A/N: Can I just say how much I love you all? You make me feel so loved with all those cheers and begging and threats of stalking. Lol Happy Belated Mother's Day and Happy Belated Birthday to missingjasamalways Oh, I must also note MOST of the dialogue in part 1 belongs to GH and its respective writer. These lines are from Alexis' hospital scenes around September 01, 2006 during her pulmonary lobectomy. At first I only searched those scenes for one particular line, but ended up sucked into watching them all again and realized not only were they brilliantly executed by NLG, Kelly, Ingo and MB, but that they also played right into another plot twist I needed to set up. So, I simply tweaked things to make them work in my story.
16. part 1 of 2...
Sam peered in the doorway of the assigned hospital room to find her mom by the bed talking to Nikolas. It appeared they had just arrived and Sam was glad. She wanted to be by her mother's side every step of the way. She wasn't sure, at this point, why she was surprised to see Alexis without her husband anywhere in sight. She shook her head in a flash of anger causing her grip to tighten on the leather handles of the bag she carried. Her mother insisted Ric had been incredibly supportive, but so far Sam hadn't witnessed a single ounce of it.
Her animosity softened to concern as she caught the tail end of her mother's conversation. "Ric has always supported my career and now it's my turn. I have to put my family first and how well he performs his new duties will effect his reputation which in turn will effect my daughters financial stability, and not just Kristina and Molly, but Sam too. She's just starting a business and I don't have to tell you how any negative associations in a small town could effect her success. Ric needs to focus on winning his cases. It would be selfish to have him here when he has so much to do because of me already."
Sam walked further into the room. "I totally disagree."
Alexis and Nik turned their attention toward her. "I'm sorry. I wasn't eavesdropping. I just couldn't help overhearing you talk about Ric. I think it's wonderful that you care about my welfare and Kristina's and Molly's, but your feelings are what's most important right now, especially when it comes to your husband. Who should be here right now, by the way."
Alexis sighed. She'd resigned herself long ago to the task of defending her husband. It was almost as reflexive as breathing now. She found herself doing it even when he hadn't earned it. "Ric has a million fires to put out at the office after taking over for me. He's doing what I asked him to do, so everything is fine. I know that he's thinking about me and I certainly know that he loves me. Besides, I have you and Nikolas here with me and that's more than enough."
Sam listened not only to the words, but the feeling behind them. It was another talent that made her such a great con and P.I. now. It was as if her mother only half-believed what she was saying, but Sam didn't want to add to any anxiety she must be feeling. "Okay, if you say so. I just really think that Ric should be here."
Alexis tried to reassure her worried daughter with a smile. "I'm fine."
Nikolas pursed his lips opting for silence. He'd already argued Sam's position the entire ride to the hospital. A chord of familial pride rang through him at his cousin's words, but he let it go. Further debate would only upset his aunt. Instead, he casually closed the distance between him and Sam and greeted her with a hug. She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him back with her free arm. They remained standing side by side with arms around one another. He smoothed his hand against her shoulder and Sam leaned her head on his for comfort as the reality of the day took hold. Alexis smiled at them both, feeling incredibly blessed despite the circumstances.
Nik was first to break the silence. "Emily asked to be paged once you were settled into a room. So, I will leave you to it and be back soon."
Alexis nodded with a friendly smile and Sam gave him a little squeeze of his shoulder as he stepped out of her embrace and walked out of the room. Thank God for Jason and Nikolas. She didn't know what she'd do if anything were to happen to her mother, but knowing she had those two in her corner was enough to give her the strength she needed to be there for her mom even when fear made her want to shut down and pull away for protection. Nik just couldn't be the one with Elizabeth. He just couldn't Sam told herself.
Sam sat the bag on the floor by the bed and was just about to ask her mother how she was when Patrick and Robin entered.
"Hi, how are you feeling?" Robin inquired.
Alexis turned to face the doctors with Sam at her side.
"I'm a little nervous." She admitted.
Robin gave her a small smile. "Well, I would be worried if you weren't. So, we're about to begin getting you ready for pre-op in a bit."
Patrick pursed his lips. "First, there's a piece of unfinished business. Originally, I was slated to consult while Dr. Rivera performed the surgery. As you were made aware when you arrived, he's unavailable due to a family emergency. So you got me."
"Very good luck of the draw." Robin commented.
"Your reputation as a surgeon is terrific, so I have no problem with you." Alexis confirmed.
Patrick sighed. "You may when you hear what I'm about to tell you. In the course of a recent operation I was exposed to end-stage AIDS. I tested negative. I'm on a protocol. The chances of you being infected are miniscule, but it is not too late to call in another surgeon if you're uncomfortable. If not, you need to sign this."
Patrick handed Alexis a clipboard with a medical and legal waiver attached.
Robin looked to Patrick and then Alexis. "I can attest to Patrick's brilliance. You are in very good hands."
Alexis quietly pondered the news as she accepted the clipboard. She wasn't sure what to say, so instead she focused on a more pressing concern. Patrick's news had sent her mind drifting to an even bigger risk than the one he posed. It was a thought that had invaded her dreams the last several weeks turning them to nightmares. It was a different kind of exposure.
There was a pensive pause before Alexis spoke. "I have a question about the anesthetic, actually. Am I gonna be completely out?"
"Yeah." Patrick nodded. "You'll be out cold."
Alexis nodded thoughtfully. "Annnd when I wake up, will I start babbling about things I don't want anybody to hear?"
Sam chuckled at that. "Such as?"
Alexis' thoughts went to the life-altering secret she was withholding from her daughters.
She kept her tone light and sing song-y with an air of mystery. "We all have our secrets."
Sam's brows furrowed as she laid out the silly alternative. "Come on, what are you gonna do? You gonna refuse to get put under and grit your way through surgery? Who cares if you babble? I do it all the time, so I don't think you should worry about that. You have to get through the operation and, and that's it. Okay?"
Alexis smiled at her daughter hoping the fear didn't show in her eyes.
Sam accepted her mother's smile as silent surrender and looked from her to Patrick. "So, what are you gonna do?"
Alexis had already explained the procedure, but somehow Sam needed to hear it from Patrick. He'd saved Jason's life last year and she was well aware of what a great surgeon he was, but this was her mother and she just needed to hear it again, from him. She needed to hear the confidence in his voice so that maybe she could feel it too.
Patrick looked at Alexis for permission then continued when she gave a slight nod. "We're going to remove a lobe of Alexis' left lung along with several compromised lymph nodes. Now, I'm not going to lie to you. It's not an uncomplicated procedure. I'm also not going to give you false hope. I've told Alexis she may not survive cancer." Patrick's focus shifted from Sam back to his patient. "But with me as your surgeon you won't die on the table."
