Do not own General Hospital or any of the characters.

The Flame of Franco

Someone to Stand By...

Jason stood there watching as Sam cried herself to sleep. He had tried reaching out and comforting her after Lucky had left but that did not do any good. She had pulled away from him. She couldn't stand the touch of his hands or anyone's hands for that matter on her at the moment. Having being examined like she had left her feeling that Franco had just raped her again. She felt haunted and empty inside again. She wanted this nightmare to go away.

She knew Jason wanted to help her get passed all this. But there was nothing that he could do for her now. It was up to her. She hugged the stuff bear closer to her, muffling the sound of her hollow cries as she buried her face into the fur. She didn't want to cry like this. This endless sobbing. But she couldn't help it. The more she tried to stop herself from the more tears flowed from her. She was an emotional reck.

It had been quite a while since Lucky had left but she knew that Jason was still there. She had not heard him leave yet. She could still feel his blue eyes on her. She didn't want to force him to leave but there was nothing he could do for her. Oh how she wished there was something. She didn't like him seeing her like this. So broken. He had seen her at her worse before, after the death of her daughter and her brother. But nothing like this. This was a whole new kind of broken. She knew that he would want to stay with her, even know she rather be alone. She knew that he would stay there all night with her if he could. Just watching her. Because soon she would need him in some small way or other and when she did, he would want to be there. But that moment had yet to arrive yet.

"You don't have to stay Jason," she whispered as she stared out the hospital window, not bothering to raise her head to look at him. She didn't have the energy to stare into his sadden eyes.

"I want to stay," he answered after a moment of silence had fallen between them. He knew what Sam was doing. She was pushing him away. He wouldn't have it though. He was going to help her through this whether she wanted him too or not. He was here for her.

"Jason," moaned out Sam in frustration at his response. "You don't have too," she continued on.

"Sam," he replied as he reached out and touched her shoulder lightly.

"No," she yelled out at him. She twisted her body away from his touch as she sat up and glared at him. "Just go," she whispered her brown eyes meeting his. She didn't want to be rude to him. But she couldn't help it. The only way she was going to get Jason to leave was to be forceful with him.

He glared at her for a long moment. Studying her face and thinking deeply on what to do. He sure didn't want to leave her but what choice did he have. Sam wanted him to leave. Clearly she wanted to be alone and didn't want him to see her like this. She hadn't to be taken care of and treated like a she was made out of glass. He knew all this about Sam. He also knew that she was pushed the people she loved the most away when she needed them the most. That was this moment. But again he didn't want to hurt her anymore then she had already been hurt. And if she wanted him to leave. Then he would. Not because he wanted to. But because at that moment, that is what Sam needed the most in order to heal. He would do anything to help her recover back to her old self.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he closed his eyes and let out a low sigh before opening them and meeting her eye. He then nodded his head in response.

Sam's eyes once again filled with tears. She tried smiling at him but she couldn't. It was like she had forgotten too somehow.

"Call me," spoke Jason softly before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

The hospital room fell silent at the sound of the door closing behind him. Sam sat there frozen, her eyes remaining on the door. Now that he was finally gone, she wanted him back. With having him there with her. He was her protector not from Franco but from herself. But now that she was alone in the room be her self, she was afraid of what she would do. She had been in this situation too many times in the past. Where she was in a hospital bed badly beaten up either from one of her many abusive lovers or from drunken strangers who had gotten rough with her after she refused to sleep with them. And the lonely feeling that swell over her was too overwhelming. That she would hurt herself in some way or another just to help numb the pain that she was feeling.

And now that she was alone without Jason, she was afraid that she was going to turn back to her old ways. Chewing on her bottom lip, she hugged the bear to her chest and tried not to think about anything as her tears flowed down her cheeks.

Jason would stand by her though anything she knew that but having him leave for the moment was for the best.

Jason stood outside of Sam's door for a good five minutes trying to collect his thoughts and convince himself to go home. He wanted so badly to turn around and go back into the room. But he knew that was not what Sam wanted. Pulling himself together, he slowly made his way down the hallway towards the elevators. It would be another long night for him.

Okay I know it was not as long as you guys might want but don't worry they will be getting longer as time goes on.

Thanks for reading and please review!

Julie