A/N: Here's another long one...I kinda got on a roll! Love the feedback from everyone, really - and I would love comments on the writing style, flow of the story, etc. (I'm trying not to make it impossible to read, but if I'm failing let me know!) Enjoy!

Queen of the Elevn City - you will be pleased!

ILuvCarson - I'm not sure but wait for the next chapter ;)

CareBearErin - Thanks for the review. I seriously appreciate analysis - it helps me with the direction and flow of the story.

Chapter 7

Sam mumbled softly as the sunlight came in through Jason's window. She slowly raised her head and looked around. She and Jason had fallen asleep, fully clothed, but in each other's arms. She tilted her head to stare into his peaceful face.

"Checking on Sonny, moving you back in..."

She thought about his words and bit her lip. He said them as he was falling asleep, and though she knew Jason always meant what he said, maybe this time was different. She moved herself out of his arms, and stood up. So much has happened, she thought, walking around the room as though she had never been in it before. She began to think of ways to get out of what he said about her moving in, just in case he didn't really mean it. I've got to get a job and pay Sonny back, I can still stay at Kelly's...

A loud knock at the door shook Sam from her thoughts. She looked over at the alarm clock. 7:30am. Who in the hell visits at this hour? She bound down the stairs as the knocking became more insistent.

"Jason, I come... bringing gifts," Carly's tone went from overly excited to monotone as Sam swung open the door. She had a huge bag from Kelly's and two cups of what smelled like coffee and orange juice in each of her hands. Carly pushed past Sam and set the breakfast food on the desk by the door.

"Well, good morning to you too, Carly," Sam said, as she tried to straighten her disheveled appearance. She brushed her hair out of her face, and reached past Carly to grab a rubber band off Jason's desk. Pulling her hair back, she waited for the interrogation to begin.

"What are you doing here?" Carly looked at her suspiciously. At least she has clothes on, she thought to herself.

Right on cue, Sam quipped in her mind. "Jason wanted to come home after AJ's memorial, so I brought him back and I'm helping him out."

"Yeah, ok," Carly sighed and looked at Sam again. She knew how Jason felt about Sam, but it didn't mean she had to approve. "Well, look, you can take off now because I can stay and help Jason."

"Sam," Jason whispered, as he walked gradually down the steps. He woke up as soon as he realized she wasn't next to him.

"Hey, hey," Sam walked past Carly and tucked herself under Jason's arm, guiding him to the couch. "You, sir, are not supposed to be out of bed."

"You weren't there," he replied, looking at her sheepish grin. Her smile is contagious, he thought as he repressed his own. His head rose to the aroma of the coffee sitting on his desk, and Carly standing beside it.

"I was worried about you, Jase," Carly stifled the impulse to give Sam a dirty look, "especially when you didn't go back to the hospital. I thought you might need some help."

"I'm ok," Jason eased off of Sam and sat on the couch. He could tell Carly wanted something else – he knew that look in her eye. Carly only buttered him up with breakfast for a reason. He looked up at Sam and smiled appreciatively, and she took the hint.

"I'm gonna get some coffee of my own, and breakfast," Sam said, never taking her eyes off Jason. "Don't you look at me like that – it's just toast!"

Carly made her way to the couch and pulled out a scone and some juice. "I know, it's not coffee, but I didn't think you were supposed to have any. So what's she doing here?" Carly lowered her voice in case Sam was eavesdropping.

"Ok, I'm not talking about Sam," Jason looked intently into Carly's eyes. "Why don't you tell me what you're doing here, before 8am, and with breakfast?" The glint in his eye meant Carly hadn't fooled him for a second.

She reached back into the bag and pulled out her favorite donut. She took a huge bite and looked at Jason with rounded cheeks. "Huh?"

He laughed, and then gasped in pain. Carly swallowed her donut hard. "I'm sorry Jase... I thought laughter was the best medicine."

