Chapter 5

Lorenzo raised his eyebrow at the little girl who was looking up at him with interest. "Yes, it would appear that I am your father," he said, putting the glass down and going over to the couch. He moved slowly so as not to scare her, but she just watched him.

"You're tall," she said, having to look up as he got closer to her. She was entranced by his eyes and wondered when he was going to yell at her for sneaking out of the hotel and then into his house.

"Please, sit," Lorenzo said as he eased himself down onto the couch.

Jodie sat on the couch across from him. She sat on the edge, her small feet just barely touching the floor as she gently swung them back and forth. "You're not used to little kids are you?" she asked.

Lorenzo smiled and shook his head. "Not really. I do have a son, but he's a lot older than you."

Jodie's eyes widened. "I have a brother?" she asked. Jodie had never had brothers or sisters before and she wasn't sure what it would be like to have an older brother. "What's his name?"

"His name is Diego and he's seventeen," Lorenzo answered, seeing how her eyes sparkled.

"Does he live here?" she asked, looking around the big house. When Jodie had found the house, she had stared up at it in amazement. It was huge. Once on the property itself, Jodie had found a lake, stables with some awesome looking horses, a pool, and then the house itself. Jodie had also seen all the men around the house, all wearing dark suits. She wondered who they were and why there were so many of them.

"Yes, Diego lives here." Lorenzo looked over the little girl. She was petite, smaller than he expected for a girl of her age. Her blonde hair was loose and gently swayed just above her shoulders. Her bright blue eyes were large as they looked around her, taking in everything. She had an oval shaped face with a slightly pointed chin and a wide smile. When she spoke, her voice was small and girly, but not at all childish in its expression and vocabulary. She wore a striped blue and white t-shirt that seemed too big for her slight frame and a pair of denim overalls that hung loosely around her. He had a feeling that this little girl was more comfortable in jeans and sneakers than dresses. He could imagine her climbing trees and running through the silent halls of his big house.

"So, do you have any other kids?" she asked. The man in front of her was nice – so far. He hadn't yelled at her for running away.

"No," said Lorenzo.

"So, just you and my brother live in this big house?" she asked, looking around the large living room. It was nice, if a little too fancy. "You're not used to little girls, huh?"

Lorenzo smiled and shook his head. "Not really. I did have a niece who you remind me a lot of." Lorenzo felt the usual wave of sadness and regret wash over him when he thought of Sage and how he had let her down.

Jodie saw the sadness in his eyes. "What happened to her?" she asked quietly.

"She passed away almost a year ago," he said.

"Oh," Jodie said, looking down at her hands.

Lorenzo took a deep breath and then stood. "I should call Ms. Carmine."

"I understand," she said. She knew this was going to happen. He didn't want her and was going to send her back.

Lorenzo looked down at her and saw how her thin shoulders slumped and her head hung down, the straight hair falling over her face. "I'm sure she would like to know that you're safe and not wandering the city. Then we can see about getting some lunch."

"You're not sending me back?" she asked daring to look up, her eyes wide and surprised.

"No Jodie, I am not sending you back." Then Lorenzo picked up the phone and called the social worker to assure her Jodie was fine and would be spending the remainder of the day with him. He was determined to get to know this little girl and do right by her. It was his way of honoring Sage.

"Hey Dad, where's Mom?" Michael asked as he came down the stairs. He had heard his mother's voice earlier, but she hadn't come upstairs to ask him about his therapy session.

"She went out for a bit," said Sonny as he put the papers he had been looking over down.

"Cool," said Michael. "She said she would take me and Morgan to that carnival in the park."

Sonny nodded. He knew Michael was excited about going and it was nice to see his son excited about something again. After all that had happened with AJ and his death, Sonny had been afraid that his little boy was lost to him forever. Sonny didn't like shrinks, but he saw the changes in Michael and knew that Jason and Sam had made the right choice in forcing the issue, even if Carly still had trouble with it.

"So, you're looking forward to the carnival?" Sonny asked. He got up from behind the desk and joined Michael over on the couch.