Alexis nodded and Patrick and Robin left to give her a moment to look over the waiver and make her decision.
Alexis stared down at the form having read the fine print two times over then looked up to where Sam stood in the room. "Do you think I should sign this?"
Sam was surprised her mother would ask.
She responded softly, not sure she should be trusted with such a decision. "I mean, why ask me? It's your surgery."
Alexis pursed her lips as she leaned against the edge of the bed. "Because ever since I've known you were my daughter, I've been inserting my will into your life so I wanna give you the chance to do that to mine. I trust your judgment."
Sam was taken aback. Her mother had just told her she trusted her judgment even knowing some of the terrible mistakes she'd made.
There was a knock at the door and, before Sam could speak, Robin stepped in. "Sorry to interrupt. I just need to know your decision. Do you want Patrick to perform the surgery or should I find another doctor?"
Sam looked to Alexis who awaited her advice then looked back at Robin.
"We're good with Patrick." Sam told her.
Alexis nodded then signed.
"Great. I promise you won't regret it." Robin smiled.
Alexis handed off the waiver to Sam who handed it off to Robin. "Here you go."
"Thank you." Robin told them as she accepted the clipboard then left to inform Patrick he could prep.
Alexis held up the gown on the bed to Sam. "They subject you to the humiliation of being helpless and at the mercy of the medical staff and then they give you a nightgown with a peekaboo back on it." Alexis shook her head. "Insult to injury." She mumbled.
Sam shook her head at her mother's humor and lifted the duffel bag onto the bed. "I took care of this..."
"You did?" Alexis was curious.
"I got you a little something." Sam admitted as Alexis moved to stand next to her again.
Alexis smiled. "Another present?"
She recalled the night of Molly's birthday party when Sam had given her a beautiful picture frame and had suggested it might be nice to hold a picture of her with the girls in it. Alexis had insisted all her girls be in it and her heart broke seeing just how touched Sam had been by the smallest gesture of being included. It was as if Sam still didn't feel she belonged. Sam had nodded and blinked away the emotion then handed her digital camera over to Nikolas to snap the picture of the four of them on the sofa.
Sam shrugged. "It's a robe and some pajamas for post-op."
Sam had gone shopping for her and it reminded Alexis. "I'm sorry for running out of time before we had a chance to shop for your dress like I promised."
With everything going on, Sam had completely forgotten about the ball she'd promised to attend in her mother's honor with Ric. It was in a couple days. She cringed at the thought of spending one moment, let alone, an entire evening on his arm. "It's okay. There will be plenty of other shopping trips in our future."
Alexis smiled softly as she pulled the items out of the duffel to admire and found the framed photo she'd just been thinking of at the bottom. "You packed the picture?"
Sam cocked her head to the side with a little shrug, her voice soft and a little unsteady. "I thought maybe you could use the inspiration."
Alexis could cry, but she didn't want to start crying. She was afraid if she did that she may not be able to stop. "It's gonna help. Thanks."
Sam stood by her mother looking at her intently. "I just, I... I want to let you know how much this means to me because I have never had a family before." She almost did once when her father married Evelyn, but it was just an illusion. "And now I do so um, I want you to know that I am never going to take that for granted again."
Sam felt like she had taken her new family for granted after finding them. It wasn't until Kristina had been kidnapped that she realized it and made the necessary changes to be a part of her family's everyday life.
"So, if you get scared, or you need some strength I want you to look at your daughters and know that all the encouragement you need is right here." She told her mother then looked at the photo of them all.
Alexis couldn't stop her eyes from misting at her daughter's thoughtfulness. She pulled Sam into a fast and tight hug as she held on to the framed photograph. She held her baby girl and Sam held on as well, both trying to be strong for the other and feeling as though they may fail at any moment. Alexis breathed a calming breath as deep as her impaired lungs allowed then grabbed the discarded hospital gown. "Okay, I'm gonna put this on and get ready."
Sam nodded as her mom pulled out of the hug.
"Okay, I'm gonna be out here." Sam told her as she headed for the hall with one more encouraging smile as she stepped out and closed the door.
Alexis sat on the bed as the tears ran down, clutching the photo of her girls to her chest. Dear God, she prayed, please don't take me away from my girls yet. I'm just not ready.
xxxxx
Sam didn't like the idea of leaving her mother alone, but she knew she needed a few minutes to herself and frankly, so did Sam. She hadn't imagined how hard it would be to stay so strong when all she wanted to do was fall apart in her mother's arms. She blinked away her tears as she walked to the waiting area in search of Jason. He was exactly where she'd left him and her heart swelled at the way he jumped from the chair the moment he saw her. "Alexis in surgery?"
Sam sighed. "No. She's in her room... getting ready."
Jason pursed his lips with a nod. "You scared?"
Sam exhaled sharply, attempting humor. "Does it show?"
Jason looked at the sadness pooling in those chocolate eyes. He could see how hard she was fighting to stay strong and brave. He gave her a gentle smile.
"I'm here." He told her as he clasped her hand in his and felt her fingers hold on tight.
xxxxx
Jasper Jacks and his chipper self walked right in to Alexis Davis' room with a potted plant. Alexis looked up from a magazine Sam had packed for her, not at all surprised to see him. He'd been her very best friend for years. She hadn't found the courage to call him away from his business travels to tell him of her cancer, but her wonderful nephew had made it his first phone call after calling in every adenocarcinoma specialist known to man. Jax had ordered his jet readied for return not an hour after the call and had made her home his first stop straight from the private air strip.
Alexis held her tongue against her lower lip in thought. "I hope that's not for me."
Jax looked at her half amused and half puzzled as he sat it on a counter across from her. "Who else?"
Alexis shook her head. "Someone with a green thumb? For heaven's sake, show that thing some mercy and give it to someone who won't kill it."
Jax smirked as he sat on the edge of her bed. "Actually, they're quite hearty according to my mother."
Alexis chuckled and set the magazine aside. She debated smacking him with it for a split second, but thought better of it.
"It's an orchid, you know." Jax continued.
Alexis looked over at the pot of twigs. "I thought orchids were flowers."
"Oh, it'll bloom in a couple of months. There will be flowers everywhere." He assured her.
"Oh." Alexis nodded and joked. "Well that will be just about the time my bathroom floor is filled with my hair."
Beneath the teasing, Alexis admitted silently how good his gift made her feel. It was his way of saying how sure he was that she'd live to see those blooms.
Jax smiled brightly, a smile just for her. "Well then you'll have to get creative won't you? Wear a turban, something exotic. Throw your husband a curve ball."
