You have given me something that I can’t live without
You mustn’t underestimate that when you are in doubt
But I don’t want to carry on like everything is fine
The longer we ignore it, all the more that we will fight
– Love You In the Dark, Adele

---

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Kelly’s: Dining Room

Kristina dumped her coat and bag into an empty chair and sat across from her sister. “I need some advice.”

Molly picked up her milkshake. “Should I be scared or make sure we have Mom on speed dial for legal services?”

“Oh my God, you act like I’m such a screw-up. Don’t say a word—” she ordered, stabbing a finger at Molly who’d opened her mouth. “You know Sam and I haven’t really been…talking much for the last few months.”

“I don’t want to be in the middle of any of that—” Molly shook her head. “I had the weirdest conversation with Sam the other day, and I think we’re both better off if we stay out of it. Do not get involved—”

“I’m not. I’m updating you because I behaved myself yesterday and since you’re still someone Sam might talk to, you should know what’s going on.” Kristina shifted in her seat. “I stopped over to drop off something for Mom, and my dad was there.”

Molly tipped her head. “Why? Last time I checked, Uncle Sonny totally chose Jason, and things were frosty.”

“They were arguing. I’m not sure what about exactly, but it’s something related to her divorce from Jason.” Kristina leaned in. “He was accusing her of wanting both Jason and Drew.”

“Well, that’s not fair—she thought she was married to Jason for the last year, and now she’s married to—well, it’s hard to say who she’s married to,” Molly admitted. “But it’s not Jason. Or it wasn’t the way she thought. It’s probably super weird and complicated. I feel like we’re not giving her enough space for any of this, you know? Like, she and Jason—Drew, I mean, but when he was Jason—we need a code name for that. Like JaDrew.”

“What?”

“So I can talk about when Drew was Jason, because like he was Jason but he wasn’t, and now he really isn’t, you know? It’s like there are three time periods for him. There’s Jake Doe, JaDrew, and Drew.” Molly frowned. “I don’t like JaDrew. We need a different name. FakeJason seems mean.”

“I need you to focus, okay? He was Drew all of the time. The guy I saw at Christmas is, like, literally the same guy he’s always been. Same personality. Sam can’t have it both ways. She either got back together with him because he was Jason or she fell in love with him because he was Drew. Like that’s it—”

“Well, that’s not fair. What about what Elizabeth did?”

“Elizabeth can at least argue she fell in love with Jake Doe because they were already a thing before she found out the truth, and you know, she lied to keep him.”

“I thought she lied to keep Jason away from Sam—”

“That’s Sam’s story, and I think our sister has credibility issues,” Kristina muttered. She cleared her throat. “Anyway. I didn’t even finish telling you the rest of it, because I was sort of on your side when Dad said that, because it is weird and complicated. But then, then Dad drops this bomb on her. Jason came to the penthouse. The day he blew everything up at the Aurora party? He apparently went home first.”

“Oh. Oh. That must have been kind of upsetting for him. He wakes up in Russia, comes home — to his home, right? And when he gets there, Sam isn’t waiting for him. Like, of course, it’s been five years, but didn’t he say it only felt like six months because he was unconscious? So he comes home, and what, did he see Sam and Drew?”

“Yeah. He thought Sam was happy and moved on, so that’s when he went to the place he’s staying at now. It’s an old safe house or something. Anyway, Sam hears this, and she just—her entire state of being changes, you know? When I say Dad drops a bomb, I mean, it literally looked like he blew up her whole world. And he kept going. Jason called her from Russia, but Drew picked up. And of course, Jason doesn’t tell her any of that, because why would he?”

“Maybe he would have,” Molly murmured. She rested her chin on her fist. “If she’d asked. If she’d given him five minutes of her time. She never did, you know. After we knew the truth. She just stuck to her guns with Drew. Why didn’t Jason go to see her?”

“Because she went home with Drew that night. She looked at Jason and told the other guy she believed him.” Kristina picked up a straw, played with the wrapper. “I think if she’d known Jason called her, tried to see her before he talked to anyone else — I think maybe she’d have switched sides.”

“But she didn’t.”

“No. Dad ended it on asking what else Sam wants to take from him, and, like, you know her divorce demands are insane right? The custody stuff. Michael told me she accused him of abandoning Jake, that’s why he’s a bad father—”

Molly made a face. “Yeah, I was hoping she’d back off it.” She bit her lip. “Okay. So is that it?”

