"Did you get me checked out?"

Sam looked up in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"Medically? You never had my head shrunk, to find out why I would ever do those things to you? Obviously something wasn't right, Sam!"

"Stop it - you're not funny!" But he was a little bit funny.

Jason waited for her to look at him again, then he shared something he'd been wanting to. "I've been remembering alot more recently." He smiled when her eyes lightened with warmth. She so obviously wanted him to be okay.

"Is that right? Like what?" Sam's heart skipped a beat when she thought of their life together and the possibility now that he'd remember, knowing that even if he didn't remember them, she wanted him to remember him.

"Different things. Different stages and people. I didn't know I'd traveled the world before - it's nice getting those memories back…there's a whole lot out there to see and it was quite an experience."

Sam nodded with a tiny smile that curved her lips. "You told me about that. You loved traveling by yourself and experiencing some really off the beaten path places that never see tourists. Those were your favorites."

Jason smiled at her calm. "I really like that I talked to you so much…I like talking to you now too."

Despite herself, Sam found her cheeks reddening at his soft compliment. "What else?"

Clearing his throat, Jason told her of the memories that had resurfaced, covering different periods in his life and with different people. He didn't leave anything out, not even the ones with Elizabeth that he'd rather not mention but that he knew he had to. He'd keep nothing at all from her…something in him told him that's the way he wanted it, always. He watched her keenly when he relayed one memory in particular, the payoff tweaking his heart when she wanted to know more.

"You remembered Lila?"

Jason nodded and smiled at her soft, emotional question. "Awhile back, actually…but it was fuzzy then. I remembered holding her for the first time, but not much else. I remember more now."

"She gave us the chance to find each other."

"How?" He wanted to see if she saw them the same way he did.

"We moved in together because I was pregnant and Sonny wanted his family back. Carly didn't want me anywhere near you - she voted for sending me out of town on the first freighter…but you and Sonny wanted him to have access to his child. I did too - I knew my daughter would be better off here with people who would love her."

"Are you saying we only got together because you were pregnant and needed me?"

"No…I mean, at first, yes…you pretended to be her father so that Carly and Michael could have their family back, and Sonny would have his child close by. That was you - always sacrificing yourself for somebody else's happiness. You were recently divorced from Courtney at the time, but you still loved her, and for awhile there, you had a real chance of getting that back."

"Until I realized that I had moved on from her. I left her free to live the life she really wanted…and not long afterwards, I realized that I wanted something different too."

"We didn't plan it. It really just started out as giving Lila a home with people who would love her, something I never had growing up. I wanted that for her. But then I got to know you. I'd always thought of you as just Sonny's hitman - the cold, steely guy who's sole purpose was ensuring Michael and Carly's happiness, and Sonny's safety. I was a threat to at least one of those things, so you kept me near so you could monitor and control it…that's what I thought at first…then it became so much more. I got to really know you. I got to see for myself how selfless and nurturing you were with them, and how you took nothing for yourself - that was new to me. My sole goal had always been taking care of myself and Danny - nobody else mattered. I took what I needed and moved on - that's how I kept my head on my shoulders. But I wasn't able to do that with you."

"Why?" He stopped breathing waiting for the answer.

"I fell in love. Hard!" Sam picked at her fingernails as she remembered the most electric time of her life. "You really cared - about your sister, your grandmother…about Sonny and his family, about Lila…about me. You moved heaven and earth to make sure everybody was okay, and Carly and Sonny never made that easy - constantly needed saving from themselves, so that was one very tall order. That's when I realized that no-one was taking care of you. No-one was making sure that your needs were met, even while you took care of everybody's…so I needed to do that. I wanted to be that person for you…listener, confidante, backup, friend, comfort zone."

"You were. All those things…and so much more!"

"So what are you going to do?" Feeling a sudden need to change the subject, she shivered when he was getting so close.

Jason shifted in his seat, always watching her keenly. He'd never hurt her again - not if he had anything to say about it.

"I'm going to see the test done for myself, and if she really is pregnant, I'll need a paternity test as well. I pray that she's not - children are a blessing, but I honestly don't need another one tying us together…but regardless of whether or not she is, regardless of it being mine - I'm not going back there. I don't feel some false sense of responsibility that I need to live up to, Sam…I want more than that. I want back what I'm finding out I had…with you."

When she erected the walls instantly, Jason retracted a bit. "Don't worry - I'm not putting pressure on you. I know you're not ready to hear any of this so I'll keep it to myself." He waited for her to look up and meet his eyes, then added sternly, "For now!"

Sam weighed his words and the heavy meaning behind them, rising from the chair when the energy bounced through her. "Yea, well…you should probably get to the hospital to meet your stork before you start making huge declarations to anybody." She moved to pass behind the couch and up the stairs, but came to a stop when he grabbed her hand. She looked down into somber, yet hopeful blue eyes, and for a full minute, no words passed between them, and yet, everything was said.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Elizabeth smiled warmly at Kelly Lee entering the cubicle. She was the happiest she'd been in months, and earlier that morning when the bout of nausea had sent her running for the toilet, she had to wipe the smile off her face that beamed even through the bouts of ensuing vomit.

"Hi Elizabeth. How're you feeling?"

"Never better, Kelly! Jason and I are about to have another baby and it's the best thing that's happened to me in so long!"

Kelly smiled at her friend worriedly. She knew how much she loved Jason Morgan and how happy she'd been engaged to him, but she also knew where Jason's heart really laid. She'd seen that man when he was married to Sam before, and it was the happiest she'd ever seen Jason Morgan, after knowing them all for years and knowing much of the backstory that went with their triangle.

