"You son of a . . .” Jerry said as he started toward Sonny. He stopped when he felt Brenda firmly press her hand against his chest.

“What are you doing here Sonny?” Brenda demanded when she looked away from Jerry.

“I brought ‘poor, lost Miranda’ to visit her long lost family,” he said as he walked into the waiting room. “Seems someone in your perfect family managed to turn her only friend in town against her,” he said as he glared at Jerry, who started toward him again. This time he stopped because Brenda wrapped her arms tightly around his arm.

“Who would that friend be and how did my family turn them against her?” Brenda asked as she tightened her hold on Jerry.

“Who would be Mac Scorpio and how was your ‘saintly’ mother-in-law told him some bull about it being Miranda’s idea to keep her survival a secret from everyone, including him,” Sonny said. “I guess he and the future Mrs. Jacks were pretty close before the Jacks clan decided to get rid of her.”

This time it was Brenda who wanted to slug him. Instead she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Sonny, Sonny, Sonny,” Brenda said with a chuckle as she took a few steps closer to him. “It’s not like you to be so misinformed. It wasn’t Jane who told Mac about Miranda’s cruelty. It was Miranda herself.”

Sonny stood up straight, unable to hide his shock. “And why would she tell him something like that?” he asked disbelievingly.

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because it’s the truth,” Brenda said triumphantly. She was shocked when she saw the expression on Sonny’s face. “You really didn’t know did you, Sonny?” When she didn’t see any change in his expression she knew she was right. She suddenly realized exactly why Sonny had brought Miranda to Port Charles. She looked over at Jerry in disbelief. “I just figured out why he did this,” she said as she shook her head. “He thought he was bringing your victim to town to break up not only my wedding but our entire family as well.”

“Unfortunately, he made the same mistake that Jax did, he trusted Miranda,” Jerry said as he walked over to stand proudly next to Brenda. “I am glad to hear that Scorpio is finally wise to her, though. Maybe now that she doesn’t have him to manipulate she’ll realize that it’s time for her to go home. Oh wait, thanks to you she doesn’t have a home to go back to or the life she used to live anymore.”

“What are you talking about Jacks?” Sonny demanded, obviously not liking the feeling of being the only one not knowing where the conversation was going.

“She had a written contract with my father that stated that after we paid all of her medical and rehab bills we would provide her that penthouse in Manila where you found her. We would also provide her enough funds to live ‘comfortably’ for the rest of her life - even if she chose to marry.” Jerry stopped for a second to look at Sonny’s face. He could tell that Miranda had not told him any of this. “The only condition was that if she intentionally contacted Jax the deal was off. She forfeits the penthouse, the living allowance, everything.” Jerry looked at Sonny with a smirk. “So I hope you plan to keep her in the style she’s become quite accustomed to because our contract is over!”

Sonny didn’t say anything at first as he scrambled to process what Jerry had just told him. Slowly a smile spread across his face. “You just shot down your own lie, Jacks. If all this secrecy was her idea, why the no contact clause in this supposed deal?”

“Because by the time Miranda was completely recovered Jax had gotten on with his life again. They didn’t want him thrown for a loop by her sudden return from the dead. So, since she didn’t want him to know anyway, John put the no contact restriction in the contract,” Brenda said calmly. “Since she was eager for the lifestyle she had grown used to, she eagerly agreed to the condition.”

“So I suggest that you plan on spending a lot of money for a very long time to support her Sonny,” Brenda said with a snide grin. “Because the Jacks family is through with her - ALL of us!”

“Oh I wouldn’t be so sure about that if I were you Brenda,” Sonny said with a smirk. “The way those two were looking at each other when they walked past me just now didn’t exactly look like they were through with each other. They couldn’t keep their eyes or their hands off of each other. No, I don’t think they’re anywhere close to being finished with each other.” He reached up to stroke the backs of his fingers across Brenda’s cheek. “Face it Brenda, you’re the other woman AGAIN - and in your own marriage no less. It’s only a matter of time before Pretty Boy dumps you for his first love.”

Brenda reached up and slowly wrapped her fingers around Sonny’s wrist and squeezed it tightly as she lifted his hand off of her cheek. “If you ever do that again Sonny, I’ll break every bone in your hand,” she said calmly as she looked right into his eyes. “I suggest that you get out of here and not come back. You don’t have to worry though, I’ll be sure to send Miranda to your apartment when Jax is finished with her,” she said coolly as she released her grip on his wrist.

When Sonny didn’t move right away Jerry stepped forward and gently pushed Brenda behind him. “You heard my sister Corinthos - get out of here,” he said with a coldness in his voice that made Brenda shudder slightly.

Sonny looked at Jerry for a moment before shaking his head. “I’m going - for now. Mark my words Brenda. It won’t be long before your ‘perfect’ husband leaves you for his first love,” he said snidely. “No one seems to stay with you do they Brenda? Not your mother or your father, your sister wants nothing to do with you - except maybe to use you to get to your husband for some big business deal. You sure couldn’t hold on to me and now it looks like your precious Jasper is about to dump you as well.” Sonny slowly shook his head as he continued to grin. “I wonder what it is about you that drives people away - even your own family?”

“Her family is right here Mr. Corinthos and we’re not going anywhere!” Jane declared from behind him. “This is a family time Mr. Corinthos so I would appreciate it if you would kindly leave us alone.”

“That’s exactly why I’m here, Mrs. Jacks. I dropped off the missing member of your family,” Sonny said as he turned to look at Jane. “You remember Miranda don’t you, your son’s fiancée’?”

“Leave Corinthos - NOW!” Jerry hissed as he started to step forward.

“Fine, I’ll go,” Sonny said as he held up his hands in mock surrender. “If Jasper ever brings Miranda back tell her my driver will be waiting for her by the nurse’s station.”

“Oh she’ll be back - and not too long from now so you might as well wait with your driver,” Brenda said coldly. “Remember what I said Sonny, stay away from me and my family!”

“I won’t have to come anywhere near you Brenda,” he said smugly. “You’re going to come crawling to me when your precious Jax dumps you for her,” he said as he turned to walk away.

Jerry started to lunge at him but stopped when Brenda grabbed his arm. “Get out Corinthos or I’ll have security throw you out!”