"It is," Jason put his hand over Carly's. "You know I'm ok, even if I bust a stitch watching you eat." He chuckled a little softer. "But that's not why you came by, so just tell me."

Carly swallowed hard again. "Sam said you went to AJ's memorial."

"Yeah, I went for Emily and Monica," Jason looked down. He still wasn't entirely comfortable talking about the Quartermaines, or calling Monica his mother to Carly.

"So... do you already know about the investigation into his death?" Carly didn't want to come out and say it. She didn't even want to believe it was true – that this was the final nail in the Foursome's coffin.

"Alan thinks Courtney did it," Jason sighed and looked at Carly. "And that she and AJ weren't divorced, so Courtney and I were never really married." He grabbed Carly's hand as she looked upset. "I also know... that I'm ok."

"Agent Marshall," Max said as Reese approached the front door. She gave him an appreciative smile as he opened the door for her. "I told Sonny you'd be here to see him, and get your things."

"Thanks, Max," Reese responded, looking around the foyer of Sonny's home. "I'm just glad everything worked out ok."

"Yeah me, too." Max shut the door behind him, leaving Reese alone to talk with Sonny.

She walked around the foyer and sat on the stairs. She was glad it was over, that Kristina was safe with her parents and Faith couldn't hurt them again. "Now, you want your daughter dead before we get to her, you can keep accusing me, or we can go get her together."The moment on top of the car flashed through her mind, and his eyes boring into hers caused her to quiver. I'm not going there again, she thought, but she couldn't help thinking again, how his arm grazed her waist when he went to shake her hand, how he smelled, and the heat from his body. She had rolled her eyes when Durant had called Sonny "her beau," but she fantasized about it all night. She came over to the house early with the intention of getting her things quickly, but she also wanted to see him again, without any interruptions.

She stood up and smoothed her white sweater out over her jeans, and walked into the living room. She turned on the lights and gasped.

"Sonny, oh my God," she exclaimed as she ran over to him. He was slumped over in his chair, broken glass all over the floor to his right, and a pool of blood had begun to dry on the shards. Reese feared the worst – she knew how much Sonny blamed himself, but she didn't think he'd try to end his life. "Sonny!"

She jerked his head back, and his body followed, enough for her to see he hadn't slit his wrist. She breathed, and called out for Max. "Sonny, please wake up, please," Reese pleaded and shook his head slightly.

Max rushed in just as Sonny was coming to. "Should I get an ambulance?"

"No," Sonny whispered, and Reese and Max both looked relieved. Reese pushed Sonny gently back on the chair, and held up his hand. Sonny grabbed her arm with the other hand. "Don't."

"Max, please get me a first aid kit," she tried not to pay attention to Sonny's words.

"Let it bleed," Sonny said dismally. "Just let it bleed."

"Sonny, I'm either going to fix it here, or call the ambulance – your choice," Reese demanded, and pulled his face into both her hands, so that he would stop looking at his hand. "What's it going to be?"

"Here," he finally sighed, letting his free hand move from Reese's arm to her hand on his face. He looked so broken. She loosened her grip on his face, and just held his hand until Max returned with the first aid kit.

Max dashed upstairs to get the first aid kit, but turned and went into the playroom instead. Whipping out his cell, he hit his speed dial and hoped he wasn't disturbing anyone.

"I got it, don't you move," Sam raced into the room where Carly and Jason seemed deep in conversation when Jason's cell rang. "Hello?"

"Sam, I need to speak to Jason," Max spoke hurriedly. "It's Sonny, and Sam... it's bad."

"Ok, no, um," Sam turned her back to Jason and Carly's stares. "I'll come pick that up right now, no problem. No – I'm coming. Just give me ten minutes, alright." Sam straightened her face and turned back to Jason's expectant look and Carly's suspicious glare.

"I have to run out, really quick, and pick up your other prescription," Sam lied. Damn, she silently cursed herself. "I forgot the one you have to take at night. I'll be right back." She grabbed her jacket and attempted to look casual. She winked at Jason and closed the door behind her.

