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Chapter Ten

“What are those?” Snatching the papers from Drew’s hand, Sam moves towards the desk. Instantly, her head begins to spin.

“Proof of who the real Jason is.” Drew’s whisper causes Sam to move closer to hear what he is saying. “I didn’t open it. I wanted to wait for you.” Grabbing Sam’s hand, Drew smiles at her. He doesn’t need to look at the letter. He knows what it says; he’s hoping once Sam reads it, all will be right again in their world.

Quickly removing her hand, Sam rips open the letter.

“You’re sure Spinelli dropped this off?”

“Yes, he wanted to wait around until you came back but Maxie needed him.” Drew reaches out for Sam again.

Stepping around Drew, Sam clutches her chest and beings to pace. “This can’t be right. And, Spinelli dropped these off, he found these results?” Flabbergasted, Sam gets weak in the knees. Bracing herself on the desk, she whispers “You could be the real Jason.” Looking at him, Sam shakes her head. Tears form in her eyes, her heartbreaking at this revelation.

“I know all of this has been confusing. A man showing up with my face, claiming to be me; but it’s over now. We can go back to our lives and forget about him.” Drew makes another attempt to be close to Sam, moving forward to be parallel to her.  Reaching his hand out again waiting for Sam to receive it.

Realizing she is oblivious to his advances, a rejected Drew becomes angry.

Pounding his fist on the desk, he asked, “What is wrong with you? You’re staring at the proof. Nothing has to change. We can forget about the last two days. We can be us again.” Softening his tone, Drew grabs Sam, pulling her close. “You know in your heart what the truth is, Sam. You’ve known for the last two years. The truth is in Scout, our daughter. In Danny, our son. In everything we’ve built over the last two years and all the years before that. I changed everything for you. I found out who I was because of you.”

Staring at the paper, quietly shaking her head, Sam begins to cry.  “This isn’t right. We both know you are not Jason. What game are you playing? What do you want?” Rocking back and forth, Sam searches for her Jason in Drew. She looks into his eyes, listens to his tone, his words; she analogizes the last two years in her mind. “You were never Jason,” Sam whispers to herself.

Raising her eyes to meet Drew’s, Sam communicates with him in a way only her Jason would be able to answer. She looks deep inside him, deep into his soul. “This connection has failed me the last 2 years, and I never knew why until this very minute.” Sam buries her head into Drew’s chest and weeps for her ignorance.

“What do you mean? The paper and Spinelli are telling you who I am. Sam, stop fighting it. You were happy days ago. We can go back to that.” Wrapping himself tighter around her, Drew mistakenly assumes she believes him.

“No, shut up! Stop this! The picture, the phone call. You are not Jason Morgan. Sam begins to shake. “You are not Jason.” Pushing herself off of him, she stumbles back; glaring wildly at the document, Sam crumbles to the ground. “Where did Spinelli find this? Where?! Where did he get the information.” Rage builds inside of Sam. Unable to contain herself, Sam jumps up, and charges at Drew. “Tell me the truth.” She pounds on his chest and screams till her lungs ache within her.

Catching Sam in his arms, Drew tries to contain her. Bracing himself against her assault, he pulls her close; rocking her to his side. Drew tucks Sam under his arm, wrapping his arm around her. “He didn’t say. He said we needed to see them and he left. He seemed uncomfortable being alone with me. I’ve missed you in my arms.”

Squeezing Sam tightly, Drew breathes her in before releasing her to rage.

“This says you and Jason are twins. Not that you’re Jason”. Losing her balance, Sam stumbles back, hitting the desk behind her. “Twins.” The floor beneath Sam gives way, taking with it, the sense of stability Jason gave her that night. “Twins.”

Trying to process the news, Sam flashes to her night with Jason, her hands on his body; his breath on her skin, the ecstasy that filled the room. Exhaling deeply, Sam tightens her grip on the desk. “You could be Jason.” Spinning on her heels, Sam grabs her keys and cellphone and heads for the door.

Closing the door behind her, releasing the breath she had been holding since opening the envelope out, Sam dials Spinelli’s number.

Where are you?

I need to see you, now! Can we meet at Kelly’s?

————————————————————————–

“Stone Cold”? Eyes wide, with a bounce in his step, Spinelli beams at Jason.

