thank you to everyone who reads and reviews, i really appreciate it...ENJOY!

Dinner was quiet tonight.

The usual banter and bickering was replaced with the occasional ruffling of paper bags and the ticking of the wall clock. Instead of at the dining room table, they halfheartedly ate in oversized chairs. The warm, comfortable atmosphere of home was substituted with the impersonal neutral colors of the hospital waiting area. Even the company was a little different. An extra guest and a sister short.

They all felt that it was wrong not to be at the hospital, waiting to hear about Sam. So even though she had demanded that they all go home and try to relax, insisting that she would be alright and see them when she woke from the surgery, they wouldn't hear of it. Nikolas offered to join them, if not for his connections at the hospital, then just to support his family. No one knew where Jason had run off to, just that he had taken a call about an hour earlier and disappeared.

After a couple of hours of waiting, Kristina noticed her little sister was tense, so she decided to take her for a short walk around the hospital.

Nikolas attempted to keep his aunt's attention off of Sam by mentioning Spencer and the business and his newfound relationship with Brook Lynn. No matter what he said, though, he knew that he couldn't stop her from worrying. Eventually the one-sided conversation died into silence. Nikolas could hear that damn clock, mocking them. They already knew that it was taking forever to hear any updates on Sam, but they really didn't need the reminder.

Then, out of nowhere, Alexis let out a sort of snort-laugh. Nikolas looked at her, perplexed. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing." She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. When she opened her eyes again, they were brimmed with tears. "This isn't fair. Is it just me, or does this stuff always seems to happen to my girls? I mean, is it so much to ask for them to just be happy, healthy, and safe?"

"Well, I supposed it's just the luck of the Cassadines."

"Yeah."

They drifted into silence. Then Nikolas heard his aunt begin to cry.

"It's just not fair! I mean, I know she's going to get through this, she has to. I have to believe that, because if she doesn't..."

Nikolas walked over to sit beside her, embracing her immediately.

"You're right," he said. "It isn't fair. But she is going to survive this, just like she has survived everything else."

"Molly, do you want to talk?"

Molly looked annoyed as she walked beside her sister.

"No offence, Kristina, but I already have a therapist."

Kristina was caught off guard by her sister's sudden attitude. "I'm just trying to help. We're all having a hard time right now."

Molly stopped in her tracks and turned to face Kristina.

"No, we're not. Sam's the one having surgery. You know, you have this amazing ability to turn everything around so it affects you!"

"Molly, that's not wha—!"

"I'm surprised you even took the time to acknowledge me, seeing as how everything's about you and your drama twenty-four/seven."

"Molly, please don't do this now. I know you're right. I know I have been the worst sister ever and you deserve so much better. I know I'm selfish and I'm a bitch! I hate it and I hate myself for being this way. I'm sorry! But I can't change anything right now. I can't make Sam better, or Mom. I'm sorry."

By now Kristina was in tears and it was Molly's turn to be shocked. Before she could even try to take back what she said, Sonny was by Kristina's side.

"Hey, hey..." He took her into his arms. He looked at Molly questioningly.

"I'm s-sorry," she whispered as she backed away. Kristina broke away from her father's hold and tried to stop Molly from going any further, but the younger girl turned and ran away. Kristina didn't even have the energy to chase after her.

She looked back at Sonny, who looked very confused at his niece's actions. He wondered if something went wrong with Sam's surgery since both of her sisters seemed a wreck. "Dad, can you please go after her? I just can't..."

"Are you okay? Is it Sam?"

Kristina sighed. "It's everything. Sam's still in surgery. But can you please go find Molly? She shouldn't be alone right now."

"Alright, I will. Don't worry. Why don't you go sit down and rest for a few minutes, huh?"

Kristina nodded. Sonny gave a nod and smiled in response before following in Molly's direction.

Kristina felt worn out both mentally and physically. She found herself just wandering through the unusually quiet corridors of the hospital. With her last turn into a darkened room, she stumbled upon the missing Jason.

She saw that he was sitting in the dim room in a chair facing a window. He looked toward the door when he heard Kristina's footsteps.

"Sorry," she mumbled as she began to walk away.

