A/N: Hey everyone! The next chapter is finally here, and it's going to be a bit hard to read. It's definitely dark. It may even seem like too much, especially with the way GH has been written lately. I hope you can trust me to know where the line is and never cross it. I will try to post the next chapter a lot sooner, so there won't be weeks between this one and the next. I'm still struggling with being inspired to keep writing, but refuse to give up, even if I've given up on the show. For everyone who has remained so patient and loyal, I am SO grateful to you. For those that have drifted away from the story because of the time between updates, I'm sorry and understand, and I hope you'll come back and finish reading once I post the final chapter. Which, btw, is only 8 chapters away! Wow. Time flies. :p Anyways, again, thank you for all the amazing reviews, and please keep them coming. They push me to keep writing. :)

Happy reading!

Jen

buttercup0303

Chapter 42

Helena stared at them expectantly, a satisfied smirk on her face. Sam stared at her, hatred and shock warring for dominance inside her. This was the woman who had stolen years with Jason from her and Danny. And instead of being at their mercy, it seemed like they were at hers. Sam looked at Jason in alarm. He gave her an imperceptible nod, as if to say it would be okay. She glanced back at Helena who watched them with amusement. Helena's eyes slid past them and landed on her grandson, lighting up with her sick, twisted version of love.

"Nikolas, my dear boy, you've kept me waiting. Shame on you. And Mr. Morgan, I see you brought that little street urchin you insisted on wedding. More's the pity. Ah, but who's that cowering behind you? Well, if it isn't my beloved's worthless whore's niece." Helena grinned malevolently.

"Hayden, dear. I'm so glad you decided to join us. I already have one Barnes, but I so would love the set." She grinned, gesturing towards the side of the room.

All eyes traveled to the heretofore unnoticed group of bedraggled prisoners kneeling on the floor, a guard standing behind each of them with a gun pointed to the back of their heads. Robin, Patrick, & a beautiful, redhead knelt there, staring at them hopelessly.

"Nattie." Hayden choked out, taking an involuntary step forward.

"Patrick." Sam whispered, staring at her best friend, all anger forgotten at the sight of the mottled bruises covering every visible part of his body. Sam found her hand clasped in a comforting grip, and looked up at Jason. He didn't look at her but he squeezed her hand. She didn't know how she knew, but she felt her nerves slip away, suddenly sure everything would be alright.

Jason stepped forward slowly, hands raised, his gun held loosely.

"Let them go, Helena."

Helena tilted her head and smiled indulgently.

"My dear Mr. Morgan, you forget it's I who gives the orders, not you."

"I'm not one of your lackeys, Helena. You have no hold over me." He retorted.

Helena let out a cackle that sent a shiver of foreboding down Sam's spin.

"Oh, but don't I?"

Jason's brow furrowed.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Just call me mistress." She said with a cool smile.

Everyone looked around in confusion except Sam, whose eyes were locked on Jason's back. He'd stiffened briefly at Helena's words before he quickly tucked his gun into his waistband and strode forward. Helena didn't seem alarmed, she just watched him with satisfaction as he approached her. When he reached her, he simply turned on his heel and stood beside her. Almost as if he was...protecting her?

"Jason? Jason, what are the hell are you doing?" Nikolas shouted angrily. Sam was staring at Jason, unable to speak.

"No. No, no, no." Robin was moaning as she stared at Jason. Sam's head snapped towards her.

"What did she do to Jason? Robin, tell me what's going on?"

Robin looked at her, pity in her eyes.

"He's under her control. While we were at Crichton Clark, Victor Cassadine was attempting to condition Jason to follow his orders. Jason always resisted and then we escaped and Victor was killed in the explosion. I thought…" She trailed off miserably.

Helena clapped her hands.

"Excellent, Robin! You've left off at the perfect moment. Because shortly after I was revived, I became aware of what that idiot Victor was doing. He could never truly appreciate the beauty of Mr. Morgan. But I could. So while he was preoccupied with that wretched Obrecht, I made a slight tweak to Mr. Morgan's programming." She paused, tapping a long, manicured finger against her chin.