“Yeah, she threw Dad out after that, and I tried to talk to her, but that’s the whole update. I told Mom a little of it earlier, but I don’t know if she’s really seeing it. I don’t know if she wants to see it.”

“No, maybe not. You said you wanted advice, though, so…?”

“What do I do with this? Do I keep trying to talk to Sam? Do I talk to Dad? Do I tell Jason? That’s kind of the part I really want to know. Maybe I tell Drew. I like them both. I mean, you know, Jason used to get me out of so much trouble. And Drew was always nice to me. So do I just stay out of it? I feel like Jason should know. What if—”

“You were at the New Year’s Party. Do you think Jason’s thinking about Sam that way right now?” Molly asked.

“Well, no. He and Elizabeth looked solid. I mean, the way I heard it, Elizabeth took one look at Jason and was, like, yep, that’s you. And Sam wouldn’t. Refused. I guess…maybe it doesn’t matter that Sam’s upset because she didn’t know about the call or the visit.”

“If the reason Sam stuck with Drew is because she thought Jason didn’t…, like, check in with her first, I don’t know. I feel like that doesn’t matter to him. Or wouldn’t. In fact, as much as I hate to admit, it kind of makes Sam seem selfish, don’t you think?” Molly asked. “Because the guy’s been through hell, he thinks he’s sparing her, and he doesn’t her pressure to make any choices—”

“But he also doesn’t let her know it’s okay to take time with her choice. You don’t think she was owed that? Like he wanted her to decide over night?” Kristina made a face. “I don’t know. It all sits with me weird, and maybe I should just stay out of it, you know?”

“I think that’s probably safest. It’s a hard situation for all of them. Sam’s our sister. I know you’re mad at her for other reasons, but maybe you need to separate those things out.”

Kristina opened her mouth to tell Molly the rest of it — everything she’d overheard her sister say on Thanksgiving, the way Sam had wanted Jake gone. That felt related, she thought. Because maybe it was wrapped up in the whole problem Sam had with Elizabeth, who had believed Jason from the beginning. Maybe it was why Sam had clung to Drew so hard, because she’d felt like there were sides.

But Molly already knew enough terrible things about their sister, and Kristina could admit she was biased. She wanted to feel bad for Sam, and she did—sort of. But it was tempered with the knowledge that her sister could be destructively vindictive, and Kristina still didn’t know how to navigate her perceptions of Sam without that lens.

“Yeah, you’re right. We should stay out of it.” Kristina forced herself to smile. “That’s what I was thinking, so I’m glad we’re on the same page.”

Elm Street

Sam slowed her car as she approached the traffic light at Elm and Central Avenue. She glanced in the rearview mirror, checking on Danny scrolling on his tablet, and Scout who’d dozed off as she always did when she was a in car.

A school bus was just around the corner, stopped with its red sign holding out to warn traffic not to pass the bus while students poured off. Sam saw a familiar face out of the corner of her eye and twisted her head to get a better look.

Why was Jake getting off a bus across town from Elizabeth’s house? She saw Cameron come off a bench, as if he’d been waiting for his brother. Aiden was at his side. Why—

When the light changed, without thinking, Sam changed the blinker to turn right instead of staying straight on Central. She kept her speed light, following the boys who were ahead of her.

They walked about a block before veering into parking lot. Sam pulled her car to a slow stop, watching as they went towards a car garage, the two bay doors closed. There wasn’t a sign up, but Sam recognized the type of black SUV parked outside.

Jason.

Alexis had mentioned Jason was opening a garage — something he’d done the last time he’d been out of the business.

Elizabeth’s boys were walking right into the lobby side, with Cameron holding the door for his younger brothers. Walking in like they belonged there.

Sam’s fingers flexed on the wheel. She’d been frozen in that penthouse for months, she thought. Clinging to the wreckage of a life that didn’t exist anymore.

She didn’t care what Sonny said — she didn’t want Jason back, and it didn’t matter that he’d come to the penthouse, that he’d called her from Russia—he hadn’t done anything after that, had he? She hadn’t danced to his tune, and he obviously didn’t miss her. Not with Elizabeth’s boys walking into his new garage like it was theirs.

No. She didn’t care what Jason was doing. Or who he was doing it with. But he was doing something. Moving forward. Drew was doing something. He’d gone on with their plans for Aurora. What was Sam doing? Nothing. Reacting to everyone else, letting them set the tone.

It was time for a change. It was time for her to take charge.

If only she knew what the hell to do.

