"Are we going to pretend that last night didn't happen?" Carly asked sitting across from Jason at the restaurant.
"Were you planning on finishing that?" Jason asked noticing her playing with the fork, but not actually putting anything in her mouth.
"No." She said setting the utensil down.
"No, I don't want to pretend that last night didn't happen, but neither one of us are the same person we were the last time we were together."
Carly couldn't understand why that would be a bad thing. Their relationship had grown into something much better than 'the boy with no name,' and the last time they made a go at it Carly destroyed what they could have been by giving into her worse impulses. "So? We've grown and I've matured. Come on, you have to give me credit for that?"
Jason smiled. "Yes, thank God!"
Her jaw dropped not expecting such a strong reaction from him
"What? I don't think I'd have the energy to keep up with that girl."
"What are you saying Jase? Are you getting rusty?"
"I wasn't talking about that." Jason objected. "We have been alone for the past week and emotions have been high."
"Are you afraid that when I go home to my kids and Jax that I will realize that is my life, and this, us, is just fantasy?"
The thought had crossed his mind. When he chose his career in the mob he didn't have any comprehension of the sacrifices he would have to make to keep the people he cared about safe. Carly had already been through too much because of the business. Her relationship with Jax was supposed to protect her from that. He thought it was selfish to ask her to give that up, to bring her right back to the life that nearly cost her sanity.
"Tell me that was not exactly what you were feeling last night?" Jason challenged her.
"What do you want Jase? And please, if only for once in your life be selfish. Don't tell me what you think is best for me."
Jason spent so long denying what he wanted to really know how to answer that. He didn't realize how much he wanted a family until Carly gave him Michael, but it wasn't until his son, Jake, was born that he truly felt how dangerous having a family could be. Carly hated Elizabeth for making him feel that way. He was the one person that made her feel completely safe, and she needed him to know that.
"It's not just about you and me though." Jason replied.
"Forget everything else, what do you want?" She asked.
He wasn't the best at opening up but being with her made it easy. "Fine, what I want is to fly you to the Dominican Republic as soon as the clean bill of health comes in. Get a quick divorce before going to Port Charles and start my life with you and love your children as my own."
"You forgot something." She smiled.
"What's that?"
"The hottest sex we've ever had."
"Oh no, can't forget that." He grinned.
Carly wanted to make that dream a reality for the both of them. "There's too many assets and details to go over for the Dominican Republic route, and honestly if it weren't for Britni I may be inclined to say screw it and give him everything, but I need to make this as amicable as I can for our daughter."
"I understand."
Carly held his hands from across the table. "But Jase, I'm not going to let you go."
**********
"I'll have a nonfat hazelnut latte." Caitlyn ordered.
"Nonfat?" Dante asked coming up from behind her. "You know, I think you burnt enough calories this morning to counteract the extra cream."
"And I suppose you wouldn't believe that I actually prefer it that way?"
Dante shook his head.
"Nonfat, please." She dictated again to the now confused barista.
"Are you getting anything, sir?" He asked.
"Sure, I'll take the sugariest thing you have."
"Awe, so you're a fru fru drinker." Caitlyn teased.
The barista looked at them not sure how to ring up his order.
"Caramel Macchiato." Caitlyn came up with something as she picked up on the poor boy's hesitance.
"I've actually never tried that before." Dante confessed, but impressed by her decisiveness. As they received the order and sat at a table someone walked out from the back door. Dante turned away to avoid eye contact. He wasn't sure why he didn't want her to know he worked for Sonny quite yet, it wasn't as if it was a town secret.
"It that?" Caitlyn started.
"Johnny Zacchara himself? Yep." Dante answered.
"Wow, so much cuter in person than the mug shots."
"Excuse me?" Dante feigned being offended.
"Oh, I'm sorry. This is Port Charles. The only celebrities in town are the criminals."
"You mean you knew who Corinthos and Morgan were before suggesting this place?" Dante asked wondering what else she might know.
