"Stop, Elizabeth - he's gone!" Nikolaus grabbed hold of his friend to stop her from chasing after Jason's rapidly retreating form, coming to a halt near the elevator.

Snatching her hand away in frustration, Elizabeth sniped angrily, "What did you think you were doing? Why would you let Jason believe I was sleeping with you?"

"You did sleep with me - I didn't make that up. The real question you should be asking is why do you insist on torturing yourself over a man who's obviously moved on? When will you stop this nonsense?"

"My life is not nonsense, Nikolaus! You may have just cost me the love of my life, and I need him! Why can't people understand that and leave us alone?"

He was genuinely surprised. He'd had no idea she was this far gone, and it really worried him. "Since when is Jason Morgan the love of your life? I was always under the impression that particular honor belonged to my brother…remember Lucky? The man who was an actual father to your children? The one who practically worshipped the ground you walked on, until he was made rudely aware that you made mistakes too? Jason Morgan was nothing more than a fling, who almost ruined your life - why are you so fixated on him?"

Storming to the elevator that opened just then, Elizabeth was prepared to leave the discussion behind her, except that Nikolaus followed right behind and continued to hound.

"You made a mistake that resulted in you and Jason sharing a child, and as much as that is a lifetime bond, it doesn't make him the love of your life. I'm sorry, Elizabeth, but I can't let you continue to harm yourself this way." Reaching for his cellphone, Nikolaus dialed a number, "I should've done this a while ago."

"Who are you calling?" Sickeningly, she knew the answer before he confirmed a few seconds later.

"Lucky, this is your brother. Call me as soon as you can - it's urgent!"

"Lucky? You called Lucky? What am I, five? What's Lucky going to do - send me to my room without supper?"

"No, but I'm hoping he can talk some sense into you where I'm obviously failing! Your children need you to start acting like the responsible adult in their lives once again, and if you won't listen to me, your ex-husband and father of your children, may have better luck."

"Lucky is not the only father they have. Jake is Jason's, so I have every right to want to put my family back together. If you were really my friend, you'd understand that and you'd help me, not rat to the guy who hasn't bothered to see them in years."

"Actually, isn't Lucky the father of record for Jake? I seem to remember my brother taking on Jason Morgan's responsibility, when he was too busy playing mob, to do it himself, ducking out on you and Jake and ripping my cousin's heart out in the process…amnesia affording him the opportunity to act like a parent for a year, doesn't make up for the nine that he missed. Take your rose colored glasses off and see that thug for who he is, finally."

"You don't know anything about Jason and me - none of you do! He's been there in ways you wouldn't ever understand and he's being led around by your trashy cousin right now, but he'll be back." She rested her hand on their baby and took a deep breath. It didn't matter what Kelly's test said - she knew she was pregnant! Her body had never lied to her before, and when she started to show, she'd prove them all so very wrong…and once she explained that one, desperate, lonely afternoon with Nikolaus to Jason, he'd forgive her and come home. Her man was never one to shirk his responsibilities, and he'd see that it only happened because she'd missed him so much.

Nikolaus was exasperated with her but he loved her too. The fact that she couldn't see what was right in front of her…what she could have…

"Don't you know that I would do anything for you? You don't need him - I'm right here, Eliz…" The elevator doors sprung open to the lobby and Elizabeth rushed out, quickly scanning the area in hopes that he was still in the building, her heart shirking seeing that he'd truly gone. Dammit!

"Let me take you home." He tried to take her elbow, which she promptly dislodged from his hold.

"I'm fine." Her huffy response was aimed to get rid of him, but he refused to leave.

"You're not fine. You're hurting and you just had a shock - let me take you home."

Before she could answer, her phone rang, wrangling a secret smile when she turned it over in her hand to view the screen. She'd been waiting a long time for him to call. Turning her back to Nikolaus to walk to the lobby windows, she whispered, "I've been waiting to hear from you. I hope this means you're ready to take me up on my offer?"

