She was going to die.

That was the thought that went through Jessica’s head as she plunged into the icy cold waters of the Port Charles river. She felt herself sinking through the murky water as the shock began to wear off and a desperate need for survival flowed through her. She begin kicking her feet in an attempt to climb back up through the darkness to the surface. She could feel her lungs beginning to burn and the blackness that threatened to engulf her.

She was going to die.

Okay she could accept that. But she was a Buchanan and if death was going to grab her then it would have to be prepared for one hell of a fight.

God. It was taking too long. The water was too cold. The surface was too far away. She wasn’t going to make it.

Her last conscious thoughts were of Will before the darkness claimed her.

Will was walking in the direction that he thought Jess took, eager to show her what he had found in the trash can behind Kelly’s, when he heard the splash. Later he would question how he knew, but at that moment he just knew, instinctively, that Jess was in trouble and he took off on a run towards the docks where the noise had come from.

He could hear a voice screaming Jess’s name and it took him a second to realize that it was his voice that was raw with fear. He stopped at the edge of the dock and looked down, his heart catching in his throat as he saw her floating face down in the water.

His mind reeled as he took an involuntary step back. She was dead. He shook his head. No way. She wasn’t. She couldn’t be. He’d lost their daughter. He wasn’t going to lose her too.

Without even stopping to think about what he was doing, Will dived into the water and surfaced a few feet from where Jess was. In the near blackness, her blonde hair shown like a beacon and he reached for it, reached for her, carefully turning her still form over so that her face was out of the water.

Treading water, he looked around and realized that where they were there was no where that he could pull her up and out of the water. Quickly, he felt for a pulse and felt the world shift when he realized that she had a pulse, however faint and erratic it seemed to be.

Still she wasn’t breathing and the cold clamminess of her skin and the blue tinge of her lip petrified him.

Desperate, he reached for her even as his strong legs kept him treading water, and holding her head at a tilted angle, he breathed into her wishing for a moment that his knowledge of first aide was not limited to episodes of Baywatch.

Please God you can’t take her from me. I can’t survive without her. Please God help her to breath. Come on Jess. Come back to me. Breathe babe. Just one breath. One tiny breath.

He whispered his litany as he continued the difficult task of giving Jessica life sustaining breaths as he held her head up while they treaded the icy cold water.

His mind was completely focused on Jessica.

It refused to acknowledge the icy cold that was slowly numbing his limbs, making it difficult to move.

Breathe In. Breathe out. In. Out.

Nothing.

His scream for help tore through the night.

But Jessica was still a cold still weight in his arms and the water was only getting colder.

And he didn’t mind so much if they were going to die in this moment because the truth was that he would rather die with her than live one moment without her.

The Quartermaine Estate

Emily stirred in Nikolas’s arms as she leaned back against his strength, the two of them sheltered under the ancient willow tree that served as a silent sentinel overlooking the lake on the estate grounds.

Lazily, her eyelids half closed as she fought the urge to sleep, determined to stay awake and enjoy this feeling, this dream of being in Nikolas’s arms, of his breath stirring against her hair, of his voice whispering in her hair.

How could she have forgotten this feeling? She understood the clinical reasons well enough. The blow to her head in the explosion. The terror of being trapped afterwards. The combined physical and psychological trauma had been too much and her mind had coped by simply wiping the last year or so away. What she couldn’t remember couldn’t hurt her? Still she mourned the memories she had lost. The most incredible thing ever had happened, Nikolas had fallen in love with her, with her, and she couldn’t remember it. Couldn’t remember their first kiss. Or their first date. Even the look on Edward’s face when he realized what was happening.

All of that was gone. She shivered slightly.

“Em?” She heard the concern in his tone as he started to stir. “It’s getting cold, I should take you back inside.”

“No.” Her gentle touch on his arm stilled him. “It’s okay....” Despite her best intentions, her voice was shaky and uneven and she suddenly found herself blinking back tears.

“Em?” The gentleness in his touch as he wiped away a tear almost undid her. “What’s wrong?” He fought back the rising fear that she was beginning to remember. He dreaded the idea of them going back to where they had been before the explosion even as he exulted in the hope that her memories would return. God he had never felt so conflicted in his life. Still he reminded himself, the important thing was Emily and her happiness just as it would always be.

