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The Flame of Franco

Coming all Together...

Everything had then went from bad to worse in the matter of days. It had first started off with Michael going missing at the hotel. Jason had been forced to fly down there himself to see what was the matter. He had brought Sam with him, hoping that getting away for a couple of days would do her some good. However, their trip had been a short one. With arriving at the hotel, where Michael had been staying at Max and Milo informed him of the last time he had saw Michael. He had been in the room playing video games. And the only person he had been talking to had been Morgan. But that he already knew. The manger had been the one to tell them how one of the bellhops had saw Michael leave with a shaggy hair man.

It turned out that Morgan had told Dante were Michael was. Dante had then taken it on himself to get his brother and bring him home. And as Jason had tired to get Spinelli to find where Dante and Michael were. Sonny had gotten a visit from Dante. Dante had told him he knew everything. Michael had ended up confessing to his older brother about him being the one to kill Claudia not their father. And there was proof of all this too. Michael had kept the bloody shirt he had been wearing that night.

The problem was now, no one was sure of where Michael was being kept at. Jason had already broken into Dante's apartment but had not found any proof of Michael there. He was determined to find his nephew before he turned himself into the PCPD. He had Spinelli monitoring the police system to make sure there was no activity of Michael there.

And well he now had Michael to worry about, there was also Sam. She was a little better then a couple of days ago. But Jason still feared that he was losing her. She seemed to be getting worse then better. Her visits with Dr. Winters were more frequent now and there was talk of putting her on medication to help with her post- traumatic stress. However Sam wouldn't have it. She didn't want to rely on a drug of any sorts. Jason knew where she was coming from but had tired to get her to see reason. That it would be the best. She had gotten upset at him at this. Excusing him of just trying to fix her and getting ride of a problem easily. He thus had dropped the matter on the subject. But he was still worried about her.

Sam was too focused on her little sister and what was going to happen to her mother, then herself. Alexis had already asked Sam if she was convicted of killing Kiefer that if she would move in to the Lake House to look after her two sisters. This was the last thing that Sam needed. But again, she would not hear him out. Like him, she would do anything to protect those she loved. Even if it meant uprooting her self and her life to move in with her younger sisters and play mom to them. It was a role he knew she was fit to play. However, she needed to deal with her own problems. And he feared if she went to the Lake House, that somehow she would further her self from him. There was already some distance between them being under the same roof. He could not image what would happen if they moved away from one another. She was also having emotional outburst more and more often. He had hated hearing how she had hit Kiefer's father at the PCPD. He was finding her becoming uncontrollable in certain situations. She reminded him of Sonny back in his dark periods. He just was afraid to lose her.

After spending yet another point less day looking for Michael, who he could find nowhere, he came home to happy sight. Well, a few months ago it would have driven him crazy but at that moment, it was nice.

Sam was seated on the couch, watching some stupid show on the television with Maxie and Spinelli. What made this moment so much better was that Sam was laughing, generally laughing out loud. It was something he hadn't heard in a while. It was music to his ears as he closed the door behind him and shredded off his leather jacket. It was like everything was back to normal for that short period of time as he went into the kitchen to get a beer, still unnoticed to the trio seated on the couch. They were all engaged in whatever was on the TV.

However, as he came back into the living room, it was gone in a flash. As he came around the side of the couch, he gave Sam a small smile as she looked over at him. She returned the smile as he bent down and kissed her softly on the cheek. Whatever, they had been watching at just ended and Maxie was deep in conversation on the phone. She stood away from the group, she was over by the window.

"Greetings Stone Cold!" spoke Spinelli, smiling broadly at the mobster.

Jason nodded his head in greeting as he took a long sip from his beer. He then took a seat in the chair. He was about to ask Sam how she was when he was rudely interrupted by Maxie who had just ended her phone call.

"Maximista, what is the matter?" asked Spinelli, suddenly standing to his feet. He could tell that Maxie was upset about something.

"It's nothing Spinelli!" snapped Maxie at Spinelli, shooting him a dirty look before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Are you sure? Your phone call seemed to make you most upset," continued on Spinelli with concern. He did not like to see his love ones upset over anything.

"SPINELLI PLEASE!" snapped Maxie.

