Author's Note: Been a long time...but I'm baaaaack ;) Seriously, though, this chapter includes strong language and violent imagery, and is rated M for mature readers only. Parental discretion is advised.

Chapter 20

'Get over here NOW,' his voice bellowed to the cowering woman near the stove. She knew he had removed his belt for a reason and there was no stopping the fury to follow.

'You lazy, stupid, slut!' He screamed over and over again at the top of his lungs. The belt buckle hitting her face seemed to fuel his rage. 'Every time I give you simple instructions, you FUCK IT UP! DON'T YOU RUN FROM ME!'

His hands over his ears couldn't muffle the sound of his mother's body flung against the door to the closet. She often tried to get to him, lock herself away too. His screams echoed her cries as brute fists smashed into her body, knocking her into the door over and over again. He clutched the rosary she stashed in the closet after the last time he was locked in there for three hours.

'Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus,' he stuttered quickly to himself, clutching the beads and choking back tears. 'Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death...

"Amen," Sonny whispered as he leaned on the door outside of Sam's hospital room. He watched Jason closely, and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. The way he feared touching her bruised face, how he laid his head lightly on her chest as she slept off the sedative – it brought it all back.

"Sonny?" Reese stood behind him, two cups of coffee in her hands. Sonny hadn't spoken since he had forced Sam to be admitted for observation. She had never seen him so caring and frightened.

Sonny turned away from the door, careful not to close his eyes, as he knew what he would see in the darkness. He looked sadly at Reese and simply walked past her without a word. He past Ric slowly and stiffly, but could not bear to look at him directly. He knew there would be questions, but they all had the same answer. It was his fault.

Sam stirred slightly, and Jason lifted his head swiftly to look at her. "Hey, that was actually kind of comfortable," she smiled weakly, still a little dazed by the sedative. She wasn't in any shape to argue when Sonny demanded that a doctor look at her, but she also didn't like being in a hospital bed, being given a sedative. The memories of her daughter's death were so fresh in that place that it scared her to think about it for too long.

"I was afraid it would hurt you," Jason said, unable to smile back at her. Her swollen face and black eye made Jason see red, so he simply caressed her hand in his.

"Not me," Sam joked, as she tried to sit up. "Ahhh," she winced, not able to hold back the pain in her back.

"I'm going to get a doctor," Jason said hurriedly, but Sam grabbed his arm to stop him from bolting to the door.

"Jason, don't," Sam pleaded mildly, motioning for him to sit back down. "Listen, you being with me is better than any medicine the doctors can give, ok?"

"I should have been there," Jason muttered to himself, his eyes becoming a darker blue behind his tears. He blinked them back as he kissed her hand.

"Just stay with me now," Sam replied softly, moving her hand to stroke the side of his face. She could feel herself becoming drowsy the more she tried to talk. She closed her eyes again, her hand still resting on Jason's face.

He looked at her, hoping she was in fact asleep as his only tear fell over her hand. "I love you, Sam." He moved her hand back between his, kissing her fingers, and resting his head back on her chest.

"Aaaaawww," Lucas yawned as he stretched across his bed. He felt like he had slept forever, but his alarm clock told a different tale. "7:15? I'm so not getting up," he chuckled to himself, and rested his head in hands as he lay back down.

Suddenly, flashes of his dream came back to Lucas – her hair, her lips on his. Cianna had been running toward him, same blue tracksuit she had been wearing when they first met, but her eyes were different. She kissed him passionately, but when she pulled away her eyes were filled with tears. He could feel the sadness and just as quickly as she had come into view she disappeared.

Lucas sat up, disturbed by the last image he remembered – particularly because that wasn't just a part of the dream. It had been real. Granted, last night he and Cianna hung out like usual – movies, then racing home to watch Sportscenter. They talked and joked around, but he could feel something was off, and her eyes were sadder than he could have imagined. Lucas didn't want to upset her, so he played along and hoped she would tell him what was bothering her. She didn't, and her kiss goodnight felt more like goodbye.

