Jason Morgan and Alexis Davis, canon

September 2010

Instant Addiction

Part 29

"I'd like to go to the chapel,"Alexis said.

Everyone else in the surgical waiting room looked at her. Diane said "I'd be happy to go with you."

"Thank you but I'd like to go with Jason."

Jason stood up. He reached out his hand to Alexis. She took his hand and they left the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Earlier that night, Nadine had run off the elevator. She spotted Epiphany behind the nurses station. Betrayal raged in Nadine's eyes. She had to hear about Matt being injured because Ric got a call from Sonny.

"HOW DARE YOU NOT CALL ME!"

"Nurse Crowell-"

"Where is he? Where's his chart?" Nadine went behind the nurse's station and started grabbing the charts that were there. "I don't see it. Where is it?"

"Dr. Hunter is in recovery room one. I did order Nurse Thompson to phone you, hours ago, and she assured me she left a message on your home phone."

"You should have paged me!" She tried to leave the nurses station but Epiphany was standing there."Get out my way."

"We've been slammed here because of a four car pile up with twelve victims. I should have

thought-"

Tearfully, Nadine screeched "That's right you should have! I'm his In Case of Emergency number. ME! And when I find his file I'm gonna show you and then you're gonna see that I'm the first call you make when anything happens to Matthew. Now move out of my way before you force me to move you."

Epiphany stepped aside. "I'm truly sorry you didn't get the message earlier."

She ran down the hall. Eventually Nadine spotted Liz, in surgical wear, standing with Lucky and Emily. Nadine stopped short, panting breathlessly.

Liz said "He's awake but weak. He suffered internal bleeding from a ruptured spleen. We had to remove it. He's stabilized now. Vitals are strong."

"And Sam?"

"Patrick is still in surgery with her. The last update was that she coded on the table but they got her back."

"I want to see him." Nadine said, she rushed past them, to go wash her hands, put on a gown and mask, so that the recovery room would stay sterile.

When she was ready, as a little calmer, she walked there, looked through the window and saw Noah in there with Matt. Noah's eyes met hers. She watched him say her name to Matt and then Noah walked into the hall.

Noah looked years older. The fear had obviously gotten to him. Noah said "He says for to tell you that you should relax. He's tougher than he looks."

Nadine's chest swelled with a sob but she swallowed it down. The tears were from relief. Nodding at Noah, she went inside. She sniffled. Moving close to the bed she looked down at Matt. "What did I tell you? Drive slower. You never listen to me. That's your biggest problem."

"Its...Patrick..that...speeds. Wrong Drake brother."

"No, I have the right Drake brother. Its this one who is my best friend."

"Yep....hey, no crying."

"I love you, Matthew! You are my bestest best friend. I'd never be happy without you in my life. But I will be happy now because you're okay and.....guess what, Matthew...I got engaged."

"Yeah?"

"So you have to get better quick so you can stand up for me. You owe me. And I'd never forgive you if you welched on your promise to pay me back for being in your wedding."

"I'll be there."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up. Its good that Noah was around."

"Glad...you're here...now."

"Me too." She stayed there with him for hours, even after he drifted back to sleep, just staring at the third man she ever wanted to marry.

First there was Bruce, then Nikolas (though she could see that was silly now), and then there was this man- her best friend- with his dark, messy hair that he gelled too much, and his sometimes scruffy bread, and his sweet brown eyes and his gruff, stubborn nature.

God could not have Matthew back tonight. Nadine still needed him too fiercely.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Alexis lit a candle in the chapel. Closing her eyes she remember the first time she ever heard Sam cry. "She was a loud baby. I only knew her for a few minutes but she was already...feisty. That gave me some peace of mind because I knew she'd be tough when she got older. And...she is. She's the strongest Cassadine ever born."

"Sam thinks that about you."

