Thanks again for the people leaving reviews and names for the baby boy that LuSam will get to have in the prologue. I forgot to mention that Cooper, Serena, Georgie and Logan grew up together. They forged a friendship as kids and Logan knows about his family – Scott's family. Also, Karen plays a big role in both of their lives, so she'll eventually make an appearance.

Chapter Two

December 28, 2006 – Somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains

This was never part of the plan. That was the first thought going through Cooper Barrett's mind as he sat guarding the two women Jerry had made them grab. He thought about setting them free more than once but talked himself out of it every time. He didn't know Jerry Jacks all that well, but as a former military officer, Cooper couldn't understand why kidnapping two innocent & lovely women was even considered a strategy. His gaze now shifted to look over at the blonde, and he felt her soft cobalt blue eyes lock onto his before she tilted her head in a silent invitation. Cooper gave her a brief nod and began to look around to make sure that none of the other guys were watching before making his way over to where she had been bound and gagged. Cooper slowly and gently removed the gag but kept her hands tied. "You don't trust them, do you?" she asked softly after turning her head to spit.

It startled Cooper when she spit because most women he knew growing up had found it to be vile and disgusting. There were only two girls/women he knew that had ever done it in front of him and he had lost his mind when he'd said goodbye to the one girl who would ever hold his heart in the palm of her hand. He nodded. "Do you know what it feels like to love someone so completely that you would break their hearts or give your life for them?" he asked.

Nadine nodded. "I don't plan on letting your leader intimidate me into telling him what happened between me and his brother. I have a good feeling that our miracle will bring us together and keep us that way for a long, long time," she replied. Cooper watched her eyes shift down to her obviously still-flat stomach.

Just then, someone began shouting at Cooper from behind them. "Hey! Three, don't talk to the prisoner!" Mr. Craig's thick accent was evident as the leader moved over to them, grabbing Cooper by the shoulder, his anger showing in his eyes as he basically shoved him away from Nadine.

xoxoxo

Port Charles, New York – Same Day

Serena hated days like this. When the rain felt like tears. But today was definitely one of those yucky days, when everything didn't fall into place like it should have. She brought her knees up to her chest, her slender arms wrapping around them the best she could and resting her chin atop them. Her gaze went to the still unopened box of things Julia Barrett Quartermaine had sent to her earlier in the week. Slowly her knees came back down and she collected herself enough to get up from her spot in the window seat, walking over to gently pick up the box and place it on her lap. A memory suddenly popped into her mind, the one where Cooper had taken the courage to connect them on a more intimate level:

Manhattan, New York – 2001

"We're not going to get caught are we, Cooper?" she asked him softly. She knew her parents would give her lectures about her sneaking out at such a late hour. It didn't matter anymore; she wasn't a child anymore…from her hazel eyes & dark blonde hair to her sort of small feet, toes painted in a deep, dark siren red color, was a woman. Serena Gail was gone…in her place was plain old Serena, a woman with feelings and hopes and dreams for a bright future that included getting out of Port Charles – and traveling the world with her trusty camera. She was knocked free of her thoughts when she felt Cooper staring at her intently. "What are you staring at, Cadet?" She, Karen and Tina had taken it upon themselves to begin teasing him and Logan about being military 'cadets', but the teasing turned into an unexpected flirtation between Cooper and Serena. They had been dancing around their feelings for a long time but on her 18th birthday, he'd taken her out. Scott & Ned had given them both lectures about returning at the time they came home but Cooper defended Serena, putting all the blame on himself.

"I'm just admiring the view, Blondie." Cooper turned to glance at her, giving her that smile she loved so much. "I promise that we won't get caught, Rena. I know a few guys that used to work here and they gave me access," he said, holding up the keys in his possession.

Serena only shook her head. "You're a very, very bad boy, Barrett," she said with a teasing smile aimed up at him.

"But I'll always be your favorite bad boy, right? Next to your brother, I mean? I know stealing cars as reckless 18 year olds was wrong and sneaking into baseball fields after hours is dangerous, but I had to see you tonight, Serena," he said softly, stepping closer and reaching out to caress her cheek softly. She looked up at him, her eyes staying locked on his as he leaned down to kiss her lips in a gentle caress. Serena jumped slightly at the loud knocking on the door to her penthouse – a present from her mother for taking the courage to move home to a place filled with violence – and set aside the picture she'd been looking at before getting up to answer the door. "Dante, if this is some lame attempt to try to get our parents back together, forget it. I'm not helping you with any more of your schemes," she said but stopped when she saw who was on the other side.

"I'm insulted, Rena. And here I thought you'd want to help an old friend out," Dr. Matt Hunter said with a grin. Serena squealed and ran into his arms, hugging him tightly.

She finally pulled back to frame his face in her small hands. He covered them with his own and grinned down at her. "I thought you'd be spending the day with your cousin. Ashley, wasn't that her name? Didn't you and Patrick promise to show her around town?" she asked softly.

He shook his head. "Patrick is taking the duty of showing her around Port Chuck. You, I'm going to take you out on the town in Manhattan. What do you say, Ms. Baldwin? Feel like hanging out with an ex?" he asked her.