He flipped open his cell and dialed the one person he knew would help. A sleepy voice drifted through the receiver. "Hello?"

"Georgie, I need your help," Lucas said worriedly. "It's important."

"You don't have to do everything at once, you know," Diego said softly as he folded more clothing into the suitcase. He looked at Cianna's face, noticing her weary eyes and disheveled appearance. He had come over as soon as she called, and while he hoped not to run into his former foster mom, he was less than relieved to find out why he didn't.

"Sooner the better," Cianna sighed. She turned toward Diego, pushing her mother's clothes out of his hands and into the suitcase. "Thank you again, for giving me the number to the home and helping you know…" She didn't mean for her voice to trail off, but something felt so wrong about what she was saying. Cianna knew what it meant to be cast off, to feel left on her own and now she was doing the same to her own mother.

Diego placed his palm over Cianna's cheek. "What are you going to do?"

She rubbed his hand with her own and then turned back to packing up the room. "Clean this place up, for starters. Thankfully, my parents paid the place off before I was diagnosed, so I can sell it and that should help pay for her staying…there, for a while." She turned back to Diego's concerned face. "Don't worry about me, D. You know I'll land on my feet."

"Maybe I can help," Diego offered but Cianna immediately shook her head.

"No! Look, I'm happy you have your dad and everything, but," she paused to word it without hurting Diego's feelings, "you don't even want to take his money, and I'm not going to."

"But what about school?" Diego protested. "What about living some place?"

Cianna smiled. "I finished a year early – home school, so I could take care of her." She looked at Diego and smirked. "You already know I have a job – I'm not leaving town, D. I've got more than enough reason to stay." She blushed at the thought of Lucas, which Diego immediately picked up on.

"Yeah, whatever," he replied grudgingly. "I don't know what you see in him, but if he ever –" Diego was cut off by his vibrating cell in his jacket pocket. "Hold on…hello?"

"Hey you," Brook's sing-song voice came through the receiver. "You sound wide awake – what's up?"

"Oh, uh, hey," Diego stammered, and Cianna gave him a suggestive look before leaving the room to finish packing up the kitchen. "Yeah, I'm up. What's up with you?"

"Well," she said smiling, "I'm on my way to your place and I was thinking we can go to the used record store and get –"

"No," Diego said stiffly, and then tried to regain his composure. "I mean, I'm supposed to meet my mom this morning. Look," he started but noticed Cianna peeking back in the room, "can I just call you when I'm through?"

"Yeah, I guess," Brook said somberly.

"Great, I'll call you later," Diego said, and forgot to say goodbye when he closed his cell quickly.

Cianna put her hands up in the air, grinning. "I'm not even going to ask!"

Georgie stomped down the stairs to the kitchen, only to realize she wasn't the only one making such noise this early in the morning.

"Yeah, Mom, show that bowl how you really feel," Maxie said sarcastically as Felicia slammed another bowl down on the counter. She looked over at her sister. "Great, no knife in the world can cut the tension in the room with the two of you around."

"Shut up, Maxie," Georgie snapped, but she was equally shocked when her mother, usually so quick to quell their sibling squabbles was mum. She started to pour her cereal, and looked around for the fourth party. "Where's Mac?"

"Gone," Felicia replied crossly. "Went to work early." She poured cereal for Georgie, who was standing next to her, Maxie, and herself.

"Good, because I'm not in the mood to hide my guy bashing," Georgie replied, handing the cereal to Maxie and the three of them sat around the tiny kitchen island.

"Oh boy," Maxie said, just before she munched on her cereal. She could guess why her mother was upset, as she wouldn't say a word about how her mystery date went, but Maxie was more concerned about Georgie, as she figured her attitude was to be blamed on Dillon.

"I just don't get why guys are so stupid," Georgie said between mouthfuls. "I mean, they make it look like they've gone through all kinds of hoops to get a girl, and then they're the ones that come up short in the relationship."

