A/N: Not sure if I have to put this every time, but here's the disclaimer - I only own one character in this story - Cianna, Lucas' love interest. The ideas for the direction of the storylines are mine, the rest of the characters are property of ABC and GH.

Any-who ;) thanks for the continued support and reviews! Also, the final sequence of scenes is montage-like...they play off each other. ENJOY!

Chapter 15

Edward smiled politely at Lois and Brook as they left Alan's room. He sat at the stool by his son's beside and seized his hand forcefully.

"You know, I rushed home to explain what happened – to sugarcoat your latest disaster to your mother. I ran up the stairs, and I couldn't even get her name out before..." Edward stopped, refusing to get choked up. "I haven't been great to you, but you know how I am. I refuse to lose...and, and I have lost enough family to last me a lifetime."

Emily burst in her father's private room, ready to confess everything she'd been feeling lately. She was taken aback at seeing her grandfather, but after a moment she realized it was for the best.

"Emily? Hello?" Edward repeated, trying to get her attention again. He was worried that something in the room had reminded her of that night, because he couldn't think of another reason for her to zone out like she had.

"Sorry, Grandfather," Emily shook herself back into reality. She walked past him to her father's bedside. "I hate what he's done, to me...to Michael, but I don't want anything to happen to him."

Edward walked up behind her, placing a hand on her should but she jumped away. "I'm sorry, Emily. I didn't..." For the first time, Edward began to rethink his offer to help Emily in her way.

"It's fine, Grandfather – I'm fine," Emily asserted again. "We have more important things to worry about. I meant what I said – I don't want anything to happen to him because of this...incident. You and I need to start thinking damage control."

Upon hearing AJ's calm and cocky voice, Skye balled her fist in shock and swung around with all her might. "I don't believe you!" Skye jerked AJ up from the ground and held him close to her. "What the hell, AJ? I thought you were dead!"

AJ returned her hug gingerly, and separated to straighten his hair and rub his face. "Well that wasn't the welcome I was expecting but I'll take what I can get." He knew in that moment that full disclosure wasn't an option anymore.

"AJ, what have you gotten into? How did you fake your death? Alan identified your body – we had a memorial service," Skye rambled on and on. She walked over and touched his face where she had slugged him. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"I know, I'm sorry," AJ said, caressing her hand next to his face. "I had to do it, Skye. I had plan but it all started to fall apart, so I needed to disappear."

"Yeah, did your plan involve setting Courtney up for your murder?" Skye said, dropping her hands at her side. "Why come back now – she hasn't even been charged." Her sarcastic responses made AJ take a step back.

"Well, yeah – that was just a bonus," AJ pleaded as Skye threw her hands up and turned away from him. "Look, I had some good and bad business deals going while I was hiding out, and the last bad one could cost me everything. I need your help Skye."

"What do you mean by that, AJ?" Skye wasn't entirely thrilled at how AJ had deceived her, but she was grateful he was back in her life – especially now.

"I more than quadrupled the money I took from ELQ, and I made an investment that was supposed to reap ultimate benefits. However, my partner met with an untimely demise, and now I could be left holding the bag." AJ said, looking away from his sister and friend. He knew his eyes always gave away his motives, and Skye could read him too well. "Look, I just need to reposition my funds somewhere else, cover my tracks."

Skye looked at him suspiciously. "AJ, you're not telling me something. What is it? I can't help you unless I know what I'm getting into."

"You never had to before," AJ said, finally looking at Skye. "C'mon, sis, help me. You know you're the only one I can trust...and I'm willing to pay."

Rachel sat in the chapel, staring at the lit candles. She had never been a religious person, and lost what little faith she had after she had to give up medicine. She had seen miracles happen in the hospital she had worked in with Steven, but it only took one tragedy for her to lose everything.

"It's not fair," she said aloud, thankful that she was alone.

"You're not one to complain about fairness," Jax called out from the entrance, causing Rachel to leap from the pew. "First, you try to blackmail my fiancée, you lie to me about why you're really in Port Charles, and then you pulled some cheesy stunt with your blouse in the ER!"