Morgan’s Auto: Lobby

Jake wrinkled his nose when he stepped inside, just ahead of his brothers and Spencer. “This place looks like a dump.”

“Hey, manners.” Cameron flicked his brother’s head, then looked across at Spinelli. “Hey.”

“Oh.” Spinelli frowned, standing up from his place at the desk. “Yeah, I forgot you were coming by. I’ll get Stone Cold.”

“No, that’s cool, we can just meet him—is he out with the cars—” Cameron craned his head, looking for the Chevy that Jason had gotten him for Christmas. Jason had brought it over to the garage that morning, so Cameron was eager to get started.

He’d get his learner’s permit in May, and he couldn’t wait to start driving. A whole world of freedom would open up—

“No, he’s in the back office, working on files. Dump your stuff anywhere, I’ll get him.”

“Files?” Spencer perked up, and Cameron looked at him. “Like the Cassadine stuff?”

“Yeah.” Spinelli pushed open the door to the back. “Hey, Stone Cold. You have a small army of children here reporting for duty.”

A moment later, Jason appeared. “Hey. I lost track of time sorry.” He came forward, around the counter. “What do you guys want to do? Other than work on your car,” he told Cameron. “I mean, for Jake and Aiden.”

“Can I smash anything?” Jake wanted to know. “Like, do you need to—” He punched his fist against his opposite palm. “Demo work and stuff. I could do that.”

“Nothing to destroy, sorry.” Jason turned, looked at Spinelli. “What’s on the list?”

“Inventory sorting,” Spinelli said cheerfully. “I’ll get Stone Cold the Second and the Youngest of Dudes all set up.” He took the younger boys into the garage bay.

“Spence, you ready to get some grease under those manicured nails?” Cameron asked, tossing his coat on top of his bag by the window. “How much work does the car need?” he asked Jason.

“Enough, but—”

“Can I read the files instead?” Spencer cut in, and Jason frowned at him. “I mean, someone should, right? So you don’t lose any time. I can help with that. It’s my family. And then you can go do Cam’s car.”

“Uh, yeah, okay. I’ll get you a couple things to read if that’s what you want to do.” Jason looked at Cam. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Okay.” Cameron tossed Spencer a look as the teen followed Jason into the back hallway. Last time he checked, Spencer had told him their grandmother had shut him down hard on even looking at the files. But well, that would be Jason’s problem.

He was gonna get to work on the car today, so whatever made that happen was fine by him. Spencer was gonna have to worry about himself.

Morgan’s Auto: Garage Bay

Jason gestured at a thin tube. “Do you see that?”

Next to him, stretched out an identical undercar roller, Cameron nodded. “Yeah.”

“This is the oil line. You want to check it for any nicks and cuts or anything that might cause the oil to leak.” He slid his fingers along the tube. “Just like this.”

“Okay. What happens when oil leaks? Does your car stop? Like immediately? Or like can it go for a while?”

“It’s dangerous to drive with one. Oil’s flammable, so it means you’re just making it more likely that you could end up in serious trouble. Or another car. Any time you have a leak, you want to handle it right away.” Jason moved to a different line. “This? This is the brake line.”

“Yeah, those are important. I know that. Mom uses them a lot.”

“Not as much as she should,” Jason muttered, and Cameron snickered. “You need to check your brakes every year, but it wouldn’t hurt to do it more. But at least every year—”

Across the room, he heard a cell phone ring. He sighed, and pulled himself out from under the car, Cameron following. “I’ll be right back.”

He scooped up the phone and answered it. “Yeah, Diane?”

“Jason. We have a problem.”

Jason grimaced, saw Laura at the front door in the lobby. He waved to her through the glass window that separated the bay from the lobby. She nodded back, and turned her attention away, probably to Spinelli.

“Jason, are you listening?”

“Yeah. I’m listening. What’s the problem?” He grabbed a towel to wipe his hands, leaving the phone tucked in between his shoulder and ear.

“Sonny decided to go over to Sam’s and pay her a visit yesterday. I don’t know what happened, but she’s furious. I told him not to get involved—”

Jason’s jaw clenched. “Why are you talking to him about it at all? You’re my lawyer.”

“I didn’t—I was trying to convince him to get his own representation. And yes, we did talk about how to make it go away—”

“Well, that’s not his problem,” Jason bit out. “He went to talk to Sam?”