Felicia nodded, as Maxie nearly spit out her milk. "Sorry, my mind went some place else."

Felicia looked at the naughty smile that crept over Maxie's lips, but ignored her. "Well, sweetie, I would love to tell you they come to their senses when they get older, but it doesn't happen." She crunched harder on the cereal, thinking about how long she waited at the Metro Court bar last night.

"Jerks," Georgie muttered into her cereal, thinking about Dillon and Diego's little scene with that girl in the park.

"Yep," Felicia replied, thoughtfully dreaming up ways to confront John Durant in the most humiliating way possible.

Maxie shook her head and stood up. "Well, if you two rays of sunshine are finished, I'm going to head to class." She poured the rest of the cereal in the sink and wondered how she got to be the stable one around the Scorpio-Jones household.

Brook came back to the Quartermaine family room just as the rest of the family began to eat in their various corners, trying desperately to avoid one topic of conversation or another.

"What's wrong, honey?" Ned asked, clearly concerned by Brook's expression.

"Whatever it is, she'll get over it," Tracy barked, as she pulled Ned's sleeve to accompany her near Edward. "Unlike your daughter's teen angst – which believe me, changes from one day to the next – we have a very real problem!" She leaned over Edward's newspaper and snatched it from his grasp. "Emily is no more fit to run ELQ than the man in the moon."

"God help me for saying this aloud, but I agree with Tracy," Monica said over her cup of coffee. "Edward, she needs help, not trying to run a failing company."

"Which wouldn't be failing if your degenerate son hadn't pilfered from the family in the first place," Tracy exclaimed loudly, facing Monica before adding, "God rest his soul."

"Tracy, I built ELQ, and I will decide who runs it!" Edward shouted, snatching his paper back from her. "Now, Monica," he said, stepping around Tracy to face her directly, "Emily wants something she can handle, something she can control. I'm not going to let her twist in the wind until she decides to get the help you want her to."

"Thank you, Grandfather," Emily said cheerfully, pointedly looking at everyone before she stepped in the room. Brook chose that moment to slip out, bagel in hand, before it got any worse. Emily shouldered past her mother and Tracy toward the spread of scones and fruit Cook had placed on the table.

"Emily, I know you don't want to hear this…" Monica began.

"You're right, Monica – I don't," Emily cut her off, as she spread the cream cheese over her bagel slowly, her eyes lighting up at the sun's reflection off the silver. She finally put it down and kissed Edward on the cheek. "We have work to discuss, namely the next board meeting."

Tracy turned Emily toward her fiercely, and Emily tensed, her arms ready to deal her aunt a heavy blow. Shock overcame both women, but Tracy recovered first. "Besides your total lack of experience and business savvy, you are in no shape to run ELQ," Tracy said quietly, her voice more and more sympathetic.

Edward saw a glimpse of morose pass across Emily face, but she straightened up when she saw him examining her. "Tracy, when you bring me your degree from Wharton, then come talk to me, okay?" She pushed the woman out of her way and turned to face the whole family with Edward by her side, holding her shoulders gently, as though to steady her on her feet. "The board will decide what's best for the company, and I'm more than confident that I can correct the mistakes made by our previous CEOs" Emily said confidently, glancing at Ned and Tracy, "and bring ELQ back to its former glory."

"And how do you plan to pull that off with no money?" Tracy inquired, no longer willing to back down from fighting for her position. "Alimony?"

Monica cleared her throat, not only because Tracy was hitting below the belt, but also because she was the only one in the room that knew whatever was left of ELQ's operating budget was closer than they thought.

"Or she could get it from AJ," Skye announced from the doorway. Her voice was embittered and tight. "He's probably in enough of a drunken stupor to do anything at this point, right here – in Port Charles."

AJ walked nervously through the corridor of the hospital to his father's room. He surprised himself by waking up so early after his late night bender with Luke, but he knew he had to lay some groundwork before he made his presence known to the rest of the family.

Alan rolled his head toward the light streaming into his dimly lit room. "AJ? What time is it?"

