STEAL YOUR HEART 373-380

By Jen

General Hospital was a flurry of activity as Brenda was brought in with a five agitated doctors in attendance at her side and life preserving equipment hooked up to her. Jax was met at the hospital by Thao, Augustin, Julia and Mac who were bombarding him with questions. After getting over the shock of hearing that his half-sister was alive, Mac was furious to realize that Jax felt Miranda was responsible for Brenda’s dire condition.

"You’ve got to be *crazy* to think my sister had anything to do with that!" Mac said. "But I suppose your humongous ego actually lets you believe that my sister would kill for you. And *damn* your brother for knowing she was alive and not saying anything!"

Jax resisted the urge to punch Mac’s mouth shut. "You are as much of an idiot as I remember," he said. "Is it true that you’re the police commissioner here now? What is wrong with this godforsaken town?"

"Mac *is* the commissioner, Jax," Julia said, gazing at Jax. "Jax, do you really not remember us?"

"I remember Thao and Augustin. I’m sorry, I don’t remember you. I remember Mac," he said with a lack of enthusiasm. Then he wondered why he was even here talking to these people? Where was Nikolas with the antidote?

"Jax, Miranda had nothing to do with what happened to Brenda and if you continue to tell people that she did I’m going to sue you for slander," Mac threatened.

"Can I sue you for being a moron?" Jax muttered.

Mac turned red. "Where the hell is my sister now?" he demanded

"I could care less, although it is my fervent hope that she’s become the victim of a painful spontaneous implosion." Jax said and then he walked away. Thao and Augustin were about to follow him, but he stopped them. "No, I need you two to stay here and keep an eye on Brenda. Miranda tried to kill her once and I’m not going to give her another chance. That idiot Mac would let her just waltz right in there and put a gun to my wife’s head and pull the trigger."

"Jax, are you sure it was Miranda?" Thao asked.

"Yes."

"You saw her?" Augustin asked next.

"No. She didn’t execute this herself. She had someone do it for her."

"Who?" Augustin asked.

Jax shook his head. "I don’t know. It was this British woman who was built like a man. She knew me . . . I probably know her too but I can’t remember a damn thing right now." As Jax spoke his eyes scanned the room skittishly for any sign of Nikolas but there was none. "I have to go find somebody. Don’t leave Brenda alone for a second," Jax requested of his friends and then he was off wandering the halls of the hospital looking for Nikolas.

"British woman built like a man? That sounds like Dutton," Thao said thoughtfully to Augustin.

"Dutton? But she was let go from the agency years ago," Augustin reminded him. "For insubordination, I think?"

Thao nodded. "Well perhaps she’s working for hire now. She’s a thorough one. We’d better hope that she thinks Brenda is dead or she’ll come here to finish the job."

"If she comes here Jax will finish her," Augustin said with certainty as the men stood by Brenda’s room like two sentries.

The man in the black trench coat entered the hospital, stopping at the front desk. Amy looked up at him and smiled. He was cute! "Hi, can I help you?" she asked.

"I’m looking for Jasper Jacks," he said.

"Oh they just brought his wife in here," Amy looked at him curiously. "Are you a friend of the family?"

But the man was already gone.

After roaming the halls like a lunatic looking everywhere for Nikolas, Jax finally sat by the hospital entrance waiting area looking up every time the door opened. Where was Nikolas? Jax felt icy prickles of fear invading him. He had been fighting off the fear all day but now it was taking hold of him. Too much time was going by and Brenda didn’t have time. Every second that went by her life was slipping away. The doctors were fighting like crazy to keep her out of a coma and if they failed then even the antidote would be useless. He would lose her. She would be gone form his life forever. The complete wrongness of hat made his heart hurt.