"I wasn't quite sure how effective it would be. Of course, there wasn't much time to strengthen my hold, but alas. It seems I worried for naught as my darling little soldier seems to be following orders spectacularly." She said in satisfied tones.

"You bitch!" Sam screamed, lunging forward only to be stopped by Nikolas' arms banding around her waist.

Helena watched her with open distaste. She waved her hand towards Sam.

"Mr. Morgan, darling. Tie up your wife and put her with the others. Sam watched in horror as he strode towards her, his eyes empty.

"Jason? Baby, can you hear me? I know you're still in there somewhere." She said tentatively, reaching out to him, praying he would snap out of it.

"Sam, don't!" Nikolas hissed, trying to pull her back but Sam wrenched her arm free and went towards Jason, cupping his face gently.

But to her utter horror, Jason simply caught her wrists in an unrelenting grip and dragged her towards the other prisoners. Grabbing a rope handed to him by one of the guards, he began tying the rope around her, overpowering her struggles. When Nikolas would have interceded, two guards rushed forward, guns pointed.

Nikolas sneered at Helena.

"Cease with the theatrics, Grandmother. You and I both know you would never harm your precious heir."

Helena nodded in acknowledgment.

"How well you know me, darling boy. However, I have no such problem with the treacherous little mouse behind you. Mr. Morgan, be a dear?"

In a lightning fast move, Jason pulled his gun from his waistband, swung it in Hayden's direction and pulled the trigger. As the loud boom filled the air, Hayden cried out in pain and jerked back, blood blooming on her shoulder, where the bullet just barely grazed her.

"Hayden!" Nattie cried out, staring at her sister in horror. Nikolas rushed forward, throwing his grandmother a pleading look.

"Enough! I won't resist any further. But you leave Hayden alone, understand?!"

Helena raised a brow.

"Don't tell me you've fallen for this con woman's lies? Oh, dear boy, you are too gullible. Sometimes I wonder how you could possibly be my Mikko's grandson, I really do. But then I remember that disappointing son of mine, Stefan, raised you."

Nikolas glared at her, but didn't reply. He simply knelt over Hayden, pressing his bunched up jacket to her wound.

Sam had paused in her struggle when Hayden was shot, shocked at how quickly Jason had followed Helena's orders, without hesitation. She renewed her struggles now, pleading with Jason. They hadn't gone through hell to be together only for her to lose him to Helena now.

"Jason, please, baby. Look at me. It's Sam, your wife. You love me, you don't want to do this."

There was a brief flicker in Jason's eyes before his eyes went empty again.

"Oh, do shut up, Samantha. Mr. Morgan belongs to me now."

"Go to hell, hag." Sam retorted, twisting around Jason to shoot a fulminating glare at Helena. "My husband doesn't belong to anyone but himself. He's going to beat this control you have over him, because no one controls Jason Morgan, least of all some pathetic, wrinkled, old bitch stuck in the past, trying to relive her glory days."

Jason's head tilted slightly, his eyes staring at Sam's face.

Helena's eyes widened briefly before narrowing in fury. A calculating look came into her eyes and she smiled darkly at Jason.

"Mr. Morgan, bring Samantha over here."

Sam knew she'd gone too far when she got a glimpse of the malice in Helena's face as Jason dragged her over. She braced herself for the worst, and its arrival was swift.

"I've tolerated this guttersnipes existence for long enough. Dispose of her." She smirked as she watched Jason turn towards Sam, gun held to her head.

"Jason, don't!"

"Sam!"

"You can't do this, Jason! You love her!"

Nikolas, Patrick, and Robin shouted out in a chorus, as Sam stared into Jason's empty eyes, tears filling her own. They spilled over as she stared into her killer's eyes, seeing only the man she loved.

"You don't want to kill me, Jason. You want the life we've built together, you me and Danny. Fight this, Jason, please!" She pleaded, desperate to get through to him. Jason's eyes flickered for a moment. He stared at Sam intently, and for the first time in months, Sam saw her husband staring back at her.

"Jason?" She said, her voice trembling. Jason's hand started to lower slowly.

"Sam." He whispered, almost inaudible. Sam choked back a sob and nodded.