Carly turned back to Jason. "A prescription, Jason?"

Jason was sure it wasn't about the prescription, and he couldn't hide it from Carly. He picked up the scone and stuffed half of it in his mouth. "Huh?"

"Pass the juice," Edward said softly to Tracy. Cook had brought their breakfast to the family room as usual, and was surprised to see everyone already assembled – and dead silent. Monica and Alan were sitting on the couch, staring into their mugs of coffee, while Ned stood looking out the windows that led to the terrace. Edward and Tracy sat together, hands clasped and eating mutely. Everyone was waiting for Emily.

She and Edward had stayed out in Lila's garden for almost 2 hours. After first they said nothing. The fact that he didn't ask questions, he just held her hand and talked about what the rose bushes would look like in the spring calmed Emily. She finally talked – about Grandmother, about Paige. When she knew he wasn't going to ask about what happened at the house, she cried into his chest, and he simply held her. She told him everything – about the plan to trap Helena, about Connor, how Helena had taunted her in the crypt saying she enjoyed sleeping with Connor as if she knew what happened, how she revealed all to the family, and how lost and alone she felt. They sat quietly until Emily said she needed to sleep, and Edward walked her back to the house, again promising to stand by any decision she made from here on out.

"Daddy," Tracy shook Edward's hand slightly, "are you ever going to tell us what Emily said?" She could tell that's what he was thinking about, but he hadn't said a word about it last night or all morning.

"There's nothing to tell," Edward said sternly.

Monica and Alan walked over to the table. "Yes there is, Edward." Monica looked at him with contempt. "If Emily confided in you, you have to tell us – so we can all help her through this!"

"Monica's right, Father," Alan said behind his wife. He had been silent since Emily left the house, replaying her hurtful words to him over and over in her mind. "We all want to be there for her."

"Not necessary," Emily shouted from the doorway. She looked brand new – her hair was in soft waves, and complemented her glowing face. She had on an orange turtleneck and cardigan and cords, her tennis shoes never made a sound as she walked to face them. Monica was the first to notice her duffle bag on her shoulder.

"Emily, what's going on? Where are you going?" Monica wanted to speak with her daughter in private, and feared she wouldn't get the chance to explain what happened, and her part in telling Nikolas.

"Grandfather, do you mind helping me to the car?" Emily ignored her mother, and walked back to the door.

"Sure, sweetheart," Edward stood swiftly, and followed behind Emily, leaving the rest of the family to wonder what was going on. Monica started out after them, but Tracy grabbed her arm.

"Let him talk to her, Monica. We'll get it out of him later."

Edward and Emily continued to the car that was waiting for Emily. "Emily, I won't ask if you don't want me to." Edward didn't want her to leave anymore than her parents did, but he promised her to do things her way.

"It's alright," Emily smiled half-heartedly. She was so happy to finally have someone on her side that she didn't mind telling him her plans. "I'm going back to Spoon Island. I don't want the vultures that consider themselves my parents hovering over me. I'm going to square away a few things there, and run errands, and then I'll call you, ok?" She reached out for his hand. "Don't worry – I know exactly what I'm doing."

"Oh, how this place has been sullied by that insignificant twit," Helena scowled as she sat at Nikolas' desk. She grabbed the picture he had of him and Emily and ran her finger along his face. "My poor Nikolas, rotting away in a state facility because you refuse to take me seriously."

She walked around the desk, still clutching the picture in her hand. She looked into Nikolas beaming eyes. "My darling, you are so much like your father, and your father's father, and probably the entire line of Cassadine men. You are all afflicted with a large heart and infantile minds. Your lack of focus and ability to recognize tour potential greatness is always foiled once you hit puberty." She huffed, and her gaze tuned to Emily, the smile that conjured murderous scenarios that would make Charles Manson shudder uncontrollably.