Michael nodded his head enthusiastically. "There are tons of rides and games where you can win stuff, and lots of food. There's even a petting zoo. I know Morgan would love the little pigs and goats."

Sonny watched how Michael's eyes lit up and he became very animated when he spoke, his hands moving around. Watching him, Sonny saw so much of Carly in the little boy. "Sounds like a lot fun."

"I'm going to make sure Morgan is ready to go, that way we can leave as soon as Mom gets here." Michael ran back up the stairs, relieved when his father didn't ask how Michael knew what was at the carnival. As far as anyone was concerned, he had not been there yet.

Sam stirred and stretched her arms over her head. A small smile played over her lips as she snuggled deeper in the comforter. Jason just watched her. He could spend hours watching her sleep and he did just that at times. She was so beautiful, even in sleep. His eyes took in her sable hair that felt like spun silk when he ran his fingers through its thickness. Her skin glowed as if kissed by the sun. Jason gently ran his finger down her bare arm, watching as goose bumps formed under his fingers. It had been so long since they had spent this kind of time together and Jason promised himself that he would make more time for them. Now that Michael was home safe, Jason knew that he had to make more of an effort to put Sam first. She showed him over and over again how much she loved him. Sam stood by him when he was shot; always ready to give him a kick in the pants when his macho side took over. She believed in him when he said that Michael was not dead. She let him vent and pushed him to think beyond what was in front of him. She defended him when people said his grief was keeping him from letting go of the boy who he thought of as a son. And now, when Jason doubted the trust of a doctor, who was, he had to admit, helping Michael, Sam did not waver in her belief that this was what Michael needed. Even if she had to fight Jason on this – and she did – Sam was determined to see that Michael got the help he needed. Jason knew he could trust Sam, now all he had to do was show her that.

Sam knew Jason was watching her. She had felt him gently trace his fingers down her arm. They had been through so much together since they had met. Sam never thought in a million years that she would be this in love with a man. Running cons and making money any way she could had been Sam's way of life – the only life she really knew – until she came to Port Charles. Sure, she didn't exactly make a big impression when she blew into town, what with first hooking up with Jasper Jacks, a wealthy playboy who had what she wanted. Then there was Sonny Corinthos, local mob boss, a married man who had taken her hostage one night. Her short-lived love affair with him had brought Jason into her life. Sam knew Jason had despised her – hell, he tried to pay her off to leave town. To this day, Sam still couldn't explain why she had turned down all that money. She would have been set for a long time with the amount he was offering her. And then she had gotten pregnant at the same time that Sonny decided he was going to try to make his marriage to Carly work for the sake of his family. Sam had been crushed and was hell bent on getting out of town. She hadn't wanted to be saddled down with the child of a married man who didn't want her. It had been Jason who continually chased after her, insisting that she keep the baby and tell Sonny. Jason had been there through her pregnancy, taking care of her – even though he drove her up the wall most of the time. He may not have liked her, but he respected her and promised to take care of her and her child, even at the expense of his own failing marriage and the rift that was forming between him and Sonny, a man who had taken Jason in when he needed a friend, a man who had given Jason a new life and a job he valued. Jason had been there to assure her she would be a good mother when she doubted her abilities. He made sure she rested and ate right. And he was there when she woke up. He was there to hold her and let her scream and cry when she learned of her baby's death. He never told her she was being a fool for missing her child so much and he grieved right along with her. They still had their ups and downs since her baby's death, but Sam knew how much Jason loved her, even if he didn't always use words. He showed her in the way he looked at her. In the way he trusted her. In the way he found reasons to touch her in some way. She didn't need the words to know how Jason felt about her. It was written in his eyes and that was enough for her.

Everything was going as planned. Carly Corinthos was safely tucked away in a small warehouse outside of town. No one had noticed her missing – yet. Once they did though, he knew Corinthos and Morgan would start looking for her, leaving Sam available to him. And as soon as he had her, he was never going to let her go.