Title: Precious Time

Written by: Michelle and Jenny

Characters: Sonny Corinthos, Carly Corinthos, Jason Morgan, Samantha McCall, Lorenzo Alcazar, Skye Quartermaine, Dr. Asher Thomas, and any other residents of Port Charles that might pop up now and then.

Summary: Putting their personal feelings for Lorenzo Alcazar aside, Sonny and Jason must work with him to find Carly and Sam after they are kidnapped.

Disclaimer: We do not own any of the characters, locations, or plot lines associated with GH. They belong to the creators, writers, ABC and Disney. We are just borrowing them for fun!

A/N: Jenny and I are taking the kidnapping storyline and reworking some of the outcomes and events that happened after Michael was returned home and AJ was killed. We are picking this up just before Dr. Thomas is introduced to the storyline.

Prologue

Sam sighed as she walked into the penthouse. It had been a long couple of months, with the kidnapping, trying to find the kids, the shoot-out with Faith, thinking Michael was dead, learning AJ had him and had brainwashed him, Jason's fight with AJ and now AJ's death. Sam knew a lot of people wanted AJ dead for what he did, but she also knew that Jason, Sonny and Carly – the most obvious people – had not killed him, no matter how much Alan accused Jason of the crime.

Sam was also worried about Jason. He was devastated over Michael's reaction to what AJ did to him. He wasn't talking or responding to anyone, not even Jason, who he had always been close to. Sam knew that Jason blamed himself for the trauma AJ caused to that little boy. She had tried countless times to convince him this was not true, but Jason wasn't hearing it. Now he was determined to get through to Michael and find out what really happened to AJ in that hospital room.

Sam turned when she heard Jason coming down the stairs. She took in his damp hair and knew he had just gotten out of the shower. The hard look to his deep blue eyes, dark circles that was evidence that he wasn't sleeping and the tense way his body moved, indicated to Sam that she needed, more than ever, to try to get Jason to relax and slow down. She had to convince him he would be no use to anyone if he was exhausted.

"Hey, how about we order Chinese tonight, we haven't done that in a while," Sam said. She was determined to get him to relax and start thinking about himself before he collapsed or was hurt seriously. His getting shot at the beginning of this nightmare had shaken her deeply. Sam had almost lost him and she would be damned if that happened again.

Jason looked over at Sam. It had been so long since they spent any real time together, and it killed him to push her away. She didn't deserve that. Sam had been there for him through everything, ready to defend him to anyone and everyone, to help him work things out in his head, she had believed in him when he said that Michael was not dead. She believed in his instincts and stood by him even when he doubted himself. She had been so strong through all of this, and Jason didn't think he could possibly love her more. But he knew that he couldn't rest until the nightmare AJ had created was over. Once again, Jason was left to clean up one of AJ's messes, only this time, it involved a little boy Jason had always thought of as his own son.

"I can't Sam, I'm on my way out," he said, grabbing his leather jacket, phone and keys. He tried not to look at her, knowing, even though she would try to hide it, he would see how hurt and worried she was. And it made Jason that much angrier at AJ. Even in death, AJ still had the power to wreak havoc on people's lives.

"Oh, well, are you going to see Michael? I can go with you," Sam offered, feeling an overpowering need to be close to Jason, wanting to protect him at all cost. Jason was always the one to put his safety, his life, and his happiness on the line to protect others, but what about when he needed protection? What about when he needed comfort? Who was there for him? Sam knew in that moment that she was going to have to be those things for him, whether he wanted it or not. Jason was going to accept her help and her love even if she had to shove it down his throat.

"I'm not going to see Michael. I have some work to do."

"Oh . . . okay," said Sam. "Well, I'll just wait up for you and we can get something to eat then."

"I don't know when I'll be back, Sam," Jason said. "Don't wait up." Then he was gone. Jason hated hurting her, but he needed to do this on his own. He needed to make sure his family was not put through this ordeal any longer, and that included Sam.

Sam looked at the closed door. She ran her hands through her long hair as she flopped onto the couch. She felt Jason slipping further and further away and she would be damned if she let that happen. With a new resolve, Sam ran upstairs and into their bedroom. Grabbing a pair of black jeans, a black, form fitting tank top, a black sweat jacket and her black work boots, Sam quickly changed. Opening the closet door, Sam rummaged in the back until she found her black bag which held the tools of her trade: flashlight, lock pick set, climbing rope and harness, black leather gloves, her gun and extra bullets, her hunting knife, glass cutters, and other paraphernalia she had collected during her con and salvaging days. Pulling her hair into a ponytail and slipping a knit black cap on, Sam headed back to the living room. She was going to keep Jason alive and let him know he was not alone in this. And if he didn't like it, well, that was too damn bad for him.