Sonny gave them one more smirk before slowly turning and walking out the door. Brenda, Jerry and Jane watched as he slowly sauntered down the hall. When he was finally out of sight, Jane walked over and rested her hand on Brenda’s arm. “I hope you don’t believe what he said about Jax and Miranda, luv,” Jane said as she tried to read Brenda’s face. She was surprised to see a growing anger creep into Brenda’s eyes.

“Of course not Jane,” Brenda said coolly. “I know my husband, apparently better than you do. I know how he feels about me - and about Miranda.” Brenda gently pulled her arm away from Jane’s grasp and took a couple of steps away before turning to look directly at her. “Sonny doesn’t know anything. He was just trying to get to me. I’m just surprised you let him get to you. IS it possible that you really don’t know your own son?” she asked as she stared at Jane for several moments.

When she finally looked away she turned to look at Jerry. “Why don’t you go see John? I’m sure Jax will be back soon,” Brenda said calmly.

Jerry looked at his mother for a moment before looking back at Brenda. He knew that as soon as he left the room his mother would try to say something to Brenda and would probably only succeed in making her angrier than she already was. “I think I’ll wait until Jax gets back. Besides, dad could probably use a little rest before he has any more visitors,” he said as he smiled at Brenda.

“You’re probably right about that. It’s been pretty rough on him already,” Brenda said as she walked over to the window, her back turned to Jerry and Jane.

Jax took Miranda into the hospital solarium and locked the door behind them. “Okay Miranda, we’re alone. What is it that you want to talk about that can’t be said in front of my family?”

Miranda was surprised by the cold edge on Jax’s voice. She quickly realized that this was not going to be as easy as she had thought. “I wanted to explain to you why I did what I did. I wanted you to hear my side of the story without any interruptions from your family or that woman,” she said in her most sincere voice. “Besides, I didn’t think you’d want Brenda to have to hear how deeply we love each other.” She reached out to touch his cheek but he pulled away. “What’s wrong? You always loved when I touched you.”

“Can we just get to this explanation please? I want to get back to my family,” Jax said as he walked away from her and sat down at the table in the center of the room.

“I thought I was all the family you needed, Jax?” Miranda asked as she wiped away a nonexistent tear. “Isn’t that what you told me on the flight from Los Angeles to Alaska? Didn’t you tell me that we would build our own family from that day on?”

“Miranda, I was a nineteen year old boy when I said that! I didn’t have the slightest idea what love or family was at that age!” Jax declared as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “I’m still waiting for your explanation,” he said coldly.

“Okay, okay, here goes,” Miranda said as she sat down opposite him. “When I woke up in that hospital after the explosion I was wrapped in bandages and plaster. There wasn’t a bone in my body that wasn’t broken. My face was completely destroyed. When I woke up enough to be able to talk the first person I saw was your brother Jerry. He asked if I wanted him to call you. I couldn’t let you see me like that Jax. I didn’t think I was going to live and I didn’t want you to remember me like that. So I told him no. I begged him not to tell you. Finally, he agreed not to say anything, probably because the doctors told him to stop upsetting me.

“By the time I was stable enough to be moved to that clinic in Geneva, I had finally convinced your parents that you were better off thinking I was dead.” Miranda smiled slightly. “Now that I think back, I have to tell you it didn’t take all that much convincing.” She looked at Jax with what she hoped was sadness in her eyes. She was surprised to see a coldness she had never seen before. She had expected to see pity and regret, maybe even a few tears for her huge sacrifice.

“Go on,” Jax said coolly.

“I don’t remember too much about the next year or so. Between the blinding pain and all the surgeries I was under some pretty heavy sedation most of the time. I think I had about twenty or twenty-five surgeries that year. Slowly I started to look like a human being again. Then, of course, I had to learn how to walk again.” She still didn’t see any sympathy in his eyes. “Can’t you say anything?” she asked as she reached for his hand.

Jax pulled his hand back before she could touch him. “What do you want me to say, Miranda? That I’m sorry about everything you went through after the explosion - I am. That I understand why you didn’t want me to know you had survived - I don’t!” he said coldly as he got up and walked over to the window.

Miranda got up and walked quickly over to stand next to him. “I couldn’t let you see me like that! Forget that I didn’t look like myself anymore! I didn’t even look human, Jax!” she said loudly. “I loved you too much to let you see me like that. I knew you’d blame yourself for what had happened if you knew. So I convinced your family to let you go on thinking I was dead so that you could live a full happy life - for both of us.” She put her hand on Jax’s arm. “I wanted you to live a long and happy life. I never expected you to try to kill yourself! Why did you do that?”

Jax pulled his arm away from her touch. “It wasn’t something I planned Miranda. I just wanted the guilt and the pain to go away.” He turned and looked at her. “Of course, if I’d known that you were still alive I wouldn’t have had to go climbing to try to forget now would I?” he asked as he stared at her.

“Why are you looking at me like that Jax? I did all of this to protect you. I love you - more than I ever knew was possible!” Miranda pleaded as she tried to hook her arms around his neck.

Jax couldn’t keep from laughing as he shook his head. “You know, that would be a whole lot more believable if you hadn’t been living off of my parents for the past six years.”

“That wasn’t my idea Jax! Your father insisted on paying me! I never asked for the money!” Miranda insisted.

“Whose idea was the written contract?” Jax asked coolly.

Miranda looked at him innocently. “It was mine. I knew I was completely recovered so I wouldn’t be seeing your family anymore. I didn’t trust them not to tell you, so I insisted on a ‘contract’ that would guarantee their silence. Your father insisted on giving me the apartment and the money. He said that way he knew that I wouldn’t change my mind and tell you myself.” She hoped that the desperate tone in her voice would convince him.

“I see,” Jax said. “So you’re saying that my parents took you to a luxury penthouse and kept you there against your will, forcing you to let them pay all of your bills AND give you a very generous living allowance. Right?”

Miranda was surprised at the sarcasm in Jax’s voice. She had expected a much more sympathetic reaction. Her mind raced to try to figure out what to say next to change his mind. “In a way they did force the money on me Jax. They knew that I didn’t want you to know I was still alive so they demanded that I take the money before they would agree not to tell you!” Miranda took a few steps away from him, turning her back. “You know me Jax. You know money means nothing to me. Why would I make a deal like this if I wasn’t forced into it?” she said in a quivering voice.