A look of hurt flashed a crossed Spinelli's face at this. He looked like a puppy who had just been hit on the nose with a rolled up newspaper. He hadn't meant to upset Maxie like he had. "The Jackal is most sorry, Faire Maximista!" he apologized in a whisper to his beloved.

"No Spinelli, I'm sorry," apologized Maxie as she reached out for Spinelli's hand, "I'm sorry I snapped at you. It's just something has happened at the apartment. I have to go."

"What?" asked Spinelli, his brown eyes filling with worry once again, "Did something happen to the Blonde one?"

"Lulu is fine," she answered, trying to explain the situation without giving too much away. "It's just...I should go. It's a long story. But I will be sure to catch you up on it later," She then kissed Spinelli quickly on the lips before making her way towards the door. He could tell she was not telling him everything but did not push it.

"But isn't the Blonde One with The Duplicitous Detective?" asked Spinelli towards Maxie, who recalled her telling him when she came over that they could go over to her apartment later on that night because they would be alone.

"Well, she was," replied Maxie, "But they got into a fight or something, so I have to head home. She is upset!"

"Oh, well maybe the Jackal should accompany Faire Maximista," suggested Spinelli with hopefulness. Lulu was a good friend of his and didn't like the idea of her being upset, "The Blonde One is a dear friend. It might cheer her up if we are both there!"

"Oh I don't know Spinelli, the apartment is a mess and if Lulu is upset, she might not want you to see her like that," explained Maxie quickly.

"Oh, she won't care. The Jackal is her friend now. She is in love with Dante," rambled on Spinelli. He didn't see why Maxie wouldn't let him come. "Also, I do not care if the apartment is a mess. We were going to head on over there later on tonight, since Maximista most hates making love in the regrettable pink room!"

"SPINELLI!" cried Maxie. She could not believe he had just said that out loud.

Spinelli opened and closed his month. He was just as shocked at Maxie was at his out burst. He had forgotten where they were. However before he could say anything else. Maxie had turned towards Jason, "Okay! Okay! I have to get this off my chest. But you have to promise you didn't hear this from me!" Her blues eyes locked with Jason's.

The mobster was puzzled at this. What did he have to do with all this?

"Stone Cold?" spoke Spinelli in puzzlement. "What does this have to do with Stone Cold?"

"Okay, so the reason you can't come over Spinelli or at least not anymore is because...because Michael is there!" she confessed in a rush. She had been harbouring this secret for a few days now and she could not take it any longer. Michael was suppose to be leaving tonight and heading back over to Dante's. Or so she had thought before she got a phone call from Lulu asking if she knew where Michael was. It seemed like he had escaped or something.

Jason was up on his feet at once at this. Not once had he thought about checking out Lulu's apartment. Of course, that would be where Dante would hid his nephew, knowing it would be the last possible place someone would look for him there. He then drained the remainder of his beer before heading out the door. He was a man on a mission.

He didn't know what to really to expect at Lulu and Maxie's apartment. He had not stayed long enough to hear Maxie finish that Michael wasn't there anymore. That he was missing.

Approaching the apartment, he knocked loudly on the front door. He didn't care if he was too loud or anything. He needed to get Michael. That was all that was on his mind as the door opened and Lulu appeared at him. He gave her a withering look as she appeared blankly at him. "Jason!" cried out the blonde in surprise at seeing the mobster at her door.

However, Jason was going to fall for her games. He was only hear for one thing. "Where's Michael?" he asked his voice firm, as his blue eyes stared coldly down at Maxie's roommate.

"I don't know what you are talking about," stated Lulu, simply. "I'm sorry but I have no idea where Michael is Jason."

If Jason was a humorous man, he would had laughed at this. But instead he just continued to stare down at Lulu. He was hoping that his look of steel would break the young woman's stance. It usually worked on most people after a moment or two. However before he could find out any further, Dante appeared behind Lulu.

The two men then met each other eye. The last time Jason had seen Dante had been at the restaurant where he had warned him about Ronnie being on the Island. Jason couldn't help but now think that Dante had just come to warn him as a deploy for getting Michael himself.

"What's seems to be the problem?" asked Dante towards Jason at the same time as he wrapped a protective arm around Lulu's waist.

