Samantha Aleksandra McCall Davis Corinthos… okay so she didn't actually use all of those names at once, but at one time or another she had been known by them all. Sam, what most people called her except her family, had lived a multitude of lives for as long as she could remember; when she was born she had been placed with some well meaning nuns in a convent in Europe. Somewhere around her 8th birthday a lady named Alexis showed up and said she was her daughter and took her away to New York City. After finally getting as settled as she ever expected to be with this "new" mom two years later it was off to the small upstate town of Port Charles New York to help out family she never knew existed and frankly that she found more than a bit strange. The Cassadines, she never knew what to make of Stefan or Nikolas or the crazy old lady that seemed to frighten them all… Helena. But Sam saw it as part of the adventure, sort of, she considered her life. Years ago, like most children in the orphanage, Sam had invented the life she wished she had come from. What kind of mom, family, and background and what a reunion would look like. The real facts had never even come close. She had created a fantasy and what she lived was a horror show. That is until her 12th birthday on a private Puerto Rican island when her mother married Michael "Sonny" Corinthos.

Fast forward four years and she had become Samantha Corinthos, a polite, appropriate, straight A sophomore at Port Charles High School. She was Sammie to her family and Sam at school with her friends, but always she was fearless and ready to conquer the world. Destined not to take any grief and fighting a genetic disposition to aggression, passion and temper. Suddenly she was a part of an instant family complete with a little brother and a dad and house full of rules with people to enforce them. Life was good, but just a little too orderly. After all these years, every once in a while, Sam got the urge to run through the house screaming… anything to break up the routine and put a little excitement back into her life. One thing she could say about the Cassidines was they were never boring. You would think with all of the suspicion surrounding her dad's work there would never be a dull moment, but his work only made Sonny overly cautious and left very little breathing room.

Lying on her bed with her iPod blaring in her ears Sam was encircled by school books but utterly focused on an article in People magazine. Her door swung open and she bolted upright yanking off her headphones. From the look on his face she knew she had missed something. Sonny Corinthos was an easy read.

"Hey, Sammie, your mother has been calling you for the last ten minutes. Get downstairs and set the table for dinner. Do I look like I have time to run around this house personally requesting you do your chores?"

Dropping her headphones on the bed Sam hopped off saying, "sorry daddy, but it's not even my turn. Michael is on kitchen duty this week."

Michael was Sonny's child from his very tumultuous relationship, then marriage, with Carly Corinthos. He maintained custody at a very hefty price and she maintained the last name, but every few months Carly blew into town and wreaked havoc on everyone's life and schedule. He didn't have energy to give to this conversation another minute and let his daughter know so with his eyes and words.

"I don't know about any of that schedule stuff, but Michael's out, so you're up to bat. Get!"

She thought this is definitely one of those screaming moments, but all she said was, "yes daddy."

As she walked down the back stairs to the kitchen Sam thought about Carly. Apparently tonight was her night to be "bothered" by her. With the obscene amount of money her parents had why she still had to do chores was beyond her, but the fact that she had to pick up Michael's slack was really pissing her off. When she hit the landing Sam found her mother unpacking takeout.

"Dad said you needed me. Since when does un-boxing takeout require two people?"

Alexis smiled at her daughter. It was no secret that Sonny was the chef in the family and Chinese food meant he was working late on something and mom was in charge of dinner. "Maybe I just wanted the company. I know Carly is his mother, but I miss having "my" son under my roof. Set the place mats on the counter honey. It's just us and the twins. Sonny's working late and Carly is bringing Michael home late, again."

Sam went to kiss her mom's cheek and squeezed her shoulders momentarily. Setting the table Sam noticed Alexis sitting down and how tired she looked. Not wanting to push the subject she kept at her work and then called upstairs for Leticia, their nanny, to bring down the twins, Morgan and Kristina, they were four. They bounded down the stairs and ran into Alexis' arms. Looking up the stairs over her shoulder Alexis said, "Thanks Leticia Sam and I can handle things through bedtime. We'll see you in the morning."

