Morgan was falling asleep on the couch when Jax decided it was time to bring the family back to the house. Kristina offered to carry Britni while Michael and Alyssa said their farewell on the porch. Lieutenant Johnson was parked outside ready to bring her home.

"Thank you for coming. It meant a lot, and I'm sorry if I made it seem like I was pushing you away the other day. I think I was just angry…"

"You have every right to be." Alyssa said brushing the side of his face.

"No. I didn't have a right to be angry at you; you were just trying to help. Lys, if there is anything that this has taught me is I can't waste time. We don't know how much we're going to have, and I wanted to say again, I love you."

"I love you, too." She kissed him; she could care less that her dad was watching. She was willing to share that piece of information with the world.

"I'll see you in school tomorrow." He promised once they broke.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

************

"Alright, he's the deal, the bar is open but no one is driving." Coleman announced as people walked in, and held up a bucket. "All keys go right in here; there are limos parked outside waiting to take you home. Now, as I told Ms. Falconeri, if I catch you crying that is an automatic shot. Enjoy yourself, and raise a glass in the honor of Carly Jacks."

"Here, here!" Patrick shouted out holding up a mug in Carly's memory. Others around him joined in.

"Why do I have a feeling you have had a few already?" Robin asked her husband slapping him in the chest.

"I think he's been here since about eight o'clock." Matt weighed in. "Along with Lucky and Ethan I think they've finished off the first keg."

"Are you not drinking?" Robin asked Lulu.

"No; I've been told that would be a really bad idea." She replied. "But I was thinking that maybe you, Maxie, and I could show these drunk idiots how to play a mean game of pool."

"Did I just hear a challenge?" Lucky called out.

"Uh oh." Sam smiled taking a front row seat.

"Alright sis, are you breaking?" Lucky asked her.

"You mean to ask if I'm going to demonstrate how it is done? Yeah." Lulu set up the shot knocking three solid balls in right away.

"Nice." Maxie held out her hand for a high five.

"This pool thing is it a Spencer trait?" Patrick questioned. "If so can I trade Matt for Ethan?"

"Don't worry, I got this. Dad was teaching me how to hustle in pool before I could walk." Lucky assured him once their turn came up. Unfortunately it was the cocky attitude which caused him to scratch.

"Ouch! De-nied." Robin teased.

"You know what, there's a drinking curve it just means I need a little more." Lucky responded heading towards the bar.

"You are keeping an eye on him, right?" Dante questioned Sam.

"Yes; I am, but for the time being this is probably the most fun I have seen him have out in public in the past week. Whether it is superficial or not I'm going to let him have it."

"Where is your…?"

"Good question, where is Caitlyn?" Zander asked Dante. Liz and Nik were off in a side conversation by the juke box.

"I don't know; she was just here."

"Wonderful.." Zander uttered figuring he knew where she was.

"I didn't think you were coming." Caitlyn said standing outside Jake's watching Johnny drink from a champagne glass.

"Well, we're supposed to celebrate right?" He asked tossing the glass aside and moving towards her.

"What are you…?" She asked as he slid his arms around her.

"Just a dance." He promised. "To say thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"For not giving up; for helping me find the lead that's going to bring my straight to rescuing my sister." Johnny explained.

"I don't know if you can credit me with all of that, but if you found the clue to bring her home then it really is something to celebrate." She replied swaying in his arms.

"I brought the recording to Sonny. It mentioned a summer house out in the country where they might be staying. He's getting his guys to survey the area immediately."

"That's wonderful." She beamed.

"Yeah…" He replied not as happy as she thought he should be.

"Wait, is there something else going on?"

"Sonny told me that Ric has found grounds for an appeal. The case may be going back to court."

"Okay, isn't that a good thing?"

"No; not when Claudia gets to benefit from Carly's death. Without Jerry and without Carly to testify… I want her to be able to raise her child and have the life and love she's always hoped for, but it doesn't seem right."

"It doesn't seem right that she gets everything because Carly died." Caitlyn sympathized. "No, nothings right about Carly's death. The little Britni that doesn't get to… but that doesn't mean that Claudia's baby should have to pay too. I'm not saying that Claudia was innocent."

"But that child is."

**************

"Claudia, how are you doing?" Stella asked her from outside the bathroom door. Her morning sickness seemed to finally be down to a morning routine where she was able to brush her teeth after and go on for the day.

"I'm fine." She called out while brushing through her hair. "I was actually thinking about going for a hike if you are up for it."

"Oh, I'm up for it." Stella replied and then making her way to the bedroom to change into something more fitting. She decided on a pair of blue jeans and simple woman's cut t-shirt.

"Where are you off to?" Joey asked curiously.

"Why? Do we need to run everything pass you now?"

"No; I'm no ones keeper." He replied backing up.

"Well, it's not as though there is a lot to do here." She replied.

"If you would like to go for a drive I could take you."

"Really, Zacchara gave you permission to take me and Claudia out?"

"That's not what I said. His rule is one or the other. Apparently he doesn't trust me enough to take you both into town." Joey explained.

"Oh what? Afraid the two poor innocent girls are going to wander off?" She replied in her cutest little baby voice.

"Yeah, something like that."

"I appreciate the offer, really, I do, but for the time being Claudia and I were going to have some girl time on a hike. If you can bring back some pork loin, I'll make something nice for dinner."

Joey smirked. "What do they say about the way to a man's heart is through his stomach?"

"Oh please, as if!" She jokingly back handed him.

"Hey, you may not see it, yet." He sighed.

************

She groaned as she struggled to open her eyes; the light in the room causing her head throb. "Wh… where am I?" She asked the man sitting above her.

"What do you remember?" He asked her in some sort of foreign accent.

"I…" She struggled to come up with anything. "Who are you? Who am…I?"

"I'm your husband, Cora." He said holding her hand. "We're home, King Island just north of Tasmania."

She looked around in what looked to be a bedroom of a small beach house. "No, this… this isn't home."

"It is now. Sweetheart you asked for this. You wanted to get away from your family because you didn't want to experience the pain of watching you fade away."

"What? What are you talking about? What am I doing here? And who… who are you?" She asked feeling herself getting agitated.

"I'm your husband, Victor, Victor Phoenix. A few months ago you were diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. As it's gotten bigger your symptoms have gotten worse. You asked me to move away from your family in New York because you didn't want them to see you like this." He explained.

"I'm dying?" She cried. "How long?"

"It's hard to predict. The doctor was afraid after your latest seizure that you might lose your memory. Cora, you might not know this, but I love you so much. All I wanted was to give you the world."

"My family, what are they like?" She asked easing herself back in bed attempting to muster through the pain.

"Your mom and dad are the best; they opened me into their home right away. You are the middle of three kids, and have a niece and three nephews. You want to see pictures?" He asked her.

She nodded. "What about us? Do we have any kids?"

"No." He responded sadly. "We were trying when you were diagnosed, but we never…"

"I'm sorry." She offered him.

"Oh no, don't be sorry for this. I promised you that we weren't going to make this about regret. We were going to celebrate all the good days left that you have in you." He flipped through the pages of the album he put together until she had fallen back asleep. "I'm sorry to have to do this to you Carly, it was the only way." Jerry said kissing the top of her head.