CHAPTER 9

"This is Abigail Dolt from Channel 9 news bringing you an update on the fire believed to have claimed the lives of prominent mob attorney Alexis Davis and magazine mogul/purported mob boss Julian Jerome. The couple was last seen here attending the nurses ball and was seen heading towards Ms. Davis's lake house cottage seen here. The police have refused to comment on whether they believe this to be a mob hit on Corinthos's attorney or Julian Jerome. Sandy McDonald is at the home of mob kingpin, Sonny Cortinthos, and will get back to us as soon as head of the Corinthos organization comments on this tragic story. Back to you Bob"

"Turn it off" Sam said as she sat with Danny on her lap. It was almost ten in the morning and they still hadn't heard anything from her parents. She tried not let her fears show but she was worried that Julian could be hurt or dead somewhere and Valentine had her mother. And here they were just sitting, waiting doing nothing.

"Don't even think about it." she heard Nicholas say to her from the couch were he had been trying to sleep unsuccessfully.

"Think about what" she asked, trying to feign innocent.

"Don't give me that Sam. I know you want to go find them but if Julian has a plan and we ruin it by giving ourselves away we can put them in real danger." he said with as much patience as he could muster after the night they had.

Sam didn't want to think about it but she needed to say it so that Nicholas could tell her it was going to be okay. "He could have her and my dad could be dead". Nicholas looked up at her and got up from where he sat and reached out, taking her hand in his. "Why would Valentine do this to my mom, after everything she has been through. Most of which we will never know. I mean look at you and me our childhoods were not great but what she lived through. I am pretty sure we only got a glimpse of the horror she lived through last night. And now she has finally found happiness and" Sam broke down unable to continue as she thought of how happy her parents had been just a few hours before.

"Hey, listen she won't die she is to stubborn to let a Cassadine lunatic kill her and she loves her daughters and grandson too much to give up." he said wanting to not only reassure her but himself as well.

"She loves you just as much as she loves us" Sam said knowing of the close bond the two had.

"You know as a child I used to pretend she was my mother." He looked away from Sam embarrassed by his childhood fantasy.

Sam looked at her cousin, who she knew her mother loved as her own child, and lifted his chin so that he would look at her "please keep going" the Cassadines were always so private that whenever she got a tidbit of their past it never failed to keep her attention and right now she needed something to keep her mind off of thinking her mother was tied up being tortured by a psychopath and her dad was dead.

"Well as you know, my mother was missing during my childhood. Alexis must have been 18 by the time she was finally allowed to come back to the island." he paused and looked at her. "You must have been two or three, I was five at the time. Even then I always knew just how precarious her existence was because of Helena and Stavros. I always thought that was the reason she was kept away" he stared out the window "I now know it was also because of Valentine. She was finally allowed to come home sometime after" he smirked still embarrassed by his family's behavior "what has notoriously become known as the Ice Princess episode. Mikkos and my father were believed to be dead, Helena was in mourning somewhere away from the island" he said wearily "and Stefan missed Alexis and needed help raising me."

"Alexis wasn't like anyone I had ever had in my life. She was loving, funny, compassionate and she always talked to me instead of ordering me around. She was also very perceptive and she was quick to pick up on how lonely and depressed I was." he didn't really like talking about his past but if it helped to keep Sam distracted he would share his most private thoughts and feelings. "She would come up to my room and tuck me in, read me story after story every night until I fell asleep. Every morning she would take me out to the beach and we would just run around together. She meant the world to me as a child." he paused trying to get the words out past the lump in his throat. "She still does" he tried to keep the tears at bay but the memories of just how much she had given him as a child and now as an adult made breathing hard as he thought as a life without her.

He had faced the possibility of a life without her when she had cancer and he hadn't dealt well with that and now he was looking at a future without her again and he could feel the darkness slowly filing his soul. He looked at his cousin in the eyes "I think that even when she didn't remember you, she loved you and she showered me with all the love she had for you." A tear fell down his cheek.

"Nicholas, mom loved you for you." he felt Sam put a comforting hand on him. "Mom won't leave us and my dad will do everything in his power to protect her." Sam tried to convince him and herself even as she looked out into the early morning day cover in light fog.