"No," he stopped her. "It's fine." He stood and walked over to and flipped the light switch.

He motioned to the couch, to which Kristina nodded slightly and entered the room.

"So," she started awkwardly, "why are you sitting here in the dark?"

She saw a very small hint of a smile on Jason's face and she figured he was probably thinking about Sam; she was pretty much the only thing she'd ever seen him smile about.

"I just thought I would leave you all alone. It seemed like something that should have been shared by family."

"But you are family."

Kristina had no idea how the simple, matter-of-fact statement effected Jason. But that had pretty much always been true for her; Jason was Sam's family, and hers.

"Thanks," he said. "But, uh, I think I needed some time alone, too."

Kristina immediately stood up. "Sorry. I can go if you want."

"Kristina."

She could have slapped herself for being so silly and childish. Of course Jason wouldn't just tell her to leave. Not everyone wanted to distance themselves from her. She was a little surprised, though, that Jason didn't. She sat back down and took a deep breath. "Sorry."

Jason slowly made his way over to his chair. "You don't need to do that all the time."

Kristina looked up at him. "Do what?"

"Apologize. You don't have anything to be sorry for."

Kristina looked back down and remembered her confrontation with Molly. "Yeah, I do."

Jason didn't argue with her; he didn't respond at all. If she wanted to talk about it, she would.

"Are you worried about Sam?" Kristina asked.

"Always," he said instantly, not meaning to be so honest about his feelings.

"Sam's lucky."

Jason looked at her skeptically.

"Really. It must be nice to have someone who loves you enough to even bother to care or worry."

Jason sighed deeply. "You'll have that. You already do. You know, no matter what happens Kristina, your family will always care about you and look out for you."

"Even when I screw everything up?"
"Even then. Right now, it sounds like you're the one who doesn't care enough."

Kristina was surprised at how profound Jason really was. Who needed a therapist when you had a sensitive mobster on hand?

"I think you're right."

"Molly?"

Sonny finally found Molly in the hospital chapel. She was sitting in one of the back pews, facing the altar.

"Hey, kiddo. Saying a prayer for your sister?"

Molly let out a shaky breath. "No."

When she didn't say any more, he walked over and sat beside her. "Want to tell me what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Well, Kristina sent me after you, so I'm guessing she had a good reason. What happened?"

"Is she mad?"

"Who, Kristina? No she's not mad. Last I talked to her she was just worried about you."

"She was?"

Molly looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Sonny," she cried as she threw herself to his side. He gently put his arm around her shoulder. "What are you so sorry for?"

"I said terrible things to Kristina. I didn't any of it. Well, I didn't mean most of it. It's just that with Mom being sick and now Sam's having brain surgery...I just feel like it's all too much."

"Well if anyone knows about feeling overwhelmed, it's me. But you gotta give yourself a little credit, Molly. What you've been going through is a lot for any one person. I know if it was me, I'da gone crazy by now. But you've been brave through everything. But you're lucky to have so many people who care about you around."

"I know, but I feel like I'm losing them all."

Sonny sat Molly up and looked her directly in the eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Sam, Kristina and I don't have daddy issues for no reason. No offense, Uncle Sonny. I mean, I only see my dad on school breaks and vacations. Sometimes it feels like he just left and forgot all about me. And Mom is sick again."

"She's going to get better."

"I'm not a stupid kid, Uncle Sonny! I've done my research and I know that the odds of her surviving are very slim."
"Molly, why do you do this to yourself? I tell you what, those numbers? They got nothing on your mom. She beat 'em once, she'll do it again."

"Thanks. I know you're just saying that, but—"

"But nothing. She's going to be alright. And about that stuff with Ric?"

"That's okay. I know you and my dad don't really get along."

"No we, uh, we're not exactly on speaking terms. But I will say this for a fact: your father loves you. We may not agree on each other's parenting techniques, but I know he'd do anything for you."

"Then why isn't he here?"

Sonny looked helplessly at his niece and sighed. "I don't know," he said honestly.

okay, so I think I want to add a little more Molly to the story, that way it's more about all of the Davis girls...on another note, i just started college so i don't really know how often i'll be able to update. i hope it's not too bad, though.