I am so so so sorry! Seriously, I didn't mean to take this long to update! I have no excuses. I hope you like this chapter. please review
Chapter 21
Sam pulled up in front of Madison Preparatory School and watched as Michael sauntered out of the school doors, a frown on his face. He was in the school uniform, khakis and a blue blazer; looking at him you couldn't tell that he was recovering from a year long coma. But the circles under his eyes and the pain that he couldn't quite hide, spoke volumes in Sam's mind.
"Thanks for coming Sam," Michael said quietly, as he climbed in the passenger seat. He buckled quickly and tossed his backpack in the back seat.
"Do I need to talk to anyone?" Sam asked keeping the car in park.
"No, I just told them I forgot about some doctor appointment I had," Michael said shaking his head. "They tend to believe anything I say."
"That must come in handy," Sam said smiling at him.
"It can," Michael agreed. He turned to look out his window watching the passing scenery with that same frown he'd been wearing a lot lately.
"I thought we could get some ice cream at Kelly's," Sam said after an uncomfortable silence.
"Can we get it to go?" Michael asked not wanting to be surrounded by a crowd. He really just wanted to be alone. He was sick of the stares and the constant whispering around him.
"Of course," Sam said pulling into the first parking spot she found. She lead the way to Kelly's and ordered for the both of them. She smiled sadly at Mike when he looked questionably at the clock and then at Michael. "Why don't you wait for our cones…I'll be right back."
"Shouldn't he be in school?" Mike asked wiping down another table. The lunch rush had just ended and he needed to prepare for the after school crowd. He'd been meaning to check in on Michael but time seemed to get away from him. Looking at his grandson now, he wished he'd taken the time.
"He needed a break," Sam said softly. She made sure Michael wasn't looking at them, instead he was staring off into space per usual. "Something's bothering him…more than usual. I just wanted to get him away and see if talking to someone helps."
"You've always taken care of him," Mike said smiling at Sam. He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her back towards the counter. "You are a good person Sam. Always knew it. My grandson is lucky you're in his life."
"Thanks Mike," Sam said her face flushing. She was so used to people telling her that she wasn't good for anything that the rare compliment always took her by surprise.
"Hey Michael," Mike said while hugging his grandson. "Playing hooky?"
"Yeah," Michael said smiling sadly at his grandpa. "Sam offered to buy me some ice cream."
"Sam's nice that way…except today it's on the house," Mike said smiling at the two of them. He squeezed Michael's shoulder and walked around the counter. "You need to stop in more Michael…I miss you around here."
"I will," Michael said nodding his head. He hadn't been going many places, just school, his dad's house and his mom's. People tended to stare when he was around. He nodded as the waitress handed him his ice cream.
"Thanks for the ice cream Mike," Sam said taking her cone from the waitress. She waited until Michael led the way towards the door before turning to follow him. Neither one said anything until they made their way down the sidewalk, heading towards the park. "How's school?"
"School," Michael said immediately. It was always his response whenever anybody asked him about it. He saw Sam nod her head out of the corner of his eye but the look on her face told him she knew there was a lot he wasn't telling. "I hate it."
"Really…Kristina seems to love Madison," Sam said carefully.
"She should…she's really popular," Michael said softly. "She's got a good thing going there. Having me there is really not helping her though."
"Why would you say that?" Sam asked confused.
"Having 'the coma kid' as your big brother…not exactly earning her popularity points," Michael pointed out. "Add in the fact that I keep having these dreams or memories and I end up talking to myself…people tend to steer clear of me."
"Kristina isn't doing that, is she?" Sam asked concerned.
"No," Michael said smiling sadly. "She's like my own personal cheerleader…constantly sticking up for me."
"She loves you," Sam said wishing Kristina was right there so she could give her little sister a big hug. She sometimes worried about Krissy, how self-involved and obnoxious she could be. But hearing something like this, how she stuck up for her big brother, really showed Sam that Krissy was a good kid at heart.
"It's not just the kids though," Michael said shaking his head. "It's the school work. I'm behind and the teachers are real understanding and they tell me I can get caught up in no time…except that I'm not." He looked at his half eaten cone in his hand and chucked it into the nearest garbage can. With his stomach churning he couldn't eat anything.
"If the work is really that difficult-"
"It's not even that Sam…it's that I don't care. I don't care about homework and studying for tests," Michael said frustrated. "None of it matters to me. The only thing I can concentrate on is these dumb dreams and if they are true or not. I'm constantly hearing and seeing things."