After Cooper and Logan left to sign up for the military, Serena decided to try dating other guys to get her mind off of Cooper all but deserting her. Matt was the first guy she'd come across while searching and they tried things for a while only she couldn't get over the deep bond she shared with Cooper. "If that ex is you, then sure; I'd be up for that," she replied excitedly.

xoxoxo

Lulu turned this way and that to see if she really liked the dress for her upcoming wedding. She glanced over when her fiancé came into their bedroom at his family's mansion and quickly scrambled over to slam him out. "Dillon! You were supposed to stay out doing your errands longer; I told you that," she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to check up on you but obviously you were busy," he replied. He was smiling from his side of the door. He heard someone snicker from behind him and he turned to find his niece Brook Lynn. "Go away, Brook Lynn; I'm having a private moment with my fiancé."

"Oh, Dillon, you forget that if you're a Quartermaine, things never stay private. I'm sure that Granny and Dad will be up here before long," she said on her way down the stairs. Sure enough, Dillon's mom Tracy & his brother Ned had come up a few minutes later to join the film student at the outside of the bedroom he and Lulu were currently sharing.

Downstairs, Luke Spencer was on the phone with his son who was getting ready to head out of town on a case and was asking him and Laura to keep an eye on Sam for him. "Don't you worry about the feisty woman, Cowboy; I will make sure that Angel keeps an eye on her," he replied in the phone.

Lucky chuckled from his end. "Thanks, Dad. But I'm also counting on you to make sure that she and Lila don't get hurt and stuff," he replied in his authority policeman's voice. He heard his sister's voice come over the line and couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"Lucky! Don't you get into anything dangerous, okay?" she said quietly. Lucky wanted to agree with her but it was full of danger and he couldn't find the heart to tell her that.

"I'll try, Baby, okay?" he responded quietly. He was the only one who called her Baby besides Nikolas and though they both knew she hated the nickname, they couldn't help but still call her by it from time to time. "Will you help Mom and Dad with keeping an eye on Sam for me?"

"Uh-huh! I like Sam; she's my favorite person besides Liz," she replied excitedly. She heard her brother chuckling on the other end but she didn't care that he was making fun; Sam was good for Lucky just like Liz was good for Nikolas. She was happy for both of her brothers and hoped that they were lucky enough to stay with the women they loved.

xoxoxo

Karen was nervous. She was going to get to see the brother she hadn't seen since he was 18 today and he was bringing home a 'girl'. Logan had grown up a lot since he left Port Charles in the dust and she was proud of him. She fidgeted in the chair she was currently sitting in at the airport to wait for his arrival. She had sat within viewing area of the gate so she could run up to her brother and hug him with enthusiastic embarrassment. As she waited, she began to send text messages to her dad, two sisters and her former step-mom, Olivia and stepbrother Dante.

Her head shot up after she sent the last text message at the sound of someone arguing. "Well, you were supposed to take him last weekend!" a woman with dark blonde hair yelled at the man standing in front of her.

"No! I told you I couldn't take him because I had a date, Bonita," he growled back between gritted teeth.

Between them was a little boy with his father's dark hair and Karen couldn't help but feel for him. His parents were quite obviously divorced but his mother looked quite familiar. A light finally went off in her head when the woman turned her head to find Karen staring at them. "Teresa?" she whispered. Her mother Rhonda had been a Ciccone before marrying young and leaving her family in Chicago.

The woman came running forward after seeing Karen's lips move, forgetting her argument for the time being. "KAREN!" she said with soft enthusiasm, her arms flinging themselves around her cousin's neck. "Oh, Karen, I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too, Teresa," Karen said as she hugged her favorite cousin. They finally pulled back, their eyes meeting before Karen shifted to look over at the two guys walking over. "And you must be Cruz. Teresa has told me a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet you." She knelt down to the little boy's level. "And this must be the famous Leonardo Rodriguez. The last time I saw you, you were only 3 months old."

"He's almost 3, Karen. I can hardly believe it myself. How's your mom?" Teri asked.

Karen shrugged. "Mom and I don't talk much. I am living here in Port Charles and she's off somewhere with her latest conquest, which will probably become her latest husband before long," Karen replied.

"Cruz and I are considering moving to Port Charles, but we are having issues sometimes," Teri responded. "But we might get a house outside of Port Charles so we won't have to go so far for his job. He's a cop and he's going to be working under Mac Scorpio."

"Mac? I remember him. He's Robin's uncle, Robert's brother," Karen said with the same soft enthusiasm that her cousin had had moments earlier. She turned once again when she heard someone calling her name. She had forgotten all about Logan once she saw Teri but was happy to see her younger brother. "LOGAN!" She ignored the stares she got from people as she ran forward to clutch her brother to her in a hug.

He returned the hug fiercely after dropping the hand of the girl next to him. Then he pulled away from his sister to turn to the girl next to him. "Karen, I would like you to meet my girl. This is…" he trailed off when he heard Karen gasp in shock.

"Oh my god! Georgie Jones? You're all grown up!" she gushed, pulling the girl into a hug.

"You know her?" Logan asked, confused.

Karen nodded. "Of course. Her parents work for the WSB, but Mac Scorpio is raising her and her sister Maxie while they're off gallivanting around the world," she replied with a knowing smile.