"And you all fall for the same incipit, vile banes of all existence, for their simple smiles and 'good hearts,'" Helena spit venomously as she tilted her head and extended the picture in front of her. "But I will rescue you my darling, I promise." She threw the picture down as hard as she could and smiled mockingly at the glass shattered around her feet. "And you will thank me."

Helena laughed as she pushed the book against the wall, and slipped into the tunnel.

"I've been trying to get a hold of you all night, where were you?" Rachel spoke in hushed tones on the pier into her cell.

"And I didn't answer you for a reason," AJ retorted. "How am I supposed to keep a low profile if you keep calling me every day? Now what do you have to report?"

"Well, Kung-Fu Barbie left me alone with her beau last night," Rachel snickered. "I got him to tell me all about his business ventures, which you know I already know." Rachel had done her homework, with and without AJ, on all the people involved in their little scheme. She was never one to do a job half-ass, which is why AJ teamed up with her in the first place.

"So? Who did Courtney go see last night?" AJ was hoping his wife had gone to his brother, so he could trap them both in his game.

"I don't know, but I was thinking..." Rachel started.

"What do you mean you don't know? Your job is to ruin Courtney, not play footsie with her boy toy –" AJ calmed down slightly as he started to work within Rachel's mind. "You want to break them up, don't you?"

"I figured it would be a nice bonus," Rachel grinned again. "I know you want her to go down for your 'murder,' but she's not playing by the rules, so we may need to change the plan. I say we take her down little by little, I mean extend our fun for all it's worth." Rachel knew she was appealing to AJ's enjoyment of torturing Courtney, and this way she could get rid of Steven, do her job for AJ, and come away with a prize all her own.

"Can't happen," AJ responded into the receiver. He had planned this for years, and he learned from his past attempts at improvisation. "I don't care if you want someone to warm your sheets at night – I gave you the money you wanted, now do as we agreed.Oh – and call her Daisy." With that, he hung up laughing and threw himself on the king size bed in his hotel room.

"Damn him," Rachel closed her cell. He's lucky I didn't really kill his ass, she thought. She turned with her head down, and walked right into a man's muscular chest. "Sorry," Rachel started to say but stopped hen she realized who she was talking to.

"I take it your call didn't go well, Rachel," Lorenzo looked at the blonde with shining, mischievous eyes. He leaned and kissed her on the cheek when she smiled and shrugged.

"You two up for some more visitors?" Lesley slid her head into Lucky's room, where he and Liz were holding hands. Lulu ran and Liz had to sweep her up quickly before she jumped onto Lucky's bed.

"Careful there," Liz eased Lulu onto the bed and walked over to Lesley, who had Cameron in her arms. "Hello, my big boy. I got you, yes!" She took Cameron out of Lesley's hands and swung him up in the air. "Thanks for bringing him here."

"Well, you have been wearing yourself out, young lady, taking care of my grandson," Lesley smiled at Liz and smoothed Cameron's hair. "I'm sure he missed his mommy, so Audrey let me take him out of the hospital day care to see the both of you."

"Thanks, Gram," Lucky called out from the bed. He had been staring at Elizabeth so much he barely heard Lulu talking about school and ice skating with her friends. She looked so beautiful holding her son, laughing when he grabbed at the curls in her hair.

"Lucky, when are you getting out of here? We haven't even had a snowball fight yet," Lulu complained lovingly. She knew something was seriously wrong with her brother, but she wasn't going to let on that she wasn't as unaware as everyone thought.

Liz walked over to them and sat down on Lucky's bed. Cameron climbed out of her arms and up Lucky's chest. Before Liz could snatch him back, Lucky reached for the little boy and let him pull out the breathing tube.

"Thanks, Cam, I needed that," Lucky smiled and cradled the little boy in his arms. Liz would pay the hospital if she could just freeze frame this moment – her little boy in Lucky's arms and them smiling at her. "Lulu," Lucky continued, "Liz and I were just talking about that, and she's going to check on it for me, ok?"