His voice raised an octave with each of Rachel's indiscretions, and she looked at him insolently. "Fine, I did everything you said – except for the last part. Like I told Courtney, it's not what you think." She walked toward Jax, but he backed away. "I was running to catch up with you and stopped when my purse fell. When I got up, my blouse got caught on a medicine cart and ripped. You and I both know nothing happened, so why are you mad at me that Courtney didn't give you a chance to explain?"

"Because it's your fault!" Jax exclaimed. "You intruded into our lives, with your hair-brained schemes with AJ, just to hurt Courtney and drive us apart."

"Were you not listening to me? I didn't do this to hurt Courtney," Rachel said, her voice calm and collected. "I wanted Steven gone, and AJ promised that it could work. I didn't know anything about her – other than what AJ told me. He said she was just as cold and ruthless as her mobster brother and she would do whatever it took to marry you!"

"Well, AJ was wrong," Jax asserted painfully. "Courtney is a kind, gentle woman with an incredible heart. She's nothing like Sonny Corinthos."

"And I know that now, Jax," Rachel said, cutting him off. "She went to Alcazar to get me to back off, because she couldn't do what I wanted. I've been trying to convince AJ ever since to come home and just handle his revenge in person…"

"I know, I heard you," Jax said, sneered at Rachel's shocked look. "You honestly don't think you're the only person that can be sneaky around here, do you? And for the record, I told Courtney everything I overheard."

Rachel sighed, knowing she had led AJ into a trap. "Well, I guess there'll be someone to share the heat then. But I have a question for you, Jax," Rachel said, as Jax began to exit, "did it win you any points with Courtney? Did she believe you – or did she toss you away again?"

Jax couldn't face Rachel's correct assumptions, and walked off to plead his case with Courtney again.

Steven stood in front of Carly, Courtney, Jason, Monica, Bobbie and Durant. "He pulled through the surgery." Carly grabbed Steven and held him fiercely. Her grip loosened immediately, and Jason's eyes closed lamentably as Sonny came tearing into the waiting room, followed by Sam, Reese and Alexis.

"How could you do this to me?" Sonny ground out, looking dead into Jason's eyes. Sonny walked right past everyone, directly to Jason. "I expect this from everyone else, but not you." His voice shook, as much as his hands when he spoke to Jason.

Carly stepped in front of Jason. "Sonny can you just listen to what Steven has to say? Michael just pulled through surgery."

"That's right," Steven said, never taking his eyes off Sonny's unkempt appearance and wild eyes. "His femoral artery was not compromised, so he really dodged a bullet there...um...I mean he was lucky." He cleared his throat before he continued. "Repairing the damage done to his leg was relatively simple and he will have to go through extensive physical therapy."

Carly turned her back to Sonny and her family, pulling Steven closer. "What about the brain injury?"

"There was a WHAT?" Sonny shouted through his teeth. He spun around to face Jason, who maintained an unshakable stare.

"We were able to reduce the swelling, but we're not sure yet the extent of the damage," Steven admitted. "The area that was affected, the left temporal cortical region, can go either way."

"When will you know?" Jason finally spoke, looking only at the doctor.

"We'll keep him here for at least a week, monitoring everything we possibly can," Steven said.

"I want my son to have the best care this hospital can give, Doctor," Sonny addressed Steven, breaking the swirl of thoughts in his mind. "What if something else happens, something you didn't catch the first time?"

"We won't do anything invasive unless there's an absolute necessity," Steven spoke matter-of-factly. "I'm going to go back in there and get ready to move him to a private post-op room."

Carly grabbed Steven's arm. "When can I see him?"

"I'll let you know as soon as possible, but, um," Steven said, eyeing Sonny very closely, "Michael shouldn't be disturbed." He walked off without looking at Carly again.

Carly turned to hug Sonny, but he waved her off. "Don't touch me! You were at my home, you knew my son was hurt, and you didn't tell me! None of you told me!" He spun from Carly's direction to Sam and Reese's and settled on Jason. "What the hell were you thinking, huh, Jason?"

"Maybe they're finally wising up that you're unfit to be Michael's – hell, anybody's father," Durant chimed in.

"Shut the hell up, Durant," Bobbie said, pushing him away from the scene. Monica followed her, only because she wanted to discuss Sonny's outburst without facing his accusatory rants.

Jason walked toward Sonny carefully. "I was thinking that you had been through enough tonight," he said softly. "Sonny, you were asleep when we got the call, and after everything..."

