This is another two part chapter. Considering the large amount of readers to this story (and UMR), expediency as to the second part is contingent on your five and ten dollar bills to Betty. (Those who read UMR on this site, Annie is BEYOND annoyed and frustrated in regard to the lack of response to the last chapter… Annie foresees a Bay of Pigs hostage crisis occurring)

UNEDITED: PART ONE

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Gravediggers

Alexis looked at Mac, dressed as though he were going to a ballgame, in absolute shock; never had she gone on a date with a man dressed in a sweatshirt. She held the door opened, and in absolute silence simply gestured for him to enter the house.

He smiled at her knowing that his attire had completely thrown her off guard.

--- "So, you look great!"

She hesitantly returned a smile to him.

--- "Uh, so do you!"

She stared him down from head to toe. He stood in her house dressed in an old paid of jeans, New York Giants sweatshirt, and sneakers, while she was dressed in her designer jeans, tight sweater and jeans; she could not believe she had put so much effort into her attire and he decided to look like a slob. It was no wondering why he was single.

--- "Thanks! So are you ready to go?"

He noticed the look of horror on her face, but did his best to hide his amusement. Alexis, on the other hand, scratched her chin before nervously laughing.

--- "Um, will you excuse me for a moment?"

He held back his laughter, as he knew that she was undoubtedly going to call Sam; the young woman had predicted that her mother would do such a thing.

--- "By all means, Lex. Take your time."

Flashback

Sam, freshly showered, decided to call Mac back after hearing his message.

--- "Hi Mac, it's Sam."

He had picked up on the first ring, knowing that it was only a matter of time before the young woman had gotten back to him.

--- "Hi Sam; I need your help. There is no one who knows Alexis better than you, and while I'm sure you'd like nothing more than to have your mother dating your father—"

She cut him off midsentence for being so presumptuous as to what she would like. Actually, she was quite happy that her mother had decided to move on with her relationship with Mac because she wanted her father focused on her and her alone. As selfish as it may have seemed, Sam was not willing to share Mathieu with anyone, not even her mother.

--- "To be honest, Mac, I'm glad she chose you; you're a great guy who's known her for years and has done nothing but treat her with respect and dignity. For once, I think that she has finally gotten it right."

He was relieved to hear that Sam approved of the relationship, or whatever it was that he and Alexis were starting. He had arrested or questioned the woman on the other line countless times before, and her mother had defended her each and every time, even when it was obvious that she was lying or covering up for her boyfriend. In regard to Jason, Mac had arrested him more times than he could count… or cared to attempt to count. If this thing he had going with Alexis progressed to something more, he knew this may wind up being a problem. Nevertheless, he figured he would cross that bridge once he got to it.

--- "Thank you for saying that. Now, I need a huge favor. I already know what I'm going to do with your mother—"

--- "That is more information than I need to know, Mac!"

He blushed on the line.

--- "You know what I mean, Sam! Now can you—"

As Mac told her what he needed, Jason snuck up behind her dressed in his own towel and gave her a kiss on the nape of her neck. She muffled the phone glared at him.

--- "Stop it!"

Mac frowned.

--- "Um, okay?"

Sam turned around and smacked Jason in his bare chest as he ran his hand underneath her towel. She mouthed for him to stop, and pointed to the phone.

--- "Oh, sorry, uum, I was uh, never mind. So, er, yea, I'll take care of that! But Mac?"

--- "Yea?"

She pulled her towel tightly around herself before moving away from the man's traveling hands.

--- "I hope you know that she's going to freak out… I mean, she's going to think you are the worst thing since the Bush administration, and I have to tell you, that's saying a lot."

--- "You think it's that bad?"

--- "I think it's the PERFECT date, actually. My mother… she'll think you're nuts, but she'll give you a chance. I mean, she might call me constantly, but I'm sure she'll realize that she hasn't had such a fun date in a while and she'll be appreciative of you for that."

Mac smiled. It had been quite some time since he had had a date, but knowing Alexis, he knew that he did not want to do the standard dinner date; she was better than that.

--- "I really appreciate your help, Sam."

She nodded as she continued to muffle phone while Jason trailed his finger along the nape of her neck and down her exposed back.

