "So, Chinese or pizza?"

Carly's POV

It's funny how quickly things can change. For my whole pregnancy and after Josslyn's birth, I had been praying for Jax to show up, but now that he's actually around, I am dreading seeing him. Jax was such an important part of my life (he gave me a daughter, for God's sake) and I don't know if I'm ready to let go just yet.

"Mom, can you pass me the soy sauce?" Morgan asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I handed him the bottle."Thank you."

"You're welcome." I figured now was as good a time as any. "Boys, I have something I need to tell you." They turned to me expectantly. "Jax and I are getting a divorce."

Michael raised an eyebrow as he shoved some noodles into his mouth. "Are we supposed to be surprised?"

"What?"

"Mom, when he wasn't around for so long, we kinda figured this would happen."

"I'm sorry that I dragged both of you through this."

"S'okay." Morgan smiled. He's such a forgiving child. I don't know who he learned that from since Sonny and I are both hard headed and stubborn. "Jax was cool, but I don't want him to come in and out of Josslyn's life and hurt her."

Sam stared at him in shock. "Wow, I can tell you've been hanging around Molly." We all laughed, which helped lighten the mood.

"I've gotta get going." Jason stood up and pressed a kiss to Sam's lips. He went over to Emmy.

"Don't go, Daddy." She clung to his neck. "I'm scared."

Jason lifted Emmy into his arms and hugged her. "Hey, you'll be okay. Mommy's here and she'll take care of you."

"Pwomise?"

"I promise." He kissed her forehead and then handed her to Sam. "Did you hear me, Jakey?"

"Yeah. Mommy will take care of us." I wish Elizabeth was here to hear her son calling Sam 'Mommy'. It would be the best moment ever.

"We're gonna get going." Maxie kissed the top of Emmy's head, then Josslyn's, and then Jake's. "Bye!"

"Bye!" we all called back as she and Spinelli exited. Jason followed shortly after having a quiet conversation with Sam, but I heard him say the words 'gun', 'protection', and 'kill', so I can guess what they were talking about. Now, it's just Michael, Morgan, Sam, Emmy, Jake, Josslyn, and I.

"Morgan and I will do the dishes." Michael offered.

"It's okay. You don't have to."Sam told him.

"No, we want to."

"Can we help?" Jake asked.

"Of course you can." Michael lifted up Jake and Morgan took Emmy and they went into the kitchen. Sam and I sat down on the couch, laying Josslyn between us.

"We should have a little welcome home party for Claudia and Chloe next week." Sam said.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. Oooh, we could get a banner and decorations and everything!"

"We'll have to start planning. I'm sure Maxie would love to help." Josslyn started crying, so I went to get her a bottle. We talked about the party some more.

A couple of hours later, it was time for the kids to go to bed. Michael and Morgan were going to share the guest room, Josslyn would sleep in a playpen in Sam and Jason's room, and Sam and I would share the bed.

"…okay…we are…be safe, Jase…I love you too." Sam hung up the phone. "He calls me right before I go to bed every time he has to go out for the night."

"I swear you guys are the most adorable couple ever." Sam layed down on Jason's side of the bed and I took hers.

Right as I was drifting to sleep, a scream sounded through the house. In less than a second, Sam had her gun out of the drawer next to the bed and was running out of the room. Wow she's fast!

I picked up Josslyn and followed, arriving just in time to see Sam talking to Emmy. She wordlessly held her gun out behind her and I went over, taking it so Emmy wouldn't see.

"What's wrong, baby?" Sam questioned, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"I-I had a dweam and w-we died!"Emmy sobbed.

"Hey, it's okay. It was just a dream." Sam assured her. "Wanna sleep with Mama and Auntie Car Car?" Emmy nodded, so Sam lifted her up. We went back to the bedroom and I put the gun in the drawer I had seen Sam take it out of.

Josslyn, who was still sleeping, got put in the play pen and Emmy was right between Sam and I, her back towards me. She had her head on Sam's chest and she was playing with her mother's hair.

"Emmy, you're safe now. The dreams aren't real." I remember going through this same thing with Michael after he, Kristina, and Morgan were kidnapped. It's hard to see your baby suffer and know there's nothing you can do about it.

Sam started singing some song Emmy apparently liked and she calmed down a lot, and then eventually fell asleep. When I looked over at her, Sam was crying.

"I hate seeing her like this." She wiped her hand over her eyes.

"It gets easier. She's still young. She won't remember too much about it."

"Do you have nightmares?"

I shrugged. "Sometimes. But after I wake up, I remember that we're safe. I'll be okay, and I know Josslyn won't remember any of this. It's Claudia that I'm worried about."

"She's strong. She'll be okay." She yawned.

"Let's try and sleep, okay?"

"Okay. Sorry about her waking you up."

"I don't mind. I love my little M&M."

I started to fall asleep again, but another cry interrupted me. Sam didn't even bother grabbing the gun this time. She detangled herself from Emmy, got out of bed, and returned a minute later with Jake in her arms. She layed down and put him on her other side so she could cuddle both of her children.

I really hope things get better for them.

Claudia's POV

It's finally time for Chloe and I to go home and I couldn't be happier. Sonny and I have been getting along great and this is finally starting to feel like a real marriage. Our daughter is beautiful and perfect and she's really bringing us closer.

"What if we invite the kids over tonight for dinner?" I suggested, referring to Michael, Kristina, Morgan, and Molly.

"Sure, sounds like fun." I automatically knew he was hiding something. I really don't want to get back to a place of secret keeping. "I'll get the baby."

I opened up my door and waited for Sonny to get Chloe's carrier before we walked into the house.

"SURPRISE!" we walked into the living room and saw Sam, Jason, Emmy, Jake, Carly, Josslyn, Michael, Morgan, Kristina, Molly, Maxie, Spinelli, Rebecca, Ethan, and Caleb standing around. I wasn't expecting this at all.

"Claws!" Sam and Carly ran over, nearly tackling me in a hug. I could even feel Sam's tiny little belly poking me. I can't wait for her to have her baby.

"Auntie Claudee!" Emmy came to me and hugged my legs. "Can I see Chloe?"

"You sure can!" I took the carrier from Sonny and set it on the floor. Emmy sat on the ground.

"She's so cute!" Emmy gushed, talking to my daughter.

I glanced at Sonny and noticed the huge dimpled grin on his face. He knew all along and that's the secret he's been keeping.

"I hate you." I pouted.

"No you don't." Sonny kissed my cheek. "I love you, Claws."

I smiled. I guess a couple of good things did come out of being kidnapped by my father.