DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters.

Fourteen

Brenda sat down on the bench at the docks and looked at the mist rising over the water. While she was away from Port Charles she never thought as much about it as she did when she was surrounded by it. She remembered water skiing with Jax and Robin right after they got married. She had so many confrontations and arguments on these planks of wood. Her last reconciliation with Sonny happened on the bench she was sitting on.

She wrapped her arms tightly around her chest and carefully lifted on hand to bring her coffee cup to her lips. It was cold, but at least she felt human.

"Fancy seeing you here," Sam said casually walking down the steps.

Brenda rolled her eyes but didn't look at her. She had less than 24 hours before her flight left for the great unknown. She wanted to make it quick and painless. This conversation didn't seem to fit into either category.

"I would think sitting alone in the dark might be a little scary for you," Sam said purposefully sitting down next to Brenda on the bench.

"It's not dark," Brenda responded.

"Well, dusk. Either way, the docks are usually a place for single girls to hang out."

"Then why are you here?" she asked looking at her finally.

"Just passing through."

"Keep passing." Brenda took another drink out of her coffee cup.

"This is what I don't understand. Everyone always talks about how fragile you are. You couldn't handle the life. You were constantly demanding to know what was going on in the world in which Sonny and Jason work. And when you never got answers you just complained some more."

"Big words coming from such a small person."

"Why bother coming back? You knew Emily, so I can understand that, but it was one day. Why are you still here? Hope Sonny will come running back?"

"I don't think you understand," Brenda said through clenched teeth. "I didn't ask for company, so you should probably keep moving on."

"This is public property. I can stop if I want."

"Are you trying to make this painful on yourself?" Brenda asked finishing her coffee and standing up to toss it in the nearest trash can.

"I'm not in pain," Sam said with a smile.

"Not yet," Brenda mumbled.

"Are you threatening me?" Sam asked standing up.

"No. I don't have to threaten people. Usually they back off on their own. Because they're smart. Sure, you dated Jax. You're also the one who might as well have killed his father with your bare hands. Mistake number one. Then you decide to move onto Sonny because he's dashing and dangerous and he saved your life at least one. Mistake number two. And being how responsible you are and how much you want to belong someplace, you go and get knocked up and when Sonny decides to let you go, you go running to Jason to play daddy because he had one child taken away, why not make it two once Sonny realizes he can't live without her? Mistake number three."

"You know nothing about me."

"Now we're getting somewhere," Brenda said. "Your biggest mistake of all was probably assuming that any of those men would fall for the little games you play over and over and keep on forgiving you. I may not live in Port Charles but I know pretty much everyone. And everyone in Port Charles loves to talk about other people's problems."

"You went running the second it got tough for you. Jax leaves you at the altar and suddenly you need to escape this place you love so much," Sam said, crossing her arms.

"Here's the most important part. I'd hate for you to miss it. While you lived with and dated and tried to play house with Jason for three years, not once did he actually make you his wife. All I had to do was ask once and he was mine," Brenda said.

"In a fake marriage only to keep you away from Sonny and Jax."

"Sure, maybe. But who do you think he was sending money to every single month while the two of you were building a crib and going to doctor's appointments. He was loyal to a fault to me. That's the first thing you ask of Jason. Once you mess that up, it's over."

Sam stared at Brenda. As far as she knew, Brenda was aware of everything. Friends in high places. Jason himself could have confided that he had a son now and that Sam was the reason he almost lost him.

"What's going on?" Sonny asked walked onto the docks with Jason. Neither Brenda nor Sam responded. "Looks like you two are having a nice little conversation."

"Brenda was just filling me in on what happened in Port Charles before I came to town," Sam said casually.

Brenda kept staring at Sam. Jason had seen that look. Sonny had too more times than he could count. The look that meant war. She was in a fighting mood. They could handle it only a couple of ways before they all became targets.

"Sam why don't you take off," Sonny suggested.

"I don't follow your orders," she said.

"Go," Jason said. Sam looked at them all one more time before she slowly started to walk off. She didn't get far before the arguing started. She turned the corner and stopped. This could make for some good gossip of her own.

"Don't touch me," Brenda said stepping out of Sonny's grasp. He held up his hands in surrender. "I thought both of you were done meddling in my life. I guess I was wrong," she said, turning to leave. Jason grabbed her arm and forced her to stay.

"All I wanted to do was tell you how sorry I am about Emily. I know she meant a lot to you," Sonny said.

"I'm so sick and tired of people feeling sorry for everyone else over Emily. We all loved Emily. There's nothing we can do to ever bring her back. Apologizing for it won't help. I'd rather remember her when she was happy."

"No one said you couldn't," Sonny said.

"Will you let go of my arm?" Brenda asked Jason. "I have someplace to be."

"Where?" Sonny asked.

"That's none of your business."

"Well you're fighting with people in public. I'm just making sure you're going to be safe."

"Oh, trust me. I don't need protection, least of all from you."

"What's with all the hostility? I was under the impression we ended things on good terms," Sonny said crossing his arms and looking at her.

"It doesn't matter how things ended. We're not in the past anymore, Sonny. I have a life of my own, one that you don't know about, one you can't control. So why don't you do us all a favor and stop pretending that you still want to be friends." Brenda glared at Jason. "Let go of my arm." He stared back. "In that case, since Sonny's so interested, maybe you should tell him what happened at the night at the bar."

Jason didn't flinch as she looked at him, a smile threatening to escape.

"What is she talking about?" Sonny asked Jason.

It was easy for Brenda to pull away from him now as he slowly let go of her.

"You kids have a nice day," Brenda told them both with a smile and wave as she walked up the steps and out of sight.

"What is she talking about?" Sonny asked Jason again.

"I have no idea."

"Well she apparently hit some nerve," Sonny said.

"Sam was fighting with Brenda at Jake's a few days ago. I walked in and stopped it. That's probably all she's talking about."

"Doesn't sound like it to me."

"Brenda was drunk. She has no idea what she's talking about. She could barely stand," Jason said. "You know how she gets when she wants something. She'll say anything."

"This new Brenda doesn't seem to work that way. Hot and cold. Jax said she fled the reception after hearing that I named Morgan after Stone. She doesn't seem into fights too much lately otherwise the two sentences she shared with Carly would have been a full out fight like always."

"Maybe something's changed," Jason suggested.

"Maybe not."