Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. The powers that be at General Hospital do. They just don't use them very well. There are some original characters in here as well.

Feedback: Is greatly appreciated. If you like it tell me why, if you don't, please tell me what you don't like. It's how I learn.

Author's notes: A lot of the characters on GH will be in this fic, if you don't see them right away give me time. I like fic's with a lot of characters in them, so that is how I write them.

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What If…

Chapter 20

~Warehouse~

"Get the rest of the bags off of him." Sonny snapped out orders, "Get Kimberly over here now."

He moved closer and put a finger on the carotid artery in Jason's neck, he closed his eyes in relief when he found the steady beat of his pulse. "Hang in there man."

"Excuse me." A feminine voice sounded from behind him. He turned to see a woman push her way through the men and hurry to Jason's other side.

"Kimberly help him." Sonny said.

"How long has he been out?" She asked taking Jason's pulse.

"I don't know a couple of minutes." Sonny watched her open Jason's eyes to check his pupils.

"How many bags fell on him?"

"They all fell."

"On his head?" She asked running her hand over the back of his neck and shoulders checking his alignment.

"No." Sonny looked up, "Dean how many on the flat?"

"20 per section." Dean said, "I pulled 3 off before I found his head." He shuffled his feet, "Is he going to be alright?"

Jason groaned suddenly drawing Sonny's attention back to him. "Jason are you okay?"

"Rory." Jason muttered his eyes still closed. He moved on the ground, open his eyes fluttered open and he focused blearily on the dark haired woman beside him. "Rory?" But he knew immediately it wasn't her, he closed his eyes again.

"She's fine Jason." Sonny said trying to calm him.

"Jason can you hear me?" Kimberly asked.

Jason fought his way out of the darkness, opening his eyes again slowly, everything seemed blurry, and a little out of focus. He shut his eyes and waited a minute before trying it again. This time the blurs gradually came together and he recognized Sonny on his left and a woman on his right. "Yes."

"Good. I need you to move your hands for me." She told him. "Can you do that?"

Jason moved his left arm, hand and wiggled his fingers no problem.

"Now you're other hand."

"Why is it getting dark again?" Jason asked quietly, their faces and everything was going dim. He closed his eyes to stop it, but when he opened them again it was still dark.

"What do you mean?" Sonny demanded.

"It's dark, the lights gone."

Sonny looked at Kimberly in concern, before looking around again. "Jesus Dean back up." He shouted, the big man had edged closer and was blocking the light.

"Sorry." Dean said backing off.

"I can see now." Jason admitted moving his right arm and hand with a grimace.

"Where does it hurt?" Kimberly asked. Her fingers were lightly probing his arm and shoulder looking for the injury.

"Near the shoulder." Jason shrugged it grimacing at the pain. "It's not broken, I took most of the weight on it, it's just bruised."

"Can you sit up?" She asked. "Sonny help him."

With their help Jason slowly sat up, the room only spun around twice while he was doing it.

"Alright same drill can you move your legs for me?"

Jason could and Sonny finally let out the breath he had been holding ever since that rope had snapped.

"Help me get him to first aid, I want to check him for a concussion." Kimberly said standing up.

"Dean, help me get him up." Sonny yelled.

Dean came back to help and Jason pushed him away. "I can do it." He struggled to his feet and felt the world turn again.

Sonny shook his head, reaching out to steady him.

Jason took a step only to stop. "Rory."

"What about her?"

Jason couldn't explain the feeling he had, he just knew something was wrong with Rory. "Something's wrong."

"Yeah Jason you just got over 60 lbs. Dumped on your head." Sonny snapped. "She's fine you need to be checked out."

Jason took another step before sagging against Dean, who pulled Jason's arm around his neck and half carried him to the first aid room. Jason didn't try to resist. "Sonny find her." He knew something was wrong.

"I will." Sonny called trailing them to the office. "Johnny?"

"Yes?" Johnny asked moving up beside him.

"Get hold of Rory, hers should be the last number on Jason's phone. Don't tell her anything, just give her to me when you get her." Sonny turned back and studied the destruction on the floor. Something wasn't right, he had a feeling that this wasn't an accident. "Then find out why that rope snapped."

"Yes Boss."

~River~

Lucky was trying not to panic he was sinking faster and faster. He tried to bend to find the end of the net but the net was so tight on him and the water so murky he couldn't see. His lungs were burning the need for oxygen intense. He was so close to having everything again he couldn't die now.

Panic begin to set in and he thrashed around in the water, fear of never seeing Elizabeth again, propelling his desperate fight for life. He opened his mouth to scream and the water rushed in, causing him to gag, his struggles grew weaker and weaker until they stopped altogether.

~Docks~

"I'm telling you I saw someone get pushed into the water." Alexis told Jax dragging him to the waters edge.