Alexis laughed. "Huh, I'm not sure he could handle the curve ball I might throw his way."
Jax looked at her questioningly.
Alexis realized she may have said too much and backtracked. "The point is I don't look good without my hair."
Jax shook his head. "Wrong. You will be happy and smiling because you will be on the road to recovery."
She smiled at his refusal to give in to negativity. His positive energy helped sustain her.
"Do you have something else in your little bag? I could use the distractions because if I think about the operation it makes me feel needy and scared." She confessed with as much levity as she could manage.
Jax placed a comforting hand on her raised knees in front of him. "That's okay. You know what's not acceptable is that your husband is never around. Where is that boy?"
Jax had been to see Alexis every day since he returned and so far Ric hadn't been there for his wife once.
Alexis shook her head. "No point criticizing him. He's filling in for me. He's doing what I asked him to do."
Jax sighed and shook his head. "Yes, but wouldn't you rather that he was here?"
Alexis opened her mouth to respond, but felt happy to be saved by another knock.
Robin began speaking before the door was completely open. "We need another x-ray before surgery."
She smiled brightly upon seeing Jax. "Hi! You're back!"
Jax stood and returned her smile. "Yes, I am."
"Well, are you gonna stick around for a bit this time?" Robin teased.
"Long enough to take her out on the town when she's cancer free. Absolutely!" Jax nodded in Alexis' direction with a playful wink earning a chuckle from both women.
"I'll leave you two alone." He told Alexis then looked to Robin. "And we should catch up!"
Robin nodded. "Sure. Give me a call."
Jax agreed before telling them goodbye and walking out. There was no need for him to say more. He'd already wished his best friend good luck the previous day where he'd also made sure Alexis knew how much their friendship meant to him and how confident he was for her to pull through.
"He brought me an orchid, or it's going to turn into an orchid." Alexis shared with Robin.
"Do you know anything about those?" She asked the young doctor as they gazed at it across the room.
Robin really didn't. "Just that they are... temperamental, but resilient."
Alexis nodded, accepting that answer. It was more than she knew at least.
Robin looked at her with a sly grin. "Hm, maybe he was trying to tell you something?"
Alexis chuckled softly. "It means a lot to me how everyone has taken such good care of me." She leaned toward Robin conspiratorially. "I don't really make it that easy. I'm not the warm and fuzzy type."
Robin's brows furrowed. "You're more endearing than you think."
Alexis chuckled again then paused a bit more serious. "I was determined to handle this by myself and obviously that wasn't a very good idea, certainly not practical."
Robin had been one of the first to advise her how important a support system would be, but it had taken her a while to accept she was right. Alexis was used to handling things on her own.
Robin understood all too well. "Well, the first thing you wanna do when you learn that you're sick is run and hide. I did that, but I learned that if you are brave enough to accept the support from the people who love you they can actually make you as strong as you need to be."
Alexis looked to the photo on the bedside table of her and her girls and, in particular, at Sam as she spoke. "I'm starting to believe that."
xxxxx
Sam stood in front of him in full on ramble. He didn't mind. He listened patiently because it was better than the alternative. At least she wasn't putting up her shield and pulling away. "I've got to take care of my two little sisters right now. I've got to worry about their needs and their wants and make sure that they have some sort of a routine that they can still follow in their lives."
Her tears were killing him. "And I've been paying attention. I really have. I know that Molly, she has a certain bedtime. Kristina, she likes to go to bed a little bit later because she likes to feel like a big sister although, Kristina, she still likes to have her bananas peeled so... Listen to me Jason. I'm rambling! I sound exactly like Alexis and I think Alexis and I, we are a lot of like in a lot of ways even though she didn't raise me which means I'm gonna turn out to be a neurotic mess one way or another."
Jason sighed, unable to deny her the comfort he knew she needed another moment. He slowly pulled her into his arms. She resisted initially, wary of any public displays of affection, but gave in as Jason refused to let go. They had agreed to keep their relationship to themselves until Sam's investigation was over and Elizabeth and her lover were exposed, but Jason just didn't care about that if it meant watching the woman he loved hurt and not be able to console her. Screw it, he thought to himself, friends hug.
Friends hug, indeed, but as Alexis was wheeled around the corner en route to her x-ray it was not two friends she saw holding one another. The transporter paused at the elevators and Alexis watched closely as Sam sank into Jason and nuzzled her face against his chest. She saw the peace wash across both their faces at the contact then Jason's face nestled in the crook of her daughter's neck. His arms held her tight without a millimeter of daylight between them as his hand caressed her back lovingly. Lovingly! Love, it shone clear on both their faces and in the way they held one another. She wondered if they were even aware of the turn their friendship had taken yet then kicked herself for not predicting that outcome sooner.
xxxxx
Alexis had returned from her x-ray. She sat in her gown under the stiff cotton sheets and insufficiently warm blanket. She was freezing and not entirely sure if it was the chill in the air or fear in her heart as she held the sealed envelope containing a handwritten letter she'd addressed to her nephew. She'd remained on the fence as to whether, or not she might go to the grave with her secret. It had taken her until now to decide to pass it on to the one person she trusted to follow her wishes to the letter. Nikolas would never let her down. He'd always been there for her and she knew he would still be there for her even after she was gone.
Diane Miller looked upon a formidable adversary of whom she'd grown to have an immense level of admiration. A shared mutual respect born out of the rarity of women such as themselves had grown into sincere friendship, despite being on opposites sides of the courtroom. Diane couldn't imagine the pain her dear friend, Alexis, endured both physically and emotionally. The courage she exemplified was truly inspirational. She only wished there were more she could do for her. "Alexis, are you sure you won't just tell me what's in the letter? I give you my word as a friend to help you in any way that I can and as a professional to remain bound by attorney-client privilege."
Alexis shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry Diane. I just can't and if there weren't a real possibility of me not coming out of this alive I wouldn't have even put it down on paper."
Diane nodded accepting her friend's decision. She knew Alexis well enough to know it hadn't been reached without great deliberation.
"Mmkay, you know what to do with that." Alexis told her as she handed her the envelope.
Diane nodded and opened her briefcase to slip it into a brown folder containing several other recently updated legal documents for Alexis including her last will and testament and trusts established for all three of her daughters as well as papers giving Sam co-guardianship of Kristina and Molly. "Don't worry. I'll see that everything is taken care of and I'll come see you when you're home. I'll bring the wine."
Sam walked into the room to find her mother's friend throwing legal files and paperwork about. It looked more like business than visiting. "Oh, no. No, no no. What are you doing? My mother's gonna have surgery within an hour."
Alexis smirked. Sam would make a great mother bear, she thought. "Don't pick on Diane. She's just doing her job."
