The throbbing in his head caused him to groan as his head lolled from sided to side. He felt groggy and disconnected, but not disconnected enough to be able to ignore pain that radiated from his back, chest, legs and arms. He winced, and bit back a moan as Cole grabbed the hair on the back of his head and yanked his head upright.

"Mornin' Coni ." Cole sneered emphasizing the name derisively. His heart sank . How did he know? How did he know? He thought frantically, but then he reminded himself not to react, just to answer before he got angry. "Rise and shine, Coni . Look around, see anything familiar?" He glowered, pulling his hair some more.

He was only able to see out of one eye, but his one eye saw enough to make him want to go back into hiding. He knew this game, he knew it all to well.

Cole noticed how pale his face had turned and cackled in delight. "Awww... He does remember after all! I'm touched." Cole said as though touched as he put his hand over his heart dramatically.

He tried to move, but all of his extremities were bound to the high backed chair with iron shackles that were connected to the legs and the arms of the chair. Even the back of the chair had one to keep his torso up. The more he thought about it the more he realized it was designed like and electric chair except nothing to keep his head upright.

Around the perimeter of the dimly lit room sat ten easels each holding a 10x12 picture poster of someone he cared about. They weren't posed photos, but pictures that had been taken unbeknownst to them as they went along in their daily activities.

In no particular order stood pictures of:

Alexis sipping tea inside Kelly's.

AJ driving a forklift down on the docks.

Courtney as she unlocked the door to Kelly's to open.

Carly as she waited in the park sitting on the bench beside the fountain after it had snowed.

Gia as she walked around PCU's campus as it snowed, all bundled up in a coat and scarf.

Lucky as he worked behind the bar at Luke's.

Eduardo as he coordinated the search for Michael in the PC woods.

Emily as she wheel chaired herself around the physical therapy hospital.

Azora as she stood on the pier looking in the direction of the sunrise, staring into the distance.

And lastly, Michael , huddled in a corner looking frightened and as though he were crying with his eyes wide, full of fear, and glassy with tears. His hands grasped his forearms as he hugged his own body, his knees pulled to his chest and every muscle taut with fear. His feet were bare on the cold stone floor and his clothes were dingy, tattered, and filthy.

The last picture made his tummy to flip flops. He knew that feeling all to well.

"Welcome to my own personal HALL OF FAME!" Cole's boisterous voice brought him back to reality as his tormenter strode in front of him as proud as a peacock. Why, he wasn't sure.

"I did a good job don't you think, Coni?" Cole asked rhetorically. "I picked the ten people you love the most. Took a picture of each of them and blew it up JUST FOR YOU!" His heart began to race. "Wanna know why?"

He nodded, faintly.

"Well, I'll TELL you why!!" He roared getting into his face. " Because, we're going to play a little game. There's only ONE rule. **** up and ONE DIES!"

His heart plummeted as Cole allowed his words to sink in. It meant that he was responsible for the lives of the people he held the closest. One mistake and their life would be forfeit, and they didn't have a clue.

Cole watched his reaction with great satisfaction. "I see you understand. But just for shits and grins I'm going to spell it out for you. Just to make sure that there are no misunderstandings, okay?"

He nodded, keeping his eyes glued to the floor. His heart was heavy, each beat resounding in his ears. Ten lives at stake. Ten people he loved were in danger and they were completely unaware and oblivious. Cole, no, he , in his mind, held their lives in his hands. It made him heart sick to think that he was being saddled with such a enormous responsibility.

"There are many ways you can break that one rule," began Cole as he paced before Zander. "So I'm just going to tell you what they are. The rule will have been broken if you: (a) don't get your chores done (b) screw up (c) don't do exactly as you are told (d) try to escape (d) don't get done what I want you to get done in the allotted time I give you (e) don't please me." He stopped and smiled at Zander. He shivered, the feeling as though he were being undressed by his captor coming over him. "and lastly, and this one is the most important, from this moment on, I own you. If you ever EVER EVER try to contact anyone from your life before I'll personally see to it that they die a slow and painful death in front of you, and you will join them in hell soon after."

"From this moment on I own you. You are Coni. You may not remember it now," he lifted Zander's chin and looked into his eye. "But I can see it in your eye, in your face, you are remembering. The sooner you remember the better. Because inside these walls Zander Smith ceases to exist. I know he doesn't." His head started to throb even more than it had earlier. "You, are Consequence, the payment for every sin done unto me by your father the bastard of all bastards. Like you, worthless and unworthy of love. I owned Coni before," Cole's face became blurring as bright painful lights began to go off in his head. "I own Coni now. You are mine. You speak when I say you can. You have no thoughts that I don't think. You are nothing without me."