"It's early," AJ replied, pulling the stool to his father's bed. "How you feeling, Dad?"

"Better than you," Alan said knowingly. He could smell the vodka on AJ's breath. "You've been drinking. Don't you know you're killing yourself?"

AJ rolled his eyes. "Like father, like son I guess then, huh Dad? Only I don't involve children and cars!" He shoved away from the bed and began pacing. "I came here to see how you are, not get a lecture. Why can't you – for once – just talk to me?"

"Because I just got you back," Alan said pleadingly, "and I'm not going to lose you again." Alan sat up laboriously, biting his lip over AJ's comment regarding Michael. "What if you had passed out and one of Sonny's men had found you?"

AJ breathed a sigh of relief, and returned to his father's side. He held his hand tightly, grateful. "Thank you, Dad, for finally being on my side."

"I love you AJ," Alan said sincerely, clutching AJ's hand closer to him. "I'll do anything to help you, but I want you to help yourself."

"That's why I'm here," AJ responded quickly. "I need to prove that I should be a part of Michael's life, right, so I have a new plan."

"No schemes, AJ," Alan started…

"No, I need a job," AJ cut him off. "And I need access to Michael, to convince him that Carly and Sonny have lied to him about me. So I figure I can do it if I worked here, at General Hospital." Alan could see the wheels turning behind AJ's glassy eyes. "I could do my old job, you know, assisting Michael's physical therapist, right?" AJ searched Alan's eyes for acceptance.

"I want you to be a part of Michael's life, you know that," Alan said glumly, imagining Michael going through weeks of pain because of him, "but I don't know that I'll be in a position to help."

"Dad, c'mon," AJ looked slightly panicked. "You're still chief of staff. Just push the paperwork through."

Alan looked away from his son, his desperate eyes and erratic tone. He knew he could be setting AJ up for a fall, but when he looked at him again, he couldn't see anything but the possible happiness if the plan indeed worked. "Done."

"Thanks, Max," Carly said softly, as she approached Michael's door. Her Mr. Man – head cocked slightly to the right, away from the door, fast asleep. She waited until her eyes adjusted to the darkness and tiptoed closer to his bed. She sat down absentmindedly, replaying in her head the past few hours: Sam's battered face, Ric and Reese's questions and her worrying about Jason.

And Sonny. His blood seemed to boil under his skin whenever he looked at what Sam's attacker did to her. Carly's first reaction was jealousy, but the more she studied Sonny's face, she could see the agony in his eyes, and she knew it wasn't about Sam. She allowed herself, over the years they had been together, to forget that tortured part of Sonny's soul that she witnessed when he first had a breakdown in front of her. Those haunted eyes were coming back, and just like that night, all she wanted to do was make it stop.

"What are you thinking about, Mom?" Michael asked, and Carly's heart leapt out in her chest. She had been so wrapped up in thinking about Sonny she hadn't noticed Michael was fully awake and staring at her. A wave of shame and regret washed over her.

"Nothing, sweetheart," Carly replied, repositioning herself in the stool by his bed. She grabbed his hand gently. "Just happy, you know. I have you, and you're safe and getting better." She leaned over Michael and hugged him gently, still frightened of touching his bandaged head. "You are all that matters," she said in his ear and kissed his forehead.

Sonny walked through the foyer of Greystone and straight into the enormous, immaculately kept kitchen. He had instructed his bodyguards to double up security around the perimeter of the estate, and to inform him as soon as Jason and Sam leave the hospital. His voice cracked slightly when he mentioned Sam's name, but he shook it off and remained severe while talking with his men.

He knew what would calm his nerves – manicotti. Michael loved it when Sonny made it for them, even when he filled it with spinach. Sonny pulled out all the ingredients and began to turn on the stove.

"Almost forgot," Sonny said, snapping his fingers and raced over to the mini television he had on the counter. It was always set on The Food Channel, but he would never admit to anyone that he watched it while he cooked. Emeril was just beginning to sauté something, and Sonny went back to chopping up the spinach. "He's got nothing on me," Sonny laughed after hearing 'BAM!' blaring from the TV.