--- "Um, no problem; anything for my Mom."

--- "Don't forget—"

--- "I won't Mac! I'll be right there!"

She hung up the phone before turning around to pull Jason's towel from his waist. She smacked him with it.

--- "You are so bad! If I weren't so excited for my mother, I'd punish you."

He pulled her to him and kissed her gently.

--- "Never mention punishing me and your mother in the same sentence again."

End of Flashback

Alexis walked into her bedroom and grabbed her cell phone. She knew that Sam was probably still talking to her father, but she needed her help; this seemed almost unacceptable. What could be said about a man who showed up on a date in such a slovenly fashion?

She hit the speed dial and waited for her daughter to respond.

Sam watched as her mother left Kelly's to get ready for her date with the commissioner. She wanted nothing more than to laugh hysterically in the middle of the diner, but she knew that doing such a thing would only make her appear, for lack of a better word, absolutely insane. As a result, she swallowed the laughter attempting to escape from her throat and walked back to the table where her father and boyfriend waited for her.

--- "Dad, I'm glad you're finding your way around Port Charles so easily. So, do you think that you'll really stay?"

--- "Perhaps. When I was first offered the position at the hospital, I thought if I took it, I would only stay here for a few years, but now—"

He took her hand and kissed it.

--- "I think that I will stay as long as I'm welcomed."

Sam smiled from her father to Jason, who sat uncomfortably, yet supportively, beside her.

--- "Well, I guess I should say, 'welcome to Port Charles… Dad.'"

--- "Thank you, ma belle. Now, I suppose we shouldn't beat around the, how do you say, bush?"

The young woman snickered to herself; Jason gave her leg a squeeze before leaning into her.

--- "Get your mind out of the gutter, Sam."

She gave him an innocent look.

--- "Shut up, I wasn't—"

He blankly stared at her in a way that only she could interpret. She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

--- "Fine, you're right."

Mathieu watched the interaction happy that his daughter was clearly happy with this man. However, there was something off about Jason that the family had spent the entire day attempting to shield; the purpose of this lunch was to have the mystery resolved.

--- "So, Jason, what exactly do you do for a living?"

Sam who had begun to take a sip from her coffee, burned her lips on the hot drink.

--- "Sh!t!"

Mathieu quickly handed her his untouched glass of water.

--- "Are you alright, cherie?"

She nodded.

--- "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Daddy. Um, you know, I have to say that I really appreciate how concerned you are about me—"

--- "Of course I would be concerned about you, Samantha; you're my daughter."

She took a sip from the water to cool her burned lips and tongue.

--- "You know, Dad, you still haven't told me what it was that stopped you from trying to find me when you thought Mom had raised me, but kept you out of my life."

Mathieu shook his head and smirked. This was the moment for which he had been waiting since his daughter and her man friend arrived at the diner.

Flashback

After informing him that they could not be together, Alexis decided that she should probably give Mathieu the "Samantha For Dummies" handbook seeing as he was going to have a long awaited conversation with their complicated, yet predictable (to those who knew her well) daughter. She was not about to allow Sam to wiggle out of this by distracting the man who was clearly going to be wrapped around the young woman's finger.

--- "Mati, there are three things you need to know about our lovely daughter."

He braced himself for the revelation into Sam's mind.

--- "Okay, vas-y."

He told her to go ahead and lay it all out for him.

--- "The first thing is that Sam is a con—"

He frowned at the first revelation. He was not sure he liked Alexis' description of their daughter; this was something of Sam's past, but it was being used against her as though she were still that same young and lonely girl.

--- "Wait a second, Alex—"

Because he was not yet used to calling her Alexis, he resigned himself to calling her Alex; it seemed like a good compromise.

--- "I don't think it's right for you to call her a con. From what she's told me she's changed her life—"

Alexis rolled her eyes at the man. It amused her how he attempted to correct her on something he knew nothing about; she almost took offense at his presumption that she was judging her daughter.

--- "Before you continue your statement, Mati, perhaps you will allow me to finish discussing this woman whom I've had the pleasure of mothering for the passed ten years?"

He crossed his arms.

--- "Fine."