Sonny pushed Jason back from him. "THAT'S NO EXCUSE! You know better than anyone to keep me from my children! I had to hear about this from her!" Sonny said, pointing at Alexis with steely eyes. He slammed his hand against the wall, causing Sam to jump back into Reese and it drew his attention to them. "You lied to me."

"Sonny, we weren't sure you could handle it," Sam said. "We just wanted you to rest. We were going to tell you."

"When? When my son's body was in the morgue – is that when you were going to tell me!" Sonny shouted in her face, and Jason grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around. Just as Sonny reached back to hit Jason, Courtney stepped in front of him.

"Stop it, now! Don't talk about Michael like he's dead, Sonny – what's wrong with you?" Courtney could feel her misplaced anger channeling in her voice. "His mother, the mother of your children, is standing right there. Can you for once stop your tirades and support her?"

"Like you? I should follow your example of how to support family? You don't know the FIRST thing about family – or children!" Sonny knew adding that last part was a dagger through Courtney's heart, but he could care less. He directed his attention back at Jason. "I thought I could count on you...to not ever betray me."

"I didn't betray anything, Sonny!" Jason looked exasperatedly at his friend. "I came here, I told Michael you loved him and that you'd be waiting for him when he came out. Isn't that what you want?"

Sonny shook his head in agreement, though his anger was nowhere near subsiding. "Just don't, don't ever lie to me about my children again, Jason. I expect it from her," he said, pointing to Carly, "but I won't take it from you."

Carly's tears had been non-stop since Sonny began screaming at them, but upon his last words she held her breath and stared at him in disbelief. She ran off in the direction of her mother and father, knocking into the back of Sonny and shoving Jason's free arm away.

Ric came to Alexis' side throughout the entire scene, holding her hand when Sonny had focused his wrath at her for that split second. They watched in incredulity as Sonny turned on each one of his family members, but when Carly ran off Alexis pulled her husband away.

"I don't believe what I just saw," she said, looking intently at Ric. "I mean I knew he had breakdowns, but I've never witnessed them first hand like that."

"We don't know that we just did, Alexis," Ric said, wary of what she was thinking. "But do you mind telling me how you ended up being the one to tell him about Michael?"

"I went over there to see if there was anything I could do," Alexis said defensively. "I found him looking God awful and drinking a scotch at 6:30 in the morning. It's a good thing I didn't bring Kristina with me." Alexis sighed. "He always used to be so good at concealing his behavior...I'm just shocked that he's making this so easy."

Ric cocked his head to the side. "Making what so easy, Alexis?" He felt his gut twist into yet another knot.

"Ric, after the behavior he just displayed – in front of witnesses, mind you – it is inconceivable that he would think children are safe around him. Kristina shouldn't be subjected to his 'moods' or whatever the hell it may be," Alexis asserted, but then looked at Ric in surprise, catching the disgust on his face. "I'm a little concerned that I would even have to state the obvious."

"Alexis, we were just in court over Kristina not 3 months ago, and you want to fight him again?" Ric shook his head. "You're supposed to be avoiding stress, focusing on our family, which includes the child you're carrying, not starting battles you can't win."

"Ric now is not the time to take your brother's side," Alexis said calmly, though she was furious. "She was kidnapped from his home, that compound he calls a home, and could have very well been killed by a sociopath out for revenge..."

"Revenge on all three of us," Ric reminded her. "Or did you not read the note Faith left for you too?"

"Faith Roscoe would not have been in our lives at all if it were not for Sonny's illegal activities and presence in Port Charles," Alexis continued as if she had never been interrupted, "and my daughter has already been through enough due to the erratic behavior of criminals."

"Well, your daughter also wouldn't have been in our lives at all if not for Sonny's alleged illegal activities and presence in Port Charles, either," Ric defended. "And if you go into court, you're going to push Sonny until he throws everything at you – and me. FYI, Alexis, you're the one with an actual record for murder and mental instability."

"So is half the town, but we're not threatened every day by car bombs and...you're supposed to be on my side," Alexis declared. "Weren't you the one reminding him of the 'hell, high water, or machine gun fire'? You're the district attorney, not Sonny's lawyer."