Sam shook her head and began walking Diane toward the door. "Well, she can do her job some place else, some time else. Say goodbye, Diane."
Diane looked at her friend and spitfire of a daughter then repeated glibly, "Goodbye, Diane," as Sam unceremoniously put ass to curb.
A small smile found Alexis' lips as Sam closed the door behind her friend. "Boy, you accuse me of being bossy."
Sam crossed back over to her mother and sat at her side. "Hey, you, you are gonna be down for the count and I am more than capable of handling anything you need me to handle right now just..."
Alexis needed to say it. "In case something goes wrong..."
"It won't." Sam told her.
"In case something goes wrong." Alexis repeated needing to get it out.
"It won't!" Her stubborn daughter insisted.
Alexis continued on, equally stubborn. "I wanna say one last thing."
Actually, she really didn't want to say that one last thing. She dreaded what she was about to say. It was going to hurt her daughter like hell and she may even lose her love and support. "I saw you and Jason earlier. It's very clear how much you both love each other."
Alexis watched her daughter's face for any tells and her confirmation was received resoundingly by her deflection.
"Hey, don't worry about me right now. Please just focus on yourself." Sam begged.
Sam had no idea how Alexis could possibly know, but she wasn't about to get into that time bomb of a conversation an hour before her mother's surgery.
Alexis refused to let it go. It was too important. Her daughter's lives were at stake. "That's what I'm doing. You're a part of me." She told her oldest daughter cupping her cheek tenderly.
Sam felt herself soften as she did every time her mother ever showed her the slightest affection. She couldn't help her reaction to it. It was something she'd craved all her life. Her soul felt starved of it. She felt the sting in her eyes as Alexis continued. "You and Molly and Kristina are all a part of me and I want all of you to live a long and healthy and a happy life together. Whether I'm here, or not. I know it's not fair of me to ask and I know how difficult this is for everyone involved, but I want you to promise me that you won't get involved with Jason."
Alexis couldn't stop her tears from falling as she did this horrible thing to her daughter. She knew it was wrong to guilt her like that, but she just didn't know what else to do. She'd seen what happened to innocents like her sister that got too close to Sonny and Jason's world and she never wanted that for her daughters. "I know it's not fair of me to ask you to give up Jason, but I need the peace of mind before I go in there. I need to know that my children are protected."
Sam swallowed hard. Her heart was breaking from both the unfathomable request her mother had just made and also at the torture in her voice as she begged.
Sam shook her head slowly as tears built up. "I can't promise to stop loving Jason."
She would never stop loving him.
Alexis wiped at her own tears. "I don't expect you to. Just promise me that you'll stay away."
"Jason is engaged to another woman, so you could be worrying about absolutely nothing." Sam knew it wasn't true, but it was all she could think of to offer reassurance without denying, or agreeing to what she asked.
Alexis knew better. She could almost feel the love between them as she witnessed Jason holding Sam earlier. She could see it in her daughter's eyes now and realized that look, that feeling for him had been there for quite some time. "Despite his situation and my disapproval, I realize now you've been fighting for him for months. You fought for him when he was dying and you fought for him when he was drowning in grief and refused to give up on him. And you know what? I admire your tenacity. I do. I just... hate the goal."
This couldn't be happening. She knew her mother wasn't going to be happy about her and Jason, but she'd never expected her to ask that of her. Her mother couldn't really be asking her to walk away from the best thing that had ever happened to her. She just needed to explain. "Could you just please... try to understand how good Jason is for me? How good he is to me? Just please..."
She paused and wiped a tear. "I spent pretty much my entire life alone. I mean I was, I was a con. I was a con! I did not trust anyone least of all the men I was involved with because I knew that they would just use me and leave me. I didn't like it, but I was prepared and I was always right. Until I met Jason. He always treats me with respect. He pays attention to me. He's nice to me and he never... He never makes me feel like I'm not good enough."
Alexis sighed with a tremulous voice as she sniffed. "The way that I make you feel?"
Sam swallowed back the emotion that truth caused and spoke quietly. "I know that you would never have picked me to be your daughter and okay, I probably wouldn't have picked you to be my mother."
Alexis teared up as Sam took her hand in both of hers. "But you are the mother I have and I want you to live. I just... I just.. I, I don't know why I would have to give up on the one person that means everything to me?"
Alexis' tears fell harder at seeing her daughter's pain and knowing she was the cause. She might go to hell for doing it, but she just didn't see any other way. "I see now how much he means to you. I understand that. I just want your sisters to mean something to you too."
"My sisters mean everything to me too." Sam cried. "I love Molly and Kristina!"
Alexis wiped futilely at the tears that wouldn't stop and sniffled again. "Then think about what they need. Think about your own life. Think about growing up without a mother." Alexis could barely get the next words out as she sobbed. "I'm sssorry I let that happen to you."
Sam's heavy tears fell as she cupped her mother's cheek. "Hey. Hey, it's not your fault. Okay?"
She had stopped blaming Alexis for abandoning her after hearing from Nikolas how truly horrible Alexis' childhood had been.
Alexis shook her head. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is anymore because if they end up growing up without a mother they're gonna look to you. They're gonna count on you, Sam, to be there for them so I need to count on you too!"
Alexis wiped at her eyes and nose as she begged for her daughter's understanding. "I need you to teach Kristina how to swim and Molly too because they need to learn how to keep their head above water. You and I never had anyone to teach us how to do that."
Sam held her mother's hand as more tears fell. Her hushed whisper, was but a silent agreement and denial all at once. "No." They hadn't had anyone to teach them the right way and no this could not be happening right now.
Alexis' tears fell harder as she gripped her daughter's hand. She feared any moment Sam would pull away and have nothing to do with her anymore for forcing the issue, but she was more afraid of not doing everything she could to try and keep her girls safe. "I know what I'm asking of you and I know what a huge sacrifice it is for you and I know it's not fair and I hope you'll forgive me, but I don't know what else to do."
It was an impossible situation. She was terrified one of her daughter's lives might be cut brutally short the way her sister's had. Losing one of her girls the way she'd lost her sister... it was her biggest fear.
Sam shook her head and closed her eyes as hot tears pushed down her cheeks. "Okay. Okay, okay, Kristina... Kristina and Molly will not be alone. If something happens, I will not... I will not be with Jason. I promise."
Sam clenched her jaw to prevent the sob from spilling over her lips. Her body shook from the pain of her heart being ripped in two.
Alexis sighed and whispered. "Thank you."
Sam couldn't speak. She couldn't open her mouth or else the wail that had formed from the bottom of her soul would escape and she'd never be able to stop her cries. They continued to sob silently as they held the others hand.
