Thanks to all the reviewers! I think I may be updating this story too fast and other stories of mine too slow but I like working on this particular one.

Chapter Twenty One

8 am

Lulu stepped outside onto her porch the next morning and found Milo sitting on the swing. She rushed toward him. "What happened? Hey...baby...talk to me."

She cupped his cheeks, seeing how empty his eyes looked. He slowly drug her onto his lap and buried his face into the crook of her neck.

Lulu hugged him tight. "What, Milo? What? Don't keep secrets from me..."

"I need to take you to school and pick you up and have you stay at my place for a while...until I know this town is rid of those guys who robbed the hotel..."

"Are they back?" Her eyes filled with dread.

"Three is and Four's probably still around too. Jason said he will deal with it and I shouldn't worry about it. He fired me."

Lulu let a breath escape her lips. "Oh...how do you feel about that?"

"How do you?" he asked

"It will keep you safer...alive...here...mine...I'm thrilled."

"I can go to college again, I guess."

Lulu smiled and kissed him. "I couldn't even sleep...I was worrying about you all night. I thought something horrible was going to happen. You don't know how relived I am that I was wrong."

He studied her, and for the first time was glad he hadn't killed anyone the night before. It would have changed him, and he didn't want to become someone Lulu couldn't love anymore.

He kissed her and then said "The only one I have to protect, from now on, is you. Will you let me?"

"Always."

XXXXXX

9 am

After interrogating Cooper for hours, Jason finally checked his phone, called Sonny and then Carly, and then listened to Brenda's message.

He expected to hear a bubbly spiel about Robin and Patrick and how Jason should go and talk to her about committing to him ( he kept telling Brenda he absolutely was not going to get involved in match making, but she kept asking) but instead his ex-wife was practically hysterical.

"Jase! Why won't you answer this phone? I have called like two thousand times. I'm about to get on a plane to fly into New York. Don't send a car, there is no time. I'll rent one. Listen...Jason...don't hurt Cooper Barret, whatever you think he did...I will make it right, somehow...don't let him get hurt. He's Julia's son...I'm asking, Jason...I have to ask you to spare him. You know you are my favorite ex-husband...do this for your favorite ex-wife. I'll be there soon!"

He swallowed and realized this whole situation had just turned into a even bigger nightmare.

He wished Craig was still alive, so he could kill him for causing this mess.

XXXXXX

10 am

Max was guarding Cooper. They were silent for hours and then Max said "Is Barret an alias? Cause I know you are related to Jason."

Cooper's eyes widened in shock. It was the first time he lost his cool all night.

"It's the eyes," Max went on. "What you do with them. You can cold stare someone down in a way only Jason can."

Cooper looked away.

"I could take a sample of your DNA."

Cooper didn't respond.

"Or you could tell me," Max said "Did you choose his ex-wife's last name on purpose? As a clue you hoped Jason would get? Did you come here and target him and Sonny for revenge cause you think you got cut out of the family?"

"No."

"But you are related?"

Cooper stayed silent.

"Fine. DNA it is," Max said "But don't think this will keep you alive. You put a gun to my head. You were part of the crew that tortured my brother, his girlfriend, and Carly...she didn't deserve what you guys did."

"No one deserved it. I never thought it would go that far."

"Life is like that," Max said. He had never thought he would be a killer, a hired gun, a overpaid thug. But he was. "You should have just told Jason you're his blood before you ever took a job with the enemy."

After a long moment, Cooper muttered "I didn't know."

Max wondered if Jason still planned to kill Cooper, and if knowing he was family would change anything.

All Max knew was he still wanted Three dead. His eyes glanced down at his gun. It would be so easy to pull the trigger, and take away one of the people who put Carly at risk that night at The Metro Court.

So easy.

XXXXXXXXXX

11 am

Sam knocked on the door of the two story home. She couldn't believe it was this simple. Just asking Alexis "Who is my father? Where can I find him?" and then she had the answers that filled in so many questions about her life.

A black haired teen age boy answered the door. "What you want?"

"You're...um..." she could barely speak, knowing she was looking in the eye of her little brother. "Is your Dad home?"

"Sure...you can come in, I guess." The kid shuffled inside and Sam followed him.

She smiled as she watched him disappear up the stairs. Her eyes darted to a small end table that had photos and she saw her dad for the first time.

(If you knew

how lonely my life has been
And how long I've been so alone


And if you knew

how I wanted someone to come along


And change my life the way you've done) ( Bonnie Raitt)

Then he was coming down the stairs, saying "Can I help you?"

