And It's Cost

"I need to leave, now?" Sami said suddenly. A plan was finding it's form in her head but first she had to have all the facts.

"Where are you going?" John asked and grabbed Samis hand.

"I need to", she was anxious to tell him but something held her back, "I just need to go."

"Are you going to EJ now? Is that where you are going?" Lucas raised his voice again.

"Lucas, shut it!" Her reply was short and to the point. She didn't dare to think what her life would be like if the baby she was carrying would turn out to be his. Another Roberts baby is just what Salem didn't need. Sami had been down that road before and she wasn't excited about the idea of being tied to Kate even tighter.

"Do you need company?" John asked and Sami reconsidered. She nodded and walked out of the pub leaving Hope and Bo to deal with devastated Shawn. Marlena and John followed her soon but she refused to tell where she was going until she had made sure that Lucas wasn't eavesdropping.

"Where are we going?" John asked when they were sitting in the car.

"To the hospital. Mum, can I borrow your cell phone. Mine is dead."

"Who are you calling?" Marlena asked as she complied.

"EJ. I need to call EJ. I need him to be there, at the hospital", Sami said as she dialled.

"She's hysterical. We need to call a doctor", one of the teachers said to the other. They were waiting for the police to arrive and tried to calm down the shattered mother.

"Oh good. Look, it's the husband maybe he can help her."

Benji ran to Sophie and pulled her into a tight embrace. She was shaking in his arms and pulling strength from him. Benji motioned for the teachers to tell what had happened. They were still searching in the school but it was unlikely that the boys were in the building. They had called to the boys class mates asking when was the last time they had seen James or Joseph. Every time the answer had been the same. The boys had ran out with the others and no one remembered seeing them getting into a car or leaving with a stranger. Benji felt his anger grow. Stefano was behind this. Stefano or Tony had arranged for the kidnapping. Benji had been too late with his plans arranging for their disappearance and this was the result. This was the cost of his mistake. He felt Sophie calm down and tensing up in his arms. He turned to look at her and saw something frightening. Sophie clung to him and met his gaze with a roaring glare. All she said was:

"Let's make them pay."

"Pa?" Bo reached out to Shawn, the man who had raised and loved him.

"Shawn, please tell us. Is what Sami told us the truth? Is Colleens death really the reason why this feud started?" Hope asked keeping voice low and smooth.

"What are you bullying him for?" Caroline asked sternly.

"Ma, we just", Bo started but Shawn interrupted him.

"It's all right Caroline. I tried to bury the truth but it wont stay dead like Colleen and her baby. Yes, it's true that she died and that's why Stefano hates us. Santo instilled that hate in him. Santo hated losing and he couldn't accept the fact that Colleen would always love her family more than him. Now, I'm tired. Those letters are better off burned. I'm going to bed now. Goodnight son, Hope." They watched him leave.

"We've better have those letters translated then", Hope just said and gathered them.

"I'll take them to the university", Lucas offered.

"What are you still doing here?" Bo asked.

"Umm."

"You heard Sami. She doesn't love you or want to be with you. So why are you still here?"

"Umm, well."

"And if you really thought that this is just some kind of speed bump on your way to happiness, what are you still doing here? You should be going after Sami and begging her to change her mind. If she's testing you, you've failed miserably", Bo scolded Lucas. Lucas huffed and puffed for a while before giving up and walking out of the pub without saying goodbye. Hope took Bo's hand in hers and smiled.

"Weren't you a bit hard on him?" Caroline asked.

"He deserved it. It's just a wake up call for him. If he doesn't react, he doesn't really care about Sami and would you want your grand-daughter to be with someone who doesn't care about her?" Hope asked.

"No I don't. I just hope she chooses someone else but that Wells guy", Caroline replied.

"So do I", Bo agreed.

"But if she loves him?" Hope asked, "Our hearts are stubborn things. Remember Brady?"

"Goodnight Ma", Bo said but he only had eyes for his wife.

The car was parked just outside of the town. A man was leaning to it's hood and his eyes were fixed to the horizon. He couldn't do that. He couldn't just leave. But he couldn't stay either. He just needed to know. He ran his fingers through his hair and cussed fervently throwing out his cell phone miles ago. He had no way of contacting anyone and finding out when exactly Samantha would have the paternity test done. That woman had charmed him absolutely and completely. He was under her spell and didn't know how to get free. Maybe she had been serious about giving up Lucas but that was not the same as choosing him.

EJ cussed again. Samantha kept accusing him of rape and he had slowly started believing in it himself. He felt ashamed. He had been broken then too and he had thought that leaving, running away would solve all of his problems. He had been wrong then, so what made him think that running away this time would solve anything? The pain perhaps was motivation enough but he had thought more of himself. Just like he had thought that no woman would ever make a fool out of him like had happened to Tony. EJ had to laugh again that bitter hopeless laughter, the only laughter he was now capable laughing. All the joy had been sucked out of his life. Not even the empty road and purring engine could give him solace. He had exactly two choices, the same ones he had had two hours earlier when he had pulled over. To go on or to turn back. He had made mind and now he just had to accept it. EJ went back into his car and drove.