"I'm also your husband, the uncle and stepfather of your daughter, and the father to the child you're carrying," Ric expressed emphatically, his hands on his hips. "And I am Sonny's brother, whether he likes to admit it or not. All I'm saying is...wait, Alexis, please. Think about our family – all of us – before you decide to antagonize Sonny again. You saw it for yourself, he's going through enough." Ric met his wife's apathetic stare, and wondered how he missed that familiar look, a look he perfected when it came to Sonny, in her eyes. He threw his hands at his side and turned to walk away, right into Sonny, coldly staring at his wife.

Lorenzo walked through the hospital cafeteria with the poor excuse for coffee from the machine, and sat down exhausted at on of the tables. He had walked away from love for a second time, and cut him deeply. Carly wanted him to stay, but only on her terms and he couldn't subject himself to being backburner whenever she reached for Sonny again.

"Mind if I sit?" Diego's tired voice interrupted Lorenzo's thoughts.

"By all means," Lorenzo said, genuinely happy to see his son approach him. He hadn't talked to him in a while, but giving Diego his space made Lorenzo long for the closeness he had with Sage even more. "Why are you here so early – if you don't mind me asking?"

"I went home to shower and change, but I promised Brook I'd meet her back here this morning," Diego offered. "She's really broken up about her uncle. What about you?"

"I'm here because...actually, that's a great question," Lorenzo said mildly, drinking more coffee. "I was going to say I was here in case Carly needed me, but I know she doesn't."

"Since when? She's always calling you or you're always with her when I see you," Diego said quickly.

"Well, there's a not-so-fine line between need and love," Lorenzo lamented, "and I happen to be on the other side."

Diego thought about Brook and Lucas holding hands last night, but shook his head. "Maybe it's not such a fine line. Besides, love, hate, need or whatever, if you're taking a step back to make her prove her feelings, you could lose her anyway."

Lorenzo looked up from his cup smiling. "Now I know how you've made it all these years. I'm not sure you need a dad."

"I wouldn't say that," Diego said thoughtfully, and went to get his own coffee.

"Brookie, are you ready?" Lois' called out to her daughter, who had disappeared with Cook over 20 minutes ago.

"Yeah, Ma," Brook emerged with a covered plate and a thermos. "Cook wanted the family to have the blueberry muffins she makes in the morning, and some decent coffee."

"Yeah, we'll all need it today," Lois responded. "Your dad called – said he'll be back at the hospital in a few hours."

"I'm just glad he took a break. You know, Ma, he's going to run on empty until everything's alright again," Brook worried aloud. "I'm glad Maria got him to leave for a while."

"What?" Lois had only been half listening to Brook, but turned swiftly at the mention of Diego's mother.

"Yeah, I saw them near the nurses' station on the same floor as Uncle Alan, right before we left," Brook said nonchalantly. She had been unnerved by it at first but was happy to see her dad smile and relax a little. "Didn't you them?"

"No, I didn't," Lois answered coolly, throwing her coat over her arm. "Are you ready to go yet?" She snapped louder than she intended, and Brook just glanced at her as she put her coat on.

"Can you possibly try to keep the shrilling down?" Tracy bellowed as she marched down the stairs. She looked over at the plate Brook had in her hands, and scoffed. "Sneaking out food? Really, when I call you gutter..."

Brook stepped in Tracy's face. "Enough! Look, you can hurt all you want over Uncle Alan, or even Michael, but don't get in my ma's face and don't even think about calling her names!" She advanced a little more until they met breath to breath.

Tracy looked as hard as she possibly could at Brook. "Well, you're the perfect blend of Quartermaine and Cerullo, I guess. Incredibly insolent and brazen." She patted Brook on the shoulder and headed back up to her room.

"Was that a compliment?" Brook glanced back at her mother.

"As close as you'll ever get," Lois said, feeling a wave of sadness for her former mother-in-law. "Let's get going." They walked out with the food somberly.

Edward and Emily stood in the corner of Alan's room, in case he woke up. "I don't know how much is going on, but you know they'll do an investigation. If Dad wakes up..."

"When he wakes up," Edward affirmed, still looking at the ground.

"Right, when he wakes up, we have to makes sure no one can come after him for what he did," Emily said. "The best way to do that is...ELQ."

"Emily, I know you haven't ever really been involved in the family's business, but you do know that ELQ is in the dumps right now. Thanks to AJ – who's alive, by the way – we're near financial ruin."

