After Dr. Quartermain came in to see Sam and said she would be going home that evening Alexis had stepped out of the room to speak with Kristina and make some calls. This gave Sam a chance to do something that needed to be done before she and Carly were separated. She walked down the hall looking for Carly's mom and when she found her she walked over to the woman and said, "I need to talk to you about Carly."
Bobbie was a little surprised to see Sam and even more surprised at the firm tone she'd used. "Alright." She said with a warm smile as she led the girl to a group of couches in the corner of in the room. "What's on your mind?"
"There's some stuff you need to know about Carly if you're gonna be in her life." Sam said firmly as she looked the woman in the eye. "First, she eats like crap. She'll eat frozen pizza morning noon and night if you let her. Second, she's totally stubborn! Third, she won't admit it but cars kind of freak her out, I don't know why, but she's always kind of nervous in them." Sam paused. "With me so far?"
Bobbie nodded seriously despite her desire to smile at the girl. She knew Sam was being very serious with her and she loved how furiously protective the little girl was about Carly. "Got it. Go ahead."
Sam nodded and then said, "Most importantly she's really strong but she hurts really deeply and when she's hurt she hurts back. When she's scared she reacts before she thinks. She feels everything really deeply, and sometimes that makes her overreact. She can be really loyal if she loves you and trusts you but she can be a really big bitch if you cross her. She acts tough and she is, but she isn't. Get it?"
"I understand, better then you might think." Bobbie told the girl. "Sam, I'm really glad she has someone who cares about her so much. Thank you."
"Carly wants me to have a mom and be happy." Sam said as she stood. "I want the same thing for her." Then she narrowed her eyes and glared at the woman. "I love Carly. Don't hurt her again."
"I never meant to hurt her in the first place." Bobbie reassured the girl. "And I promise you Sam. I'm going to do everything in my power to make it up to her."
Sam believed the woman so she nodded. "Good, because if you do you'll answer to me. Got it?"
The smile was a little harder to hold back this time. "Got it."
Alexis had sent Kristina to pick up some things for Sam so they could get ready to take her home. The teen had come back with jeans, a t-shirt, a hoodie and clean underwear. Sam had been surprised that they had gotten her brand new things, she was use to second hand stuff, and she really liked what she had been brought. Alexis and Kristina promised to take her shopping for more new clothes and other stuff she'd need as soon as she felt up to it. Carly, who had been released into Bobbie's care shortly after Sam's talk with Bobbie, had gone to Jake's and retrieved all their stuff. Sam felt better now that she had her own things; especially the bean plush turtle Carly had given her. She was sitting on the hospital bed with Alexis waiting for her release papers when she noticed two women and Alexis' friend Jax outside her door. Sam went ridged and wide -eyed.
"Sam?" Alexis asked when she noticed the change in the girl. They'd been talking about Sam's love of stars and turtles when the girl froze up.
"Social worker." Sam whispered, her voice trembling with fear. "She's here to take me away."
Alexis stood and turned to look at what Sam was looking at. "No one is taking you anywhere Sam. You're coming home with me. She's probably just here with paperwork. Do you see the woman with Jax? She's a lawyer and she's going to make sure you come home where you belong." She rubbed Sam's back to calm her and kissed the top of her head. "I'll go talk to them. Krissy will stay here with you ok?"
Sam just nodded slowly as if any sudden movement would bring the social worker's attention to her.
"Ms. Davis never actually sighed a parental rights weaver." Diane was saying when Alexis joined them. "Her father made all the arguments against her wishes. The motion is already in family court to reinstate her as Samantha's legal parent."
"She has legal guardianship of her sister." Jax added. "So any concerns about her home or ability to care for Sam have already been gone over with a fine tooth comb."
"Is there a problem?" Alexis asked.
The older woman looked at Alexis carefully. "I just have a few questions for you Ms. Davis."
Alexis gave the woman her best professional smile. "Of course. There's a conference room down the hall we can use."