They wiped their tears away at the sound of another knock, Sam more surprised than Alexis, as Sonny made his way in.
Sonny had wanted to come and wish Alexis well, but could see he'd shown poor timing. "Sorry to interrupt."
Alexis shook her head. "I'm glad you're here. Sam and I were just talking about Kristina and Molly and what would happen to them in the event that I died. Sam has agreed to take care of Kristina and Molly, so what that would mean is that the girls would not be uprooted. They'd be able to stay in the house together and that Ric and Sam would be the guardians and you could see them, of course, whenever you want."
Alexis didn't want to allow Sonny to see them any more than the court had ordered, but if she didn't offer that now he might pursue full custody once she was gone and that was the lesser of two evils.
Sonny groaned and looked away before looking back to his former lover and friend. "Uh, I'm not really comfortable with that, Alexis."
Alexis straightened. "Well, I'm not really comfortable with any of this."
Sonny nodded. "Yeah."
It was a tough situation for everyone, but he knew it was hardest on her.
Alexis continued with her argument. "I mean I, I don't want to have cancer. I don't want to go out there and have my lung removed. I really, really don't want to think about my children growing up without their mother, but there is a real possibility that I could die in there and before I do I want to know that my children are not going to be uprooted from their home and that they're not gonna be separated and that they can stay together as sisters and the only way to make that happen is for you to make a reasonable compromise and let the girls stay where they are and let Kristina live where she's living."
Sonny paused. He still didn't like it one damn bit, but arguing the point would only stress her out further. He glanced at Sam then back to Alexis. "I'll agree on one condition."
Alexis was flabbergasted. "You're gonna bargain with me? Now? Ten minutes before I have to go in for major surgery?"
Sonny looked down and nodded then looked back up to her. It was difficult to give this to her and, truthfully, he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep true to it even though he was going to tell her he would. "I'm gonna give you what you want as long as you keep on fighting. Peace of mind is one thing, but giving up is another."
Sam sat quietly at her mother's bedside as she listened to Sonny struggle through his turn at giving up someone he loved dearly. Her hand was propped against her chin with her fingers folded over her mouth. She'd been trying to be as silent as possible. She knew how difficult it was for both of them and she didn't want to make it harder, but had to look up at him and then her mother after hearing his words.
She'd expected him to say no, or at least put up more of a fight considering the way her mother had fought so hard to keep him from his daughter. Jason had told her once that Sonny and Alexis had been really good friends, but she'd never seen that side to them before. Right now, Sonny was supporting his friend and she could see for the first time how their relationship could have ever been more than rival.
"I have no intention of giving up." Alexis assured him.
Sonny nodded again then looked down. He couldn't maintain eye contact because in his heart he knew the promise to her was a lie but she needed the peace of mind so he'd give it to her. "Then you'll... you'll... I'll give you what you want."
Alexis breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you!"
Sonny nodded. "But you know what? You're gonna have to meet us halfway and you're gonna have to get through this."
Sam smiled in agreement. "Yeah, are you listening to that mom?"
Alexis felt like a ton of weight had been lifted from her. If she died today, her children would stay together. They would be raised in the home she'd made for them by the family she had chosen and she knew they would be alright. They would grieve, but they would move on, together. "Thank you, both of you! I'll see you both when I wake up."
Sam turned to see Epiphany enter. "It's time to prep you for surgery."
Sam rose from the chair at her mother's bedside to allow Alexis to hop into the wheelchair. Epiphany helped Alexis keep her IV lines from getting tangled. An arterial line had been inserted into her right wrist as well as another IV line in her left arm to allow fluids and medications to be administered during surgery. The transporter waited for Epiphany to finish hanging the bags on the IV pole on the wheelchair before wheeling her out. Alexis reached for Sam's arm as she passed. He stopped and Alexis looked back at Sam hesitantly. "If Ric comes by, will you tell him that I'm okay?"
Sam's lips trembled at seeing the glimmer of hope her mother held onto that her husband might actually recognize she needed him there with her and not at that damned office.
"Yeah, of course." She promised.
The transporter then resumed pushing his patient as Epiphany followed. Sonny and Sam watched them wheel her away lost in their own silence. Sam felt her heart break a little more and her fury toward Ric burn a little brighter when she noticed Alexis attempt to discreetly brush a tear away as she turned out of sight.
xxxxx
Alexis lie on the operating table as the bright lights beamed down on her. She recalled reading a theory during her surgical research that those lights were the reason for so many post-op reports of patients claiming they had been drawn to a bright light as they died on the table before being brought back. She then silently chastised herself for such a trivial thought in what may be her last conscious moments of life.
Patrick stood over her, scrubbed in and gloved up. "Try not to worry Alexis. It's a relatively simple surgery."
Alexis found that somewhat funny considering he'd told her a few hours ago it wasn't an uncomplicated procedure. "Simple surgery? Isn't that an oxymoron?"
Patrick's eyes belayed the smile hiding under his mask. He loved a woman who called him on his BS and he could see where Sam got her moxie. "That's why I said relatively. Stop over-thinking."
"That's one of my most impressive attributes." Alexis smirked.
Patrick chuckled lightly. "Okay, we're ready to put you under now."
The anesthesiologist moved the gas to cover her mouth and nose, but stopped short when she spoke. "Okay, uh, minimize the scar because I'm actually quite vain."
Robin laughed. "Don't worry. Dr. Drake is as well. He takes great pride in his sutures."
Patrick smiled again and reassured her. "I'll try and work my magic on you."
The doctor began to cover her once again, but she put her hand up to halt the anesthesia. "I know this is, uh, not what the surgeon wants to hear before he begins, but in case anything goes wrong will you tell my daughters that I love them?"
"Nothing will go wrong." Patrick promised in a most resolute tone.
Alexis nodded once. "Just humor me."
Robin did. "We promise to tell your daughters you love them, but don't worry. We're going to get you through this."
Alexis nodded, thankful once again to her, Patrick, Sam, Nikolas, Sonny, Jax and everyone who had been there for her.
Patrick's voice cut through thoughts of her beloved family. "So, count backward from 100 for me..."
Alexis complied. "One hundred... ninety-nine..." She was out before she knew it.
16. part 2 of 2...
Sam looked around at the empty waiting room and sighed. A volunteer had escorted her and Jason there and informed them someone would be by to let them know once her mother was out of surgery and transferred to recovery. She'd found a seat on the wall across from the door so she would see anyone as soon as they approached. Jason sat next to her, holding her hand.
There wasn't much to distract her from her thoughts. There was a television mounted on the wall, but she didn't care to watch it. There were also countless outdated magazines covering the table in front of her, but she couldn't possibly focus on anything in them long enough to read.