"You have a lot of faith in him" Nicholas asked more out of curiosity than anything as he knew from experience how closed off his cousin could be.

"Ya, I do" she looked down embarrassed "God it feels so weird to call him my dad." she smiled shyly "You know I didn't want to give him a chance at first. I know mom's reluctance to get together with Julian was mostly because of my anger towards him. But he loves me" she said simply, unable to hid the pride in her voice that she felt at being a part a large family that loved, cared, respected and would do everything in their power to protect each other. "And he will do anything for me, Danny and Mom." She shrugged "All of us really"

"I'm glad we found you Sam and that your a part of our family" Nicholas said sincerely.

"I can't lose them again Nicholas. I just found them and Danny loves them so much and I" she had to stop as the lump in her throat made it impossible for her to continue " I love them so much" unable to hold back her tears she cried thinking of all the years she had spent unloved when the two greatest parents in the world had been hers. She had been taken from them robbing her of the chance to be raised by them and now that she had them back someone was once again threatening to take them away from her. Nicholas got up and wrapped her tightly in his embrace hoping to sooth her pain and fear away.

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Alexis could feel her eyes burning from the smoke and she was having a hard time breathing as she was not use to so much physical exertion. She wondered if she was becoming delirious or if she had finally gone crazy, because the only thing she could think of was that she really should have gone to the gym more often because walking in high heels up the court house stairs had not prepared her for a night of running through the woods.

Julian turned to look at Alexis and wondered what was going through her mind. She hadn't said a word for the last few hours as they made their way to the safe house. Valentine's men had almost caught up to them twice but Julian had out maneuvered them and now they were about 30 minutes away from safety.

"Sweetheart are you okay" he asked finally.

She looked at him in surprise "Julian, you're the one that's been beat up and shot at. I should be asking you, if you are okay"

"Alexis I'm fine, it's you I am worried about" he stop and turned towards her making her stop abruptly before she ran into him.

Alexis sighed deeply knowing that he would not be satisfied until she answered. She looked up into his beautiful eyes. He was covered in soot and had sweat running down his face but she still thought he was the most handsome man she had ever met. "I love you" she said simply.

"Was there ever any doubt" he said with arrogant smirked she loved so much. "Now what are you thinking about in that pretty head of yours that you don't want to tell me about" he said as he drew her into his arms needing to hold her if only for a few minutes.

She sighed embarrassed " I was just thinking that running in high heels did nothing to prepare me for this trek in the woods. Do you know how much I hate hiking" she pouted.

Julian let out a soft chuckle mindful of who could be out there listening. "Ah sweetheart but I love those high heels and trust me I have touched and kissed every inch of your beautiful body and you do not have to work out" he said even as he slapped her butt playfully.

She laughed shyly "Come on we better go, the kids will be worried if we don't show up soon and our daughter is very much like her father and I would not put it past her to come looking for us" she smiled as she saw how proud he was when she compared their daughter to him. She leaned into him and kissed him softly, sorry that they had not gotten to raise their daughter together or had the opportunity to have a lot more Davis-Jerome babies running around. She imagined that he would have been wrapped around Sam's little finger the moment she was born much as she had him now.

When she pulled away from him she saw that he had the most loving look on his face. "What" she asked softly as she stroked his cheek down to his jaw.

"I would have love to have more babies with you" he said causing her to once again blush. He quickly kissed her and turned towards where the safe house was located.

"Me too" she answered softly.

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Valentine looked down at the man lying on the bed and shook his head in disgust. Stefan had always been a wasted effort, even Helena had not bother with her blond son choosing instead to ignore him.

He could see as Stefan jerk his head back and forth as if in the deep throws of a nightmare. He had enough of this situation he would not go one more day without claiming Natasha as his own.

Stefan wanted to wake but he felt himself unable to come out of the nightmare he was in. In his dream Alexis and Nicholas were killed and he was once again caged, tied to a post as the dark water continued to rise until he was gasping for every breath. He heard Valentine mocking him ordering him to wake. But Stefan was too scared and refused. Suddenly he felt the air leave him as his mouth and nose where covered forcing him to open his eyes and see what he feared the most.