For a moment Jax remembered the old Miranda, the Miranda who lived in jeans and sweaters. He began to think maybe there was some truth to what she was saying. When he took a few steps closer to her he focused more closely on her appearance. He stopped short when he noticed her clothes. Thanks to Brenda, he had been around the world of designer clothes enough to recognize couture clothing. The outfit Miranda was wearing looked like it came from one of the major fashion houses in London. He looked at her more closely for a moment. He realized that her clothes fit her like they were custom made. It was also obvious that she was comfortable in the outfit - as if she wore outfits like this all the time, not like it was something new that Sonny had bought for her.

“You were right about one thing Miranda,” Jax said coldly. “The Miranda I knew doesn’t exist anymore.” He shook his head sadly. “I don’t know this Miranda,” he said as he pointed at her. “And I don’t think I want to either. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to get back to my family. My wife has been through a lot the last couple of days - thanks to you. I don’t want to be away from her for too long. I’d hate to think that you were trying to stall me so that your buddy Sonny Corinthos could harass her.” Jax walked over and unlocked the door. As he started to walk out he stopped and turned to look back at her. “I’m sure you can find your way out Miranda. There should be someone waiting at the nurses’ station to drive you wherever you want to go.”

“Why would you say that? Did you arrange for someone to drive me around?” Miranda asked with a touch of excitement.

Jax couldn’t keep from laughing. “Hardly Miranda, I just happen to know your new best friend, Sonny Corinthos, very well. He isn’t going to let you roam around Port Charles on your own. He’s going to want to keep an eye on you.” His expression quickly grew serious. “You’ve chosen yourself a very dangerous partner. Whatever it is you are planning better be worth what he’s paying you.” With that he turned and walked out without ever looking back.

Miranda stood silently watching Jax walk away. When he was gone she started to pace around the room. This was not going the way she had expected. She had expected Jax to take her in his arms and profess his love for her, especially when he heard how she had sacrificed her own happiness for him. Instead, he didn’t seem to even like her anymore. He had certainly left in a hurry, anxious to get back to that twit of a wife of his. When she felt her anger reach the boiling point she reached over and swept everything off of the table in front of her. She then took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. This was just a minor setback she decided. It was just going to take a little longer than she had expected, that’s all. She took another deep breath, squared her shoulders, picked up her purse and hooked the strap on her shoulder before walking confidently out the door and down the hall.

Miranda got back to the nurse’s station just as Jax got to the waiting room. She watched as he wrapped his arms around Brenda. A smug expression spread across her face as she started to formulate a plan in her mind. She looked around for a minute until she saw the driver Sonny had assigned to her. As she walked toward him she decided it was time for Mr. Corinthos to start pulling his share in this arrangement. He was going to have to do something about that clinging vine wife of Jax’s now or neither one of them was going to get what they wanted.

Brenda watched as Miranda walked up to the nurse’s station. She couldn’t help shuddering when she saw her look directly at her before getting on the elevator. She had never seen that much hatred in a person’s eyes before. For the first time since all of this had started, she felt afraid, not for her marriage, but for her life. As she watched Miranda step onto the elevator, Brenda wrapped her arms tightly around Jax’s waist and rested her head against his chest.

Jax could feel Brenda trembling as soon as she wrapped her arms around him. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and rested his cheek on top of her head. “What’s wrong luv?” he asked softly as he stroked her back with one hand. He glanced over the top of her head and saw Miranda getting into the elevator with one of Sonny’s men. “Is it Miranda?”

“No, not exactly,” Brenda said with a sigh as she leaned back slightly to look up at him.

“What is it then?” Jax asked as he cupped the side of her face in his hand.

“It was the way she looked at me just now,” Brenda said in a shaky voice. “I’ve never seen so much hatred in anyone’s eyes before Jax. What happened between you two during your talk?”

“She tried to convince me that she still loves me and that she did all of this to ‘protect’ me,” Jax said disgustedly. “For a minute there she almost convinced me too.”

“What changed your mind?” Jerry asked as he stepped closer to them.

Jax let go of Brenda and walked over to sit on the edge of the nearby table. “She said that dad forced the money on her. She reminded me that money never meant anything to her and that it was the one thing about me that she had a hard time accepting.”

“So what happened? You said you almost believed her,” Jerry said curiously.

“I was starting to believe her when I happened to look more closely at what she was wearing,” Jax said as he gave Brenda a slight smile.

“What she was wearing? Why would that matter?” Jerry asked.

Jax chuckled as he looked directly at Brenda. “Because the outfit she was wearing came from one of the most expensive design houses in London.”

Jerry stared at Jax. “How on earth would you know that?” he demanded.

“Oh you’d be surprised what you learn being married to one of the top models in the world,” Jax said proudly as he continued to stare at Brenda. “I recognized the outfit from a photo shoot that Brenda did a few months ago in London.”

“Do you mean Adeline?” Brenda asked as she walked over to Jax and rested her hands on his thighs.

“Yes,” Jax said as he rested his hands on top of hers. “Anyway, seeing the outfit made me remember what she was wearing when she walked in on the wedding. It also occurred to me that she looked very comfortable in those expensive clothes - like she was used to wearing them. She didn’t look like someone who had just gotten a new wardrobe. The Miranda I knew was never comfortable in anything but jeans and a sweater. I finally realized that if she really was the same Miranda she would still have been wearing jeans and a sweater, money or no money.”

“Did you tell her that?” Jerry asked as he walked a little closer.

“Not exactly,” Jax said as he tried to remember exactly what had been said. “I told her that I thought she was right, that the Miranda that I had known and loved didn’t exist anymore,” he looked at Brenda as he finished. “I also told her that I didn’t know this Miranda and from what I had seen so far, I didn’t think I liked her either. Then I just walked away.”

“What do you think Jerry? You’ve been around her the past few years?” Brenda asked.

“I’m not sure,” Jerry said as he looked from Jax to Brenda. “Jax is the expert on Miranda. What do you think?” he asked as he looked back at Jax.

“I think she’s gotten so used to having money and fancy clothes that she didn’t even think I’d notice,” he said as he smiled at Brenda for a moment before looking back at Jerry. “What she does want, is to convince me that everything that happened six years ago was your fault - you, mum, and dad. She kept insisting that she did it because she loved me and the three of you took advantage of that.”

“You don’t believe that do you sweetheart?” Brenda asked.

Jax looked at her for a moment. “No, I don’t believe that. As I was walking back here from the solarium, I realized that Sonny didn’t have to force her to come here with him. She came willingly. That means she’s working with Corinthos. What we need to figure out now is why and how do we stop them.”