She couldn't think really. She could only feel, feel how scared she was that her mother might not survive and how if Alexis died, she wouldn't just lose her mother, but Jason now as well. She gripped his hand a little tighter and squeezed her eyes shut to shut out the pain. She wished she could crawl into his lap and feel his arms around her and then, as if he'd read her thoughts, she felt his hands switch so that he could wrap one arm around her shoulders as his other hand held hers. She leaned into his side and rested her head against him. She couldn't lose her mother and she couldn't lose him.
The silence was just no good for Sam. He could feel the tension and stress building inside her and he wished there was something he could say to take it away. All he wanted to do was pull her into his lap and hold her, hold her until all her worries disappeared. He settled for putting an arm around her and stroking her shoulder in a soft, soothing manner.
He'd anticipated Sam being worried, frightened even, but when she'd walked back to him after Alexis had been taken to the OR she looked absolutely wrecked. He thought she might fall to pieces that very moment. He'd tried asking her if she was okay, but she couldn't even manage to get any words out. She just shook her head and squeezed her lips tight as the tears fell. He looked up to Sonny for an answer, but Sonny just shrugged and shook his head that he didn't know.
He'd pulled Sam into his arms again, but before he could ask her what happened a volunteer came to show them to a private waiting room courtesy of Emily or his parents he was sure. He knew Sam probably wouldn't want to talk about it in front of Sonny. They were friends, but she still didn't know him very well. Sam was very private about things that made her feel vulnerable. She didn't trust easy and she didn't let many people in, not really. Jason understood because they were alike in that way.
Sonny was gone now. He'd said his goodbyes and asked to be called as soon as there was any word. He thought it best not to stick around in case Ric showed up, saying Jason's presence was fuel enough to that fire since Ric despised him and Sonny both. Jason didn't give a damn what Ric thought about him being there. Nothing would keep him from Sam's side, but he didn't argue when Sonny left. Jason was capable of ignoring Ric's comments, but he always managed to push Sonny's buttons and Sam didn't need to deal with that today.
Jason felt warm wetness against his chest and looked down to see his shirt soaked with Sam's tears. Her free hand was now on his chest with a fist full of material clenched within it. "Sam, what is it?"
Sam shook her head against him and pressed her face further into his chest as her body shook with silent sobs. Jason was seriously worried. He'd only seen Sam that way a couple of times and each time had been when her mother had said or done something to hurt her. "Did... did Alexis say something that upset you?"
Sam's only response was more tears. He continued to hold her close as she did her best to control the sobs before speaking. "She, she knows, knows we're together now. I don't know how, but she knows."
Jason's jaw tightened. He knew Alexis didn't like him anywhere near Sam which was why he'd kept his relationship with Sam completely separate from Sam's relationship with her mother. He didn't want to come between them, but he wasn't about to let Sam go to please Alexis. All he could figure from Sam's reaction was Alexis must not have had the same live and let live philosophy toward his and Sam's relationship.
"What did she say?" He asked after taking a calming breath.
"She was terrified Jason. She doesn't want Kristina, Molly, or me anywhere near Sonny's world." Sam said Sonny's world, but Jason knew that meant him too. "The last time I saw her that desperate was when Kristina was sick."
Jason held his breath and rubbed her upper arm thoughtfully. He didn't know what to say. Sam was upset, but she didn't sound mad at her mother. He was mad though, mad enough for the both of them at Alexis upsetting Sam that way when she was already so scared about the outcome of her surgery.
Sam released her grip on his shirt and smoothed her hand against his chest as she spoke. "She didn't mention it, but Nik told me about her sister and I think it's where the fear comes from. She's afraid one of us..."
Sam felt Jason tense in her arms and didn't finish that thought aloud. She closed her eyes as fresh tears fell. She hadn't meant to make him feel guilty, or scared. She didn't want to tell him what she'd promised her mother, but he deserved to know. "She asked me to look after Molly and Kristina as their guardian if anything happens."
Jason's face fell and he closed his eyes. He knew Alexis well enough to know where it was going, but he tried to make it as easy for Sam as possible. "That's good Sam. Molly and Kristina couldn't ask for anyone better to raise them than you."
Sam's lips trembled as she recalled how Jason had told her a few short nights ago how he hoped Elizabeth wasn't carrying his child because it meant he still had a chance to get it right with her. She wanted that too. She wanted that future with him more than anything, but she was so scared she would lose that now.
She pulled out of his embrace and sat up to look him in the eyes as she confessed what she'd done. "Alexis asked me to promise if anything happened to her that I wouldn't be with you and... and I... I told her okay. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"
Sam couldn't hold his gaze. She couldn't stand to see the hurt she was sure she'd put there. She put her hands over her face and cried. She was confused by what happened next. She felt Jason pull her to him again and wrap his arms around her as he shushed her and whispered words of comfort. He kissed her temple and told her it was okay as he rubbed her back. "It's okay. It's okay Sam."
But it wasn't okay. If her mother died, it would never be okay again. She continued to cry against him.
Once her crying slowed again, Sam pulled her hands from her face. "How can you say it's okay? How can you be okay with what I did?"
Jason pulled her chin up to look him in the eyes. "You didn't do anything."
Sam's mouth opened to argue. Maybe he hadn't understood what she'd said, but Jason cut her off with a shake of his head. "You didn't do anything, Sam, and all Alexis did by guilting you into this decision was ensure her survival."
Sam's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Jason smirk-smiled at her. "You and I were meant to be together, and no one can fight fate and win. We are going to be okay, better than okay and your mother is too."
He lowered his mouth to hers then placed a series of tender kisses to her lips telling her in each and every caress that he was hers and she was his, forever.
Sam felt the fear melt away more and more with each kiss he gave her. She looked up into his beautiful blue eyes and didn't know what she'd ever done to deserve his love, but she knew she had it just as he had hers, forever.
They pulled away and he smiled for her and she hummed, feeling better as she pillowed her head back against his chest.
"Thank you for being here and being so good to me." She told him softly.
He hugged her close. "You make it easy." And she did. She was so easy to love.
As Sam sat there with Jason, she noticed the clock on the wall. Alexis had been in surgery for twenty minutes now and Sam realized she hadn't seen Nikolas in a while, not since he'd left to have Emily paged. She'd thought for sure he would be back to see Alexis once more before surgery started. She hoped nothing bad had happened because that was the only thing she could imagine that would have kept him.
