Holy forgot the disclaimer: Don't own 'em; never have; not gaining any monetary perks; not my characters (except the OCs); not affiliated w/GH, ABC-Disney, etc.; Whew talk about your close calls.
When they got off of the elevator on the 10th floor of the hospital Samantha Davis Corinthos was focused on one thing and it wasn't her recuperating mother in room 1043. No, Sam was looking for her best-friend who was supposed to be volunteering that afternoon. She had so much she wanted to tell Emily and most of all thank her for. Sam had had the best day of her life and ending it with Lucky Spencer in her bedroom, even if nothing happened, was the best part of all.
"Hey Max I'll be right there I just want to leave a note for Emily, okay." Sam said.
Max didn't really care what went on in the mind of a sixteen year old girl unless it was going to somehow affect his well being. What he did care about however, was his boss' reaction to things when he was on the edge. Sonny was pretty much over the edge and hanging on by his finger-nails at this point. The steely mob boss was exceptionally snappy and violently demanding since his wife went into the hospital. All of his men had been dealing around him through Jason for the last two days, but when he found out it only pissed him off more. He had been making on the spot demands about loyalty all day.
"Sam, I don't think Mr. C. is going to see that as more important then checking on your mom. Why don't you just find Emily after your visit?" It was only a suggestion, but Max knew if he didn't get her to comply he'd be in as much trouble as she would.
"Stop worrying Max and just tell Mr. C. I'm down in the gift shop."
"Hey Max, come on!" Michael was at the end of the hallway ready to take off left, so Max made the choice to go with the younger of the siblings and to let his older charge dig her own way out of whatever she was about to get into.
Sam reached across the desk to grab a pen and note pad when her hand was swatted by someone wearing purple scrubs. "I don't care who your daddy is or how much money he donates to this hospital you don't touch things that don't belong to you young lady… you got me?"
"Yes nurse Johnson. I was just… I just wanted to leave a note for Emily she said she was volunteering on this floor today." Sam tried putting on a sweet voice and giving Epiphany her puppy dog eyes, but the duty nurse was having none of it.
"Emily is off somewhere I'm sure not working, but I'll definitely give her your message when she decides to come back from her third break. Now shouldn't you be getting down the hall to see your mother?" Epiphany walked away and Sam was about to head down the hall when she looked up and saw her father staring back at her.
Well, it was off to face the music… again. It didn't matter what she did or didn't do Sonny was on a war path and Sam was feeling too good to let him rain on her day. So, she decided to go on the offensive.
"There wasn't anything down there that I liked. I'll go to the mall tomorrow and pick her up something. So, how is she feeling now? Is she anymore alert?" Samantha linked her arm with Sonny's and kept moving down the hall toward 1043. Her father reacted exactly the way she expected which was to just stare at her. He knew something was up, but they were in front of his wife's room door and he wasn't about to make a scene.
"Hi, is there room for one more in here?" Sam said as she disengaged from her dad and slipped into the room.
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Even though she had only been in the hospital overnight so far Alexis wasn't used to being away from her family anymore. After the twins were born she turned over most of her international legal dealings for Cassidine Industries to Stefan's other attorneys. She had a nanny, but didn't feel it was the nanny's responsibility to raise her children and she genuinely wanted to be there. She also didn't like leaving Sonny and Sam alone ever since she turned sixteen and the issue with boys had become so prevalent. Sam was pushing for more freedom and Sonny was throwing up roadblocks at every turn.
From what she could read on their faces everyone was holding up fine and would survive the next two days while she was in the hospital. Kristina was having the hardest time according to Sam when she woke up that morning and remembered her mom wasn't there she had given Leticia a hard time getting ready, but the nanny had held her own. Sonny said when Milo called to check in he said things were fine and the twins had enjoyed their trip to the museum. Alexis promised to call before bedtime, but she was sure it would be a tear filled night. Sam promised to let Krissy sleep in her room if it got to be too bad.
After about a half an hour Alexis felt the sleep coming down on her and the pain medication starting to kick in. The visit was an exception to a number of rules and was supposed to be kept brief. She had to remind her husband of this when he was about to go on a tear about how much of this hospital he kept running. Michael and Sonny exited and as Sam started to walk away from their embrace Alexis took hold of her hand.
"Is everything really alright? You know… between you and dad?"
"Mom, we're fine. It's only been one night and he spent most of it here with you. I knew he was driving you crazy when he came home last night. I did want to ask you something though." Sam said.