It’s not time for you to leave me

I see the tears in your eyes

Whatever may be

Our love has no good-byes

And to live my life without you

You know I never could

No one leaves is the promise

That I give to you

His head was throbbing with growing sorrow and worry as thinking the worst began to have an adverse effect upon him. Everything around him seemed to be going on in a nightmarish slow motion. He got up, pacing the floor. Had he been wrong to trust a Cassadine to help him? Had he made the biggest mistake of his life by entrusting Brenda’s life to a Cassadine boy? How could he have been so stupid? He felt sick with despair as the minutes ticked away with no sign of Nikolas. Every clock in the hospital suddenly became Jax’s enemy and looking at them made him nauseous to a degree. Everyone around Jax seemed to be moving so slowly but he time was going so quickly. People were speaking to him and he was ignoring them, their words slow and nearly unintelligible. He sat back down again, his head in his hands trying to maintain some control, some hope. His friends were only a few feet away, his family was on the way and yet he had never felt so alone in his life. And then the front revolving doors began to turn slowly. He felt a rush of cold air as the doors spun around and he saw a boy with dark hair emerging carrying a sealed tube in his hands. Jax got up, his heart racing with relief. He made eye contact with Nikolas and Nikolas began to run towards him holding out the life saving antidote. Jax heard someone shouting behind him. He whirled around in slow motion and saw Stefan racing towards them shouting at Nikolas. Nikolas hesitated, Jax panicked at the boy’s hesitation, but then Nikolas seemed to make up his mind and kept running towards Jax. Stefan was too far away, Jax realized. Nikolas would get to Jax first and the tube would be safe in Jax’s hands. Jax felt the relief flood him like unexpected sunshine after days of darkness. And then just as Nikolas was within a foot of Jax, a cloaked figure emerged like a dart from the linen closet and tried to snatch the tube from Nikolas’ hand, but missed sending the tube and it’s precious contents on a free fall. As Jax watched in horror the tube of life-saving antidote fell to floor. Jax and Nikolas both lunged out to grasp it but it slipped through their fingers and Jax felt the very life drain out of him as the glass test tube was seconds away from smashing to useless pieces on the tile floor.

But then, quite unexpectedly, a hand came out and shot beneath the tube just before it hit the ground. The hand grasped onto it. Jax looked at the hand, which was coming out of a black trench coat. He saw a glimpse of a dark blue suit . . .

Who had the test tube? Friend or foe?

Aquamarine eyes slowly rose up to see the face of he who held Brenda’s life in his hands. When he saw the face of the person holding the priceless antidote Jax could have cried like a baby.

"Mulder?" he said in a hoarse voice indicative of the intense tension had just wrekced his nervous system in the last five seconds.

"Fancy meeting you here, Jax. Here, I believe this belongs to you," Mulder said shoving the test tube securely into Jax’s hand as an agitated Stefan looked on and the cloaked figure made a run for it. "Oops. Fleeing felon. Gotta go," Mulder said as he took off after the cloaked figure.

Hospital security was now hovering around in the midst of the mayhem. Stefan was staring at the test tube with pensive eyes. So close and yet so far. Jax held it as if it were the hope diamond and Stefan knew there was no way he would be able to snatch it away from Jax.

"Jax," he said. "That belongs to *me*. You have to give it to me. Be reasonable."

"Go to hell," Jax said.

"I cannot allow you to use it all. That took years and years of. . ."

"I believe hell is that way," Jax said pointing down the hall. "And book a room for your sister, because she *will* be joining you there soon."

"Jax! You’re upset about Brenda, I realize that. But think of how priceless that cure is! You are holding a billion dollars in your hand. Jax, *think*. You can’t use it all on Brenda. Perhaps half is all she will require? I don’t wish her to die, I swear to you. But . . "

"She needs it all and you know it. I could care less about all your years and years of research or how much you can extort out of some pharmaceutical company to get their hands on it. Brenda would not even *be* in this situation here if it weren’t for your cursed family!"

Stefan looked alarmed. "*My* family? What are you saying?"

"I’m saying that your sister did this – your sister the psychopath. And she is about to be the sorriest woman in the history of the world."

Jax headed towards Brenda’s room with the tube and ran into Monica.

"Jax! I’ve been looking all over for you. Look, Brenda . . ." Monica shook her head sadly. "Jax, there is absolutely nothing we can do to save her. Nothing at all. I completely concur with the diagnosis of the doctors in Tahiti. I was looking for you because . ." Monica paused and looked grim. "I think you need to gather your family and, perhaps call a member of the clergy. I’ve already told Julia . . ."