"That depends. How close can you really get me to her, and what will you need in return for helping me?"

"As close as you'd like, and consider it on the house. Anything for a friend."

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

Franco knew he was running out of opportunities. After the close call with Jason Morgan on New Years, when he knew the man had come seriously close to murdering him right there in the middle of the streets, he'd known he needed to move his agenda up. Elizabeth Webber had captured his interest and sidelined him for a minute, but then she'd proven much too easy. He needed more of a challenge, and none was greater than the one who'd gotten away.

Samantha Morgan had a mouthpiece on her and everytime they ran into each other, she'd found it necessary to unleash on him, but Franco wasn't put off by it - no, no he certainly hadn't found it bothersome. It was exactly what he needed to excite him once again and keep him looking forward to their next encounter.

He moved around the boat purposely, making sure it was ready for his guest. Being that she was a woman of the water, he needed to be sure he was well prepared, in the event she happened to escape the restraints at any point. He would grab her tonight and they would be at sea before anyone even knew she was missing. After following her for days, he knew her routine down pat, and with Jason Morgan ticking around him like a silent time bomb, there was no time like the present.

Sam was walking from her mother's house, where she had just left Danny to the doting of his grandparents, heading towards the SUV, when her phone beeped. Not recognizing the number, she read the curious text twice before replying, "Who is this?"

Stopping with her hand on the door handle, she read the quick response with the referral from a nurse whom she'd helped to identify the coworker her husband had been cheating with, at the same hospital where they all worked, right under her nose. Agreeing to meet by the docks in the next few minutes, Sam climbed in and sent another text to Jason, who'd called her three times already. Letting him know that she was working and would talk later, Sam eased the SUV out of the parking space and sighed, knowing fully well that she was just avoiding hearing about the latest Morgan to be. No doubt the pregnancy had been confirmed and he felt an obligation to tell her the news himself…but she'd rather spend her afternoon without that familiar bit of news to mar it.

A few minutes later, she pulled up to the docks and walked towards the pier, where the new prospect had chosen to meet. It wasn't an unusual spot - most people who hired their services relished the cloak and dagger to keep their anonymity. At least this was a public place, in the middle of a Friday afternoon. It appeared she'd gotten there first, as no one else was on the bench in question. Looking around for any sign of activity, Sam noted the cargo being unloaded nearby with the only other people there, then checked her phone again for the time. She'd give it another five minutes before she left to keep her appointment with the next client.

Taking a seat on the bench, Sam thought about how good the new ads had been for business, drumming up more clients in one month than they'd had all the previous year, keeping her too busy to dwell on the state of her personal life, or lack thereof…just the way she liked it. At this pace, she'd have to take on some more help very soon.

"Should've thought of this ages ago!"

The sudden prick to her neck came out of nowhere, in tangent with the hairs on her nape that stood on end, just as she'd had a sense to look behind her. Clapping a gloved hand to the sting, Sam turned her head to find her vision instantly blurring, shimmering the man making his way around the bench to her side, into a distorted image of…

"Fran-Franco?" He sat next to her and she tried to move her hand to shove him from her side but it fell like lead, limp and heavy, setting off tiny alarms to her brain. "What…what did you do to me?"

"Oh, Sam, Sam, Sam! You and I have had this dance on our card for awhile now. We have some unfinished business you and I, and this time, we've got all the time in the world to see it through."

Her mind was telling her to fight, to stay awake…but her slugging body wasn't cooperating. As the fog set in and swarmed her cooly, Sam could feel when she was hoisted to her feet and propelled forward, her head coming to rest on a hard surface, as the blackness slowly took over.

