Chapter Twenty-One




Faith glared at the man across the table from her. He was quite sad looking and it was all she could do to not laugh in his face. The suit he wore was drab and fit poorly on his wiry frame. How could such a prestigious law firm send this pathetic little wimp to handle her case? “You are supposed to be the best. Now, I am going to make this simple for you. Get. Me. Out. Of. Here.” Faith had leaned in closer, seeing how the man became visibly nervous and reflexively moved back.

Daniel Richards gulped and pushed his wire rimmed glasses up on his nose as he sat further back in his metal chair, his back pressing into the back of the cold piece of furniture. When his firm had been contacted by Faith Roscoe, Daniel had been unlucky enough to draw the assignment. He had heard about Mrs. Roscoe and her reputation and had not looked forward to this interview.

“Well . . . ummm . . . Mrs. Roscoe, you have to understand that won’t be . . . well . . . it won’t exactly be easy,” he began, tugging at the silk tie that all of a sudden felt like a noose around his neck.

Faith sat back in her chair, arms folded over her chest as she regarded the nervous, balding man in front of her. He was definitely pathetic. She was going to have to have a talk with that firm – they were supposed to have been loyal to her late husband, and they sent this sniveling, excuse for a man to defend her.

“I guess I haven’t made myself clear enough, so let me try this again. You are to get bail posted so I can get out of this hell hole,” she said, leaning forward as her ice blue eyes bore into his wide hazel ones. “I don’t care how difficult or impossible you think it is. And if you don’t, I will be sure to make your life a living hell. Are we clear?”

Daniel’s eyes became even wider as he cleared his now dry throat. “Of- of course Mrs. Roscoe,” he stammered. “I will begin processing the paper work.”

“You do that,” said Faith as she watched this nervous little man gather his papers.


*~*~*~*~*



It had been three days and still there was no improvement in Lorenzo’s condition.

Jessica herself had been released from GH with strict orders from Dr. Meadows to relax and not become overly stressed. Promising to do her best, she couldn’t help worrying about her father. There had been no change or indication that he was waking up. She was thankful that no infection had set in and he seemed to be healing nicely. All that was left was for him to wake up.

Monica tried to reassure Jessica and Diego that Lorenzo’s body still needed time to heal and being unconscious was one way for that to happen. “It’s only been three days and I have to say that he is healing remarkably well considering the amount of trauma to his body. His lung has healed and he’s better able to breath on his own.”

Jessica nodded as she listened, looking through the window at her father. “Will there be any brain damage with him being unconscious this long?” she asked, turning back to Monica.

“No. We’ve already done a CAT scan to rule that out. When his heart stopped on the ambulance they were able to get it restarted fast enough, so there wasn’t much loss of oxygen to the brain. Of course, we will do more scans and tests when he wakes up.”

Sighing, Jessica ran her hands through her long hair. She hadn’t slept much the last few nights, worrying about her father. Jason had set up guards outside her door and all around the building where her apartment was. He even coordinated Lorenzo’s guards to work on a rotating schedule at the hospital. Jason was taking no chances that Faith would get a chance to finish the job.

Monica watched Jessica. She saw the fear, worry and tiredness in the young woman’s face. “Jessica, you’ve been here all morning. Why don’t you have Diego take you home so you can relax,” Monica suggested gently. She knew if given the chance, Jessica would never leave until Lorenzo woke up, but Monica was not going to allow that, especially when the woman in front of her was carrying her grandchild and had already had some issues with the pregnancy thus far.

Jessica didn’t want to leave, but she knew she needed to rest and her father would want her to. “Please Monica, call me if there’s any change,” she said.

After Monica assured her she would, Jessica joined Diego in the waiting area.

“Hey, you ready to go?” she asked. At Diego’s nod, they left GH together.


*~*~*~*~*



“Jason, I just don’t get it,” Sonny said as he paced back and forth across the living room, running his hands through his slicked back black hair. “First, you save Alcazar’s life and now you’re organizing his men to guard him? What’s going on?”

Jason sighed. He knew this was going to come up sooner or later with Sonny. Rubbing the back of his neck, Jason looked Sonny right in the eye. He knew when he donated his blood and began working with Alcazar’s people; Sonny would have something to say about it. And he was surprised that Sonny seemed this calm about it.

“Look Sonny, this has nothing to do with loyalty. I did what I did for Jessica and that’s the bottom line.”

Sonny sighed and shook his head. He didn’t like this at all. “Jason, I understand that you love Jessica. I get that, okay? But putting your loyalty on Alcazar’s side is just not acceptable.”

“I am not shifting loyalties Sonny,” said Jason with a sigh, frustration evident in his voice. “All I am doing is keeping the mother of my child safe. If that means protecting her father – then that’s what I’m going to do.”

Sonny was not used to Jason’s defiance – having only experienced it a few times over the years. And he was not going to tolerate it now. “You want to keep Jessica and your child safe, fine, I’m all for that. But I do not approve of you working with Alcazar’s people to keep him safe. That’s where I draw the line Jason.”

Jason stared at Sonny, not in shock or surprise, but in sadness. “I’m sorry you feel that way Sonny. You know that I have always stood by your side whether I agreed with you or not, and I will continue to do so. But I am also not going to walk away from this. Jessica is a part of my life now and always will be.”

“That life does not have to include Alcazar, Jason.”

“He’s her father Sonny. I can’t tell Jessica to cut herself off from her father because I don’t like him. I wouldn’t be any better than him.”

“Well you have one hell of a way of showing you don’t like the man,” Sonny snorted. “Do you really think he would be doing the same for you?”