"Listen, I'm happy for you. I know how much Jason means to you and how badly you want a family with him, but Elizabeth, I wouldn't be your friend if I didn't caution you to be careful. Things haven't exactly worked out the way you thought they would. Are you sure you want go down this road now?"

Elizabeth patted her friend's hand reassuringly. "You worry too much Kelly. Jason loves me, and he's a little confused right now because everything's just unfolding on him too fast, but once he knows about this baby, everything will change. You remember how he was with Jakey, don't you? The second he found out I was pregnant, he proposed to me. Even when he knew Jakey could've been Lucky's. He didn't care - he loved me and wanted to give me everything. He's going to feel the same way about this baby - I know he is. That's just who Jason is."

A knock sounded and the man of the hour popped through the curtain, where he paused to meet the curious looks sent his way.

"Jason! I'm so glad you made it - you're just in time!"

Jason looked from one to the other and he knew he'd been the topic of conversation. "Actually, I'll just wait out here." He jerked his head in the direction of the small lounge outside the cubicles.

"Okay - I'll meet you there in a few minutes." The beam on her face echoed in her voice and she was practically bouncing off the table as Kelly got her arm ready to draw the blood.

Jason looked at how happy she was and his heart sank. She wouldn't beam so bright unless she was absolutely certain she'd trapped him again.

An hour later they were both seated in the waiting area, anxiously awaiting Kelly's return from the lab, where she'd placed a rush on the samples. They were each locked in their separate lines of thought after Jason had shut down each attempt at conversation. Fine by her if he didn't really feel like talking…while he sat there being Jason, she'd fine-tune her strategy. He'd change his tune once Kelly gave them the good news, and then it would be like taking candy from a baby to make the paternity test she's sure he'd insist on, say what she wanted it to. Jason would never stay away after finding out she was pregnant again - he'd proven that over and over with Jake.

Jason's knees were bouncing beneath the elbows that braced him as he waited impatiently across from the woman who'd turned into someone he didn't know anymore. He looked at her and remembered a time when they could talk about anything, how she had been there as his friend, and even saved his life a couple times. He always felt he owed her for that and had always tried to do everything he could to repay her kindness…but that woman had morphed into something else completely. He barely recognized her anymore and prayed to God he hadn't just shot himself in the foot yet again. Jake was more than enough of a tie to her…he needed another one like he needed a bullet through the kneecap. There was no way he could ask Sam to live through that nightmare time again - not after everything they'd made it through and the beautiful place they were headed now, despite it being somewhat reluctant on her part. If there was a God, this woman would never bear his seed again.

Kelly turned the corner and pursed her lips, her eyes quickly shifting from one then the other, as Jason slowly stood to face her. Elizabeth leapt to his side and grabbed his arm eagerly, ignoring the tension it created in his jaw. "Tell us Kelly. We're dying to hear the good news confirmed."

Kelly looked at her friend sadly, knowing she was breaking her own heart by blindly ignoring everything else in front of them all.

"I'm so sorry, Elizabeth. I know how much you want to be…but you're not pregnant."

Jason felt his heart pounding from his chest when the cool relief washed him through and through, and for the first time in his life, he felt like he could've kissed Kelly Lee!

"Wh-what?" Elizabeth's smile crashed as she stared at her friend. "No, Kelly - you made a mistake! I'm pregnant, I know I am! You made a mistake!"

Kelly shook her head as she hugged the iPad to her chest. "I'm so sorry, Elizabeth. I know how much you wanted this so I had the lab test it again. You're not pregnant…both the urine and blood tests confirm it."

"But that's not possible! I've been sick to my stomach every morning this week and I can feel the changes in my body! No, Kelly…you're wrong! Test it again!"

"I don't need to. You're a nurse, Elizabeth - you know that manifestation is very real. People have been known to have physical symptoms of something that's not really happening to them. You are not pregnant."

Jason started to back away from them, edging towards the elevator. "I have to go. Dr. Lee, thank you." He tried to turn to leave but was stopped when the needy woman clutched his arm desperately.

"Jason, no - don't go! The test is wrong - I'm carrying your child! You can't leave us - we need you!"

"Elizabeth, you heard the doctor. I'm going to choose to believe her." He eased her fingers from their grasp on his arm and backed further away.

Nikolaus had heard enough. Emerging from where he'd hidden to listen in after seeing he curious trio deep in discussion, his hurt voice got their attention when he demanded answers.

"I'm sorry - I saw you here with Dr. Lee so I was curious…Elizabeth, there was a possibility you could've been pregnant and you didn't tell me? You didn't think I had a right to know?"

Suddenly the air had gotten even thinner still, and Elizabeth clutched at imaginary pearls, as she faced an upset Cassadine, who was crushing her overturned apple cart. "Nikolaus!" Where had he appeared from? "I'm sorry - I needed to confirm the news first before I started sharing it with friends." Please God, let him not say anything!

Nikolaus didn't know what type of game she was playing now but it was high time she stopped hurting herself this way, and as her friend, he felt it was his duty to help her. "Friends, yes…potential father, no! I had a right to know that I could've fathered a child with you."

The dead silence that followed his statement was broken only when Jason moved purposely to the exit.

"I really do need to go." Moving swiftly, he bypassed the elevators and practically ran for the stairs, urgently needing to get to Sam…she needed to know right away. The sound of his name being yelled, echoed farther and farther away when the door closed behind him and he pounced the stairs two at a time to get to the lobby, unable to remember a time in his life when he'd ever been more relieved.