Jax and Diane hovered as Alexis spoke with the social worker. There was a bit of concern about Alexis being so young and about the fact that her career had been such a huge part of her life. Alexis put the woman's concerns at ease. "Yes, I have been career oriented but because of that I am in a position now to pull back and shift that attention to my daughter. The choice to give her up was never my own, and yes that does sound selfish, I was sixteen and I wanted to raise my child even though I knew it would be a struggle. My father made the choice because he felt it would be best for both of us. As it turns out it allowed me to become who and what I am now, but it didn't work out so well for Samantha. I truly believe that Sam has come back into my life just when she was meant too. I can give her the life I couldn't then. I can give her what she hasn't been given since. Someone who loves her and will care for her and protect her and give her a family, that's more then the system ever did for her."
Alexis and the social worker talked for twenty minutes about Alexis' home and Sam's schooling and counseling. When they finally rejoined Jax and Diane Alexis was grinning ear to ear. "Lets take my little girl home."
Sam was nervous and uneasy the whole ride from the hospital. She had a death grip on her turtle as she rode up in the elevator in Alexis' building. The building was for people with money and that just made her discomfort worse. And yet she couldn't help feel a little bit of awe as the elevator kept going higher and higher. Her mother must have been something special to live in a place like this. When they stepped of the elevator Sam looked left and right at the doors and wondered which was Alexis' penthouse. She spotted a man in a dark suit standing outside one of the doors and even though she was curious she was hoping that wasn't it. She didn't like the vibes coming from the man or what could be behind the door. Sam sighed in relief when Alexis guided her to the door marked PH2.
"Who's that across the hall?" Sam asked as Alexis opened the door.
"That's Jonny." Alexis explained as Sam looked over her shoulder. She gently pushed the little girl inside. "Don't worry about him."
"Why is he standing out there?" Sam asked.
Alexis groaned inwardly. She didn't want to explain Sonny Corinthos and his life to her daughter. "That's his job."
Sam looked up at her mother with an odd look. "He gets paid to stand outside in the hall like that?"
"Yes." Alexis said and then quickly tried to distract the girl. "So what do you think?" She motioned around the room as she locked the door behind them.
Sam stepped further into the penthouse and looked around. "Wow, this is where you live?"
Alexis nodded with a warm bright smile that lit up her big brown eyes. Her daughter, her little girl, her very own baby was standing in the middle of her home. The feeling inside was just so amazing.
"You must be loaded." Sam said as she took a few more tentative steps inside.
"Well, no, I wouldn't say loaded." Alexis said with an uneasy chuckle. "Lets just say we're very comfortable."
Sam snorted. "I know loaded when I see it."
Again Alexis found herself shifting the subject. "You'll be upstairs with Kristina. I'm afraid you'll have to share a bed and a room for now, until I can…"
Kristina smiled. "Jax and I took care of the room."
"You did?" Alexis asked.
Kristina nodded. "We switched out the huge bed in my room for two smaller ones." She then looked at the girl and smiled. "You'll still have to share a room with me though."
Sam shrugged. "I've never had my own room so it's ok."
"Come on." Kristina said brightly as she held out her hand to the girl. "I'll show you around."
Alexis watched as her sister and her daughter, just thinking it made her smile, went upstairs to check out their newly shared bedroom. Alexis moved over to the couch and sank into it. She put her hands over her face as she let out a long slow breath. She needed the moment alone to let everything catch up to her. Giving birth to Sam had made her a mother but having Sam back in her life had sudden turned her into a Mother. What did she know about being a Mother? It wasn't something she could learn about from her books so it seemed she had no choice but to jump in headfirst.
The sound of feet on the stairs made Alexis look up and she smiled as she watched Kristina lead Sam to the kitchen and then laughed out loud at the girl's exclamation, "So much popcorn! Awesome!" She was still chuckling when she heard someone trying to open her door. She frowned a little as she stood to see what was going on. She, Kristina and Sam were just meeting near the stairs as the door swung open. Alexis watched as Jax walked in with a stuffed turtle that was as large as Sam herself. "Jax?"
Big brown eyes went huge, and her jaw dropped, as Sam watched the man carry in the biggest stuffed anything she'd ever seen.
Jax beamed at the girl. "What do you think?"
"That's for me?" Sam asked in utter shock.
"Yeap." Jax said with his most charming smile. "It's a welcome home gift. You're Mom mentioned that you liked turtles."