Tackling Jason before he can entirely turn around, Spinelli holds Jason with all his might. “Stone Cold” Spinelli weeps.

Feeling the weight of his tears, Jason allows Spinelli to hold on to him; he lets him squeeze him tight, to linger into this welcomed awkwardness. “Ok Spinelli, that’s enough.” Breaking Spinelli’s embrace, Jason comes into full view of him; time presented in the face of his friend hits Jason hard.

“You look different.” Pulling Spinelli back into an embrace, Jason tries to will the last five years into him. “I’ve missed so much.”

“How are you here? What’s going on? Pushing himself off Jason, Spinelli takes it all in. “It is you. I would know my dearest friend and mentor from anyone. How could I have done this? How could I have given him your life as if it were nothing? Spinelli begins to pace. Replaying every event that leads to Drew’s reveal as Jason, Spinelli mumbles it all out.

“The test matched.”

“He had your old face.”

“He had your memories, well, not right away but eventually.”

“He won over fair Samantha.”

“He won over Sam.” Stopping in his tracks, Spinelli looks to a shattered Jason. “My dear old friend, I am the culprit in all of this. I took your life and handed it to your twin brother.”

Going in for another hug, Jason stops him. “My what? Twin brother?”

Bouncing off of Jason’s arm, Spinelli gathers himself. “The man who thinks he is you is your twin brother. I found the certificates of live birth. It brings me profound joy to declare that the walking filth, which caused unforgivable and irreparable pain and suffering to those we hold near and dear and known as Franco, was never your twin. But indeed there was a twin, and that said twin, was taken at birth.”

Turning in stunned silence, Jason contemplates what this information means. What it means to him. What it means to his family. What it means for their future.

“How is this even possible? Sam had the test run. Franco was proven to be my brother. How is it that this guy is now my brother?” Rubbing his hand on his face, Jason pulls at his hair. His entire world is spinning out of control.

“What does this mean for Sam and her daughter?” Jason grabs Spinelli with such force Spinelli crumbles. “What does this mean for my life?”

Calming his dearest friend, Spinelli grips Jason arms, prying them from his body, looking into his eyes “ It undoubtedly means there is more pain to come. For her, for you, for everyone.” Seeing Jason’s despair sends Spinelli into overdrive.

“It doesn’t mean you aren’t Stone Cold. It doesn’t mean people won’t know who’s real and who’s fake. Those of us who truly know and love you know the truth. We know you’re Jason. I would recognize my truest and dearest friend any…”

“Spinelli! Please.” Jason barks.

“No, this is all wrong. We have wronged you in the most unforgivable way possible. We have stolen what was your life. Your identity, the very essence who you are, and have given it to someone who has now changed everything. Someone who betrayed the sanctity of everything you hold dear. It is wrong that I will do everything in my conceivable powers to amend and make right.” Spinelli’s guilt rolls off of him in waves.

“None of you did this. Especially you. None of you should blame yourselves.”

“How can I not? How can you not blame me?” Bouncing on his heels, Spinelli’s heart pounds through his chest. “You must know it was I who proved it all. You must blame me, that is undoubtedly the reason you didn’t reach out to me post-haste? That is why you, yourself didn’t ask for my assistance?” The guilt consumes Spinelli.

“Was he good to them? To you all?” Trying to shift the conversation and calm Spinelli’s anxiety, Jason stares out into the distance, tears in his eyes. Inside, he’s a wreck. For every new piece of information, more questions are running through his mind. Jason was a simple man, he handles each day and challenges straightforward with no fear, but now he was different. Now, everything was happening at once, and he didn’t know where to begin to connect the dots and sort things out. Everything he knew to be right was wrong, and everything he believed to be his, has been taken. The unknown in this situation made Jason very afraid.

“Could I lose them to him?” Unable to process his own question, Jason shakes it out of his mind. “Nevermind. How did you find this information?”

Stepping towards Jason, placing his hand on his shoulder, “He was good to them. The fact that he won fair Samantha over sealed it for me. He passed all of my rigorous testings, Samantha being the ultimate deciding factor.” Squeezing his shoulder, Spinelli’s heart broke to see his friend like this.

“She was finally happy again. Not like she was before, but she smiled from time to time. She laughed more.”