"Ok!" Lulu exclaimed and hugged Lucky and Cameron.

Luke watched the happy family scene from outside the window. He hadn't talked to Lucky since he woke up and told him he pulled the plug. He sighed and started to walk away, when he ran smack into Skye.

"Where do you think you're going?" Skye looked annoyed. "For someone who's not a coward, you sure do like running away from people."

"Blaze, if I indulge you once, you're gonna expect it all the time," Luke quipped, and went to walk past her again, but she jumped out.

"You didn't answer me, and you're not leaving until you do! Where are you going Luke? The Haunted Star, the park benches, B.F.E – all to drown your sorrows? Well Lucky's not going away, and neither am I! So when are you going to face the people that love you?"

He put his hand on her shoulder. "Love means never having to ask too many questions."

"I haven't heard that one, Luke."

"Well, neither have I, but it applies," Luke stared into Skye's concerned eyes. "If you must know, I'm off to catch a psychopath. If you wanna help, keep everyone occupied and out of my way. If you don't, just keep your mouth shut."

His biting words stung Skye. She thought she had seen a moment of tenderness in his expression, and then he went back to being Luke. "Fine, fine! Maybe if you end up in a hospital bed, you and Lucky can share a room and we'll both get our wish." She turned away from him and they both walked in opposite directions.

Nikolas walked between two guards lifelessly. He had been officially released from solitary after Emily's parents had come to see him. Though he was grateful they had called in a favor, he wasn't sure what to do now. At least in solitary no one could see him pace and hit his head against the wall repeatedly – every time he thought of Emily attacked by Connor.

The guards turned down the opposite corridor from Nikolas' old cell. "Where are you taking me?" Nikolas asked them, confused. He began to look at their faces, hoping it was someone Luke or Lucky had sent to help him escape, but didn't recognize them. They shuffled him along, never looking at his face.

Stopping in front of a small room, one Nikolas had come to know as the interrogation room for prisoners meeting lawyers or police officers on related offenses, the guard quickly unlocked the room with a key and shoved Nikolas inside. They shut the door behind him, and Nikolas faced a masked figure. He clamped his hands at his side, to prevent the person from seeing him tremble. He had heard stories from other inmates about certain "boys' clubs" but no one had ever tried him.

The figure motioned for Nikolas to sit at the table, and he complied, still unable to identify the mystery person. Moving only his eyes to follow the figure as it moved behind him, Nikolas tried to calm the butterflies in his stomach.

"What do you want from me?" Nikolas' voice was low and controlled.

The figure stopped and kneeled down to Nikolas' side. The gloved hand moved keenly up the side of the chair and caressed Nik's face. He could tell it was not a man's hand.

"Emily?" Nikolas could barely breathe. He wanted to see her more than anything to hold her, and convince her that he would fix everything.

The masked figure recoiled at his mention of Emily. She yanked off her mask, disgusted. "I come all this way for such insults."

"Helena?" Nikolas stopped himself from losing consciousness at the sight of his grandmother. He stood up to meet her face, and touched it as though he were picking up a violet. "You came here... for me."

Helena quivered under his touch. She knew he was not grateful, but he feigned it so well. "I see prison has yet to tarnish you, my love. Yes, yes, I came for you Nikolas." She touched his hair, slick from grime. "I told you over and over how much better you deserved, but you didn't listen to me, darling. I had to show you what could become of your life should you refuse to fulfill your destiny."

Nikolas only nodded, and continued to stroke his grandmother's face. How he wanted to spit in it, to choke the life out of her and be rightfully servinghis sentence. "Have you finished your lesson?" He breathed in her ear. "Have you come to let me go?"

"I don't see why not," Helena said and slipped from Nikolas' grasp. "My intention was never to make you suffer, dear. I just wanted you to be free of Emily, which is to be free completely." She sat on the other side of the table. "Though I didn't kill her, I know you'll be rid of her once I have you released."