Alexis turned and looked at Jason, where he sat in a pew. "Its remarkable how she has grown up this last year. I remember when she was in a hot tub with Jerry and I was so frustrated with her. Of course I knew it wasn't romantic but she shouldn't have tried to take him down on her own that way. She's incredibly headstrong though. She comes by it honestly. I wish I could say that I helped her to grow up but it was all Matt. She came into her own when she fell in love with him." Alexis walked over and sat next to Jason. "I should have trusted that Sam would be mature enough to deal with this now. She's not that reactive woman she used to me. She swore that after she nearly lost Matt because of going behind his back to Nadine...that she would never act first and think later. I was still treating her like the kid I met years ago. But she's a woman now....she was so excited about finding a surrogate. She sent me a email full of names for babies. All mouthfuls. My grand kids would have been ten before they could write out their whole name."

"They could still be born, you know."

"Of course."

Jason took her hand and rubbed his thumb over the back of it.

Alexis raised there joined hands and kissed his hand. "You're my rock, you know that, right?"

In truth he wondered if she needed Jax more or Sonny or Diane or Nikolas, but the honesty in her voice convinced Jason that she truly was relying on him. "I won't leave you."

"I know." Their eyes held for a long moment until Alexis finally whispered "I won't give you up."

His chest got tight as he stared into her eyes.

Alexis paused and then went on "I believe in Sam now...that she will understand...and I believe she's going to make it....and I believe in my grand kids with their four names and that they will be born one day....and most of all....I believe in you, Jason."

She leaned against him. Their heads touched. The moment lingered, filled with overwhelming emotion, and then Alexis whispered "And I don't care that its just been two weeks."

Jason smiled slightly. He placed two fingers under her chin and titled her head up. "I love you, Alexis."

Her eyes searched his for a long moment.

He finally said "Don't say anything back right now. Just know...how I feel about you."

Her breathing was very shallow when she told him. "Okay.....and you should just know....you're the one, Jason. Just know that."

His lips joined with hers and she could feel, rather than see, that his eyes were teary at her revelation.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sonny paced the hallway.

He was not holding up well. He felt completely out of control. How damn long could one surgery take? And brain surgery! Why, for God's sake, did it always come down to brain surgery in his life?

What if Sam died? Then how would Sonny take care of Alexis when he was now married to Gia.

Gia was a good woman who put up with so damn much from him. And she did it all with a smile and a flirty line and jokes and quiet strength.

She would tell him quick how beautiful she was and how lucky he was to be with a beautiful woman like her. But she never really traded on that beauty anymore. She won people over with her huge heart. She was sweet to all his friends and family and the men who worked for him.

And she was kick ass, spine of steel, when it came to the business. Gia Campbell-Corinthos. Sexiest woman alive and his wife.

Yet she knew and he knew that if Sam didn't make it, all the cards were off the table. He'd have to be there for Alexis, whatever that meant. Late nights and as much as she needed. He'd have to stop holding back his heart and just let her see all she meant to him. Because she'd need that and more to survive.

He couldn't be selfish and just give her what was easiest. He wouldn't be that jackass this time.

Sonny stalked to the nurses station. "Page Dr. Robin Scorpio for me."

"She's in the OR right now."

"Then page Dr. Monica Quatermaine!"

"I'm sorry but she's not working today."

He let out a frustrated breath. "I need to know about a patient who Dr. Drake is working on."

"Are you family?"

"You listen to me! I want an update on Samantha McCall and I want it right now. You recognize me, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Corinthos."

"Good. Then stop playing games and get me an update."

"Let me see here," the nurse typed into the computer. "She's Dr. Hunter's new wife so...there it is Samantha Hunter- Drake. OR 5. I'll call up there. Hold on."

Just then Gia walked over to Sonny. She placed her hands on his shoulders and massaged them. "Babe. We'll know when Patrick is done. You can threaten every nurse in this place to within an inch of their lives and it won't change the fact that the surgery will take as long as it takes. I know Sam and she's as tough as they come. Seriously. You've seen her when she loses it. Watch out. Remember that time you told her she was a bad influence on Kristina?" Gia chuckled softly. "You are lucky to be alive still. Do you really think that a woman like her won't make it?"

Sonny relaxed visibly.

The nurse hung up the phone. "Dr. Drake should be in the waiting room soon to let you know the patient's condition."