Yanking himself from Spinelli’s grip, “Spinelli, enough. I said nevermind.” Jason can’t hear anymore.

“Maybe I should have stayed away. Maybe coming home was a mistake.” Jason whispers.

“Now you stop it. No one, not me or Samantha, or the countless number of people that love YOU!” Spinelli pokes Jason back. “That miss YOU!” Spinelli pokes him again, “Would agree with

that ridiculous statement.” Beginning to cry, Spinelli walks toward his friend. “Suffice it to say she is no longer happy. No one is happy. Everyone is confused and racked with guilt.

“My presence is making it harder for everyone. Me being here is burdening everyone.” Staring through Spinelli, Jason thinks back to his night with Sam.

“Have you seen her? Was she with you when I came by the Penthouse last night?” Wiping tears away, Spinelli tries to hold it together. He traveled miles to see the truth for himself. He needed to explain and to redeem himself to his friend and make things right again.

Snapping out it, Jason walks towards the back of the cabin. Grabbing the end of a black plastic bag, he drags the body of one of the men. He doesn’t want to feel anymore. He doesn’t want to discuss Sam. The weight of everything is burying him.

Watching Jason’s work, Spinelli is at a loss on what to do. He can see Jason’s mind is made up.  “Don’t do this, my friend. Sam needs you. I need you. We all need you.”

“Just go, Spinelli. I don’t want you here. I don’t want you involved.” Dropping the body in a freshly dug hole, Jason moves in to grab another body.

“This isn’t you. This isn’t what anyone would want for you. When you disappeared, pieces of all of us disappeared along with you. This is your life. Claim it.”

Moving towards the back of the cabin, Spinelli’s phone rings.

“Hello. Sam, slow down. I can’t hear you.” Turning away, Spinelli moves away from Jason. “What is it that you need?”  Spinelli looks back at Jason.

Hearing Sam’s name stop Jason in his track, dropping the body, moving in on Spinelli, Jason tries to rip the phone from his hand. He needs to hear Sam’s voice. He needs to know why she snuck out. He needs to know what, if anything, last night meant.

“I’ll be right there.” Spinelli spins out of reach, hanging up the phone. “Sam sounds like she’s in dire need of my expertise.”

“What did she say? Did she sound okay?” Jason worries. “Should I come too?” Rocking back and forth, anxiety fills Jason, consuming him, clouding his thoughts.

Moving towards his car, Jason stops Spinelli, “Why do you look like that. What did Sam say?”

“Don’t fret my friend. Sam always needs you. Come. Let us go to her.”

“Is she in trouble? Does she need me?” Jason whispers.

“She will always and forever need you.”

“No, No. You know what I mean. Is she in trouble?” Jason looks Spinelli square in the eyes. “Did she sound like she was hurt or in trouble?”

“No. She needs to talk to me about the papers I dropped off. She wants to talk about you and your twin.”

Releasing Spinelli, “Go. Make sure she’s okay. Go, Spinelli.” Jason pushes him towards the front of the cabin.

“Come with me. Let’s work on this together. The three of us. Sam needs you. I need you.”

“No, I don’t want to burden her. She knows I’m here if she needs me. She would have called me if she were in trouble.”

Watching Spinelli drive off, Jason throws the last body in the hole, covering it, he runs towards his bike.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aimlessly stirring her coffee, Sam stares out into space, flashes of heat riddle her body. Thinking about Jason, she relives the moments from last night. Rubbing her neck through her arousal, Sam feels Jason’s lips on her body. She feels his hands in her hair, her lips tracing his body; she feels their bodies as one.

“Fair Samantha.”

Lost in the memories of her that night, Sam doesn’t notice Spinelli take a seat across from her. Beads of sweat glisten her skin, goosebumps cover her body. Trapped in her thoughts of eroticism, Sam can’t register Spinelli’s presence.

“Sam, are you okay? What’s wrong?” Spinelli grabs Sam’s stirring hand. “You saw him, didn’t you?”

Jolted back to reality, Sam smiles at Spinelli. “What is this?” Sam throws the papers saying Jason has a twin. “Do you believe this? We’ve been here before. Franco was supposedly Jason’s twin and that ruined us. You proved that not to be true. Now, he has another twin? A twin we all thought was Jason? A twin I have a daughter with? If this is his twin, who is the real Jason?” Gripping Spinelli’s hand, Sam needed answers.