“The why is easy. She wants you back,” Brenda said without a trace of emotion in her voice.

“But why now? Why after all of these years would she suddenly decide she wants him back?” Jane asked as she walked over to join them.

“Obviously Corinthos offered her something she couldn’t resist.” Jerry said disgustedly.

“He probably told her that you were about to get married and he could stop the wedding and split us up if she came with him,” Brenda said calmly.

Jax reached out and pulled Brenda to him, spreading his legs so that she could stand close to him. He rested his hands on her hips. “Well he was wrong,” he said softly as he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers.

Jerry and Jane looked at each other for a moment. “Okay, so much for the why. The question now is - how do we stop them?”

Jax leaned back from Brenda and looked at Jerry. “For now we don’t,” he said calmly. “For now, we keep our guard up and we wait for them to make the next move. I got the feeling from Miranda that she expected me to understand and accept her reasons for keeping her survival a secret and be angry with you and the folks.” Jax waited a second before he continued. “Now that she knows it didn’t work out that way, they’re going to have to come up with a Plan B.”

“So we do nothing?” Jerry demanded. “We just sit and wait?”

“For now,” Jax said calmly as he stood up and wrapped his arm around Brenda. “For now we concentrate on helping dad get better,” he said as he looked from Jerry to Jane to Brenda. “And putting this family back together. Miranda and Sonny can’t do anything to us if we stand together,” he said as he squeezed Brenda close to him. When she looked up and smiled at him he leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the forehead. He continued staring at her until they heard a knock at the door. They all looked toward the door as Monica came in. “Monica? Is something wrong with my father?” Jax asked.

“He’s fine Jax,” Monica said as she held up her hand. “In fact, he’s asking for you.”

Jax looked at Brenda. When he saw her smile and nod he gave her a quick kiss before looking back at Monica. “Okay, I’ll be right there.”

“I’ll let the nurse know,” Monica said as she turned to leave. She stopped when she was half way out the door and turned back. “Ah, listen Jax, I know you and your father have some problems right now. Just remember, he’s recovering from a heart attack, so take it easy on him,” she said sternly.

“I will Monica. Thanks for caring so much about him,” Jax said with a slight smile. Monica smiled back and gave him a quick nod before turning to leave.

Miranda went straight to Sonny’s after her conversation with Jax. When the elevator doors opened she stepped out into the hall, took a deep breath and smoothed out the front of her clothes. As soon as she turned the corner to the penthouse the guard at the door looked at her for a moment before gently knocking and opening it. He stepped aside to let Miranda go in.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the future Mrs. Jasper Jacks,” Sonny said sarcastically as he watched her walk into the room. When he saw the expression on her face his smile quickly faded. “What’s wrong?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Miranda said as she threw her purse on the couch. “I was sure I was getting through to him. I could feel myself wrapping him around my little finger. Then all of a sudden he froze up on me and said he had to get back to his ‘family’ and he just walked away, without another word.”

Sonny walked over to her and grabbed her arm. “You blew it! What did you say to him?”

“I don’t know!” Miranda yelled. “I explained to him that I was protecting him by not telling him. I told him that I loved him too much to let him see me like that!”

“And?” Sonny demanded.

“And, he seemed to believe me,” she said as she shrugged. “Then all of a sudden he got up, said he didn’t know me anymore and left.”

“That’s it? He didn’t say anything else?” Sonny demanded. “Think!”

Miranda thought about everything she and Jax had said to each other. “The only other thing he asked was, if I did it for love why did I take the money?”

“What did you say to that?” Sonny demanded.

“I told him that I was so desperate to keep him from finding out that I was alive that I agreed to take it to guarantee his family’s silence. I reminded him that I was never interested in his family’s money.”

Sonny stared at her for a minute before shaking his head. “You idiot!”

“What?” Miranda demanded.

“That’s where you blew it!”

“How?” Miranda demanded, her voice filled with confusion.

Sonny grabbed her arm and dragged her over to look in the mirror. “You told him you’re not interested in his family’s money, right?” he waited until she nodded yes. “Right, you said something like that dressed in an outfit that cost what, $2-3,000?”

“Actually, it’s about five,” Miranda said almost proudly. When she saw the expression on Sonny’s face she pulled her arm out of his grasp. “How would Jax know what my clothes cost? He’s got so much money he doesn’t give a thought to the cost of something, especially women’s clothes. If he wants it he buys it - like that wife of his!”

“You’re probably right about that in most cases,” Sonny said as he leaned against the couch. “But you forget, he’s married to a fashion model now, and for some reason that I will never understand, he goes to every one of her photo shoots.”

“So?” Miranda asked.

“So, he probably knows more about what that outfit costs than you do!” Sonny said with a trace of frustration in his voice.

“Damn!” Miranda hissed. “It always comes back to her! If she wasn’t around - at least for a little while - I know I could get him back!”

“Where was Jax when you left the hospital?” Sonny asked.

Miranda exhaled loudly. “He was wrapped around that woman in the CICU waiting room.” Miranda looked curiously at Sonny. “Why?”

“Seems to me, if we’re going to get the results we both want, we’re going to have to find a way to keep those two apart for a while,” he said as he rubbed his chin.

“What good will that do?” Miranda asked.

Sonny couldn’t resist chuckling. “Brenda has the self-confidence of a gnat. The only time she ever shows any backbone is when Pretty Boy is there to protect her. If we separate them I can break her down while you work on him.”

“I don’t see how we can get them apart,” Miranda said. “They seem to be together constantly.”

“Then we may have to force the issue,” Sonny said mysteriously. He rubbed his chin a few more times before turning his attention back to Miranda. “For now, stay away from the Jacks family - all of them! Give them a few days to wonder what you’re up to. Then approach Jasper and press the point that what you did you did out of your undying love for him, but make sure you keep him away from the money part of this deal of yours.”

“What are you going to be doing while I’m playing games with Jax’s mind?” Miranda asked as she crossed her arms in front of her.

“I’m going to be ‘arranging’ for the happy couple to be spending some time apart,” Sonny said with a smirk on his face.

Miranda couldn’t help smiling when she saw the smirk on Sonny’s face. She slowly shook her head. “This scheme of yours better work. I gave up a very cushy lifestyle on the basis of your promises of a future with Jax.” She walked over to the couch to pick up her purse before looking back at Sonny. “You already lied to me once when you neglected to tell me Jax was already married to that bimbo. If this plan of ours is going to work we need to be completely honest with each other - no more secrets. Otherwise, you are going to be shelling out a lot of money to keep me in the style that I’ve grown accustomed to.” With that she turned and headed out the door.