Emily closed her eyes and then turned to bury her head against his chest.

“Emily?”

“I’m scared.”

He said nothing, merely waited for her to continue as his gently drew soft circles on the small of her back.

“This is so...incredible. Unreal. Beyond my comprehension.” She drew back a moment so she could look into his eyes, her breath sharply drawn as she saw the love reflected in his eyes for her. Her. “I’m just afraid that if I close my eyes and go to sleep I’ll wake up and it will be gone. I won’t remember what it felt like to hold you or for you to hold me. I won’t remember that I love you.”

“Emily..” Nikolas began softly, his voice reflective as his words drifted through the darkness. “This last year, these last six months have been the most ...I don’t know, just simply incredible of my life. I wish ... I wish you could remember so many things- making angels in the snow or the sleigh ride we took or dancing together on the terrace at Wyndemere. If I could give you back those memories I would in a heartbeat.” He reached forward and gently kissed her on the lips. “But Emily when I think about how close I came to losing you...when I think about what it felt like to watch you leave with Juan earlier ... “ He shook his head. “I’d give up the last year in a heartbeat if it meant that I would have the chance to spend the next seventy or eighty with you.”

“Nikolas...” Her voice was soft and breathless and she felt like she was being swallowed whole by the intensity of his gaze.

“Don’t you see Em? There’s nothing to be afraid of.” His fingers burned a trail against her skin before moving back to gently brush back tendrils of hair. “You forgot the details, so what? In your heart where it counts you never forget for a second what you feel for me and what I feel for you. The whys and hows and whats of the last year don’t matter. What matters is that even when you couldn’t remember anything else, your heart wouldn’t...couldn’t forget what’s really important.” He pulled her closer into his arms or maybe she just leaned into him. She couldn’t tell because she could no longer decipher where he ended and where she began. “I love you Emily.” The kiss he gave her, meant to be comforting, quickly turned incredibly intense and it sparked something in both of them that left them breathless.

She drew back after a few moments, her clothes askew, her skin shivering with something that had nothing to do with the chill in the air.

“We’d better head back..” Nikolas began reluctantly but afraid of what would happen if they stayed like this, alone like this, for much longer. There was still the issue of Liz and those damned pictures lying between them. At least for him. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, make love to her for the first time like this.

However much every nerve ending in his body was telling him otherwise.

Sometimes a sense of honor was a real drawback.

Emily stopped him as he attempted to draw back.

“Make love to me Nikolas.” Her brown eyes shone and her voice was like whiskey, the combination of the two made him shudder. “Don’t let me go. Not now. Not ever.”

He took a deep breath. Oh yeah honor downright sucked sometimes.

“Emily there’s something you need to know...”

“Emily! Emily!” The sudden intrusion of Alan’s voice broke the two young people apart just before his physical appearance had them scrambling to stand up.

“Dad?” Emily looked at her father in puzzlement.

“Emily.” Her father’s gaze shifted to Nikolas but he said nothing as he turned back to his daughter. “There’s been an accident.”

Emily faltered and she felt Nikolas’s arm go around her for support. She couldn’t lose someone else she loved.

“Who?”

“Jessica.”

Emily didn’t wait for him to say another word before she broke out in a run heading back to the house and her car, Nikolas close behind her.

Helena’s yacht

“You’ve failed. I don’t deal well with failures.”

“Juan Santiago is not a failure.” Juan pulled himself up with casual arrogance.

“Then explain to me why my sources say Miss. Quartermaine is with my grandson even as we speak.”

Juan shrugged, neatly hiding the sudden flare of jealousy that threatened to strangle him. “A temporary setback at most. I know Em. I know her insecurities and how to manipulate them. Nikolas can say whatever he wants, once Emily recovers her memory she won’t be able to forget the fact that he slept with Liz.”

“A one night stand before they got to together? The girl is not foolish enough to throw away a prince for such a paltry reason.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. But I wouldn’t worry too much. If I have my way, history is about to repeat itself.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that Emily has a habit of walking in on the most, shall we say embarrassing, of situations. She might be able to forgive a photograph, but something tells me that what she sees with her own eyes won’t be so easy to forgive or forget.”

