Chapter Nineteen: Kindred Spirits

She had never felt so at peace in all her life. It was almost as if she wasn’t even in her body any longer. She was floating high above everything around her. Nothing could touch her now because she was free. But something was wrong… she was free and she was alone. She looked around and felt another force drawing near.

"Courtney…" His voice sounded so far away but she could hear him. She knew who it was.

"Sonny… Are we?"

"Not yet. We will be soon though." She couldn’t see his face but she could tell that there was something wrong.

"What is it?"

"I’ve always wanted this… it’s better then I ever thought it could be. I think we’re going to heaven." She could hear the smile and the tears in his voice. "I never thought that when the time came… I never thought I wouldn’t want to go." He said softly.

"So don’t. Go back…" She ordered.

He shook his head and then realized that she couldn’t see him. "Not without you. I won’t go back without you."

She stood there looking down on the doctors that were trying to jump-start her heart while she continued to lye there unmoving. It was up to her. She could let it all go and just stay here. She could know all the happiness that she had missed out on. She could leave it all behind. This feeling… she may never know this feeling again. She stared down at her lifeless form debating. She knew she didn’t have much time. They would give up soon and the door would close and a part of her wanted that. She wasn’t sure if she could go back to the life she had. The life that she had screwed up so badly. She swallowed hard.

He could feel the conflict going on within her; he had had the same one many times while still alive. "I know it’s beautiful here… and I know that what I’m asking of you is selfish but I can’t help it. That’s who I am. I won’t go back without you. I won’t leave you behind." He said softly.

She nodded. He would give up his family and his wife and his best friend and his entire world to stay with her in heaven. "You say that because you know I won’t let you do it." She said with a teary smile. She thought she heard him laugh but wasn’t sure. "How do I get back?" She asked.

"Just fall."

She sighed relishing in the peace for one more moment before letting go and falling. Crashing through different planes and barriers separating life and death she felt herself land in her own body and open her eyes. She gasped for breath and then went back under the anesthesia.

She watched his eyelids began to flutter and felt her heart begin to beat again. "Sonny?" She whispered palming his cheeks. He groaned in pain and she swore she never felt better. He was alive. He was alive!

"Brenda?" He croaked out.

"Yeah baby. I’m here." She said feeling the tears well up in her eyes. She laughed feeling the rush of emotions attack her. She had almost lost him.

He took in a deep breath trying to fight his way back to the here and now. He pried his eyes apart slowly and stared up into her. "Are you okay?" His voice was hoarse but she understood him.

"Yeah… Yeah I’m okay." She whispered.

He could hear the pain in her voice. He reached out and touched her cheek. "Don’t cry. Please don’t cry."

She sighed feeling his skin touch hers. It was like feeling a little bit of heaven. If they ever got out of here alive she would make sure she kept her promise to Jason. She would make sure that she took care of him, always. For as long as she had left she would love him. Carly better hope and pray that she died on this island…

Chapter Twenty: Coming For You

He struggled to sit up and felt the pain shoot through his entire body. "Are you all right?" She asked softly truly worried about him.

He groaned deep within his throat. "Yeah… yeah I’ll be okay." He replied taking in a deep breath.

"Good."

"How long have I been out?"

"A few hours."

"That would explain the headache that I’ve got."

She nodded. "It’ll go away." She whispered.

He nodded. "I know…" He took in a deep breath and looked around at the burning inferno that was going on around them. "That from the plane?"

"Yeah. Do you think that someone might see it from here?"

"Maybe… Let’s just hope that it’s somebody that’s going to help us and not Alcazar. There’s no sign of him?" She shook her head knowing that he was lurking around somewhere. He tried to stand up and felt his world tip out from beneath him.

Brenda reached out and held him against her. "Slow down… just stay where you are. Look you’re in no position to get up just stay right there and I’m going to get you something to eat."

"I’m fine…" He tried to insist.

"Would you…" She stopped and stared him down. "Just stop and let me do this all right? Just sit back and let me take care of you for once." She stated not taking no for an answer. She would prove herself to him. She would, she had to.

It was an odd feeling to have almost died. She squinted her eyes as she was greeted by the sunshine. She turned away from the brightness and looked around the room. There was no one. She was truly alone. She tried to sit up and felt the pain shoot throughout her entire body. She moaned slightly running her fingertips along her spine and feeling the bandages that were there. So she had been shot! At least she was still alive and she could still feel her legs so that had to be a good sign.

First things first, she had to get out of here. She had to somehow get back to her family and to Jason. She needed to. She didn’t know how she was going to do that. She reached out and grabbed the sheets and pulled them away to stare at her pale legs. She sighed as she reached out and touched them. She didn’t know why touching her skin was so important to her. Maybe it was a reassurance that she was still alive and not somewhere in between trying to stumble her way through limbo. She wasn’t sure what happened in those moments that she was dead. She couldn’t remember but she was oh so glad that she was alive. Hopefully she could stay that way.

