Hello everyone. I am so sorry it took me so long to update. I have had a few personal crisis going on in my life but everything is straightened out now and back on track. Aj and Elizabeth sure are going through some crap on the show right now and I can't say as I am happy with one of her oldest friends manipulating the crap out of her to suit his own ends. But at least here I can write what i want and can picture the story playing out as I want it to. I know this chapter is short but I promise you there will be more coming AJ has done a pretty amazing thing and it's about time the people of Port Charles recognized the change in him. So expect the story to have lots to read in the upcoming chapter as we get back to some of the other players and bring them more into the story. It's about time all of Elizabeth's family started to take note of her don't you think? Please read and review and as always if there is something you want to see let me know in a PM and I will try to include it. Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through my absence. All right back to the story...

Michael held AJ's hand in his. He had lost track of how long he had been by his side. Starr had come by to check on AJ's progress and to bring him something to eat. Michael still couldn't believe that he had almost lost AJ; again. He regretted his resistance to giving AJ a chance to be a real father to him. He had held so tightly to his loyalty to Sonny. Sonny was his dad after all; he had raised him. But Michael had come to realize that having Sonny for a father had come at a price. A price AJ had paid for. AJ never had the chance to raise him. AJ had had that taken away from him by the people who claimed to love Michael. He had missed out on everything. Sure they had been getting along lately but they were more like buddies. Michael had refused to give AJ a chance to be a father to him.

Michael was determined, now, to give AJ that chance. He was through being a pawn in the war being fought over his affections. Sonny was still his dad but Michael was going to give AJ the chance to be a father to him. AJ had tried so hard to break through that barrier Michael had set up. He had been honest with him from the beginning. He hadn't lied to him. He had even confided in him. He had tried to tell him about what happened during his time away but Michael had still shut him out. Michael looked at his father's closed eyes and sent up another prayer that he would come out of this.

He, like everyone else, had been unwilling to believe that AJ had changed, waiting for the other shoe to drop. AJ had proven to everyone that he was willing to sacrifice himself to save someone. Michael had talked to Lucky and Dante while they had been waiting for word on AJ and Molly. Lucky told him he saw AJ jump into the frigid water selflessly to save Molly. That he stayed and dived repeatedly until he had secured Molly. Lucky said when he was holding up AJ he could feel the cold seeping into himself. It was a miracle AJ had made it through the last four days.

His fever had raged. Matt told him that Elizabeth had gone through something similar a little over a year ago when Lisa Niles had thrown her overboard before reeking havoc all over the chartered boat in her quest for vengeance against Patrick and Robin. Matt warned him that AJ wouldn't be himself that he would likely see things that weren't there. He hadn't exaggerated. AJ seemed at times to be reliving his death and the things that he had done before his death. He called out to people that were gone. Michael had never seen anyone in such pain before. He asked Matt if this is what Elizabeth had gone through. Matt said Elizabeth had had to relive the loss of Jake. She heard him calling out to her. And tried desperately to get out of bed going so far as begging Jason to go and help him. She had woken up to the realization that Jake was gone and to find out her son Aiden was very ill. Michael had looked at his father's girlfriend with new eyes. He had only known her as Jake's mother who had saved his sister's life by allowing her to have one of Jake's kidneys. He had seen her at the funeral and knew how hard her son's death was on her. He had never really taken the time to get to know her beyond that. He would be better about that too. Elizabeth had helped to save his sister and given his father a chance when he couldn't. She had even been kind to Starr. He wanted to get to know her.

"Dad, don't leave me yet. I need you. I need more time." Michael said pulling their joined hands to his forehead. He felt the telltale squeeze on his fingers and looked up with a gasp to see AJ struggling to open his eyes. "Dad? Dad!"

"Michael?" AJ managed. His voice was weak.

"I am so glad your back" Michael breathed tears running down his cheeks.

"Did I go somewhere?" AJ tried to joke.

Michael smiled; glad to see AJ's sense of humor. "We thought we lost you"

AJ smiled but it was more of a grimace "Not going anywhere."

AJ hurt everywhere. He felt like he had been wrung out and then put away wet like a dish-rag. There wasn't anything that wasn't in pain. He grimaced when he tried to move up a little higher in the bed. Michael immediately moved to help him. He got AJ settled and helped him drink some water before sitting down.

"Elizabeth?"

Michael nodded to the other side of the room. "She hasn't left your side. Sabrina and Felix brought in the cot after her first night. Olivia brought her food but she wouldn't even eat until Epiphany demanded it. That woman…she could scare Mom."

AJ laughed quietly and looked over at Elizabeth while she slept. She looked like an exhausted angel. She had one arm stretched out under the pillow and the other curled under her cheek. Someone had draped a blanket across her. AJ could tell she was still wearing the scrubs she was wearing when he dropped her off at work. There were faint purple smudges under her eyes from lack of sleep. Yet, she was the most beautiful person in the world to him.

"What happened?" AJ whispered, looking back to Michael.

"What do you remember?"

"I was bringing Elizabeth a sandwich from Kelly's. She didn't have a chance to eat after her folks showed up. There was a guy holding Molly with a knife…Molly!" AJ struggled to sit up. "Is she okay?"

Michael pressed AJ back down in the bed. "Molly's fine. Dr. Webber took good care her. She had some stitches and she had the same fever that you did. She woke up yesterday. She's going to be fine; thanks to you." AJ settled back down.

"What do you mean 'thanks to me'?"

"You really don't remember?" Michael asked.

"I remember the guy was holding a knife to her throat. I was about to try to get him away from her when there was a shout from behind him. He turned. Then he cut Molly and threw her over the rails."

"That's it?" Michael asked.