"Why?" Nikolas' patience was wearing then with this game. He just wanted to keep Helena there long enough for someone to notice. His voice was becoming shaky as Helena mentioned Emily so cavalier, but he restrained his desire to grab her.

"Well, why would you stay with an adulterous wench?" Helena eyed him closely, and mistook the rage in his eyes as reason to further her lies. "While you're here, serving time for defending your precious Emily, she begins a tryst with your look alike. I mean, I expect a peasant to fall for her kind, but I never assumed she would land one with your face."

Nik felt a lump forming in his throat. He knew what Helena was hoping for, but her words were making the hair stand up on the back of his neck. "Stop it," he mumbled.

"Oh," Helena got up and walked over to Nikolas, shifting his face to look at her by the chin. "She was never worthy of your love, my darling. Don't let her making love to –"

Nikolas snapped, and clawed at Helena's throat. "Stop it! You don't know anything! Did you see them?" The idea that Helena watched while Connor violated his wife made his stomach lurch, but he maintained his grip on her. "DID YOU SEE THEM?"

"NO!" Helena finally wrestled free of Nikolas' grip. "I see you have learned less than I hoped, and you're no closer to being ready to be the prince," she said as she straightened her stance. "I'll simply proceed with my plans as usual, and give you the appropriate time to reconsider your position." She replaced the mask over her polished face and knocked once on the door.

Nikolas tried to run after her, but the guard forced him back with one arm, knocking Nikolas to the ground. As he struggled to get his air back, he looked up one last time to see Helena's taunting smile.

"One sip, please," Jason pretended to whine, "and I'll let you complain to me for a month, I promise." He reached for her coffee, but Carly pushed him back on the couch.

"Wow, you must be desperate," she laughed at him. Carly turned to face him seriously. "You can have it – if you answer something for me." She tipped the cup in his direction.

"What?" Jason grabbed the cup out of her hand and took a long sip. His face contorted – he forgot how much cream and sugar Carly put in coffee.

"Why was Sam here this morning? You're not going back to her, are you?" Carly had been dying to ask, and Sam's convenient lie and disappearance gave her the time she needed to really talk to her friend.

"That was two questions, Carly," Jason responded. "Sam offered to come back and take care of me because I didn't want to go back to General Hospital."

"Ok," Carly said, standing up and starting to clear the mess they made. "So when you're feeling better, she can go on her way, and you know... you can move on, a clean break."

"Carly," Jason had a feeling this was where she was heading. "I'm not going to fight with you about Sam. I honestly don't have the energy for it." He reached for her to stop cleaning. "But if you need to hear me say it, I will. I love Sam, and I want to be with her."

"Jason, she's a liar," Carly shook her head as Jason was about to protest. "You keep giving her chance after chance, and she lies to you. She just did it now! You know she wasn't leaving to go get a prescription. When are you going to let people stop manipulating you?"

"Why don't you answer that for me?" Jason looked pointedly at Carly, but grabbed her hand when he saw he had hit a nerve. "Carly, you know I don't discuss this stuff well, with you or anyone. But you trust me, right?" He waited for her to nod. "Then trust me that I know Sam, and I know myself. She did lie, and she did steal, but I love her for who she is. She does things with the best intentions, and I'm sure you can relate."

Carly refused to acknowledge his correlation. "All I'm saying is you're giving her a second chance and she's still lying to you, and you're ignoring the second chance that's being given to you."

"Carly – don't."

"You and Courtney weren't legally married, Jason," Carly again ignored Jason's plea not to revisit this topic. "It's a clean slate, and all you have to do is go for it."

"Courtney is marrying Jax, and I'm with Sam – where I want to be." Jason's voice didn't imply finality – it defined it. "Just be happy for us ok, because I don't want to fight with you, and neither does Sam."

"Fine," Carly decided not to battle Jason in his condition. "But where is she now?"