Emily entered the waiting area to find Sam resting against Jason. She smiled softly at the two of them and put her hands up and shook her head when she saw them both tense up for word. "No news yet. I just wanted you to know the surgery just actually started." She saw the question on Sam's face. "They had to insert a breathing tube after the general anesthetic took hold and from what I hear your mom had a few last minute comments and requests of Dr. Drake."
Sam had to smile at that, leave it to Alexis to issue demands with her last conscious breath, and then the tears started again at the fear it might really be her last conscious breath for good.
Emily was concerned for her friend. "Dr. Drake is an amazing surgeon, but I know I don't have to tell you or Jason that."
Emily sent a warm smile their way. Jason gave her a half smile, thankful for his sister's attempts to allay Sam's fears. "When should we expect to hear something?"
Emily looked at her brother to answer his question. "The procedure usually takes anywhere from 1-4 hours."
"Ugh!" Sam sat up in her chair and expressed her frustration. "This is so much worse than waiting for the cable guy to show up."
Emily couldn't really relate to that statement. She'd never waited for a cable guy, but she knew what she meant. Emily had been in the position before of waiting hours on end to hear if a loved one would make it out okay. Most of those times had been for her brother. She looked at him now and realized he hadn't taken his hand from Sam's since she walked in. It wasn't as if she wasn't used to seeing them hug or hold hands as friends, but the last she spoke with her brother he'd admitted his true feelings for Sam. There was something about their contact that seemed... more familiar, more comfortable now and she had to wonder if he'd told Sam how he felt.
"Emily..." She finally heard her voice being called and looked to see both Jason and Sam staring at her in concern.
"Sorry, what were you asking?" She smiled sheepishly and shook off the questioning look her brother was giving her. She was fine.
"I was asking if you'd seen Nik? The last I saw him was after Alexis just arrived. He said he was going to page you." Sam told her a bit worried about him now.
"No. I heard the page, but was delayed by a patient. I was on my way up when I ran into Alexis down in radiology. We spoke for a few minutes before her x-ray then I got another page. I went to Alexis' room afterward, thinking Nik may be there still. I came here when I didn't find him. So, you haven't seen him at all?" Emily was now a little concerned herself. She knew Nikolas wanted to be there not only for Alexis, but Sam as well.
Sam shook her head and stood up suddenly and pulled her cell from her pocket. She tried him on his cell, but got no answer. "I'm gonna go check the other waiting area and leave a message for him at the nurse's station where to find us."
Jason stood too. "I'll go with you."
"No. No, it's okay." Jason didn't look so sure. "I'm okay, really. Stay here with your sister in case he shows up. I'll be right back."
Jason didn't like it, but she did sound okay at the moment and he had a few questions for Emily. He wanted to make sure she was as happy as she seemed with Nikolas and that he hadn't been neglecting her lately. It was probably better if Sam weren't around for that conversation.
"You've got five minutes." He told her. "Then I'm coming to look for you."
Sam smiled and blew him a kiss behind Emily's back.
xxxxx
Elizabeth always hated Mondays, but that particular Monday was stacking up to be a real bitch. Cameron woke up super early again due to the loud trash truck and unruly yelling of the guys over the noise of the compactor. She was going to have to give the H.O.A. and waste disposal company a call to complain. It was going on the second week in a row. She showered and dressed early and tried to remain her naturally positive self by snuggling with Cam on the couch as he fed her his cheerios while watching his favorite shows, but her mind kept wandering to the plan.
Things just weren't moving fast enough. Her lover had informed her after she'd spoken with her fiance that Jason broke off their plans so that he could spend that time with Sam. Elizabeth didn't like it. She didn't like it at all. She didn't like the fact that he was spending a weekend on a secluded boat with two little kids who had early bed times and a beautiful woman and she especially didn't like the fact that he'd been so evasive when she'd spoken with him. He'd claimed his last minute trip was business and unavoidable.
She wanted to believe it was no big deal, but if that were true then why hadn't Jason mentioned he was with Sam? She'd gotten a bad feeling the way he so readily agreed they needed to 'talk' when he returned. She had intended to lay on a thick guilt trip in order to get that damn ring on her finger before another week passed. She'd seen the way Sam and Jason looked at one another that day on the docks, but she knew once Jason was her husband he wouldn't be able to cheat on her. He was too honorable. Now, after her call to him early that morning, she was beginning to think all their planning was about to fall apart.
There was something different in Jason's voice when he spoke to her that morning. She'd called to let him know she worked first shift today so they could meet up in the afternoon, but Jason had told her he had plans and would be busy all day. He said he'd give her a call when he was ready to talk. He hadn't cared to explain what his plans were and he sounded cold and distant the way he'd put her off. When she'd tried to get some answers, he'd said he had to go and hung up on her. One weekend with that thieving con and Jason was giving her the brush off. No, Elizabeth didn't like it at all, not at all.
She knew it was inconvenient and risky, but she needed to talk to him. She'd hung up with Jason and called him next. He was hesitant to meet with her like that, but he could hear the urgency in her voice and agreed. He was on his way to her now and she could hardly wait to have his arms around her. He always knew how to make her feel good.
He passed her drive on the first pass. A next door neighbor was leaving for work and he didn't want to be spotted at her home that hour of the morning. All was quiet the second pass around, so he used the spare garage door opener she'd given him for emergencies and pulled his car in the garage and closed it behind him before stepping out of the vehicle.
He sat there for a moment and sighed, running a hand across the black hair atop his head. Today, of all days, was not a good time to be doing this. Alexis was in the middle of a major surgery. People would be looking for him soon. It was crazy to risk everything he had to be there with her that morning, but they'd worked too hard to let things fall apart now. He could hear the panic in Elizabeth's voice and he knew he needed to help get her under control. Jason may be naïve where she was concerned, but it wouldn't take much to throw his suspicious mind into overdrive. Elizabeth had to be careful and stick to the plan, or all would be lost. He stepped inside the mud room from the garage and called out for her as he entered the kitchen. He was prepared to do whatever necessary to put her mind at ease.
"Ric!" Elizabeth cried. "I'm so glad you came."
She practically threw herself into his arms as he held her.
"Of course I'd come for you." He reassured her. "Now tell me, what has you so upset?"
Elizabeth walked arm in arm with her married lover into the living room where they sat on the sofa. Fortunately for her, her Grams had asked to take Cameron shoe shopping that morning before dropping him off at hospital daycare on Elizabeth's lunch break. They had the place all to themselves as L iz proceeded to tell Ric about the uncomfortable feelings she had regarding the way Jason had treated her that morning on the phone. She was glad to see he'd tensed up in concern the same as her.
"Do you think Sam is seducing him? Oh God, Ric, what if he knows? What if he found out I've been feeding you information." Elizabeth shook with fear.
