EPILOGUE

Carly walked back into her penthouse, trying not to let her eyes focus on the blood stains in the hallway.

The kids ran upstairs. Jason lingered by the door.

(When I was young
I never needed anyone
And making love was just for fun
Those days are gone )

Carly turned and met his eyes. "So now that it's over...for now, at least, how are you feeling?"

"Like I need to track down every man loyal to Chavez and make sure they can't come and hurt my family." Jason walked closer to her, never breaking eye contact. "And like you need to move across the hall where I can make sure no one breaks in here and takes away what I..." he didn't finish the sentence.

She titled her head, raised an eyebrow and waited to see how far he would go. Would their night of love making change his view on what they could be or was she just the woman he couldn't be in love with anymore?

Jason was watching her and wondering why she was so quiet. If only she would beg him for answers about where they were now, then he could smile and assure her they were right where they should be. He sent up a silent prayer to God that she loved him in every way possible and didn't regret making love with him the night before.

When he reached her Jason slowly intertwined his fingers with hers.

(All by myself
Don't wanna be


All by myself
Anymore)

"This life of ours, Carly, it's less than perfect. But I don't need much in mine to make me happy. Just you and those kids upstairs. That's all. So when I thought that could all be gone...I started to wonder about this crazy situation of ours. You live across the hall from me and I watch you go out at night with other guys and come home unhappy. While I do all I can to keep you safe but never do all I can to make you feel loved. That's half a life. And you deserve more. And I want more, for me and our family. I...I'm...asking you to try and love me again and make our lives what it should be."

She finally started to relax, and then she was melting into him, almost not able to stand because she was weak with relief.

"Jase, I don't think I can try and love you."

"No?" the question was posed in a single shallow breath. His eyes searched hers.

She smiled. "I've been loving you for years. Haven't you noticed?"

A slow smile curved his lips. "Just making sure," and then his lips were coming down on hers.

Michael walked down the stairs, and paused, taking in this scene. And right there, as he stood in the place where Carly stood the day Jason found her with Sonny and their family shattered- though the child did not know that story- his family came back together again.

Michael smiled and then hurried upstairs to tell his brother the good news. Jason loved their mama.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Alexis rested in Jax's arms on the couch, as they talked softly and waited for the girls to wake up.

(Hard to be sureSometimes I feel so insecure


And loves so distant and obscure
Remains the cure)

"I just want you to know," he told her sweetly "I am officially retiring as a international playboy. I know my track record is not great when it comes to relationships but, whether you can believe it or not right now, I am in this for the long haul. I plan to make you fall in love with me, Alexis."

"You think you need to make me love you? I was married to you."

"That's wasn't for real though."

"But," she said softly "I always thought it should be."

"Yeah?" he looked in her eyes, stunned, that she felt just like he did even way back then. "You should have said something..."

"No, I shouldn't have. Because you needed to be a playboy for a while and I needed to have those two little girls and get my heart abused by two brothers who were never as easy to love as they were to look at. We both needed to grow up and see that we couldn't find what we wanted out there. I never thought you might want me... but, Jax, I'm glad you do."

He kissed her again and all but growled, "Believe me I do."

(All by myself
Don't wanna be
All by myself


Anymore


All by myself
Don't wanna live
All by myself


Anymore)

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Later that afternoon, Sonny said to Brenda, "You and Vincent will move in here."

"No way. You're rushing things. I'll go find my own apartment."

"Out of the question. You want space, move out to the gatehouse because that is as far away as I will be able to stand you and my son being."

"Sonny..." she said softly "we're not leaving town. You won't lose either of us."

He looked at her, with traces of doubt in his eyes, and then said "There is one way to assure me of that. Agree to be my wife."

Brenda bounded to her feet. "You're insane! Being married to that blonde for all those years made her crazy rub off on you."

Sonny stood up, staying calm, he smiled "You always knew you would end up as my wife one of these days, didn't you?"

"Not today! And not anytime soon. You need to slow down," but she was smiling as she said this and he was moving closer to her.

Soon his lips hovered over hers, and then she was closing the gap and feeling the heat flood through her once more.

The pull was taking over, for both of them, and slow was the last thing they would ever end up being.

(When I was young
I never needed anyone


Making love was just for fun
Those days are gone)

XXXXXXXXXXX

Max spotted Lulu and Milo in the park. He smiled at how happy they looked.

Milo looked over and caught his brother's eye, he nodded and his gaze said so many things. It was good to see each other alive and unharmed after the latest bout of mob violence swept through the town, wrecking lives, ending lives and making every person who was touched by it remember who they valued most in the world.

Lulu ran over to Max, with a huge smile on her face, and cried happily "Look, look, look." she put her ring right under his eyes "You're brother asked me to marry him. I'm family now."

"Yes, you are." Max said as he hugged her. Milo walked over and hugged his brother next.

Lulu knew how close they had gotten to this moment never happening, they could have all been killed only days before, and now she would treasure every second all happiness they got.

She announced, "I want to have an engagement party. I want to invite everyone we love and have us all in the same place at the same time, happy and safe and believing that we can stay that way, forever."

"Well you heard her, man. She wants a party," Max said "and what Lulu Spencer wants..."

"I better find a way to get for her," Milo finished.

"Exactly!" Lulu answered.

She was already starting to put the fear and pain of the last few days behind her, it was slipping into the past as she moved into a glorious future.

Julio Chavez had tried to destroy them all. But instead he made them that much stronger, that much wiser, and grateful for the love they had.

Lulu shoved her ring at Max again. "Isn't it gorgeous?"

Max nodded. "Sure is, kid."

Milo pulled her back to his side and dropped a kiss onto her forehead.

This is the happiest day of my life, Lulu thought the same words as she had days before, the happiest day...

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Johnny took over the driving after they stopped for lunch.

Back in Port Charles, he pulled his car up to the curb in front of his apartment.

"You should stay here for a while," he said "until I am sure Chavez is no longer a threat."

"Oh, I get to stay overnight. That's something new."

"Campbell, you have spent the night here before."

"Like two times. We usually were on your boat or in some hotel..."

" I thought you liked my boat and I know you love hotels."

"Very true but...real couples, Johnny, they spend time in each other's apartments and they make home cooked meals and watch sitcoms and do laundry and stuff."

"And that is what you want?"

"It might be nice."

"Okay," he joked "you can wash all my dirty socks. Will that make you happy?"

She slapped him playfully.

He leaned close to her and whispered, "My home is your home now. Okay, baby?"

Gia's eyes were sparkling when she kissed him and showed him just how okay that sounded to her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Carly and Jason sat on the couch in his penthouse with the kids. A movie played on the TV.

She caught his eye and they shared a look. It said: The worst is behind us. Only good times and love from now on.

Michael saw the look and smiled. Something felt very right about this moment to him, it felt like...the way it should be.

At that very minute, there was a lot of that going around in Port Charles. People were sliding into the lives they were meant to have...and moving away from any of the tears of yesterday. For now there was no mob war, no masked gunmen, and nothing to fear.

For now there was just love.

THE END

Thanks for reading. Huge thank you to anyone who reviewed. You are great for taking the time!!

Sara