"Michael," Sam said tossing her own half eaten cone away. She grabbed his closest hand in hers and dragged him over to the nearest bench. "Have you talked to anyone about this?"
"No," Michael admitted. "Mom just wants to pretend like I'm fine. I'm awake and there is no lasting physical damage so lets all put a smile on our face and be happy. Dad is so focused on the business and Claudia…I don't really even get to see him."
"Sonny would make time if he knew how bad you were struggling," Sam pointed out. "And Carly loves you so much Michael. She never gave up on you." She looked up at the sky with a smile. "Your mom and I may not get along most of the time…but I admire how much she stood by you and swore that you'd wake up."
"But she doesn't understand how hard this is for me," Michael said imploringly.
"I think she does," Sam disagreed. "Carly knows…she just is always trying to be the strong one. So if she puts on a happy face…you'll eventually put on a happy face. It's how she works."
"Yeah," Michael finally agreed.
"But you forgot one person who understands exactly what you're going through," Sam said softly. "Someone who went through something very similar. But woke up with a much different outcome…no memory."
"Jason," Michael said staring at her.
"He loves you Michael," Sam said smiling at him. "He is determined to do right by you. He knows you want to know who caused this…he needs to know too."
"Have you…learned anything new?" Michael asked carefully.
"We have a lead," Sam said after a moment. She'd planned on stalling and telling him that they were doing everything they could, but after listening to him, she couldn't hold back. She wasn't going to tell them who they suspected, in case they were wrong. But she was almost one hundred percent positive they weren't, so a little hope in Michael's life was a good thing.
"Who do you think ordered the hit?" Michael asked after he stood up and paced away from her.
Sam stared at the teens back and took in the rigid way he was holding himself. This was a kid who had his own suspect in mind and she stood up quickly. "I don't want to say in case we're wrong."
"You have to tell me Sam," Michael said whipping around.
"Michael-"
"Is it Jax?" he asked desperately.
"What?" Sam asked honestly shocked.
"I keep seeing him, sitting by my hospital bed and he's sorry," Michael explained quickly. "He's constantly saying he's sorry and it's his fault and he needs me to wake up and be okay."
"Oh Michael," Sam said walking over towards him so she could wrap her arms around him. "No…it's not Jax. He would never try to kill you father."
"But Sam…" Michael said resting his forehead on her shoulder.
"I swear to you Michael," Sam said rubbing her hand up and down his back. "It's not Jax. He loves you and Morgan and your mom way too much to ever risk something like that."
"But why is he so sorry?"
"That's something you'll have to ask him," Sam said having her own ideas about that subject but it wasn't her place to tell him.
"But you do know who was behind it?" Michael asked pulling away so he could look at her.
"We are pretty positive," Sam said nodding her head. "When I have the proof Michael, when we know for sure, I will tell you immediately. I promise you." Sam stared at him and watched as he visibly relaxed. She couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he must have been in, thinking his own step-father had been behind his tragic shooting. She was glad that she'd at least been able to put that thought to rest. But once he knew the truth, that his step-mother had been behind the hit, he was going to have a whole different set of issues. And she hoped he was going to be strong enough to deal with them.
Jason stood by the fireplace and listened to another recording of Devlin and Jerry discussing the hit prior to the shooting; both careful to not mention the name of the other person involved. He hated hearing them talk about the night that would change a young man's life forever. He wanted to punch something but he didn't want to leave, knowing Spinelli had one more CD to decrypt.
"Where else would Devlin hide recordings?" Jason asked Spinelli who was sitting at the desk.
"The Jackal has no clue Stonecold," Spinelli said looking away from the computer. "Fair Samantha was the one who came up with the hospital…"
"If Claudia isn't on this CD we have to find the one where she is," Jason said clenching his fists. "There's no way he recorded his conversations with Jerry and not Claudia."
"What if Vixenella knew about the recordings and disposed of them already?" Spinelli asked carefully.
"Claudia's not that bright," Jason disagreed shaking his head. "She probably doesn't know Devlin recorded anything. Or she would have killed him herself."
"Stonecold is most likely right," Spinelli agreed turning back to the computer.
Jason was headed towards his kitchen when somebody knocked on his door. He looked at Spinelli who was still muttering as he typed furiously on his computer. Jason was rubbing his forehead when he pulled the door open but dropped his hand and adopted what Spinelli called his "Stonecold" look.
"I have nothing to say to the PCPD," Jason said before Lucky could say a single word.