Leticia made her way out of the kitchen quickly. She adored working for the current Mrs. Corinthos much better. Alexis didn't have any of the reckless impulses of first Mrs. C and spent a lot more hands on time with her children, which meant Leticia got to spend more time on her.

Dinner was tame and even after bedding down two preschoolers and going over an hour of Latin with Sam, Alexis sat at the desk reviewing a legal brief and waiting for Sonny and Michael to get home. It was after nine and even though Carly had called twice she had yet to show up which meant a late bedtime and cranky morning for ten year old Michael. Sonny hadn't called at all, but that wasn't expected.

Just as her eyes were starting to bleed from staring at micro print for hours she heard the front door open. She leaned back in her office chair and braced herself for an encounter with Carly, but to her surprise she instead heard the familiar greeting from her husband.

"Hey beautiful," Sonny came over and pulled his wife up into an embrace. "I missed you. How was dinner? Sorry I missed it tonight, but Jason and I had a shipment…"

"Uh uh, I can't know this. I don't want to know this." She pulled back and looked him in the eyes.

"We had a shipment of coffee. Just coffee and nothing else I can't tell you about. So, is everyone in bed?" He went to pour a drink for them both and they met on the couch. She threw her legs over his and he rubbed her calves.

"Everyone but Michael, Carly hasn't brought him home yet. " Sonny downed his drink and threw his head back. He had taken Carly Benson on years ago when she was a friend of Jason's and a loose cannon who happened to help him through a rough period. One thing had lead to another and for awhile they had been happy, most of the time. He became a father to her son, from Jason's brother AJ, even though doing so meant taking him away from Jason, the only father he knew for the first year of his life. But Carly was a train wreck even when she wasn't trying and Sonny decided, after affairs on both their parts that staying married to her was only punishing them both. Carly's adventurous pursuits often left Michael with him and once he married Alexis it simply made more sense for Sonny to be the custodial parent. The fact that it made sense was exactly why Carly fought so hard against it initially. However, once a large sum of money was transferred into her account and she was allowed to play Queen of the Manor at the hotel and casino in Puerto Rico she agreed to only tornado through their lives a few times a year. This week had been one of those times.

"Okay, Mr. Man let's get you inside because you know how your dad and the Queen Mum are about their rules and schedules." Carly made sure she was loud enough to be heard in Sonny's study once Max signaled to her that they were inside. She threw the door open and saw Alexis reclined across Sonny in a position she still felt belonged to only her.

"Carly. I thought you'd be back hours ago. He has school tomorrow you know." Alexis swung her legs to the floor and faced her silent sworn enemy. Sonny quickly rose to situate himself between the two because this had the potential to escalate rapidly. He reached out for his son to pull him into an embrace. Then he directed his comments to his ex-wife.

"Carly I hope you two had a blast today. Michael loves when you come in for a visit, but it is very late and we've talked about this before."

"So, you're what chastising me. I don't think so Sonny!" Carly propped up on the edge of his desk and looked like she had no intent on leaving.

"Hey buddy, why don't you give your mama a kiss goodnight and take those things upstairs?" Michael looked to both of his parents; because he knew their fights could be legendary. Walking over to Carly he gave her a big hug and thanked her for the treats in his hefty shopping bag. As he headed up the stairs he looked down and called, "mom?"

"Yes," both women responded simultaneously. Michael shook his head and sort of laughed. Because in his mind he was home and that mom was meant for Alexis. She was the one who helped him with stuff and Carly was the one who bought him stuff.

"Sorry, I meant Alexis. Goodnight." Michael took off and never looked back to see the hurt in Carly's eyes. His intent wasn't to hurt her, but things were they way they were and he certainly couldn't change that now. Alexis kissed Sonny and took off up the stairs behind her son.