Jason saw the fire from below lighting up the night sky like a bright star. "We have to land somewhere and get to that island." He remarked to the pilot as they both watched the orange flames against the black purple night. He knew that Sonny was down there; he could feel it. The brother bond that they shared alerted him to it. He just hoped that he wasn’t too late.

Alcazar sat behind bushes trying to watch Brenda as she searched for food for Corinthos. He continued to talk into the cell phone relaying the coordinates to where they were. He never saw Sonny come up behind him. He never saw him raise the heavy log-sized branch in the air and bring it down on his head hoping that he had cracked his skull. He retrieved the phone and brought it to his ear. "You still there?"

"Luis?"

"No. It’s Corinthos. You’re boss is a dead man if you don’t get Brenda and I off this island now!" He ordered. Brenda came up behind him staring down at the knocked-out Luis. She sighed not wasting a moment of remorse on playing the distraction for Sonny.

"What’s going on? What’s happening?" She asked.

He heard as the phone went dead. "They’re coming for us." He replied staring down at the phone.

She bit her lower lip not sure if this was a good or bad thing.

Chapter Twenty-one: When the Time Comes

Jason landed on a nearby island and felt anxious as he went to the nearest docks to rent a boat. He was so close. But he knew that a thousand things could go wrong before he got out to the island. He just hoped that nothing too drastic would stall his arrival. He had a best friend to save and a woman to rescue. Even with all the concern he had for Sonny and Brenda, Courtney was never far from his mind. She was always right there reminding him of her perilous situation. He sighed as he ran his hand over his face approaching the dock. Spotting a man tying up his boat he prepared himself for some serious negotiating…

She had one foot out the window ready to make her big escape when she felt the cloth over her nose and mouth. She tried not to breathe but soon found that she had to and the second that she did she was out.

"Put her in the car. We have to hurry." Ordered the man and watched as they dragged her body out of the hospital room.

Sonny stared at Luis with unconcealed hatred. What he wouldn’t give for a gun right now. He would shoot him at this very moment and not think twice about it.

"You thinking about killing me Corinthos? Lacking a certain metal weapon?" Luis taunted.

"I don’t need a gun to kill you. There are other ways to eliminate you."

Alcazar rolled his eyes and sighed deeply. "Are you trying to scare me? You think that someone like you could ever frighten me? You’re not going to kill me Corinthos. We both know that."

"Why is that?"

"Because of Brenda. You won’t let her see you as who you really are. The cold-blooded killer that you try so hard to hide from her. The second you ‘wipe me out’ ‘eliminate me’ is the second that you lose her forever."

"What makes you think that I still want her? I’m not the one that kidnapped her. I’m not the one that needs her so desperately that they risk their lives by staying in a city that is consumed with nothing but death threats on their life. I’m not you." He taunted softly. "You say that you’re not scared of me but let’s think about this for a moment. You came all the way to Port Charles to kill me because you feared me. You feared what she felt for me. Why is that?" He questioned starting to come to his own conclusions. He was starting to understand.

Luis saw where this conversation was headed and he needed to deter his captor from the truth. "The only thing I was trying to do is keep my promise to Brenda and make sure that she never came back to that God-forsaken town!"

Sonny shook his head not buying it. "No I don’t think that’s it. I mean you had four years with her and all of a sudden you started to get an itch about Port Charles? That doesn’t seem right. You know what I think? I think that you knew exactly how much Brenda wanted her life. You knew that she wasn’t sick and you knew that there was no way in hell that she would ever stay with you if she wasn’t dying. So I think that you made her believe that she was so you could keep her with you because you’re that desperate for her. You want her that bad. Am I right or am I wrong?" he asked rhetorically.

"You’re pathetic." Luis replied.

Sonny laughed sardonically. "And you’re sad. You know I’m right and you know you’ve been caught. You can’t even deny it. You stole the last four years of Brenda’s life just so you could be with her."

"What?" Brenda’s voice broke them from their silent staring contest. Suddenly no one was safe.

The boat sped on through the night as they headed for the island to rescue their boss and eliminate Sonny Corinthos. Courtney felt her body rock back and forth and fought the fuzziness in her head to hear the loud roaring of the motor. She sat up and cradled her head in her hands as the pounding became louder. Where the hell was she? She looked around and realized that she was on a boat obviously below deck by the sound of it. She tried to stand when she noticed that her wrist was chained to the bedpost. She yanked at it trying desperately to wrench her arm free to no avail. She sighed wincing as pain shot through her back where her gunshot wound was. She cried out the injury still too new. She looked around for anything and saw the bottle on the end table with a glass of water. She picked it up with her free hand and stared at it. Reading the label she saw that it was hydracodine. She knew that it was a strong painkiller but she also knew that it made you go to sleep. She had to stay awake. She had a feeling that her life depended on it. Placing the bottle back on the end table she waited, needing to withstand the pain.