"That's fine," Lucky said walking through the doorway. "I'm not here as a cop…but as a concerned friend."
"You're not my friend," Jason said still holding the door open.
"But I am Sam's," Lucky pointed out. Or at least he still hoped that they could be friends. When she got over her hate of Elizabeth. Lucky looked at Spinelli who was standing by the desk, his eyes darting between the two of them. "Look, I need to talk to you…privately would be best."
"No," Jason said putting his hand on Spinelli's shoulder to push him back down in his seat. "Spinelli is working on something for me."
"Fine, have it your way" Lucky said his voice clipped. He paced farther into the room until he was standing by the fireplace. "I think you should have a talk with Sam."
"Really, about what?"
"I'm sure you know about what," Lucky said glaring at Jason. "I'm sure Sam has told you how her ploy against Elizabeth backfired."
"Ploy?" Jason asked confused.
"She told me Elizabeth is cheating on me," Lucky said shaking his head. "Now I know the two of them don't get along. I would never force them too but I draw the line at letting Sam lie about Elizabeth."
"Wow," Jason said honestly surprised. He hadn't seen this coming. "I thought you were Sam's friend."
"I am," Lucky said placing one of his hands on his chest. "Which is why I hope you can talk to her and convince her that Elizabeth and I are happy. That we have been able to move on from our mistakes in the past…just like you and Sam are trying to do."
"You're not Sam's friend," Jason finally said after a moment of silence had passed. "If you were you'd know she wouldn't lie about something like this. She agonized over telling you. Even decided not to because she thought you wouldn't believe her. But she finally decided she couldn't deceive one of her best friends like that."
"Jason-"
"I'm sure she wishes she would have kept her mouth shut now," Jason said not letting Lucky get a word in. "Now I believe you love Elizabeth…and those boys. But you know Sam isn't lying."
"Elizabeth wouldn't cheat on me," Lucky insisted.
"She has before," Jason pointed out. "I'm not going to talk to Sam for you. I think she did the right thing."
"If I may…" Spinelli said tentatively. He'd been listening in, kind of hard not to with the two of them right beside him, and he was sure he'd figured out what Sam had told Lucky. "Fair Samantha doesn't lie…not after The Goddess has been lied to for most of her life."
Lucky stared at the young hacker before shaking his head and hurried towards the door. He had come here for one reason and now he was leaving with that one thought circling in his head. The one thing he'd been too afraid to admit to himself…Sam hated lying.
"Do you think The Cleft-Chin Keeper of the Peace will be ok?" Spinelli asked concerned.
"He will when he admits that Sam might just be telling the truth," Jason said before pointing towards the laptop. "Is it done?"
"Yes," Spinelli said still standing there. "So it's true…The Maternal One has been cheating on Lucky?"
"Yes," Jason said dropping his hand. "Sam walked in on Elizabeth…and Nicholas."
"But…but…that's The Deceived One's brother!" Spinelli said loudly shocked.
"I know," Jason said shaking his head. He honestly didn't know what was going on in Elizabeth's mind. She'd had a good thing going with Lucky. The perfect family unit for her boys and then she had to go and risk it all for Nicholas Cassadine? "But can we get back to the CD please?"
"Oh," Spinelli said sitting back down quickly. He hit a couple buttons before they heard a woman's voice coming over the speaker.
Claudia: Didn't waste any time, did you?
Jerry: And why are we here?
Claudia: On Friday at 7 p.m., Sonny is expecting a shipment of coffee. He'll be here to sign off on it. It's all there and legit.
Jerry: How do you know this?
Claudia: I know.
Ian: All right. That leaves two bodyguards.
Claudia: No. The custom inspectors will be here so he can sign off on it in person. He can't risk having guards around.
Jerry: I can do this.
Claudia: Good. Then we're agreed. Sonny dies on Friday.
"That was Claudia," Jason stated once again pointing at the computer.
"It seems Stonecold was right all along," Spinelli said staring at the computer in surprise. "Vixenella was behind Mr. Sir's botched shooting."
"I have to get this to Sonny," Jason said walking over towards the laptop. He held out his hand as Spinelli ejected the CD and put it back in its respective case. "I want you to stay here."
"Stonecold…" Spinelli said staring at his mentor and friend. "Before you and Mr. Sir make some plan for Vixenella's obvious demise…maybe you should talk to Fair Samantha…and The Golden Child first."
"I will," Jason said standing at the door. "But I have to get this to Sonny first." He wouldn't leave Sam out of the loop, not after she'd helped find the proof, but Sonny had to be the first to know. It was his current wife who had wanted him dead.