"Stay out of it Dante," spoke Jason towards the cop, his voice filled with hatred for the man. "I know what you did," he added before turning his attention once again towards Lulu. "Come on Lulu, tell me where Michael is."

"I don't know what you are talking about," stated Lulu again towards the mobster. There was a slight edge towards the girl's voice. She was a Spencer. She knew how to hold her own.

"Don't play dumb with me. Maxie told me that I could find Michael here, so where is he!" explained Jason take a slight step towards where the two stood. He wasn't leaving with out his nephew.

Dante opened his mouth to speak but before he could get a word in, Lulu talked over him. "Yes, you are right. Michael was here but now he is not. And I don't know where he is. But I do know that he killed his stepmother! And that the poor boy is over come with guilt for what he had done. And hates that Sonny is taking the blame for it. He wants to confess to it! And maybe Jason, you should listen to what Michael wants for once instead of making the decision for him! Have you ever thought of that?" Lulu's blue eyes narrowed at Jason. She had felt terrible for Michael and how he was walking around with this guilt for what he had done to Claudia but he couldn't turn to anyone. She knew that feeling all too well. She had remembered a time when she had let someone take the fall for a crime she had committed and how the guilt had eaten away at her until she could not take it any longer. She had ended up admitted it all in the end the truth. That she had been the one to kill Logan Hayes when he had come after her and she had left her boyfriend at the time, Johnny take the blame for her.

Jason didn't have anything to say at that. He knew how Michael was feeling about the whole trial and hated that his dad was taking the blame for his mistake. But it was too late to go back now and fix everything. They were all too far into their lie that they had created to go back on it now. It was too late in the game now. They had worked too hard to let it all go and see Michael end up in prison. Something that Jason had swore not to let happen. His eyes looked on at Lulu and Dante for a second longer before turning and walking away. It was clear that Michael was not there.

"Did you know?" asked a very upset Carly, as she stormed into the Penthouse.

Jason looked up from his seat on the couch and over to his friend. He really needed to start locking that door, he thought to himself as he slowly stood up. "Know about what?" he asked slowly towards Carly.

"Did you know that Michael was in town?" she asked towards him.

"Who told you?" he asked, he had meant to tell her but had thought it would be best not to get her upset until he knew for sure where Michael was.

"Sonny," cried Carly enclosing the space between them. Her blue eyes were filled with rage. " He told me that Michael was back in town. That Dante had gotten to him. But he wouldn't tell me where though, only that he is safe!"

"That is true," replied Jason towards his friend, "Dante had taken him from the hotel before I got there."

Carly was quiet for a moment as she took in what she had just been told. She didn't like this idea at all. That Dante, a practical stranger in her opinion had managed to talk her son in to coming with him. "Where is he now?" she asked, her voice was slightly calmer now then it had been before.

"I don't know," admitted Jason, "I thought he would be at Dante's but when I broke in there after coming back, there was no sight of him. I have been looking every where for him. His old favourite places and spots in town. But he is no where. It was not until today that I got a lead from Maxie of all people. Apparently Dante had him hiding out at his girlfriend's apartment the past couple of days."

"You mean he is at Lulu's?" cried the blonde, her voice raising yet again. She didn't like this idea at all.

"Well, he isn't there anymore that I know of. I went there earlier but they told me he wasn't there and weren't sure really where he was. It seemed that he escaped," replied Jason, with a shrug of his shoulders.

"That little bitch!" whispered Carly harshly under her breath as she looked away from Jason. She was deep in thought now. "And Lulu, didn't have any idea where Michael was?" she asked.

"No, not to my knowledge," admitted Jason sadly. They were back to square one, he thought to himself.

"Well, I'm going to go over there myself and pay little Miss. Lulu and Dante as visit!" and with that Carly turned on her heel and with out the door before Jason could stop her.

Jason watched at the front door closed behind her. He knew he should go after her or at least go with her. But knew that Carly could handle herself. Plus he had enough on his plate at the moment too worry about. He was also suppose to be picking up Sam from her doctor's appointment. She was having a check up done on her burns and a physical done before having a session with Dr. Winters. He hadn't heard anything from her yet but he hoped that that was a good sign. Dr. Winters only contacted him when things seemed to be worse with Sam.

Today was one of her good days. He hoped that there would be more to come.

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