"Then why haven't they surfaced?" Jax asked looking in the water and seeing nothing.

"I don't know." Alexis snapped. The water was murky she couldn't see very far. "Do something."

"What?" He asked, "You want me to jump in, because you might have seen someone? Alexis I love you but you have lousy eyesight."

She hit him in the shoulder. "Jax, lousy eyesight or not, I saw someone get pushed in the water, it looked like Lucky Spencer."

"Lucky?"

Alexis turned to see Luke in his trademark sunglasses and black stocking cap. "Yes I think he's in the water." She barely finished speaking before Luke had shed his coat and glasses and dove into the water.

They waited for him to surface, Jax reached for her hand. "He'll be fine."

Luke surfaced finally. "Help me he's caught in a net."

Jax let go of her hand and immediately dove in the water after Luke.

~Restaurant~

"Yes I would like the Belgian waffles, with a side of shave bacon, freshly squeezed orange juice, also the Crepes Suzette, with sausage as a side." Marin placed his order. "I shall require another place setting there is something on this fork, and that will not do."

"Certainly sir." Penny quickly removed his setting, noticing there was nothing on the fork.

"That is all." He said in dismissal. He would be so glad to get back to Paris, the cuisine in this area left a lot to be desired.

He glanced at his watch, by now all three should be dead or at least seriously injured. A cold smile crossed his face, turning his handsome face into a sinister mask.

Penny set down his orange juice and quickly hurried away. The man's smile gave her the chills. She went to the kitchen to hurry his order.

It really had been a shame he had to kill Rory Nichols so soon. She had seemed so full of life, he had always enjoyed draining the life out of people like that slowly. But the client always got what they wanted. He shrugged still it was a pity.

~Warehouse~

"Okay just a few more questions." Kimberly said bringing a penlight up to check Jason's eyes again, the pupils were reacting normally.

Jason sighed he hated any type of medical situation. Kimberly may be nice, and he may still be in the warehouse, but this had the smell of hospital all over it, and he hated hospitals. They made him feel trapped. "It's April 17, 2001, I'm in Port Charles, New York, the President is some guy from Texas that I didn't vote for."

Kimberly backed away with a smile. "Good one more question. Who's going to win the Pennant this year?"

Sonny snorted from the door, while Jason looked at her in surprise, "A ball team."

Sonny laughed.

She glared at Jason and then Sonny, "Well he must be a friend of yours his head is hard enough."

"I don't have a hard head." Sonny said moving into the room.

She laughed moving to the counter, "Right."

"Did you get a hold of Rory?" Jason asked when Kimberly came back with a bandage for the cut on his forehead.

"No Johnny's trying but she still must be out of range. I'm sure she's fine." Sonny said trying to ease Jason's mind. "How about you?"

"I'm fine."

"I'd rather hear that from her." Sonny said.

"He's doing good. No concussion, the cut isn't bad enough for stitches, nothing is broken in his arm, so it probably is just bruised. I tried to get him to go to the E.R. to look at his wrist but he growled at me."

"Jason growling at women." Sonny chided, "That's not nice."

"It's okay, I know how to handle him." Kimberly said turning from the counter armed with a shot with a very long needle.

"What's that for?" Jason eyed her warily.

"Tetanus shot." She said sweetly moving closer.

"I don't need a shot." Jason snapped jumping down from the exam table.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of a little needle?" Kimberly asked with a smirk. "Now be good and I'll give you one of Sonny's lollipops."

Sonny smothered his laugh with his hand when Jason glared at him. "Fine." He snapped.

"Good." She said, "Now drop them."

"Can't you just give me a shot in the arm?"

She could but what fun was that? "No. Don't worry I have given lots of shots in the posterior. Just ask Sonny and the others. I used to work for the Red Cross." Kimberly moved behind him, "So drop your pants Jason."

Jason turned to glare at Sonny who wisely got out of the room before letting the laugh out.

~Dock~

"1&2&3&4&5 Breathe." Jax counted pumping on Lucky's chest, while Alexis blew air in his mouth. Once he and Luke had gotten Lucky on the dock, Luke seemed to shut down at the sight of his unconscious and not breathing son. He had started CPR immediately.

"Lucky." Nikolas yelled racing down the dock to them. "What happened?" He demanded of Luke while Alexis continued trying to put air back in Lucky's system. "What happened?" He yelled again turning Luke to face him.

Nikolas's anger woke Luke. "Cowboy was in the water." He said pulling free, he heard Lucky gasp and spit out some water trying to take a breath.

Jax rolled him on his side to help expel more water. Lucky gagged and coughed, his eyes were still closed but he was breathing.

"Thank God."

~Restaurant~

Marin pushed his plate away the food here was better than he had expected. He pulled out a cigar, Cuban of course, and lit it just when his cell phone rang. "Marin."

"I had expected a more complete update."