"Come now Stefan aren't you happy to see." he sneered down at him. "I missed you little brother and especially our dear little Natasha" he pressed harder on Stefan causing his brother to pass out from the lack of oxygen.

"Daniel" he looked at his guard standing behind him.

"Yes, sir"

"Tie him up . I want him to be present and alert the first time Alexis sees me." he ordered knowing how much fun it would be to torment his brother.

"Thaddeus, Philip" he shouted to the other two men behind him

"Yes sir" the other two immediately rushed up to his side.

"Contact Damien I want to know how close my dear Natasha is so that we can prepare to welcome her" he had to stem the tide of arousal that was rising in him at the thought of their first encounter.

"Sir they are close by. What is our next step" he came to stand by his boss.

He looked out the window even though it was dark because of the heavy curtains anticipating the moment they once again reconnected. "We wait"

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"That's it" Sam got up and went to hand Danny to Nicholas "Nicholas you stay here I am going to go and make sure that my parents are alive" she headed towards the desk where she had locked her gun when she heard her mom and dad chuckling from the doorway.

"What did I tell you, she is your daughter" Alexis said as she wrapped her arms around Julian's waist.

"What are you talking about, that my dear is all Davis" he said lovingly.

Sam and Nicholas turned and saw Alexis and Julian standing at the doorway. They were dirty and they smelled of smoke but they were standing there, in front of them, alive and well.

"Mom" Sam yelled scaring Danny from his sleep and causing him to start crying as well. Sam ran over to her and hugged her tightly planting small kisses all over her. Sam let go of her long enough to include her dad. Molly having heard the commotion ran to the living room in time to see her sister run to their Mom.

"Mom" she cried as she too ran towards Alexis almost knocking the group down. Alexis kissed both her girls on top of their heads.

"I am so happy you two are okay" she cried "I was so worried" she opened her eyes and saw the man/boy that had always held a special place in her heart and extended an arm to him. Nicholas, carrying Danny, immediately went towards her and joined his cousins in the moment of joy that they were all alive.

"Where is Stefan" Alexis asked noticing the absence of her big brother.

"He is resting in back" Nicholas spoke up.

"I am going to check on Stefan and then we need to get going. We don't want to stay too long." she said to her family as she turned towards where Nicholas had indicated her brother was. Before she could take a single step she saw the man that had made her childhood a nightmare step out with a knife cutting into her brothers neck.

"You know Natasha" came the menacing voice from her childhood. "I am hurt that you would try to run from me" the heavy accented voice distinct and dangerous.

Alexis felt Julian push her and her daughters behind him as Nicholas and he took point pulling out their weapons and aiming.

"Uh,uh uh" he said smugly. Alexis felt Molly griping her arm tightly. "Natasha and I will be leaving now." he said it as if it was an every day request and not a demand from a psychopath who was holding her family hostage at the moment.

"A-lex-is" Julian said enunciating her name "is not going anywhere with you." Sam turned and gave Danny over to her mother as she pulled out her gun. Alexis held on to the little boy who at the moment seemed to sense the danger and quietly laid his head on her shoulder.

"Natasha belongs to me" she heard Valentine's voice drop an octave lower as he staked his claim on her ."And she will be coming with me." He looked past Julian's shoulder and looked her straight in the eyes "You see Mr. Jerome, Natasha knows exactly who she belongs too"

"Alexis belongs only to herself you son of a bitch. She is not going anywhere with you" Alexis was frozen with the pain and fear that had engulfed her the moment she heard his voice. Even as Julian held off Valentine, Alexis felt as Molly was suddenly ripped away from her side followed by a terrified scream.

She and Sam turned to see one of Valentine's men holding her youngest. "Mom" Molly whimpered tears rolling down her face as Valentine's man wrapped an hand around her neck. "Now Natasha, you have three very beautiful daughters and though I only want you I would willing to settle for any one of them." he said sadistically.

"You son of a bitch" Julian shouted as he aimed and shot at the man holding Molly who screamed as she fell backwards on the man still holding her. Alexis ran towards her daughter to help her up when she heard multiple shots ring out. She turned and saw that both Julian and Nicholas were on the floor bleeding as well as three of Valentine's men.