"Thank you for picking me up Sam," Michael said as he walked beside her back towards her car. "And for listening…I can't believe I thought Jax was behind the hit on dad."
"Well from the way you described it…Jax sounded pretty guilty," Sam pointed out. "But he wouldn't do that."
"He hates my dad though."
"He does but he loves you guys way too much…and I've heard him say on more than one occasion that Carly on a warpath scares him way too much," Sam teased nudging Michael with her elbow.
"He's good with Morgan," Michael said thoughtfully. "They have a lot in common…got along real well."
"He loves you too Michael," Sam insisted.
"I know he does," Michael agreed. "But it's different and not because of the coma. We just don't see eye to eye on a lot of things. He wants me to be something I'm not."
"And what's that?"
"Normal," Michael mumbled. "Jax wants me to be like Morgan. But I'm not."
"I'm sure Jax doesn't want you to be like Morgan," Sam said carefully. It was true that Jax and Morgan got along exceptionally well, considering Sonny, Morgan's real father, and Jax hated each other. But Jax had to see that though Michael was struggling right now, he'd be fine in the long run. It was just going to take time.
"You don't see the way he looks at me sometimes," Michael said climbing back into the passenger seat. He buckled his seat belt and turned to face Sam. "But we've spent the whole afternoon talking about me."
"You were the one who needed to talk," Sam said confused.
"I've been talking to Kristina," Michael stated clearly. "When Alexis lets me of course."
"Michael…"
"She misses you Sam," Michael said adamantly. "Molly too. I know Alexis asked you to stay away but you are a great big sister Sam. Really."
"Well," Sam said her eyes tearing up. "Thank you for that but I think I need to honor Alexis' decision…for now anyways. Kristina got hurt because of me."
"No," Michael said shaking his head. "Kristina got hurt because somebody messed with you car." When Sam stared at him in surprise he rolled his eyes. "I'm not so brain damaged that when I hear somebody's brakes failed I can't figure out that it's because somebody messed with them." He watched as she averted her eyes to look out the windshield. "It wasn't because of me…was it? My case?"
"No," Sam said immediately but back pedaled when he just continued to give her that stare. It actually reminded her of the look on Jason's face when he didn't believe someone. "I don't know. The PCPD is still looking into it."
"The PCPD couldn't solve a crime if it bit them on the ass," Michael said rolling his eyes. They hadn't even made a dent in the so-called investigation into his shooting. Jason had been the one to figure out Dr. Devlin had been the shooter.
"Well Jason, Spinelli and I are also looking into it," Sam said as she started the car. "Where to now?"
"Can you take me to dads?"
"Does he know you're coming?" Sam asked sounding unsure. She knew Carly and Sonny had an agreement when it came to the kids and she didn't want to step on anyone's toes and do the wrong thing.
"Yeah, I told him I'd be stopping by today," Michael said softly. "He wants to get a good look at me and make sure I'm okay."
"This will get easier Michael," Sam said squeezing his hand before she pulled out onto the road.
"I don't see how it could get any harder," Michael muttered slouching down in his seat. He was glad he'd left school early to talk with Sam. She never made him feel like he was crazy when he talked about the dreams. Plus she just let him talk about anything and everything and she didn't treat him with kid gloves or like nothing had happened. She just let him figure things out…and it helped.
Jason gripped the CD in his hand tighter as he pulled up to Greystone. He was surprised he wasn't pulled over, the trip, which normally took him twenty minutes, he'd made in seven minutes flat. He was out of his SUV, slamming the door behind him, as he strode towards the front door. He had only one thought in his mind, finding Sonny and showing him the proof that Claudia was behind everything.
"Boss!" Max said surprised as he stood in front of Sonny's office door along with his brother Milo.
"Is Sonny in?" Jason asked nodding towards the closed office door.
"He's on an important phone call," Milo said quickly.
Jason nodded and strode right by them and through Sonny's office door without stopping. He didn't have time for whatever business call Sonny was on, this was more important. He saw Sonny standing beside his drink cart, pouring himself a drink.
"Want one?" Sonny asked reaching for another glass. "I just got off the phone with the Lopez brothers' and you'll…" Sonny finally quit talking when he saw the look on Jason's face. "What? What's wrong?"
"I finally have the proof that Claudia was behind everything," Jason said holding up the CD case.
"What?" Sonny asked his brow furrowing as he stared at the jewel case.
