Chapter Three:

AJ had to get away. He suddenly felt this inexplicable compulsion to go to Michaels room. Besides that, he wanted to get back to him before he woke up. He pulled Courtney off to the side. �Hey, I�m going back to Michaels room.�

�Okay�� Courtney replied, confused not so much with AJ but with the scene unfolding before them.

Sonny was pale, Jax; who had just arrived with Skye, looked faint, which wasn�t a good thing seeing as he was 6�5 if an inch and Skye wasn�t near strong enough to hold him up and everyone else was quiet.

Very, very quiet.

�Are you okay with that?� He asked not wanting her to freak out.

�Yeah, yeah��

�I just need to get away from the drama, okay?� Courtney looked at him and smiled sheepishly.

�It�s okay. Whatever this is, I�m sure that it�s probably the last thing you want to deal with.� AJ smiled and hugged her.

�Thank you.� He whispered, relieved that she understood. He kissed her cheek before rounding the corner.

Carly was in shock. For once in her life she was speechless. She stuck her hand out and shook this man, this Alcazar's hand and finally found your bearings. �I�m�I�m sorry, I didn�t hear what you said. Could you repeat yourself?� She may have been talking to Alcazar but her eyes were trained on Brenda

Courtney moved to stand beside Carly. She was swaying a little and she wanted to make sure she had an anchor. Little did she realize that Marcus Taggart had walked up at about the same time and made the same move.

�My name is Luis Alcazar, this is my wife, Brenda.� He too noticed how Carly was swaying from side to side. �Perhaps we should move this discussion to somewhere�� he looked around for a quiet place and didn�t find one. But he did see the chapel down the hall. �How about the chapel? We�ll get some peace there.� He said with a smile. He was charming, disarming, genteel, and considerate. Things one didn�t expect out of a reputed arms dealer.

�I think that is probably a wise move.� Courtney said, as Carly was now too much in shock to speak. She and Taggart managed to steer Carly towards the chapel as Alcazar and Brenda led the way.

Son.

Would he ever know?

Did it really matter any more?

He shook his head. It didn�t matter any more. Just as long as Michael knew that he cared, it didn�t matter if he called him daddy. In a way it did matter, but in another way it didn�t. Being a father, being there physically for him and being called a certain name were two different distinct things. He would rather be thought of as a friend, someone Michael could turn too, than a father in biology only. He shook his head as he caressed Michaels face carefully avoiding the bumps and bruises. He winced at how tiny Michael looked as he laid in the hospital bed.

It didn�t help that he had a fat lip and stitches above his left eye, while his right eye was swollen shut. �Michael,� he whispered, �I swear to you, right here and right now that as long as you want me to be here, I�ll never leave your side. And the moment you want me to go�� his voice cracked ��I�ll leave.�

His eye traveled down his worn and battered frame as he took inventory of bandages on his body. Stitches above his eye, a fat lip, numerous places where stitches had to be put on his arms, a brace that would need a cast on his right arm, another brace that would need a cast on his left leg from the knee down. The huge bed and two casts dwarfed Michaels already small size.

As his hand caressed Michaels hair he noticed that his eyes began to move rapidly beneath his eyelids. He pulled back his hand as Michael began to move his head back and forth and his body began to thrash.

�No�no�pwease� no� I�ll stop� Mikee be good� no� NO!�That hurts�� he whimpered as a tear rolled down his cheek. AJ, at first paralyzed, didn�t know how to react. He knew that it would be a really bad idea to wake him up in the middle of the nightmare, possibly even traumatizing. But he couldn�t just let him suffer. �No� please, no more�� his breathing became heavy and raspy, �please� no�� suddenly he shot up, sitting straight up in the bed sobbing. �NOOOOO!�

AJ opened his arms as Michael flew towards him and gently wrapped his arms around him as Michael burrowed his head into his chest and sobbed. Remembering his delicate back he carefully rubbed soothing circles over the middle of his back and whispered. �Sssh, it�s okay. I�m here, no one�s going to hurt you. I won�t let them. I�m right here. Ssh.� He cooed rocking him back and forth.

�You stayed� you stayed�� he whispered through tears, as he hugged AJ back with every ounce of energy he could muster, which wasn�t much because he was so drained.