Sam rushed up to Max who had been looking for Jason's car to pull up. "Max!"

"Sam, where's Jason?" Max looked for his other boss. "Sam, you should have brought him – he knows how to deal with this."

"Jason is still recovering from his gunshot wound," Sam explained as Max ushered her inside the house. "I'll handle it, and tell Jason later." She gave Max a reassuring pat on his arm, but he didn't buy it.

"Alright, but you have to call Jason if you can't handle it, right?"

"Yeah, cool," Sam followed Max into the living room, and stopped dead in their tracks.

Sonny was facing Reese, who was bandaging his hand, but she and Max could tell he wasn't looking at her – or anything else. Max walked over to Reese and took the first aid kit, but Sonny never flinched. His clothes were the same as yesterday, but rumpled and splattered with blood. She walked slowly behind Reese, just enough to hear Sonny's mumbling.

"It's because of me," Sonny repeated over and over to himself, and Reese withdrew her hand, unsure of what to do next. She looked to Sam.

"He stopped talking to me about 10 minutes ago, he just mutters to himself," Reese kept her voice as low as possible. "Is Jason with you?"

"No, he's still recovering," Sam breathed. "How long has he been like this?"

"Since I got here this morning," Reese turned to look at Sonny while she talked. "Max didn't hear the glass break, so he must have thought Sonny just went to bed." She turned back to Sam. "I thought he killed himself."

"What time is it?" Sonny said in a low voice, causing the women to jump.

Reese walked over to him, again moving his head to face her instead of looking at his hand. "It's about 8:30, Sonny. You must have passed out down here."

He seemed to readjust his focus, and could see Reese clearly, with Sam standing behind her. "What... why are you here?"

"I just came to get my things," Reese said normally, hoping he had pulled himself out of this darkness on his own.

"You're not supposed to be here," Sonny stood to face Lily, and Reese looked at him confused. Sonny tilted his head slightly, and brought his index finger to Reese's cheek. "You changed your hair. Why are you here again? Where are the children?"

Sam felt the tension freeze the room to a standstill, and she had to do something. She moved Reese, who had lost all color in her face at Sonny's words, away from Sonny. "Sonny, Sonny," she said softly and cautiously touched his shoulder. "It's Sam. Sonny, talk to me, tell me what happened."

"She told me once, Sam," Sonny's eyes grew darker than before, and Sam just held his hand. "She was with my children, so beautiful and at peace. She said they were happy... our daughter is with her now."

Sam guided Sonny back to the chair, never letting go of his good hand. "My first little boy was sitting in her lap, and she just let him tug at her hair, you know." He smiled at the memory. "She still looked at me lovingly after all I'd done. My girl – she had my eyes too. Do you think our little girl had my eyes?"

Sam fought back the tears in her eyes. She knew Sonny didn't know what he was saying, but she had never heard him sound so sad and so gentle when he talked about their baby before. "Yeah, yeah, I think she would have had your eyes, and your dimples."

Sonny smiled widely, and he cupped Sam's face in his hands. "I wanted her to look like you. Please believe me, I would have been good to you, to our daughter." He wasn't talking to Sam anymore, but all she could see was the sincerity and brokeness in his eyes.

"I believe you Sonny, I do," Sam held back her tears. "You're a wonderful father, and your children are safe. And our little girl is safe too."

"Yeah, she's with her, she's safe," Sonny nodded, but his eyes clouded again. "They're safe from me." He got up to walk to the bar, but turned back to Sam's concerned face. She was holding back tears, though she believed he wouldn't have noticed. But he looked at Reese, who offered a brave smile.

"She still smiles at me, Sam," Sonny weakly reached out for Sam's hand, who held him up, and pointed at Lily's translucent figure. "After everything I've done, she still loves me, smiles at me, takes care of my children when I can't...I can't protect them."

"You do, Sonny," Sam started to say, but he withdrew from her quickly and started toward the bar.