"Now" he extended a hand towards her. "You have a choice" he spoke in a deadly calm as he walked over to Julian and held a gun to his head. "I shoot your nephew, daughters, grandson and this man, who you have chosen to roll around with like a common whore, and I take you or we let them live and you come with me."

"No Alexis" Julian shouted only to be silenced by a swift kick to the head.

"Julian" she made to go to him.

"No" Valentine bellowed. "you stay there and you tell me your choice." he moved over to Sam and held the gun to her head.

"Mom, no, run" Sam pleaded with tears in her eyes.

Alexis was terrified of what her future held but she found her strength because she knew she had to protect her family. "Let them go. I will go with you, but you let them go." she said with resolve but unable to stop the tears running down her face. She handed Danny to Molly as she bent down to kiss them both goodbye.

"I love you very much both of you" she held Molly's face as the young girl desperately clutched at her. "You stay with your sister and listen to her and always be there for each other. Tell Kristina I love her"

"Mom, no please" she cried unable to believe she was losing her mother.

"I love you to so much" she tried to calm her daughter as she embraced her and her grandson. "Always remember I love you and do your best to forget this moment and only remember the good times." she said as she stepped away and move to Sam whose gun had been taken away. She wrapped her tightly and whispered in her ear. "I love you baby and I want you to know just how very special you are to me. He won't let me near Nicholas or Julian but tell them I love them and tell your father that he made me more happy in the last few months than I had ever been."

"We're done here. Take them to the other room until we leave" he said as he walked over to Alexis and took her arm as she visibly shudder when he touched her.

"No Mom" her daughters cried as he took her away from them.

Alexis heard her daughters screams but she wouldn't look back so that they wouldn't have to see the devastation and fear on her face. She then saw her brother, who had been shackled and gagged, as he was led in front of her as the sounds of a helicopter got closer.

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"Dad, Dad" was the first thing Julian heard as the darkness that had been holding him let him go gently.

"Sam" he answered to reassure Sam that he was okay.

"Dad he took mom." at those words he sat up as the last few minutes came rushing back to him. He sat up looking for the one person that had come to mean so much in such a short and saw she was nowhere.

He looked at his daughter's sad, beautiful brown eyes that were so much her mother's "He took her?" he asked knowing the answer but needing to hear the words.

"He took her dad" Sam cried unable to keep the tears at bay any longer she threw herself at him wrapping her arms around him. "She's gone dad" she wept into his shoulder. He sat stunned at how much her loss hurt. He held his daughter wrapped in his arms trying to keep her and himself from shattering. As he looked up he saw Alexis youngest child sitting next to Sam holding Danny and even though she was not his he loved her as his own just because she was also Alexis's. He extended his arms to her and she threw herself at him needing to take the comfort he was offering.

"I will get her back I promise you I will her back." he said as he gently place a kiss on each of their heads and pulled away standing to take stock of the situation. He saw Nicholas laying on the couch with a bandage wrapped around his head. "How is he"

"Not good, we don't have a way to get out of here and Valentine has a head start on us."

"Listen to me" I have two cars in the garage" he started only to be cut off by his daughter

"Then lets go, what are we waiting for the longer we wait the longer he has her is his possession and the more time he has to hurt her" she said as she started for the door.

"Sam wait." he said as grabbed her arm "You need to stay here" at the incredulous look from his daughter he hurried to explain "Someone needs to stay here and take care of Molly, Danny and Nicholas who is no position to protect anyone. I will go make sure the cars were not damaged and then I will go after Alexis."

"No dad we need all the gun power to get her back"

"She is right" they heard the Nicholas's weak agreement. "You need to call Jax he is in Europe right now, I am pretty sure I know where Valentine is taking Alexis. Jax can do the leg work until we get there. I will call and get the Cassadine jet ready. Molly and Danny can stay at Windermere until we get back".

"Do it" Julian looked at the devastated faces of his family, his heart constricted painfully at the thought of what losing Alexis would do to them. She was what kept them together and he had no doubt that without her they would all scattered into different directions. "I promise you all we will get her back and I will make Valentine Cassadine beg for mercy before I rid this world of his miserable existence." with that promise he walked out the door, his family following silently behind him trusting that he would do just what he promised.

***Thanks for the reviews. I hope everyone still likes***********