C L E A N S L A T E

CH 2 Choices

"Jason, I love you" were Sam's last words to Jason. She never thought she would have last words for Jason so soon in their life together. She was supposed to have a lifetime to compose that sentence. She was going to be a great-grandmother when she would have to say those last words. When Sam left the General Hospital, she bid farewell to Monica and Allan. She waved goodbye to Emily who was busy with a patient, and then had one last coffee with Alicia. No one, with the exception of her sister, knew that she wasn't coming back after lunch, nor the next morning, or any time after that.
Sam looked out the window of a train going straight as far south as it would take her. Maybe she should've taken a plane to the other end of the earth. Anywhere but Port Charles is too far and yet not far enough. Sam was right. She had too many second thoughts filling her mind. She swallowed a couple of sleeping pills and waited to fall asleep. She would've taken the whole bottle if it meant she wouldn't have to wake up until she was looking at a flock of pink flamingos. She wouldn't have to think about Jason. She wouldn't be tempted to turn around. Instead she would be staring at a white light. Death never solved anything, just ask Sonny Corinthos.

Sam opened the door at Kelly's, had a quick look around. She found herself doing that the whole day. She didn't realize she was still standing in the doorway.
"Sam"
Sam turned around, "Ali. " Ali saw on her sister's face all the weight of the world. For some reason, she could always tell when Sam's tears were going to well up. She cupped Sam's face with both hands. "Let's get a table, shall we"
They sat and were promptly served by Mike.
"Just coffee?" Mike asked, "How about a nice juicy buffalo burger. On the house. It's new"
Sam smiled, "That sounds great Mike. Can I take a rain check? I just had lunch with Jason"
"How is Jason?" Mike inquired.
"He's doing a lot better. It was for only a couple of days of observation this time. He's coming home tonight, actually"
Ali looked at her. Sam was doing a good job pretending that she wasn't about to disappear. But they were sisters after all. Ali had done the same. Albeit, she wanted to leave. There was nothing worth staying for in her old world. She had a great love with Victorio in Greece. But he turned out to be nothing like what Jason was to Sam. It was only several hours before when Sam dropped the bombshell. She was halfway through her eggs benedict – the only breakfast item she knew how to cook, courtesy of Lucky. Sam had barely eaten her bacon.
"Ali, I'm leaving town and I need you to cover for me, just once, for Jason." Sam had said to her in one breath.
"You're leaving? When?" She asked.
"Today. After lunch"
"Ok. Where to"
"Alicia… I'm going away. I'm not coming back, and its better that you don't know where I'm headed. I don't really know where myself actually." Sam said, hoping her inquisitive little sister wouldn't ask anymore questions. But who was she kidding.
"Sam," Alicia said, looking straight into Sam's eyes, "What are you doing"
"It's for the best"
"Running away? That never"
"Solved anything?" Sam interrupted. "You did"
"That's different. I was running for my life," Alicia stood up and put her plate in the sink.
"Just do this for me, Al." Sam said, with exhaustion in her voice. She had been fighting for months. Fighting everyone and everything. First Jason, then Sonny, the "families", then the Quartermaines, then the PCPD and the FBI. She had nothing left. The resolve in her was depleted. If she was going to beg, she would do it. For this, she was. "Please don't ask me anymore questions." She said, nearly tears.
Alicia turned to her, "Sam. I just found you. You're my twin sister. How often does that happen? And we actually get along. I've finally found a life somewhere and I'm so happy. Now you're telling me that you're leaving. You tell me you don't know where and you're never coming back? There's a better way to fix this"
"There isn't. Either Jason dies or I die if I don't leave. It's the only way… And no one can know about it. No one Ali. I know you and Lucky have been moving pretty fast. He's a great guy. But he can not know, you understand"
"Understand? I haven't even agreed to it. Isn't there another way? Let's call Lucky. He would know. He'd find a way. God, he's Luke Spencer's son, after all"
"He's also bound by the law. It's funny. He was the one who gave me the idea"
"What? He told you to disappear"
"Not in so many words. I ran into him at the hospital last week. We talked for a while. You're not supposed to know this, but that special assignment he's been on? Well he's been assigned to Jason's case. I'm not supposed to know either but I knew that's why he was there. He was expressing his frustration at Jason's case and the mob war. He said that the only way Jason will go into witness protection is if he had nothing to keep him here, in Port Charles. If I wasn't on Durant's hit list, Jason would have cooperated a long time ago. But Durant's a relentless sonofabitch"
"With a bitch of a daughter," Alicia added.
Sam laughed a little. "So you see," Sam began.
"I still don't, Sam. I've never understood anything Jason has done. If he doesn't love you anymore, Sam, why won't he just cooperate? Is it Sonny"
It was painful to hear. 'He doesn't love you anymore.' It was painful to know it in her heart, but to hear it was a different story, especially coming from him.
"Jason doesn't love me the way he used to, not anymore. But he knows that he did. He knows because I told him. He knows by the way I am around him. He said he could see why the old Jason loved me and why he loved me so much. But…" Sam began to cry, "He can't feel it. He can't go back. He said he tried, but that was all he did. That was what he was doing when we all thought he had recovered from the first time he collapsed. When we all thought he was back. He says he still cares about me. Everything about him is back you know; especially the loyalty; everything except the man who loved me. That's why he's keeping his mouth shut; because his only way out will put a lot of people in prison – including me"
"Sam. I am so sorry"
"Jason is being released later today"
"That's why you're leaving today"
"Yes. At the last possible moment"
"But he's gonna come after you. If you were going to flee you should've left days ago"
"He won't come after me. That's why I bothered to tell you"
"What is it Sam"
"Ali, Jason won't come after me if he doesn't know I ever left."

"Oh, great. Can I come by and see him?" Mike asked as he poured a cup of coffee for Sam and Alicia.
"Actually, I'll call him and tell him to meet me tonight here. He's been craving burgers all week, what with all the hospital food. He can try your new buffalo burgers." Sam said.
Sam looked at Ali.
"As long as you try some too," said Mike, "Alicia maybe you can bring Lucky over and make it a double date"
"I'd love to but Lucky is swamped at work," Alicia replied, "He gets absolutely no help these days. So it's just me and my reality show tonight"
"I can't believe you watch that crap," Sam quipped.
"You should try watching it sometime. You might like it." Alicia answered back.
"Well, I guess just Sam and Jason tonight. I'll save you a table," Mike said as he went back to the kitchen.
"Thanks Mike." Sam and Alicia said in unison.
"You ever make Lucky watch that show you watch, the ballroom dancing one?" Sam asked.
"He likes it thank you very much. He even has a crush on one of the contestants. Anyway, he'll be at work tonight. So there won't be a problem on that end"
"Are you sure? If he's at work, there's a chance that"
"I can handle it, Sam. There's nothing to worry about"
"Good. I will always be grateful for what you've done"
"Thank me when it's done, sister"
The bell rang, indicating that someone was entering Kelly's. Mike emerged from the kitchen. He saw the patron coming in. "Oh, hi Elizabeth," he said from across the room.
"Hey, Mike." Liz said back. She saw Sam at one of the tables. She wasn't at work today and didn't have a chance to see Jason, but she knew he was being released today. She approached Sam's table. "Hi , Sam"
Sam looked up. "Actually, that's Alicia"
"Hi," Alicia said. She was less than annoyed. It was probably because Liz had broken Lucky's heart.
"Oh my gosh. I am so sorry, Sam. Alicia"
"It's okay. It's kind of funny when that happens." Sam said. She was going to miss Liz.
"I just. Sometimes I can't tell you two apart." Liz said.