--- "Thank you. I'm well aware that Sam has changed her life; I was there after all—"

She noticed the pained look in his eyes, so she softened.

--- "What I meant was that ALTHOUGH she is no longer using her conning 'talents' on perfect strangers, she certainly takes no issue using what she's learned in the streets on her loved ones... at least on those foolish enough to fall for her tricks. She's sneaky; if she catches your weakness, in your case it would be your desire to have a relationship with her, she'll prey on that to get her way of either avoiding a difficult or unpleasant subject or just to have control of the situation."

Mathieu smiled in amusement at Alexis' description of their daughter; Sam was not too different than he when he was a teen. From what he had witnessed, she was also determined and ambitious. He liked hearing this about his daughter.

--- "Okay, I think I can handle this."

She raised an eyebrow noticing the wheels in his brain spinning, but she continued.

--- "Secondly, Sam is a brilliant liar. She will, if you allow her to, tell you the sky is purple and green, singing 'I Love You' songs, and you'll believe her. She is THAT good. Honestly, she should be in Hollywood winning an Oscar for the performances she's attempted to pull with me."

He laughed aloud causing Alexis to smack him on the arm.

--- "That's not funny, Mati! If you're not careful, you'll fall for her tricks to either get out of trouble, or to hide how she's really feeling… or worse."

She thought about the previous night's dinner and how Sam had conned her into going to dinner by claiming to want to spend more time with her when in reality to she was setting her up on a date with Mac. Well, considering the present circumstances, she was grateful for her daughter's acting chops.

Mathieu nodded his head in agreement.

--- "Our daughter is a liar who shouldn't be trusted, okay."

Alexis shook her head; she was in no way attempting to make Sam out to be a dishonest person.

--- "No, that's not what I said—"

--- "Excuse-moi, cherie, but you have just called our daughter a con and a liar in less than five minutes—"

She felt herself getting upset at how she may have made Sam appear to her newly discovered father, when she noticed that he was smiling at her. She smacked him hard on the arm.

--- "That's NOT what I meant, and you KNOW it! Sam is—"

He took her hand into his and interrupted her.

--- "Before you clarify what you were saying and before you tell me the third thing I should know about our daughter, may I tell you what I've noticed?"

She tilted her head to the side before smiling.

--- "Sure."

--- "Okay. I know that when she's upset and feels the need to lie so you don't know this, she bites her lip when she is nervous, or she rambles thoughtlessly, fidgets, and then she becomes defensive when she feels uncomfortable or put into a corner from which she cannot escape. I notice that she when she is very happy or excited, the dimples on her cheeks are very prominent, but when she's upset her nose turns slightly red and stuffy. When she is with her family, her eyes light up and even though she may become upset with you or her sisters, that light never goes away."

Alexis bit her lip.

--- "Wow, I'm impressed! You're quite observant and a few steps ahead."

He passed his hand over her cheek as he smiled sweetly.

--- "I know all of this about our daughter because you do the same thing, Alex. You've always done the same things."

She covered his hand with her own before moving it away; she did not want him to think that he could suck her into the past again.

--- "Well, that may be true, but the final thing you should know is that as you said, our daughter loves her family immensely; and we do her. As a result, she is loyal to a fault of those she loves; she will defend and protect them at all costs."

--- "Like her mother."

She nodded in agreement before giving him a serious look.

--- "I will do whatever necessary to ensure my daughters' happiness. While I know that you want nothing more than to have a relationship with her; do not break her heart, Mati. Sam isn't perfect and her life isn't exactly what I would have wanted for her, but as long as she's happy, then I am. I will give you these words of advice: listen to her, accept her, and do not interfere. I know you think I treat her like a child, but that is our relationship; there are lines that even I will not cross… I suggest you follow suit. If you do not, believe me, it won't end well for you."

She handed him Sam's keys with a Cassadine smile.

End of Flashback

Mathieu kissed his daughter's forehead.

--- "On en va parler plus tard, ma belle."

He noticed the look of confusion on Sam's face; he felt a dull pain in his heart that she was unable to understand his native language.