Helena’s eyes gleamed. “What an intriguing idea.” She eyed the young man in front of her like a cat eyed fresh salmon in her dish. “I do believe that there is a future for you in this line of work.”

Juan shook his head. “All I want is what should have been mine, what Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan stole from my family, from me. Emily is simply a means to an end.” A look of pure hatred crossed his face. “Morgan might be able to overlook me at the moment, but once I’ve gotten Emily in my grip again...let’s just say that Jason wouldn’t want his little sister living in anything less than the style that I’VE grown accustomed to.” He smiled. “And my grandfather’s death will be avenged.”

Helena nodded. “Revenge is sweet, isn’t it.”

“Not revenge.” Juan threw Helena a hard look. “Vengeance.”

“Ahh yes.” Helena leaned back. “Whatever. Either way Nikolas will have nothing to do with that creature.” Helena shuddered. “The concept of that girl, related to that family, with that brother, bearing Mikkos great grandchildren does not bear thinking of. When the time is right I will introduce Nikolas to a more suitable mate. Someone with class and breeding. Not a teenage brat.”

“Hey.” Juan’s voice was sharp and edgy. “That’s my future wife you’re talking about.”

Helena smiled. “Of course. My apologies. Perhaps a shot of bourbon will make up for my tactless remark.”

“It’s a beginning.” Juan grinned.

Helena poured the youth the drink. She’d give his plan a chance at least for a little while. But if Juan’s manipulations didn’t pull Nikolas away from Little Orphan Emily, than she’d see to it that the two were separated. Permanently.

Jason Morgan barrelled throught he double doors leading to the emergency room at GH, his normally passive face pale and tense.

“Taggert!” He spotted the PCPD detective talking to one of the nurses at the nurses’ station.

Taggert looked up. “Angerboy. To what do I owe the pleasure? Or should I say nonpleasure.”

“My men said you fished two young people out of the river.”

“Yeah.” Taggert cocked an eye at Jason even as he looked at his notes. “ Wallets identified them as a Jessica Buchanan and William Rappaport. They weren’t wearing cement shoes so I’m assuming you didn’t put them in the river so why the interest?”

“Where are they?” Jason ignored the question.

“Not to sound too juvenile or anything but I asked first.”

Jason swore. “Jessica is a friend of the family.”

“A friend of the Family or a friend of the family?”

“She’s a friend of Emily’s. Where...” Jason paused. “are they?”

“The young man is in trauma one,” the nurse behind the counter answered Jason. “He was suffering from hypothermia and shock but he should be okay.”

“And Jessica?” “How is she?” The nurse looked solemn. “It doesn’t look good. She wasn’t breathing on her own when they brought her in and even if she survives the possible brain damage...” The nurse’s voice trailed off as she winced in sympathy at the stark look in Jason’s eyes. “The doctors are with her now. Dr. Jones and Dr. Ramsey are two of the best we have on staff.”

Jason nodded. He turned back to Taggert. “What the hell happened?”

“I was hoping you could tell me. Apparently they decided to take a swim in the river. Would have drowned if a charter fishing boat hadn’t heard the young man screaming. Still according to my men the young woman, Jessica, was more dead than alive when they brought her in.” Taggert looked Jason straight in the eye. “You have any idea why they might be swimming with the fishes.”

Jason shrugged in pretend nonchalance. “None at all.”

Taggert looked at Jason suspiciously. “First your sister is caught in a bomb explosion. Now a friend of the family takes a long walk off a short pier. And as usual you know nothing. When you know something you let me know. You know where to find me.”

Taggert walked off and Jason turned to Johnny. “I want the guards on my sister and Jessica tripled and I want them obvious. I want whoever is doing this to know that getting within hundred feet of either Jessie or Em is going to cost them and cost them dearly.”

“You think all of this is related? The photos, the bomb, this....”

“All I know is that there is no way that Jessie and Rappaport being in that water was an accident.”

Johnny nodded. “What next?”

“Check in with the men tailing Santiago. I want to know where he was every minute tonight.”

“Got ya.” Jason stood in the silent waiting room after Johnny left before approaching the student nurse who he had talked to before. “Excuse me.” He smiled at her in what he hoped was a charming way. “The young man we were discussing earlier, Mr. Rappaport, may I see him?”