“If it’s what Jessica wanted, yes.”

“Jason, I need to know that I can still trust you in my business,” Sonny finally said, expressing what had been on his mind since this all began.

“What are you talking Sonny? You know you can always trust me,” Jason said in confusion. He did not like where this conversation was going.

“Do I?”


*~*~*~*~*



“I know I shouldn’t be here Dad, that I should be at home resting, but I couldn’t relax. Not until you wake up and I know you’re going to be alright.” Jessica sat beside her father, holding his hand as she spoke. After leaving earlier, Jessica had gone back to her apartment and tried to get some sleep, but her mind was too busy for her to settle down. So after tossing and turning a lot, Jessica finally gave up and had one of the guards take her back to the hospital. She knew Jason wasn’t going to be happy with her, but she needed to be here.

“I love you Dad and I want you to stick around for a good long time.” Jessica wiped at the tears that had started again. She hated crying – hated showing weakness – but Jessica didn’t know if she had ever been this scared. Being terrorized and kidnapped by Ric didn’t compare to the possibility of losing her father forever.


*~*~*~*~*



Lorenzo heard her voice. He struggled toward it, fighting his way through the darkness and pain. There was a hot sting when he breathed and heaviness on his chest. But he pushed that all away. All that mattered to him was getting back to his daughter, his son and the woman he loved.


*~*~*~*~*



Before Jason could answer Sonny, his cell phone rang. Sighing, he pulled it out of his pocket and flipped it open. “Morgan,” he said and then listened for a moment. “Thanks.”

Sonny had moved over to the bar to pour a strong drink as Jason took the call.

“Faith’s been released on bail,” Jason said disgustedly after closing his phone and returning it to his pocket. He rubbed his eyes and then looked at Sonny. “What do you want me to do about her?”

Sonny turned back to Jason, a tumbler full of Brandy in his hand. “Unless she comes after my family Jason, I’m not interested in what Faith does.”

Jason stared at Sonny in disbelief. He couldn’t be serious. Faith would definitely go after Sonny and his family – that’s what she did. How could Sonny be brushing the threat of Faith aside?

“You know she’ll come after you Sonny,” Jason said, hating to state the obvious, but feeling that he had to. Sonny was angry, Jason understood that, but to be careless was stupid – even for him.

“If she does, then I’ll make sure she’s taken care of. I’ll protect my family Jason and you can protect yours.”

Jason stood there a moment longer. There was nothing he felt he could say at this moment that would make Sonny understand. He could only nod as he turned and walked out of the penthouse.


*~*~*~*~*



“You unfeeling, selfish bastard!” Carly exclaimed as she came down the stairs, fury burning in her dark eyes. “How could even think Jason wouldn’t be loyal to you?”

“Carly, this doesn’t concern you, so stay out of it,” Sonny said as he turned back to the bar to refill his drink.

“No. I will not stay out of it and it damn well does concern me!” Carly yelled as she stalked across the room to her husband. “Jason has been nothing but loyal to you for the last ten years Sonny! He has always been there for you, without question! And when he needs you most, you turn you back on him? Where’s your loyalty?”

Slamming the glass onto the bar, Sonny turned to his wife. “My loyalty? Don’t even question where my loyalty lies Carly!” he shouted. “Jason is the one turning his back to work with a man who has tried numerous times to tear our family apart! I will not allow that to happen!”

“And what are you going to do Sonny, huh? Send Jason to his room and make him stay there until he comes to his senses? He’s not a child! He is in love with a wonderful woman who is giving him the one thing Jason has always wanted – a family!” Carly shouted back, not caring that Max was right outside and was probably hearing the whole thing.

“He has a family! He had us, he has Michael and Morgan and Emily! We are his family!”

“And now he has Jessica and their daughter, Sonny! And like it or not, that family now includes Diego and Lorenzo! Stop trying to make Jason choose, because I know who won’t like who he chooses,” Carly said, trying to make Sonny see beyond what was in front of him. “Jason loves you Sonny, you have been more than his boss, you are the person you gave him purpose – a reason to live after that accident took away all of his dreams and plans – you are also his best friend and brother Sonny, the one person Jason could always rely to be there for him. Don’t take that away.”

“Carly, how am I supposed to condone his switching sides? After all that Alcazar did to us –“ Sonny began, but was cut off by Carly’s glare.

“Get over it Sonny! The rest of us have! Stop living in the past!”

Sonny looked at Carly in disbelief. “So I’m just supposed to forget how he teamed up with my psycho brother to keep you prisoner; how he endangered Morgan’s life when you were carrying him? All the pain and anguish he caused us? I’m supposed to just forgive and forget and move on?”

“Yes. The rest of us have Sonny. It’s called living. If you keep harping on the past – you’ll always be stuck there.”


*~*~*~*~*



“I want Faith located and tracked. If she goes anywhere near Jessica, Diego, or General Hospital I want to be notified immediately,” said Jason, pacing his living room. He couldn’t believe Faith had made bail. Snapping the phone closed Jason grabbed his jacket and left. He needed to get back to Jessica.


*~*~*~*~*



After what felt like an eternity, Lorenzo finally opened his eyes. The room he was in was quiet with only the sound of beeping coming from the machines he knew surrounded his bed.

He blinked a couple of times, clearing some of the fuzziness in his vision. Lorenzo knew he wasn’t alone in the room and with a lot of effort, turned his head. Sitting on a couch not too far from the bed were Jessica and Diego. Diego’s head was leaning back on the couch cushins while Jessica’s was on Diego’s shoulder. A light blanket covered them both as they slept.














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