--- "Later, my love. For now, I would like to get to know Jason—"

Sam sighed as she thought of another way in which she could move the conversation from Jason's line of profession, but Mathieu continued before she could interrupt.

--- "So, Maxie made many comments yesterday that lead me to believe that you were a little bit more than a coffee importer."

Jason stared at the man.

--- "Well, Maxie isn't known as the pillar of truth, Mathieu."

--- "This is true, but by the way everyone reacted, I have a weird feeling that when she mentioned dead bodies and dumping them; are you a grave digger?"

Sam covered her face; she wondered how Jason could possibly explain to her father that he was an enforcer who took out those who were disloyal to her younger sister's father. This was a nightmare.

--- "No—"

Mathieu pressed.

--- "So what is it?"

Jason took a deep breath and sighed.

--- "Let's just say that I provide a special form of security for a certain person in town, along with those under his protection."

Mathieu looked from Sam (who was clearly mortified) to Jason.

--- "What does that even mean?! Look, from what I can tell after spending a day with Maxie, whether or not you say she's reliable, I certainly saw how Diane reacted; you've been arrested numerous times. En fait, you have a lawyer who represents you… comment on dit en anglais?"

Because, when he drew important conclusions, he thought in French, but in this situation needed to discuss them in English, the languages merged.

--- "Jason, are you a criminal?"

While Sam nearly fell off of her chair from her father's blatant question to the man she loved, Jason merely cleared his throat.

--- "No."

Mathieu looked at the man incredulously. First, he could not believe that after such an accusation a person would simply answer 'no,' without any effort to defend himself; secondly, he simply did not believe him.

--- "You are not a criminal? What is an enforcer?"

--- "Someone who enforces the wishes of my employer—"

--- "Who is your employer?"

Sam could no longer take this interrogation.

--- "Daddy, you know what, I don't appreciate the way you're attacking him—"

--- "I'm not attacking him, Samantha; I just want an answer. I don't believe that he's a coffee importer because it doesn't make sense—"

--- "What difference does it make, anyway?"

Just as he was about to respond, Jason's phone began to ring.

--- "I have to take this."

He walked away from the table leaving Sam to continue to argue with her father.

--- "Look, I'm a grown woman, and whom I choose to date is my choice. I'm not going to stop dating him regardless of if you like what he does or not—"

Mathieu crossed his arms and stared at his daughter. He knew that he had not right to dictate anything about her life, but he was nonetheless worried about whom she decided to associate.

--- "You know what, you're right. I suppose if Alex is fine with this—"

She pursed her lips as she defiantly looked at the man.

--- "My mother knows that she doesn't have a choice in the matter; she can either accept that I'm dating Jason, or she can not and not interfere. Either way, Jason and I are solid. I love my mother, and I love my family, but they will not choose the person I love. And I'm sorry, Mathieu, but neither will you."

He felt a stab in his heart. He remembered Alexis' words: 'Oh, and Sam WILL, if she's exceptionally upset with you, revert to calling you by your first name just because she knows it will hurt you. So, I suggest you not continue with her on that subject when she gets to that point; let her cool down.'"

He stood up and gave her a kiss on the top of the head.

--- "You know what, Samantha, I'm sorry I offended you. You're right; I do not have a right to tell you what to do. I'm just worried about you; perhaps it is too soon—"

She noticed his hurt, but she could not yet allow her wall to drop.

--- "I think you're right."

--- "So, I'm going to take a taxi—"

She shook her head.

--- "No, I told you I would take you back to your hotel; I'm going to do just that."

Before he could respond, Jason returned.

--- "I'm sorry Sam, Mathieu; I have to leave."

Sam nodded; she knew he had business to handle for Sonny.

--- "Alright… um, I'm having a Girl's Night In with my sisters, so just give me a call tomorrow, okay?"

--- "Sure."

He gave her a quick kiss before nodding in acknowledgment of Mathieu's presence.

--- "It was nice seeing you again, Mathieu."

The Frenchman extended his hand.

--- "Likewise."

Jason shook the man's hand, nodded once again, and left leaving Sam with her father.

--- "So, are you ready—"

Her phone began to ring; she immediately knew who was calling. She put her finger up to her father.

--- "Hi Mom."

Alexis groaned on the line.