She lost her breath. He was over forty but looked so much younger. He sorta seemed like a rebel, just like Alexis described him. They had to be polar opposites back in the day.

"I'm Samantha..."

He stopped a few feet in front of her, offering her a small smile. "Its been forever since a fan knocked on my door. You look too young to have ever listened to my music."

"My mother was a huge fan. Alexis Davis. You remember her?"

"No," Blackie Parrish said

Sam felt disappointment flood her body, her knees became weak. Had her mom been just a fling on the road for him? Alexis said they sent letters back and forth until the day Sam was born, though he had never known she was pregnant. Then Alexis put it all behind her and changed her name...

"Natasha," Sam said quickly "Davidovich."

His whole face changed. "You're her kid?' his voice was filled with awe and shock "How old are you, if I can ask?"

She saw the question on his face and answered, "Yes, I am. I'm yours. I can prove it, if you need me too."

He went and sat on the stairs. "I ...never knew. I came to play at her boarding school. She was amazing...just sixteen but she took my breath away... took my heart...sorry, I haven't thought about this in years...I'm sure you don't want to hear a bunch of old stories."

"I do, actually. I want to know everything about you. I don't mean to freak you out...showing up here like this..."

Blackie asked "What took you so long?"

"I was adopted. I just found out Alexis is my birth mom last year and just found out about you a few days ago. I had to come here...I had to know you...to see if you wanted to know me."

He smiled. "Yeah...I do...I wish I knew about you sooner."

Sam relaxed as her body was flooded with relief.

(It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from


It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong)

XXXXXXXX

Jason got the briefcase and took it to Stan to try and open. Then he went to the hospital to see Robin.

He had Epiphany page her. The head nurse acted like she didn't like Jason but her eyes said she understood him more than she let on.

Robin wore a surprised look when she saw Jason. "You visiting me? One for the records books."

They sat down on the nearby waiting room chairs. "Sonny's sick."

"With what? Is he here? Who is his doctor?"

"He doesn't even know yet. It looks like he was poisoned a few weeks ago, during the hostage crisis. I'm going to let him know and send him here. Will you analyze his blood and let us know what can be done for him?"

"You know I will."

"Good. And...you should know Brenda is on her way here...and she wants you to move in with Patrick. There I said it. Tell her that. Call me when you know about the blood work."

Robin couldn't help smiling as she watched him leave. Then she jumped up and hurried to find Patrick. She might need help with Sonny's case, and though it wasn't Patrick's field, he was her man and her biggest support in the world. She just might follow Jason's advice, from Brenda, and move in with him after all.

Xxxxxxxxx

12 pm

Carly sent the kids to school and then decided to skip work. Jason had called but she wanted to see him in person.

He finally showed up around noon. She smiled as soon as he came in the door. He had survived another crazy night in this awful town. She always thought Jason and her would be happier far from Port Charles but here was everyone they loved, and here they would stay.

Jason said, "Sorry I didn't make it home like I promised."

"Yeah, that's all right. You're home now."

"Come here...please." Jason said, as he took off his coat and tossed it on a chair.

Carly moved quickly into his arms.

(Well, if you knew

how much this moment means to me


And how long I've waited for your touch


And if you knew

how happy you are making me


I never thought that I'd love anyone so much

It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way the back where I come from)

"Tell me what has you looking so wrecked, Jason."

"It's a mess."

"Business?" she asked

"Family."

She jerked her eyes up to look in his. "Who is it?"

"Brenda's nephew. He's Three."

Carly shrieked, "He robbed my hotel!"

"He wasn't a major player."

Carly moved out of Jason's embrace. "So...what? He gets away with it cause of who is his blood. You never gave AJ such breaks. But your ex Brenda rates better, huh?"

"AJ was after you. This Cooper Barret kid isn't. I'll do what is best for all of us. You know that, right? Don't make this about Brenda. She'll be in town for a while now and I'll have to see her...don't let this mess us up."

"I wouldn't do that."

He nodded, not doubting her in the least."Come on...lets go to bed."

"I woke up a few hours ago."

"I need sleep. Lay with me, okay?"

Carly could see how his body was straining under the weight of his exhaustion. She longed to do what she could to comfort him."Sure, Jase."

Ten minutes later, he was asleep with his arm wrapped around Carly's waist. She refused to worry about Brenda or her wayward nephew. Jason was holding her, and that was perfection in her world, no matter what else was going on.


(It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong


It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong.)

Note- I didn't watch when Blackie Parrish was on but I don't see why- since he had a band in 1983, and Sam was born a little before that- he couldn't have done a gig at Alexis' school.

He was played by John Stamos.

Coming up next: Sexis , LuSam