"Samantha what are up to now?" The healing mother wasn't so full of pain killers that she didn't smell the divide and conquer permeating from her daughter's being.
"I was just wondering if it would be alright if I slept at Emily's tomorrow night, if you come home. If you don't get discharged then could Em spend the night at the house? We sort of had plans to catch a movie and go to Kelly's with some friends. I wanted to wait to see how things went before I asked."
"Well thanks for waiting until I was out of surgery."
Alexis was teasing, but the guilty look Sam got on her face made her take the joke back immediately.
"I'm sorry baby. I was just kidding. That proves how much better I'm feeling my bad sense of humor is running wild again."
"Look, I'll talk to Sonny for you, but you know how he feels about having company at the house. You might have to settle for the movies and Kelly's minus the sleepover."
Sam tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice and off of her face, but it was hard to hide. Emily was one of the few friends she had that understood her father's "coffee" business and all of the security that went along with it and that was only because her brother was Sonny's partner. She didn't want to resent her father, but it was getting hard not to these days. He would give her the world, but he just wouldn't give her any freedom and it was becoming downright suffocating. Leaning in to kiss her mom Sam let her hand drop and walked out the door.
Alexis felt terrible as she rested her head back on her pillow. She knew how hard things were for her daughter and even though she had worked on her husband he still had his ways. He wanted the same little girl who thought he hung the moon. Unfortunately that 10 year old he met was now a 16 year old who had other things on her mind besides family and making her daddy happy. But, she was too loopy from the meds to worry about it anymore. She'd work on loosening up the reigns more when she got her strength back. The room door clicked closed and she saw her dimpled face husband stare at their daughter, whose look was just as imposing, before shutting her eyes completely.
Sonny looked her dead in her eyes and she felt like he was reading her truths off the front of her face. Sam could hear him telling Alexis no to the outing tomorrow night before he even had the details. He'd be happy to keep me locked away in that house until I went to college she thought.
"Max is going to take you home. Leticia is ordering dinner from San Marcos it'll be there by 6:30. Make sure the twins eat something other than bread, alright? I'll be home later, once I know your mom is asleep for the night. Jason is gonna stop by to make sure things are okay." Sonny couldn't be sure, but it seemed as though her focus was everywhere but on him.
Not listening to the litany being recited Sam simply waited for the sound of his voice to stop before she gave her standard response, "Yes daddy."
"And Sam there will be no pit stops. Max is taking you straight home."
She kept staring and not responding. Why couldn't he just stop talking for five minutes? Would it kill him to not bark orders and listen to a request for once? It didn't matter she decided. He certainly wasn't going to change right in this moment and if Alexis had any chance of selling her request then she had to play the good girl.
"I'll see you when you get home. Should I put some dinner up for you and Uncle Jason?"
"No, just take care of your brother and the twins."
Taking Michael's hand Sam walked away. Max was on their heels and could sense a shift in his young charge's energy. He could only imagine what it was like to live in this life as a child of Sonny Corinthos. Most of the guys who worked for Sonny didn't have families and year after year of service to his volatile employer made it clear why. This was no life for children.
Emily noticed her friend coming around the corner and went bouncing over to her. "Sam, hi, Epiphany said you were here, but she kept me busy at the desk so I couldn't come back to Alexis' room. How's your mom?"
Hugging her friend Sam answered, "I'm surprised she gave you the message at all. Alexis is doing well. Dr. Meadows said the surgery went perfect and she'll be home tomorrow or Sunday."
Max was hovering, not because he wanted to eavesdrop, but because it was his job. Unfortunately his job was making Sam crazy at the moment. She pulled Emily over to the couches and motioned for Max to stay put.
Emily wanted to know about their plans. "So, did you ask about tomorrow? Are we all set to go? I'll have to check with Lucky and hopefully he can get Nikolas to come along. Maybe Colbie and Jeff can come too?"
"Yeah, that sounds like fun Em, but let's not finalize anything until I actually get a yes."
"Okay. You know I told Lucky all about your mom's surgery and then he disappeared. Did he find you at home all alone and sad…"
Sam cut her off. "Don't start with that, but it was really sweet and," Sam leaned in close, "he came to the house and stayed with me. It was really nice."
"Uh, is that all you're gonna give me. Come on."
Gesturing over her shoulder with her eyes only Sam indicated her inability to converse freely, "I'll call you tonight. Your brother's coming to dinner."