�I made a promise Michael, I told you I wouldn�t leave, and I don�t plan on leaving you.� AJ�s heart was beating like a bass drum, every wish he had ever made was coming true. His son wanted him, and at that very moment he didn�t care that Michael didn�t know that he WAS his father. All he knew was that Michael needed him, and that was where he would be for as long or as little as he needed him to be.

Just hearing him say those words made Michaels heart feel all fluttery and warm. Like someone had taken all the pains and aches away and had taken him from under the bed or from where ever on the floor they had shackled him and wrapped him in a blanket fresh out of the dryer. He closed his eyes and sighed, relaxing against AJ, whispering �Thank you.�

AJ relaxed as well, murmuring �No, thank you.�

They sat there for a moment, silent, just holding each other, enjoying being held and comforted. Michael had craved this kind of non-judgmental, no strings attached, for-no-other-reason-than-just-giving-a-hug-affection. He had been trying to gain his captors approval for the entire time he had been with them and at every turn -- no matter how hard he tried -- all he got back was a slap, literally, and a kick in the gut, if not more. The put downs and their constant belittling of him had torn his already shaky self-confidence into shreds.

He was only a child, all he knew was that he it would be best to try and appease them and hope that it worked and pray that they liked him. He only wanted their approval, he didn�t know that was unattainable.

As Michael sniffled his nose near AJ�s neck he caught a whiff of AJ�s cologne. He took a deep breath and inhaled his scent. It was spicy, yet not overwhelming, more welcoming yet not too inviting, he liked it a lot, it made him feel safe and secure, just like the man did. Michael inhaled deeply, this time he opened his eyes and then closed them as he let the breath out. But he stiffened in AJ�s arms.

AJ noticed the difference in his countenance and tried to help him relax by ever so gently rubbing his back and shoulder muscles. �It�s okay Mikee, I�m right here� nothings going to happen�� Michael stared to whimper like a wounded puppy would and AJ pulled him away so that he could see what was wrong. Michaels face was all scrunched up and his eyes were shut so tight that the stitches above his eye were strained. �Hey, hey, what�s wrong?� He asked his voice full of concern.

�Make the bad man go away�� he whimpered. �Make the bad man go away��

Skye and Azora had been watching from the window. Jax, Sonny, and Jason had followed Carly, Brenda, and Alcazar into the chapel. Courtney, the Spencer�s, Alexis and Taggart had all gone as well, but to stand guard at the chapel doors to keep strangers away from the group. Skye had asked if she was needed, and Jax said no. He could see in her eyes that she knew that the story Brenda was going to tell them was painful and that Skye didn�t want to encroach on something that didn�t really involve her or necessitate her knowledge, those that were being told were enough. Brenda didn�t want the pity of others, he wanted her loved ones to understand.

Azora stiffened as Sonny came to stand by them. He obviously had been kicked out of the chapel, by Alcazar or someone else. She nudged Skye when Jason showed up. There was no love lost between the three.

Jason had tried to keep Azora from hiring AJ and had even gone as far as to attempt to disrupt the work they had been doing on the docks. And things weren�t much better between Azora and Sonny. Seeing as Sonny had attempted to dig up her past and since Azora had no past Sonny had tried to �create� one. Needless to say, things were tense when the three of them met.

Skye gave the two interlopers a sideways glance, but that was all the attention she would afford them. Her eyes and her heart were more engrossed on the two people inside the room than the two ruffians that had joined them.

Azora gave a surreptitious nod to two of the 10 men that were stationed around the area. They nodded back and tried valiantly to sink into the background. While none of them were all that fond of the thought of having to subdue or otherwise maim Sonny or Jason, they were fully prepared to do what was needed to protect Azora, AJ, Michael and his family.

The four watched as AJ and Michael hugged and when Michael started to act erratically Skye and Azora both stiffened. �Skye, go in there, I�m gonna get Ramsey or Thorhheart.� Skye nodded and bolted for the door. Azora turned to Jason and Sonny who were also ready to make a run for the door. �Donchall even thank 'bout it.� She said in a low and deadly tone. �Cause unless yens wanna be admitted as a patients, yall will let well nuff be.�

Sonny was about to step up to her but Jason held him back and gave him a disapproving nod. �We might just make it worse.� As Azora ran off she could hear Michael�s begin to scream. Which brought both Ian and Chris running down the hall.

�Is he okay?� Skye asked nervously as she watched Michael begging to AJ.