"AJ's alive?" Emily looked at the aging man puzzled. "Never mind – Grandfather, it works in out favor. We find AJ, we get ELQ's capital back and we use it to take care of Alan."

Edward noticed she used his first name, but decided silently against correcting her. "Emily, I appreciate you wanting to help your father, but you have yourself to worry about."

"Grandfather," Emily's voice warned, "you promised..."

"And I'm keeping my promise, Emily," Edward stopped her. "I just meant that you have your studies to worry about, classes and such. I don't know much about medical degrees but they're not easy to come by." He walked closer to Alan's bed, looking at his son in admiration. "I wish I had told him that more."

Emily sighed. He would be the first to know. "Well, Grandfather, you won't have to tell me...I'm not finishing school. I want to help with ELQ."

"WHAT?" Edward and Monica exclaimed at the same time, Monica near screaming from the doorway. "Emily, you can't mean that," Monica cried, not caring if she woke up the whole wing.

"Grandfather, I'll speak to you later," Emily said stiffly, ignoring her. "I'm going to check on Michael."

Emily tried to step around Monica, but her mother blocked her. "Emily, I just came from there. Michael made it through surgery, finally." Edward sighed and Monica nodded. "Emily, please, don't do this to spite us."

"I'm not doing anything to you, Monica," Emily said, emphasizing her mother's first name. She walked around her, feeling her heart constrict even more and a shiver ran through it. Emily clutched her chest, but never looked back. She had some packing to do.

Felicia, Maxie and Georgie came out of the elevator on the floor and turned the corridor toward the surgery waiting room. Maxie yanked her sister's arm to pull her behind their mother. "So are you ever going to tell me what happened last night?" She whispered, and checked again to make sure Felicia was far enough ahead of them.

"You heard what I said before," Georgie said, stopping them in the corridor. "I was here last night when Dillon got a call about Dr. Quartermaine."

"Yeah, but what were you doing before? You said you guys were hanging out, but I know when something's different with my little sister," Maxie said, raising one eyebrow thoughtfully.

Georgie blushed deeply, but wasn't sure if she should confide in her sister. They hadn't really been in each other's sphere since Georgie started dating Dillon, so she wasn't sure how Maxie felt about him. "We were hanging out, at the Haunted Star, like we always do. That's it," Georgie said carefully, and started to walk again.

"Mmmm, alright!" Maxie said cheerily as they turned the corner to see a less than pleasant scene. Their mother was talking quietly with Bobbie, while Courtney and Sam sat in the corner. They were eyeing Sonny and Jason's heated discussion, and Carly was nowhere to be found.

"Is everything alright?" Georgie asked, still looking around for Dillon as she approached her mother and her friend.

"It's just been a long night," Bobbie said warily. "But Michael's fine, thank goodness. He pulled through surgery and we're waiting for him to be moved."

"I'm glad to hear it," Maxie offered. "Michael seems like such a nice kid."

"Yeah, but hey, you look like you need some rest," Felicia interjected, looking around for someone herself. "Have you been here alone with Carly and everyone all night?"

Bobbie sat down with Felicia and sighed. "Mostly, I guess. So much happened in the ER, and then we were just here, waiting." She leaned her head back against the wall and sighed. "Thank God I got John to leave."

"What? Why?" Felicia questioned, a little too excitedly. Bobbie shot her an awkward look, and Felicia quickly checked her tone. "I mean, he should be here for Carly, too."

"Yeah, right," Bobbie snapped. She didn't have to wonder anymore how Felicia knew about what happened or why she was looking around so much. "All John Durant cared about was using this as another opportunity to make a dig at Sonny about not protecting Michael. I wish, for once, he could be the man I lo –" Bobbie cut off and looked away to compose herself. "I have to go get Carly."

She rushed off without saying good bye, and Felicia looked after her friend, wondering how much she was willing to hurt her.

Mac stood languidly by the hub of the surgical floor, waiting for Ric. He replayed the morning's events at home in his mind. He was still furious with Georgie, but even more so at Felicia. She brushed in and out of his life so many times, leaving her daughters behind in his care, but he never felt like he had any control in their relationship. She could pick up the reigns or drop them at any time. Thinking about the past few years, his place in her life – his life period – just made his head throb.