“Don’t worry,” Sonny said smugly. “When I’m finished, your precious ‘Jasper’ is going to come crawling to you, begging you to take him back.”

“He better,” Miranda said as she turned and walked out the door.

As soon as Miranda was gone, Sonny picked up the phone and quickly dialed a number. “Jason? It’s me. Get over here. I’ve got a job for you.” He didn’t give Jason a chance to say anything before hanging up the phone.

Jax stopped when he got to the door of his father’s room. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. As he reached to open the door he cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. When he walked through the door the nurse looked up at him. She smiled and nodded for him to come in. She checked the monitors one more time before quietly leaving the room.

Just as Jax sat down on the stool next to his father’s bed, John opened his eyes and looked over at him. It took several moments for John to focus his eyes and recognize who was sitting there. When he realized that it was Jax, he smiled at him as he slowly lifted his hand and rested it on Jax’s arm. “Hello son,” he said softly. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Hello dad,” Jax said uncomfortably. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine son,” John said with a sigh. “Now that you’re here.”

Jax looked away from his father for a moment and cleared his throat. “Mum said you wanted to talk to me.”

John slowly nodded. “I wanted to explain - about Miranda,” he said in a soft voice. “We didn’t mean to hurt you. We thought we were protecting you from the pain.”

“I know dad, mum and Jerry already told me,” Jax said as calmly as he could. “I know it was Miranda’s idea not to tell me.”

“Good,” John said as he relaxed back against the pillow. He closed his eyes for a moment before turning to look at Jax again. “I’m glad,” he said. “Now you can make sure Brenda. . .”

“Make sure of what dad?” Jax asked with a trace of anger in his voice. “That Brenda doesn’t feel like you think she’s my second choice- my consolation prize? That she doesn’t question my love for her?”

“Jax, I…” John said desperately.

When Jax heard the speed of the bleeps on the heart monitor pick up he glanced over at it. When he saw the erratic beat he put his hand on John’s arm. “Calm down dad,” Jax said as he squeezed his father’s shoulder. “Brenda’s fine, we’re fine,” he said with a reassuring smile.

“Are you sure son?” John asked in a strained voice. “About Brenda, I mean,” he said as he reached for Jax’s hand. “Are you sure she won’t hold what I did against you?”

For the first time since coming into the room Jax smiled. “The one thing I am sure of in all of this is Brenda’s love. She’s an amazing woman, dad. She put up with Miranda’s attitude and Sonny’s harassment and never flinched. She stood up to both of them and then turned around and offered me her support. She is the one keeping this family together right now. If it wasn’t for her, Jerry and I would have…” Jax stopped talking when he saw the smile on his father’s face. “What?” he asked with a confused tone in his voice.

“You have no idea how good it is to hear that,” John said as his smile grew. He shifted a little to get more comfortable and took a breath. “How’s she doing with that brother of yours anyway?”

Jax sat back on the stool and couldn’t help chuckling. “She’s got him wrapped around her little finger,” he said as he shook his head. “I’ve never seen Jerry like this dad. He treats her like she’s his kid sister. In fact, he’s even given her a nickname.” Jax stopped and just smiled.

“Really? What does he call her?” John asked curiously, unable to imagine his older son acting the way Jax had just described. The son he knew had never let a woman get to him the way Jax had just described.

“He calls her Little Bit,” Jax said with a chuckle. “The really strange thing is that Brenda loves it. She seems to thrive on being around him and mum. No matter how upset she may be at all the secrets, and the lies,” he paused and looked at his father for a second before continuing. “We’re her family - all of us - and she’s willing to do anything she has to, to help us and to protect us,” Jax said proudly.

“I am so glad to hear you say that. I was afraid that I had driven her away by what I said when she came to see me,” John said as he exhaled slowly.

Jax sat up straighter and looked at his father. “Why would you tell her she had to fight for my love? Why would you even think she would need to?”

John fidgeted in the bed. “I saw you with Miranda before the explosion. I saw how you mourned her when you thought she had died. I wasn’t sure how you would react to seeing her alive again.” John stopped for a second to take a breath. “I need to apologize for that. I never should have doubted you - or Brenda!”

“No, you never should have doubted Brenda,” Jax said firmly. “She has never done anything but love and support me.”

“I know that now,” John said as he closed his eyes. “I’m really glad you didn’t listen to me when I told you not to tell Brenda about the past. I was wrong and you were right, telling Brenda about Miranda was the right thing to do, especially considering what has happened.” He smiled as he looked up at Jax. “You married an amazing woman, son.”

Jax smiled proudly. “I know that dad. I thank God for her every day.” Before he could say anything else the nurse came in. “I guess I better go,” he said as he nodded to the nurse, who walked over to check the monitors. “You get some rest. I’m sure mum will be in to see you later.”

John closed his eyes and nodded slowly. “I am kind of tired,” he said with a slight sigh. He suddenly opened his eyes again. “Will you please tell Brenda that I’m sorry if I upset her earlier. I just want the two of you to be happy and have a long life together”

“We will dad,” Jax said with a reassuring smile. “She’s hurt by what you guys did, but that doesn’t mean she’s stopped loving you.” Jax couldn’t resist chuckling. “She just needs some time. Heck, she’s already forgiven Jerry. It won’t take her long to forgive you and mum.” Jax saw John struggling to keep his eyes open. “We’ll talk more later. You get some rest.” When Jax looked down at his father he was surprised to see that he had already fallen asleep. He stood watching him for several minutes before quietly leaving the room.

As he walked back to the waiting room, Jax went over every word of his earlier conversation with Miranda. He was trying to figure out exactly what she had said that had confirmed Brenda’s suspicions for him. Just as he got to the door he realized what it was. It wasn’t what she had said so much as how she had said it. He stood outside the door going over everything one more time. As he did he realized that he didn’t believe a single thing that Miranda had told him.

Brenda was the first to notice Jax standing outside the door. She walked over and opened the door. When she saw the expression on Jax’s face she put her hand on his arm. “What’s wrong honey? Is it your father?”

