Force of Nature

Summary: Set four months after "The Perfect Storm". Spinelli uncovers something about Talia's past that leads Sam, Lulu, Kristina, and Leila on a path to put old ghosts to rest. What could possibly go wrong?

Rating: PG-13 for violence.

Okay so I have a question to pose for some constructive criticism.Did the ending songs help or hurt "The Perfect Storm." I am very curios about the response.

The Package

6:56 P.M.

September 12th

Leoti, Kansas

Ethan Lovett shifted his attention from the rear view to the small brown package sitting in the passenger seat to the road ahead of him. He wasn't sure why it ate at him so. Maybe it was because he knew that Luke didn't fully trust him or maybe it was because he didn't fully trust himself. This was a simple job. Something a grunt could do so all he could think was that Luke wanted to test him. Unfortunately he didn't know if he was passing or failing. On the one hand, if he didn't open the package that he was asked to pick up for Luke, then Luke could trust him. On the other hand, what self respecting criminal would transport something they knew nothing about? Such a delicate balance.

What seemed to the best course was to open it without letting Luke know he'd opened it. Ethan felt his lips tug into a half smile at that. He could do that. Luke didn't have to know. He'd have to wait til later, but he could practice patience, at least in theory. Ethan pulled into the Old Town Inn's nearly vacant parking lot and parked the SUV next to the truck that Jason had rented. He reached into the floorboard and grabbed the back of supplies he'd been sent after...his cover for picking up Luke's package.

No one knew he was here on business and he wanted to keep it that way. Kristina and Leila had invited him as a friend in an effort to feel less like they were the odd balls out with the other two couples in the mix. He'd wanted to go anyway, but Luke presented the most favorable ulterior motive for accepting. It had been a rough four months, recouping from the warehouse explosion.

Ethan had suffered a back injury that had left him with numbness in his feet. It took two months of physical therapy to regain mobility, and another month and a half to finally get full feeling back. He felt like a changed man...well at least more considerate to the plight of others. Kristina and her new best friend and roommate had been visiting him regularly while he recovered. He'd come to rely on them, to care about them. Despite everything that happened with Kiefer and the level of mistrust the citizens of Port Charles had shown him, despite Kristina's role in that, after the explosion he'd grown closer to the two of them.

There was a part of him that was finally ready to entertain a relationship with Kristina, something more than friendship, but another that was scared to risk their blossoming friendship. While Leila was becoming as much as sister as Lulu was. He was glad that Alexis had taken her in, that she'd been able to stay in Port Charles.

Ethan locked the package in the glove box and pocketed the key before he headed towards the hotel with the supply bag in hand. He bypassed his and Dante's room and instead set his route for the courtyard where a project was underway. He'd never taken Jason for the romantic type, but he had to give it to him, through combined efforts from the whole group they'd managed to turn the already picturesque courtyard into a tropical paradise.

The Inn was unique in a few aspects...the rooms opened both to a front or side walk and then also into the courtyard. There was only a small pool and hot tub, for the rest of the courtyard had been turned into a gardeners miracle, reminding him of pictures he's seen from Italy's country side. He wasn't worried about the clash of tropics meets Italy however as he had no dog in the decorations race. The girls were helping Jason with that. He simply picked up what was asked of him...which was the champagne and napkins.

He knew there was something up, but the giggle squad wouldn't let him and Dante in on the secret and he was pretty sure Jason had been the initiator of the plan. With all his intuition Ethan did have a reasonable explanation for all the hoopla, at least it seemed reasonable enough to him. Sam was nearly six months pregnant and her small frame was showing it more like she was about to pop. He figured that Jason wanted to get a ring on her finger before the kid was born and seeing as how this trip was all about some spiritual reconnection with life, what better time to spring a proposal on her.

He walked into the courtyard to find the others, even Dante, hard at work decorating the place. He had to give them credit too. It was impressive. It looked like they were on an island paradise, the soft stream of island music playing from a stereo that the hotel owner had gladly let them borrow. Tiki torches lit the walk to the pool and flower petals helped to take the urban jungle feel from the concrete pathways. There were three tables set up for dinner all holding candles and beautiful local bouquets while white Christmas lights adorned the nearby trees and bushes to make up for any misgivings from the torch light.

"I got the bubbly!" He held up a bottle as proof as he walked into the festivities.

"Yay!" Ethan widened his eyes in fear as the three girls all gave a high pitched cheer and than advanced on him to claim their prizes.

ZZZZZZZZZZ

Sam stirred from her post flight slumber expecting to feel Jason's arms around her, hands delicately protecting her belly as they both slept. It was becoming a common occurrence. She furrowed her brows when she didn't feel him there and quickly – well not so quickly, worked to get herself in an upright position.