"Well, at least he's willing to spend time with your family because he refuses to spend any with his own." Both girls giggled at that because it was a well known and documented fact that Jason Morgan would rather eat ground glass then spend time with anyone in the Quartermaine home other than his sister and grandmother.
Sam was starting get her glow back. She let the reality of her situations at home slip from the forefront of her mind again and just enjoyed laughing with her friend. That was until Michael lost interest in the pamphlets he was reading and Max started shifting his weight and sighing loud enough for the girls to pick up on the fact that they were both ready to vacate the premises.
"Em I have to get going. If my dad comes around that corner and sees me still here talking to you he's gonna have an aneurism. What time is your shift over?"
"If Miss Elizabeth gets here on time I should be able to leave at five. She's always so wrapped up in being a senior and all that that means she hardly ever makes her shifts and when she does she's never on time." It wasn't the Emily really cared one way or another, but she didn't like being taken advantage of just because she was a lowly sophomore. Elizabeth always apologized for holding her up, but then she'd end it with a comment on how busy it was when you were a senior and getting ready to make such big life changes. All Emily thought was…blah, blah, blah, whatever.
"Well, just leave and if she's late let Epiphany deal with her. I'm sure she knows exactly how to get Lizzie to straighten up and act right. Well, if you can, come to the house and hang out. I'm outta here, have fun and call me later." Sam walked past the imposing guard and pushed the elevator button.
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Everyone had retired to their own space to do their own thing and Sam was happy for the down time. Dinner was fine minus a few hair raising moments with the twins, a flying meatball and slight choking incident. She and Michael cleaned up the kitchen while Leticia cleaned up the twins. Max had gone back to the hospital when Milo got back to the house. With Jason on his way to pick up some paperwork, which was code for making sure Sam and Michael weren't running the guards or Leticia, things needed to stay on an even keel.
Not wanting to work in her room Sam was spread across Sonny's desk with all sorts of school work that was being completely ignored. She had found Lucky's note and they had been texting most of the night. Emily was being watched like a hawk by Nurse Johnson so she said she couldn't text again until her shift was completely over. That had been more than two hours ago, but she hadn't heard back from her friend yet.
Her last message to Lucky said brb. There was all sorts of commotion at the front door. Swinging open the double doors she watched Milo attempt to explain why the two young beauties couldn't come in the house.
"Milo, it's cool. Jason's coming over later to pick up some papers from daddy and Emily's his sister it'll be fine trust me." Sam then directed her focus to the other brunette in front of the guard.
"Elizabeth Webber what are doing at my house?" She asked.
It was a legitimate question Liz thought. It certainly wasn't to be friends or to convey any genuine sympathy for her mother's illness, but Liz would never admit that to her archenemy. The only reason she came to the imposing house on the hill was to see Jason Morgan. When Emily said she was coming and that her very sexy older brother would be there Liz weaseled an invitation from Emily.
"Epiphany got all bent out of shape because I was late again and told me not to bother to stay. Whatever, I'm only doing the volunteering to make my grams happy which hopefully will translate into a car as a graduation present. I mean I was only late because I'm trying to finish my application entry to the art academy and …"
"Oh, my God, that so isn't answering my question!"
Emily dove in before things exploded before they got across the threshold. "Liz wanted to hang out and I told her I was coming here to keep you company since your mom was in the hospital and she asked if she could tagalong. We brought pizza and chips."
"More importantly we brought chocolate." Liz chimed in. "And I never tagalong. Consider it missionary duty."
"I guess all the other members of the snatch-squad had dates?" Sam turned and walked back into the study. She glanced at the desk and saw her phone sliding across it vibrating. Picking it up she responded to Lucky's text and told him she had company. He reminder her to try to be civil to Liz and said he'd call later.
Liz ignored the last comment and gave the cute guard a smile over her shoulder. She suspected like everyone else in town why there was so much security around the Corinthos family, but as long as they were this hot who cared about the danger.
In a matter of seconds the girls had music playing, the patio doors open and had taken over the space. They only had to run Michael out twice and then kept checking to make sure he wasn't listening on the stairs. Liz and Sam kept the bitchy comments at bay for the most part, but Emily stayed on the look out for things that could change the unspoken evening truce.
Suddenly the music went off. When the girls looked turned to look in the room from the patio they saw why. Emily was the first to run over.
"Jase, I didn't think you were coming it was getting so late." She threw her arms around her brother and stretched up to hug him.
From across the room Liz called out, "Hi Jase."
"It's Jason and you are?" He asked face as stony as it would be if he were in the midst of a confrontation.