Marin straightened in his chair and blew the smoke towards the ceiling, ignoring the evil looks from the other diners. "I told you, I handled Ms. Nichols personally. I arranged for Mr. Morgan and Mr. Spencer's accidents to happen at roughly the same time. I have heard from my people, neither man is dead but they will be slowed."

"Good I need more time to get everything arranged, I trust Ms. Nichols' quest for her past has been delayed as well?"

He smiled. "I handled her personally, she won't be researching her past anymore."

"What do you mean by that Mr. Marin?"

His smile faded when he heard the ice in the other voice. "By now she should be at the bottom of a lake."

"That would be most inconvenient for you, if she is."

"Why?" Marin sucked on his cigar.

"I was told that you were the best, that is why I acquired your services. Now I believe I was mistaken. I do not like to be mistaken about someone I hire. If I had wanted the girl I would have killed her years ago."

"You told me…" Marin began a slight trickle of unease penetrating his system.

"What I told you Mr. Marin, was to slow her down. For you sake she better not be dead. If she is I shall be extremely displeased. You don't want to displease me. Do you understand?"

"Yes." The unease had turned to fear, his was a cutthroat business, and he knew what would happen to him for failure.

"I suggest you get her out of that lake, or make your own arrangements."

Marin closed his phone, dropped a $100 on the table and rushed from the restaurant. Long forgotten prayers the nuns had drilled into him raced through his mind while he started his car. For the first time in his life he was praying that he had failed in a job.

~Warehouse~

Jason walked out of the First Aid station and glared at an openly grinning Sonny. "Where the hell did you get her?"

"We needed a nurse, Eddie's new wife was a nurse, and she brightens up the warehouse." Sonny grinned, "I gave her a job."

"Has Carly met her?" Jason asked glancing back at the tall, pretty nurse, who was putting away her equipment.

"No." Sonny said getting to his feet, "Why would that matter?"

Jason smirked, "How long has she worked here?"

"Two months, why?" Sonny fidgeted.

"You know you're going too have to fire her." Jason said leaning against the wall, his body was aching but he was finding amusement in Sonny's predicament.

"Why?" Sonny asked.

"Carly."

"Carly doesn't tell me who to hire or fire." Sonny snapped heading to his office. So maybe he had arranged it so the two had never met. His wife tended to get jealous although there was no reason for her to be, he loved her. But still he wasn't anxious for her to meet Kimberly.

Jason followed him, "She won't like it, and she'll make your life a living hell until you do fire her."

"Shut up Jason, we needed a nurse, I hired nurse, that's all she is."

"A nurse who knows you like lollipops." Jason said from the door.

"Christ you have been around Rory too much." Sonny grumbled dropping into his chair.

"Have you reached her yet?" Jason asked teasing forgotten.

"No." Sonny was sorry he brought it up, he could see that Jason was still worried.

"Where the hell is she?"

~Cliff~

Pain the likes of which she could never remember feeling gradually came through the fog that she was cocooned in. Rory breathed in and out trying to find a rhythm to block the pain, and she slowly opened her eyes. She felt the bile rise in her throat, and darkness swam in front of her eyes, dimming the bright sunlight coming through the windshield. She closed her eyes, fisted her right hand, and began to count in her head, anything to force the pain back, to edge the darkness back. Jason's image appeared in her mind and she latched on to it, on to him like he was her lifeline. She concentrated until she could see his eyes clearly, until she could see crinkle in the corner of his eyes when he smiled at her. The darkness backed off, and she managed to control the worst of the pain. She didn't know if hours or minutes had passed, but she finally felt in control again.

She opened her eyes to take in her surroundings. She gave a mental thank you to Mike Villaobous who taught her how to handle a car in a spin. It had worked she was still alive. She looked out the broken windshield in front of her. It took a while for her to realize that her car was at an angle, and that was why the trees seemed to be growing sideways, she sighed in relief.

She turned her head, and let out a moan of pain. She kept her eyes closed until the dizziness passed, she brought her right hand up to brush at her eyes. She focused on her hand dismayed to find it covered with blood. "Head wounds bleed a lot Rory." She told herself, trying to remain calm. She closed her eyes and tried to remain calm, when she opened them she focused on the rocks and bushes outside her window, surrounding her car.

She groaned and turned her head back to the front, her eyes latching on the rear view mirror that was still hanging on the broken windshield. "Jesus." She managed when she finally identified the blue in the mirror as water. She realized she was on the side of the cliff, about to drop into a lake or a river. The water was pretty far away still, that meant she still had a fall in front of her. "Oh God."

She needed to get out of the car, she needed help, she needed Ja…, she needed to get out of the car. She looked around and spotted her cell phone on the floor in front of the passenger seat. She unlatched her seatbelt, and shifted to reach for the phone. She screamed when pain ripped through her body, this time the blackness was too powerful and she passed out.