"Never be conceited, my Michael," Adela admonished him gently, as they discussed the day while making dinner together. He just finished telling her that Paulie down the street was mad at him because he knew Michael was the smartest in their math class.

"Yes, ma'am," Michael said, eyes lowered. He kept cutting the carrots, watching the sharp blade slice cleanly through the vegetable, and he wished it were his bruised wrists…

"Dammit!" Sonny shouted, his blood trickling from his finger just away from the spinach. He threw the knife across the room and slowly looked around, expecting someone to rush in at his outburst. He looked at his hand again, but refused to allow himself to be pleased at the sight of his blood. He found the first aid kit, grudgingly placed a bandage over the cut and leaned back against the counter, watching Emeril light his wok to flambé something.

"Where the fuck is my lighter?" Deke paced around the living room, yelling at the top of his lungs. "Michael? Bring your ass out here right now!"

He ran to lock the door, but Deke's foot slammed against it, knocking the door completely off the hinge and sending his still scrawny teen body sprawling to the ground. Deke quickly straddled him and began choking him with one hand. "You've been smoking, haven't you? Huh, you worthless piece of shit? ANSWER ME!" He finally let go but lowered his face to Michael's, which was stained with only a single tear. "You think I can't get rid of you, don't you? One of these days…" He smirked and punched his stepson hard across his cheekbone before walking back to the living room and grabbing his Scotch.

Sonny left the kitchen just as it was – blood, food and all, his jaw clinched tight from the memories.

"What just happened?" Ric asked Reese, who was obviously worried about Sonny's abrupt departure.

Reese looked at him suspiciously. "You saw what happened, Ric. He left." She set both cups of coffee on the nurses' station, and turned back to the district attorney. "What happened with the guy Sam shot? Did you get a positive ID?"

"One of Sandoval's men," Ric sighed, and Reese rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know, which means this is going to get even uglier. Look, Reese," Ric said, stepping toward her, "I know you're still in town for a reason."

Reese stepped back. "Yeah, Ric, I am – to wrap up Kristina's kidnapping and then I'm being reassigned." She paused and crooked her head to the side. "But that's obviously not what you were hoping I'd say, is it? No, you were hoping that I would be staying on to help you in your crusade against your brother."

Ric rubbed his hands angrily over his face. That accusation was becoming tiresome, no matter who said it. "Actually, I was hoping that whatever relationship, and I use that term loosely, you're developing with Sonny, that you would use it to prevent him from turning Port Charles into a blood bath."

Just as Reese was about to reply, Jason and Sam emerged from her room and Reese rushed over to grab Sam's hand. "God, Sam…"

"I just really want to go home," Sam replied, looking past Reese to Ric. "Did you come back here to question me some more or just arrest me?"

Ric stepped toward her, but stopped short when Jason stood in front of Sam. "No charges will be brought against you, Sam, at least not from me."

"What's that supposed to mean, Ric?" Jason growled.

"Sam, you did hit an innocent bystander, Rachel Adair," Ric replied. "Lorenzo Alcazar gave his statement about you being attacked and claims he'll support your version of the events, but Rachel had to have surgery and I haven't spoken with her yet."

Sam, looking fearfully between Jason and Reese, shook her head. "Is she going to be alright?"

"Can Sam go home?" Jason asked, as Reese rubbed Sam's arm reassuringly.

"Yes," Ric said, and Jason rushed Sam past both Ric and Reese without another word. He turned back to Reese, who genuinely looked upset by Sam's circumstances. "That, right there, is why you need to talk to Sonny."

Reese's face went from worried to annoyed in an instant. "As I was about to say before Jason and Sam interrupted your feigned sincerity…I am not personally tied to your brother, but I do know this – you most certainly are, and your concern rings hollow, D.A Lansing. Do you really expect anyone to forget how much you have to gain from your brother's demise?"