"This is our friend Elizabeth. You remember her from Kelly's and I volunteer with her at the hospital." Emily answered.
"What's she doing here?" The question was more directed at Sam and she knew why.
Coming across the room finally Sam went over and greeted her surrogate uncle and tried to explain. "We're just catching up on some school work I missed and listening to music. No big deal. No boys. We stayed downstairs."
Jason didn't want to embarrass the teenager or get all over parental on her, but he knew his partner and his partners temper. Emily was one thing, but this Elizabeth was a completely different story and he needed to get her out of there quickly. "Sam, you know Sonny will have a fit with you having company with him and Alexis out of the house. I'm guessing he doesn't know. Don't make me the bad guy here; you know they have to go."
"Uncle Jason…"
"It's not working Sam." Jason walked to the desk and took out his key. He unlocked the draw bottom left and sat back going through files looking for what he needed. The room was quiet as he waited for the shuffling of bags being gathered and goodbyes being said. Those sounds didn't come. However, when he looked up he saw a pair of blue eyes that mirrored his own looking down at him.
"Can I help you?" He asked.
"That's usually my line to you when you come into Kelly's. Did you want some pizza or anything? We have, like, half a pie left and the cutie at the door turned us down flat." Elizabeth purred.
Jason was his usual stoic self and got up from the desk and walked over to his sister who was talking with Sam behind the sofa.
"I have what I came for so get your stuff together and I'll give you a ride home."
"Aren't you on your bike Jase? I can just call Reginald. I mean he dropped us off so he'll pick us up."
Sam didn't say a word. She didn't want to put Jason in an awkward position any more than she did Milo earlier, but she was asserting her independence and decision making and she didn't see one good reason why the girls shouldn't stay. Liz and Emily weren't completely clear about the unspoken exchange taking place between their hostess and Jason, but they knew enough to stay out of it.
Squaring his shoulders and locking eyes with his target Jason made one parting statement to Sam. "You know this is going to end badly, so be prepared."
Sam's only response was, "I'll tell daddy you got what you needed. Night Uncle Jason."
Heading for the door he was stopped by his sister who went to kiss him on the cheek before he crossed back out of the room.
As he cleared the threshold he heard the lithe brunette with the agua eyes say, "Night Jase!" He wasn't sure what that was all about, but he did recognize flirting when he saw it. The thought immediately left his mind because that girl was in high school and most certainly off limits.
"Okay, so what was that all about? Emily your brother is super HOT, but a major buzz kill." Liz noted.
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Jason thought Sonny was too strict sometimes and he really didn't see a big deal in what the girls were doing, but he did not want his little sister on the receiving end of one of his partner's tirades. He could only hope that both Sam and Emily took his hints and wrapped up their impromptu party sooner rather than later. To that end he spoke with the less seasoned of the Giambetti brothers.
"Look, that little get together should be breaking up soon. Make sure the girls get home and do not tell Sonny or Max anything unless they ask a direct question. With Alexis in the hospital Sonny doesn't need the unnecessary stress. Don't think spilling your guts will spare you. He'll still be just as angry."
Milo had no problem agreeing if it meant avoiding Mr. C's wrath.
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"Jason just wasn't expecting to see us is all. He's plenty fun if you know him. Look I should probably call Reginald it is getting late."
Sam started cleaning up because even though she felt she made her point by not caving into Jason she wasn't ready to push her luck and have Sonny humiliate her in front of Elizabeth. She didn't worry about Emily as much, because when it came to inappropriate outburst her family took the lead in that category.
"I'll ask Milo to have one of the guys drive you. It'll be quicker." Sam offered up.
Elizabeth wasn't dumb and she suspected the bum rush she was getting was motivated by Jason's visit and could be tied into the guard Milo's weird behavior from earlier. "You two are being freaks now say what you're avoiding. Samantha are you not allowed to have company when mommy and daddy are out?"
"Liz don't start." Emily was tossing things in her bag and gathering up trash that Sam was taking into the kitchen. She'd have to remember to put it out in the cans. There were way too many junk food contraband containers to explain and too much extra trash.
"For your information Emily is like family and always welcomed. You were the uninvited guest and I've done my turn on the polite wheel and now I want you to go. No big secret mystery, so sorry to disappoint. And for the record I can have anyone over I want anytime I want. It's my home not a prison."
"With all the guards ya could've fooled me." Liz retorted.
