Jerry sat down at the bedside of his father, who, as it turned out, had fared worse than his mother during their nearly five years of captivity on that pile of rocks called an island. The doctors wanted to keep them there for several days to run some tests, monitor them and ensure that everything was in working order. Five to seven days they wanted to keep them, they said. Maybe longer. Neither John nor Jane was thrilled about spending five to seven more days in Greece. They wanted to go home.

Jane, who was seated comfortably in a wheelchair beside John’s bed, was looking into Jerry’s dark eyes, not knowing where to begin.

“Start at the beginning, Mum,” Jerry advised wearily. “I need to know everything so that I can tell Jax.”

Jane shook her head. “You’re not going to tell him, Jerry, your father and I are. He has to hear this from us.”

Jerry shook his head. “There is no time to wait, Mum. You and Dad are going to be here for at least five more days, according to the doctors, and I am not going to wait five days to tell Jax that I found you nor to tell him about this. And this is not something you can tell Jax over the phone, besides which, I’m not about to risk the call being traced. It must be done face to face. I’m going to leave tonight so I can see him in the morning. And I’m going to have to be the one to tell him everything.”

Jane finally nodded, glanced over at John, who nodded as well, and began.

“After your father and I had you, we wanted to have another child right away. We’d always wanted two, you see. But as it turned out, I developed a bit of a heart condition a year after you were born…”

Jerry nodded. He and Jax had been told about their mother’s heart condition from when they were just kids, although it was almost impossible to believe anything was wrong with her. She was always their wild and crazy mum, coming along on all the family hikes, camp outs and wild travels into far away places, but their father had always told them it was important they not make their mother overexert herself.

“The doctors told me it was imperative I have no more children,” Jane continued. “Your father and I were devastated by that bit of news, but the doctor insisted I would not survive another pregnancy. And so John and I took the necessary measures to ensure that no accidental pregnancies would occur. I couldn’t have any more children after you, Jerry.”

Jerry was hearing his mother’s words but not understanding how any of it was possible. He was five years older than Jax. He would have remembered going out one day and coming back to find a baby had appeared in the house, for god’s sake.

“About a week after your fifth birthday, your father and I got an urgent call from a very dear friend. His name was James Elliot. He was a doctor. He told us that he had a baby. A baby that needed to be adopted right away - that it was a matter of life and death that this child find a home and be taken out of the country.”

“What country?” Jerry asked and then answered his own question. “Greece.”

“Yes,” John said, taking over the telling of the story. “With my financial resources and the cleverness of my attorneys, along with James’ assistance and apparently the consent of the father, who was very influential with the Greek courts, the adoption was done in record time. Literally within hours. It was bloody well almost immediate. A day later, I stayed home with you, while your mother drove to the airport to meet James and take home our newest little family member.”

“How could I not remember that?” Jerry insisted. “How could I not remember Mum just walking in with a baby?”

“It was a long time ago, Jerry. And you were only five. And Jax, he was a part of our lives from the moment we all laid eyes on him. You, especially, were so protective of him from the very first moment. Lord, he was such a beautiful little child. The picture of innocence, yet he had the very devil in him, that boy,” John managed a sincere chuckle. “You asked us,” John recalled with another hoarse chuckle, “where we had gotten him? If your mum had gone on a visit to heaven and taken him back with her? And if the angels would be mad at us for taking one of their own? You stayed by his crib that entire first night, watching him until you just tuckered yourself out.”

Jerry swallowed, a fresh wave of the depth of love and closeness he felt for his brother washing over him - a love and closeness that could not be severed just because they did not have the same blood running through their veins. “Why was it a matter of life and death?” he wanted to know. “You said this friend of yours - this doctor - told you it was a matter of life and death that the baby be adopted and taken out of Greece. Why?”

“He was never specific,” Jane said. “He was very jumpy and terribly, terribly upset about something. Terribly upset. But he did have the father’s consent to do this.”

“What about the mother?” Jerry asked.

“James told us she died in childbirth,” Jane explained. “Your father and I just assumed that the family didn’t want the baby - what with the father giving his consent to the adoption and all.”

“Didn’t you press this Dr. Elliott as to why it was a matter of life and death?” Jerry asked.

“Of course we did,” John said. “James simply would not elaborate. He looked a bit frightened to be honest. And if we didn’t want the child, he was willing to find another family for him. All he kept saying was that our adopting this child had saved the child’s life, and that was all we needed to know.”