Carly was fuming. If looks could kill Alexis would never have made it up those stairs. Instead she settled to unleashing her fury on Sonny. "What the hell was that? I don't want him calling her mom it only confuses him. I'm his mother. She's just your wife."

Walking to get his drink off the table Sonny silently counted to ten and asked the Virgin Mary to keep him from strangling her. When he turned back around he had checked at least some of his anger. "Carly we're not going over this again. Alexis is every bit a mother to our son. She does the school projects, goes to the school plays and sits up at night when he's sick, so knock it off. You know how much Michael loves you don't force him to choose loving one of you over the other."

"Like there'd be a choice," she mumbled and rose to walk closer to him. Putting herself intimately close Carly slide by and plopped on the couch crossing her legs and leaving nothing to the imagination.

Sonny moved to the bar and without turning around said, "So what flight are you on in the morning?"

"I'm thinking about staying a few days more. Maybe have Michael stay at the hotel with me and you know, swing by school and meet his teachers."

If he responded to this with any level of hostility Sonny knew he'd never get her out of town, so he took the opposite approach and came at her another way. "Marco called and said there's a lot going on down at the casino. You've been here over a week already Carly. The deal was you wanted the casino and I wanted out of the marriage. Letting you run it into the ground is definitely not part of the bargain."

"Give me a break Sonny. Marco barely lets me make any decisions he doesn't go over or clear with you. I'm supposed to believe all of a sudden no one can function without me."

"Carly, you wanted to redecorate the cabanas do you really want Marco picking out the drapes and carpets?" That got her attention alright. She leapt off the couch and stood next to her ex at the bar just as Alexis made her way down the stairs. Not missing a beat after hearing those footsteps Carly ran her hand up and down Sonny's back, causing him to stiffen, than she leaned in and whispered.

"Well, since I know how much you love my taste I'll be on the first flight back to oversee things personally."

Moving past her with his glass still in hand Sonny faced Alexis on the foot of the stairs and just shook his head letting her know that responding would only prolong the visit. Carly grabbed her purse off the desk and halted at Alexis. "Don't think this is over. Everyone may believe you're this mother-of-the-year, but we both know you're a husband stealing shrew who's destined to get what's coming to her."

With that last comment Carly leaned into Sonny and lightly, but suggestively, pecked him on the cheek saying, "see you soon."

………………………………………………………..

Finally, they had called it a night and started making rounds to each child's bedroom to check covers and lights and such. Sam's light was the only one still visible beneath the door. Sonny cracked it opened and saw Krissy curled up on her big sister and Sam propped up with a novel on her chest. Sonny went and picked up his little girl to take her back to her own room that she shared with Morgan. She had been wondering the halls the last few weeks looking to sleep with him and Alexis or Sam or Michael nearly every night. She always had a good reason, but unlike Alexis Sonny thought if they indulged this they'd be stuck with it every night for God knows how long. So, wherever they found her he always carried her back. Alexis stayed behind to check up with Sam.

Shaking her shoulder Alexis said, "Sammie, get up darling."

"Mom? I must have fallen asleep. I heard Krissy crying in the hallway and didn't want her to wake up Morgan or Michael, so I brought her in here with me."

"I saw, you're a good big sister, but dad took her back to her room. You know his feeling on her sleeping with us. She should be fine now, but I'll plug in the monitor just in case. Get some rest I don't want you nodding off during that Latin quiz." Alexis kissed her on top of the head and said goodnight before going to the door and turning out the lights.

But as Sam drifted back to sleep Latin was the last thing on her mind. All she could think about was a senior named Lucky Spencer, who turned her head and made her stomach do flip flops. The Spring Fling was coming up and since she was tutoring him after school in Latin, which he was taking because he was short a language credit, they had gotten close and shared a kiss. She was certain he'd ask her even though she was only a sophomore. Having just celebrated her 16th birthday she was also hoping Sonny would flex on the no dating until next year rule. Ah, Lucky… that's what she'd feel like with him on her arm.