He put his head down and rubbed his temples, not bothering to sit up as he heard Alexis and Ric approach. "Mac, what do you have?" Ric said stiffly, trying his best not to glare at his wife's eager face. They had managed to walk away from Sonny without incident, but he knew it wouldn't be the end of it if Alexis had her way.

"Well, seems open and shut really," Mac said, standing up. "Steven did a full forensics work up on the scene, and found 3 pills on the floor of the passenger's side. Alan's car jumped the curb at what appears to be three times the speed limit for that area, plowed into Michael and then veered into a tree."

"Why were the children even at the park at that time of night?" Alexis interrupted, and Ric glared openly at her.

Mac noticed. "Alexis, this is actually a police matter. Ric, I'd appreciate handling it, especially with such circumstances, privately as well as thoroughly," he added for Alexis' benefit.

"I couldn't agree more," Ric stated confidently, turning to his wife. "Maybe you should rest for a while, Alexis." He turned away from her and muttered, "God knows you've done enough for tonight."

"Excuse me?" Alexis walked around to face her husband. "I'm sorry that my need to protect my daughter from a maniac offends your newfound loyalties so much, but I'll do what I have to do." She walked toward the elevator briskly, but turned back to Ric. "With or without you."

Ric sighed as she stepped on the elevator. Mac looked at him thoughtfully. "So do you think Sonny will actually try to go after Alan for hitting his son?"

"I don't know what Sonny's going to do, Mac," Ric said, sitting down withdrawn. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Durant's now gunning for Alan and Sonny, so my job has become catch the criminals, baby-sit the feds, and watch my marriage go up in flames." Ric looked down at his empty wedding finger, knowing he wasn't just back at square one – he was more alone and conflicted than before he hit Port Charles.

Reese came back with coffee for her, Sam and Courtney, only to find them staring at Jason and Sonny helplessly. "Here," she said softly.

"Thanks," Sam said, her hands shaking as she reached for the cup. That was twice that Sonny had come an inch away from her face menacingly, and she didn't know what to do about it.

"Hey, Sam," Courtney began, after nodding appreciatively at Reese, "don't take it personally. Sonny, I mean. You have to learn live with his 'moods' or whatever, but he didn't mean to yell at you." Courtney looked down, knowing that the same didn't apply to her. He had definitely meant to hurt her.

"What about you?" Sam bit her lip. "He had to have known what he said... It was out of line, Courtney."

"Yeah, it was," Courtney said, looking at Sam pensively. "Sometimes, I wonder what it would have been like to never know he was my brother. Then he could never hurt me."

"I think it would have hurt anyway," Sam said gently. "You're very, um, sensitive when it comes to people. I mean how could you not be? You run a foundation for kids and everything. But can I say something?" Sam looked at her attentively, and Courtney eyed her suspiciously. "Jax is pretty sensitive, too. Maybe that's why he loves you so much."

The women sat in silence, each for their own reasons, and focused their attention back on the escalating argument before them.

"Sonny," Jason said, forcefully, pulling at Sonny's arm like he was child. Sonny jerked away but didn't attempt to hit him again. "You have no right to go off on Sam or Carly like that!"

"Don't talk to me about rights!" Sonny practically spat in his face. "I'm Michael's father! I should have been here... I should have known he was hurt!" Sonny could feel the shaking in his hands again, a cool sensation running up and down his spine. He stepped closer to Jason. "Since when do you make decisions without me? Since when do you take Carly or Sam's word over mine?"

"This isn't business, Sonny – it's about our family!" Jason yelled back.

"MY FAMILY!" Sonny shouted just as loud. "You are my family, Jason. You are my brother, and you expect me to stand here and watch Ric defend me to Alexis while you try to shut me out? The whole world feels turned on its ear...what am I supposed to think?"

Jason felt unexpected tears behind his eyes. "Don't question my loyalty to you, or our family. I am your brother," he said, his voice cut off. "I have done anything to defend you, to protect you...and Carly, and Michael and Morgan." He stepped back, but only to place his hand on Sonny's shoulder. "I'd give my life to save you from yourself yesterday, you know that. I'm just trying to hold it all together, Sonny."