~Docks~

"Take it easy Lucky." Alexis said helping him move into a sitting position.

Lucky coughed spitting out more water. "I-I'm okay."

Alexis turned to the crowd of onlookers behind her. "Did anyone call for an ambulance?"

"I don't need to go to the hospital." Lucky said starting to shiver.

"Lucky you were unconscious, you swallowed enough of the Port Charles River that you need a test for toxins, you weren't breathing for several minutes. You have to go to the hospital." Jax said.

Luke moved forward dropping his coat around Lucky's shoulders. "They're right Cowboy you need to go."

"So now you're a doctor too?" Lucky demanded his voice came out in a weak croak. His throat was burning and his stomach was churning, he couldn't seem to stop shaking.

"Lucky, I had to make you breath again. You have to be checked out, to make sure there isn't a build up of Nitrogen in your lungs." Jax explained, his words made Lucky focus on him. "I was a lifeguard, it's a standard procedure after any CPR rescue."

Luke looked at Jax with an expression of grudging respect, when he noticed Lucky listening.

Nikolas moved forward then. "Lucky you have too. If you are hurt, what will I tell Lulu?"

Lucky groaned setting off another coughing fit. He could hear the sirens getting closer. "Fine I'll go, as long as he stays here." He said pointing to Luke.

"Coming through." A Paramedic said wheeling a stretcher through the crowd towards Lucky.

Nikolas stood, moved out of their way and crossed to Luke. "I'll go with him, and I'll make sure Bobbie is with him the whole time."

Luke studied Nikolas, he couldn't help the feeling of anger he always felt when he looked at his wife's other son. This time it wasn't as strong. "Don't tell Laura, she'll just show up, and he'll leave."

Nikolas nodded amazed that Luke was almost civil to him. He moved to follow the stretcher.

"And keep Count Vlad away."

Nikolas shook his head, he should have known better.

Luke stared after his son for a minute before focusing on Alexis and Jax. "First thanks for my son." Luke said slowly, he hated to thank people but Lucky would have been dead without their help.

Alexis stared at him in shock. Had he swallowed some of the river too?

"Now Natasha, you want to tell me exactly what went on here?" Luke asked checking his pockets and pulling out a damp cigar. He glared at it, before putting it in his mouth.

~Cliff~

Rory was jerked into consciousness when the car dropped, pressing her against the seat. She opened her eyes and stared at the cell phone, which was closer to the seat now. She tried to move her left arm to pick it up, and screamed in agony. There was something wrong with her arm.

She slowly craned her neck and tried to study her arm, she saw the awkward way it was hanging, either it was broken or her shoulder was dislocated. The car dropped again, she closed her eyes and fought for breath. She could hear the water now, she was falling closer and closer.

She had to get out of the car before it fell the rest of the way. With a broken arm or a dislocated shoulder she might not be able to get out of the car if it hit the water. Besides the windows were broken, the water would find her pretty quickly. "Not to mention it's April in New York, not too warm." She murmured. "Enough with the depressing thoughts Nichols."

She had to get out now and away from the car before it fell any further. The car dropped another few feet then, causing her to grip the seat in fear. "Okay you can do this." She prepared to sit up, "Just think of Jason." She took another deep breath before pushing off with her right hand trying to sit up. She caught her left arm on the steering wheel, "Jason." His name was wrenched out of her as agony caused the world to go black again.

~Warehouse~

Jason moved through the warehouse heading for the open bay door when he came up short. Johnny who was trailing him stopped quickly so he didn't hit him. A feeling ran through Jason, a feeling he had only felt once before so it took a minute for him to identify it as fear. He glanced around trying to find it's source, he could see a large group of people on the docks, but that wasn't it. He shook his head trying to shake the feeling, but he couldn't. His senses were screaming at him that something was wrong, and those senses had been right too many times in the past for him to ignore it. "Johnny."

"Yes?"

"My phone." He held out his hand still staring at the docks, but he wasn't seeing it. He was seeing Rory, how she had looked this morning when he had left, her head buried by the pillow. He hadn't kissed her goodbye. He shook his head, he'd kiss her later to make up for it.

Johnny watched him hit re-dial on the phone. He wondered if Jason was okay, he had a strange look on his face.

"We're sorry the customer you have dialed is out of the service area."

"Damn'it Rory where are you?"

~Cliff~

Marin hurried to the spot he had pushed her car over the edge. He had parked a ¼ mile away so as not to attract any attention. He hoped he was not too late. He hated making mistakes, and that hatred had already found an outlet. He blamed his error on Rory Nichols. If she were still alive, he would take great pleasure in making her regret that fact at some point in the future.

He moved to look over the edge just in time to see her car plunge the last 50 feet or so into the lake below. It landed on its trunk them flopped over. He watched the wheels sink below the surface, he was too late, she was dead and so was he.