Sliding his hand away,  “This is my fault, I did this. I created the program that mistakenly proved him to be Jason. I found the evidence that gave him the right to take everything that belonged to Jason. I’m to blame.”

“No one faults you for this. And I know Jason would never blame you or want you to blame yourself. He loves you, we both do. So, stop beating yourself up and let’s fix this.” Pulling the papers out of the envelope, Sam wants to get down to business. She understands Spinelli’s feelings of guilt, she has those same feelings multiplied by thousands, but she knows dwelling on them won’t change the situation or prove who the real Jason is.

“Which twin is Jason?  Do you know? Can you prove who the real Jason is?” Sam shakes her legs nervously.

“I am unable to prove it beyond any and all reasonable doubt, but I know who the real Jason is. I just left him at the cabin.” Spinelli looks into Sam’s eyes, presenting tears of his own. “ He wants to leave, Sam. He feels like his miraculous return has made things worse, for you, for all of us. I fear he’s going to leave, vanish in the heat of the night, never to return again.” Ashamed, Spinelli avoids the pain in Sam’s eyes.

“Leave, where would he go? Does he know about his twin?” Panicked by the mere thought of losing Jason again, Sam gets up, heading for the door.

Spinelli grabs her arms, pushing her back into her chair, “He knows. I was with him when you called. He doesn’t care about it, he only cares about you; and about what this is doing to you.”

Closing her eyes, listening to Spinelli talk about Jason’s love for her, Sam cries. She knows Jason would sacrifice everything for her. She knows Jason would give up everything he loves if she asked.

“What do you believe? Who is the real Jason to you?” Spinelli asked.

Lowering her head, pulling at her thighs, “Before I saw him, I believed the man I’ve spent the last two years with was Jason. I needed to believe he was Jason.” Sam closes her eyes.  “But…he’s not Jason.” “He was never Jason. Things with him were never quite right, and I couldn’t put my finger on it.”

“We all just assumed it was the accident. We all saw the differences but accepted them because we loved Jason. You weren’t the only one.” Spinelli interjects trying to lessen some of Sam’s guilt.

Wiping tears away, “I spent last night with him. I know who the real Jason is. I knew that night on the pier. I don’t know how I knew, but I knew Jason was holding me. I know. I can tell you know. Now we have to prove it.”

Pulling his computer out of his bag” I’ve been working on it.” Spinelli hopped on the first flight out of Seattle when he heard the news of Jason’s return. His only concern was righting his wrong.

“They are twins, we know that. We had multiple tests done. Tests no one knew about until they were finished.” Pulling up files on his computer, he turns the computer towards Sam, “ His name is Andrew Cain.” Showing her the birth certificates.

Pulling the computer closer to her, Sam stares. “Are you sure these are real? How did we not know? Why didn’t this come out when we proved Franco wasn’t Jason’s twin?”

“Sam, I don’t know, but I have something in the works. I’m tracking down Andrew’s records as we speak. I’m waiting for confirmation on a few things.” Pulling his computer back towards him, Spinelli pounds away at the keys.

“I need you to find something Spinelli, anything. You need to sort this out. I need Jason.” Pulling at the sleeves on her sweater, Sam wraps herself up. She wants Spinelli to find anything that will allow her to run to Jason. Anything that will let her tell Jason everything. Anything to tell him the truth.

Looking up from his computer, “Which Jason do you need?”

“Spinelli, what kind of question is that?”

“Jason wants to leave. He would only want to do that if” Spinelli’s computer chimes.

Grabbing his phone, “We have to get everyone together, now!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Staring through the window at Kelly’s, Jason’s phone rings.

“I told you I would get justice for the man at the hospital. Put your hands behind your back.” The officer from the police station draws his gun on Jason.

Turning around, “What is this about?” Jason shoves his phone back in his pocket.

“I said put your hands behind your back, Commissioner Ashford wants you back at the station.

“I didn’t do anything.” Jason puts his hands behind his back.

“Two men were found dead last night. She wants you in for questioning.”

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~““`

Hanging up the phone, “We have to find Jason. This is bad.” Spinelli grabs his computer, bolting towards the door.

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