“And then James quite up and disappeared on us,” Jane chimed in. “We’ve not been able to locate him for years and years now.”

“Did you always know who Jax’s parents were?” Jerry asked.

“Of course,” John said. “As your mother said, Maximus Cassadine consented to the adoption. His name and that of his wife, Ariana, were on Jax’s birth certificate.”

“So, you knew. You knew that Jax was a part of the Cassadines’ sick dynasty. And you didn’t think that maniacal family could come after one of their own?”

“We knew nothing about the Cassadines,” Jane said. “And we didn’t want to. Jax was ours,” she said vehemently. “That family did not want him, and we wanted nothing to do with them - and never for Jax to know of their tossing him aside like garbage the very day he came into the world. And why would we think they would ever come after Jax, Jerry? They did not want him. They bloody well couldn’t wait to be rid of him!” she said, her voice shaking with anger at the callous family her beloved Jax was tied to by blood.

Jerry took his mother’s hand in his, grinning a bit over her ferocious protectiveness of Jax. Something the entire family felt for the youngest member - and for one another. “Well, they want him now, Mum,” Jerry said, getting serious again. “Or his son.”

John nearly choked on the sip of water he he’d just taken.

“His son?!” John all but shouted.

Jerry put his hand to his head. “Oh, good God, in all this bloody madness I didn’t even tell you, did I?” Jerry realized, glancing from one parent to another. “Dad, Mum… let me be the first to tell you that you are grandparents. Jax and Brenda have a son. He just turned four a couple of weeks ago. And he’s a damned clone of his father,” Jerry laughed.

John was howling with delight. Tears had sprung into Jane’s eyes.

“Mother, did you hear that?!” John shouted. “What’s his name?” John asked eagerly.

“Justin,” Jerry provided with a smile. “Justin Christopher Jasper to be exact. And he’s…” Jerry shook his head, trying to think of an apt word to describe his little nephew. “…He’s bloody perfect.”

“Jax and Brenda are married, then?” Jane asked, her voice hushed with joy… and also pain at all she and John had missed during their awful captivity.

Jerry nodded. “Although, they only got married very recently. Just days ago. Those damned Cassadines, who were impersonating you, took a wrecking ball to Jax and Brenda’s relationship before Jax found her again in Paris four-and-a-half years later. But you know your son… He’s as determined and stubborn as they come, and he took his life back and he took his love back. Jax and Brenda overcame everything thrown in their path, and they are together now. And they are married. They have their son, and another child on the way.”

“Oh, how wonderful!” Jane erupted, clapping her hands.

“And they are in trouble,” John added, reminding them all of the still looming, apparent Cassadine threat. “Dear god, Jerry, are you certain they’re safe where they are?”

“I’m certain,” Jerry assured his father. “But someone tried to kidnap Jax’s son, Dad. That’s the fact. They took him right out of his bedroom at the Quartermaine mansion in the dead of night. Chloroformed him, killed the lights, the phones, the security. Planned the abduction at a time when Jax and Brenda were both out of town and Emily was out of the house, as well - because her bedroom is very close to Justin’s. This was totally planned out, totally set up. Hell, if it wasn’t for Justin’s damned wolf…”

“Wolf?” Jane echoed, eyes wide.

Jerry grinned. “Yes, your grandson has got himself a wolf as a pet. He’s got himself a snake, too, actually, but let’s just talk about the wolf right now. Well, half wolf, as Brenda keeps insistently pointing out. He’s this gorgeous white wolf, with green eyes and a ferocious loyalty to the kid. He tore the would-be kidnapper to shreds before the person got away. Cooper - that’s the wolf’s name - would die trying to protect Justin. And he nearly did. The dog was definitely kicked around something fierce, but he won the battle. Forced the kidnapper to leave Justin in the house and scram. And that is the only reason Justin is still safely with us today,” Jerry added quietly. “It was the Cassadines who tried to take him. I know this in my gut. I just don’t know which Cassadine it was. We can’t trust any of them. And we can’t let Jax or Justin near any of them until we know what it is they want Justin for.”

Jerry rose to his feet. “I have to go to Jax now. I have to tell him what I know. And you, Mum and Dad, you have to try to find this friend of yours, Dr. Elliott. My gut tells me he knows something - hell, he probably knows everything and can tell us all we need to know. Make some phone calls, track the bloody man down. Mac can get any FBI computer resources at your disposal.”

