The following evening, Sam arrived back at the cottage to find a deafening silence that greeted the push of the front door, making her heart instantly heavy. He was gone…which was not surprising, given his sense of loyalty that constantly propelled him to put himself in danger to save others…but still, her disappointment was slicing. She'd loved having him with them the last few days, which brought home once again how very important their intact family was to her. Things were always better with him around, and Sam was not looking forward to the dismal alternative.

But she'd promised him she'd support whatever he chose. She wouldn't go back on that.

Danny was completely tuckered out, collapsing on the couch the minute they got inside. Sam lifted Scout from the stroller to give her a bath and was caught off guard by movement from the bedroom door. She looked up to the blissful surprise of her gorgeous man tumbling up from a late nap. Feeling her heart race at the sight of him, she drank in every connotation of what his presence there meant for them, clutching Scout resoundingly to her bosom, as she locked eyes with the love of her life where they stood frozen…a lifetime passing between them in mere moments.

Jason indulged in the sight of his beautiful family, having spent one long, restless day there without them, a day that served only to reaffirm his decision that his place was wherever they were. The thought of flying back to Port Charles had been less than fleeting, once he'd made that final decision and had spent most of the day on the phone with Max and Claudio, confirming that they'd gotten the resources needed and everyone was in place. He instructed them to start playing hardball, that it was essential that they were prepared to back up any play that received push back. He hadn't heard from Sonny all day, which Jason knew was his way of pouting at not having his command obeyed…but he was going to be pouting for awhile if he didn't learn to accept the status quo.

"Hi."

She looked beat and beautiful at the same time, and the heart that thumped in his chest skipped when she took the breath that escaped him.

"Hi."

The next hour was spent in heaven. Jason supervised Danny's bath and got him ready for bed, listening to his son tell him all about his exciting day. After bathtime Danny wanted to watch a documentary on Pearl Harbor, which he told his dad had been his favorite stop of the day. He talked excitedly about standing in the same spot that his cousin Michael had told him all about…where hundreds of US Navy and airmen fought bravely against bombs dropping all around them.

"Didn't you find it scary?"

"It was ages and ages ago, Daddy…looong before I was even born. Mommy took a picture of me and Scout on Battleship Row and I sent it to Mikey. He says he's so jealous he's coming to visit so I can show him in person."

Jason smiled at his excited little boy rambling on and on like his mother, where they snuggled on the couch together, sleep finding him quickly when the tiring day caught up to increasingly heavy eyelids. He hadn't even made it through the first fifteen minutes of the film.

Sam watched her little boy curled up and safe in the arms of his father, and her heart burst with love, so much love. She treasured the sight of Jason with their children - the way he loved them was everything.

After tucking Danny in, Jason lightly kissed him on the head and sat just watching him sleep.

"Sweet dreams, Buddy."

"I don't know how sweet they're going to be after a day of battleships and destroyers." Sam's soft whisper from the doorway followed him as he rose to his feet and moved to her, where he rested his hands lightly at her waist and weighed the questions in her eyes.

"He's fine…he likes that explosive stuff…no idea where he gets that from." He teased as he thought how pretty she looked, her hair pulled up in a ponytail to expose her freshly laundered skin - soft, clean and clear. Bare. Just her. He pulled her into his arms and nuzzled his face to her neck where he breathed her in deeply.

"You smell really nice."

He could feel her arms surround his back and they clung tightly together, just standing there in the middle of Danny's door, just holding each other…just holding tightly one to the other.

"Did you eat?" Sam remembered he was just waking up when they got home and knowing him, she knew he probably forgot to eat all day. The silent shake of his head on her shoulder confirmed.

"Want me to make you a sandwich?"

The smile when he moved his head to see her eyes was mischievous. She lifted his t-shirt to check his wound…he hadn't needed bandages in a couple days and was healing nicely, no more redness around the edges. He'd be able to get the stitches out soon.

"Only if it's a BLT."

She took his hand and led him from the room as he pulled up the door behind them and followed her to the small kitchen.

"I don't typically burn bacon anymore but I can make a special exception for you tonight - even make the bread nice and soggy."

They smiled at each other…the sweet smile of two people who had lived a lifetime of moments together and shared treasured ones between only them.

"Okay, maybe not the same exact BLT."

Sam chuckled softly as she got the items from the fridge, along with the carton of milk.

"Warm or cold?" she asked as she held the container up.

"What you have, I have."