"You'll remember because I tell you to remember." The pain was so much that he had to strain to hear his voice. Cole dropped his chin and put his hands against the arm rests and leaned in close to his ear. "Every aspect of your life I control, don't forget that."

"I own you. You owe me your life. You will PAY me back."

Behind them a door opened.

"Boss..."

He put his finger up for silence. It was working. He was remembering. But it wasn't enough. As soon as he remembered enough they'd be able to re-enact their last day together and he would remember EVERYTHING. He smiled and he backed away from Coni and into the hallway. He locked the door as he turned to his guard.

"In a half hour unshackle him and lay him out on the floor. Tell him he has exactly one hour to say good bye to his old life and then he and I have an appointment with destiny." He handed the guard the key, but jerked it back. "And use those EXACT words."

"Yessir, date with destiny." The burly guard repeated.

"What was it you wanted anyway?"

"Umm... I don't know how to put this boss but earlier this morning right around midnight AJ Quartermaine's wife was killed in a head on collision."

Cole smiled. "Joseph my good man, the gods are smiling on us." He said putting his arm his shoulders as they walked away. "We're going to use this to our advantage and we're going to make it so that Coni believes that it's his fault." He laughed heartily. "He'll never escape now. Not if he thinks the entire town of Port Charles is going to blame him."

"How we going to do that boss?"

Cole smiled at the man. "Carefully, my good man. Very, very carefully."

~*~*~*~*~

Memories flashed before his eyes like the flashbulbs of photographers all clicking at once blinding him with the lights and the blinding pain in his head.

**

A girl with long dark hair was screaming "NO! NO! Don't hurts him! NOOO!" in the distance as the whip came down on his tender back again and again.

**

He could hear whimpering in the background as someone put a bag over his head and strapped him down to a table and stuck him with at first one needle and then another and another and another.

**

As he sat in the dimly lit room strapped into the chair he kept his head bowed as Cole roared into his ear how worthless and stupid he was.

**

"We's gonnas be okays..." She cooed rocking him in her arms as he cried. He was blindfolded as usual. But this time the guards had had to put him in her lap. He couldn't walk they said and he hadn't made a sound since he had entered Cole's office they had told her. "One day we's gonna be frees you know. One day mes and yous. Wes gonna fly like eagos wight on out of dis place." She cooed.

**

Cole was holding her against his body with a knife at her neck. "You WANT me to kill her? HUH!! HUH!" He demanded as he brought the knife closer and closer to her throat.

"No... No... Please... Master..."

"She has to pay you know! And you did it!! I have to hurt her and it's because of *you*!"

"No.. please, Master..."

"NO! Don't hurts her! I'll take it! Please Master." He sobbed.

"NO! GUARDS!!!" He roared. "Prepare for surgery." He looked at the unconscious girl in his arms. "Someone has to pay..."

~*~*~*~

"Ed! It's happening to quickly!!!" Casey screamed covering her mouth and jumping up and down anxiously. "Coni and Zander can't re integrate like this! It'll ruin everything!!"

Ed shook his head sadly as he leaned against the clouds and looked down. "Coni is stronger than you give him credit for Casey..."

"But Zander is a grown man! Dude! Coni is still a baby!"

"It's been ten years Casey."

"But he was still recovering ten years later ." She pointed out. "Look at him." She said turning to Zander> who was in the midst of remembering as well, writhing in pain. "Can't we do SOMETHING!!"

"Casey! We can't interfere!" He reminded her sternly.

"But.. But...DUDE!" She threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Tell him Man, tell him we can interfere JUST this once PLLLLEASE!!!" She said looking up. A crack of thunder made her jump. "SEE!!"

He looked at her warily. "You and the 'Big Dude' are always conspiring against me. Why do I even bother?"

"Because you loooove us!" She smiled, hugged him and then disappeared.

~*~*~

She reappeared in front of Zander> and touched his forehead with the palm of her hand. "Sleep, remember there and bring it with you." The lights inside his head went out and the flashing bulbs disappeared from his eyes as his body relaxed.

She turned around to leave but saw Kristina and Courtney looking paler than usual.

"Uh oh, did you guys hear something you weren't suppose to?"

~*~*~*~

"I think I'm losing my nerve Luis." Said Brenda as they entered the elevator and the door closed.

"What makes you think that?" He asked as he leaned against the wall and pulled her close so that he could rest his hand on her ever expanding womb.

She sighed heavily and covered his hand with her own. "I... I just don�t know what all to tell them."

He kissed the top of her head and stroked her beautiful lush black hair. "We'll tell them what we know." He paused then reconsidered. "Or..."

"Or what?" She asked cautiously.

He sighed. "I was thinking, on our way over here. You have that appointment with Dr. Meadows, correct?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"Well, supposing that since this may be a painful experience for you, reliving those years and all that happened there within, I thought maybe..."

