A/N – to all of the repeat reviewers and to the new reviewers: Thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to tell me you like the story and to give me encouragement. I no longer live for just McDonald's french fries - I live for reviews! Thank you!

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Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear –
not absence of fear.
- Mark Twain
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Carly walked to her mother's on shaky legs. Nothing could take away the fear. Nothing could take away the anger. She should have done something! Maybe it could have helped. Instead, she'd just stood there – stood there and let them take him to God knows where to do God knows what. She wiped angry tears away from her cheeks as she ascended the steps to her mother's home. Carly tried to reign in the emotions as she rang the doorbell, but the moment Bobbie opened the door, the sob she'd been holding back broke free. Immediately worried, Bobbie embraced her daughter and yelled for her son.

"Lucas!" she called. The teenager appeared around the door.

"Yeah, Mom?" he asked. She smiled at her son as she cradled the crying Carly.

"Honey, I need you to take Michael upstairs and maybe show him how to play one of your video games. He loves that," she suggested. Lucas looked between Carly and Bobbie and nodded. When the two boys were out of hearing, Bobbie pulled Carly back and brought her hands to her cheeks.

"Now, tell me what's wrong, Carly," she said as she led them into the living room. Carly gripped her mother's hand.

"I … I … I don't know what to do. I let them take him … I just stood by as they shot him and took him! I should have done something! Why didn't I do something!" she cried, covering her face in her hands. Bobbie reached over and rubbed her daughter's back.

"Who shot who, Carly? What happened?" she asked, fear creeping over her. Carly looked up miserably at her.

"They shot Lorenzo, Momma – and I just stood there!" she sobbed. Bobbie felt her heart break for her daughter.

"Okay, Carly. You need to take a few deep breaths and then tell me exactly what happened, okay?" she asked. Carly nodded as she wiped her eyes and took the requested deep breaths.

"Sonny and I kinda got into a little argument earlier. Right after I got home from the hospital. After he left, I just didn't feel right. I can't really explain it other than it was some sort of intuition that something was wrong … or going to go wrong. And I knew it had to do with Lorenzo. So -" Carly paused as her rambling ran out of breath. "I slipped past the guard and made it to Lorenzo's as quickly as I could. I got there and I was able to tell him what I'd heard earlier and that I thought something was going to happen." Bobbie stayed silent, waiting for Carly to continue. Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks as she took another breath.

"It's my fault, Momma. If I hadn't been there, he could have figured something out. But I was, and he tried to keep me safe. We heard the guard, so Lorenzo took me to the back and tried to hide me. Then he left – and they shot him and took him. I don't know where and I don't know who – I'm clueless, I have no idea what to do!" she concluded. Bobbie sat for a second, absorbing all of the information. Then she took Carly's hand.

"What about Sonny? Could he ask around and get some information on who did this?" she asked. Carly looked thoughtful for a second.

"I don't know, Momma. You know that Sonny can't stand Lorenzo. He would probably rather not 'hear' anything at all and let whatever's supposed to happen, happen," Carly said unhappily. This time it was Bobbie who looked thoughtful.

"Carly, you don't think that maybe Sonny -" she started, but Carly picked up on the thought.

"No, Momma. Sonny didn't have anything to do with this! He knows how I would feel about that … he wouldn't jeopardize -"

"Honey, you and I both know that you and Sonny's relationship is already good and jeopardized. Maybe -"

"No, Momma! Sonny didn't do this! I trust him in this," Carly cried, but she knew that the words sounded a bit hollow. Bobbie held up her hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay, okay. Maybe you should go to the police," the redhead suggested. Carly scoffed as she stood up and started to pace worriedly.

"Yeah, and like the Port Charles Rent-a-Cops would be able to do anything even remotely useful," she said sarcastically. Bobbie frowned.

"Carly -" she began to scold, but Carly turned to look at her.

"Come on, Momma … I was held captive and chained to a wall for months by Ric. All of the evidence was there: the panic room, Elizabeth, Lorenzo … and they didn't press charges! How inefficient and brainless is that?" she asked. Bobbie had to admit, her daughter had a valid point.

"Okay, then – maybe you should try asking Sonny," she said. Carly nodded slowly when she realized that it may be her only chance of finding Lorenzo alive.

"Fine, I'll talk to him later about that. Among other things," she said. Bobbie's interest was piqued at that.

"Among other things? What other things, Carly?" she inquired. Carly smiled sadly.

"Other things. Like our marriage, my happiness," she answered. Bobbie nodded, happy that her daughter was finally figuring some things out.

"That's good, Carly. Why don't we go back to the kitchen, get you something healthy to eat and drink, and you can tell everything that you've been thinking." Carly smiled, grateful for her mother's knowing distraction – even if it was her miserable, falling-apart marriage. The two had just made it back to the kitchen when they heard the front door open. Bobbie and Carly looked at each other in question, both shrugging when they couldn't think of anyone that would stop by.

"Carly, what did I tell you about the guards and you leaving the house?" Sonny's voice rang out as he approached the kitchen. Carly sighed heavily as she sat down at the table and gave her mother a look. Bobbie just nodded and squeezed her shoulder. It was a show of support as Sonny walked into the room.

"Sonny, Momma called me and said that Michael wanted to see me, so I came over. I'm sorry that I didn't bring a guard, but I thought that something was wrong so I rushed over," Carly said. Sonny's eyes didn't leave hers.