Both Sam and Alexis went a little stiff when Jax said "your mom" so easily. They glanced at each other and then back at Jax. Sam took a careful step forward but stopped. She wasn't really sure what to do.
Kristina smiled and gave her niece a tiny little shove. "Well go get it."
Sam looked up at the older girl and then ran to Jax to take the turtle. The weight of it nearly knocked her over and Jax had to catch her to steady her. "Um, thank you?"
Jax smiled at the girl. "You're very welcome, Sam, I'm really glad you're here."
Alexis watched with a bright smile as Sam dragged and pulled her new turtle friend up the stairs. Walking over to Jax she gave him a searing kiss before hugging him. "Where on earth did you find that?"
"I have many many resources." Jax laughed. He kissed her softly and then led her over to the couch. "You ok? Everything alright so far?"
"She's only been here for twenty minutes." Alexis chuckled. "Though she did ask about Jonny."
"What did you tell her?" Jax asked. He wasn't really the biggest fan of Alexis living across from Sonny, or her being his lawyer, but he'd learned to pick and choose his battles since she started working for him.
"He was paid to stand in the hall." Alexis replied. "Then I changed the subject."
"And when she starts to ask again?" Jax asked.
Alexis shrugged. "I'll figure it out when she does." She let out a slow breath and leaned into her best friend. He wrapped his arms around her and she closed her eyes to soak him in. "There's so much to figure out."
"One thing at a time." Jax said as he held her. "Start with the little things like feeding her. What are you doing for dinner tonight?"
"I thought we'd order in." Alexis answered. "I want her to start feeling comfortable with us and here in the penthouse before we start introducing her to the rest of Port Charles."
Jax nodded. "No sense in overwhelming her more then she is already. People are going to start asking questions as the news gets around."
Alexis nodded and then smiled shyly. "I'm kind of looking forward to telling people she's mine."
Sam was standing on the stairs listening. "You want people to know I'm your daughter?"
At the sound of Sam's voice Alexis got to her feet and looked over at her. "Of course I do sweetheart."
Sam frowned. Cody never wanted people to know she was his daughter, but then again she wasn't his daughter after all so Sam guessed it didn't matter now. "I'm nothing special and they're going to ask questions about where I came from."
"Yes," Alexis said as she moved closer. "There will be lots of questions, and that's ok. But Sam, you are something special, something very special, and having you back in my life is something wonderful."
"You're going to be embarrassed by me." Sam stated as if that were pure and simple fact.
Alexis shook her head. "I won't."
"You'll have to tell everyone your dirty little secret." Sam stated just as firmly.
Alexis moved closer. "You're not, Sam, the only reason I never told anyone about you was because it hurt to much. I didn't care that my father wanted you to be a secret, that's not why I did it. I did it, as selfish as it was, to protect myself from the pain."
"I hurt you?" Sam said with a deep frown.
For the first time Alexis saw her father in Sam. Mikkos always had this deep sadness about him and when he frowned it looked a lot like Sam did at the moment. She never wanted Sam to look that way again. "Loosing you hurt me. Knowing that you didn't get the life I was promised you'd have hurt me. But you have never hurt me."
Sam sat on the step and thought about everything for a moment. She and Alexis had spoken a couple of times on why Alexis did what she did. Every time the woman had blamed her father. Looking up she said, "You could have fought for me."
Alexis sat beside the girl as she replied, "I did, I tried Sam, I swear it, but there was no fighting my father, and he did have a good point. Back then I couldn't have protected you or taken care of you the way I can now."
"Is he going to be angry that I'm back?" Sam asked with a flicker of fear in her eyes. If he could make Alexis, who seemed like such a strong woman, give her away once then maybe he could do it again.
"He died a long time ago." Alexis answered. "Not long after you were born in fact. Its why I almost looked for you when you were a baby."
Sam frowned again. "Almost?"
"I thought you were in a good home, Sam." Alexis told her. "I had no idea you were with those people. If I had known no one would have stopped me from finding you."
Sam looked Alexis over carefully. She believed her and that scared Sam. She'd known this woman for such a short time and she was already starting to trust her. Jumping to her feet Sam ran back up the stairs. She needed some space to think.
"Sam!" Alexis jumped up as well.
