Hey everyone thank you for the reviews! I'm glad you are liking this story. So I've stopped watching General Hospital because I can't stand it any longer. So, hopefully I'll get inspired now that I don't have the dark cloud of what's actually happening on the show over my head. Anyway please read and review. I hope you like it! Enjoy
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Claudia and Sonny entered Claudia's apartment in a yelling match. Olivia and Johnny watched, unnoticed, from the couch.
"What the hell were you thinking!?" Claudia screamed at Sonny.
"He needs to shut his mouth and if he won't do it on his own well…"
"Sonny cut the crap how many murders do you honestly think you can get away with?"
"I told you no one is going to care-"
"Except the DA or ex DA or whatever she is right now. What woulda happened if you had killed him tonight?"
"The world would be a better and safer place for you and our child. You have no idea what he just threatened to do to you."
"Sonny I did my research. I know exactly what he was threatening to do to me."
"Who's threatening you?" Johnny asked concerned.
"Ric Lansing is just blowing smoke," Claudia answered.
"What did he threaten to do to you?"
"Nothing he-"
"Chain her to a wall until her baby is born and then take it," Sonny said upset. Claudia shot him a disapproving look. Johnny let that sink in and stood up. He started walking to the door.
"Come on Sonny lets go kill us a lawyer," Sonny followed taking out his gun.
"Hey wait, wait, wait. I appreciate the sentiment I really do, but Ric hasn't done anything yet, but make threats. Sit down both of you and when I come back out here you had better be exactly where I left you."
"Where are you going?" Sonny asked.
"To get changed that alright with you?" Claudia snapped. She disappeared into her bedroom and Johnny turned to Sonny.
"Is Ric a threat?" he asked.
"Yes," Sonny said without hesitation. "When Carly was pregnant with Morgan Ric chained her to a wall in a secret room for months. Today on the docks he threatened to do the same to Claudia,"
"What if he's working with Anthony?" Olivia asked.
"What?" Johnny asked.
"Well mobsters like Anthony want heirs right? Another male to take over for them. Since you have basically disowned your father and the business he could be looking for a replacement."
"I didn't even think of that," Johnny said.
"I did" Claudia said coming out of her bedroom. "Daddy once told me I had two purposes. Marrying Sonny and giving him an heir should you leave the business. That's why I was so happy our baby was a boy Sonny. Daddy will kill the baby if it's a girl and take it if it's a boy. If it's a boy at least he would have a fighting chance."
"He's not going to do either," Sonny said with a murderous look in his eyes. "If Ric or another one of Anthony's men comes near you I'll kill him."
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John was working on one of his cars when the door opened and slammed against the adjacent wall. He looked up from the hood and saw Olivia.
"Bad day?" he asked a smile playing on his lips. Olivia glared at him.
"This is not funny! Everything that could go wrong today has," Olivia said dropping into a chair.
"Well not everything," Ric Lansing said by the door. Johnny was on him in a second throwing him into the wall.
"Do you like getting beat up Ric because you seem to be at the right place at the right time a lot?" Olivia asked. Why was Ric goading all the wrong people? His confidence made her nervous. He acted like no one could touch him and if he believed that then he already had the leverage he needed to stay alive.
"John your father has a message for you," Ric said ignoring Olivia's remark.
"I don't want any messages from my father, but you can give him one. I'm not a little boy anymore and if he comes anywhere near Olivia, my sister, or her baby he's going to find himself with a bullet hole in his head," John said angrily.
"You can't protect all of them." Ric said smirking. "By the way John, do you know where your big sis is right now? Isn't it dangerous for your pregnant sister to be alone?" Ric asked enjoying the flash of fear in Johnny's eyes.
"If something has happened to Claudia you will be begging me to kill you. Has my father done something to Claudia?!" Johnny asked kneeing Ric in the gut. Ric grunted in pain, but kept smiling.
"If you hurry you might be able to stop it," Ric said wickedly.
"Where is she? What is my father planning to do?" John asked slamming Ric into the wall.
"The longer you stay here the less likely it is you will find her unharmed, hell its less likely you'll find her at all."
"Johnny we have to go now we don't have time for this! He isn't going to tell you anything, come on," Johnny looked at Olivia and they both left the auto shop quickly.
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Claudia was walking on the docks looking at her cell phone when she sensed someone behind her. She turned around and saw no one else on the docks. She turned back to her cell phone and a hand covered her mouth and an arm snaked around her waist. She screamed and dropped her phone and purse. She struggled as the stranger pulled her into the shadows. He pulled out a syringe and stuck it in her arm. Claudia struggled and felt tears run down her face. She was terrified that whatever had been in that syringe would hurt her baby. She started to lose consciousness and her attacker dropped her.
"Hey!" A voice shouted from behind them. Claudia thought it sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it because her mind was so foggy. The attacker ran and Claudia felt a warm comforting hand on her shoulder. "Claudia are you ok?"
"Nickolas?" Claudia asked weakly. She tried to move, but her whole body felt heavy.
"Shhh it's going to be ok. I'm going to take you to the hospital ok?" Nickolas said lifting her into his arms.
"Nickolas I'm pregnant," Claudia said fear coursing through her body for her baby.
"Ok shhh everything's going to be fine," Nickolas started to walk away and stopped. He picked up the syringe and put it in his pocket. As he walked away Claudia's cell phone rang unheard on the docks.
