Author's Note: I've changed some things in the Haunted Star history, mostly because I couldn't exactly remember EVERYTHING that went on, and since this is an alternate universe, it didn't have to be completely perfect in regards to what actually happened on the show. So... my explanation of how Sam and Luke came to co-own the Haunted Star is explained in this chapter.
"Well, it's about time you showed up. I started to think I was finally gonna get to run this place without a cookie's input."
Sam turned slowly towards Luke Spencer, her eyes narrow. Her presence on the Haunted Star was most definitely not her own idea. If she had her way, she would still be at the hospital, sitting at Jason's bedside. The last thing on her mind was taking care of business, especially when that business involved dealing with the town conspiracy theorist.
Jason had insisted, though. He had, in fact, refused to lay still and rest unless Sam left the hospital and got on with her life. Two days in the sterilized hallways of General Hospital were more than enough for her. She had a business to look after, a life outside of the world that Jason lived in, and she had to get back to that. He promised her that as soon as he was healed and business was settled, they'd take that vacation just like they planned.
He also promised that he would stay in bed. Sam wasn't sure how much faith she held in either promise, but the latter was the most dubious. For two days she had pushed him back down onto the bed, insisting that he was in no condition to go out and work. Lorenzo and Carly told him the same thing, and he didn't believe them, either. As far as he was concerned, it was nothing more than a few scratches. Sam didn't exactly call six bullet wounds where three had to be surgically removed a few scratches.
"I am not a cookie." Sam groaned, then walked further into the main casino room. The inside of the boat was a little warmer than the surface level, but it was still cold enough that Sam tightened her arms around herself. The leather of her black jacket squeaked and for a moment, she burrowed her face into her sweater. "And I don't see why we need to meet here, anyway. The ship is docked, the casino's closed for winter and it would be a lot more comfortable to do this at the club."
The cold wasn't the only thing that made the Haunted Star uncomfortable. Aboard this ship was the first time that she encountered Jason Morgan. Back then, everyone wanted their hands on the Haunted Star. The Cassadines claimed that it was their possession. Lorenzo and Luke both wanted it to open a casino. The Quartermaines wanted the money that would be gained by holding the rights to an historical ship. And Sam just wanted to win something, to show that she could change her own luck after failing to destroy the Dead Man's Hand.
Sam's plan had been simple. Scuttle the ship, salvage it, then claim her as her own. Once she was at the bottom of the Atlantic, it was a case of first come, first serve. She had spent her adulthood salvaging scuttle ships and boats. Everyone else would have to find someone to go down and claim her. By the time they found someone to go down there, Sam would already have done the deed and claimed the Haunted Star as her own.
Lorenzo had the same idea, and he was a step ahead of the others. He already had a crew ready to go down for her. All that was necessary was for Jason to go aboard and set the charges. As it happened, he went to scuttle her at the same time as Sam. They also were on the ship at the same time that Helena Cassadine sent her own people to do just that. In the end, they had both saved each other's lives. Jason had put a couple of bullets into Helena's goons before Sam could get shot, and when the bottom of the ship exploded before they could get off, Sam was the one who pulled Jason's unconscious body out of the water.
Luke knocked back three fingers of whiskey, then started to pour again. "It's more private here," he said, leaning against the bar. "Besides, I always have a good time stickin' it to the Ice Queen, and you know, she's gotta be scratchin' her skinless kitty raw over this one."
"Uh huh." Sam sighed and looked around. When the dust had settled, Sam and Luke were left with the claim to the ship. He tried to talk his way into sole ownership and on most, it probably would have worked. Unfortunately, Sam had spent her life bargaining, negotiating and conning people out of what they wanted. She saw Luke's con a mile away, and there was no way she was going to just hand over the Haunted Star. She needed something, and that ship was all that was left. "Ya know, this place changed my life," she said softly.
Luke groaned as he finished his drink and poured another. "Not this again." He grabbed another glass and filled it halfway, then carried it around the bar. He pushed one glass at Sam before crossing to one of the tables and sitting down hard in a chair. "What is it with you dames, huh? Let the past go. It only brings ya down."
Sam snorted a laugh. "This coming from Luke Spencer?" She took a sip of whiskey and looked at him. "You and your Cassadine grudge… You're telling me to let something go."
"Ah, but ya see, darlin', the Cassadines aren't in the past. The Sea Witch is still twistin' her tentacles to get me. And that's all about havin' a good time. What would I do without Helena to play around with? Be bored and listen to Cowboy nag about that half-demon that he calls a brother."
"Uh huh." Sam sat down and rolled her eyes. "Without Helena, you could pay attention to Skye, and I'm sure that'd make her happy."
"Oh, believe me, I know how to make Red happy." Luke winked at her. "You should find out what makes you happy. What makes a dark-haired doll like you twist those lips, huh?"
Sam sighed. "He's in the hospital. Which is where I should be instead of talking to you about a ship that won't even hit the sea and make me any money until the water thaws."
"What you need is a life." He sat his glass down with a thud on the table. "You can sling a good drink or two. How about you pick up the slack at the club for me?"
"Yeah, right. I'm gonna work with you more than I have to." She snickered. "Why is everybody being nice to me all of a sudden? First Carly now you? Am I really that pathetic that I need hand-outs?"
"It's not pity, Sam, it's plain sense. I need somebody seedy to watch over the place when I head out for a little vacation that I like to call Operation Poke Helena With A Cattle Prod." He winked. "And I don't think there's anybody in this place that can run a dive like Luke's as close to how I'd run it."
"You mean keeping it in the red?"
"Exactly. So, whaddya say?"
"I don't know…" She shrugged. That would mean more time away from Jason while he healed. Of course, he'd probably spend most of his time talking business with Lorenzo, anyway. Sam was almost sure that Luke would have asked Lucky if he weren't busy with Lorenzo. But… it was nice to feel useful, to be able to do something that wasn't so directly connected to Jason. The Haunted Star, though it had been mostly her own work, was still connected to Lorenzo through his connections with Luke. He was the silent partner that everyone pretended not to know about. But Luke's… that belonged to Luke, and if she worked there, it was her own spot, her own thing to do. And, on top of it all, she'd be running it. Lorenzo had given The Cellar to Carly. Jason wouldn't have been giving this to Sam.
"Alright," she said, finishing her drink. "You've got a deal. But, do me a favor, alright? Don't bring Helena down on me. It was bad enough the last time I had to deal with her."
"Oh, sugar, you know it's a good time. Rollin' in the muck with the queen of swine."
"For you, maybe. For me…" She shrugged. "It's just another worry that I don't need and believe me. I've got more than enough worries for anybody."