Elizabeth could not believe her luck. She'd finally ditched Nikolaus and gone to the pier to meet Ian, when she turned the corner just in time to get a shock, jarring enough to rival the one she'd had earlier that day. Franco Baldwin was boarding a boat, with no other than little miss perfect all wrapped up in his arms, her head resting on his chest and an arm draping his neck like they were long lost lovers! What the hell! She knew the woman was a well known harlot who ran through all the men in town, but she'd been putting on the biggest act, pretending that she hated Franco more than anyone in the world! Everyone in town thought they were bitter enemies, yet here there were, boarding a boat in the middle of the afternoon, at a time when Jason was running around looking for her, no less.

Breaking her phone out, Elizabeth snapped some quick shots, then sped up the dock stairs to go find Jason. Ten minutes later, she located him at the penthouse where she knew he'd be, no doubt waiting for the woman to return from her tasteless tryst.

"Elizabeth! Why would you come here?"

Brushing past him and ignoring the angry part of her that wanted to demand to know why he was answering the door like he lived there, she decided to play nice instead.

"I knew you'd end up here, and Jason, you need to know that those tests were wrong. I know I'm pregnant, I know it! I have an appointment to see a different doctor over at Mercy - I don't know what's going on at GH, but I don't trust that lab to tell us the truth anymore."

"This is why you're barging into Sam's home? Shouldn't you be sharing this information with Nikolaus, instead of me?"

"There is no need for you to be jealous of Nikolaus - it happened one time, and only because I was in a vulnerable place from you rejecting me, yet again. There's no way this baby's Nikolaus' - I was already pregnant by then."

"According to Dr. Lee, you're not pregnant at all, so this conversation is pretty pointless, don't you think? I also don't appreciate having it in Sam and Danny's home, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

She tried to ignore the hurt she felt at his indifference. "You're always so concerned about Sam and what she feels - it's too bad she doesn't give a damn about you!"

Jason pulled the door open further, using his hand to indicate she should leave. "It's time to go. Now."

Elizabeth joined him at the door and smiled smugly with the confidence of someone in the know. "I'm going to be the bigger person, who won't turn my back when you need me…and you're going to need me…right now!"

When she held her phone out to him, Jason wanted to refuse to give in to her latest play, but he needed to get her out of Sam's home. The quicker he played her game, the sooner he'd get her to leave. Taking the phone from her, he stared at the screen in disbelief.

"Where did you get these?"

"Where do you think?"

He looked at her angrily, as he grabbed for the jacket where he'd thrown it over the back of the chair. "When was this Elizabeth?"

"Surely you're not trying to go after her! Jason, for crying out loud, she's playing you! Why would you give her the satisfaction of making an even bigger fool of you, by confronting her with her lover?"

"Lover?" His anger was boiling, and she was fast joining Franco Baldwin at the root of it. "Sam is in trouble - you didn't see that?"

"She looked pretty cozy to me - all snuggled up with the man she's going around telling people raped her. She'd have you believe she hates him, when…"

"Shut up for one second and stop listening to yourself whine! You didn't notice that the man is practically carrying her?" He was practically shoving her out the front door. "How long ago did you take this?"

The angry, loud tone of his voice frightened and appalled her. Looking at the phone again, she couldn't see what he thought he did. "You're seeing what's not there - she's obviously…"

"When, Elizabeth?"

"Just a few minutes ago…geez, you don't have to bite my head off!

Jason shoved the button for the basement and barked, "Get the next one," leaving her standing there with her mouth open at the ire and quiet panic rolling off him.

"You're just going to leave me here?"

She watched the doors close as he jabbed relentlessly at the button, then wondered why he needed to go to the basement. Staring at the phone again, she looked hard for what he thought he saw, finally noticing the limp look about her from her shoulders to her legs, the way they seemed to drag and her head seemed to loll, rather than rest. Oh my God, could he really be right? She knew he was. Despite how much she hated the woman, she knew something wasn't right about what she'd seen. Had the need to victimize herself made her blind to another woman at the hands of a predator? Thinking of that strange moment on New Years when he'd given her the creeps, refusing to take her home and insisting he had something to show her instead…she'd always had the feeling that Jason ramming the car with his truck had saved her that night. Maybe the woman was really in trouble this time.