Durant slammed the phone down on the desk, muttering curses under his breath. Besides not being able to get in touch with Felicia after he stood her up the night before, Ric took Alcazar's statement before he arrived to eavesdrop and Mac released him. Durant couldn't believe the incompetence of this department – not even trying to hold Alcazar and tie the crimes to him. The Port Charles community's acceptance of the mob was enough to make Durant grind his teeth to the gums, but he took slight satisfaction in being able to write this incident up among the others he would find to satisfy his deal with Alexis.

"Pleased with yourself today, are you?" Felicia's icy tone cut through the air, and Durant immediately lost the smug look on his face.

"I've been trying to call you," Durant said urgently. "I was on my way to meet you, but something came up, and by…"

"By the time you got there, I was gone, right?" Felicia said sarcastically. "Save it, Durant. You're absolutely transparent about your priorities, so I'll just be on my way."

"On your way where, huh?" Durant retorted, and Felicia turned around swiftly to face his intense gaze. "You off to find Mac, ask him what he wants for dinner tonight, and then crawl back into your shell?" He lowered his voice, but stepped closer to Felicia when she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you may not want to admit it, but there's a reason you accepted my invitation, and I don't care if it was peak Mac's interest again or just to play dress up, but you're angry with me for not showing up because you wanted to have dinner with me."

"And you blew it," Felicia responded smugly, only because she couldn't think of anything else to say with Durant standing so close.

"So I guess only Commissioner Scorpio deserves a second, third or millionth chance with you, then," Durant said, rocking back on his heels. "Fine. Guess it was the thought that counts, but tell me, Felicia," he whispered in her ear, noticing the officers staring at their little scene, "what are you thinking now?"

Before Felicia could catch her breath to answer, Durant's cell vibrated between them and he stepped back. "You keep thinking," Durant winked and turned away from Felicia's flushed face. He strode confidently into the interrogation room and flipped open his phone. "You rang?"

"Don't be coy – it doesn't suit you," Alexis' voice came through the receiver tensely. "What have you got so far? Have you linked Sonny to the shooting on the pier?"

"Rush, rush, rush, Mrs. Lansing," Durant quipped. "Thanks to your husband, Alcazar gave his statement and left before I got here, but I'm working on it."

"Well, work fast," Alexis said quickly, looking around to make sure Viola didn't hear her. "The sooner Sonny is out of our lives, the safer my daughter will be."

"As will mine," Durant snapped. "You let me handle the heavy lifting here, ok? Wouldn't want you to strain yourself or sprout any unseemly gray hairs, 'cuz you know, Ric might not find that very attractive – anymore than he'd appreciate seeing my number on your cell."

"What the hell…arrrggghhh!" Alexis roared softly into the phone as Durant hung up on her. She sat her cell down, biting her lip, and then raced to the nearest mirror to see if her brown mane had any light spots.

A strong knock at the door pulled Alexis away from the mirror. "I got it, Viola," she called out before coming face to face with a stern-looking Emily.

"I need your help."

Edward yanked Tracy by the arm out to the terrace, but the force was unnecessary, as Tracy was just as eager to bend his ear as he was hers.

"Daddy, you saw the way she just tore out of here," Tracy said as gently convincing as possible. "Emily's running away from her problems, and she will only bring the company down with them."

"Tracy, don't you think I know she's in trouble?" Edward's voice shook as he hung his head. "But she needs someone to believe in her, something powerful that submits to her will and not the other way around. If she has it, she may get her confidence back, and then she'll be able to deal with everything."

"It's amazing…you see that in everyone else but me," Tracy said bitterly. She leaned her body weight on one foot and looked her father squarely in the eye. "That 'everything' you're talking about is rape, Daddy. She was violated the way no one should be, and even I can sympathize with that, but it doesn't justify handing her ELQ!"

As Edward turned his back to her, Tracy lowered her voice and tried again. "What if she snaps? Or what if she starts to succeed and then relapses – then what? She could make a rash decision that will ruin us for good."