"Jason?" Sam called, but there was no answer. She frowned but tried not to worry as she went to grab a bottle of water from her bag.

It had been an interesting 48 hours since Spinelli gave them the news that he'd found Talia's home town, along with her sister. They'd come to let her sister know what had befallen her and to scatter her ashes in a familiar place. It was a way that they could finally say goodbye. With all the nightmares that the group collectively faced it was a welcome idea to the men in their lives. Although there was no way that they were letting them go alone. Hence the escort.

They'd flown into Wichita, and then taken a smaller plane to Leoti, where they'd manage to rent vehicles to get them through the weekend. The one hotel had become their haven shortly after and Sam had promptly managed to fall asleep on the nice enough king size bed of her and Jason's room.

Sam got to her feet and stretched before heading to what felt like her usual hang out nowadays...the bathroom. She primped after a good hand washing and made sure she didn't look too rumpled in her black leggings and mid thigh yellow maternity top. Alright...Jason had to be around here somewhere and if he wasn't than someone would know where he was. Maybe they were out by the pool, it was still semi warm out.

She grabbed a light white shawl from the foot of the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders before she opened the door that led out to the Courtyard. Outside it was mix if greenish skies and sunlight, something so unfamiliar, but eerily beautiful. A shroud of shrubs obscured her view coming off the patio and she had to duck a low lying branch to round the walkway that led from their room to the main body of the courtyard.

Once there, her mouth fell open as she was mesmerized by a breathtaking sight. The courtyard was like a backdrop of some fairy tale in the heart of twilight splendor. Yes there were two inter-clashing themes, but somehow they worked to mingle in beauty from both worlds. She covered her mouth with her scarred right hand in awe as she backed into the area and then turned to get a better look at it all. It wasn't the courtyard that she'd witnessed when they'd checked in, not this had taken work and since there were very few people staying at the hotel she had a fair idea as too who was responsible.

Three tables were set, candles burning, but there was no one there...until... Sam was still turning, getting a good look at all the splendor when she suddenly saw Jason standing at the gate to the courtyard, clad in a black t- shirt and jeans with his leather jacket on for warmth in the cooling air. Sam couldn't help but smile brightly at the sight, a tenderness in her eyes for the effort that had been made.

"Did you do all this?" She knew he'd had help, but just the idea being his made it all him.

"I had some help." He said truthfully, a light smile playing on his lips, growing as he took in her beauty.

"I love it." She promised him as she started in his direction. She could hear a muffled glee of laughter but didn't care as she made her way to him, wanting him to have the moment that he'd tried so hard to make perfect. It was already perfect though. He was here. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply when she finally reached him, but pulled back when she felt a tenseness in his shoulders that was never there in times like these. "What's wrong?" She asked him softly.

"Nothing, I'm just nervous." He replied, meeting her eyes.

Sam's features softened. "You have nothing to be nervous about." She promised him. "This is beautiful. I love it. I love you."

"I love you too." There were soft whispers all around them and Sam had long figured out that the whole group was watching them from the confines of the bushes but she pushed the thought aside as she focused on Jason.

"You might have something to be nervous about." The voice wasn't someone she recognize and Sam frowned as she looked past Jason's shoulders to four men walking through the parking lot towards them, guns in hand. Sam tensed in Jason's arms and reached for his side arm at the same time he did, their hands clashing on instinct before he pushed hers away and palmed the gun. He didn't raise it, only turned to face them, shoving Sam behind him, protectively.

"What's that?" Jason called. He didn't have any clue who these guys were or what they wanted, but it was clear that this wasn't a normal Leoti welcome.

"We need the package that Elvis gave you." He replied evenly.

"I didn't get a package." Jason promised him. "And I don't know anyone named Elvis."

"One of your buddies does..." The blonde ring leader of the group replied. No one had raised their fire arms but it was becoming obvious that someone was about to.

So Jason did it first. Jason's mind was already racing, trying to figure out what this was all about. Droplets of rain began to fall around them and while before hand he might have begrudged them, he wasn't too terribly upset with them, not more than he was upset that there were men here with guns.

"Look I don't know what you mean. We didn't come here looking for trouble," He replied quickly. "If you'll put the guns away, we can talk this out." They still hadn't taken aim.

"Cut the crap, You guys are all here together. I know he's with you." the blonde leader retorted.

"He who? Ethan?" Jason knew enough to think that it might be Dante that they were talking about.

Sam was just about to speak up in Jason's defense when a strange sound lit the air. It was a siren, but it seemed to come from everywhere at once. It seemed to throw everyone off, except for Jason whose aim didn't waver.

"We'll take this up another time." The guys in the lot promised him and quickly they retreated. Jason puzzled over the move until he heard the voice over the loud speakers that the sirens had originated from.

"Warning...warning...A tornado warning is in effect..."