“Yes. Which obviously didn’t get us anything but trouble. Which we don’t need. It could look like you’re trying to intimidate Sam into backing down on her demands which a judge will not appreciate—”

Jason saw Cameron trying very hard not to listen and wanted to throw the phone off a cliff. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Do that. I don’t need the headache.”

“Yeah, well, don’t talk to people who aren’t me about my case, Diane, and we won’t have a problem.” Jason didn’t bother to listen to her response but hung up and tossed the phone aside. What the hell was Sonny thinking getting involved? Jason was handling it, wasn’t he? He was going to let Diane do whatever the hell she wanted. What more did Sonny want?

“Uh, listen,” Cameron said, and Jason looked at him, “you look like you’re having a bad day, and I get it because, man, lawyers, but you should know something about Grandma Laura—”

“What the hell are you doing?” Laura demanded, appearing in the doorway with an irritated Spencer behind her. “He says you told him he could read those files.”

Jason squinted, then looked at Cameron. “Is this what I was supposed to know?”

“Yeah, uh, Grandma isn’t, um, entirely on board with Spencer trying to help. Like at all.” Cameron winced. “Should have told you that earlier—”

“It’s not fair, Grandmother. They’re my family’s records—”

“I don’t care!” Laura snapped. “I made it clear to you, so I don’t appreciate you going behind my back, and you—” She whirled around to stab a finger at Jason. “I brought my grandson here to work not to be drafted into your damned war!”

“My war?” Jason bit out. He tossed aside the towel. “Listen, I didn’t ask to be part of it, either! I was minding my own business until I got shot and shoved in the water!”

“I didn’t mean—”

“I respect that you don’t want Spencer involved,” Jason retorted. “But not everyone gets the choice. My kid didn’t get a choice, either. It must be nice to have one.”

“Jason—” Laura took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m sorry—”

“Yeah, me, too. There’s the door,” he said, gesturing. “I’ve got things to do.”

“Oh, damn,” Cameron said, under his breath, a bit wide-eyed.

“Do you see what you’ve done?” Laura said to Spencer. “Do you see what you’ve caused?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Spencer complained. “I was just trying to help, you’re the one that went crazy—” Laura went quiet, and he winced. “Grandmother, you know that’s not what I meant. I’m sorry.”

“Get your things and get into the car. Now.”

Spencer didn’t protest this time and moved quickly. Laura closed her eyes, took another deep breath, then looked at Jason. “I’m sorry. I clearly—I’m sorry.”

“So am I, Laura.”

She grimaced. “I’ll handle this at home. Thank you for looking after him today.” She left.

Jason looked at Cameron who looked up and away, suddenly very interested in the ceiling. “Don’t you think you could have warned me before your grandmother got here?”

“Yeah. Probably. Uh, I’m sorry—” Cameron winced. “It’s just—”

“Laura’s been through a lot with the Cassadines. Whether you or I or Spencer agree with keeping him out of it, she isn’t wrong.” He looked towards the back of the bay where Jake and Aiden were still sorting car parts and laughing. They hadn’t heard the confrontation, which was a relief. “I hate that Jake was part of this. What they did to his head — I don’t want that for anyone else. For you and your brothers. For Spencer. I want this as far away from all of you.”

“I get that,” Cameron said slowly. “And I’m not looking to be in it. But Spencer, it’s different for him. I still go home to my mom every day, you know? And Jake and Aiden, I got them. Spencer, he just—he doesn’t have that. He never really did, even when his dad was alive. So I guess maybe I didn’t say anything because I don’t see the problem with trying to help. I don’t like that he didn’t tell you, and I’m sorry for not doing it either. You don’t deserve to be in the middle of his fight with Grandma.”

“Let’s just get your brothers and pack up to go home.”

Quartermaine Estate: Foyer

Michael kicked the door closed with his leg as he switched his cell from one ear to the other. “I’m sorry, Nelle. I know it’s the second night in a row, but I need to have everything just right—”

“I know you do, baby, but I miss you—”

“Yeah, I miss you, too.” Michael hung up his coat, holding the phone in the crook of his shoulder. “This weekend. I promise. I’ll make it up to you. I have some meetings tomorrow that will let me wrap everything up for this proposal. Then, it’s all you.”

“Okay.”

He hung up the phone, then jumped when he saw his grandmother in the doorway to the front parlor. “You scared me.”

“I’m sorry.” Monica had her hand on the doorway, her expression puzzled. “You canceled plans with Nelle tonight?”