"Which is why I want your help," Edward said slowly. "If Emily gets the votes at the board meeting to become CEO, I'll put a motion before the board that you are made chief operating officer, and the two of you will work together."

"Daddy, why? Why would you take that risk?" Tracy was nearly pleading with her father. "I don't understand you."

"Because ELQ is about our family, Tracy," Edward said, standing straight and squaring his shoulders. "We're going to help Emily the best way we know how, and support her because she's family." He turned to look toward Lila's garden.

Monica stepped back from the terrace doors, fighting back the tears in her eyes. She loved that Edward wanted to help Emily so much, but she was sure he was setting her up to grow worse. Monica sat at the desk in the corner of the room, staring at the pictures of her children.

Skye entered the family room and caught Monica trying to steady her hands. "Monica?"

Monica looked up and pushed herself out of the corner. "I thought you left after dropping your bombshell."

Skye was taken aback by Monica's harsh tone. "Look, Monica, you have every right to be upset, but AJ's not trying to keep his presence a secret."

"So you thought you'd just help the process along," Monica shook her head. "As we're not dealing with enough, now everyone has another excuse to go tearing after AJ. Skye, did you even stop to think about that?"

"What I thought about was watching your son get drunk last night at the Haunted Star," Skye replied defensively. "He made a deal with Luke to invest in the Haunted Star to hide the Quartermaine money and profit from everyone's misery. Now, I don't want to alienate AJ anymore than you do, but he's being self-destructive enough as is. Someone has to stop him."

"Yeah, well, holding this family together has become my other full time job, and I'll continue to do so, in spite of your instigations," Monica said, brushing past Skye to head to the hospital. She had to warn Alan that their whole world was yet again about to be blown apart.

Cianna sat at the table in the middle of Kelly's, staring blankly at her plate. Penny had tried to reassure her again that putting her mom in the treatment facility was the best thing for them both, but she couldn't get past the idea of that kind of place. The door bells rang as someone entered Kelly's, providing a welcome distraction from Cianna's thoughts, but she was even more excited to see who it was.

"Hey," Lucas said hesitantly, resisting the urge to look back at the door. He embraced Cianna tightly, but noticed she held on a little longer than usual. "Everything ok?"

"Yep, I'm good now," Cianna said, her mouth curved in a wicked smile that she only gave Lucas when she teased him. "I didn't know you were coming by here."

"Well, if I had known you were here, I'd have met you," Lucas flirted back. He noticed her untouched food and the newspaper. "Doesn't seem like you have an appetite though…" He sat down in front of her chair and she sat back down, pushing her food aside.

"No, I'm starving. I just was reading something in the paper and got caught up in it," Cianna lied easily, and it made her temples pulse at how fast it slipped out. She didn't know why she didn't want to tell Lucas she was looking for a new place, but it seemed best to keep it to herself.

Lucas turned it over and saw Lorenzo Alcazar's face on the front. "Man, Port Charles can't go a day without reporting mob stuff anymore, and this guy's the worst."

Cianna cringed inwardly. "What do you mean?"

"Look at this smug look," Lucas said with casual disdain. "He walks around town in these Armani suits and just because he has a good vocabulary he acts like he's not a criminal. I just can't stand arrogance, you know? And his son, Diego, same thing – arrogant, smug asshole."

"Do you really know them like that, or are you just assuming they're assholes because they can afford stuff?" Cianna countered vehemently. She could feel her face flush when Lucas looked shocked at her defense of the Alcazars.

"Why are you so…," Lucas began.

"Hey, got here as soon as I cou –," Georgie said, rushing into Kelly's and up to the table where Lucas was sitting, with Diego's girl from the park. She didn't hide her shock well, but was surprised to see the girl raise an eyebrow in her and Lucas' direction in return.