“We will find him,” John vowed. “No one is going to harm my son or his son. No one is going to harm one head of hair on anyone in my family.”

Jerry hugged his father and kissed his mother. “I’m almost afraid to leave you,” he confessed. “I don’t want to come back and find you gone.”

“Mac is here with us, Jerry. He’ll get us back to Port Charles safely.”

“No,” Jerry said, shaking his head. “You are not going to Port Charles. I want you safe. And with Cassadines lurking all about that town and them having some part in your abduction and captivity in that godforsaken island, I won’t have you there. You’ll be going to the same location Jax is, as soon as the doctors allow you to be released. Mac knows that.”

“Get to your brother safely, son,” John said.

Jerry nodded

“And tell your brother, Brenda, and our grandson how much we love them,” Jane added. She was clearly worried about how Jax would take the news of his true paternity.

Jerry gave his mother a reassuring smile. “Jax loves you, too. He loves all of us. Nothing is going to change that. Not even this.”

And then Jerry was gone.

“Oh, my god.” Brenda stood on the front porch watching Jax and Justin on the beach below between the spaces of the fingers covering her eyes. “Oh… I can’t… I can’t watch. He’s going to fall!” she lamented.

Behind her, Vanu chuckled. “I think that is part of the learning, Missy J. Yes, he shall fall, but his father will be there to pick him up.”

“He’s only four,” Brenda said softly.

“And yet an extraordinary child,” Vanu said. “And from what I am seeing, quite a natural when it comes to surfing. Despite the spills you are seeing, he is doing quite well. Just listen to the joyous shouts of your husband. Little J is impressing his father mightily.”

Brenda grinned. Yes, that was true. Jax sounded like an ecstatic kid himself out there. She followed Vanu inside.

“You love your husband very much,” Vanu commented as he began to prepare and pack up the picnic lunch Brenda had requested.

“That obvious?” Brenda asked with a dimpled smile.

“Anyone can see it in your eyes. Hear it in your voice when you speak his name,” Vanu told her.

“Jax is my soul mate,” Brenda said, helping Vanu pack some of Justin’s favorite grape juices into the cooler bag. “Do you believe in soul mates, Vanu?”

“A love that transcends all other loves? Yes, Missy J, I do. I had such a love for my dear wife. It is why I never was able to remarry. She has been gone from me for nine long years now. I believe I could love again. But never like that. No, never like that. And I cannot settle for anything less than what I had with her. I will not. Therefore, I can never marry again. But I am very content with my life. Raising and caring for my grandson, whose own parents passed away in a boating accident when he was two.”

“Yeah, Kiko’s great,” Brenda said with a smile. “And so smart and with such good manners. You’re raising him beautifully.” Then she touched Vanu’s arm. “I’m very sorry to hear about your wife.”

He nodded at her, graciously accepting her sympathy. “It was like having my heart cut out,” he said quietly. “But we go on, Missy J. We must, must we not?”

Brenda bit her lip. “I don’t know how I could go on without Jax,” she admitted. “I love him so much. You know I lost him for a while. These people - very cruel people - they totally manipulated us and forced us apart, and I lost Jax for almost five years, and… it was so horrible. If I didn’t have Justin, I don’t really know how I would have gotten it together.” She tugged absently on her ponytail. “I tried to get interested in other men. To date and go out and have a good time.” She shook her head. “But I couldn’t do it.”

“It takes a very long time to adjust,” Vanu said. “As far as ‘getting over it’, as you Americans would say… well, it simply does not happen, Missy J. Not with the kind of love you and I are speaking of.”

Brenda nodded, in full agreement. “It almost makes you wonder if it’s worth the potential pain to have that kind of love,” she said thoughtfully, placing some sliced fruit into the picnic basket.

“It is worth everything to have that kind of love,” Vanu said without hesitation. “That kind of love is rare and beautiful. It is a gift from the Great Spirit to those who experience it. It should be cherished. It should never be regretted.” He packed up the last of the food for Brenda’s picnic on the beach. “I wish to comment, Missy J, on the extraordinary talents of your son. I could not help but to hear him playing the piano earlier this day. It brought tears to my eyes and moved my heart; such a thing of beauty was it. I do hope you and Mr. J. will encourage such a gift in your child. It is a gift that should be shared with the world.”