Jax looked at her for a moment before answering. “What? Oh, no, dad’s fine,” he said as he gently ran his hands up and down her arms. “I was just going over what Miranda said earlier. I was trying to figure out what it was that she said that tipped me off that she was lying.”

“Did you figure it out?” Jerry asked as he and Jane came over to them.

“It wasn’t what she said as much as how she said it,” Jax said. “That, and her insistence that the money meant nothing to her when she’s standing there wearing a $5,000 outfit - and she’s obviously comfortable in it.

Brenda couldn’t help smiling proudly. Obviously all the time that Jax had spent at her fashion shoots had come in handy. “Now that you mention it, I did think it was a little strange that a woman who lived her entire adult life in jeans and sweaters looked perfectly comfortable in what I had thought were new clothes, even if they were designer originals.”

Jane couldn’t help feeling relieved to hear that Jax was not falling for Miranda’s story. She was convinced now, that it was only a matter of time before Jax and Brenda forgave them for what had happened. It was obvious that they had both already forgiven Jerry for his part in the cover-up. Watching the three of them discuss what to do gave her a sense of relief. Each of her sons was a formidable foe to anyone who crossed them, but the two of them working together - with Brenda - would be unstoppable!

“How was your father?” Jane asked. She did not want to force herself into their conversation. She was just grateful that the three of them were working together.

“Oh, I’m sorry mum,” Jax said quickly as he turned to look at his mother. “He was sleeping when I left. I told him you would visit him later.”

Jane smiled as she nodded her agreement. “Did the two of you have a good talk?” she asked with a trace of nervousness in her voice.

Jax smiled reassuringly. “Yes mum, we did,” he said. He looked over at Brenda. “He apologized for doubting Brenda and for what happened.”

“I’m glad,” Jane said as she put her hand on Jax’s arm. She looked over at Brenda for a second before looking back at Jax. “Why don’t you two get out of here for a while?”

Brenda and Jax looked at each other. “I think we will go home for a while. I want to check in with Addie and see how much damage all of this has done to J&J Jacks,” he said as he wrapped his arm around Brenda. “I’ll talk to you later,” he said as he looked over at Jerry.

“Okay,” Jerry said with a slight nod. “Let me know if you need any help at the office.”

“I will,” Jax said before leaning over to kiss his mother’s cheek. “We’ll be back later,” he said as he gently squeezed her arm.

“Take your time dear,” Jane said as she smiled at Jax and then Brenda. “You two take some time for yourselves too.”

“We’ll see you later, Jane,” Brenda said with a smile as she rested her hand on Jane’s arm. “Ready?” she asked as she looked up at Jax.

“You bet,” Jax said as he tightened his arm around her. “Call me if there’s any change in dad’s condition,” he said as he looked directly at Jerry. When Jerry nodded he released his hold on Brenda’s shoulders and instead linked his fingers with hers as they headed out the door.

During the next week Jax and Brenda visited John at the hospital every day. Each time they went their visits were more relaxed for everyone involved. Most of Jax’s time away from the hospital was spent supervising the day-to-day operations of J&J Jacks. Luckily, there had only been minor damage to the company as a result of Miranda’s ‘return from the dead’.

While Jax was spending most of the day in his office handling not only his deals but also Jerry’s and John’s, Brenda was busy with L&B business. With Lois less than a month away from her due date, Brenda had begun handling more and more of the day-to-day operations. She had also had a meeting with Lucy and the public relations director at Jacks Cosmetics to assess what damage, if any, Miranda’s return had caused for the company. Luckily, because all of this had happened before the company had even belonged to Jax and because it was public knowledge that it no longer did, there didn’t appear to be any serious problems. Because of John’s illness, Lucy had given Brenda several weeks off to be with her family before the next planned photo shoot.

It was almost two weeks after John’s heart attack before Monica finally agreed to release him. She had put several conditions on his release though. He was to go straight home to the compound in Alaska and stay there. He was to stay out of the office and away from all stress for at least three months. Jax had agreed to take over as acting President and CEO of J&J Jacks until the doctors cleared John to return to work. When Monica told him that she would not release him unless John agreed, he reluctantly agreed to turn over control to Jax. The final condition was that John submit to a series of tests. If the results came back the way she expected, Monica would sign his release papers.

While John was out having these tests Jax waited in his room, confirming the arrangements for their transportation to the airport and the flight home. As he finished the last call he was surprised to see the door open slowly. He waited to see who it was and smiled when he saw Brenda walk into the room. “Hey you,” he said with a smile as he held out his open arms to her.

Brenda walked over and wrapped her arms around Jax. When she felt his arms tightening around her, she rested her head against his chest for a minute before leaning back in his arms to look up at him. “Hey yourself,” she said with a smile as she leaned up to give him a quick kiss. “I brought your bag. Edward has it down in the car,” she said sadly.

“Are you sure you can’t come with us?” Jax asked as he brushed his thumbs across her cheeks. “I know mum and dad would love to have you there.”

“I know sweetheart. I hate the idea of being away from you, but I can’t leave right now. I’ve got too much to do at L&B to leave right now - even for a few days.”

Jax couldn’t resist smiling. “My wife the corporate executive,” he said as he pulled her closer.

“Hardly,” Brenda said with a chuckle. “I just don’t want Lois to try to run things on her own, especially with the baby due in less than three weeks.”

“I know luv,” Jax said with a sigh. “I just hate the idea of being away from you for three days - especially with Sonny and Miranda lurking out there somewhere.” Before he could say anything else the door opened and an orderly pushed John’s wheelchair into the room with Jane following right behind.

“Hello luv,” John said with a broad smile. “I was hoping to see you before we left.”

“Hello John,” Brenda said with a smile. “I brought Jax’s bags over so he wouldn’t have to stop on the way to the airport.” She looked lovingly at Jax. “Besides, I’m not sure I would have let him leave if he came back to the apartment.”

“Are you sure you can’t come with us? It would be wonderful having the whole family together - at least for a few days,” John said hopefully.

“I’m afraid that’s not exactly true,” Jerry said from the doorway. As everyone turned to look at him Jerry walked the rest of the way into the room and gave Brenda a quick kiss on the cheek. “Jax needs to go with you because he has to pick up your papers but I’m not going. I’m staying here with Brenda.”

“Why? Is something wrong? Did something happen that you haven’t told me about?” John demanded as he looked from Jerry to Jax and back to Jerry.