"That bitch! She took her! She took her and I did NOTHING!" Sonny iterated each sentence by throwing another glass at the mirror that had just been restored. "She was going to kill Jason, Kristina, everyone I love! BITCH!" He shouted, throwing glass after glass, while Sam stood frozen behind him and Reese ducked away toward the windows leading to the terrace.

"She didn't Sonny!" Sam pushed his hand away from the bar and got in front of him. She hoped he didn't see how much she was shaking. "Kristina's fine, Jason's fine – we are all ok," she said intently grabbing his face.

"It's what I deserve," Sonny's voice trembled as he tried to inhale. "Lily, my children, our daughter... it's what I deserve." He pulled Sam's hands away from his face and sat back on the table. He looked at his bandaged hand.

"It'll never be over for you." His voice was vacant, as if he didn't feel his mouth form the words. "The blood never goes away."

Reese stepped quietly out onto the terrace after nodding to Sam. She couldn't leave her alone with him too long, but she knew they weren't getting through to Sonny. He had unleashed the demons that permeated his soul, and she couldn't fathom what she could do next. She took out her cell.

"Hello?" Carly answered Jason's cell before he could get to it.

"Carly?" Reese whispered through the lump in her throat. "I'm glad you're there."

"Agent Marshall, what is it?" Carly looked over at Jason, who had rushed as fast as he could to the phone.

"Has something–"

She cut him off. "You and Carly need to get to Sonny's. Now." She heard the dial tone and closed her phone. She let her tears fall briefly, before going back into the room.

"It's done, just as instructed," a man stood outside of Kelly's with five manila envelopes in hand. He slid them in the mailbox, smirked and walked into Kelly's for coffee.

Emily marched confidently up to the doors of Wyndamere. She burst through the doors. "Mrs. Lansbury?"

The small woman rushed out. "Mrs. Cassadine! What can I do for you?" She was concerned, but Emily just smiled and patted her on the arm.

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you so much for staying on through this whole mess. Could you have someone take my bags up?" Mrs. Lansbury nodded and Emily headed toward the living room. She closed her eyes and burst through the doors and inhaled the lemon scented air.

She opened her eyes and walked through the room. Mrs. Lansbury had cleaned it, but something still felt wrong.

"Sure you love him?"

"Nikolas is the love of my life, Connor. There is never going to be anyone else for me, ok?"

Emily charged toward the couch and grabbed one of the pillows. She leaned back onto the pillows and tried to imagine a life before nightmares.

Nikolas, those were coincidences unfortunate, but that's all. You and I are going to be married, we're going to have a wonderful life, and nothing no curses, no evil grandmother, nothing is going to keep that from happening.

Emily smiled at the memory, and opened her eyes. "Nikolas," she whispered to herself and touched her bottom lip.

Then why did you try so hard to make me just like him? Hmm? Why? Why? Oh, Emily, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please, kiss me. Convince me that you love me. Kiss me.

"No!" Connor's voice echoed so loudly in Emily's ears that she ran from the couch. The couch she had made love to Nikolas on countless times, the couch where Connor kissed her over tea. The memories flooded back – of Connor, then Nikolas – so fast she couldn't tell who was who in which memory. "Stop it! Stop it!" She screamed at herself and ran toward the fireplace, crunching over a broken picture frame that was faced down.

Emily bent down and turned it over. It was her and Nikolas, his arm securely around her waist, both of their faces beaming in love. She picked up the largest piece of glass that had come from the frame and held it in her hand, glancing from the picture to her wrist. Emily couldn't control her tears, or the ominous desire to end it all. She placed the glass back over the picture carefully, fixated on the long crack it formed between her and Nikolas on the picture.

"What a shame," the familiar malevolent voice came, and Emily didn't bother to turn to face her. "I thought you'd do my work for me." Helena smiled wickedly, as Emily wiped her stained face and stood to face her nemesis.