"Luis, get to the point."

He chuckled, squeezing her side. "Perhaps it would be better if I told them... alone." He emphasized.

She looked up into his crystal blue eyes for a moment considering his words. "You would do that?... For me?" She asked getting choked up.

"Anything for you." He whispered throatily, and then kissing her soundly on the lips. When he pulled away she reached up and cleaned off the lipstick that had smudged his face a little.

She had to think about it for a minute. She knew it hadn't been long enough for all her wounds to heal. And she still had nightmares and Cameron was still on her speed dial for emergencies.

She looked up again with tears in her eyes. "You don't mind?"

He caressed her cheek lovingly. "I'd move heaven and earth if it meant I could go back in time and arrive three years earlier and stop this before it all began. But since the advent of time travel hasn't quite made it yet I'll settle for helping explain things to your friends and letting them know anything that might be applicable towards Michaels case."

She looked at him with such love in her eyes that she thought she might melt on the spot. "How'd I get so lucky?" She asked as the doors of the elevator opened.

He smiled. "Saved by the bell." She giggled at his non-answer and they exited holding hands.

Bobbie was behind the nurses station and looked up to see who was coming, but did a double take instead. "Oh my God! It's TRUE!" She gasped scurrying around the corner and hugging Brenda. "I can't believe it!" She said holding her at arms length. "It's so good to see you! Not to mention that you look fabulous, as usual."

Brenda blushed. "Thank you Bobbie, it's good to be seen." She said mustering a weak smile. "Have you seen Michael yet?" She asked apprehensively, Luis squeezed her hand supportively.

She shook her head sadly. "No, between the doctors and Carly I don't think anyone is going to be seeing my grandson that's not absolutely necessary."

Brenda's heart sunk. "Did something happen last night?"

"No, well, kinda, it seems that the adrenaline rush of being rescued may have actually helped him a little where his injuries are concerned. But now that things have stabilized there's really no telling what else there may be wrong with him. But they, they being Carly and Dr. Thornheart and Dr. Ramsey, don't want anymore people than absolutely necessary interacting with Michael until he's awake and they've been able to document his injuries and such."

Just then Carly and Dr. Thornheart came around the corner. "Well speak of the devil and the devil shall appear." She chuckled, walking around Luis and Brenda and going to Carly and giving her a hug.

"Oh momma. I totally forgot." She whispered hugging her back. "I'm so sorry." She said as they pulled away.

"Now, now, Carly, you have your priorities straight." Carly looked relieved to hear it too. "And it was better this way because Luke got to rant and rave without anyone telling him to shut his pie hole." Carly chuckled for the first time in what felt like an eternity. She looked at Ian. "Oh, did I interrupt something?"

"Nay, I was just going over some prelims with Ms. Spencer."

Carly shook her head. "No he was trying to go over some prelims with me. But I keep on telling you, that until AJ gets here I don't want to hear anything about it." She reminded him pointedly.

"But Ms. Spencer, we can start now and AJ won't miss anything..."

"And I told you, that under no circumstance are we going to start something without my child father there." Carly said pointedly and winced when Bobbie gasped. "Surprise." She said to Bobbie looking and feeling guilty.

Amy looked at Brenda and paled. "Oh great, here we go... again." She muttered, hiding her face in Luis' dark black pea coat. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and shot Amy a death glare. She immediately backed off. She looked up sheepishly after seeing that Amy had left. "You'd think that I would get used to the fact that people are going to freak out that I'm alive. But every time it happens I just want crawl back into your arms and go back onto the yacht, set off for the middle of nowhere, and set anchor in the middle of the Atlantic." She looked at him quizzically. "Does that make weird?"

He chortled. "No, it makes you my wife." He smiled squeezing her once more.

Someone cleared their throat causing Luis to look at them with a look that left nothing to the imagination. He was perturbed, to say the least. "Mrs. Barret-Alcazar?" The matronly woman asked.

Brenda turned a little. "Oh, honey, this is Dr. Meadows."

His face softened. "I'm sorry, we were just having a ..."

"No need to explain. I've heard." She said with a pleasant smile.

"Dr. Meadows this is my husband, Luis Alcazar. Luis, this is my doctor, Dr. Meadows."

"It's a pleasure ma'am." He smiled as they shook hands.

"The pleasures all mine, I assure you." She smiled back. "Now, if you'd like..."

"Oh, no, he's going to stay here and take care of some other business, it's just you and me." She smiled, hoping that she wouldn't frown upon it.

"Oh, well, I thought."

"Dr. Meadows, I assure you, I am a very active part of this child's life, it's just that just this once I'm going to have to bow out of the meeting of the minds, if that's not too much an inconvenience, that is."

