Jason sat out in the waiting room listening to the normal bustle of the hospital jumping as each code blue was called trying not to think about having to lose her just as he was getting her back.

"Mr. Morgan, I'm Dr. Sophia Brown the chief trauma surgeon here. I have the results back on Mrs. Jacks CT scan. Would you like to discuss this here or would you be more comfortable going to an office?"

"This is fine." He replied allowing the doctor to sit next to him.

"Results show an aneurysm in her lateral ventricle. Based on the symptoms it's likely that it's already ruptured. I'd like to proceed with lumbar puncture; to detect any blood in the cerebrospinal fluid."

"Is it fatal?" Jason asked her.

"If we can't stop the bleeding then yes, she could hemorrhage and die."

"What would the treatment plan be?"

"She would require surgery. Unfortunately the most qualified surgeon in this country has been brought to the AFP for questioning." Dr. Brown replied.

"I don't want him near her. How long does she have before surgery has to be done?"

"The sooner we can do it the better her chances of recovery, but along with the lumbar puncture there's a couple more tests to perform to determine the size and exact position of the aneurysm."

"I'd like to call in my own doctor, Dr. Patrick Drake to perform the operation." Jason replied.

"If you are going to bring in the doctor, might as well bring in the best. How soon do you think he can get here?"

"About as soon as it takes to get from New York to Australia. Do whatever you need to do and I'll worry about travel arrangements." Jason insisted. "Wait, do you know if there's any possibility of her waking up?"

"I'm not sure, but I will let you know as soon as she's ready for visitors." She replied before going back to her patient.

Jason got up to walk outside to get some fresh air. There was something about the hospital that made him feel completely closed in with a lack of oxygen. He dialed Patrick's number first praying that he would pick up.

It was on the fourth ring when he finally heard, "Dr. Drake speaking."

"Patrick…" Jason answered.

"You found her?" Patrick replied hopefully.

"Are you alone?"

"Yeah. What's going on?" Patrick asked.

Jason filled him in on the story along with the diagnosis and request. "You can take my jet it can fueled in 20 minutes. Just please save her."

"I'll be there as soon as I can, and don't worry I know to keep my mouth shut. I just have to call Monica and let her know I'll be out for the time being."

"I can't tell you how much… I just don't want the boys or Bobbie hearing anything I can tell them she's okay and I'm bringing her home."

"I agree." Patrick concurred.

XXXXXX

Jax scooted back into the office after getting off the phone. Sitting on the chair next to Britni's car seat as she played quietly with her stuffed giraffe that was handed down from when Michael was a baby.

"Ms. Davis, are you sure there's nothing else you can give me?" The prosecutor asked her.

"I don't know what else to tell you. There's the DVD, the business card and address book, the tape recording of Claudia ordering the hit on Jerry's car, Jerry's original statement, the confession from Nikolas…"

"None of which is going to hold any water. Anything with Jerry Jacks' name on it will be dismissed without a second thought. The business card/address book duo is circumstantial. Since the tape recording never went through the PCPD and she was never charged with that attack that it going to be thrown out. If I remember correctly she was delirious at the time of her confession to the prince."

"Maybe it's enough circumstantial…" Alexis persuaded.

"Wait." The prosecutor stopped her as she flipped through the court transcript. "Tell me more about this about an altercation between the defendant and Mrs. Jacks."

"Last June, Michael was in recovery after the surgery to wake him up from the coma. He had left the hospital and Claudia was the last person to see him. Carly overheard Claudia tell her brother that she thought she was responsible for him leaving. She confronted Claudia about it and they both ended falling down the stairs." Alexis explained. "I don't know how you can use any of this."

"It says here that Michael remembered Claudia's voice saying 'I'm sorry.'" The prosecutor replied. "Did Michael Corinthos III remember anything else from when he was comatose?"

"That I don't know." Alexis replied.

"No he didn't." Jax piped in.

"Excuse me Mr. Jacks?"

"He has remembered very little, a phrase here and there, but half the time he doesn't even know who the voice is coming from." He explained.

"Still, it could be worth exploring." The prosecutor replied.

"I'm going to ask you not to." Jax responded. "My step-son has been through hell and back. He was shot in the head and is still dealing with impulse issues from that, feels like his loyalty is torn between parents, was in an accident which he blames himself for the death of his sister, and has just recently lost his mother."

"He has no definitive testimony that he can provide." Alexis added.

"Does he believe Mrs. Corinthos was responsible for the shot that cost him a year of his life? If so? I think the jury may want to hear it."

"If you're asking for fact Michael can't give it to you." Jax assured her. "If you're looking for opinion? He's conflicted."

"Conflicted?"

"It may just be that bringing Michael on that stand will do more harm than good to your case; he sees her as a sympathetic figure and that's the exact opposite of what you want to portray." Alexis argued.

"You have to give me more." The prosecutor responded.

"I thought that was your job." Alexis replied. Jax picked up Britni and held the door open for Alexis to walk out. The idea of the case going back to trial was giving her a headache and at that time all she could think about was bringing home her daughter.

"Thank you for backing me on the Michael thing." Jax offered as they settled into the car.

"Michael made his decision, and I stand behind the statement that bringing him onto the stand may just make Claudia look more sympathetic to the jury. If the boy that lost a year of his life can forgive her, why can't we?" Alexis hypothetically proposed. "So what was the phone call about?"

"Let's just say you want plausible deniability." Jax replied callously.

XXXXXX

"I'm assuming that's her limo pulling up." Nikolas pointed out of the rental car. "You two stay here until I give you the signal."