Ric tightened his hold on her. "Elizabeth, I promised you no one would ever learn of your part in all of this and they won't. I won't let anyone hurt you, or our child."
His hand rested on her belly. He was going to be a father again and he was going to make damn sure Sonny and Jason were behind bars before his son or daughter made it into this world. There was no way in hell he'd ever let Jason Morgan or his brother anywhere near his child.
When he held her that way, Elizabeth could believe everything he promised was true. "I'm just not sure how much longer I can keep doing this. I can't stand pretending to love and want to be with another man when you're the only man I want holding me."
Ric sighed. He couldn't stand the thought of Jason's hands on Elizabeth either. He was a fool to ever suggest the plan to Elizabeth in the first place. He realized that now, but at the time it had seemed like the best way to finally bring the almighty Corinthos-Morgan organization to its knees. He wanted Sonny and Jason to go down so bad that it had seemed worth anything at the time. Now, he wasn't so sure.
Thank God Elizabeth hadn't had any trouble with Morgan pushing her to have sex. They'd agreed to wait until after the 'wedding'. Ric already had the fraudulent wedding license and actor that would pose to officiate their vows. There was no way he'd let Elizabeth really marry that thug, but Jason needed to believe they were committed to one another. It would keep him from suspecting Elizabeth until she could provide Ric with a critical piece of Intel that would allow him to take them down.
He hoped to have the information before the wedding, but they couldn't rely on that. They'd already worked out her next excuse to avoid intimacy. Elizabeth would tell Jason her doctor advised against any sexual intercourse until after the baby was delivered safely. Still, knowing Jason Morgan held and kissed the woman he loved was enough to make his blood boil. He just had to keep reminding himself that now that Elizabeth had gone forward with the plan, they needed to see it through.
God, he loved her. How selfless she was to have done this for him, especially after what he'd put her through. He was supposed to be in the middle of a divorce from Alexis by now. He'd planned to tell his wife it was over the night of the blackout, but Alexis had shocked him with a little news of her own first. She was dying of cancer and the doctors had given her six months to a year at best.
He didn't hate his wife. He loved her just not as deeply as he loved Elizabeth, but how could he leave her at a time like that? What kind of cold-hearted bastard would that make him and how would it effect his chances for a career in politics with that ugly blemish on his bio? He would have a hard enough time with the Carly thing and his breakdown. No, he'd decided to keep his affair with Elizabeth quiet and see his wife through her battle with cancer. He'd wait a respectable amount of time after her remission or death and then either file for divorce or move on as a grieving widower with the love of his life.
Ric sighed deep and kissed Elizabeth's temple. He was just thankful she'd forgiven him for what she'd witnessed that night last summer. When Ric hadn't called Elizabeth after his conversation with Alexis, she'd been too anxious to sit around waiting. She'd driven to the lake house and stood at the window only to see Ric and Alexis making love on their living room floor. Ric hadn't meant for that to happen, but his wife was hurting and she needed comfort and in that moment he needed her too. She was the mother of his child and he would always love her. He never wanted to hurt Alexis.
It was all the more reason he needed to fight the temptation his lovely Samantha posed, but he just couldn't help himself when she was around. He told himself there was nothing wrong with fantasizing. She was a beautiful woman. What man wouldn't picture taking her in every place and position imaginable until she was screaming out his name as she came for him? He'd just have to keep himself in check and not act on it. That night in Molly's room he'd nearly crossed a point of no return. The alcohol had gone to his head and he'd forgotten, or hadn't cared, about all he had to lose. He wouldn't allow that to happen again.
He just needed it to all be over, so he could focus on his future with Elizabeth. He worried for her constantly knowing she was a target as long as she associated with Morgan. The only thing that gave him the slightest comfort was knowing Morgan would do anything to keep her safe as long as he believed that baby she carried was his. If he had only seen Elizabeth at the door that night of the blackout, he might have prevented her next move and he wouldn't have to worry about her so much. Though, truthfully, he hadn't had the benefit of hindsight yet so he may not have tried to stop her from going through with his plan.
Elizabeth sat there silently as Ric held her. She wished they could be like that always and they would be soon. She had to keep reminding herself of the big picture and that was the long and happy future she would have with Ric. Speaking of happy, she could feel Mr. Happy as he grew hard beneath her thigh. She smiled. She'd never felt him so hard for her. It pleased her to know she could do that to him. She leaned in to kiss his neck as her hand moved to stroke his length through his pants. "Feels like someone's happy to see me."
Ric's cheeks flushed a bright red. If she'd only known what thoughts had really caused him to harden. He couldn't think of her long without that happening. He knew it was wrong to picture her in his head when he was with the woman he loved, but sometimes he couldn't get her out of his head and today was one of those days.
He kissed Elizabeth with reckless abandon the way he longed to kiss Sam and pulled Elizabeth so that she rubbed against his shaft. Elizabeth pulled away, breathless from his kiss. He'd never kissed her so passionately before. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I like it." She licked her lips. "I like it when you take charge. It's such a turn on."
Elizabeth began to unbuckle and work his pants until they were down around his ankles. She slipped between his legs and proceeded to show him just how much of a turn on his dominating kiss really was.
Ric groaned as her lips touched him. With her head down and that dark hair falling over her face and brushing his bare thighs, it was so easy to envision sinking into his beautiful Samantha's wet heat. He felt himself grow even harder at the thought of her and threw his head back as he gripped a fist full of hair and rode out one of his hottest fantasies ever as his dream Sam sucked him off.
xxxxx
"I don't like it. The mere thought of it leaves a bad taste in my mouth." Coop told the man as he paced back and forth.
Spin was getting dizzy watching him, but he had to agree. He wasn't too sure of the plan himself.
"Look, I'm telling you. I know Sam better than you, or even she thinks. She's going to find out. It's inevitable. So, best to let her find out in a way that we can control exactly how much she knows and with my natural talents, you're distraction and Spin's help creating a background that will hold up to the toughest level of scrutiny, I'm convinced we'll have no trouble getting in and out before she even knows what we're really up to." The man assured him.
Coop stopped shy of wearing a hole in the carpet and looked at the man he'd come to trust, well as much as anyone could ever trust a man like him. He studied him for a few minutes and sighed in frustration. He knew what the man said was the truth. He just didn't like the idea of toying with Sam's emotions that way. He just hoped in the end she would know he did it out of love. She'd become his best friend and the last thing he wanted was to see her hurt, but a little hurt now might save her a world of pain later. "Okay." He nodded then looked to Spin who nodded that he was with him. "We'll do it your way."
Page 29 of 29 Created: 2011-05-05 Updated: 2014-11-09 Words: 11977 Characters: 63572