Do not own General Hospital or any of the characters.

The Flame of Franco

The Secret's out...

"You look like shit," commented Maxie towards Sam as she stood at the edge of her hospital bed, studying her friend's appearance.

"Well it's nice to see you too," replied back Sam, sarcastically. She was in no mood for humour. It was now the next morning, and Sam had not gotten any sleep from the night before. All her dreams were still being haunted by the sight of Franco. She had forced herself to stay awake. Her dark eyes looked on at the blonde in front of her. She knew that Maxie was only being honest but she didn't need to be reminded of her appearance.

"I'm sorry," apologized Maxie with all honestly. She knew her friend was going through hell and didn't need her comments. A blanket of silence then fell between the two women as Maxie's heels clicked against the floor as the she took a seat beside the bed.

"And don't worry, I'm not going to go about asking how you are or how you are feeling because I know you probably already get that enough in this place and by asking you, it won't make you feel better. Because let's face it your situation sucks!" rambled on the Fashionista as she placed her expansive designer handbag in her lap.

Sam couldn't help but smile a little at her friend's brutal honesty.

The two women met each other eye and held it for a moment before looking shyly away. Maxie was afraid to ask what had happened to Sam. She knew how messed up Franco was and what he could do to a person not physically but also emotionally.

Taking on a serious not, Maxie studied her friend's face. She knew something had happened to Sam that she wasn't talking about. Maxie knew very little of what had happened to Sam. Spinelli would tell her little, just that Franco had kept her in a glass box with little food or water and that was attached to a bomb. And that he had taken a picture of her lying on her stomach, much like the one taken of herself. But other than that she knew nothing. But just by looking at her friend, she knew that Franco had done something to Sam that everyone was avoiding telling her.

Reaching out, she took Sam's hand in hers. This small movement caught Sam off by surprise. Sam's eyes turned and focused themselves once again on her friend's face.

It was in that moment, that Maxie knew what had happened. There was not life left in the orbs of Sam's dark eyes.

"He... rapped you," stated Maxie quietly. She had been afraid to speak those words. She who had slept with the artist willingly didn't know how Sam must be feeling. Franco was screwed up. And after she had slept with him, she had felt violated. "Didn't he?" she asked, but she knew she didn't have to, the answer was written clearly across Sam's face.

Tears immediately began to fall down Sam's cheeks as reality settled in a little. She knew that she couldn't keep on going on pretending that it didn't happen because it had. Looking into Maxie's blue eyes, she slowly began to nod her head in reply. The secret was out.

Kay I know i said this chapter would get longer and they will. I just thought I should update with a short chapter, instead of making you wait longer for a long one.

Thanks for reading and please review!

Julie