A/N – Thanks for the comments! Liz does think she is keeping Jake from the real Jason. She's still on the fence but Francis, Johnny, and Jake think he's not Jason and the guys are trying to get her to entertain the thought that maybe isn't him, but they have no proof. Francis and Johnny are just going with their gut feelings. Elizabeth thinks it's wishful thinking on their part. ghfan51184 – On the show, the name Emily wasn't about Sam at all. She did it for Jason, so it was about him and honoring his sister (even though we hated it lol). Guest – I understand your perspective and agree that now isn't the time for her to fight. What character hasn't TPTB screwed with? I'm more of a Jason fan and hated how he just forgave people he shouldn't, Liz included. And don't even get me started with her lol, she was ridiculous. I'm not going to rehash too much or beat a dead horse, frankly, neither ever did that on the show. They were together after the major mistakes, so they have already come to terms with it. The only thing they haven't discussed fully is the brief DNA switch and Liz manipulating Jason to keep him away from Sam around that time. That time period will be discussed on both sides.

Posting early AM because I have a day trip to drive down the coast a bit to get out of the house. Going to make a picnic lunch and just chill and probably stay in the car most of the time, but sometimes, you just have to get out. This Covid-19 crap sucks.

Moving things along in this chapter, but it will be quite a while before Patient 6 goes to Italy. Sorry…now we need to go through his journey.

Chapter 11

The news reached Elizabeth and she is a little sad about it. Sam has once again gotten everything. Liz just doesn't get how she does it.

"I didn't tell you to make you upset, but I figured you'd kill me if I didn't," Francis said.

"No, it's okay."

"Milo is coming home."

"Wow." Sonny probably isn't pleased.

"That means, information won't be as forthcoming. Paulie is still there, but I hate putting him in a bad situation."

"It's okay. I'll survive without the gossip. There's always Epiphany."

"True."

"The store is doing well."

"That's good. It keeps you busy."

She sighed heavily.

"But you're not happy."

She smiled. "Why would you say that?"

"Because your smile doesn't reach your eyes."

"I'm fine." It's hard being around such observant men.

"How's Cam?" He knows she won't spill, so he moved on. They had all attended Cam's graduation ceremony the week before and he'll now have to find a job and is registered to start taking MBA courses in the fall.

"He's doing well. He met a girl on his Paris trip."

Francis grinned. "What do you know about her?"

"Her name is Emiliana."

"I'll need a last name to do a background check."

She rolled her eyes.

"You can never be too careful."

"If they start to get serious, I'll get back to you. She's finishing school in Paris and she doesn't live far from here. He said he plans on visiting her when he can."

"How are your Italian lessons going?"

"I'm doing well. I can hold a conversation without embarrassing myself."

He chuckled. "I'll test you later. I have an appointment."

"Maximus?"

"No, the dentist."

She grimaced.

"Yeah, exactly…"

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Sam and Jason co-parented for the next year. She is so in love with him and was thrilled when he finally began to respond. They had made out a few times and had gone on a date. After Jason had finally reconciled with the fact that Liz doesn't want to be found, he started looking at what was right in front of him and figured that maybe Sam was his destiny. She's still fighting for him after everything that happened. God knows no one else is fighting to be with him or cares. Slowly, he had allowed himself to get sucked back in and is falling in love with her again.

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Liz wipes a tear away. Jake has graduated from high school and he is so handsome and smart. She can't believe how fast the time has gone. Cam is working in the accounting department at a trucking company and has been learning as much as he can.

Jake hugs her. "I love you, mom."

She grips him tightly before slowly releasing him. "I love you more."

He smirked.

God, he looks like his father.

"Maximus is having a big dinner for you."

"Good, I'm starving."

A few kids walked by and smack him on the back as they offered their congratulations.

He is glad school is over because now, so he can join the organization. The talk with his mom about it is long overdue.

Aidan hugged his big brother. "I'm glad you escaped alive."

Jake chuckled as he messed up Aidan's hair. "Barely…"

A girl approached them speaking Italian and the three rattled it off making Liz smile. Her boys are fluent now and she's happy they took to it so fast.

They headed to the car and drove to Maximus's house.

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Ava Jerome moved into a room. She's receiving treatment at a Russian clinic for her face which has third-degree burns. After thinking she would always be scarred, the opportunity came up for an experimental treatment and she gladly took it.

"You're still here."

She moved in front of a patient who is wearing dark glasses and is wearing a mask and hoodie which obscures his hair.