--- "Samantha, he is wearing an old sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers."

Sam bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. She took a breath before responding.

--- "Wow, um, what are you wearing?"

--- "A nice sweater, jeans, and heels."

Sam breathed out deeply as the laughter threatened to escape from her lips; Alexis heard the act.

--- "Are you laughing at me? Do you think it's funny that this man thinks it's appropriate to wear what he's wearing to go out on a date with me! I mean, really, he looks like he's going to clean the attic—"

--- "I'm sorry! But did you ask him what you would be doing? Perhaps you're overdressed."

If she could have reached through the phone to smack her daughter, she would have.

--- "HOW AM I OVERDRESSED?! I'm dressed 'NORMALLY!' He's underdressed—"

--- "How do you know that?"

Alexis took note of the tone of her daughter's voice; she knew her too well.

--- "Where is he taking me, Samantha?"

Sam hated that her mother was able to read her… even over the phone.

--- "I'm sorry?"

--- "Did you suddenly lose your ability to hear me? Where is Mac Scorpio taking your overdressed mother on her date? The city dump? McDonalds?"

Sam laughed aloud.

--- "Aren't we a snob, mother? Do you know that there are people who go on dates to McDonald's because they can't afford any better, and here you are turning your nose to it? You should be ashamed!"

She rubbed the bridge of her nose in agitation.

--- "Samantha, I am not in the mood for your sarcasm! Now, tell me where he's taking me."

--- "Um, I don't think so."

--- "Why not?"

Sam looked at her father with a smile.

--- "Because it's a surprise. Just relax; stop being a prude. Learn to live a little."

Alexis ran her hands through her hair.

--- "Fine, you don't want to tell me. But you know what?"

--- "What?"

--- "The next time you need a huge favor or a revelation of some surprise voyage to hell, and I'm aware of it, I'll do the same to you."

She smiled as she imagined her mother's increased trepidation.

--- "Mom, first of all, that's fine. And second, I'm being super rude right now—"

--- "Oh yes, your Mati and Jason encounter; how'd that go?"

She glanced quickly at her father who was standing by the door waiting for his ride back to the hotel.

--- "We'll discuss that tomorrow."

While Alexis did not like the sound of her daughter's voice thereby leading her to believe something bad had happened, she decided to wait until Sam decided to bring up the subject."

--- "Okay, but sweetheart, please remember that I'll be there for you at anytime… just call me and I'm there."

As much as Alexis knew Sam, Sam knew her mother.

--- "I'm NOT going to be your reason to break this date with Mac! Aren't you the one who's always talking about keeping out commitments and all that crap?"

--- "You never listened to me before, but now you're throwing the silly sayings of a batty old woman in my face? That isn't very nice, Samantha."

Sam laughed at the woman's panic.

--- "Well, you're going to have to be a big girl and just deal with whatever he's got planned. Who knows; you might enjoy it. Now, go back to him, Mommy. I love you."

Alexis rolled her eyes.

--- "Fine, I love you too, sour sport."

Sam put her phone back into her back pocket and turned back to her father. She was still upset with his behavior concerning Jason and his profession, but her conversation with her mother lowered significantly the wall she had built against Mathieu.

It seemed as though she was going through a déjà vu of sorts with his reaction to Jason as Alexis had when they first discovered their relationship to each other. She realized that while neither she nor Mathieu had any baggage at each other's doorsteps, their relationship would take just as much work, if not more, to establish than the one she had with her mother. She was no longer a young and rebellious teen with self-esteem issues; she was now a fully grown adult with a life of her own, a career, and a family she loved. Yes, she had room for a father, but she was not sure she needed to be fathered. Nevertheless, she was willing to give him a chance.

--- "So, I guess we can get going now."

He smiled when he noticed her changed temperament towards him.

--- "Yes, I suppose we can."

Alexis hung up the phone and begrudgingly walked back into the living room where Mac remained standing in his spot by the door. He held her coat out to her.

--- "So, what did Sam say?"

She eyed him suspiciously.

--- "Have you been speaking to my daughter about me?"

--- "How could I possibly have been speaking to Sam when it's evident that you ran off to call her—"

--- "I did not RUN off—"

He shook her coat so that she would come closer so that he might help her into it.