"What's the signal again?" Ethan questioned.

Nikolas rolled his eyes as he demonstrated a simple 'come here' wave. He shut the door behind him, walking out to greet his grandmother who hung by the limo door.

"Where is she?" Nikolas asked her.

Helena nodded her head towards the door. "Show me the host and I'll show you your precious cousin."

Nikolas waved for Ethan to bring Mischa out of the car and cautioning them from stepping forward. "So?"

Helena opened the door and yanked Sam into her clutched. Holding Sam in front of her like a shield. Her wrists were bound together behind her back and a gag was forced over her mouth, but her eyes were wide and pleading to Nikolas to get her out of there. "Now, put Ms. Stephens in the car and I will let her go."

Nikolas scoffed. "We release them both on the count of three?"

"One…" Helena started, calling his bluff. "Two… Three."

As they got to three both woman remained on their respective sides of the parking lot; Sam still firmly in Helena's grasp, but struggling to get free.

"Nikolas, Nikolas, Nikolas… I told you not to play games." Helena shook her head. "Who do you have hiding in the bushes? Katsaros, is that you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Nikolas replied calmly.

"Oh come on. Katsaros, if you want to meet your second cousin once removed or whatever it is called, I would show yourself now!" Helena called out.

When no movement was made Nikolas was hopeful that she bought it enough to talk negotiation. "I'll let your driver take Mischa if you let me take Sam." Nikolas tried.

"You have no intention of handing over Mischa; that's okay, I really didn't expect it, but you will if you want your precious Samantha to live." Helena replied as she pulled out a needle.

"Stick that in her and you're dead!" Galen stood from his spot with his firearm drawn.

"I don't think so." Helena responded certainly. "You see, this is a slow acting lethal narcotic." She explained sticking the needle into Sam's neck as she cringed. "She'll have about 72 hours before respiration fails and the heart completely stops. There is an antidote. When you decide you want it bring Ms. Stephens to this address." She finished as she stuck a business card into Sam's jean pocket before pushing Sam towards Nikolas and snuck into the limo. They all watched as it drove off.

"Sam… Sam, are you okay?" Nikolas questioned pulling the binding away from her.

Sam nodded while holding onto the neck where the needle was pressed in. "How's Lucky?" Were her first words.

"He's fine, but we need to get you out of here and to Robin to find out what was in that injection."

"Samantha." Galen ran out to meet her.

"You must be…" She replied.

"General Galen Katsaros, father of Damon and the cousin to Laertes." He introduced himself.

"Sam, how much did Helena tell you?" Ethan questioned as he and Mischa came over.

"She just said she needed me to put the pieces together, something about carrying out her legacy." Sam replied.

"Did she tell you why she was so interested in Mischa?" Nikolas questioned as she sat next to him.

Sam's brain was still fuzzy after days of sedatives. "The host." She attempted to shake away the fog. "Wait, what did she say about you meeting your…?" Sam questioned Galen.

"My cousin; Laertes' daughter." Galen replied.

"What?" She questioned.

"Sam, Helena wants Mischa because she's probably carrying the child that contains the three family bloodlines. She wants to raise it to destroy us all." Nikolas explained.

"Okay, I'm still stuck about three steps back. Are you saying that I am Laertes Krischnan's daughter?"

"That's exactly what we are saying." Galen replied.

"And you. You are hosting my… Helena stole my…?" Sam pointed at Mischa unable to finish the thought. She wasn't sure what to feel about it. "Who… who is the father?"

"Lucky." Nikolas replied.

"You mean…?"

"Yeah; we need to get the both of you out of here. Galen, can you keep someone staked out at this address and see if you can get someone to talk about the antidote?" Nikolas passed him the business card.

"I doubt we're going to see Helena there, but we can take out a henchman or two." He agreed.

"I can walk." Sam objected as Nikolas went to pick her up.

"No." He objected. "The more you move around the quicker it travels your bloodstream."

XXXXXX

"Mr. Morgan. We've finished testing and have moved her to a room." Dr. Brown informed him.

"Is she?"

"Still unconscious. Were you able to speak with Dr. Drake?"

"He's on his way." Jason informed her. "He told me to give you this number if you need to reach him for consult before he gets here. He has his computer on him to run any images and results."

"Good; as long as he can do that and catch up on sleep on the flight he should be good to go upon landing."

"That was the hope." Jason replied. "Can I see her?"

"For a little bit. Visiting hours are almost up, and for liability purposes we really can't have anyone staying over, but we do have a hotel across the street intended for the use of family members."

"I'll make it brief." He stated before being shown to the room. Carly laid peacefully strapped to medical machinery. Jason sat next to her and held her hand. "I don't know how many times of rolled my eyes at the thought of a soul mate. When the cannery exploded and you told me you had that dream, I didn't want to believe it, but I didn't have to because you did, and you knew. We've drawn on each others strength for as long as I can remember. During the train wreck, as my own brain was faltering, it was you that kept me going. Carly, you don't have to remember in order to feel it; just hang on. I'm not going to let you fall; I can't."

He kissed her forehead before backing out of the room. Once he left hospital premises he took out his cell to find a missed message. He dialed his voicemail and listened. "Jason, this is Jax. I received a call from my brother about an hour ago requesting assistance, but wanted to make sure I was secluded before making this call. I put him up at a safe house; 189 Forest Rd. Tasmania, Australia. He told me that last he knew she was critical condition; I don't plan on telling the boys until I hear back from you."

Jason replayed the message again to jot down the address. He never expected that from Jax; but Jax knew exactly what he was doing when he left the message.