"No, no. Brenda will be okay. This will save her," Jax said handing Monica the test tube of amber liquid.

"This?" Monica stared at it. "What is it?"

"Please, I can’t go into that now. This has to be injected into Brenda’s heart right away."

"I can’t do that. Jax, I don’t know what this is, I could lose my license. . ."

"Look, I’ll sign anything! Okay?! I’ll take full responsibility."

"Jax . ." Monica hesitated.

"Dr. Quartermaine, I know that I’m not a doctor. But believe me, in this particular instance I know more about this than you do. I know what’s wrong with my wife. I know that she’s been poisoned with the venom of the Disrahada Snake of the Amazon. I know there are only two such snakes in existence. I know that they are more deadly than any snake known to man. I know that the poison makes her hallucinatory, lose her motor function, puts her body into a deep freeze and will eventually stop her heart. I know there is no known cure for it. I also know that what is in this test tube, unknown as it is, will save her life. Now, if you stand around here arguing with me about the legalities and ethics of your job my wife is going to *die.* And before I let that happen I will find a damned syringe around here and inject this into her myself!" Jax swore.

Monica knew better than to argue with him a second longer. She took the test tube and hurried back to Brenda’s room where a surgical staff was waiting for her. Jax was right behind her and he was pleased to see Thao and Augustin steadfastly guarding the room where Brenda was fighting to stay alive.

"Did you get it?" Thao asked.

Jax nodded.

"So the Cassadine kid actually came through for you, huh?" Augustin said. "Who’d have thought? A heart of gold among the undead."

"He’s not like the rest of them," Jax said. "And for what he has done for me today, I owe him my life. I owe him *his* life. I have to save him from that twisted family he was born into." Jax decided. He gazed into the room where Brenda was and saw the doctors getting ready to inject her heart with the XNEX4. He looked back and saw a livid Stefan berating Nikolas and then Alexis joined him and soon she was berating Nikolas too. Never mind that the kid had just saved Brenda’s life. Cassadine code was loyalty to family first -- to hell with Brenda’s life. Well instead of railing Nikolas for actually doing the *right* thing, they should be conducting the last rites for their beloved Miranda, Jax thought.

He looked past them as he saw Mulder running down the hall towards him.

"I lost him," he told Jax.

"It was a *him*?" Jax asked.

Mulder nodded. "He had that damn cloak on so I couldn’t really see him that well. But it was a man. Brown hair, brown eyes. . . ring any bells?"

Jax shook his head. Anybody could fit that description. "You saved Brenda’s life by catching that test tube, Mulder. I can never repay you for your impeccable timing. What are you doing here in Port Charles anyway?"

"I was here to check out that Dr. Collins guy -- remember I told you that his father was the one who created that formula that your ever-lovin’ Miranda shot you up with. Anyway, while I was on my way to the hospital to look up this Collins guy, I tried to call you, but I used your old cell phone number and got your dad and he told me what happened. Can that stuff really save your wife?"

Jax nodded.

"What is it?" Mulder asked.

"It’s an anti-venom. The only antidote in existence for the kind of poison Brenda got hit with. I had to steal it from the Cassadine Frankenstein laboratory."

" So that kid was your thief for hire?"

"He’s actually Nikolas Cassadine."

"Oh...an inside job then huh? I guess his family is going to burn him at the stake now."

"Not if I can help it," Jax said quietly. "What he did for me today makes him *my* family as far as I’m concerned. I’m going to get him away from them. I won’t allow him to be corrupted and become what they are."

"Well okay, very noble, very *Jax.* But first things first, Jasper. We need to find out who that guy was who tried to smash the antidote. Now either he wanted to get his hands on the formula or he wanted to make sure that Brenda died" Mulder said.

"Well obviously he’s working with Miranda," Jax said.

"You think?"

"Yeah."

"Well then I’d say we have to find her."

"Believe me I intend to," Jax said.

"Well no time like the present."

Jax looked at Mulder strangely. "Now? I can’t leave Brenda. . ."

"Why not? Jax, you know she’s going to be fine. You know that don’t you?"

Jax was silent for a moment. Yes, he did know that. In fact, he didn’t have a doubt in his mind and despair was nowhere to be found in his heart.