"She'll be ok." Jax said as he came over to where Alexis was. "She just needs time to sort this all out, just like you."
Alexis sighed and nodded. She knew she and her daughter had a long road ahead of them and she knew it wouldn't always be a smooth one.
Across town at the brownstone Carly was standing in Bobbie's living room looking at the pictures she had sitting around. A whole life that she wasn't part of. But then again Carly had had a whole life that Bobbie hadn't been apart off. Carly sighed as she looked around the room again. She was feeling boxed in and needed some air. She was just about to slip out the back door when Bobbie came in.
"Going somewhere?" Bobbie asked as she watched Carly closely.
Carly turned to see Bobbie standing there with a baby in her arms. That just made her more uncomfortable. When they'd first gotten back from the hospital Bobbie had introduced her to BJ, a sweet little toddler who kept trying to feed her gummy snacks, and little baby Lucas. She had wanted to ask Bobbie why, why them and not her, but she didn't have the nerve. "I need some air." Carly finally answered as she headed towards the back door.
"I'd rather you stayed." Bobbie said honestly as she set Lucas in his play crib. "Dinner will be ready soon."
"Not hungry." Carly replied.
Bobbie looked up at her. "I was hoping we could talk."
"I'd rather not." Carly called back before walking out the door.
"Carly!" Bobbie called after her. She went after the girl but by the time she got to the door Carly was gone.
Carly ran down the street until she was around the corner. She figured Bobbie wouldn't follow since she was home alone with her babies. Shoving her hands into her pockets Carly took off down the street, getting lost in her thoughts and the unfamiliar surroundings. As she walked she wondered where Sam was and how she was doing. She hoped the little girl wasn't to scared because Alexis wouldn't know it if she were. Sam was really good at hiding her emotions. She hoped Alexis caught on to that. She was so lost in thought she didn't notice bumping into someone until he was catching her to keep her from falling.
"Oh!" Carly yelped. "I'm sorry!"
The boy, almost man, smiled at her. "No worries. Are you alright?"
"Fine, thanks." Carly replied as she looked up at him. He was kind of cute, nowhere near as cute as the Aussie, but cute enough.
He smiled at her. "You must be new in town. I don't think I've ever seen you around before."
"It's a fairly good sized city." Carly huffed. "You can't know everyone."
His smile never faltered. "I make a point of knowing all the cute girls."
That made Carly groan but before she could reply she heard someone call out her name.
"Carly." Bobbie said firmly as she walked up to her daughter. She looked at the young man she was with and smiled. "Hello AJ."
AJ Quartermains smiled back. "Hi Bobbie!" He hugged her and then asked. "You two know each other?"
Carly wanted to take a shot at Bobbie so she said, "She's my mother. Bet you didn't know she had a teenage daughter from a teenage pregnancy did ya?"
"Um, no, I didn't but hey that's cool." AJ said with a smile. "My Mom has a daughter from a teenage pregnancy of her own." He paused a moment and added, "Bobbie's pretty awesome. She and my mom are best friends."
Bobbie knew what Carly had tried to do and saw the little flick of anger over the fact that it didn't get the kind of reaction she'd wanted. "Carly, we need to get back home." She smiled at AJ. "It was good seeing you AJ. Let Monica know I'll be over for lunch sometime this week. Clearly we have a lot to talk about."
"Sure." AJ replied. "Just let her know when so she can let Cook know. You know how Cook is about unexpected plans." He then looked at Carly. "It was nice meeting you Carly."
Bobbie took a firm hold on Carly's upper arm and started heading back towards where she'd left her car. "Carly, you can't walk away every time I want to talk to you. And that little intro was uncalled for."
"I told you I needed some air." Carly huffed. "And all I said was the truth."
"Well you've had some and now you're coming home with me, you're having dinner, and we're going to talk." Bobbie said firmly.
Carly was going to argue but the look Bobbie gave her warned her not to so she didn't. When they got back to the brownstone she had dinner with Bobbie and Tony and BJ. She even cracked a smile once or twice at BJ. After dinner she and Bobbie did talk, but Bobbie didn't try to push anything on her, they just talked about what Carly liked and disliked. There was no pressure to take it further and by the end of the night Carly hadn't minded it so much.