“No, nothing’s happened dad,” Jerry said as he let out a deep breath. “That’s what’s got me worried. Miranda hasn’t tried to contact Jax or anyone else for over a week. It makes me think that she and Corinthos are up to something. I’m afraid they’re planning to try something - especially if they find out Brenda’s here alone.”

Jax looked at Brenda. “Maybe I…” he said as he looked over at Jerry.

“”No honey, you have to go,” Brenda said reassuringly as she put her hands on his arms. “I’ll be fine here with Jerry. Besides, we’ve got guards on the apartment and Erik and Clay are with me whenever I go anywhere.”

“She’ll be safe Jax. I’m going to stay at the penthouse with her until you get back so I can keep an eye on things,” Jerry said confidently. “I’ll keep her safe Jax, I swear.”

“I know you will Jerry,” Jax said as he exhaled loudly.

Just then there was a light knock on the door and Monica walked in. “Good, you’re all here,” she said seriously.

“Is something wrong?” Jax asked with a trace of nervousness in his voice.

“Quite the opposite,” Monica said. “The test results are much better than I had expected. In fact, if you continue to progress this well you’ll be able to get back to a normal routine much sooner than we had expected.”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. “So, am I free to go?” John asked as he fidgeted in the wheelchair.

“Yes you are. Everything is ready. Your release papers are signed and a copy of your file is waiting for you at the desk. Make sure that you tell your own doctor to give me a call if he has any questions.” Monica smiled as she looked around at the entire Jacks family. “I hope the next time we see each other it will be under much more pleasant circumstances - like that wedding we never got to finish,” she said as she looked at Brenda and Jax for a second before looking back at John. “And you, you behave yourself!” she said firmly as she tapped John’s shoulder.

“He will Monica, I’ll see to it!” Jane said firmly as she rested her hand on John’s shoulder.

“Good,” Monica said before walking over to the door. “Remember, I expect to see you in my office in six weeks. In the mean time, if you have any problems contact your own doctor.”

“We will,” Jane said. “Monica? Thank you for everything you’ve done for John.”

“You’re welcome Jane. Take care - both of you,” Monica said before walking out, closing the door behind her.

“Right now, are we ready to go?” Jane asked.

“Definitely!” John declared. “Would you grab that bag for me Jerry?” he asked as he pointed to a suitcase on the bedside chair.

“Sure dad,” Jerry said as he picked up the bag. Brenda held the door open so that Jax could push John’s wheelchair out, followed by Jane. Jerry reached over Brenda’s head to hold the door so that she could go next and then followed himself.

Jerry and Brenda rode out to the airport with the rest of the family. They waited to watch the plane took off before coming back to the penthouse. Brenda walked through the door and over to the sofa. She sat down, tucking her legs under her and hugging one of the throw pillows close to her chest. It was obvious to Jerry that she missed Jax already. After watching her for a minute, Jerry walked over and sat next to her. “Miss him already don’t you?” he asked with a slight smile as he ran his hand gently up and down her arm.

Brenda smiled sadly at him. “It shows, huh?”

“Hard to miss little sister,” Jerry said as he ran his hand up and down her arm again. “Don’t worry, he’ll be back before you know it.” When he saw the wistful expression on Brenda’s face he decided to try a different approach. “How did you guys ever manage to survive that promotional tour you just finished if you are acting like this twenty minutes after his plane left?”

Brenda couldn’t resist smiling as she thought about the trip. “That was all Jax’s doing. He made sure we were never apart more than three days. Every third day he met me for dinner in whatever city I was appearing in.”

Jerry couldn’t help smiling at the expression on Brenda’s face. “Then why don’t you just think of this as another tour stop? Heaven knows you’ve got enough work to do to keep you busy. That way the time will pass quickly.”

Brenda thought for a minute before answering. “I can do that,” she said with a smile as she looked at Jerry. “Thanks big brother,” she said as she leaned over to give him a quick hug. When she let go, Brenda set the pillow back on the couch and got up. “I’ve got some calls to make for L&B. I’ll be up in the den if you need anything.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m going to unpack and then make some business calls of my own,” Jerry said as he stood up and gave her arm a quick squeeze before picking up the small duffel bag he had brought with him and heading up the stairs. When he got to the top he stopped and looked back at her. He watched for a moment as she walked over to the mantle to run her finger across the hull of the little yacht. When he saw her take a deep breath and straighten her shoulders he turned and walked down the hall to leave her alone.

As she sat at the dining room table sipping her coffee, Brenda closed her eyes and leaned back against the chair. Jerry had been right, she realized. By thinking of the time that Jax was in Alaska as one of their publicity tour ‘dates’ the time had passed quickly for her. Of course, the fact that she was swamped with L&B business had helped as well, not to mention the twice-daily phone calls from Jax.

Brenda was so busy with L&B business, in fact, that she was not even going to be able to go to the airport with Jerry to pick Jax up. When she had told him she was going to cancel her meeting to come pick him up, Jax had insisted that she go to her meeting. He promised to have a surprise waiting for her when she got home. Eventually, she had agreed to go to her meeting and let Jerry pick him up alone.

As Jax’s plane taxied to the gate, Jerry pressed the speed dial number for the penthouse on his cell phone. He was surprised when the voicemail picked up again. Since Jax’s plane was over an hour late getting in, he had expected Brenda to make it back to the penthouse by now. He pressed the end call button on the phone just as Jax came through the gate. “Hello little brother,” he said as he extended his hand to Jax.

“Hello Jerry,” Jax said as he clasped Jerry’s hand in his. “How’s Brenda?”

“She was fine when I saw her a couple of hours ago at the penthouse. She’s turned into quite a little executive in the last few days,” Jerry said with a chuckle and a trace of pride in his voice. “She was about to jump out of her skin with excitement this morning, but other than that she was fine.”

Jax smiled as he pictured Brenda’s face. “Let’s go, I don’t want to keep her waiting one moment longer than necessary.”

“Don’t sweat it. I just called and she’s not back from her meeting yet,” Jerry said as he reached for the bag Jax was holding.

“Are you sure? When I talked to her last night she said she’d be through,” Jax paused to look at his watch, “more than an hour ago.” He looked at Jerry with the beginnings of a knot in his stomach and a trace of fear in his eyes. “Let’s move it! Something’s wrong!” Jax started running through the corporate terminal before he even finished talking.