"Yes I do know that," he said. "But I just want to be here when she wakes up. I want her to know that I never left her."

"I’m sure she knows," Mulder said.

Jax shook his head. "No. She’s been hallucinating all day and she keeps asking me where I am. She thinks I’m gone, Mulder. She think she’s alone. She thinks I *left* her and that’s tantamount to high treason between us. We just . . .we don’t leave . . ."

"Jax, I know how much you love her. I was at your wedding. But you have to trust that she knows you never left her, cause you have to leave her now. Every moment that we hesitate Miranda and her goon squad gets further and further out of our reach. Now, I have a little secret to tell you – I know where she is *right now*. But if we wait, who’s to say she’ll still be there?"

Jax’s eyes lit up. "You know where Miranda is?"

Mulder nodded.

"How?"

"I’ve got a friend who works at the airlines and I asked her to keep a look out for any bookings by Miranda Cassadine or Miranda Scorpio. Well it just so happens that she booked a flight on United to South Beach. I’ve had someone in the Miami field office tailing her. She’s staying at some ritzy mansion out there. Now, how much do you want to bet that this is where her boss lives? "

"The head of the clean-up crew?" Jax murmured.

Mulder nodded. "My contract out there says that this place is like Fort Knox, but of course, I know that *you* know how to break into Fort Knox. We can do this, Jax. I have a feeling that our guy is there and I *know* that Miranda is there. If we’re going to get them we have to do it now. Brenda is going to be okay. But you need to protect her and the way to do that is to get rid of the threat."

Jax hesitated, thinking. "I’ll be right back," he decided. Then he tossed his phone at Mulder. "Here, dial speed dial #5, that’s my pilot. Tell him we’re going to South Beach."

Jax went into the room where Brenda was. She had been injected and now they were all waiting and worrying if this would really work or not. Monica looked concerned.

"You don’t need to be so gloomy," Jax told Monica. "Brenda will be fine now."

"How can you possibly know that?" Monica demanded. "I took a chance and put my license on the line because I really believed you out there when you told me this was the only thing that could save her. But as you can see she is still the same, Jax. Critical."

"It takes about 30 minutes," he said. "Can I have a moment alone with her, please? I need to leave and I want to talk to her first."

Monica looked alarmed. "*Leave*?! How can you leave not knowing if your wife is going to live or die?"

"I already know she won’t die. Now can I please have some privacy?"

"Jax, it’s useless to talk to her right now, she can’t hear you. She’s in a semi . . ."

"She can hear me," he said.

Monica gave up and motioned for the room to be cleared.

Jax pulled up a chair next to where Brenda lay and he took her hand in his. Her flesh was still strangely cold, but warmer than it had been previously. The color was coming back to her too -- slowly, but it was coming back. He gazed at her, stroking her hair. he placed his hand over her heart and felt the beat still erratic and staccato. It was scary, but he knew it would regulate itself within half an hour. She would come out of her darkness and come back to him.

"Hey you," he whispered. "I’ve been hearing you asking for me and I want you to know that I never left you, Brenda. I was always here. I know it’s dark and cold where you are, but I’m here, sweetie. I’m here and I have all the light and all the warmth you’ll ever need. You just have to come and get it. Come back to me, Brenda."

He kissed her forehead, warm lips lingering against her too-cool skin. "I have to go now because I need to find the person who did this to you. This might be my only chance, so I have to do it now – so don’t be mad at me when you wake up. Because I *am* coming back. I just have to go slay that dragon for you -- and then I’m coming back. I promise you. And you promise me something too, Brenda. Promise me that you won’t leave me. Promise me that you’ll be here when I get back."

When you believe in love

And everything that love can do

When you believe in love

You know I’ll spend my life just loving you

"I’m only leaving because I know you’re going to be okay," Jax whispered. "I know that in my heart because I have seen your soul and I know what’s in there -- me. And I know that the Jax in your soul loves you as much as I do and he’ll take care of you while I’m gone." He kissed her again. "Remember, nobody leaves, Brenda. So don’t even think about it."

He got up and left the room.

"Ready?" Mulder asked.

