Finally doing a little time jump. Not a lot just a month lol. Happy birthday Cam and Sam! Lol. So many rhyming names. Aiden and Hayden… who else rhymes? Ava and Avery are close. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 14- A True Friend

May 11th came around fast. Too fast. Forty sounded so old to Sam. It just seemed unfathomable. She didn't even want to celebrate, but her mom said they needed to at least have a picnic with the family since the weather was so nice, especially since the kids had another in-service day, they could go early afternoon.

Julian had been out of the hospital for a few weeks now and was recovering nicely and Leo was adjusting to living full time with him and Alexis. But Alexis told Sam that Leo still cried himself to sleep most nights as he was still grieving Olivia. Danny and Scout didn't seem to regress since their latest abduction, but Danny still focused most of his free time on homework and Scout refused to wear anymore dresses. She'd stamp her foot on the ground and say, "I want to wear my Olaf pants!" Sam could understand, she'd feel the same way if an older child ripped a dress off her. It was sad though because Scout always loved to wear a dress.

Drew and Sam had connected with Robert and Anna, who agreed to send out some agents to Cassadine Island to search for Nikolas. They were also assisting in catching Valentin, Peter, and the Marchesis. Though Anna was pretty hesitant about Peter.

When Sam, Lucas, and the kids arrived at the park, Julian, Alexis, and Leo were already there laying a party tablecloth on a long picnic table. She was surprised however to see Elizabeth, Ric, the boys, Hayden, Violet, Steve, and a few of Cameron's friends (Josslyn, Trina, Emma, Spencer) sitting around a table at the next lot. A big gold 17 balloon bobbed up and down from Cameron's chair.

Lucas and Wiley walked over to Julian and Leo. Julian scooped Wiley onto his lap, and Wiley pulled on his ears.

"Thcout!" Violet ran over and hugged her. "It'th Cam'th buthday! He'th weally old."

Scout smiled. "It's my mommy's birthday too. She's like a hundred."

"I am not!" Sam crossed her arms. "I'm forty."

"That's really close to a hundred," Scout said, then started to blush and wave at Aiden.

Aiden smiled and waved back.

Alexis wrapped her arms around Sam and started crying. "Happy birthday. I can't believe I have a 40-year-old daughter."

"Yeah… me neither…" Sam groaned.

"I didn't realize you and Cameron share a birthday," Alexis said.

"Can I sit with Jake?" Danny asked.

Sam frowned.

"Danny, it's your mom's birthday," Alexis said. "How about you go say hi but come sit with us?"

Danny lowered his gazed and sauntered over to Jake.

"Helloooo!" Kristina arrived with Chase carrying a purple gift bag and she hugged Sam. "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks Krissy," Sam said.

Molly and TJ trailed behind carrying a blue gift bag. "Happy birthday, Sam!"

"Hey!" Sam touched Molly's small baby bump. "How are you feeling?"

She sighed. "Morning sickness is a killer… I'm throwing up all the time and not just in the morning." She lowered her voice so TJ wouldn't hear. "That's because it's giiiirrlll."

Sam grinned.

"Scout," Aiden said walking over to them. "Me and Violet are going over to play on the swings. Do you want to come?"

Her face lit up. "Please, Mommy. Please!"

"Well," Sam started.

"Cookie, don't you want to sit with Mommy for her birthday?" Alexis asked.

"Oh, go on!" Sam said. "We aren't started yet anyway."

Alexis frowned as they ran off to the play equipment. "I just want your birthday to be special."

"It is," Sam said. "And it makes it more special seeing Danny and Scout smiling." She looked over at Danny and Jake who were talking to each other.

"Happy birthday, Cameron." Sam turned when she heard Jason's voice and he handed him an envelope.

Ric glared at him.

"Jason…" Elizabeth's mouth dropped slightly. "I didn't know you were coming."

"I invited him," Jake said as he walked over to him.

Jason smiled and patted Jake's back. "Hi Jake."

Danny shrunk his shoulders then returned to his family's table and sat next to Lucas.

"Cameron," Jason said. "I hope you get all you want and more for your birthday."

Cam furrowed his eyebrows. "You're not staying?"

"Uh… would you like me to stay?"

He slammed the envelope down on the table. "Jake is your son! Instead of popping in and out of his life whenever you feel like it, just make up your mind! Are you staying or are you going?"

"Cameron, please don't make a scene," Elizabeth said.

"It's a simple question…" Cam said, calming down a bit. "Are you in or out of his life?"

"Well, would you like me in your lives?" Jason asked.

Cameron shook his head. "No. You're supposed to be the parent."

"Cameron, stop it!" Elizabeth shouted.

"Don't make Jake be the one to decide whether you step up or not!" Cameron continued. "So, what's it going to be?"

Jason looked between Cameron and Jake, then at Elizabeth. "I'm in."

Sam squeezed her eyes shut and turned to Alexis. "Can we start soon?"

"Mommy, we swung really really—ahhhhhh!" Scout screamed, Aiden and Violet at her side. "No, Danny's daddy no! No! No!" She dropped in a ball and rocked back and forth. "No car! No dress! No car!"

Sam knelt beside her. "Honey, it's okay. He's not going to hurt you."

She flinched. "No! No!"

"Cookie, it's okay." Alexis knelt on the other side of her. "Mommy's here. Grandma's here. Grandpa's here. You're safe."

"No! No Danny's daddy!"

"Thcout, don't be thcared," Violet said.

Aiden knelt in front of her. "Jason's not scary. He takes Jake on fun outings. And he took me and Cam last week too."

Scout lifted her head and looked at Aiden. "But the car!"

"We rode in his car and we got to the baseball game safe," Aiden added.

Sam rubbed her back. "You don't need to go near him. But I don't want you to be scared either."

"No!" Scout repeated and scooched away from Sam. "No dress! I have no dress! Go away Danny's daddy!"

"Cookie, Jason didn't take your dress," Alexis said. "Those were bad people that did."

She finally looked up at Jason. "I don't like you!"

Jason's eyes grew wide.

"That's okay," Sam said. "You don't have to like him. But he's not going to hurt you. You don't need to scream or hide when you see him. And if you don't want to see him, we can just ignore him or walk away."

"Wanna sit with me, Scout?" Aiden asked. "Me and Violet."

Scout turned to Aiden. "You're my friend?"

He nodded. "If you're my friend too."

She smiled and hugged him.

Scout sat in between Violet and Sam with Aiden across from her as they started to eat. Jason sat at the other table beside Jake and when he glanced over Scout stuck her tongue out at him. Sam couldn't help but chuckle. At least it was a turning point and hopefully she wouldn't be scared anymore.