"They told me you're dangerous, but you don't move much. I tried to find out some things about you, but everyone is tight-lipped which just makes me more curious." He is an enigma.

The patient doesn't move.

"You're probably wondering why I trust these people. I just—the surgery went well and I'm not sure that I believe what they are telling me. They said you were shot and fell in the water, but for all, I know you could be here for surgery and underneath all of that—oh God, I hope not. There's just something about this place that gives me the creeps. I mean, they're mostly nice but it also feels like a prison."

She sits. "Sorry that I'm rambling. This place is a miracle. It's giving me another chance, so I shouldn't complain. Maybe I'm uncomfortable because I don't think I deserve it."

Restless, she steps in front of a window. "What about you? Who were you before you became this dangerous patient? Are you good? Do you have a family waiting for you?"

His hands move, but he doesn't answer.

"Enough with the questions." She retrieves a pad and pen and places it on his lap.

His glasses are now off which she takes as a good sign.

"Here's a pad. Let's start with your name."

When he still doesn't move, she throws up her hands.

"I get it. You don't want to tell me anything, but let's face it, this me against the world silent act you have going on is not working out well for you. You are stuck in this chair and they are giving you a lot of drugs. I overheard a call and the doctor said they are thinking about upping your dosage."

Worry floods his blue orbs as he considers what she is saying.

"When they get done with you, maybe you won't remember anymore. This could be your last clear thought. Don't waste it."

He picks up the pen and looks at it and then writes as their gaze locks and then hands her the pad. It had been gradual, but he's starting to remember his life. The drugs had put him in this other world where he couldn't focus on anything, but they are not working like they used to.

She takes it and is confused because he had scrawled a phone number.

"Oh my God, that area code is from Port Charles, New York. You want me to call someone and tell them what, that I'm in Russia and some psychotic blue-eyed man wants you to come and get him?" She rips off the paper.

He nods.

"I don't have access to a phone, but even if I found an outside line and called this number, do you think someone is going to fly over here and come and get you based on your description?"

He nods again.

"It would be much easier if you just give me your name."

She hands the pad back.

"Tell me who you are then I'll try to help you."

He won't take it from her, so she gets frustrated. "Fine, don't write your name. Let them drug you into oblivion. When you decide to clue me in, then I'll see what I can do."

She folds up the paper.

A nurse runs into the room. "What is going on?" She spies the pen in the patient's hand. "You gave him a weapon?"

Ava is backed into the corner.

The nurse and doctor are freaking out and she is sent for help.

"How did he get a pen?"

Ava cowers. "I didn't know it was a big deal."

He slams the wall next to her. "You stupid, bitch!"

Sensing her distress, the patient slowly stands as he grips the pen and lowers his hoodie; revealing more of himself.

He follows her gaze and spots the patient. "Sit down! There is no way to get out of here. There is nowhere to go. You're surrounded."

The angry patient kicks over a display and climbs over it as Ava lets out a whimper. He looks very menacing.

"Put down your weapon!"

Two orderlies show up as the patient moves closer.

They start to move forward and the patient engages and is quickly held by one of the orderlies as the other punches him.

The patient quickly disables them and another orderly appears with a baton and starts swinging.

"Don't kill him!" the doctor yells.

The patient quickly disarms him and uses the club on him, but as he starts to choke the man out, the original orderly injects him, and he stumbles to the doorway and then collapses.

The other orderlies struggle to get up as their bodies tense with pain.

"Get him to his room and use double restraints. Hurry up!" the doctor orders.

They leave and the doctor confronts Ava.

"Tell me how he got this pen," he said holding it up. He is livid. "You were warned to stay away from him."

"I'm sorry." The patient had done a lot of damage, but he still fascinates her.

"How sorry would you feel if he had killed someone? What if he had come after you?"

"He won't hurt me."

"Then you're being stupid because his nature is to kill. You've seen what he is capable of. Be grateful that you are still alive."

"I understand."

He gets in her face. "Then why did you give it to him?"

"I was trying to communicate with him."

"About what?"

She pulls out the paper and hands it to him. "That's it. The area code is from upstate New York."

He moves away from her for a moment and then turned around. "You're scarring is severe. Without treatment here you will be deformed for the rest of your life. Is that what you want?"

"No, please…"

"Then follow the rules. You are to have no more contact with Patient 6 or you will lose your chance to look normal again."

He leaves and Ava breathes a sigh of relief.