Vanu and Brenda’s conversation was interrupted by the noisy chattering of the returning beach brigade of Jax, Justin, Kiko, and Cooper.

“Hi, Mommy!” Justin shouted, as they walked up the front to the open door. “I was surfing! I really was! Kinda!”

Brenda laughed and looked at Jax, who shot her a to-die-for smile.

“He is so awesome,” Jax said, with a wondrous shake of his head, grabbing hold of his squealing son and giving him a hug.

Grinning like a little lunatic, Justin give his father a high-five and shook his wet hair, spraying everybody.

Kiko laughed and reached for a towel.

“I told Daddy I could do it by myself,” Justin said. “But he wouldn’t let me. And I told him I wanted my own surfboard. But he said not yet,” Justin said with a semi-pout.

“He is so stubborn. Always wanting to do things by himself,” Jax murmured to Brenda.

Brenda nodded. “Yeah, I know. I wonder where he got that little quirk from?” Brenda asked innocently.

Jax winked at her. “What’s this?” Jax asked, gazing at the picnic basket.

“Oh, I didn’t think you guys were coming in so soon. I was going to bring lunch to you out on the beach,” Brenda said.

“We’re goin’ back anyways, Mommy,” Justin told her as his dad set him down. “I just wanted to come in here and get you, so you could come and watch me!”

“Oh, she was watching,” Vanu said with a chuckle. “With her hand covering her eyes,”

Jax laughed. “Awww, Bren… faint heart, sweetie?”

“I’ll have you know I was peeking through my fingers, though,” Brenda responded, to which all the males around her laughed. She rolled her eyes. “Well, I was.”

Vanu placed a hand on Kiko’s wet shoulders. “Kiko, you must shower and get dressed for your painting lessons in the village,” Vanu reminded him. To Jax, Brenda and Justin he said, “Enjoy your picnic on the beach. We shall see you later.” And then he disappeared into his quarters to get ready.

“Okay, ready guys?” Brenda said, as she slipped on her sunglasses and took hold of the big picnic basket Vanu had packed up for her.

“I’ll take that,” Jax said, taking the basket from her, “It’s nearly bigger than you are.”

Brenda pinched his arm. “Hey,” she said.

“Here, you take this,” he said, handing her his laptop. “You can check for messages from Jerry - any news on my mum and dad.”

“I wanna take something,” Justin said.

Jax grinned down at him. “Oh, I’ve got just the thing for you, kiddo. But I don’t think you can carry it,” he added with an exaggerated pout.

“Why not? What is it, Daddy? What is it?” the child asked anxiously, his impatience undoubtedly inherited from his beautiful mother.

“You’ll see it when we get to the beach,” Jax promised.

Brenda groaned. “Why am I not having a good feeling about this?” she murmured.

Jax caressed her lovely face. “Oh, my love, you do wound me.” Then he gently slapped her rear end. “Let’s go.”

As they left the beach house and headed down to the beach, Justin noticed men to the perimeter of the property on the left and on the right. He yanked his father’s hand. “Daddy! Who’re those men over there? And over there?” Justin thought they might be a legion of aliens, since they were all dressed alike.

“You didn’t see them before? Those are just some security professionals on loan to us from the palace,” Jax explained to his son. “They won’t be inside the house, but they will guard the perimeter at all times. I take no chances when it comes to the safety of you and your mother.”

“So, they’re on our side then?” Justin asked to make sure.

“Yes,” Jax assured him.

Justin nodded and then waved over at the palace guards, who waved in return.

“They’re from a real palace?” Justin wanted to know.

“Yep,” Jax responded.

“Like Buckingham Place in England?”

“Not quite. This is a little kingdom,” Jax explained. “One of the smallest nations in the world, in fact. Hey, JC, what’s that?” Jax asked, pointing to something protruding from the sand.

Justin squinted. “I don’t know. It looks kinda like a…” Justin’s blue eyes lit up. “Wow! Wow! Is that for me?!” he squeaked, racing towards the shiny, purple, kid-sized surfboard protruding from the sand.

Brenda didn’t know whether to laugh or to kill Jax. “Awww, honey. You didn’t,” she said.

“I did.”

She sighed. “That settles it. I’m going to have to kill you, then,” she said.

Jax laughed and pulled her into his arms. “Well, then, I would like a kiss before dying, if you don’t mind.”