She thought about it as she caught the elevator to the lobby, realizing that she didn't have enough in her to care. Anything happening to her at that moment was something she brought on herself. She probably even engineered it so Jason would be forced to have to rescue her…again!

Jason couldn't make the SUV go fast enough. After a quick run to the gun wall in the basement, he was on his way to the docks, frantic that he could be too late. He'd seen enough from the photo to know where to look, but the bastard could've taken her anywhere on the open water by then. One thing he knew…no matter where he took her, he would find her…and when he did, Franco Baldwin was a dead fucker!

Sam knew she was in trouble. Try as she might she couldn't make her body respond to her brain, a brain that was groggy and out of sequence as it screamed at her to do something. She tried to lift an arm, but it barely stirred where it rested at her side on the bed, a bed that was heaving back and forth. She was on the water. How did she get there? Where was she headed?

"You're fighting even now aren't you? I can see it on your face…" She felt the trace of fingers she guessed were from a voice that sounded heavy and slurred, and when it sounded again, she tried with everything in her to concentrate on one word at a time.

"Don't worry - I'll make sure we're not interrupted. You and I started something a long time ago that we never got to finish. I took the liberty of getting you a room on the water - see how thoughtful I can be?"

The garbled voice had a tinge of the familiar and even in it's stupor, her brain was setting off warning bells of imminent danger. Feeling powerless to protect herself in any way, Sam fought the fog that drowned her, desperately trying to grab a moment of clarity. You're in danger! You are not safe! The deepest echoes of her gut moved outward to attempt the lift of a hand again, failing once more to make contact, much less swing a mighty blow that would protect her against…who?

"There, there little one. Don't fight it so. You'll probably like it - a woman like you who's been around a time or two, will appreciate what I have to offer." Franco laid himself out on the small bed and brushed her ear with his lips as he whispered, "You might even like it a helluva lot more than Jason's. That Borg has no idea how to handle a wild mare like you, does he, Samantha?"

She tried to yell at him to get away from her, but all that sounded was a low, moaning groan. What was wrong with her?

Deftly unbuttoning the black shirt that covered a delicious bosom, Franco let his eyes drink in the beauty before him. He'd seen her naked in the shower many years ago, and she was as beautiful now as she'd been then, only, unlike that night when he had a schedule to keep, he now had all the time in the world to enjoy her, over and over again.

"What the…" Out of nowhere, the sound of an engine running alongside the anchored boat took his attention from his captive, sending him jumping from the bed to hurry up top, when the engine died right next to them. Who the hell would interrupt him right now?

Grabbing a flashlight as he passed a tied up raft on his way towards the stern, Franco shone the light over the side to combat the oncoming twilight, finding a speedboat where one shouldn't be. A quick scan showed it was empty, which sent a cold line running down his back. He'd felt that same quick panic before…a similar shiver had run through him when his hands were bound behind him and he was being tossed into the back of an SUV…the very same shiver he'd felt the last time he had two bullets in him and thought he was on his way to meet his maker. But that was impossible. There was no way that he could've found them!

When the shiver rocked him again, he didn't need to hear the cock of the gun behind him or turn around to know who had crashed his party. Closing his eyes in frustrated consternation, Franco cursed beneath his breath, then threw his head back.

"What are you, a blood hound?" Slowly turning to face the gun aimed at his head, he met cold blues eyes on a hard, steely mask. "Oh, look - it's just like dejavu!"

The exploding sound of the gun going off took him by as much surprise as the tearing pain through his shoulder, and when he realized what had happened, he looked in alarm from the stony figure to his bleeding shoulder, back to the gun that had just cocked again.

"Wait! Wait a damn minute, will you? Let's talk about this!" He had miscalculated and used sarcasm, where the gunman was not amused.

"You want dejavu - you got it!" Taking a threatening step closer, Jason yelled, "Where is my wife?"