Sonny felt the weight of Jason's arm on his shoulder, and stared right into his eyes. He saw the anguish and burden, and the guilt, he felt reflecting in Jason's clear blue eyes. He pulled Jason's hand down and they shook firmly, both men composing themselves under Reese, Sam and Courtney's watchful eyes.

Carly went to the cafeteria. She refused to cry, and told Durant she just wanted some junk food. She looked through the machines and then at her watch. "7:00am...good as time as any for a Snickers," she mumbled and put the coins in the machine. She bent down and got the candy out. She spied Lorenzo, sitting with Diego, and felt a rush flow over her body. She wanted to run to him so badly, but she stayed back behind a pillar and watched.

"So what makes you say that?" Lorenzo said, replying to his son's muttered comment.

"It's just that...ok, you just said you walked away from Carly right?" Diego began to plead his case.

"Right, and as I recall, you were telling me to rethink my actions," Lorenzo commented, giving up on drinking the sludge in his cup.

"Yeah, if you were doing it for the wrong reasons, but what if you're right? What if you walk away because you know that the girl could want someone else someday?" Diego said, hoping not to sound too whiny.

"I take it this is not a hypothetical," Lorenzo said, leaning closer to the table. "So, you're thinking about walking away from Brook because...you think she might leave you?"

"I saw her with Lucas last night in the ER," Diego confessed. "They had something going before and then she was all into me all of a sudden. What if she decides she's into him again?"

"Ah, but will you be content to shelter yourself away from love because of the 'what ifs'?" Lorenzo asked. "You can give up now, but that would be pushing her right back into Lucas' or whoever's arms. And what about you – would you want Brook to give up if the shoe was on the other foot?"

Diego's mind flashed to the girl coming out of the ER. He had hoped it wasn't Cianna, but he knew the gold flecks at the end of her hair, her favorite bandana. It was her. "But I wouldn't leave Brook – she's the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Then don't sell yourself short," Lorenzo said resolutely. "Maybe you should start thinking of yourself as the best thing that ever happened to her, too. That's what makes it work, Diego – when two people know they are the best for each other, and they give in to it completely."

"So what are you doing with Carly?" Diego commented. "Are you backing away because of what ifs?"

"No," Lorenzo stared into the murky liquid before him, before meeting Diego's purposeful glance. "I know the difference. I had, a long time ago, what I just described to you – the best. I gave into it completely and it filled my heart more than I ever imagined." He cleared his throat to shake the image of Sophie smiling at him beneath the stars. "I thought I had it again, but I didn't. I've been trying to love in spite of the 'what ifs,' and I got my answer."

Carly felt her heart break in another million pieces, hearing Lorenzo finally say it was over. She watched them walk away, but couldn't believe he'd given up on loving her. A cold, lonely feeling crept over her body, giving her goose bumps as she made her way back to her son.

Emily pushed the heavy wooden doors to Wyndamere open roughly. She approached Mrs. Lansbury and told her to get all the servants together to have her things packed.

"Well, Mrs. Cassadine, as you wish," Mrs. Lansbury said sadly. "It'll be so lonely again, with the both of you gone."

Emily reached out and stopped the genteel old woman. "Mr. Cassadine has been released, Mrs. Lansbury. He'll be home soon enough."

"He was already here, dear," she replied sadly, "and gone again. He said he left you a note in the sitting area. I'll be back momentarily with your things, Mrs. Cassadine." Mrs. Lansbury walked off, but turned to see Emily still standing there, shocked. She knew something terrible had happened, from Emily's appearance and dreadful moods of late, but she did hope for better days for the young couple. "So in love, yet so miserable," she commented to herself as she retreated up the stairs.

Emily went into the sitting room, absolutely numb. She saw the folded note, her name in his beautiful penmanship, on the desk next to their picture. She picked it up to find her engagement ring just underneath. Emily couldn't bear to pick it up, and instead, eased her wedding ring off and placed it on top.

She walked to the couch and sat down, staring at her name on the paper. She could tell he had written it lovingly, the way each letter had been written, because he normally scribbled everything like it was his signature. The edges of the paper had wilted, no doubt from his tears. She opened it and read it slowly, his voice echoing in her head.