Their lips met in a slow, sweet kiss that made Jax’s heart spike. He sighed against the softness of her mouth. “I love you so,” he whispered, closing his eyes. He kissed the corner of her lips. “I love thee with the passion put to use in my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose with my lost saints, -I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life…”

Brenda stood up on her toes and kissed him again, her fingers entwining in the back of his wet hair, her body pressed against the ocean kissed wetness of his stomach and chest as their kiss simmered with slow, building passion. “Jax,” Brenda whispered against the intoxicating pleasure of his mouth. “Don’t do this to me now,” she finished with a giggle. He, after all, knew damn well what his kisses combined with his poetic turns of phrase did to her. Even now, she wanted to fall down onto the warm, white sand, naked and burning in his arms.

It was their son’s cute gagging noises behind them that put a halt to the heady pull of their kisses.

Jax and Brenda, both laughing softly, broke their kiss to look at their son, who was now badgering his daddy to let him try out his new surfboard.

“No, not yet, kiddo,” Jax said. “Your mom went and had Vanu make this nice lunch for us, and we’re going to sit down and eat it right now, okay?”

“Yes, and besides, your father knows I would never let you go out in the water on that thing yet by yourself,” Brenda added. “You just started learning today, honey; it’s too soon.”

“I wasn’t gonna go by myself,” Justin said. “But, Mommy, even if I fall off, What’s the big deal anyhow? I can swim. You know that, Mommy. Really, really good. I always beat you, all the time, even.”

Jax laughed but then put on a serious face when his wife glared at him. “That’s not the point, JC, you are in no way ready to do any surfing by yourself yet. Period. You have to quit being so brave. It scares your mother.”

Brenda gave Jax another little glare. “No, it’s the reckless part that scares me - a little - not the bravery,” Brenda corrected, jabbing an elbow in Jax’s ribs.

“I beg your pardon. Quit being so reckless, it scares your mother - a little,” Jax corrected, giving his son a serious glance, but sneaking in a quick wink.

“Okay,” Justin sighed, glancing wistfully at his new surfboard, as he took Cooper and sat down on the blanket his parents had spread out. He reached into the cooler and took out one of the grape juices, while his parents sat down and opened up the picnic basket.

“Peanut butter and jelly, chicken salad or yummy tuna?” Brenda asked her men.

“Peanut butter and jelly,” Justin said.

“Okay,” Brenda said, handing her son a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “And chicken salad for you, sweetie?” she said to Jax.

Jax nodded, gazing at her in a way that should have made her blush but only made her smile and lean across and kiss him as she handed him a sandwich and a cold beverage.

Brenda sighed happily. “I feel so… domestic,” she said. “You know, typical wife, mother…”

Jax let out a loud hoot of utter disbelief. “Domestic? You? Honey, you will never be domestic,” he murmured. “And there is nothing remotely typical mother or wife about you, Mrs. Barrett-Jacks.” Jax took a bite of his sandwich. “For instance, there is no way in hell that you made this,” Jax pointed out.

Justin burst out laughing at his dad’s remark and Brenda laughed, too, tossing her hands in the air in surrender to her husband’s point of her lack of being a typical mommy and wife and having any natural domestic instincts.

They were entertained throughout the midday meal by their son’s retelling of local tales of the kingdom that Vanu and Kiko had told him, and then Justin squirmed around while his mom put more sunblock on him before he went off with Cooper nearby to go build a sandcastle. His parents watched them while soaking up the gorgeous sunshine and the cool ocean breeze.

Brenda scooped up the laptop and sat in Jax’s lap, checking the messages, while Jax wrapped one arm around her waist and stroked her hair with his other hand, while he kept an eye on their son.

“Oooh, Jax, there’s one of those special coded messages from Jerry here. He says he’s coming here.”

“When?” Jax asked, glancing down at the computer screen. “Does he say anything about my parents?” he asked, his voice anxious

“He said he’ll be here either tonight or tomorrow morning. Jax! He says your parents are okay - he found them!” Brenda reported jubilantly, as Jax was reading the same thing over her shoulder with his own eyes, his heart leaping with relief.

“And he’ll explain everything when he gets here,” Jax said, finishing reading Jerry’s note.