"Sonny and Jason? Yeah, from what I understand they are kind of like the John Dillinger's of this generation. Criminals? Sure, but they don't get their jolly's from hurting innocent people."
"Are you a fan of all Johnny Depp movies?" He asked referring to the latest which romanticized the Mid-Western Robin Hood.
"Ever since my first viewing of 'Nightmare on Elm Street.'" She replied not old enough to have watched it when first released. "But I also happened to know who Jack 'the Ripper' was before 'From Hell' came out."
"Really? 'Cause as far as I knew authorities still have yet to figure out that one." He kidded.
"I can go if you want." She got up and acted offended.
"Sit." He demanded. "No really, how do you know about Dillinger?"
"My grandma was from the Mid-West and grew up during the great depression. She told me stories. She even indicated that her parent's friends had provided him refuge when he stopped in Minnesota."
"So in a game of cops and robbers you played the…?" He questioned.
"Actually the boys stopped playing that with me when one of them got kicked in the crotch as I attempted to escape." She explained.
Dante cringed and laughed at the same time. He got his answer to which side she played though. "No kidding, when was that?"
"I was six, and I swear I haven't done it since… unless they really deserved it."
"You remember the warning I gave you earlier, I officially rescind that." He claimed as it was apparent that she could probably handle her own against a crazed stalker.
"Speaking of which, what did you mean by ex-cop?" She ignored the withdrawal of his caution.
"I lost my badge." He confessed forwardly.
"How?"
"I thought you liked the bad guys better?" He said reverting to the flirting.
"I didn't say that." She objected. Although she could see where he might get that impression.
"What do you like?" He asked directly.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, but you have to answer next." She waited for him to nod. "Well first in reply, I don't have a bad boy complex. I just don't see the world in black and white. I do believe that honor and respect are important, and some people that move outside the confines of the law possess those traits. What I'd like? Is somebody willing to show me a good time, will listen objectively while offering their own opinion, and ultimately value me for me, take it or leave it."
"Oh, I'll take it."
"Now you're just being sweet." She said sarcastically but with a smile.
If he had to pin-point exactly what he like about her she just demonstrated it. "I like when she gets it when something is important but doesn't get all bent out of shape when it's not. She should be able to laugh at herself but still maintain integrity."
"You could drive yourself crazy sweating the small stuff, literally." She commented in response. He noticed something buried in that statement, but then she changed the subject. "How do you like the drink?"
"It's good… sweet."
"That's what you ordered."
"Indeed I did." He replied, not just talking about the macchiato.
"You never said what you do now." She presented the question again.
"And neither have you."
"Oooh… nice redirect." She called him out. "Student, remember?"
"That affords you an apartment on this block?"
"I also have certification as a personal training. I have a couple clients that I work with." She didn't feel she had to elaborate that they were well paying clients.
"How do you become one of those?" He flashed his dimples.
"You're not going to tell me?" She noticed him dodge the question again.
"Does it really matter?" He asked hoping the answer was no.
"Nah, but it means I get to abstain from answering some things myself." She responded which made him curious about what she might be hiding.
***********
"Now what?" Elizabeth asked sitting in the room with Nikolas. She turned the computer off not wanting to see the article any longer. She knew it was Lucky that had been injured.
"I'm sure he is fine. It said they got up and took off and I tried calling any hospital within 50
miles of the Alamo for any record of him being admitted."
"I know, but why would he lie to everybody about where he was going, and how on earth did he think going after Jerry Jax would be a good idea?"
"He lied so no one would point out how stupid it was to go after Jerry. Although I do agree I wish I would have known. I could have prevented it."
"What do you mean?"
"Hang on." Nik's phone was vibrating. "Lucky is that you?"
Elizabeth's ears perked up hoping to overhear the conversation.
"Yes and please tell Liz, Lulu, and Maxie to stop digging." Lucky answered.
"I agree that this is dangerous territory for them, but what do you think you are doing? Are you okay? And before you start lying we know about the explosion."
"Be rest assured that I'm fine. I can't give you anymore information than that."