Dear Emily,

God, it pains me to think of this as goodbye. I've dreamed, every night, of coming home to you, to this room and never leaving. Everything I look at has your smile on it, and everything I touch is like acid compared to your beautiful skin. I wish I had more than these objects to remind me of what we've shared – I wish I had you. I can look at the fireplace, the couch, and I know you would retell all of our experiences here with so much more life and love than I could muster in a thousand lifetimes.

But I know that all of this just brings you pain now. You've sacrificed everything for me, and I've hurt you more in prison than out. I won't add to your pain, not another single second, because it would be breaking my own heart as well. I'm still with you, Emily, heart and soul, as you are with me. No matter how much I wish for the past, or pray for the future, I know there isn't one without you – healthy, strong, and full of life and happiness. That's all I'll ever want for you, and my heart breaks over and over again to know that I had a hand in taking it away. Find it again, Emily. Do whatever you want, as long as you're well, and always know that I'm somewhere, loving you just as you are.

All my love, heart and soul – forever,

Nikolas

Emily clutched the closest pillow and cried harder than she felt she had the strength to do. A half hour later, Emily still clutched the pillow and Mrs. Lansbury announced her things were ready. Emily, still crying, took the pillow with her. It smelled like him.

"I don't want your money, AJ," Skye said, pushing herself away from him. "I want you to take back the past few weeks. Hell – last night would be a great start." She looked at him cynically. "Alan drove high and plowed into Michael, he was so grief-stricken, AJ!"

"I know, none of this was supposed to happen!" AJ exclaimed. "Look, an opportunity came to me, unexpectedly, and it benefited you too..." He stopped before he divulged the intricacies of his plan.

"What? My life has been one hell after another since you took off," Skye lamented. "I was framed for murder, and had to get into bed with that sociopath, Faith, to get out, only to have her kidnap Kristina...oh..my..AJ," her voice warned. "Tell me you didn't!"

Courtney looked away from the women. Reese hadn't said a word, but they both sipped their coffee, hesitant about her response. "I just want to figure out what Rachel meant by the stuff she said in the ER."

Reese perked up. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"She claimed AJ's alive and well, that she was blackmailing me for nothing," Courtney replied angrily. "But she said he wanted revenge on all fronts, and that he was going to lay low and wait for his other partner in crime."

"Strange wording, but I don't see how it means anything," Sam said casually. "Besides, Jax overheard Rachel on the phone, supposedly with AJ. He said she convinced him to come home."

"Ok, but I could see where what he said is troubling," Reese said, setting down her cup. "AJ hated you, Courtney, and he stole all the money from his family's company, so who else is there?"

"Skye, wait, I didn't set you up, did I?" AJ said, feeling her turn on him.

"You were in on the kidnapping? AJ, what could you possibly want with Kristina? I loved that little girl more than anything – don't!" Skye backed away from AJ's outstretched arms. "Don't tell me you did this to give her back to me?"

"No, I wasn't trying to hurt Kristina, I swear it!" AJ pleaded with his eyes. "You set Faith loose and I found her alright! We had something in common..."

"Sonny, Jason and Carly," Sam said, still drinking her coffee. "Jason said AJ hated them, too, for taking Michael away from him."

Courtney's eyes widened and she gripped the arm of her chair. "Carly thinks the only thing AJ ever wanted was power and ELQ, but Bobbie said AJ wanted Michael too."

Sonny and Jason approached the women, wondering why they all had their heads together. "What are you guys talking about?"

"What are you talking about AJ?" Skye questioned suspiciously. She wanted no more to do with that kidnapping investigation than she had already.

"I wanted to take from Sonny, Carly, and Jason what they took from me," AJ said, not an ounce of regret in his voice.

"We're trying to figure out what Rachel said about AJ," Sam offered, and Reese looked up at Sonny's confused expression.

"We already know – AJ wanted revenge on everyone that he thinks hurt him," Jason replied casually, uninterested in figuring out the workings of his twisted brother's mind.

"But that doesn't just stop with revenge on Courtney and the Quartermaines," Reese said. "What about you two and Carly?"

"You said he hated you guys just as much, if not more than Courtney," Sam said, standing in front of Jason. "He wanted Courtney's freedom, the Quartermaines money...what would he want from you?"

Sonny, Jason, and Courtney all looked at each other, infuriated.

"I want Michael," AJ said vehemently, looking at the sun finally making its way through the night's shadows.