Dillon found the door to the L&B studio already ajar when he arrived, and he almost went back to the Haunted Star. He didn't feel like interacting with anyone – except Georgie, who wasn't speaking to him at the moment. He just wanted to play around with the sound board and forget he still had to finish his film school project.

Dillon walked in to find Brook Lyn scribbling out something she wrote. "Hey."

"Hey," she said, equally unenthused. "I didn't know you were coming in today."

"Yeah, just, you know…didn't feel like sitting in my room all day," Dillon said as threw himself on the couch.

"What about Georgie?" Brook Lyn finally looked up from her notes, a dry attempt at a hateful song directed at Diego, but one look from Dillon was her answer. She walked over and sat next to him. "Ah, so you're having one of those 'don't-know-what-the-hell's-wrong' moments too, huh?"

"Um, yeah," Dillon admitted, "but I know what's wrong. I'm just not sure how – or if – I want to fix it."

"Whoa," Brook said surprised, "it can't be that bad, Dillon. You and Georgie really love each other, right? I mean, you guys are the reason I believe in teen love and stuff."

"Oh, I didn't mean I didn't want to fix what's wrong with me and Georgie," Dillon replied. "That's a given. I just meant that – well, we fought about me not finishing my project for USC and I don't know…"

Diego bursting through the door, calling Brook's name, cut off Dillon's response. "Oh, hey, there you are," he said suavely. He walked up to Brook and kissed her lightly on her neck, and then handing her a dozen roses. "These are for you."

Brook looked cautiously between the flowers and Dillon's odd expression. "What for?"

"Just because, and you know, I'm sorry we didn't go out this morning," Diego said sweetly, kissing Brook on her cheek this time.

She could see how much Diego wanted her to buy into this, so she smiled and smelled the roses like she was excited, but Dillon could tell she wasn't fooled.

Sam signed her release papers and handed them back to the nurse. Jason rested his hand on her shoulder lightly and she leaned back into him. "Let's go," she said, just above a whisper.

Jason nodded, but as they pressed the button for the elevator, it opened and Monica emerged quickly. She stopped in front of them and grabbed Sam's hands.

"What happened to you? Have you been checked out already?" Monica looked at Sam's black eye and then at Jason.

"It's a long story Monica, but I'll be fine," Sam said softly.

"We were just headed home," Jason said quietly, not looking his mother in the face. She could tell he blamed himself for what happened.

"Of course, but Jason," Monica replied, "I need to talk to you about something."

"It'll have to wait, Monica," Jason said. "I just want to get Sam home, and…" He was interrupted by someone clapping behind them.

"Man, you're still at it, and the tune never gets old for them," AJ smirked and folded his arms across his chest. When Jason and Sam turned to face him, he grimaced at Sam's wounds. "Ouch, that's gotta hurt, but I'm sure the Golden Boy convinced you it wasn't his fault and promised to kiss it better, didn't he?"

Jason grabbed AJ and threw him up against the wall in an instant, while Sam grabbed Monica to move her out of the way. "Don't ever talk to her, AJ. EVER!"

"Please stop!" Monica pleaded with her son's from behind Sam's arms.

The elevator opened again and Emily stepped out, pushing her long hair behind her black trench coat. "C'mon, Jason, stop." Her voice was so cool that it made Jason pause long enough for AJ to wrestle himself out of Jason's grasp.

She shook her head as if to scold the both of them. "Anyway, we all know the way to hurt AJ…in his, or should I say ELQ's, bank account." Emily handed AJ a manila envelope which enclosed the lawsuit Alexis had drawn up and folded her hands across her chest haughtily. "Consider yourself served – your accounts are frozen and ELQ is taking back every dime."

Max walked through the foyer of Greystone, but hesitated to call out his boss' name. The gentle hum of the television coming from the kitchen put him at ease and he walked in that direction, hoping he'd gotten there in time for dinner. Upon seeing the half-chopped spinach and smoking stove, Max rushed to turn it off and drew his gun.

The sudden crash of broken glass resonated through the empty mansion, and a single gunshot from upstairs rang out in an echo.