"Oh no, it's no bother, I was just curious." She turned to Brenda. "Shall we?"

"Lead the way." Brenda replied. As they left she turned and flashed the 'I love you' sign to Luis. It was just one of their many little married life idiosyncrasies to never leave a room, even when on the yacht, without having flashed the 'I love you' sign. Because, if their time together on the island had taught them anything it was that life was precious and you never know when someone you love might not return.

As he turned around he nearly bumped into Carly causing her to drop the file that Dr. Thornheart had given her of what he wanted to do before AJ got back, if possible. "oh, I'm sorry, allow me." He apologized, bending down to pick up the papers.

"No, really, it's okay. I've been a total space case lately." She admonished with a shake of her head. They stood up and he handed her the papers. "Oh, it's you." She said, having not realized who it was before.

He smiled. "Is that a good or a bad thing?"

"Oh, it's not a bad thing." She paused. "Sorry, the whole space case thing..."

He nodded. "Well all things considering there are far far worse things that could have happened. Being a 'space case' is the least of which." He retorted amiably, as he escorted her to the waiting area.

He looked around, surprised. "What? No media? I'm surprised. Usually they eat this kind of thing up."

She nodded. "My uncle is kind of... How do I put this lightly... psychotic..." She thought for a second. "Yeah, that's the word. Luke's psychotic, but in a purely, if you touch my family you die, kind of way. Nothing to be too worried about. Well, that is unless you try to hurt someone he or my momma care's about. Then, well," she smiled, "then you're a dead man."

"Ah, so he scared them off."

She nodded. "Something about a pitchfork, impalement, and hunting them down if they came within so much as a quart mile of Michael's hospital room." She quipped dryly. "I'm not used to having family that cares so much." She sucked in a long breath. "But it's nice to have when you need them."

He nodded wistfully. She could see the far off look in his eyes and couldn't help but ask. "When your children were taken, did you have your family there with you?" She asked hesitantly. He just looked at her for an awkward second. "You don't have to answer that. It's none of my business really... I..." She went to gather her things and stand.

"No, please, I... It's hard to talk about it. That's all."

"Okay." She sat back down and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"When it first happened my two sisters, Petra and Faith called. Faith is a doctor and Petra..." He said her name distastefully. "Petra," he sighed. "Is a.... a real piece of work." He chuckled dryly. He shook his head sadly. It had been the family mystery. How was it that two sets of twins could mirror each other in such bizarre confounding ways. "Faith was worried, wanted to be at my side. But she had her practice and I told her to stay where she was. Petra... I didn't want her anywhere near me." He paused.

"Would you mind too awful much if we went somewhere more quiet?" He asked.

She gave him a look. "Why?"

He cleared his throat. "I... I'd rather not get into here." He looked around. "If you need to arrange for someone to stay with your son..."

"His nanny is at his side."

He nodded. "Ms. Spencer."

"Carly...Call me Carly."

He smiled, nodding again. "Carly. Something unexpected happened last night." His face drained of all color. "And Brenda and I decided that it would greatly behoove young Michael's recovery if we corrected some of the fallacy's that we imparted upon you and your friends last night."

It was Carly's turn to pale and feel uncomfortable. "This," her voice caught in her throat. "You're not going to hurt my son are you?" She asked looking as though she were about to run.

"NO! Never, I... It's just something that I don't want many people hearing unless absolutely necessary."

"After you." She said as she stood up.

He smiled and mouthed his thanks and led her to an unoccupied office down the way. He closed the door and turned to her.

"Last night Brenda and I went to see Jason in jail."

"Why?"

"Oh, you don't know yet, do you?"

"No, what should I know?"

This was going to hurt, but he wasn't known for his pussy-footing around things, so he just blurted it out. "Taggart found some interesting information about Sonny out last night. He's blackmailing Jason. You'll have to talk to Jason about what, but needless to say Jason hasn't been in Sonny's good graces since he returned to Port Charles. And last night Skye dropped the charges against Jason but not Sonny."

Part of her felt relieved. Part of her felt betrayed. "Oh, so he's out." And he didn't come back and try to explain or anything. She thought sadly.

"But for a good reason. He's looking for AJ .... and Azora."

"Azora, what's she got to do with this?"

He bit back a curse, "She's missing as well."

Carly sat down hard. "Okay, so let me get this straight. In one night, my son is brought home by my first ex-husband. My second ex-husband scares him *****less and the one man in my life that I thought I could trust scares him too. They get arrested. One gets released. My first ex-husbands second wife dies, he loses it and takes off. And Azora too?"

Luis winced. It was a bit much for one night. "Basically." He winced again, this wasn't going to be pleasant.