Brenda squealed with delight and turned around in his arms to hug him. “I’m so happy. So happy they’re okay,” Brenda said, beaming. One hand stroked his face. “See, honey? This is a sign. Everything’s going to be all right. It really is.”

Jax turned his head so his lips could kiss her hand. He closed his eyes. “It will be,” he said, “once the Cassadines are dealt with. They’re going to pay, Brenda. For what they did to us, for what they did to my parents, for what they tried to do to my son…”

Brenda soothed him with soft words and kisses. She felt the anger in him, the pent up fury at what these people had done to his life… to all their lives. “I love you,” she whispered, kissing his cheek, stroking his chest, calming him with her touch, with her words, with her closeness. “You know,” Brenda said, wanting to move the conversation away from the Cassadines, “When we get back home, we’re going to have to go about officially changing Justin’s last name to Jacks.”

Jax nodded, smiling; knowing what she was trying to do. Loving her for it.

“And speaking of home,” she continued. “Are we going to be living in the penthouse?”

In the midst of constructing his sandcastle, Justin’s blonde head popped up. “Hey! Daddy, can we tell Mommy about…”

“No!” Jax said, reading his son’s mind, putting a finger to his lips and shaking his head.

“Still a secret?” Justin whispered with a sneaky little laugh, although there was no need, as Brenda was right there and heard everything being said.

Jax nodded, smiling over at the child and giving him a co-conspirator wink.

“Tell mommy what?” Brenda demanded. “You know… you guys and all your little Jax-and-Justin secrets,” she playfully berated them.

Jax laughed and kissed her ear. “Pray for a daughter,” he advised in a sexy whisper.

“Believe me, I am,” she muttered.

“Daddy, Mommy says if the baby’s a girl, then I get to give her her name. Isn’t that wicked cool?” Justin said, trying to fashion a door out of a pile of sand. “And I already know it’s gonna be a girl ‘cause that’s what I wished for - ‘member?” he said with a flash of dimples, before getting back to his project.

Jax gazed down at his wife, who was back to scrolling through e-mail. “You told Justin he could name the baby?” he asked, amused.

“Only if it’s a girl,” Brenda said.

“Hmmm… Just so long as you know we may end up with a daughter named G.I. Joe,” Jax murmured.

Brenda giggled and continued her scrolling. “Jax!” she said sitting up straight in his lap. “Oh, my god, I got it! I got the Skin Diver magazine cover! Look, Jax, I’m not making this up, there’s a note from Lois here saying we got it!”

Jax was grinning. “I never thought you were making it up, love,” he told her, rolling his eyes.

“Oh, my god! I can’t believe it. My first cover! Pinch me!”

Jax’s eyes roved over her. “Pinch you where?” he asked, with a rakish smile. Then he took her face in one hand and brushed his lips over hers. “Congratulations, sweetheart,” he said, damned proud of her.

Brenda bit her lip with glee and then kissed him again. Then her eyes narrowed with worry. “The shoot is next month, Jax. In Malibu. Do you think we’ll be home by then? Do you think I can accept this?”

“Yes,” Jax said, furious at the thought of this Cassadine mess preventing Brenda from this wonderful opportunity that she had earned and deserved. She had been so disappointed a few days ago when she’d learned she hadn’t gotten the Elle magazine cover. There was no way Jax was going to disappoint her now, when she’d gotten her very first cover. “We’ll be home by then. I promise you, Brenda. I promise you.” He kissed the top of her hair.

“Madam!” Andreas burst into the large bathroom on the yacht, where Helena was soaking in a tub of citrus scented bath water, her mood foul, as she could not find Jax, the child, nor Dimitrius. Dimitrius’ wife, however, was in custody in Greece, brought up on kidnapping and attempted murder charges, but Helena’s sources told her the woman refused to speak a word to authorities or even her attorney. Helena, however, was quite prepared to beat the information she required out of the woman.

“Madam!” Andreas repeated.

“What is it?” she snapped at her manservant. “Have you located Jasper Jacks?”

“No, Madam, I have not,” Andreas confessed, “But,” he added quickly. “I believe I have tracked down your brother-in-law.”

The light of interest lit up Helena’s eyes. “Maximus?” she drawled. “Where is he!” she demanded greedily.

“Well, the bug you deduced your son planted in here, madam - as you recall we turned the tables on him and have Wyndamere bugged now.”

Helena waved her hand impatiently. “Yes, yes, I know all of that already, get on with it.”