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Johnny hung up the phone and continued to drive.
"No answer?" Olivia asked.
"No I'm really worried."
"Maybe we should check the hospital?" Olivia suggested. Johnny nodded.
"I want to check the docks first. Sometimes she likes to go there to think," Johnny said parking the car. He walked down to the docks and came back several minutes later. He was holding Claudia's purse and cell phone. Before either of them could say anything Johnny's cell phone rang. "Yea?"
"Mr. Zaccara this is Epiphany Johnson. Your sister was just admitted to the ER."
"Is she ok?" Johnny asked his heart tightening in fear.
"The Doctor is with her now."
"I'll be right there, thank you," he turned to Olivia. "Claudia was just admitted to the ER at General Hospital."
"What happened is she ok?"
"I don't know," Johnny said a haunted look on his face. Ric was right, he couldn't protect his sister.
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Nickolas sat by Claudia's bed watching her sleep. She seemed peaceful and it reminded him of the time she had been stabbed and washed up on his island. The only time she had seemed at peace was when she was asleep. He could see in her eyes how her brain was constantly on the alert, forming escape plans, trying to come up the best lies to placate Nickolas in any questions he may have had. For her every minute was a fight for survival.
He wondered if even her unconscious mind worked while she was sleeping to protect her. He got his answer when she jerked awake at the slightest touch to her hand. Nickolas withdrew his hand angry at himself for disturbing her. He thought it would comfort her knowing someone was there, but in her life that someone could more than likely trying to harm her in some way.
She opened her eyes and looked at Nickolas obviously confused at where she was and why he was here. It only took a second for her eyes to grow wide and for her hand to drift down to her stomach.
"Nickolas my baby is my baby ok?" she asked panicked.
"The Doctor is running some tests, she should be done soon."
"I can't lose this baby Nickolas, I can't. Please God don't let me lose this baby," Claudia cried. Nickolas could tell she was working herself into a panic attack.
"Shh no it's ok. If this was going to hurt your baby it would have hurt you too. And you're fine. Working yourself into a fit isn't going to help you or your baby," Nickolas said pleased when she nodded and started to relax. Doctor Lee came in a few minutes later an unreadable look on her face. Nickolas took Claudia's hand and she smiled grateful for his support.
"Your baby is fine. Whoever attacked you only injected you with a small sedative. Not nearly enough to do harm to your baby," Dr Lee said. Claudia smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you Dr Lee," Claudia said. Dr Lee smiled and left the room. Claudia looked at Nickolas. "And thank you for rescuing me. You really are prince charming aren't you?" Nickolas smiled.
"I don't think whoever attacked you was going to do anything more."
"What do you mean?" Claudia asked. Nickolas started to answer, but Johnny rushed into the room.
"Are you ok?" he asked Claudia hugging her.
"I'm fine and so is the baby, thanks to Nickolas," Claudia said. Johnny turned to Nickolas.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. Nickolas nodded.
"Did you call Sonny?"
"I'll call him," Olivia said leaving the room.
"What happened?" Johnny asked.
"I don't know. I was walking on the docks and someone grabbed me and injected me with something. The next thing I know Nickolas was there," Claudia said her hand on her stomach.
"Did you see who it was?" Johnny asked Nickolas.
"No he had a ski mask on. I just…"
"What?" Johnny asked when Nickolas hesitated.
"It's just it didn't look like the guy who attacked your sister was going to take her or do anything else to her."
"Why not?"
"I saw him inject you with something so I started to go over there and he just dropped you. He didn't even put up a fight when I yelled to him. He just left. If he had been planning on taking you anywhere why would he drop you? You weren't able to fight back by the time I got there," Nickolas explained. Claudia smiled despite the situation. Nickolas always talked to her when she was in the room not about her like she wasn't there. She really liked that about him.
"It was a warning," Johnny said.
"To who? Me?" Claudia asked.
"To me and Johnny," Sonny said from the doorway. "Are you ok?" he asked. Claudia nodded.
"I'm ok so is the baby. It was just a light sedative."
"Anthony wanted to show us that he could get to you, easily," Sonny said hatred in his voice.
"Ric stopped by my garage earlier. He told me my father had a message for me. Then he asked me if I knew where my sister was," Johnny said realization dawning on him. "They're playing us," he said disgusted.
"They're not going to win," Sonny said. "Claudia from now on you have two guards on you at all times," Claudia nodded. "Johnny I need to talk to you about something," Johnny nodded and followed Sonny outside. Nickolas' cell rang and he excused himself leaving only Claudia and Olivia in the room.
"I'm glad you and your baby are ok," Olivia said after a few moments of uncomfortable silence. Claudia nodded biting her nail and staring off into space. A tear slipped down her cheek and Olivia sat down on the bed next to her. She took Claudia's hand getting Claudia's attention.
"No one is going to hurt you or your baby," Olivia said looking into her eyes. "There is nothing stronger than a mother's love. Not even Anthony Zaccara can fight that."
"All my love didn't save my last baby."
"There was nothing you could do about that. This, however, we can fight. I promise you Claudia, mother to mother, no one is going to take this child away from you," Olivia said strongly. Claudia looked at Olivia her eyes filling with determination. Claudia nodded.
"Thank you."