"Lucky you don't have to deal with Jerry. Come home and I can give you the testimony you need." Nikolas hadn't told anyone before that shortly after Michael's shooting Claudia confessed her crimes to him while delirious. She later confirmed the confession. Because of his own dealings with both Jerry Jax and Ian Devlin he felt he had no room to judge her for something she seemed genuinely sorry for.
"I can't come home." Lucky replied.
"Why?"
"He has Sam."
"What?!" Nikolas screamed. Up until that point the only thing Lucky had confirmed was that he was fine. "Do we have any indication that she's even alive?"
"Yes, I can guarantee you that she's fine." Lucky answered.
"What do I tell Alexis? Your daughter is okay just a small case of being held captive by a sociopath?"
"If you have to tell her anything then let her know that I have the contacts and support in place to not only get her back but bring down Jerry as well. I have to go." He said before hanging up.
"Lucky?" Nikolas questioned, and then threw the phone down. "Damn!"
"I suppose he won't answer if we try calling back?" Elizabeth figured.
"He says everything is under control."
"But he didn't give a location or an estimated time home."
"No, he did not."
**********
"I'm glad to see that you have ventured outside your quarters. I was beginning to get worried." Jerry told Sam who was standing on the deck looking out over the Caribbean waters. Whoever was steering knew enough to stay for from land masses that approached within view. At this point they had ventured beyond the Islands.
"Where are we going?" Sam asked.
"I would like that a resourceful girl as you would have figured that out by now."
"We're headed southeast. Where to? Cayenne, Paramaribo, Caracas? Or something more remote like Trinidad or St. Lucia?"
"You never have been one to sit back and smell the flowers have you? Relax and enjoy the vacation." Jerry encouraged her.
"Is that what you are calling this? You have my phone, it's not like I could cue anyone into my whereabouts."
"Then why do you care?" He asked.
"I wanted to make sure I brought the right shoes." She replied snidely. Jerry must have planned to take her. In her room she had a complete wardrobe, and some of it was actually decent.
"I hope I guessed your correct sizes, it's been much too long since I've been that up close and personal." Sam displayed her disgust. "Don't tell me you forgot our rendezvous in your hot tub?"
"Why the wild goose chase?" Sam asked.
"I had private business dealing I had to take care of before I could leave the continent, but don't worry, I'm all yours now." He said with a frightening grin.
"Lucky is going to find you."
"Oh, I know. It helps that I told him where we are headed. Of course when we get there I'm going to have to give him the exact address, but I'm fairly certain he will show."
"And then what?"
"Then I kill him." He said with eyes wide and matter-of-factly.
"If you wanted to kill him why didn't you do so in Mexico?"
"I didn't want the ruckus that would have come from a murder in such a public forum, besides this gives him time to squirm and it's going to be much more entertaining when you're there to watch."
"And you don't think Lucky's family is going to come after you and retaliate?"
"Who? The old man with the bad heart? His crazy mother?"
"You're in no position to call anyone else crazy."
"Be that as it might. I'm still curious who the cavalry is? I mean did you really expect to come down to Miami and convince me to uphold my civic duty?"
"No, that would require you being a decent human being, and I'm fairly certain you're none of that, but you did attempt to tell Carly."
"And that's a mistake I refuse to make again."
"So instead you're going to kill her cousin? That's much better."
"He had ample opportunity to leave. What comes next is all on him." Jerry explained.
"It's never your fault, is it Jerry? Did you ever consider owning up to anything?"
"That's really rich coming from you."
"I've had my past indiscretions, there's no doubt about that, but it's been a long time since I've run away from the pain I've caused."
"You know what? I actually came out here to give you your voice messages. Alexis is quite worried about you, apparently she loves you but not enough not to send you after what she called an atrocious monster, huh? I must have forgotten flowers for her last birthday. Oh, and Kristina and Molly say hi, it was nice hearing little Molly's voice, she was always such the doll."
Sam went to slap him at the mere mention of her little sister, but he caught her hand.
"Careful sweet Sam, I may think you're coming on to me."