Jax nodded and then he turned to Thao and Augustin. "Please don’t leave her alone. I don’t want anyone we don’t know getting near her. Jerry and my parents are on their way here and I know Jerry can handle it but until he gets here, you guys have to swear to me that you won’t leave her -- not for a second. Not for *half* a second."

"We won’t leave her," Thao promised.

"And no one will get near her," Augustin added.

Jax looked down the hall where Stefan and Alexis were gazing at him. Nikolas was on his way out of the hospital. "Let’s go," Jax said.

Jax and Mulder left the hospital and Jax caught up to Nikolas who was about to get into the Cassadine limo.

"Have they banished you home?" he asked he boy.

Nikolas looked at Jax. "Alexis tried to talk him out of it but my uncle is adamant. Hey, I don’t want you to feel bad about that though. I know that what I did was right, consequences and all. I would do it again. Is Brenda going to be okay?"

Jax nodded. "Yes she is. Thanks to you. Are they really sending you back to Greece?"

Nikolas nodded.

"Well, you don’t have to go, you know," Jax said.

"I don’t?"

"Of course not. I know you’re only sixteen but you are *the* Cassadine. Your grandmother is not the one in power anymore, you are. Didn’t anyone ever tell you that?"

"But I thought I had to wait until I was older? 18 or 21 or something?"

"Who told you that, Stefan?"

Nikolas nodded.

"Nikolas, they’re just trying to control you. They can’t make you do anything. If you exert this power they won’t be able to deny you. Trust me. Umm . . .why don’t you ride with us out to the airport? I’m going to catch a plane but I want to talk to you."

Nikolas looked around to see if Stefan was watching. No sign of him.

"Okay," the boy agreed as he climbed into the Jacks limo with Jax and Mulder.

+++

After riding out to the airport with Jax and his FBI friend, Nikolas was now back at the hospital having run an errand for Jax. When he walked into the hospital Stefan did not look happy.

"Where have you been, Nikolas? The limo has been sitting in the parking lot for over an hour. You should be at Wyndamere packing."

"Why? I’m not going anywhere," Nikolas said. And then he passed by Stefan and Alexis and went over to Thao and Augustin.

"Jax wanted Brenda to get this," Nikolas said handing them an envelope. "As soon as she wakes up, he says."

Thao and Augustin looked at each other suspiciously.

"I was just with him," Nikolas said. "Him and his friend Mulder were about to get on the Jacks jet. Look, I don’t care if you believe me or not, but Jax wants Brenda to have this and it seemed really important to him. He had me going around to all these libraries and book stores and everything so I think you better give it to her. Why don’t you just call him on his cellular phone and ask him if you don’t believe me?"

Augustin smiled a little. "We believe you."

"But we’ll call Jax just the same," Thao added as he began to dial.

+++

South Beach, Florida....

A crazed Miranda paced the vast living-room of the headquarters of her bosses, known as The Butcher and The Engineer. She hated this! Not knowing. Dutton had assured her that Brenda was as good as dead having been shot by the venom dart, but as good as dead was not dead. And Miranda needed her dead and permanently gone in order to have any chance with Jax. Jax . . . oh God, how was he reacting? Was he going out of his mind? She really wanted to be there for him.

The Butcher had been very upset with her for her pursuit of Jax. He did not want Jax to become embroiled in the agency again or any agency matters and he felt that Miranda’s presence in Jax’s life would somehow result in his being back with the WSB..

"The whole point of my involving you with Jasper in the first place was to get him out of the agency, Miranda," the Butcher had reminded her in his cultured European accent. "You did that like the pro you are and now you are about to screw everything up with this ridiculous romantic pursuit of him. It’s too bad that you fell for him, but get over it. An alliance with him is unacceptable and there is no room for that sentimental tripe here. If the Engineer were here he would undoubtedly want you exiled from the team. However, I know you work and think your a invaluable. So you shall remain with us and Jasper Jacks shall be off limits to you."

Miranda had not taken that command too well. "You are telling me I can’t have him?" she had demanded.

"That’s correct."

"But I want him! He’s the *only* thing I want!" she’d insisted.