�I�I don�t know�� AJ replied, not taking his eyes off Michael. �It�s okay Michael, no ones going to hurt you.�

�No! NO! BAD MANS! BAD MANS!!� He started shrieking as he dove into AJ�s arms for protection. �BAD MANS! BAD MANS!!�

�Skye��

�I�m going to get Dr. Ramsey��

�Good.� He sighed as he tried to keep Michael from hurting himself and then attempted to calm him down. �Michael, talk to me. Please Michael, what�s wrong?�

Michael was still sobbing openly into his chest as he replied. �Bad mans come to bad place�� he sniffled. �Bad mans talk to d�mean peoples�� He sucked in his lower lip and lowered his voice so low that AJ almost didn�t understand him. �He laughed with the meanies� He�s suppose to be my daddy�� He sobbed. �But daddies don�t leave their babies with the meanies�� His voice caught slightly. He looked up at AJ and with tears in his eyes asked. �Do daddies leave dere babies with meanies when dere done wif dem?� AJ shook his head, unable to speak. �Wuz I a bad boy? Iz dat why he turnt around and lefted me dere?� AJ shook his head emphatically, but was unable to find his voice. Michael began to sob again and collapsed against his chest. �WHY DID HE LEAVE ME THERE!! WHY DIDN�T HE SAVE ME FROM THE BAD MEANIES!!�

It took every fiber of AJ�s being not to say something bad about Sonny at that very moment but he knew better than to say something that would haunt him later. �I�m sure he didn�t know you were there�� he tried to reassure him, his voice wavering.

�I thought he loved me like a daddy do. Why don�t he love me nuff to make the hurts go away.�

�I love you Michael� I swear I do.� He professed to the shaking vulnerable child in his arms. Before he could say another word Ian and Chris burst into the room. He blood pressure and heart rate were off the chart.

�Mr. Quartermaine, you need to help us calm him down.� Ian instructed with a twinge of fear in his voice. But whenever he or Chris attempted to de-attach him from AJ he would cling harder and start to protest in loud squeals.

�DON�T LET DEM TAKE ME! PWEASE!! DON�T LET DEM TAKE ME!!!� He sobbed clinging to his chest. �Don�t let me goes�� He begged tearfully.

AJ kissed the top of his head and nodded to Chris. �Do you think you can lift the covers for me?� Chris looked at him curiously. �I can�t let him go. He�ll only be calm with me.�

�Okay, just tell us what to do.�

�Okay. I�m going to move and I need you to move the cover. I�m going to lay down, but I�m not letting him go. He�d freak out.� Ian and Chris nodded to each other and worked together as he moved. As AJ moved Michael began to whimper. Skye turned to Azora, who had her hands full with her men trying to keep Sonny and Jason at bay.

�Azora, send someone to the chapel for Carly. And see if anyone has called Reginald or Leticia. She�s been worried sick!�

�Aight.� She replied, and turned to Sonny and kicked him in the shins. �Woops� m'foot slipped.� She laughed as she left.

Skye watched as AJ laid down on his side with Michael in his arms. �Michael�Michael, can you let the doctors take a look at you?�

�Don�t weave me.� He begged softly.

�I�m not going anywhere. I�m going to stay right here at your side. The good doctors are going to check you out. But I�m not going anywhere.� He said using the same hushed whisper that Michael had used.

Meanwhile�. (this takes place the same time as the above does so give me a break okay?)

Brenda and Alcazar looked at each other and he squeezed her hand. �This really isn�t my story to start with.� Brenda smiled nervously. �I� It� All I know is that my mother caused us to go off that edge and when I woke up I was in a hospital in a strange place with this very scary, frightening, and domineering man standing over me.� Her voice shook so she coughed and continued. �He helped me get better. Told me I had the same disease that my mother had and put me on this regimen of meds that made me feel�� she searched for the right word� �easily manipulated�I guess is how you could put it. The better I became the more controlling and domineering he became.

�But he never hurt me until�� She closed her eyes and Luis gave her shoulder a squeeze.

�You don�t have to say anything��

�But I do Luis. If I don�t then they won�t understand it all.�

He nodded, but held her hand as to give her strength.

�One night I asked to go home. I�I didn�t want people to mourn me. I wanted everyone I knew and loved to know that I was alive. And he got angry. He told me he owned me. Said that I owed my life� my body�� she choked out and stood pacing a little as she rubbed her hand over her swollen belly. She couldn�t look at any of them, not even Jax, as she told her story..

