Do not own General Hospital or any of the characters.

The Flame of Franco

Taken...

Alexis sat up in bed. She had a very uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She could sense something was not right. After Sam had told her how Franco was back in town, that was all she could think about. She feared for her eldest daughter's life. This was not the first time that her daughter was in the line of danger. However, Franco was more deranged then all the rest.

Something didn't feel right, thought the lawyer as she got out of bed and proceeded out of the room. She had to check on her children. Her heart pounded loudly and rapidly against her chest as she walked the short distance down the hallway. The first room she came to was Molly's. The preteen was asleep with a book open in her hands. Alexis couldn't help but smile at the sight of her youngest. This was a common position that she would find Molly in on most nights.

Alexis closed the door and moved to the room across from it, Kristina's.

The teen was still awake and taking softly on the phone with someone. Her brown eyes looked up and locked with her mother's as she popped her head in side. "What's up?" asked Kristina softly to Alexis as she lowered the phone slightly.

"Nothing," whispered Alexis as she shook her head and gave the teen a reassuring smile before closing the door, allowing for the teen to resume her phone call. She let out a sigh of relief that her two youngest were safe in bed, unharmed by the drama that seemed to follow their sister. She knew that Sam deserved her privacy. But being a mother, she had to check on her. Just to put her mind at ease that she was okay.

The floor creaked against her weight as she walked down the hallway to the guest room, which was on the other side of the house. She had christened that room so many years ago as Sam's. She had wanted her eldest to always be welcomed in her home but to have her privacy as well. "Sam," she whispered as she reached for the door knob and knocked softly against it with her other hand.

"Mom, don't!" cried Sam in a harsh whisper through the door.

Alexis frowned slightly at this as she removed her hands from the door and left it ajar. "It just wanted to see if you were okay," explained Alexis through the crack in the door.

"I'm fine mom," replied Sam quickly, "I just... want sometime alone."

There was pain in her voice, noted Alexis. She sounded like she had been crying. It took her all her strength to not step into the room and appear at her daughter. She knew Sam wanted her privacy. But she was worried deeply about her well being.

A moment of silence passed before Alexis spoke. "Okay, I will leave. But can we talk in the morning? I'm worried about you Sam."

A small cry was released from Sam's throat at this but she quickly tried to cover it up, "Yes, yes we can talk in the morning!"

"I love you," whispered Alexis through the door.

"I love you too mom," replied back Sam.

Alexis stood there for a moment longer before heading back to her own room.

"Good girl," whispered Franco into Sam's ear. His breath was hot against her neck as he continued to hold onto her tightly.

He had just been getting ready to leave when Alexis had approached the door. Sam didn't want her mother to be one of Franco's hostages too. She had acted quickly, praying her mother would not open the door.

Sam moved her head slightly away from Franco's mouth. She was terrified to be in the same room with him. She was terrified of what he would do to her. what he had planned this time. She bit down on her lower lip, preventing herself from crying out as she felt Franco's hands on her. She struggled against his hold but he was again too strong for her.

He had one hand painfully gripping the top of her right arm as the other one held onto her waist. He had his chest pressed up into her back. Sam couldn't see his face but she didn't need to , to tell that he was smiling. A deep chuckled then filled her ear as the artist placed a kiss on the side of her neck. A shiver ran down her back at this.

She closed her eyes and prayed that it would go quickly this time as she felt her body being pulled as Franco began to move towards the window. He was taking her with him, whatever that was.

Fear coursed through her body as they suddenly stopped moving. They were still in the room. The window was too small for both of them to climb out at the same time. He was at a lost. He didn't know what to do. He had not planned this part of his escape.

"Night, Night Sammy," he whispered once again into her ear as Franco twirled her around so that she was facing the window. His hand moved from her waist and to the back of her neck, where he grasped as her hair. Sudden pain then blurred her vision as Franco smashed her head into the wall. A moment later everything went blank as she lost consciousness.

Franco allowed her body to fall to the floor before picking her up and pushing her out the window. Her body made a small thud as it fell onto the bushes that covered the side of the house. He appeared down at her body as it lay there in the bushes for a second before turning his attention back onto the room. The candle was still burning on the nightstand as he moved towards it. He wasn't so much interest in the candle but what lay beside it.

Sam's car keys.

Reaching for the keys, he leaned down and smelt the sweet vanilla scent of the candle. He then blew out the flame of it before straightening his back and moving once again towards the window. Pocketing the keys, he began to climb out the window when an idea popped into his mind.

Quietly climbing back into the room, he reached for the small spray can he had in one of the front pockets of the old military jacket he wore. Giving the can a quick shake, he sprayed a message on the wall of the room.

Smiling at his work, he played the spray can back into his jacket and once again made his way out of the window. The artist then picked up her body and carried it over his shoulder as he made his way to Sam's vehicle.

I know it was a short chapter but more will be coming soon! Thanks for reading and please review!

Julie