Jason watched as the boat sped ahead of him confirming his feelings. Sonny and Brenda were on that island. He had to get to them first or it was all over and they were all dead. If he kept on his path he would catch up with them and might even have the chance of passing the other boat but upon seeing him they would probably shoot him dead or at least blow up his boat. He knew that the best way of getting on that island alive was going around and docking on another side. The only problem would be that he would be giving them at least a ten-minute head start. He sighed throwing his head back needing to make a quick decision. What was worst, ten minutes late or not showing up at all? Veering the wheel to the right he headed around to the other side and hoped that he would make it in time.

She felt as the boat rode up on shore and the engine cut off. She waited silently as she heard the footsteps move around above her. Her pace began to quicken and her heart was beating furiously in her chest as she heard the door unlock. The soft glow of a lantern lit the miniature stairwell as a man appeared and stared at her. He didn’t smile nor did he frown. He didn’t even acknowledge her as he set the lantern down by the pills, which he noticed were untouched. He shrugged absently and looked over at her. Reaching around to his back pocket he retrieved the keys showing off his 9mm clipped to his belt. She knew that it was a deliberate move on his part giving her a silent warning. He had shot her once he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.

She said nothing as he unlocked her wrist from the bedposts. "Let’s go." He ordered and she did as she was told. The time had arrived.

Brenda stood behind Sonny staring down at the man who had lied to her for the last four years. The man that stole her life and deceived her sat before her staring back at her with no remorse. She swallowed hard trying to push down the hatred she had for him but it wouldn’t move. It was there in her mouth. It was swimming through her veins pumping through her body mingling with her blood. It was blinding her suffocating her. It mingled with her tears that spilled forth onto her cheeks. She hated this man.

Without thinking she reached out and grabbed the log that was in Sonny’s hand and charged at him ready to end his entire life with one final stroke.

Chapter Twenty-two: Life Altering News

Sonny grabbed her around her waist and held her back as she struggled against him. "Let me go! Let me go!" She screamed through clenched teeth. "I hate you! I hate you!"

"Brenda calm down. Brenda stop…" Sonny said holding her tighter against him. "Just stop. You need to stop and listen to me."

She stopped struggling but her breathing was still erratic and heart was beating furiously inside her chest. She continued to stare at the man before her with unconcealed hatred.

He felt as she stopped moving but her body was still tense and rigid. "I’m going to let go now. You going to be all right?"

"Yeah… yeah I’m okay." She mumbled. She sighed when she noticed that he hadn’t let go of her. "I said I’m fine. You can let go!" She ordered frustrated. When he released her she turned to look at him brushing the hair out of her eyes. He stared into her making sure that she was okay. He didn’t know why but he felt his heart get caught in his throat staring into her. He smiled.

Reaching out he palmed her cheek softly. "You’re going to live baby." He remarked with a dimpled grin.

She laughed despite the fact she was filled with anger a few seconds ago. "I’m going to live?" She asked tears coming to her eyes. "I’m going to live." She said nodding her head trying to deal with the rush of emotions swirling around her. She wasn’t dying. "Oh God… Sonny…" She trailed off as she broke off crying. Reaching out she grabbed him and held onto him hugging him close to her. She felt so high… she was so damn high right now. Nothing could bring her down.

"Put your hands up right now!"

Jason docked on the island and hopped off the boat in a matter of seconds. He secured the gun inside his left sock and the one beneath his shirt behind his back. The last one he held firmly in his hands as he made his way around the island trying to find those that mattered to him. He crept along the mass of foliage and sand listening intently until he heard voices in the distance. He was so close.

Brenda disentangled herself from Sonny’s embrace to stare at two men standing beside Alcazar who was still tied up. One man had his gun trained on them while the other had his gun pointed directly at Courtney’s head. His face was stoic and his eyes didn’t even seem to blink.

Sonny looked into his sister’s eyes, which were pained and filled with fear. She was trying to be brave… she wanted to be brave and yet she didn’t feel it at all. All she could feel was the wind brushing over her skin making her shiver from the cold and the anticipation of what was happening. "Sonny." She cried out softly her voice filled with unshed tears. The slight pressure on her back made her cry out in agony.

"Shut-up." The man ordered never taking his eyes off of Sonny who clenched his fists.

She bit off her groan and held back her tears as best she could.

The first guy smiled as he grabbed Courtney and turned to her previous captor. "Untie Mr. Alcazar." He ordered with a smirk looking on at the infamous Sonny Corinthos.

Luis chuckled as his restraints were cut free. He stood up and sighed looking at the two people in front of him. "I told you Corinthos… I always get what I want. Did you ever once think that you were actually going to win this game?" He massaged his wrists where they had been bruised. "I always knew that you were a fool." He said taking the gun from the guard that had released him and pointed it at Sonny. "Looks like I walk away with everything. I kill you. I kill your sister and I get Brenda. Maybe you should have stayed in Port Charles. You might have lived a little longer." He remarked with a shrug. "Oh well." He was about to continue when shots rang out and everyone scattered as a body fell lifeless to the ground ending the first life of the night.