She smiled again, her heart still beating unusually fast with the discovery that he stayed, even as her mind calmed with the same.

"Warm, it is then."

They talked while they ate at the kitchen table, Jason relaying to Sam the strategies he'd outlined for them to secure the business at home, reassuring her it should all work out to stem any threat of violence in the streets.

Before bed, Sam called her Mom and sisters to check in, who told her everything was pretty quiet but that Sonny had sent men to watch the lakehouse and the dorms. For the immediate future he'd also put tails on the girls, who Alexis told her were currently unaware of their presence so far. Somewhat relieved, Sam knew she wouldn't breathe easy until it was all over, but she also knew that her husband was very good at his former job, and there was no-one she trusted more.

She hung up with her mom and joined Jason on the couch, taking up her favorite position with her leg tucked beneath her.

"So, what now?"

He looked at her hopeful, beautiful face and he knew she'd had a long, full day. "That's up to you - I know I want my family back - do you?"

"We didn't really go anywhere." The soft spoken words told the truth that was in her heart. "I don't think it's a coincidence that the first place I thought to run to, is the place that means the most to both of us, a place where you'd undoubtedly think to look."

His arm moved as if of its own accord to rest his fingers on her smooth, tanned thigh. "I'd find you anywhere you went, you know that right?"

Her eyes fell to where his touch ignited spark plugs beneath her skin. "If I had any doubt, I think I know better now." She covered his hand on her thigh, interlocking the long, strong fingers that strummed her so expertly. "So what do we do?"

His eyes met hers, no uncertainty within their blue, blue depth. "We stay here for awhile. I'm happy here - with you, with our kids - just us. We can enroll Danny in preschool, give you, our family, the time we need to heal…before we consider whether or not we want to go back."

"What about Jake, his mo…what about Jake?"

It killed him to know she'd probably always have lingering doubts about his relationship with Jake's mother and that it was on him, given the way he'd previously idolized the woman, even at the expense of his relationship with Sam. He knew deep down he'd probably never be able to get her to fully trust that he'd never even think of going back there again, but he was going to find a way to make her see. There was no way he could ever go back. Not now, not after who they'd become, how unbreakably they'd grown. They were a million times more solid now - too solid for the misguided, blind slips that led him away before.

"Jake will be fine. Maybe I can convince his mother to send him for winter break…we'll figure it out."

"You would do that? Just leave everything there and just stay?"

"What are you even asking me?" His hand travelled to the back of her head to force her eyes back onto his again, when the anxiety relayed by his voice urgently sought her acquiescence. "Tell me you know." Like he'd ever be out of his mind to give them up for guns and violence and old thrills…or some mundane existence with his head stuck in the sand, being led around by his nose by a woman unfit to even speak her name.

She knew. She saw in his eyes, every answer to every question that had plagued and beleaguered her for a long time. She saw answers to questions she hadn't even asked, in the eyes of the man who mirrored the other half of her troubled, weary soul. He was there. He wanted to be and he would never leave.

"You don't want any part of your old life back - not even a little bit." It wasn't a question anymore…she knew.

"We're fused together for a lifetime, Sam! There's no other way that it can ever be. There is no me without you." His face hovered within a breath of hers, his eyes pleading to his cause when he tumbled out brokenly, "Could you settle for you without me?" The tremble in his voice surprised him, as did the intensity of the dread evoked by the thought alone, striking a new fear all through him.

Sam grabbed hold of his hand where it gripped the back of her head, seeking to strongly relay the impactful feelings burning through her, in conjunction with a rapid shaking of her head.

"No!" Her voice broke with tears of regret and raptured joy. "There is no me either!"

His eyes left hers to fall to lips he soon descended to brush tenderly, from the sweet corner softly…to the lower, gingerly…to the upper, seductively…back to the corner, lingeringly. "I love you more than life itself…," soft kisses trailed down her delicious neck to the enticing cleft near her collarbone, "…and I always will," he whispered, before retracing his feathery, wispy trail.

Sam felt like glass beneath his touch, like at any second she would shimmer and break into pieces if he ever stopped…if he never stopped. Returning his sweet, sweet kiss, she whispered back, "I love you too…so much."

For the first time in a long time, they slept soundly in each others arms again, reconnecting in a way that had been missing for what had felt like eternity to them both. His burning touch upon her skin was home for Sam, and when they shivered up and over that mountain top together, tightly clasped one to the other, Jason once again knew he'd run through the world to make sure he never had to live another day without her…and God helped anyone who tried to make it so.