Updating a little earlier then I planned on, but I felt bad about the cliffhanger & I have the chapter finished. Hope you all enjoy :)
Sam couldn't believe that she was hugging Rafe right now. She wished she could have helped him better before he died, and never imagined that he'd be taken by Helena and would return to Port Charles. He was older looking, looking more like a man than the boy she cared for. But, she could still see a glimmer of the Rafe she knew before the problems started.
"I missed you so much. When I found out what happened, I just wanted you to know you didn't have to keep running," Sam said when they moved away from each other. "Are you okay? Where are you staying? Come, sit and eat with us."
"I don't want to impose," he said, but Sam wasn't listening. "I somehow received a message at the hostel I was staying at asking me to come back to Port Charles. I was a little nervous at first because I thought it was a Cassadine trick to get me back, but I decided to take a chance. This place was home, I missed it."
"We missed you," Sam said.
"'Twas I who sent the correspondence," Spinelli said giddily. "I'm ecstatic to know that it reached its intended target."
"You were looking for me?" Rafe asked and Sam nodded. "After everything I did?"
"People make mistakes, and you've been given a second chance to learn and do better."
"I'm so sorry I let things get so out of hand," he said. "I should have never gotten into drugs, I just felt so lost. I tried finding my uncle when I got here, but I couldn't. Are you still with him?"
"Uh, no we were over when Nina came back," Sam said.
"Right, my memory is fuzzy sometimes," he said quietly. "So, do you know where I could find him?"
"I'm really sorry I have to tell you this, but he's dead," Sam said. "He was killed by Nina's mother so she could get her daughter's money."
"Oh," he said with a small nod. "How long ago?"
"About two years ago."
"Well there goes my plans of staying with him," he said, letting out an awkward laugh.
"You can stay with me," Sam said quickly. "I have a spare bedroom, granted its pink but we can redo it if you'd want."
"No, I'm sure you have your hands full with Danny, I really don't want to bother you. You did so much for me and I didn't appreciate it, you don't have to help me out."
"But I want to, and it's not just me and Danny anymore. Danny's father, my husband who was shot, he came back. He was held captive by Helena Cassadine too."
"Jason Morgan?" Rafe asked and Sam nodded. "No way, he's your husband? Helena was pissed that she lost him. He was some badass enforcer for the mob. He sounded so cool."
"He is pretty cool," Sam smiled proudly. "He doesn't have any part in that anymore, but yeah. He's great, you'll meet him later."
"This is all so weird," Maxie said. "Like, you were dead, Emily was dead, and we figured Jason was dead because he washed away, and now you're all back."
"The Cassadines were messing with things they should have never gotten into. So many kids were brought back only to die again because of their experiments gone wrong."
"That's horrifying," Maxie gasped. "I'm sorry."
"I escaped," he shrugged. "Once Jake left, I took that as my cue to get out of there. I overheard they were taking him back to Port Charles, is he here?"
"Yeah, he's back with his family."
"I'm glad, he went through a lot," Rafe said sadly. "We all did."
"Now that you're back, you can start fresh," Sam said. "I have to pick up Danny from school. Do you want to come?"
"How old is he now?"
"He's four."
"Oh wow," he said. "If you don't mind, I'd like to see him."
"You can see him all the time because you'll be staying with us until you get on your feet and figure out what you're doing," Sam said happily as she pulled him out of his chair and hugged him.
Unbeknownst to Sam, Elizabeth was passing by Kelly's and stopped when she saw them. She smirked as she pulled out her phone and snapped a few pictures of Sam hugging this mystery man and planned on showing them to Jason. This could be her chance to get him back. She wanted to leave before they saw her, but she wasn't quick enough. Maxie barreled out of Kelly's like the place was on fire and ran right into her.
"Excuse you," Elizabeth said.
"I'd say sorry, but I don't really feel bad," Maxie said with a shrug. "Why do you look like you're lurking around?"
"I was about to pick up lunch for my boys. Maybe if you paid attention to where you were walking."
"Whatever," she rolled her eyes. Spinelli, Sam, and Rafe walked out and stared with confusion at what was going on. "Ready, Spinelli?"
"Sure," he said, glancing warily at Elizabeth.
"Everything okay out here?" Sam asked, and Maxie and Elizabeth nodded. "Good, let's go get Danny."
"Everything's better than okay," Elizabeth said to herself, her smirk growing as she watched Sam link arms with the man and walk away. "Perfect, even."
Jason headed straight home after Wyndemere and was surprised not to see Sam, but figured she was picking Danny up from school. Listening to everyone tell him he needed to make things right with Sam was getting exhausted. He knew he did, but he also knew Sam better than they did. Flowers and dinner wasn't going to fix this, and while having a public blowout with Elizabeth would, he knew Sam understood why he couldn't do that. Not yet, anyway.
He wasn't someone who typically acted impulsively, he liked to have a plan and make smart, calculated moves. The one exception was when he threatened Sam's life, but she always had this effect on him that made him throw his usual behaviors to the wind. He hated that he did that to her, to this day he wish he could go back in time and stop himself. He was going to make this right, but it would be on his terms and he'd make sure Elizabeth knew he was done with her.
"Jason! You're home," Sam said in surprise when she opened the door and saw him on the couch. Danny let go of Sam's hand and ran on the couch to tackle his dad. "I have good news."