“I’m here.” Jason looked up at bleak voice. Will Rappaport looked like hell, his face was still pale and ashen and he was visibly shaking. He was also shrugging off the efforts of a very frustrated young doctor to tend them.

“Rappaport.” Jason acknowledged him coolly. “You look like hell.” He paused. “Come to think of it you look like you belong in a hospital bed.”

“That’s exactly what I was telling him,” the doctor flashed Jason a grateful smile before placing her hands on Will’s shoulders. “Let me reattach the IV and let’s get you out of those wet clothes.”

Will angrily shook off the doctor’s efforts, his eyes still focused on Jason. “They won’t tell me how Jess is.”

Jason nodded, intimately aware of the well meaning arrogance of the medical profession. “The doctors are still treating her.”

Will read the unspoken message in the other man’s eyes. “It doesn’t look good, does it.”

“It doesn’t look like anything.” Jason said brusquely. “Like I said the doctor is still working on her.”

Will felt his legs collapse under him as he sat down heavily on the upholstered bench. “I can’t lose her.”

“You won’t. Jessie’s a fighter, always has been.” Jason sat down awkwardly next to Will. “She’ll pull through.” Pause. “ What the hell happened tonight?”

Will ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know. Jess has been, obsessed with those photos that were sent to Emily.”

“I know. I’ve been helping her track down where they came from.”

“Remind me to glare at you for risking my fiancee’s life when I’m exhausted and worried.” Will said wryly. “Anyway Jessica wanted to follow up on an idea she had so we went back to...”

“Will!” Emily’s cry interrupted Will’s recount of the events of the evening as she entered the waiting room, followed closely on her heels by Nikolas.

Almost immediately Emily flung herself into Will’s arms, burying herself tight against him as he held her tight, the two people who, outside of her family, loved Jessica Buchanan the most drawing comfort from each other. After a moment, Emily drew back shakily. “We have to stop meeting like this.” She tried to smile as Will looked at her in surprise.

“You remember?”

Emily shook her head. “Only bits and pieces.” She hesitated. “What I do remember is that Jess came out okay that time too.”

“Will...” Nikolas looked at his friend quietly. “Anything you need. Whatever you need.”

A look passed between the two men before Will nodded. “I guess I should call Jess’s family....”

Just then Tony Jones emerged from Trauma Two, sliding off his mask and removing his gloves as he did so.

“Dr. Jones?” Emily approached him softly. “How is she?”

“You know her?” Tony asked and Emily nodded. “Does she have any family?”

Will stepped forward. “Her family is in Pennsylvania but I’m her fiancee.”

Tony nodded. “All right. Miss. Buchanan was suffering from severe hypothermia and shock when she was brought in. As it is, we’ve started the process of bringing her body temperature up by degrees and as long as there aren’t any complications, then she should be fine.”

“Complications?”

“She wasn’t breathing on her own when she was brought in. The fact that someone performed rescue breathing on her probably saved her life, but rescue breathing provides the minimal amount of oxygen to the body and there is no saying what long term effects of that period of oxygen deprivation will have on her brain function. There’s also the fact that reheating the body can be very traumatic to the system and sometimes result in heart attacks or strokes.” Tony stopped when he realized by the pale faces that he was scaring them. “Miss. Buchanan is young and strong. Like I said, barring any unforeseen complications I expect both her but the child....”

Will looked up in shock. “What child?”

“You didn’t know? Miss. Buchanan is pregnant. Not too far along I’d say, but definitely pregnant.”

Will felt a wild joy begin to fill his veins that was immediately followed by this sickening sense of deja vu. “Could Jess lose the baby?”

“I won’t lie to you. Her body was extremely traumatized. How that trauma affected the fetus, we just don’t know at this point. I’d say the next 24 hours are crucial. If the baby holds on for the next day than its chances are excellent that Miss. Buchanan will carry it to full term.”

As Tony turned to give a series of directions to the nurse, a stunned Will turned to his friends. “I can’t lose another child.” The words are harsh and breaking but the agony behind them makes even Jason wince. “I just can’t...” Will finished softly as he sat down and began the long wait.

Coming Soon
A life lies in the balance, Juan moves forward with his plan, a trust is betrayed, and another face from Llanview arrives in Port Charles