Do not own General Hospital or any of the characters.

The Flame of Franco

Telling...

"It was Kiefer," spoke Sam towards Jason as they sat at the dinning room table, eating breakfast.

"Yes I know," replied Jason, not looking up as he read the newspaper. It was the next morning. He had heard the news from Sonny.

Sam looked up at Jason as she took a sip from her morning coffee. He was still continuing to read the newspaper. She studied him for a moment. There were a few grey hairs within his dark blonde hair. His skin was tired and pale looking. There were dark circles underneath his pale blue eyes. She knew that he had been through a lot over the past few months. They all had. However this was the first time she was seeing the strain it was having on him. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Jason looked up at her at this. A puzzled look on his face. "For what?" he asked.

"I'm sorry about not believing you about Ethan. I wasn't thinking," she murmured her eyes suddenly filling with tears.

"Sam, no body is to blame," he began to explain, lowering his newspaper and reaching out and taking her hand. "You don't have to apologize Sam. You were standing up for your sister. I don't blame you for that. I am the one that should be apologizing. I shouldn't had confronted Kristina like I had." His blue eyes locked with her brown ones. He then gave her hand a squeeze before letting it go. He looked on at Sam for a moment longer before turning once again to his newspaper.

A little later on, Spinelli and Jason were seated on the couch. Jason needed the young computer hacker's skills. He needed his help in finding out who had hit Kiefer, killing him. "What does Stone Cold need the Jackal's services for?" asked Spinelli as he turned on his laptop and appeared over at Jason.

"It's about Kristina's boyfriend Kiefer. He died last night," began to explain Jason towards Spinelli, who nodded his head eagerly. "It had been a hit and run. I think that Alexis knows more about it then what she is saying." He hadn't told anyone about this yet. He did want to get Sam upset like she already was with finding out that Kristina had been hit again. He knew he was taking a bit risk in suspecting that Alexis was the one who had hit the boy. "Kiefer was the one who had been beating up Kristina in the first place, not Ethan. And he had attacked her again yesterday," he continued on to Spinelli.

"And now the battering boyfriend is dead," replied Spinelli shrugging his shoulder's sadly.

"Kiefer was found on the side of the road, not an hour after Kristina was brought in to General Hospital and admitted the truth," spoke Jason, lowering his voice slightly at hearing movement from upstairs. Sam was supposing to be taking a nap. Everyone had suspected he had been the one who had run over Kiefer on Sonny's orders. But he had not. The hit and run had happened earlier in the morning. He had been at the warehouse looking over a shipment of coffee. He had only know after the fact after Sam had called him. They had spoken briefly at the hospital before he had gotten called into a business situation. He had come home later to find Sam in her emotional wreck. "Alexis is the only person who had not suspected me of hitting Kiefer," he added.

"That is most unusual. Usually, the Mother of the Goddess is the one first to accuse Stone Cold of mayhem," commented Spinelli, looking over at Jason who was staring back at him.

"I need your help on this Spinelli. I know you have enough on your plate at the moment. But this is important," he stated in a low whispered.

"Of course Stone Cold, the Jackal is at your service!" spoke Spinelli, smiling at Jason before turning towards his laptop. He would do anything for his dear roommate and friend.

"and Spinelli," spoke Jason.

"Yes Stone Cold?" asked Spinelli looking up from the computer screen and over at Jason.

"This is just between you and me. Don't tell any one about suspecting Alexis, including Sam," he explained in a low whispered. He didn't want to upset Sam anymore then she already was.

"Of course!" cried Spinelli, "The Jackal shall not speak a word!" The hacker then began to pull up his search engine and began to type away. Just then Sam came down the stairs.

Jason stood up immediately at this and came towards her. He was worried about her as he took in the redness of her eyes and the paleness of her skin. She had been crying, he noted.

Noticing his stare, Sam gave him a small smile in return. "I'm heading over to see Krissy," she stated as she walked towards the hall closet to get her coat.

"Let me drive you," he insisted, his voice pleading with her. He didn't like her driving by herself, especially when she was not in the best of conditions.

Sam just shook her head in reply as she shrugged on her coat. "It's okay Jason," she spoke at him. "I will be fine!" she snapped at him. She knew he was looking out for her but she needed to start living her life. She needed to be there for her little sister.

Jason was hurt by this but did not push her. The last thing he wanted to do was crowd her. He nodded his head in reply. Shoving his hands in to his pockets he looked down at his feet. He didn't want her to see the hurt in his eyes. He was only trying to help but she was making more and more difficult for him to do so.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, taking a sudden step towards him and kissing him on the cheek before fleeing quickly out the door.

Sam was seated with Kristina in her room. It was just the two of them. Alexis was getting a coffee and Molly was at school. Kristina was a wreck. Worse then she had been the last time. She was not only trying to expect what had happened to her but grieving for her boyfriend. Sam did not say anything. She was lost for words now a days she found. Instead she just held her sister's hand, as she cried and told her about the boy she loved. Sam knew there was no point in telling Kristina that Kiefer was the one who had put her here in the first place. He has still been her first love. The first one was always the most intense and raw. It was always the hardest to get over too. Kristina had every right to grieve for not her attacker but her boyfriend.

Sam was about to leave and head back home. Visiting hours at the hospital were almost over and she was in need of a stiff drink. However as she stepped out of Kristina's room, she was stopped by their mother.

"Mom," stated Sam as she looked up at her mother. She was surprised to see her here. She had thought she had left about an hour ago, when she went home to check up on Molly. She had not seen her come back. There was something off by her mother, that Sam could not really pin point. "Are you okay?" she asked taking a step towards her and reaching out and placing a hand on the crook of her arm. She was concerned.

"Sam," stated Alexis in a panic. Her brown eyes were wide and sacred looking as they appeared down into Sam's. "I did it!" she confessed in a whisper.

"You did what?" asked Sam confused.

"I did it!" stated Alexis again, "It was me! I killed him!" Her voice raised a little in hysterics. She looked like she was going to break down anything second as she clenched at Sam's arm.

Sam gave her mother a puzzled look before it dawned on her. "Kiefer!" she whispered, in realization. "You hit Kiefer!" She couldn't not believe it.

Okay, I know it was short but more will becoming soon! Thanks for reading!