�He took me.� She looked at Carly square in the eye and knew that she understood. �And he took me again and again every day and every time he wanted to for the next three years. It hurt so bad that I lost track of time sometimes. I lost track of myself. I would suddenly wake up and look around and there he stood, gloating smugly, patting his knee, telling me to come to him, giving me no choice."

�And every bone in my body ached for something! Anything! Even death, I would have welcomed it by then,� she said, her voice gravely serious. She crossed back over to the pew and sat next to Luis and took his hand into her own and studied it closely. �Until one day someone walked in on us on his desk.�

Luis blushed a little. �I was horrified. The man I worked for was an animal in many ways and I knew this. But not to the extent that I saw that day.� His eyes clouded over. �He was hurting her, and she was begging him to stop and he laughed at her. The same sick laugh I was used too, but so much worse. I walked in and stopped dead in my tracks, and he got up like nothing had happened. He threw her to the floor like a rag doll, her clothing torn practically from her body� I averted my eyes and he laughed at me� told me to take her for the night, threw her at my feet told her to stay down if she knew what was best�� he clenched his jaw as the anger he felt that day washed over him again. �If she knew what was best, she would keep me happy for the remainder of my stay.�

He sat back against the pew and draped his around her shoulder, she leaned against him as they both remembered that fateful day.

�Take her�� he shrugged.

�Wha�what?�

�TAKE HER!� The man shouted, causing the woman at his feet to tremble. Without a word he went to pick her up but the man�s voice stopped him. �She�ll move on her own� Won�t you?� He snapped causing the woman to shrink away from his voice. �GET UP!� He roared, his voice echoing down the massive halls of the estate.

The dark haired woman slowly, shakily got to her feet and walked towards the door, her hands shaking as she attempted to cover herself with the reminance of her ripped garment. Her walk had a limp and stagger to it, as though she were about to faint dead away.

Luis turned to follow her but was stopped by his voice. �She�s good in bed man, a real siren. She�s yours until you leave, but once you go, I want her back.� It made him sick to his stomach. He didn�t reply just nodded and casually exited the room. Once he was around the corner he broke out into a trot and ran after her, scooping her up into his arms as she staggered and leaned against the wall heavily.

She gasped and threw her arms around his neck and buried her face into nape of his neck. He could feel the tears as they came down her cheeks. �It�s okay, I won�t hurt you.� He cooed as he entered his room and laid her on his bed. She looked at him, her dark eyes large and untrusting.

�I�ll be right back.� He said, as he walked into the bathroom. Her heart lurched. �So much for not hurting me.� she thought to herself and began to shed what little clothing she had left.

He came back when she was taking off her bra and rushed to the bed. �No, no, you don�t have to do that.� He said, slipping the straps back onto her shoulders. �I wanted to give you these.� He said putting a sweater and well worn pair of draw string pants in front of her.

She looked at him skeptically. �Go on, I�ll leave you alone to change if you want.� When she didn�t reply he went to leave.

�No!� She exclaimed, her voice hoarse and ragged. �I� I think I need help.� The shame that touched her tone made his stomach churn.

�Okay,� he answered reluctantly and helped her change. She was so thin that he could see her rib cage and the hickeys on her body deep and dark and she was sensitive to touch, jumpy if she didn�t know where you were putting your hands.

�Thank you.� She whispered when they were done. She turned her back to him and looked out the window longingly as a bird flew by.

�Your welcome.� The silence was awkward and long. He sighed. �Can I at least know your name? Mines Luis.�

She thought about if for a second before answering. �It doesn�t really matter.�

�Why?� He asked curiously.

�We�ll sleep together, like he told me too, you�ll leave, and I�ll never see you again.� She whispered sadly.

�It doesn�t have to be that way��

�Yes, actually it does.�

�Why?�

�Because, he won�t let me go. He owns me. He�d rather kill me than let me go.� She said her voice sad and distant.

He got up from the bed and crouched in front of her. �Such a beautiful woman cannot be owned or possessed like a dog or a cat. You can be free again. I can help you gain that freedom.� His words were cut off by the maid that came in, put four pills in her hand and left. She popped the pills and took a drink from the water the maid had left. He looked at her curiously.

�They are 2 fertility drugs and 2 drugs to keep me sane.� She laughed humorously as tears came to her eyes. �He wants me to have his child. But he�s shooting blanks, but he still persists.� She began to openly sob. �And it�s killing me.� He opened up his arms and pulled her close.