"That is a pity, for the answer is still no. Now if you want his wife dead to satisfy some sense of ownership concerning Jax, that matters little to me, but even with her in the grave, you are not to go near Jax, do you understand that?"

"I do *not* understand," she said tightly.

"I have it on good authority that Jerry Jacks knows exactly who you are and what you have done. But then you already knew that, didn’t you? You knew and you said nothing to me or The Engineer about it."

"Jerry can’t prove a thing," Miranda reminded him.

"Well it is only a matter of time before he conveys his suspicions to others, most notably his brother. And then Jax will reconnect with that irritant named Mulder over at the FBI and we will be shut down so fast that your head will spin. Everyone will deny us, Miranda. The agency will leave us out to hang. *We* will be the ones cleansed."

"So what if Jerry tells Jax? Jax can’t prove anything anymore than Jerry can. The Ghost Squad is a myth. No one can touch us because we don’t exist."

"Where has your brain gone today?" The Butcher reprimanded as she took a sip of Cognac. "Jax is the only person I know who is tenacious enough to pursue this and Mulder is the only person I know who is annoying enough to help him. They are both truth seekers to the nth degree and they will not be denied. I do not fear them apart. I do fear them working in unison. And so, I will repeat that you will have nothing more to do with Jasper Jacks. You will disappear from his life again. But this time you will *not* allow yourself to be found, do you understand me? I’m making arrangements for your departure now. While I tend to that do not leave this property

"Or else?"

"Or you will be terminated." The Butcher said.

"From the team?"

"From life," he said. And with that The Butcher had gone.

Alone in the house Miranda had come to the conclusion that what he asked was impossible. How could she give up Jax? Especially now that he had no memories of Brenda and Brenda was dead? This was her most golden opportunity and now The Butcher was telling her to just flush it down the toilet and shove off to another country under another assumed identity until her particular cleansing services were required? She could not do it! She had to find a way to get to Jax. Perhaps if she showed up at Brenda’s funeral? Surely he would need her then. She wondered what they would bury Brenda in? White robes and a halo, no doubt, she thought sourly. And she wondered if Sonny was aware of Brenda’s demise yet. And then suddenly Jerry popped into her mind. Did he know of Brenda’ death yet? For some reason she thought that Jerry would connect it to her and, next to The Butcher, Jerry was about the only person she feared on the planet. She knew that Jax’s love for her would never allow him to hurt her. As far as The Butcher, as much as he threatened her, Miranda knew that he found her too invaluable to dispose of.. But Jerry . . . he was like a loose cannon. Even when he had loved her she had sensed his propensity to turn on her like a mad dog. And now he no longer loved her which made him more dangerous than ever. She shuddered to think what would happen if Jerry ever told Jax the truth about her. But luckily he had not and he would not. Not while Jax’s mind was in it’s state of unbalance.

Jax. Her thoughts were consumed with him once more. How could she get to him? The Butcher would know if she left the mansion. She sat on the edge of the white leather couch pondering her escape when she heard a sound from the back of the house. It must be The Butcher’s insufferable hounds slobbering on the porch door she thought irritably. She got up to scream at the ugly greyhounds but to her surprise, she did not find any dogs slobbering on the door. In fact, no one was there. Miranda looked around the enormous back yard but no one was there. She went back inside and sat down on the couch again pondering how to defy The Butcher and get to Jax. Have her cake and eat it too – that was her motto in life.

Behind the couch Jax rose like a silent Phoenix. Mulder who was next to him slid him something. Jax reached forward with a silence that Mulder found uncanny and he caught a startled Miranda in a headlock, dragging her from the edge of the couch to the back of the couch. She screamed as she felt something pierce her flesh and she saw a needle injected into her arm. And then the person who had grabbed her made his way to the front of the couch so that she could see him.

Her worst fear. "Jerry!" she said. "I should have known. You bastard, what did you give me!" she screamed rubbing her arm where the needle had been injected into her.

"Something to make you do something you’ve never done before in your miserable, duplicitous life. Tell the truth. And by the way . . ." he leaned forward giving her a look so icy blue that it chilled her to the bone and beyond, "I’m not Jerry."

Jen

JJGA