Chapter 53

''Will you marry me?'' she asked him, and he widened his eyes, surprise and shock evident on his face.

''You – what…'' Jason didn't know what to say, and Sam saw it on his face and miss read it.

''I mean, if you don't want to you can just – just forget I even said it – you don't even have to answer if you…'' her voice faded when she felt the lump in her throat grow and tears streamed over her face, but he started to smile.

''No – no, I don't want to forget it. I want to marry you, I'm just kind of speechless,'' he said, and he made a wide gesture with his hands, ''that you asked me instead of the other way around – and I thought you didn't want to marry because of – well because of everything that happened and all,'' he rambled, and she nodded and wiped away the tears.

''I didn't – at first, but I realized you wouldn't treat me like Bill did, or this marriage wouldn't be without feelings – I think because I know I love you and you love me, I thought it would be nothing like the times I've been married before,'' she said, and he nodded.

''It won't just because of the reasons you just said. And to answer the question – yes, I want to marry you,'' he said, and she smiled, and when he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her she knew she had done the right thing. He broke the kiss and held her tight.

''I know you're this old-fashioned kind of guy who wants to marry a girl when he gets her pregnant – or he wants to ask her instead of the other way around,'' she said, and she could hear him chuckle, ''but I didn't think you would ask me because you might still think I wasn't ready to do just that,'' she told him, and he nodded, ''so I decided I'd take the step to ask you, because I know and knew you were ready,'' she added, and he smiled.

''I really didn't think you would be ready, and that's the only reason I didn't ask. I was thinking of it all night and when Danny called-''

''Danny called?'' she asked him, interrupting him, and he nodded.

''I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but he called to tell they were ok and that they had arrived. He asked how you were doing and I told them you were ok,'' he said, and she nodded and smiled.

''Thank you. You've been so good to him,'' she said, and he nodded. Then he let go of her and walked away. She stood there, surprised and shocked but when he returned with a little black box, she smiled.

''I almost forgot – I had this with me because I planned to ask you right away when you were ready, and I wanted to give you this now,'' he said, and he opened the box to show the engagement ring he had bought a couple of weeks ago. When they had talked everything out and when they became closer, he had thought she was ready to get married, but then she told him she wasn't – not only in words but in actions, and he decided to hold on to the ring until she was.

''Wow, Jason, it is beautiful,'' she whispered, and he nodded and slipped it on her finger. She stared at it and smiled up to him.

''I bought it when I had to go run an errand for Sonny – I found this jewelry and it had the most amazing rings and other things. I was looking through the window – like window-shopping – and I saw this one and I knew I had to have it for you,'' he told her, and she smiled again. Then she took a step forward and he held her in his arms. They just stood there for a long time, until James and Daisy returned with the food.

''Hey there love birds – dinner is ready so you better untangle yourselves and help us get the table ready,'' James said when he walked in, and Jason laughed softly when Sam started towards the kitchen.

''You want to eat outside or inside?'' she asked, and when Daisy came in and helped her she smiled.

''I think it's nice to eat out,'' she said, as she helped Sam get the plates and everything they needed. After a pause she turned to Sam, ''did you ask him?'' she asked her, and then Sam nodded. She lifted her hand and showed her the ring, and Daisy's smile was so bright. ''That's great – how did he react to you asking him instead of the other way around?'' Daisy asked, and Sam smiled.

''Well, he was kind of speechless, then I began to doubt it – maybe he didn't want to marry me – but he said yes, and we talked about it,'' she said, ''maybe it was only for the baby and all – but we both agree that the love we have for each other is the biggest factor here, even though we do this also to give her his name,'' she said, rubbing her stomach.

''Yeah – but you know that even when she's here, you will still be love,'' Daisy said, and the both of them took the plates and everything they needed out, where Jason and James were talking and laughing.

''So, I hear congrats are in order Sammy,'' James said, and she smiled and nodded. She set down the plates and James pulled her in his arms, hugging her tight, ''congratulations, babe. I'm happy for you,'' he said, and she smiled. They all sat down as Jason pulled out the dinner, and they began to eat.

''You know, I was thinking this morning – this place has my heart,'' Sam said, and Jason looked up with a frown.

''I thought I had your heart?'' he asked her, and she laughed and nodded. He smiled and winked at her, and Daisy and James laughed softly.

''You know what I mean – I love Port Charles, it is the first place I settled in a long time – but in here I feel the calm and I love it even more,'' she said, and Jason nodded.

''I know – I feel the same, you know – the weather and the calm in here – maybe we can just go here more often,'' he said smiling. Sam nodded, and then Daisy laughed.

''We want to do the same – get here every so often. Maybe we can go with the four of us,'' she said, and James laughed too.

''Why not,'' Sam said, and they stopped talking. There was a comfortable silence for the rest of the dinner.

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Sam leaned back against Jason and smiled. Daisy and James had left an hour ago, and she was exhausted from spending the day with them. They were the best friends, but when they said they would spend the day, it was all day long.

''You're tired – why don't you go sleep?'' Jason said, and she nodded. She didn't get up, ''Sam, come on,'' he said, and she nodded again, and then slowly got up.

''I don't want to,'' she said with a smile, ''only if you go with me,'' she added, and he nodded and got up. He took a hold of her hand and gently pulled her with him to the bedroom, and when they were there, he let go of her hand, but she didn't want to let him go, so she pulled him to her and kissed him. He reacted with passion, but after a while he broke the kiss and smiled at her.

''I really can't believe I'm saying this – but not tonight,'' he said, and she smiled.

''I can't believe it too – but you're right. I'm too exhausted to do anything at this moment,'' she replied when she closed her eyes. She couldn't even keep them open, and she undressed and put on his shirt. She climbed in bed and smiled when he climbed in behind her and pulled her to him. She closed her eyes again and fell asleep, as did Jason.

##########

James stood outside when Daisy walked up behind him and hugged him from behind. He smiled, and turned to hold her.

''I think Sam is really happy with Jason – and I love her taking control and asking him to marry her,'' Daisy said, and James nodded and smiled.

''I know – but that's Sam. When she wants something, she takes it. She also knew he wouldn't ask her because they had talked about it before and she wasn't ready,'' he said, ''but after everything that happened with Bill, she realized what she needed and wanted to do,'' he added.

''I think she realized sooner. When they were dancing on the wedding like that – they danced for an hour, James – I think she realized how much she loved him. Something changed in her after they stopped – she did see it sooner,'' she said, and he nodded after thinking about it.

''I think you're right. There was something different about her, and I think she already knew she was ready,'' he said, ''but I think after what happened with Bill she decided to take the step,'' he said, ''because I don't think she would have ever done this if Bill didn't happen,'' he added.

''I agree,'' she said, and she yawned, ''I'm going to bed – are you coming?''

''I'll be there in a minute, babe – I'm waiting for you to warm the bed,'' he said with a smile, and she laughed softly and walked away. James sighed – he loved her so much it hurt sometimes.

He stared out in the dark and smiled. He enjoyed it here, and he wanted to come here more often. He had seen the look on Sam's face that morning and when she told them this place had her heart, and he felt the same. He wanted to stay here, even though he knew it couldn't happen. He also knew Daisy felt the same way, because he would look at her and she was daydreaming – then she would tell him she loved this place. All four of them had sold their hearts to Hawaii.

He laughed softly and walked back inside, undressed and stepped in bed with the sleeping Daisy. She mumbled something and moved closer, and he wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes. He knew they had to leave soon, but he also knew they were coming back here no matter what.