Brenda leaned over and kissed his cheek, she knew how hard it was for him to think about it let alone talk about it with virtual strangers. He took a deep breath. �I made it my business to be delayed at his-- for lack of a better term-- fortress. He had said that she was mine until my departure and so it was so.� His eyes were as cold and as vacant as the sound of his voice. The rage that bubbled underneath was so palpable that even Jax could feel it radiating from his body.

�We had to�� he looked up briefly conveying the meaning with his eyes as he didn�t want to say �Yeah we screwed.� to a former love of Brenda�s. �So that he wouldn�t get suspicious. She was so thin and frail,� he looked into her eyes as though she were the only person on the earth that mattered. �I hadn�t felt so needed since my son had been kidnapped and my wife went crazy and sent our daughter off to be raised strangers.�

Carly and Jax both sat up sharply, this was something they didn�t know. Luis saw this and sighed. �Yes, I had a daughter and a son, twins. It sounds clich� but they were the apple of my eyes. I loved them like no other.� He paused. �Until one day my wife was ambushed while she and one of the nanny�s were in the periodic market in France. They killed the nanny, kidnapped my son, and knocked out my wife. She went mad searching for him. Told me that I was the reason that he was stolen.� He met Jax�s skeptical look dead on. �Contrary to popular misconception I am many things, but a mafiaso is NOT one of them.� He cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter.

�Not long after my sons kidnapping-- maybe a month or two-- she sent my daughter and a nanny somewhere. But she refused to tell me. Told me that I was too much a danger for her�� When they looked into his eyes they could see a fire of anger and resentment in them. He was upset and enraged and angry at the wrongs that could not be righted.

�Luis, take a deep breath.� Brenda whispered patting his back.

He squeezed her free hand and began again. �I never found out where she sent my daughter because she drove herself into on coming traffic about a month later. She was killed instantly, and with her, went her secrets.� He sighed heavily, his heart aching for the things that he could not have but so desperately craved.

�I saw Bren and I saw a way to -- in some small way to perhaps -- make right the wrongs that had been done against myself and perhaps my past.� He looked into her eyes and cupped her cheek. �We spent 5 months together on that accursed island. Running from him, hiding from him, trying to let her heal the way he would never allow, get her the food and nourishment that she needed to keep healthy��

�And then one day I found out that we had conceived a child��

�It should have been the happiest day of our lives��

Her eyes darkened and she looked away as tears sprung to her eyes.

�What? What happened?� Carly prodded her heart pounding.

Luis pulled Brenda close as she wrapped her arms around him as he placed his hand protectively over her belly.

�He found out.� She said in a small voice. �He�He�� She couldn�t say it.

�Long story short he tried to kill me, beat her into submission and claim the child as his own and marry her all in one fail swoop.�

Jax was intrigued. �How�d you get away.�

They paused, Brenda and Luis looked at each other, knowing the truth and only the truth would be the best for all involved. �I killed him.� He said bluntly. His eyes turned a dark black color, as though he felt no remorse. �And I�d do it again in a second if need be.�

Jax was about to comment when the door burst open. Alexis, Luke, Lucky, Lucas and the others were all running in the opposite direction close on the heels of Taggart. �Car-o-line!! Yo child needs ya! And we need help subduing that thang ya used t�call yo hubby!�

She jumped to her feet. �What happened!?�

�He sawr Sonny-boy and pert near lost it. HAYL! I�d go as far as to say he DID lose it! He�s cawlern fer ya!�

�We�ll help.� Brenda assured her as they all stood up.

�Thank you.� Carly mouthed as they both rushed off.

Jax stopped Luis from following. �There�s more isn�t there? You�re leaving details out aren�t you?� He wasn�t angry, he was just concerned. �What REALLY happened to her?�

Luis looked to make sure they were gone. �We have come to terms with it. We are married and expecting a child soon. We are happy and just want to be, can you let it go? If not for me than for her and our child?� Jax hesitated. �Listen, she�s been through a perpetual hell for the last 3 years and I have no intention on letting anyone, including the likes of you, perpetuate her pain more so than she does herself. Leave it be Jax. Leave it be. She is recovering and that�s ALL we�ve ever wanted.�

Jax nodded but warned. �You hurt her, you die.�

�Agreed.� And off they went.

chapter four

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