"Why didn't you call me, then?" he asked. Carly wanted to let out a scream of anger.

"Sonny, that rule is ridiculous and you know it," she said pointedly.

"Where is Michael?" he asked. Carly rolled her eyes.

"He's upstairs with Lucas playing video games. Momma was about to fix me something to eat," she explained. Sonny nodded.

"You can eat at home, where you're supposed to be resting," he said. This time, Bobbie rolled her eyes.

"Sonny, you're worrying a little too much, okay? Carly came over because she was worried about Michael. There is nothing strenuous about a walk, and there is nothing strenuous about a woman seeing her son. You need to relax," Bobbie said lightly.

"I'm sorry Bobbie, but Carly needs to learn how to take better care of herself. And she knows the rules if she wants to go out. So, we are going to go home, sit you on the couch and I'll cook for you, just like we planned, okay?" Sonny said before heading out of the kitchen. Carly looked pitifully at her mother. She mouthed the word "See?" causing Bobbie to smile and mouth back a "Good Luck." After the two women embraced, Carly followed her husband out to the waiting limo.

"Sonny, we need to talk," Carly said as her husband ushered her into the penthouse. She went directly to the couch, set her purse on it and turned to Sonny. He approached her and leaned in to kiss her. She pulled back, avoiding his lips. Sonny let out a frustrated breath.

"Fine, Carly. What do you want to talk about?" he asked as he went to pour himself a drink.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, Sonny. The time in the hospital allowed me to re-evaluate everything," she said, looking down at her hands.

"Thinking? Re-evaluating what?" he asked. Carly prayed for the courage to withstand the coming tempest.

"Our marriage," she said, looking straight at him. Silence. Calm before the storm. She squared her shoulders, bracing herself. But Sonny surprised her.

"And what about our marriage have you been re-evaluating?" he asked softly, not looking at her, but setting down his glass.

"The fact that there is one," she said past the sudden lump in her throat. He turned to her, his eyes wide.

"What?" he asked. She let out a tired sigh and sat down.

"I can't do this anymore Sonny."

"Do what?" he asked.

"I can't pretend. I can't continue to convince myself that everything's okay – that everything will be okay. I can't be in a marriage where I'm questioned constantly, where I feel disgraced every time you look at me. I can't take the being treated like a child or a possession. I won't live like this anymore. It's not healthy – for anyone," she said quickly. Sonny was deathly silent as he looked at her.

"Do you want me to say that I'm okay with that, Carly?" he asked softly. "To say that I'm okay with you walking out of here with our child that has yet to be born?" Carly was silent, knowing there was more.

"How could you possibly think I'd be okay with that Carly!" he yelled, startling her. "How could you possibly think that I'd be okay with you being in love with another man, all the while saying you loved me!" The shock must have shown on her face because Sonny let out a little laugh.

"You think I didn't know? That I didn't figure it out? I know where this is coming from," he said, tapping a finger to his temple. "You forget that I know you, Carly. I remember what it was like when you loved me and only me. Don't think that I wouldn't notice if that changed."

"I do love you, Sonny," she said. Sonny shook his head.

"You did. You did love me at one time," he said bitterly.

"No, I do," she stressed as she reached out to touch him. He struck her hand away from him.

"You can't love more than one man, Carly!" he yelled. She stepped back from him, afraid of what he would do.

"Yes I can, Sonny! I love you, I love Jason, I love -" she stopped as his head snapped to look at her. He let out a bitter laugh.

"Go ahead, Carly. Say it," he dared. She remained silent and lifted her chin slightly. "Say you love him. Say you love Alcazar, Carly." The orders hit her like a fist to the gut. She'd get no help from Sonny – not one little bit. She wasn't surprised. She knew whom she'd have to go to.

"Fine, Sonny. You want to hear it? I love Lorenzo Alcazar! I don't know how or when it happened, but I do! I love him. " There was complete silence as her words almost echoed through the room. Sonny's face was emotionless. Carly didn't know what to do, but there was one question that she needed answered.

"Did you have anything to do with him disappearing, Sonny?" she asked softly. There was no answer. Unease crawled up her spine.

"Did you!" she asked, panic lacing her voice. It took a few hesitant seconds before the soft answer came.

"No," was the reply. Carly's shoulders sagged in relief – yet there was still that nagging voice in the back of her head that told her something wasn't right. But she pushed it aside, for now. Sonny looked at her one last time and then stormed out of the penthouse. Carly blew out a large breath. She honestly couldn't say whether that went better than she thought or not. She'd expected worse – much, much worse – from Sonny. She expected name-calling, swearing and throwing things. But since he took it better than she expected, she felt a sting of guilt. But she pushed that aside for now. Knowing her next task, she too, marched out of the penthouse. Carly nodded quickly to the guard as she crossed the hallway and began pounding on the door. Jason opened the door.

"I need your help, Jase," she said as she stepped past him.

He laid another punch into the man's gut. Hoping that his target was feeling every single strike, he looked up into his prisoner's face – only to be disappointed that the eyes on the beaten and bruised face were closed. He must have slipped into unconsciousness.

"Put him back in the room. And when he comes to, tell Mr. Alcazar that he can look forward to a lot more of this. I find this therapeutic for my anger," he told the guards holding the limp form of their captive.