“Yeah. I wouldn’t have been any use to her anyway,” Michael said. He rubbed the back of his neck. “I still have a ton of paperwork to look over before tomorrow, and this proposal needs to be accepted or it’s going to be one more thing Aunt Tracy uses to drive me crazy.”

“Oh, you know you don’t need to worry about her,” Monica said as she followed him towards the back of the house and the kitchen. “She just likes to cause chaos.”

“That’s what Ned says, and I believe him.” He tugged open the fridge, looking for something quick. “But it doesn’t mean it’s not a headache.”

He kicked the fridge shut and went to the counter to start constructing a turkey sandwich. “You’ve known Aunt Tracy for, like, ever, so you know how exhausting she can be when she focuses on you.”

“I certainly do.” Monica slid onto the stool across from him. “We had battle after battle back in the beginning. She was determined to protect every inch of Edward’s estate for Ned. She hated that Alan got married, that he had children.”

“Yeah, Ned said she’s not thrilled with how many times the shares have diluted since Grandfather passed.” Michael spread some mayo on the slab of bread. “It’s crazy to hear stories from the old days, especially about you and Grandfather. I wish I’d know him better.”

“Me, too. He would have enjoyed knowing you were at ELQ. It’s all he wanted. For you to be part of this family. I think Emily really shifted his feelings on who got to be a member of the family,” Monica said. “We adopted her, but Edward—I think she was his favorite. She had that way about her. You couldn’t help but love her.”

“I remember. It’s—” Michael rested his hands on the island counter. “It’s hard sometimes, just remembering her not being here. Even though it’s been ten years.”

“A lot of the spark in this family was gone after she passed away. Edward was never quite the same. Your grandfather worried that we were all fading away. That the family would just disappear.” She looked at him. “It meant a lot to me when you changed your last name. That you kept it.”

“I did it out spite at first,” Michael admitted. “And later, even though I reconciled with my mom and Sonny, I kept it to remind myself who I was. And to never let myself forget. I didn’t want to forget AJ. You know that, don’t you? Letting them back in, it wasn’t about that.”

“AJ never wanted you to tear yourself apart. He just wanted to be part of your story. And now he will be. That matters.” Monica touched his hand. “It matters that you’re still here. And that because you are, it’s helped Jason come back to us.”

“Well, that’s not just me—”

“But it starts with you. And, yes, because I’ve reached out to Jake, that helps, too. But you are such a comfort to me, Michael.” Monica rubbed his hand, then drew it back. “Tracy will rattle your cages until she’s satisfied, and then she’ll go away again. You’ll get used to it.”

“Can’t wait.”

Webber House: Kitchen

“I’m sorry, I agree with Laura.” Elizabeth scrubbed the plate, then handed it to Jason who wiped it dry with a dish towel. “It’s bad enough we have to go through these files. I don’t want to come home and see Cameron with his own stack.”

“I get Laura’s concern, I do.” Jason set the plate in the drying rack. “But Spencer asked. I don’t remember being his age, but I remember Emily. And you,” he added. “Think of what you got into.”

“Every day, I have more sympathy for my poor grandmother,” she muttered. “I think of Emily being blackmailed, and all of us just handling it ourselves. My God, what we were thinking? And that happened twice. It’s amazing—” She grimaced. “Well, it’s amazing we survived that.”

“You were thinking your friend was in trouble and embarrassed. That you wanted to help her. You did—”

“At what cost? Emily and I got held hostage, then she got kidnapped and dumped in a car. I got drugged at a rave, guns pointed at me near the Canadian border—” She shook her head and wiped out the sink. “Laura has a right to set boundaries for Spencer.”

“You didn’t like when people did it for you—”

“And I was an idiot!” Elizabeth threw up her hands. “Jason, come on. Laura just found out Lucky was Patient 2. Nikolas is dead. She gets to be overprotective. And our son was nearly manipulated into killing a room full of people.” She frowned at him. “How can you stand there and tell me you think Spencer should get involved in this? He’s fifteen. Can’t we let them be kids just a little longer?” She turned away from the sink, pressing her hand against her forehead.

“I didn’t mean that Spencer should get involved,” Jason said gently. If Laura forbids him from doing something, it’s probably not going to change how much he wants to do it. When your grandmother forbid you from doing something, what did you run out and do?”

“That’s—” Elizabeth grimaced, met his eyes. “Okay. Yes. I usually took Gram setting boundaries as a dare. Okay. I get what you’re saying.”