"What is it?"
"Remember how I told you about Rafe?" she said and he nodded. She moved to the side and revealed the boy who was standing behind her. "He came back to Port Charles."
"Hello Mr. Morgan," Rafe said as he walked into the penthouse. "I heard stories about you, it's very nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too," Jason said, shaking Rafe's hand. "I'm glad you're here."
"I was hoping, if you don't mind," Sam began to say.
"If he could stay with us?" Jason finished and Sam nodded. "If you think it's a good idea, then it's okay with me."
"We have ground rules, we discussed them," Sam said and looked at Rafe. "He has to enroll in PCU for the fall, he has a curfew, and he's going to get a job to keep him busy."
"Maybe I can talk to Michael, get him doing something at ELQ," Jason offered.
"You don't have to go out of your way, you two are doing a lot by letting me stay here," Rafe said. He knew Sam was worried he'd get back into drugs if he stayed here, but he did not want to go down that path again if he could avoid it. He stayed clean while captive and when he was on the run, so he planned on keeping it that way.
"Well, you might think twice after you see the room we have," Sam said and winced. "It's pink. We can redo it if you want."
"Why is it pink?"
"My ex-wife painted it pink because she loved pink and figured it would bother me, but I don't go in there and don't care much to decorate so it forever stayed the pink room," Jason explained.
"I don't really care," he shrugged. "I have money saved so I'm hoping to dorm in the fall. I took the SAT and graduated from my school when I first came here, but I died. I have no idea how to explain this."
"We'll figure something out," Sam said. "If you need to take the GED, I could help you study."
"Yeah, she's a genius," Jason said, pulling Sam close and kissing her temple. "Is there anything you need?"
"No, but if you don't mind I might go take a nap. I haven't slept on a real bed in a while," Rafe said.
"I'm tired too!" Danny said, jumping off the couch and running over to Rafe. "I think I 'member you."
"Maybe," Rafe smiled. "I remember you when you were a baby. I'm glad we get to hang out again."
"You can bring him up for a nap, he usually just falls right asleep the minute his head hits the pillow. Not much to it," Sam said.
"Really?" Rafe asked, surprised that Sam trusted him with Danny.
"We'll be down here," Sam said. Rafe followed Danny upstairs and watched as he ran into his bedroom. Danny jumped into bed and, like Sam said, was asleep within minutes. Rafe turned and found the pink room across the hall. The color was something else, but he didn't care because he was just so grateful to be home and to be around people who cared again. He wasn't going to screw this up.
"I'm sorry I kind of sprung this on you, but I found him in Kelly's and I had to bring him back here," Sam said and Jason shushed her.
"I'm glad you did. He needs family, and it sounds like you really cared about him."
"I still do. I want him to get better and have a good life. He's been through so much," Sam said as they sat down on the couch. Jason wrapped his arms around Sam, his hands resting on her stomach. "How was Monica today?"
"It went better than expected. She handled it well."
"Good, that must be so difficult for her," Sam said. "Anything else I missed?"
"Lucky and Hayden slept together," Jason said, not usually one to gossip but he knew Sam would want to know.
"No way! That's great, good for Lucky," Sam said.
"You and Hayden are friends?"
"She's nice, I like her," Sam shrugged. "She's funny when she goes on a rant about Elizabeth."
"Yeah, I was on the receiving end of that today," Jason rolled his eyes. "I know I messed up, and I know it's hard for you to believe, but I'm going to make things right."
"You don't have to make things right, Jason," Sam said, moving to face him. "We're fine, I just want us to stay fine. I don't want to have to worry about the next time she talks to you if it'll push us apart, and then the next time after that we get further apart."
"You don't have to worry about that," he said sincerely. "She will never get in between us again. Despite what I say to her or how I act, I will never give her that type of power again. I just want to be smart about this."
"I know," Sam said. "You don't have to explain it to me. I was upset and you know I can't hide things from you."
"That's why we work. I don't have to explain myself to you and you don't have to explain yourself to me. We just know each other. That's why I love you."
"That's the only reason?" she asked, a small smirk forming on her face.
"No," he smiled. "I love how strong and loyal, fearless you are. You're stubborn, you're gorgeous. I love how easy we fit, how right it feels. You just get me, and I never felt that with anyone else."
"I know the feeling," Sam said, wiping away the tears that were in her eyes. "I love you, so much. With you by my side, I know I can get through anything."
"The barbecue is coming up, but maybe after we can do something just the two of us," Jason said and smiled when Sam's face lit up. He would do anything to keep her happy like this. "We've got a full house and it's going to get another addition soon."
"You promise you don't mind Rafe staying here?"
"I promise," he said, kissing her forehead. "Would it matter if I did?"
"No," she smiled. "But I'm glad you're okay with it."
"How long do you think they'll be asleep for?" Jason asked as he shifted so Sam was lying on the couch.
"Hm, I don't know. How fast can you work?" Sam smirked.
Let me know what you thought, I read every review & try to respond when I can. I really appreciate everyone who has taken the time out to review after each chapter & I know who reviews every chapter and I can't tell you enough how much it all means to me.
Like I said on Twitter, I probably should have put this chapter & the last together, but at least I didn't make you all wait too long! Hopefully I get the next chapter done soon, I like to have like two chapters done before I update so I don't have to have such large breaks in between. Okay, rambling done lol.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! :)