In Patient 6's room, the doctor dials a phone number and after a few rings, Sonny Corinthos answers the phone and states his name, but the doctor remains silent and then hears someone address, Sonny before the call ended. Dr. Klein starts talking to the unconscious patient. "I thought I had you so drugged that you couldn't function, but I was wrong. You had enough control to write down this number. Why is it so important? Who are you to this Sonny person and what can he do for you? I made a mistake and got sloppy. I'm out of here. I'm not going to deal with you anymore." This is not worth losing his life.

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Jake stares at a picture of his father. "I wish you were alive. God, I would do anything to see you. I'm trying so hard to be strong, so I can protect them like you wanted to." He buries his head in his hands. "I'm scared that I can't be as good as you. I wish you could help me. Mom is so lost. She tries, but she can't quite hide the sadness sometimes. You could fix that. You could fix me." He gets up and stares out the window at the lake. "I'm messed up. Helena, she took all the fun out of my life and forced me to be so different. She would torture me if I wasn't good and she would try to get me to hate everyone, including you and mom, but I fought it. I didn't know about you, but I remembered my mom and that she loves me. She said that you did too but stayed away because you wanted to protect me. I probably should be mad at you, but I want to prove to you that you could have had it all. While I was stuck with Helena, I just kept telling myself that I'm loved to make it through. Eventually, I was found and able to get home, but the damage was already done. I can't be who I was before and I know you understand that. I just need you, dad. If you're out there, please fight to come home." He feels he is doing the right thing by working for Maximus. He's honoring his father and protecting his family which are two very important things.

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Ava goes back to her room and is very upset. She doesn't think they can help her and was going to leave but talks herself into staying.

She freezes and then moves to the door as she hears Dr. Klein talking on the phone.

"It's Klein and there has been an incident. This is a clinic, not a jail. I gave him a horse tranquilizer and he was able to attack several orderlies. What else am I suppose to do?"

A scared Ava continues to listen.

"If I give him any more, it will stop his heart. I'll keep him immobilized until tomorrow and then he's your problem."

In Patient's 6's room, he starts to wake up and struggle against the handcuffs and then freezes when he hears the door and shuts his eyes.

Ava is stunned to see him chained up.

"Oh, my God. What did they do to you? This is my fault. I should have done what they said so at least you could still sit in your chair and look out the window." She moves closer. "I wish that I could help you. I gave Klein that number and I'm so sorry that I ratted you out. I just gave up a lot to be here and couldn't risk getting kicked out. I wish that I could make it up to you."

Patient 6's eyes flutter open. "You can."

Ava is stunned. "I didn't realize that you were awake and can speak."

"A little…"

"Why didn't you tell me?" She answers her question. "You don't trust me. I don't know you, but you have some connection to someone in Port Charles and I'm a pariah there. I could get kicked out for talking to you. God, you have no idea what I gave up to be here. My face was burned in a fire. I'm an embarrassment and people look away and don't want to face me. I need to feel close to someone again; someone who isn't scared to touch me. Do you understand?"

"You said that you wanted to make it up to me."

"Yes, I do, but not at the cost of my future. That may sound selfish to you, but the truth is that I'm not a good person." She has done a lot that she's not proud of.

"Do you want to be?"

"Good?" She chuckles. "Yes, I think I do. There was someone in my life that thought I could be better, but I would argue and tell him, no, but deep down part of me wants to prove him right."

"Then do it. Help me."

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Later that night, the doctor returns and tells the nurse that he can't believe the patient didn't die when he gave him the second dose. He puts his pad and pen on the bed and then is able to grab the pen and hide it in his hand.

"Erase all evidence that he was here."

They leave and Patient 6 tries to free himself by dismantling the phone, but once he gets it apart, he accidentally drops the clip onto the floor and then curses under his breath and closes his eyes.

Someone enters the room and picks up the clip and holds it up. It's Ava and he's surprised to see her.

She hands it to him and he tries to use it again.

"Thank you."

"I owed it to you." She observes. "Do you think you'll get them off with that?"

"You should go."

"And miss this?"

"If they find you, it won't be good."

"I'll take the chance."

She eyes him skeptically, wondering if he is as dangerous as they said.

After several minutes, he removes all the restraints.

"I can't believe you got out."

"You should go back to your room."

He peeks out the window.

"And what are you going to do?"

"I'm going home."

"They are going to move you today. I overheard Klein."

The nurse stands outside the door.

"Hide!" Patient 6 says pointing to a different door.