“I don’t want this to touch the boys any more than it already does.” Jason took her hands. “I just don’t see the point in fighting a battle that Laura will end up losing. Spencer’s not going to give up. It might be better if we supervise how he’s involved. If we don’t let him do something as small as reading a file, who’s to say he won’t look for another way? And end up in even deeper trouble?”

“Yeah. I know. I know.” Elizabeth bit her lip. “I just—I hate that he wants to help. But I wouldn’t expect anything less. When Nikolas and Emily came over that day, looking for Lucky’s help, I got involved because I wanted to stop obsessing about what had happened to me. I wanted to just do anything else. And I’m glad we did. Emily and I weren’t friends before then. After that, you couldn’t have pried us apart.”

“I remember.” He rubbed her shoulder. “They’re going to get in trouble. Make mistakes. You know that. We can’t stop them.”

“No. But I’m not going to tell Laura how to handle Spencer. If she wants to cut him out of this, then we have to respect that. I’m not going to tell a woman who’s lost so much to the Cassadines that she has to watch her grandson get wrapped up in this.”

“Whatever Laura wants, I’ll respect her wishes. Spencer’s not my kid to make choices for.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I know. And I didn’t mean to get mad at you. It’s just—for the last two days, it’s like we’re eating, breathing, sleeping these stupid files. And yes, we’ve learned some new things, I guess. Lucky being one of the patients shifts the whole timeline which we needed to know. But I just—” She took a deep breath. “Having to tell him this morning, watching it hit him like a freight train—it brings it back. I was so scared all the time — scared of how Lucky was changing, not understanding, and then terrified that we couldn’t stop it—”

She wrapped an arm around her waist, used the other hand to brush away her tears. “We were so young, Jason. So young and stupid. We never should have been involved in any of it. But we got swept up because we all loved Lucky, and I can see it happening all over again. It’s my greatest fear, you know. That we don’t fix it, that we don’t stop it, and Aiden gets involved somehow. Or Cameron. He’s not right now, but Spencer’s his family, and Cameron will let himself get dragged into it just like I did.” She looked at him. “I don’t want my kids to repeat my mistakes. I’d go back and do anything to keep myself from getting involved.”

“You never, in a million years, could have stopped yourself from stepping up,” Jason told her. “Lucky was in trouble, and you wanted to save him. Every time Emily was in trouble, you wanted to save her. That’s why you’re so sure that Spencer being involved puts Cameron in the crosshairs. Because he’s just like you.”

“Well, my parents always wanted me to have kids who were like me. Guess they got their wish.” Elizabeth sighed. “Can we just—we not talk about it tonight? I want to make sure the boys didn’t smuggle any phones or tablets upstairs, then maybe you and I could sit on the sofa and talk about anything else. Can we do that?”

He tipped her chin up. “Yeah,” he murmured, kissing her. “We can do that.”

 

---

NEXT WEEK

“She went after Jake because she thought he was my son. Biologically. You ever think about that? The opportunity presented itself with the car accident, so she took it. But it could have been Aiden. There’s a reason she switched those tests, Dad. Not just to cause trouble, but maybe she wanted to get her hands on my son. Cameron? Helena wouldn’t understand biology, so maybe he was safe. But I couldn’t take that risk. With any of them. I kept my distance, and it worked. They’re all safe. Happy. Healthy.” Lucky looked down into his coffee. “I wasn’t a good father even before we found Jake. I was too angry at how my life turned out to appreciate what I already had. I wasn’t who I wanted to be. I turned my back on my sons. Now they’re not mine anymore.”

—

“Stefan Cassadine is beginning to regain conscious.” Klein paused. “As we discussed, he’s disoriented, drifting in and out. We are monitoring him, but it is a very promising sign.”

“Yes. Yes, it is.” Valentin leaned back in his chair. “Thank you. Inform me as soon as he’s ready to be questioned.”

—

“Well, you don’t have to think anything,” Laura cut in. “He won’t be part of this. So make sure you keep the files locked up where the boys can’t get access. I’ll be telling Elizabeth the same thing.”

“Yeah, okay.” Jason watched her leave, then turned to Spinelli. “Does she really think saying no will work?”

“Uh, as someone who tried to tell the Blonde One no on many occasion, Spencers don’t really listen to that word.”

—

“He’s getting all bogged down in what happened to him,” Felix said. “You’re going to have to take the reins and remind him what he’s got to live for. I promise. It’ll work.”

“Yeah, okay. We’ll see.” She shook her head, gathered her things. “I need to get back to work—”

“I mean it about the red lipstick!” he called after her.

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