"After that it gets fuzzy. I was under the water but I couldn't get out. Then there was a park." AJ squinted trying to remember everything was hazy and starting to fade from his memory.

"Lucky saw what happened." Michael explained. "You jumped in after Molly while Dante chased the guy, he lost him somewhere by the old bakery. Lucky told us you kept diving for Molly until found her and pulled her up. You and Lucky gave her CPR until the paramedics showed up. Lucky forced you to come here. Starr and I walked in right as you collapsed. Matt and Sabrina caught you and they took you to the trauma room. You've been here in ICU for four days now."

"Baker." AJ said with a grimace. "Have they found him?"

"No," Michael said with a sigh. "Anna and her team have been looking but there are no signs of him yet."

"And Molly is going to be okay?"

"Yeah." Michael said with a smile. "You saved her life." AJ's eyes strayed back to where Elizabeth was sleeping. "I'm sorry"

AJ's eyes whipped back around to Michael. "Sorry? For what?"

"For not giving you a chance; I should have listened to you. I shouldn't have doubted your recovery when you came back. It wasn't fair to you."

"Michael," AJ said resting his hand on his son's, "I don't blame you for being skeptical. The things I put you through…the things you went through growing up…I don't blame you."

"I almost lost you before we really had a chance. I don't mean to let that happen again. From now on I promise…"

"Michael…Michael…" AJ interrupted "I love you too."

"I love you, Dad." AJ thought it was the best thing he had heard in a long time. Michael sighed and stood up. "I'm going to let you rest. I'll let Matt know that you are awake."

AJ reached up and embraced his son. "Thank you, Michael." Michael nodded and left the room quietly closing the door behind him.

"That was nice." AJ heard from across the room. He looked over to see Elizabeth's eyes were open. There was a smile on her face.

"How long have you been awake?" AJ asked with a grin.

"Since you woke up" Elizabeth said walking over and sitting on the bed next to him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like hell" AJ said, reaching for Elizabeth's hands, "But it's better now that you're here."

"I haven't gone anywhere." Elizabeth said with a smile.

"No, but I did; didn't I?"

"It was close." Elizabeth admitted. "Matt is a great doctor and he pulled you back."

"It wasn't him." AJ said looking in her eyes. "Don't get me wrong. Matt is a great doctor. But there was something more." AJ sighed in frustration as he tried to remember. "It's slipping away from me like trying to catch a dream when you first wake up. All I know is that you being here with me made a difference. I knew that I had to come back; for you and for Michael and my mom."

A tear slipped down Elizabeth's cheek. "I was so scared." AJ reached up and pulled her down into his arms.

"Hey hey," he said running a hand down her hair and wrapping his arms around her. "I'm not going anywhere. Remember? I'm indestructible."

"When you collapsed, I…Matt and Sabrina had to take care of you. And then Monica came in. I had to be strong for you. I tried so hard not to fall apart. And then Michael was there. He was so worried about you and Starr too. She was remarkable."

"I guess it was pretty bad huh?"

"I've seen worse." She looked away. "I've been through it myself"

Shocked AJ looked into her face. "What do you mean?"

"A little bit over a year ago…I was drugged and thrown overboard at a party for Matt. "Ewen, Dr. Keenan, saved me from drowning but I got pneumonia. The things I saw… I was like"

"Being trapped in your own nightmare." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah." Elizabeth said meeting his eyes.

"Then you dreamed about Jake"

Elizabeth nodded. Something flashed through AJ's memory. "Jake." He said again.

"Yes, he was in trouble."

"No." AJ said. "I think he was in my dream too." Memory flashed. "He was so beautiful Elizabeth and happy. He loves you" Tears flashed though both of their eyes as the memory slipped away. "I'm sorry that's all I remember" Elizabeth brought her hands to her eyes as the tears refused to stop.

"I'm sorry. I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have said anything." AJ said.

"No!" Elizabeth said taking his hands again. "I'm glad you did. I'm glad he's happy. I like to think he's with Emily somewhere." She said with a smile.

Another flash. "I think he is." AJ said with a smile.

"I should let you get some sleep" she said trying to sit up.

"Stay here with me. This bed is big enough for both of us."

"I shouldn't…"

AJ pulled her back down into his arms. "It's ok. I know the chief of staff. And you need to sleep."

"Well then, I guess it would be okay." Elizabeth snuggled into his arms and AJ pulled the blanket over both of them. Both fell into a deep sleep. That was how Matt found them when he opened the door five minutes later. He smiled at the two of them.

AJ had wrapped his arms tightly around Elizabeth. She had her face pressed against his neck while AJ rested his chin against her hair. They both had a smile on their face and Matt quietly closed the door. He turned to Sabrina with a smile. "I think it's safe to say that he's doing fine right now.

Sabrina peeked in the little window of the room and smiled back at him. "I'd say so." Matt threw his arms around her shoulders. Well Nurse Santiago would you like to get a cup of coffee with me while we wait for them to wake up?" he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "I am sure we can find away to kill some time" He leered.

"Why Dr. Hunter what ever could you be suggesting?" She smiled back.

Matt leaned down and whispered in her ear everything he planned to do to her as they headed for the locker rooms and the showers they were hoping were empty. Neither noticed Maxie who had come by to talk to Matt across the room glaring at the two of them. No one knew that she had the vial Dr. Westbourne had given her hidden in her purse. No one noticed that she walked over to the counter and put a few drops in the full coffee cup sitting on the counter marked with Sabrina's name. She flounced her way on to the elevator. She never saw Felix come by and pick up the coffee and take a huge swig of it as the cafeteria had mixed up their cups. And she wasn't there to see Felix collapse on the floor allergic to the drug she had placed in his coffee.