"Well, that truce lasted longer than I thought it would. Say goodnight Liz it's time for us to go."
As the girls got closer to the closed double doors they could hear his voice. They could hear the irritation in his voice and Emily wasn't sure how her friend wanted to handle things.
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Through the door, "I want to know why you're in front of the door and why the hell they're closed. Who's in there? Did Jason already leave?"
"Um, Mr. C. Jason just left and…" Milo was stumbling through his explanations.
"Okay, so move Milo." The young guard stepped aside and said a silent prayer that he'd have his job in the next few minutes.
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Sam was losing her bravado by the millisecond. "Look just go across the patio and around to the front driveway. One of the guards will meet you down there to take you home."
"Are you crazy, these shoes are not meant for wall scaling or running down driveways. I came in the front door and I'm leaving the same way." Elizabeth knew something was about to go down and she had no intention on missing it. She wanted to be able to report back to the rest of her girls later.
"You're absolutely right young lady," Sonny said as the doors swung open. He captured his daughter's gaze and she wondered if this was what a stroke felt like.
"Hi Mr. C, we were just leaving. I heard that Ms. Davis was doing much better. That's great news. My grandmother wanted me to pass on her well wishes for a speedy recovery." Turning to Liz, "we should get going."
Sonny strode across the room never breaking eye contact, "Samantha introduce me to your friend."
"Of course, I'm sorry, daddy this is Elizabeth Webber. She volunteers at the hospital with Emily and goes to PCHS with us. Her grandparents are Steve and Audrey Hardy." She was not optimistic that her nerves weren't coming through in her voice.
"Jeez, Sam, he wanted to know my name not my autobiography, nice to meet you Mr. Corinthos." Liz was gathering ammo at every turn. This had turned out better than she had expected. Not only was Jason Morgan a hottie, but up close Sam's stepfather was a looker too.
"Are you girls sure you're ready to go? Don't let me run you off." Sonny walked to the bar and poured a glass of water.
"It's late and we should get going. I was just about to call Reginald." Emily said.
"Nonsense, Milo, will take you home." Hearing his name the guard perked up a bit. He was optimistic that this assignment meant further employment.
Without turning around Sonny's voice reached out to his daughter. "Well, walk your friends out Sam. Goodnight girls."
At the door Elizabeth got in her final jab. "Thanks for a most interesting and enlightening evening Sam. It was definitely worth the trip."
Emily leaned in to hug her best-friend and whispered. "He didn't seem that angry. Maybe it's a good sign."
Sam offered up a strained giggle. Once the door was closed she tried to compose herself in preparation for what she knew was going to happen. But when she walked back into the study Sonny was nowhere to be found. That was odd the nervous teen thought. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth she quickly finished cleaning behind the second round of company she'd had that day. Locking the patio doors and turning off the lights Sam took to the stairs and wondered what awaited her atop the landing.
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Most of the hall lights were out and the only one hanging about was Michael. He had the sleaziest look on his face and Sam knew whatever he was up to would end up costing her.
"Where's daddy?" She asked.
"I figured he was the last person you wanted to see." Michael followed his sister into her room.
"Get out! I'm serious I am in no mood." Sam hissed.
"I don't know why. First Lucky and then your friends I'd think you'd be in a great mood. I mean I love it when I have friends over… oh, but that's right I never have friends over because dad doesn't like us having a bunch of people running through the house."
"What are you talking about? Lucky was not here."
"I bet if you say it like that to dad he'll believe you and won't give this note a second thought." Michael was waving a piece of paper in front of her face, but Sam still had no clue what he was talking about or how he knew about Lucky being there.
"Whatever Michael either tell me or get out." Sam got in her brother's face and peered down at him. What she couldn't figure out was why he wasn't backing off. Then she thought maybe he does have something. So she reached for the paper in his hand, but he saw it coming and effectively dodged her.
"You can look, but not touch." Michael held the paper out to her with both hands.
Once she focused in on the page and recognized the handwriting her heart sank. It was the note Lucky had written her. The note that had given her joy and excitement was now filling her with dread. It wasn't until her father filled her doorway that the dread gave way to fear. She was in it up to her neck with no real defense or way out.
"Goodnight Michael, give whatever it is back to your sister and clear out." Sonny said.
"This? Oh, it's not hers. It's just some work she corrected for me. Thanks sis. 'Night." Michael left the room.
Both Sam and Sonny's blood was boiling, but for completely different reasons. Father and daughter stared at one another not saying anything. Apparently no one wanted the first word.