"This is proof that Claudia took out the hit on you that put Michael in the coma," Jason said his voice literally trembling with anger.
"Play it," Sonny said taking a long drink from his glass before he turned to face his desk. He watched as Jason put the CD in the stereo and hit play. It didn't take long for Claudia's voice to come over the speaker. Sonny was gripping the glass so tight he was afraid it was going to crack. He set it down on the closest surface, his desk, before pacing away. "Play it again."
Jason stood beside the stereo and calmly started the CD over. Looking at Sonny now he couldn't interpret how he was going to react. There would be anger, of course, but there was a part of Jason that worried that Sonny would feel some sort of loyalty to Claudia since she was his wife and had been pregnant with his child.
But none of that mattered to Jason. Claudia was nothing to him. She'd started off as an irritating woman who wouldn't go away and that had never changed. With this recording she had just signed her death warrant. There was no way Jason was letting her live now. It didn't matter what Sonny said.
"Claudia was behind Mexico too," Sonny said softly, his back to Jason.
"Claudia has been behind everything Sonny," Jason said angrily. "She is the reason Michael lost a year of his life, the reason he is still suffering today. She is the reason Jerry went after the kids in Mexico…the reason Jerry took Sam…and why he shot me. Claudia was behind everything."
"Max! Milo!" Sonny yelled as he turned to face Jason. He waited until they were in his office, the door closed behind them before he glared at them. "Where is…my…wife," he said slowly.
"We haven't seen Claudia yet today sir," Max said quickly.
"Go find her," Sonny said and when they didn't react quickly enough he yelled louder, "now!"
Jason watched as Max and Milo hurried out of the office, off to follow Sonny's order, before turning to his business partner and friend. "She needs to pay Sonny."
"Oh…she will pay," Sonny said his jaw clenched tightly in anger. "She is going to regret that she ever got involved with me and messed with my family. Claudia Zacchara dies…tonight."
Claudia grabbed her purse and headed towards the main staircase of Greystone when she heard the front door slam. She froze for a second before quietly making her way closer listening as Jason talked to Max and Milo before walking into Sonny's office, closing the door behind him. It didn't take her a second before she turned around and headed towards the back staircase. Nobody ever bothered to guard the back entrance to Sonny's office, a mistake on his part, since a lot of Claudia's best eavesdropping came from their.
She'd barely made her way to the door when she heard Jason's voice loud and clear.
"This is proof that Claudia took out the hit on you that put Michael in the coma."
Claudia froze hearing the rage in Jason's voice. She'd seen him angry, on more than one occasion. But she'd never heard that level of anger before.
"Play it."
Claudia wanted to scream when she heard her voice come out of the room. She wanted to stomp her feet and throw her purse. She wanted to rage about how unfair life was. She listened, breathing heavily, as her voice came through the door once again. She knew she needed to move, to get out of the house. She didn't know how Sonny was going to react but Jason was going to kill her.
Claudia was running out the back door when she heard Sonny yell for Max and Milo. She wasn't sticking around, waiting for Sonny's damn henchmen to find her and drag her into his office just so Jason could get his revenge. She wasn't stupid. She was going to run, just to regroup.
She still didn't know how Jason had found a recording…she hadn't even known a recording existed. But he wasn't smart enough to figure out to look for something like that. No…it had to be his stupid friend…Spinelli. Or maybe…Sam.
Claudia stood by the garage and watched as Sam drove down the driveway towards Greystone, Michael in the passenger seat. She looked at the house and knew she was just asking for Jason and Sonny to come after her. But she had less than a minute before Max and Milo started searching for her outside and she needed to get the hell away from here.
She pulled the gun out of her purse, reminding her self to thank her father someday for teaching her to always carry a gun. It was going to come in handy today. The car had barely come to a stop before she had the back door opened and was inside, the gun pointed right at Sam's head.
"Drive," she said loudly.
"What the hell?" Sam asked freezing, both hands on the steering wheel.
"I said drive!" Claudia yelled.
"Claudia, what is going on?" Sam asked slowly.
"Do I need to repeat myself again?" Claudia asked as she took the safety off.
"No," Sam said quickly. She looked at Michael, who was staring at the two of them with his mouth hanging open. "Just let Michael get out. Please Claudia…he's been through enough."
"Just drive!" Claudia screamed.
Sam looked at Michael who just nodded at her. He sat back in the passenger seat, making sure to buckle back up. He didn't need to look at his stepmother to know something had gone seriously wrong with his father. He just wished he had a clue as to what it was.