Suddenly realizing that Jax was right, Jerry started running right behind him. When they reached the car, he threw Jax’s bag in the trunk and yanked the driver’s door open. “Get in!” he yelled at Jax over the top of the car.

As they pulled out into traffic Jerry put his foot to the floor, driving like he was a competitor at the Indy 500. As they drove through the streets of Port Charles Jax kept calling the penthouse. When the voicemail kept picking up he threw the phone to the floor between his feet. “DAMN!” he yelled. “Still no answer!” Jax pounded his fist on the top of the dash. “Can’t you go any faster Jerry? She’s in trouble! I know it!”

“I’m driving as fast as I can!” Jerry yelled back. “Why don’t you call Ben and have him send someone up to check the penthouse?”

As if he wasn’t listening, Jax started calling each of the phones in the penthouse again, getting the voicemail every time. Just as he was about to call Ben they pulled into the driveway leading to the garage. He tried calling Brenda’s cell phone just as they got to the garage. As they pulled inside he turned off the phone and looked over at Jerry. “Her cell phone is out of service.”

Jerry didn’t bother to park the car. He screeched to a stop in front of the elevators. Before the car even came to a complete stop, Jax jumped out and ran over to press the elevator call button. By the time Jerry got out and crossed the short distance to the elevator, the doors were just opening. He stepped inside right behind Jax and slid his penthouse access card into the slot. The doors closed immediately and the elevator started its non-stop trip up to the penthouse level.

As the elevator continued upward, Jax began to pace like a caged animal. When he heard the ping signaling their arrival, he stepped in front of the doors, ready to step out as soon as they opened. He froze at what he saw when the doors opened though. Brenda’s bodyguard, Erik and a uniformed security officer were sprawled out face down on the floor, unconscious. The door to the penthouse had been forced and was barely hanging by one hinge.

Jerry saw the color drain from Jax’s face as they slowly stepped off the elevator. It seemed to him that Jax was frozen, unable to move. He just stood staring at the broken door. “Why don’t you wait here Jax? I’ll check inside,” Jerry said as he squeezed Jax’s arm in an attempt to reassure him, even though he had a really bad feeling about what he would find inside.

Jax slowly turned to look at Jerry. “No,” he said in a hoarse voice. “I have to go in.” He stared at Jerry for a moment as he tried to get up the courage to go into the apartment. Finally, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He cleared his throat and gave Jerry a quick nod before stepping forward to push the broken door open wider.

As soon as he got through the door, Jax saw Brenda’s other guard, Clay, lying unconscious on the living room floor. He looked slowly around the room and realized that it was completely trashed. There had obviously been quite a struggle. He looked frantically at Jerry for a moment before running across the room and up the stairs to check the bedroom. “Brenda!” he yelled as he raced down the hall to the bedroom but there wasn’t a trace of her. He came back to the living room more frightened than ever.

Jerry glanced over at the desk and saw the message light flashing on the answering machine, indicating there were three messages waiting. He pressed the button as Jax ran up the stairs again. There were the two messages he had left letting Brenda know that Jax’s plane would be late. He felt his stomach lurch when he heard the last message. It was from the production supplier that Brenda was supposed to have her meeting with wanting to find out why she had not shown up. He turned to call out to Jax but stopped when he saw him standing at the top of the stairs, his eyes filled with fear.

“What is it? What did you find up there?” Jerry asked as he felt the knot in his stomach tighten.

“It looks like she tried to get to the den to hit the panic button. The desk is turned over and I found this on the floor,” Jax said as he held up the diamond teardrop pendant that he was holding. “She told me that she would be wearing it when I got home today,” he said in a cracking voice. “She wore it every time we met during her tour.” He held the necklace out for Jerry to see. “The chain’s broken and it looks like blood on the stone,” he said in an increasingly shaky voice.

Before Jax even finished Jerry reached over the mess on the desk and hit the panic button. He then walked slowly across the room and up the stairs. When he got next to Jax he reached out his hand. “Give me the necklace, Jax. Ben is going to need it when he gets here.” Jerry drew a quick breath when he saw the expression on Jax’s face when he turned to look at him. He looked like he did when he was a little boy, waking up from a nightmare. “Jax?” he asked gently. “The necklace?”

Jax wrapped his fingers tightly around the necklace and shook his head. “No,” he said softly as he felt a tear start down his cheek.

Just then several uniformed guards rushed into the room, weapons drawn. “What the hell happened here?” the lead officer demanded as he looked around. He pointed to one of the guards and then to Clay. “Check him,” he ordered. He looked up at Jerry and Jax. “What happened? Where’s Mrs. Jacks?”

Jax tightened his fingers around the necklace and looked over at the guard. “She’s gone,” he said in a hushed voice.

Seeing how upset Jax was, Jerry put his hand on his arm and squeezed it. “How’s Clay? And the others?” he asked as he nodded toward where a medic was checking the unconscious bodyguard.

The medic looked up at Jerry. “He took a pretty bad beating, they all did. We need to get them to the hospital - all three of them - as soon as possible,” he said firmly before turning back to help secure Clay to a backboard and lifting him onto the stretcher. As the other two medics wheeled Clay out of the apartment he looked up at Jerry. “Whoever did this were professionals. They knew exactly how to inflict the maximum amount of damage without killing them.” When he saw Jerry nod his understanding he turned and followed the stretcher out.

As soon as the medic was gone, Jerry squeezed Jax’s arm again to get him to look at him. “We’ll find her Jax. I swear we will.”

“I think I may have a way to help you do just that,” Ben said from the doorway as he looked around the room before looking at Jerry and Jax.

Jax and Jerry both looked over at him for a moment before Jax stepped off the edge of the steps and walked over to him, still clutching Brenda’s necklace. “How did this happen Ben? You promised me that you’d keep Brenda safe! You promised BRENDA that you would keep her safe! How did this happen?” Jax demanded.

Seeing how upset Jax was, Jerry stepped off the step and walked over to them. “What did you mean before when you said you might have a way to help? What do you know about all of this?”

“It’s not what I know - it’s what my SOURCE knows that may help us,” Ben said mysteriously.

Jax looked directly at him. “What are you talking about? Who’s this source?” he demanded.

Ben turned his head toward the open door. “You can come in now,” he said calmly before turning to look back at Jax.

Jax and Jerry looked at the open door as a young woman who looked a lot like Brenda walked tentatively into the room. Jax recognized her immediately. He stood in stunned silence for a moment before walking up to her. “Lily?”