--- "Fine, you scampered off to call your daughter and tell her about the sloppy man that's come to take you out on a date."

She allowed him to help her with her coat.

--- "That's not exactly how it went, but I guess you're halfway right. Mac, seriously, you look like you're here to clean my gutter!"

He opened the door and smiled.

--- "Maybe later."

--- "Very funny."

She locked the door and followed him to his car.

--- "So, where are you taking me?"

He smirked as he closed the passenger side door and stepped into the driver's seat.

--- "And how was your day today?"

--- "You're ignoring my question!"

He pulled out of the driveway and began the ride to their destination.

--- "No, I'm EVADING your question. Now, what have you done all day?"

Knowing that she would not get an answer to her question, Alexis decided that she might as well answer him.

--- "It was fine. I ran some errands, then went to Kelly's and you won't believe who I ran into!"

--- "I'm almost afraid to ask."

--- "Oh don't be! I only ran into your always lovely daughter!"

Mac groaned in agitation.

--- "What did she say… or do?"

Alexis rolled her eyes as she thought about her encounter with the man's daughter.

--- "She did what she clearly knows best to do; she lectured me about dating you. She wanted to make sure that I was not into Mati, and that I was not having or interested in having a relationship with him—"

--- "And are you?"

She glared at the man; she was growing tired of having to justify her decision in choosing to explore this… thing… she had with him.

--- "Would I really be sitting in this car with you dressed like… that… if I wanted to have a relationship with Mati?"

He stopped at a red light and stared at her; she looked nice. No, she looked better than nice; she was sexy. He enjoyed the way her eyes seemed to sparkle when she was annoyed, and how she ran her hands through her hair from frustration. Most of all, he enjoyed the fact that she was simply sitting in his car telling him how his daughter managed to once again be the bane of someone's existence.

--- "I guess you wouldn't."

He smiled at her with those beautiful indistinguishably colored eyes. She could not tell if they were grey or green; at times, they almost appeared blue. Regardless, they captured her.

--- "You guess? You KNOW! I don't go around wasting my time, Commissioner. Anyway, I made sure to inform your daughter that her doubts and uncertainty are ill-placed, and I've no intention of hurting you."

--- "That's good to know. Look, I know that I'm not Mati—"

She feigned surprise.

--- "You're not?!"

--- "Ha! Ha! No, I'm not. And I know that we don't have the history that you share with him, and goodness knows that's quite a history—"

She interrupted him.

--- "Mati and my history is something from another lifetime. I don't know him. I made closure with the boy whom I knew and thought was dead a long time ago. Mati is a new person, and Alexandra is non-existent. I'm Alexis, and I'm not looking backwards, I'm looking forward."

He nodded his head as he pulled into the parking lot of their destination.

--- "Well, my dear, I believe it's time you looked directly forward because we've arrived."

Alexis' mouth fell open in shock.

--- "THIS is where you're taking me? Is this some kind of joke?!"

He unbuckled his seatbelt, stepped out of the car and opened the passenger side door with a wide grin on his face.

--- "Why would I joke about this? Come on!"

She shook her head as pulled the door closed; she needed to make a phone call. She glared at him as she waited for a response. Mac, on the other hand, leaned against the car smiling at the woman's distress.

--- "Well, I assume you've arrived at your destination?"

Sam laughed on the line to Alexis' utter annoyance.

--- "You had better start having serious daddy issues within the next five minutes or else I'll make you regret the day you found out I was your mommy."

It takes hours from my busy schedule to write for your entertainment… please take two minutes to write an actual review of the chapter (if you haven't done so for UMR, I'd appreciate it if you would there as well as THAT chapter was… [fill in the blank]).

I love reading ACTUAL thoughts (not please update soons) on what I've written; it keeps me motivated as it actual shows that you're invested in the outcome of the story AND it gives me new ideas. I won't apologize for holding chapters hostage.

I don't think it's too much to ask for, and it's a courtesy that should be extended to the authors of all the stories you read on this site.

I feel as though this chapter focused more on Sam, Part 2 shifts more to Alexis and her date.