"Yes, baby, it's me. I knew you could do this. I know you could beat her."

Jason gripped his head, shaking it back and forth. He dropped to one knee and Sam dropped beside him, twisting furiously against the ropes.

"Jason? What's wrong?"

"What's...happening...to...me?" He bit out, groaning as pain sliced through his head. Fragmented images flashed in his mind. Helena's face leaning over him, indescribable pain as he was tortured and conditioned to follow orders, Robin. But among the images were others. Sam and Danny, Carly, Sonny, Michael, Monica, and other faces that he'd never seen before, but somehow recognized. Sam's face appeared the most.

Sam watched as Jason gripped his head, his face red and body trembling in agony. She turned to Helena, her hair whipping around her face with her movement.

"What have you done to him?! What's happening to him?" She screamed, her wrists dripping blood unnoticed as she rubbed them raw fighting to free herself.

Helena smiled nastily and tapped her nails against the arm of her chair.

"Your husband is attempting to fight the conditioning. But never fear, I can end his pain." She leaned forward, her eyes flashing malevolently.

"Obey your mistress, Mr. Morgan. Kill Samantha now."

Jason shouted as the pain in his head intensified and then his head snapped up, eyes locking with Sam's.

"Sam. Run. Please." He begged between clenched teeth. And as Sam watched his body still and eyes go cold, she knew he'd lost the battle he was fighting. She scrambled back, pushing to her feet. She spun around and bolted out of the room, startling the guards who were too slow to stop her.

"Get her and kill her!" Helena screeched in a fury. Jason stood slowly and with deliberate, steps, strode after Sam.

Sam ran blindly, stumbling down the hallways, desperately trying to wrench free of the ropes binding her. She risked a glance behind her and let out a choked scream when she saw that Jason was right behind her. She ducked around a corner, her eyes searching wildly for somewhere to hide.

It appeared she had entered some kind of study or office. Books and filing cabinets lined the walls, a massive desk taking up an entire wall. Her eyes slid past and then focused on the desk. A deadly looking letter opener lay on the surface. Sam bolted forward, twisting her body so that she could let her hands slide along the surface, searching for it. Feeling her hands close around the handle, she dropped down behind the massive desk, sawing desperately at the ropes.

Sam bit back a cry of pain as the sharpened edge of the letter opener sawed through the rope, slicing against her flesh again and again as she worked it against the rope. Finally, the ropes loosened and then fell around her. Freed, Sam shook feeling back into her arms, tears springing to her eyes as the pain arced up her arms.

Trying to steady her breathing, Sam opened her senses, trying to hear Jason. It had been a few minutes since she'd entered the room, though it had felt like an eternity as she'd fought to free herself. Jason hadn't been that far away. Shouldn't he have come in by now? She gripped the letter opened in her hand like a weapon, not sure if she would be able to use it against Jason, even to defend herself against him.

Legs shaking, Sam pushed to her feet facing the door, only to gasp as she came face to face with Jason. She bit back a startled cry, stumbling backwards, out of reach. She raised the letter opener only to let it drop uselessly at her feet. She couldn't use this against him.

"Jason, please. Stop this. You were fighting this before. You were winning, I know you were. You can beat this again." She pled, staring at the man she loved and seeing only a stranger. He wasn't in control anymore.

His eyes once again cold and empty, Jason cocked the gun, his finger on the trigger. He would never forgive himself for this, Sam realized. She may not survive, but Jason would and he would need to be whole and healthy for their son. Maybe she couldn't save herself but she could save Jason.

"I know you'll beat this some day, Jason. Because I know you and you're so much stronger than people give you credit for. And when you do, you're going to hate yourself for this. But I need you to know, I won't. It's not your fault, Jason. I forgive you."

Sam's eyes fluttered closed, the tears slipping down her face, so that she missed the light of anguish that burned in Jason's eyes.

"I love you, Jason. Forever."

Jason shook his head, as if trying to shake off whatever hold Helena had on him. He stared past Sam, his body trembling with the force of the fight inside him for control. Once again, Sam's face flashed through his mind.

Jason's hand shook as he swung his gun up, and with a single tear slipping down his face, he pulled the trigger.