“It would appear that Stefan, is searching for Maximus, too,” Andreas informed her. “And I heard his investigator inform him a few moments ago that they have tracked Maximus Cassadine down to South Africa. Stefan was very pleased by the information and is flying there in two days.”

“Then we fly there tonight, Andreas. I don’t know what my pathetic son is up to, but I won’t have him finding Maximus before I do. Pack my things.”

Andreas nodded, happy to have pleased his employer. “Can I cease the search for Mr. Jacks and his family now, madam?” he asked hopefully, as Jax was proving to be virtually impossible to track down.

“No, you fool. They must be found until I know the truth. Keep everyone looking.” Then she sank back into the tub, smiling. So, Maximus had been located, had he? Splendid! Ah, yes, he was the man with all the answers. And Helena would get them all out of him no matter how she had to do it. And his answers would dictate whether he got to live or whether he would be done away with, along with anyone in his line of progeny.

Early the next morning, right around sunrise, Jax and Justin were out walking Cooper and racing along the beach. Brenda was, of course, fast asleep at this hour. As they walked back to the house, Justin raced inside with Cooper, while Jax stopped to chat with one of the palace guards on loan to them.

It was then that Jax spotted the man walking towards the house and immediately recognized his brother.

“Jerry!” he called out, happily, walking toward him to meet him halfway.

“Jax.”

The brothers shared a quick hug and then Jerry gave Jax a once over. “You look good. Everything okay here?”

“Yeah, Jer. Everything’s fine. We’re all fine. Listen; tell me about Mum and Dad. Where’d you find them? How are they? Why didn’t they come with you?”

“Slow down, kid,” Jerry said as they walked to the front steps of the porch and sat down. “I found them on some piece-of-crap island in Greece. It belonged to Mikos Cassadine, and he gave it to that cousin of his, Dimitrius, - the guy Justin got in the picture - as a degrading gift to humiliate the guy. Anyway, it looks like this cousin is the one who orchestrated this whole thing. Although Helena could have given him the order, I don’t know that yet. I caught the wife of the cousin - the one masquerading as Mum. You’ll never believe this lunatic woman - she actually got a series of plastic surgery to look like our mother. Hers was no mask, Jax. The surgical scars were behind her ears. She was trying to burn our parents to death when I found them. I shot her bloody kneecaps out and the police picked her up, but she’s not talking at all.”

“Why?” Jax asked, blue eyes a maze of confusion. “Why the hell would the Cassadines want to kidnap our parents, Jerry? What the hell is that all about?”

“Well…”

“No, tell me how they are first. Are they all right? Were they hurt?”

“They were… they weren’t seriously hurt, no. They were suffering all the effects of being held captive under crummy conditions though. Malnutrition, dehydration and the like. Smoke inhalation from the fire. Luckily, since they wanted Mum and Dad alive, they did supply Mum with her heart pills, or else I really don’t want to think about what would have happened.”

Jax swallowed convulsively and nodded.

“Dad did whatever he could to protect her, and he paid the price for it. He’s worse off than she is. He may have a bit of pneumonia, on top of everything else. But the bottom line is they are both going to be okay. They just need to stay in the hospital for a bit to recover. They’re dying to see you. All of you. I told them about you and Brenda and the kids. They were so happy.”

Jax let loose a smile, imagining his parents’ ecstatic reactions to being grandparents.

“And they want me to tell you how much they love you.” Jerry looked at Jax, looked at him so intently, that Jax gave him a questioning look.

“What?” Jax finally said.

“I love you, too. You are my brother, Jax. In every way that counts, you are.”

Jax gave Jerry an exasperated look. “No kidding.”

“Listen to me, Jax, damn it! I have something I have to tell you,” Jerry said, sounding oddly angry. “I know why the Cassadines are so interested in your son. And in you, for that matter. I… found something in Helena’s safe on her yacht. I showed it to our parents and… they… they told me it was true.”

Jax looked at his brother expectantly. Then grinned, “What, was I adopted?” he teased, easing back on his elbow on the steps.

Jerry had a rather ill expression on his face now.

The smile vanished from Jax’s face. A knot of trepidation twisted in his gut. He sat up straight, gazed from the glittering ocean to the grave expression on his brother’s face. “Was I?” he asked in an incredulous whisper.

Poetry credit: a portion of “How Do I Love Thee” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning