Post by JRK Archiver on Jun 9, 2008 17:40:30 GMT -5
Authors Note: Things to remember about this fic besides the summary on chapter one. 1) This is set during the endgame era; 2) also set during Sorel's murder; 3) The two Luke's are involved so if Luke speaks he's a bastard; 4) It's a point of view fic so in any given scene only know the motivations of one character; 5) Alexis' history is the same as when it was first developed, no Pippi Longstocking wannabe messing things up; 6) Stavros is still pretending to be Lucien Kane.
Chapter 11
P.C.P.D.
Lucky saw the curiosity, surprise, wariness, and distrust mixed in the Lieutenant's eyes and in spite of himself his steps faltered. The combination of expressions was one he was getting used to seeing when people looked at him, but it didn't mean he liked it. Another thing he was beginning to hate was the long sounding sigh coming from the person he was talking to. Like speaking to him was trying their patience.
"The officer tells us you have something to offer about the murder of Joseph Sorel." Garcia called out.
Nodding Lucky moved forward and took the chair that was gestured to. "I saw something that night, something the police need to know about."
"His murder was more than three weeks ago. Why are you just now coming forward?" Taggert asked.
Fidgeting in his chair Lucky looked up at the ceiling, past the Lieutenant to the board with the names on it then finally back at Taggert. "I wasn't sure you'd believe me." He saw them exchange a glance and went on. "I was a little out of control the last few times you saw me."
"Shoving Stefan Cassadine down a flight of stairs, seems to be more than just a little out of control," Garcia commented.
"So is escaping police custody," Taggert reminded him.
Furious Lucky clenched his fists and glared at the cops. "Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?"
"We're listening." Taggert scooted his chair forward and dug on his desk until he unearthed a notebook and pen. "Shoot."
"The night of the storm," his voice was scratchy and he hastily cleared his throat. He needed to sound firm, or they wouldn’t believe him. He needed them to believe him. "I was down at the docks."
"Which section?"
"The one off of Charles Street, near G.H." Lucky answered automatically. "It was around 11:00, I was getting ready to leave when I saw Jason Morgan walking on the docks. I remember I was surprised to see him because I didn’t know he was in town. He was wiping his hands, the light wasn’t very good but I recognized blood on his hands."
Taggert and Garcia exchanged another glance. "How do you know it was blood?"
"I’ve seen blood. I know what it looks like even in a dim light. Besides after he left I moved to the trash where he threw the rag away. It was stained with blood."
"Did you keep it?"
"No." Lucky settled back in his seat to wait their questions. He knew there had to be questions there always were where he was concerned. He reminded himself not to get mad, not to snap, to remain in control or they wouldn’t believe him.
"You’re telling me that 3 weeks ago you saw Jason Morgan on the docks wiping blood from his hands, and the next day you heard about the stabbing death of Joseph Sorel and you decided not to come forward?" Taggert asked.
"I told you I wasn’t sure if you’d believe me," Lucky snapped then took a breath. "Jason and I don’t have the best history."
"I’ll say," Garcia murmured. "Didn’t he put you in the hospital the last time he was in town?"
Lucky could feel his temper spike and tried desperately to hold onto it. "You can believe me or not. I’m just telling you what I saw," he got to his feet to leave.
"Wait," Taggert called and waited until Lucky turned around before speaking. "Why come forward now?"
"I heard through the grapevine that you were looking for a woman, a brunette, I didn’t want her to get blamed for something she might not have done," Lucky explained.
"Do you know who the woman is?"
"No." Again Lucky turned to leave and again Taggert stopped him. This time he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold his temper. One more question, one more doubt, and he’d snap. "What?"
Taggert pointed to another officer at a desk in the corner. "Give her your statement, read it, then sign it, we need to have everything official."
Nodding Lucky did as he was told. The squad room was loud, but not loud enough that he didn’t hear Garcia direct a question to Taggert. "There weren’t any fingerprints on the scalpel, so why would Morgan have blood on his hands?"
Clenching his fists in rage Lucky went back to his statement.
Harborview a.m.
It just wasn’t possible.
There had to be a mistake somewhere. She had to be one of the 4 that got a false positive, because there was no way she could be pregnant. Alexis scanned the empty boxes that littered her bathroom floor. All of the tests were wrong. Maybe there was an error at the manufacturing plant. She was an attorney, she could investigate that, she could sue. There had to be a mistake somewhere because she had to fall on the error side, she just had to.
It had been a day since she realized that she’d missed her period. During that day she’d taken close to 15 pregnancy tests and all of them had given her the same result. A result she was willing to deny until her dying breath.
"Alexis?"
The sound of her name coming through the closed door had her diving for the boxes to get them out of sight. Then as quickly as she’d moved she stopped and let the boxes fall back to the ground. This was her private bathroom. No one ever used it but her, she didn’t need to hide the tests.
"Alexis are you almost ready?"
Zander’s call filtered through the door and she could tell by the faintness of it that he hadn’t ventured very far into her private sanctuary. That was smart of the boy. "I’ll be there in a minute."
The faint sound of the door closing caused her to groan and shift her focus to the mirror. Her eyes were too big, her cheeks to pale, and there was a very good chance that the end of the world was happening. The world had to be ending because there was a 96 chance that she was pregnant with Sonny Corinthos’ baby. How the hell could she let this happen? More importantly what was she supposed to do about it?
Studio
"Sonny." Elizabeth’s smile of welcome was brief but genuine.
"Can I come in?" Sonny asked after a minute of inactivity.
"Sure," stepping back she opened the door wider. "Come in."
Moving slowly inside the room Sonny was relieved it wasn’t sweltering the way it had been the last time he’d been there. Keeping his movements discreet he studied her out of the corner of his eye. She looked better than she had that night as well. One thing hadn’t changed however, the studio was no longer a studio. Other than a wrapped painting leaning against the far wall there was no sign of her artwork anywhere. There was no sign that she’d ever painted, even her once cluttered table was clean and almost empty. Having been in her studio on several occasions before, Sonny knew that was a bad sign.
"Did you need something?"
Noting the concern in her eyes he realized he’d been quiet too long. "I just wanted to check on you."
"You don’t have to do that anymore. I told you I’m fine," she reminded him.
Sonny merely shrugged. "You always say that, even when it’s not true."
"Yeah well…" Elizabeth finally shrugged and took a seat on her old couch.
Sighing reluctantly he joined her. He’d discovered that the couch wasn’t very comfortable. The fact she seemed to be able to sleep on it amazed and worried him. "I see you got your window fixed."
Turning Elizabeth checked her windows. "It’s a funny thing about the window. Most of the time it takes months to get anything fixed in this building. But a repairman and the Super showed up the morning after the storm and replaced it. In fact they arrived before I even called the Super to inform him it was broke," her eyes returned to Sonny. "You wouldn’t know anything about that would you?"
"Yeah, well…" he mimicked her words and managed to win a smile.
"Thank you. I wasn’t at my best that night. I’m surprised you didn’t run for the hills."
"It was a hard night for all of us." Sonny’s voice turned reflective as he remembered the night of the storm.
Sonny ran a hand through his hair and then shook the water from it as he hurried up the stairs. He’d been too impatient to hunt for an umbrella, instead he’d hurried out into the storm the minute Francis had made his report. He was already kicking himself for his arrogance. He’d stayed in his penthouse brooding, plotting, cursing both Sorel and Angel, instead of following Elizabeth when she’d run out of the penthouse. He’d rationalized that Francis was with her, so he’d make sure she’d get home safely. The only thing was Francis hasn’t been with her. In fact he hadn’t even known she’d left her studio. That was unsettling enough but what really concerned him was when Francis told him about the conversation he’d overheard. The fact that Helena Cassadine was planning to kill Elizabeth drove him out of his penthouse and into the storm in an effort to find her.
Reaching the landing on the third floor he hurried for her door, dimly aware of Francis dogging his every step. He’d nearly reached her door when the door across from the studio opened. He recognized the surprise on his man’s face.
"Mr. C-corinthos," Cal Rogers stuttered.
"When did she get in?"
"She came in at 11:25." Cal reached for his notebook. "I noted it and was going to ask Francis about it in the morning because he’d said she was in the studio the whole time. She didn’t leave while I was here."
Sonny waved away the man’s concerns over covering his ass. "Was she okay?"
"She seemed upset, she kept looking over her shoulder like she thought someone was following her." He held out the notebook. "Again, I noted it."
"Go back inside, you’ll be relieved in the morning." Sonny ordered and wasn’t surprised when Cal almost fell over himself to comply.
"As far as she knows you’re my guard," Sonny informed Francis. "Keep your ears open."
Francis nodded and took a step back taking up his position. Sonny waited until he was in place before knocking on the door. His knock went unanswered, so he knocked again harder this time. It was after midnight but he could see light coming from under her shade "Elizabeth?" He called through the door while knocking a third time. In this case the third time was the charm because she finally opened the door.
"S-sonny what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to finish our conversation." He waited for her to move but she remained where she was, one hand holding firm to the door barring his entrance to the studio. "You left so quickly earlier I wasn’t finished with you."
Her eyes flashed at his words, yet she made no effort to move.
"Let me in," his voice was soft his tone wasn’t.
Sighing Elizabeth stepped back. "Come in but mind the mess."
Mess that was a good word. Destruction was another. Her things were scattered throughout the room, bits of glass, paint had been flung everywhere. Furniture had been overturned, canvases broken. He recognized the signs of someone losing their temper and letting loose. He ought to recognize it, he’d done it often enough. The destruction in the room didn’t shock him it merely made him weary. Elizabeth shouldn’t have been driven to the point of breaking. In that moment his need to help her solidified into a determination. As long as he was around she wasn’t going to break again. He may not have been able to help Emily or help Elizabeth with Sorel when she’d needed him, but he was here now and he was going to help her whether she wanted him to or not.
"I told you it was a mess."
Hearing the defensive tone in her voice Sonny turned his attention from the mess to her. "Are you okay?"
"Why is everyone asking me that today?" She demanded.
"Probably because you look like hell," he answered honestly.
"Yeah well life sucks," she muttered before turning away.
Sonny recognized an evasion when he saw it and let it pass for the moment. "What happened to the window?"
"It broke."
When she moved away he saw the bandage on her palm, a bandage that hadn’t been there when he’d seen her earlier. Curious he studied the studio again. It didn’t take him long to spot the first-aid kit on the couch and a rag in the trash that looked like it had been stained with blood. "What happened?"
"What happened where?"
"What happened to your hand?" Stepping closer he took her injured hand. Judging from the size of the bandage and the trace of blood on it she had a nasty cut. "This wasn’t here earlier."
"It’s nothing."
"Elizabeth," he pressed and watched her eyes dart around the room, looking anywhere but at him.
"I just cut it on some glass from the window."
Sonny let her hand drop when she tugged, watching her walk away he knew one thing for sure, she was lying about something.
"It’s late," she spoke again. "Why don’t you ask me what you need to and then leave? I imagine you can’t wait to see the last of me."
"Don’t say that," he snapped angrily. "Don’t put yourself down like that."
"Sonny."
"I do have something to say." He could see her brace as if she was preparing herself for a blow. The image of that triggered memories of his mother that he wanted no part of. "I didn’t come here to question you. I just wanted to tell you that what happened wasn’t your fault." He could tell by her expression that his words were the last she’d expected to hear from him. And that knowledge bothered him. How could she think so little of him that she’d think he’d cut her dead over this?
Because that’s what you do.
The voice echoed in is head and it was true. In a sense Elizabeth had betrayed him and that was something he didn’t tolerate. So why was he trying to reassure her? Why did he still want to help? He couldn’t forgive Carly’s betrayal yet he was rationalizing Elizabeth’s, Why? Because it wasn’t personal the way Carly’s had been?
"You can’t mean that Sonny. People were hurt because of me, you were hurt, Carly was almost killed," she reminded him. "The smartest thing you can do is walk out the door and never look back before I hurt you again."
"Jesus it’s like looking in a mirror," Sonny marveled in shock.
"What?" Confusion was evident in her expression.
"You keep everything your feeling inside, bottled up until it explodes in a destructive way," he gestured at the trashed room. "Then you turn around and try to push the people you care about out the door." Her behavior fit him to a tee and it was unsettling to see the behavior in another person.
"What do you want from me?" Elizabeth wailed.
"The truth."
"I told you the truth. I told you I knew where Sorel was all along. That I could have stopped him from taking your wife hostage, I could have stopped you from blowing up your penthouse but I didn’t."
"I don’t blame you for what Sorel did," Sonny remained calm even as she began to get upset.
"How can you not?"
"Do you blame me for not being there when you came to me for help?" He asked.
"Of course not," Elizabeth snapped. "You didn’t know I needed help."
"And you didn’t know what Sorel was going to do," he reminded her. "Nothing you did changed the way I feel about you. I told you. You’re my friend, I don’t have very many of those, so I’m not about to lose one."
That seemed to take the wind out of her sails and she collapsed on the couch. "If you were smart…"
"I’m more than smart," he interrupted her and took the seat next to her. "I’m not going to lose a friend."
"Sonny?" Elizabeth snapped her finger next to his ear trying to get to his attention. "Where did you go?"
"I’m just remembering." Sonny came back to the present. "How’s your hand?" He wasn’t surprised that his question prompted her to move from the couch. In the weeks since the storm, since her confession he’d become aware she was keeping something from him, and he had a feeling it was more than her and Nikolas’ plan to help Lucky. He’d tried subtle pressure but so far it hadn’t worked.
"It’s fine. The cut’s nearly healed." She smiled brightly, too brightly.
"I wish you’d talk to me. Maybe I can help."
"There’s nothing to help with."
"Really?" He moved a step closer. "So you just decided to start dating Nikolas after being friends for years, even though he seems to be still in love with his ex while you’re in love with Jason?"
"I’ve moved on."
"Wrong you’re not moving at all. Your stuck in a vicious cycle. I’ve been there I know the signs, Elizabeth. If your not careful you’ll slip and everything will crush you," Sonny warned her as honestly as he could.
P.C.P.D.
"You’re brooding again." Detective Garcia informed his partner and wasn’t surprised by his lack of response. Pushing on the floor he sent his chair in motion sending it crashing into Taggert’s desk.
"What are you doing?" Taggert snapped.
"Looking at the board." Garcia ignored the glare and focused on the board that had been set up for Sorel’s murder and the persons of interest listed on it. "I notice you seem to have focused on one name. Does that mean you believe our newly discovered witness?"
"Do I believe that Lucky Spencer saw Jason Morgan on the docks near the hospital wiping blood from his hands?" Taggert asked.
"Yes."
Taggert shrugged. "I don’t know. The kid hasn’t been too tightly wrapped in the last few months. It wasn’t that long ago that he was sharing a cell with Sorel. Who is to say the kid didn’t whack Sorel himself?"
"That’s a new one," Garcia muttered. "There’s no prints on the scalpel just smudges. It could have been wiped after it was used. The blood could be Morgan’s, maybe he cut himself on the scalpel when he stabbed Sorel, or it could be Sorel’s."
"If it was even blood that Lucky saw on the rag."
"Well we can’t send a team to the landfill to look for a blood stained rag that may or may not exist. That may or may not have Joseph Sorel or Jason Morgan’s blood on it, or both," Garcia finished. "So where does that leave us?"
"In the desperate need of a break. I swear if we get one more piece this whole thing will fall into place." Taggert moved to the board and circled the part of the board that said petite brunette. "I think if we find her we might find that missing piece."
"I didn’t think you believed there was a woman," Garcia reminded him.
"I didn’t but now there’s a corroborating witness one who wasn’t drugged or under a doctor’s care. Credibility now swings in favor of the witnesses."
"I guess we need to identify her then."
"Identifying the woman is now the most important thing in the case," Taggert agreed.
ELQ Jet
"You should rest now, I have a feeling you won’t want to when we land." Jason pointed out when his sister shifted yet again.
"I can’t," Emily cried. "I’m just so excited. I’m finally going home, I’m finally going to see everyone again. And what’s even better I can move my legs again."
He couldn’t help but smile at her obvious delight.
"Aren’t you excited?" Emily asked.
Shifting his attention from the window he shrugged and didn’t answer. Silence reigned in the plush cabin for several minutes.
"You don’t have to stay with me." Emily finally broke the silence. "I know you promised you’d stay as long as I needed you, but I’ll understand if you don’t want to stay in Port Charles."
Was it wrong that he was tempted by the offer? It was true that Sonny and him had taken the first step in repairing their strained friendship but he didn’t know if he was ready to begin dealing with him on a fulltime basis again. Besides Sonny he’d also have to deal with Carly who would probably beg for his understanding while at the same time beg for his help in getting her and Sonny back together. The Quartermaine’s no doubt would be all worked up again. The old man would probably try to use the fact he’d been with Emily to try to pull him back into the family. When he refused it would probably get ugly.
There was also the question of Elizabeth. Returning to Port Charles meant that he’d see Elizabeth and he wasn’t ready to deal with her. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if she started coming around again. A part of him longed for that to happen another part dreaded it. He knew it wouldn’t take much for Elizabeth to pull him back in. He didn’t want to be that yo-yo he had been the last time he’d been in town. Immediately he felt bad for the thought. He couldn’t blame Elizabeth for everything. She had been confused he knew that. But she’d also driven him crazy.
If he were honest he’d have to admit that he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t seek her out on his own. He still cared about her and was beginning to believe he always would, but that didn’t mean anything would ever change between them. And however tempting it was to take the reprieve Emily had given him he knew he couldn’t. He hadn’t forgotten her angry words about him always leaving. Even if she didn’t admit it he knew she wanted him to stay in town.
"I’ll stay for awhile. I can’t guarantee how long. But I’ll make you a deal. When I do leave I’ll tell you face to face and I’ll leave you a number you can call if you just want to talk to me," he offered. "Fair enough?"
"More than fair."
Sighing Jason turned back to the window, they were still 3 hours away from Port Charles yet he could already feel the tension entering his body causing his muscles to tighten up.
Underground Lab
"Stavros are you listening to me?" Helena asked.
"When I must," Stavros replied silkily. "Only when I must mother." He was baiting her and as usual she had taken it.
"I want to know why you are waiting to announce your return. Why you persist in continuing your Lucien Kane persona?"
"I told you I will announce my return when I’m ready."
"The longer you…"
"The decision is mine mother," he cut her off sharply. "All the pieces aren’t in play yet. I need to wait until that happens before I make my announcement."
"By pieces I trust you mean Laura Spencer?" She questioned.
"She’s one of them," he conceded. Laura’s seemingly endless buying trip was beginning to bother him. He wanted his wife back where she belonged … with him.
"About Nikolas."
Again he stopped her words, this time with a raised brow. "Nikolas is my concern."
"He needs your guidance. He has been making the wrong choices. Stefan was always too weak to show Nikolas what it truly means to be a Cassadine." Moving past him she filled her glass with more wine. "First there was his ill-advised dalliance with Gia, now with his continued pursuit of Elizabeth Webber, Lucky Spencer’s former fiancé. I should have taken care of that bothersome girl years ago. Nikolas needs a firm hand Stavros, your hand."
"I told you I will handle Nikolas," he reminded her. "I will also handle Elizabeth Webber." He could tell she didn’t like that by the way she turned to glare at him.
"She’s hardly worthy of your concern," Helena started.
"She intrigues me." He stated simply and knowing that would drive his mother crazy he took his leave.
Moving through the tunnels that led to the surface he considered his parting words to his mother. He hadn’t lied. There was something about Elizabeth Webber that intrigued him. Something to do with her eyes. The eyes had pulled at him since that day in Laura’s house when he’d spied her photo. Since learning her history, the rape at 15, being found by Lucky Spencer which led to his own discovery about what his father had done to Laura, the death of Lucky Spencer, her devotion to the Spencer family, he grew even more intrigued.
Even now weeks after he’d begun drugging Luke turning him into the monster he always knew Luke was, she still remained loyal to the Spencer’s, to Luke. In that sense she reminded him of Laura. Also her history of rape reminded him of Laura. His son’s devotion to her, while her loyalty remained with a Spencer reminded him of his own history with Laura. The parallels between the two women were striking. He found himself focusing more and more on Elizabeth especially since Laura remained out of town. It was time to move to the next stage of his plan and get a look at those eyes up close and personal.
Kelly’s
"You’re not eating." A cheerful sounding Jax prodded her.
How the hell he could sound so damned chipper all the time was one of life’s little mysteries she wasn’t sure she even wanted to know the answer too. In the 3 plus weeks she’d been around him she’d found him difficult to get a rise out of. Sonny’s aptly named taunt of Candy Boy seemed to suit him to a sickening degree. He wasn’t completely sweet and that’s what had saved his life and her sanity. Any mentions of Sonny or Jason had him snapping at her. That felt normal to her, it felt right. Her whole life it had been the same thing after a few days of her company most people wanted to throttle her.
"Do I have something on my face?" Jax asked.
"I’m just trying to figure you out," Carly grumped. "Why are you doing this?"
Jax paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. "Because I’m hungry."
Frustrated Carly huffed out a breath. "Why did you tell the cops I was with you the night Sorel died?"
"You’d rather have stayed at the police station with Taggert?"
"Ye-No." Crossing her arms over her chest she sat back in her chair and glared at him. The only reason she’d accompanied Taggert to the station at all was to get a rise out of Sonny. She knew him. Once he learned she was at the jail he’d storm the place to get her released and that would give them time to talk. Only it hadn’t happened that way. Before she even had time to call Sonny, Jax, with his damn Boy Scout complex, had shown up and given her an alibi. Not that she needed one, thank you very much, but now she had one.
Ever since that day Jax had been around a lot. He was annoying her but not so badly she felt the need to kill him. He was even helpful when he wasn’t being a Boy Scout. He’d agreed to back her new business venture, a dance club, yesterday he’d even found the perfect building. She’d found out later when Sonny had shown up at the realtor’s that her husband had wanted to buy the building, but Jax had already bought it out from underneath him. Sonny hadn’t been pleased but that was nothing compared to his reaction when he’d discovered she’d been there with Jax and they were going into business together. Sonny really hadn’t liked that and she couldn’t be happier. She wasn’t above using Jax if it meant making Sonny jealous and in her life.
"Stop thinking about Corinthos," Jax ordered sharply.
"Don’t tell me what to do," she retorted automatically. "How did you know I was thinking about Sonny?"
"You got this look on your face," sighing he drew back. "Brenda used to get the same look on her face when she thought about Sonny."
"I’m not Brenda." She snapped but the heat behind the words weren’t as strong as they could have been. She normally hated it when he compared her reluctance to give up on her marriage with Brenda’s reluctance to give up on Sonny. But at the moment he looked so genuinely sad she couldn’t find the bite she normally had.
"Well isn’t this interesting," Luke drawled from behind her. "It seems Corinthos’ exes can’t seem to help following the same pattern. First Brenda now you Caroline."
"Stuff it Luke," Carly snarled.
"Must have hit a nerve." Luke puffed on his cigar. "Following the brunette’s lead and using the Australian Barbie doll to drive little dimples crazy?"
"This is a private meal Luke," Jax got to his feet. "I’d like you to leave."
Luke bent and whispered loudly in her ear. "At least he has the height to carry that threat off."
Carly tried to shove him away but he was too quick for her and disappeared into the kitchen.
"Is it just my imagination or has Luke gotten even more intolerable?" Jax asked.
"He’s always been a bastard." Carly corrected remembering the various times he’d blackmailed and threatened her. "Lately he’s been a cruel bastard."
"How could you tell the difference?"
Amused Carly smirked only to have it vanish when the door behind Jax opened. "Time to go. My even weirder cousin just walked in." Moving quickly she pulled him from the chair and barely gave him time to drop some bills on the table before dragging him out the door.
"Lucky what’s got you looking like you did when Foster got run over?" Luke called from the kitchen door.
"I just…" struck by Luke’s words he focused on his dad. "Foster got run over?"
"Years ago."
Confused Lucky tried to remember when that had happened and wasn’t surprised when he couldn’t. He had trouble remembering lots of things these days, why should the death of his dog be any different?
"What did that bitch do now?"
Startled by the snarled question Lucky looked over at his father. "What?"
"Elizabeth. What did she do now? Besides your brother that is." Luke huffed out a smoke ring. "She’s the only one who puts that your look in your eyes."
At his father’s words Lucky felt angry all over again. Lately every time he spoke to Luke he found himself angry and that anger was normally directed at Elizabeth. Sometimes he got the feeling his dad wanted him to be angry with Elizabeth, but that made no sense. Except for the last few weeks his dad had loved his ex. But that had changed just like Elizabeth had changed.
First there had been her obsession with Jason Morgan and now it was her behavior with Nikolas. He still couldn’t believe she was dating his brother. During those months when he’d pushed them at each other they swore up and down that they were only friends and that was all they’d ever be. Now it was being suggested that Elizabeth had been sleeping with Nikolas the entire time, even when she’d gotten back together with him. He didn’t want to believe his father was right, but knew Luke wouldn’t lie to him about something as important as this.
"So what did she do?" Luke pressed.
"It’s not Elizabeth," Lucky tried to shake the anger away. "I’m wondering why the police haven’t announced that Jason Morgan was the one to kill Sorel. It’s been a day since I told them what I saw."
"And what did you see Lucky?" Sonny Corinthos asked from behind him.
Harborview Road
"Jesus Christ." Skye swore when another fingernail snapped. Her manicure was definitely being shot to hell. Cursing under her breath she went back to work on the lug nuts of her flat tire. She would have called Reginald but she was in the middle of a longstanding feud with the yet to learn his place butler, and wasn’t going to ask him for help. The auto club was out since she’d forgotten to pay her renewal fee, and so far the good Samaritans on the road had been few and far between. Besides it wasn’t as if she couldn’t change a tire, because she could. She just hated the fact it was destroying her manicure.
The sound of a car pulling onto the gravel behind her car had her getting to her feet and turning, a smile of gratitude already on her face. The smile faded when she identified the Good Samaritan. "Lieutenant Taggert."
"Miz Quartermaine," he drawled before looking past her to her car. "Having problems?"
"Nothing I can’t handle." Putting her hands on her hips she dared him to contradict her.
"That’s good to know," he grinned. "Go back to what you were doing then. I’d hate to keep you."
Surprised by his easy acquiescence for a minute she could only stare after him. Reminding herself of her role she turned and went back to the tire. She’d managed to free 3 of the lug nuts already and she quickly set to work on the next one. When she found the mechanic who had put the nuts on so tight she was going to brain him with her jack. She struggled with it for another minute before curiosity got the better of her and she darted a look to her right. Taggert was leaning against the hood of the car watching her, she paused briefly to give him a glare.
She’d managed to free another lug nut when she felt the snap of a fingernail. "Damn’it," she dropped the tool she’d been using and stuck her finger in her mouth trying to take the sting out. "Are you just going to stand there?"
"All you have to do is ask Miz Quartermaine."
Pride goeth before the fall. His mocking words came back to her. Swallowing them, swallowing her own distaste in having to ask for anything she forced herself to speak evenly. "Could you help me with my tire please?"
Taggert immediately pushed off the hood of his car and moved towards her. "Just think if you would have let me help when I first got here you wouldn’t have had to choke yourself asking for my help now."
Skye thought he was very lucky she didn’t have the jack in her hand at the moment or she could have practiced her braining skills on him. Stepping back from him and hopefully the temptation to kick him in the butt, she retrieved her purse and set to righting her appearance.
By the time she was pulling the comb through her hair he was switching tires, and she was clamed down enough to decide a little small talk wouldn’t be so bad. "What are you doing out here? Was there another catfight at the Country Club that you needed to break up?"
"Actually I was looking for you."
"Me?" That caused her to look at him. "Why?"
"I wanted to talk murder with you Miz Quartermaine. More specifically the murder of Joseph Sorel and what you had to do with it."
Skye’s compact closed with a snap.
Hotel
Angel Boris nee Sorel was not pleased. Being banished by Sonny Corinthos was not supposed to be the way things happened. How he’d discovered who she really was she didn’t know. But the fact he knew was enough to make her uneasy even fearful. That fear had begun the morning after her father’s murder.
"Sonny," Angel smiled when she recognized her early morning visitor.
"Angel," his responding smile was brief. "Can I come in?"
"Of course," she opened the door wider. "I was just thinking about you. I’m sorry our talk last night got cut short. I was going to call and see if you wanted to have dinner tonight."
"What happened to your hand?"
Angel looked down at the fresh bandage on her hand. "I cut it when I was paring an apple." She explained but it didn’t appear as if he was listening.
"Why do you want to have dinner with me Angel?"
The quiet question jarred her so did his behavior and she began to feel a little nervous. The way he was looking at her, she couldn’t put his finger on it, but she knew she didn’t like it. "I miss seeing you."
"Hmmm."
When he turned away she had the unsettling feeling that he knew of her connection with Sorel. Immediately she shrugged the idea away. There was no way he could have found out. His fact people were good but that was one secret that would stay buried. Something else must be bothering him, probably something to do with is psycho wife. Thankfully the blonde would soon be history.
"I have to ask you something Angel."
"Ask away."
"What kind of game are you playing?"
Confused by the question and the hatred that suddenly appeared in his dark eyes she took a step back. "What do you mean?"
"I mean Angel," his voice turned mocking. "Nosy woman in white, I want to know what kind of game you and your late lamentable father are trying to play with me."
"My father?" She took another step back. He knew. Somehow he knew the truth. Her father must have slipped up somehow. Her eyes darted to her desk and the gun she kept hidden there.
"You didn’t really believe I didn’t know did you? Did you think you were fooling me? That Joseph Sorel’s offspring could fool me for long?" Sonny taunted. "I had a knife would I didn’t lose my mind."
"You knew?" She hated the doubt in her voice. There was no way he could have known all this time. He wasn’t that good of an actor.
"Yes I know and I woke up today tired of having to pretend so I decided to cut to the chase. Whatever your plans were for me they’re over. I don’t want to see you, I don’t want to hear about you, and I have to say I hope I never see a white outfit again."
"You shit." Angel swung out to slap but he caught her wrist before it connected.
"I hate to tell you this but white does nothing for you."
"Let me go," she hissed any feeling she ever had for him turned into hate with that single taunt.
"Only if you do go," he tightened his hold on her wrist. "Get out of town Angel. Get out today or you’ll follow your father into the grave."
She’d left Port Charles that day. She’d had no choice but to obey his order. But that didn’t mean she was gone for good. Port Charles hadn’t seen the last of her. Sonny hadn’t seen the last of her.
Port Charles Grille
"I’ll find the file and leave it on your desk," Elizabeth paused to listen. "I don’t mind … bye Alexis."
"Alexis?" Nikolas asked while taking the seat across from her. "How is she doing?"
"Good. She seems a bit scattered today but that’s probably because Emily’s getting back in town. Zander’s probably driving her crazy," she replied.
"You like working for her don’t you?"
"Yes." She hadn’t thought she would but she enjoyed her job and was thrilled to get out of Kelly’s. "I know she only hired me because Sonny asked her too, but I’m proving I’m worth the hire."
"I doubt that’s the only reason she hired you," Nikolas countered. "You used to work at L&B and with Chloe she knows you from there, she knows you do good work."
Elizabeth decided to believe his words. The belief was something she needed in order to help right her shaky ego. "I guess."
"Have you spoken to Zander?"
"No, I’ve seen him a few times at Alexis penthouse but he ignores me. He gets this look in his eye like he’s trying to figure something out or has figured something," she admitted.
"You think he suspects something?" Nikolas asked.
"Yes."
While Nikolas pondered that little detail Elizabeth shifted her focus to something that had been weighing on her. "Emily comes home today."
"I know."
"What are we going to tell her?" Elizabeth wanted to know.
Nikolas shrugged. "The same thing we tell everyone else I guess."
"It won’t be easy to lie to her." It wasn’t easy to lie at all. Nikolas’ solution to Helena’s threat against her had been to pretend to date. That way he could effectively warn Helena away from Elizabeth. She hadn’t liked the idea. Though she was getting used to lying what they were doing now was deliberately hurtful. Lucky, even Gia had been surprised, hurt and angry when they took their farce of a relationship public. She knew he was in pain over hurting Gia, but she couldn’t talk him into bringing Gia into the plan. Gia was safe as long as she was away from him, while she was safe as long as she was with him. It was an ugly situation.
Surprisingly she didn’t feel that guilty over hurting Lucky. Since the night he’d ended it with her, the night he did something to Luke, Lucky had changed into a person she no longer recognized and more importantly didn’t want to know. Sometimes she wondered why she even kept up with the charade then she’d think of Nikolas, Lulu, and remember the Luke and Lucky of old and had her reason. Things were going to be worse now. It was one thing to lie to the whole town and get away with it. It would be something else to lie to Emily.
"Elizabeth." Nikolas’ hand covered hers on the table. "What’s wrong?"
"Do you think she’ll even want to see us?" Elizabeth asked a bit tearfully. The friendship may have begun over her desire to get Lucky, but it was so much more now, and it was something she didn’t want to lose. And yet she half-believed it had already been stripped from her.
"Of course," he faltered under her steady gaze. "She’ll probably see you."
"I don’t know about that. She had to have been hurt over the way we shut her out in the weeks before the accident." She suddenly realized they had been lying for months all in their attempt to help Lucky, would the nightmare ever be over?
"We didn’t have a choice then and we don’t now. If we tell her what’s going on it will put her in jeopardy. I don’t want anything else to happen to her. What Sorel did was bad enough."
Flinching Elizabeth pulled her hand from his and leaned back in her chair. "She won’t be easy to convince. She’s always been Lucky and my staunchest supporter."
Nikolas rubbed at his forehead for a moment before focusing on her. "You told her about the time I kissed you on your birthday right?"
Flushing she nodded.
"She knows I had feelings for you then, we’ll just have to convince her that those feelings never fully went away and when you and Lucky broke up I acted on them again and this time you were receptive."
"Do you really think she’ll believe that?"
"She has to for all our sakes," Nikolas finished ominously.
Stavros hesitated in the doorway of the P.C. Grille and made a careful survey of the upscale restaurant before entering. He had to make sure neither Alexis or his son, were inside. Spotting his son he started to withdraw until he saw his son’s companion.
Going on instinct he moved back into the foyer of the hotel and made a call. "Mother I need you to call Nikolas and get him to come to the yacht … I don’t care how you do it, just get him there now." Slapping his phone closed he picked a spot in the lobby where he could observe without being noticed and waited. His wait lasted 5 minutes but finally he was rewarded when Nikolas and Elizabeth emerged from the Grille. The lobby was relatively empty so he was able to hear their conversation.
"There’s no point in your waiting Nikolas. I need to go to Alexis’ office and get the file for her."
"I can wait," Nikolas replied.
"You said Helena was being demanding."
"She’s always demanding," Nikolas interrupted.
"It’s going to take me awhile to find the file. Go see Helena," she read the look in his eye. "I’ll take a cab home."
"Alright."
The reluctance on his face was impossible to ignore. Stepping closer she embraced him and kissed him on the cheek. "I’ll call you." Then because she was getting used to it, because it was expected of her and because they were in public she brushed her lips lightly over his before stepping back. "Night."
"Goodnight Elizabeth."
Elizabeth followed him out the door and dug in her bag for the office key as she headed across the street to Alexis’ office building. Waving to the guard that was more engrossed on the baseball game than in keeping the building secure she headed for the elevators. It wasn’t the first time she’d been in the office building after hours, but it was the first time she’d felt uneasy about it. So uneasy in fact that she kept darting looks over her shoulder as she headed for the door. In her haste, she dropped the keys on the floor, picking them up she tried to battle back the nerves that had snuck up on her. She had just slid the key in the lock when she heard the elevator ding. Frantic she hurried inside the dark office, slammed the door and quickly locked it. She regretted the slam as soon as it happened. Now whoever was on the elevator knew where she was.
Flipping on the lights she looked longingly at the phone. Nikolas would come back if she called. Heck even Sonny would either come himself or send someone if she called. His visit earlier, all of his visits lately had convinced her that he wasn’t going anywhere. Forcing herself to move away from the door and calling herself a fool she made herself get to work. It was foolish to get spooked walking down a hall. She was perfectly fine, there was a guard downstairs and a locked door between her and the outside world. With those admonishments she got to work.
Airport
"Monica if you keep pacing and talking to yourself like this security is going to get nervous." Alan Quartermaine warned his wife but Monica gave no sign of having heard. Sighing he shifted to the edge of his seat and waited, when she started to pace past him again he caught her hand and pulled her down to the chair next to him.
"Alan." Startled, Monica’s tone was more surprised then angry.
"You need to calm down," he reminded her.
"I know it’s just," she ran a hand through her hair then clutched at his hand. "She’s finally coming home. Our baby is finally coming home."
"It’s hard I know," he patted her hand. He was thrilled over seeing his daughter, he just wasn’t as demonstrative. Probably because he knew Emily still had a lot of work to do. Besides the physical recuperation there was her emotional recuperation as well. And her emotional well-being seemed to factor back to Zander Smith.
While Emily had been away he’d let his guard down around Zander. Zander was easier to tolerate when he wasn’t watching his daughter throw her life away on him. He didn’t deny the boy cared for her and Emily believed she loved Zander, but they were still so young. They didn’t realize how hard life could be. Love was difficult enough when you were older. But their youth, their violent history, their vastly different backgrounds meant their relationship was doomed to fail. He’d hoped his daughter would let Zander go while she was recuperating but judging form her letters and phone calls she hadn’t.
Didn’t Emily realize she was the last hope for his family … his future? A.J., with his addiction problems that had him sliding out of control every few months, didn’t have much of a future. Rubbing his hands together in a tic he’d developed in his own time of addiction, he ruefully reflected that A.J. would never conquer his addictions permanently the way he had.
Jason, his sigh was weary and bitter, his son was dead, he’d been dead for several years now. The angry young man with Jason’s face wasn’t his son. Monica repeatedly told him that his bitterness over losing Jason Quartermaine forced him to blame Jason Morgan and blinded him to the good that remained in his son. Monica didn’t understand. She wasn’t the one who’d fallen from hero to stranger overnight. All his life he’d battled for his father’s approval, battled Tracy, battled his father’s derision over his choice of medicine over business. A.J. had fallen in line with the old man regarding business, but Jason, his beloved Jason, had wanted to be a doctor like him. Losing him was a blow he’d never recover from.
Skye, though he loved her dearly, had come to him fully-grown, fully shaped, angry and bitter. She had her own demons that drove her, demons he felt would always drive her. So that left Emily. Beautiful smart Emily who had already lived through so much yet remained untouched somehow. He needed her to succeed he needed her to thrive, she was his only hope.
"Here they come," Monica pointed to the waiting ambulance attendants and moved to the door of the private entrance.
The plane taxied to a stop and after a long minute the door opened. Monica was already gesturing to the attendants to go up the stairs to help Emily when she appeared in the plane’s doorway being held aloft by her brother. "He came," she breathed, "Jason came home with her."
Alan’s smile of welcome began to slip while he watched his stranger of a son make his way carefully down the stairs carrying his beloved daughter. Monica had raced outside to greet them, to hug them both when Jason settled Emily on the waiting stretcher. His eyes narrowed when Jason hugged his wife back. A part of him longed to run out and join in their reunion, but his gut was also twisted over his sense of loss and he remained where he was.
Alexis’ Office
Finding the file had taken almost an hour and by that time her earlier scare had been completely forgotten. So it was with a light heart that Elizabeth switched off the lights and let herself out in the hall. Pausing only long enough to lock the door she headed for the elevator.
"Excuse me."
Startled Elizabeth whipped around trying to find the man who’d spoken. As he was the only one in the hall he wasn’t hard to spot. He was tall probably in his mid-thirties with dark hair and a goatee. He as impeccably and richly groomed. He also had good manners. She could tell that by the way he’d stopped well away from her as to not alarm her.
"Yes?" Her voice remained steady while her heart tried to return to its regular rhythm.
"I was wondering if you could help me." He smiled then and his expression lightened considerably.
She gave a cautious smile in return. "What did you need?"
"I saw you come out of Alexis Davis’ office. I was wondering if you know where she is I really need to speak with her."
Elizabeth’s guard dropped. He wasn’t after her, he wanted Alexis. "She had some personal business to take care of today."
"Will she be back tomorrow?" He took a step closer.
"May I ask who you are?"
Again he smiled and this time he held out his hand. "I’m Lucien Kane."
For some reason his smile reminded her of the feral smile a cat gave right before it pounced on some unsuspecting prey. Trying to shake the image she reluctantly took his hand. It was cold, a bit clammy and he didn’t let it go. "I’m Elizabeth Webber."
Chapter 11
P.C.P.D.
Lucky saw the curiosity, surprise, wariness, and distrust mixed in the Lieutenant's eyes and in spite of himself his steps faltered. The combination of expressions was one he was getting used to seeing when people looked at him, but it didn't mean he liked it. Another thing he was beginning to hate was the long sounding sigh coming from the person he was talking to. Like speaking to him was trying their patience.
"The officer tells us you have something to offer about the murder of Joseph Sorel." Garcia called out.
Nodding Lucky moved forward and took the chair that was gestured to. "I saw something that night, something the police need to know about."
"His murder was more than three weeks ago. Why are you just now coming forward?" Taggert asked.
Fidgeting in his chair Lucky looked up at the ceiling, past the Lieutenant to the board with the names on it then finally back at Taggert. "I wasn't sure you'd believe me." He saw them exchange a glance and went on. "I was a little out of control the last few times you saw me."
"Shoving Stefan Cassadine down a flight of stairs, seems to be more than just a little out of control," Garcia commented.
"So is escaping police custody," Taggert reminded him.
Furious Lucky clenched his fists and glared at the cops. "Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?"
"We're listening." Taggert scooted his chair forward and dug on his desk until he unearthed a notebook and pen. "Shoot."
"The night of the storm," his voice was scratchy and he hastily cleared his throat. He needed to sound firm, or they wouldn’t believe him. He needed them to believe him. "I was down at the docks."
"Which section?"
"The one off of Charles Street, near G.H." Lucky answered automatically. "It was around 11:00, I was getting ready to leave when I saw Jason Morgan walking on the docks. I remember I was surprised to see him because I didn’t know he was in town. He was wiping his hands, the light wasn’t very good but I recognized blood on his hands."
Taggert and Garcia exchanged another glance. "How do you know it was blood?"
"I’ve seen blood. I know what it looks like even in a dim light. Besides after he left I moved to the trash where he threw the rag away. It was stained with blood."
"Did you keep it?"
"No." Lucky settled back in his seat to wait their questions. He knew there had to be questions there always were where he was concerned. He reminded himself not to get mad, not to snap, to remain in control or they wouldn’t believe him.
"You’re telling me that 3 weeks ago you saw Jason Morgan on the docks wiping blood from his hands, and the next day you heard about the stabbing death of Joseph Sorel and you decided not to come forward?" Taggert asked.
"I told you I wasn’t sure if you’d believe me," Lucky snapped then took a breath. "Jason and I don’t have the best history."
"I’ll say," Garcia murmured. "Didn’t he put you in the hospital the last time he was in town?"
Lucky could feel his temper spike and tried desperately to hold onto it. "You can believe me or not. I’m just telling you what I saw," he got to his feet to leave.
"Wait," Taggert called and waited until Lucky turned around before speaking. "Why come forward now?"
"I heard through the grapevine that you were looking for a woman, a brunette, I didn’t want her to get blamed for something she might not have done," Lucky explained.
"Do you know who the woman is?"
"No." Again Lucky turned to leave and again Taggert stopped him. This time he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold his temper. One more question, one more doubt, and he’d snap. "What?"
Taggert pointed to another officer at a desk in the corner. "Give her your statement, read it, then sign it, we need to have everything official."
Nodding Lucky did as he was told. The squad room was loud, but not loud enough that he didn’t hear Garcia direct a question to Taggert. "There weren’t any fingerprints on the scalpel, so why would Morgan have blood on his hands?"
Clenching his fists in rage Lucky went back to his statement.
Harborview a.m.
It just wasn’t possible.
There had to be a mistake somewhere. She had to be one of the 4 that got a false positive, because there was no way she could be pregnant. Alexis scanned the empty boxes that littered her bathroom floor. All of the tests were wrong. Maybe there was an error at the manufacturing plant. She was an attorney, she could investigate that, she could sue. There had to be a mistake somewhere because she had to fall on the error side, she just had to.
It had been a day since she realized that she’d missed her period. During that day she’d taken close to 15 pregnancy tests and all of them had given her the same result. A result she was willing to deny until her dying breath.
"Alexis?"
The sound of her name coming through the closed door had her diving for the boxes to get them out of sight. Then as quickly as she’d moved she stopped and let the boxes fall back to the ground. This was her private bathroom. No one ever used it but her, she didn’t need to hide the tests.
"Alexis are you almost ready?"
Zander’s call filtered through the door and she could tell by the faintness of it that he hadn’t ventured very far into her private sanctuary. That was smart of the boy. "I’ll be there in a minute."
The faint sound of the door closing caused her to groan and shift her focus to the mirror. Her eyes were too big, her cheeks to pale, and there was a very good chance that the end of the world was happening. The world had to be ending because there was a 96 chance that she was pregnant with Sonny Corinthos’ baby. How the hell could she let this happen? More importantly what was she supposed to do about it?
Studio
"Sonny." Elizabeth’s smile of welcome was brief but genuine.
"Can I come in?" Sonny asked after a minute of inactivity.
"Sure," stepping back she opened the door wider. "Come in."
Moving slowly inside the room Sonny was relieved it wasn’t sweltering the way it had been the last time he’d been there. Keeping his movements discreet he studied her out of the corner of his eye. She looked better than she had that night as well. One thing hadn’t changed however, the studio was no longer a studio. Other than a wrapped painting leaning against the far wall there was no sign of her artwork anywhere. There was no sign that she’d ever painted, even her once cluttered table was clean and almost empty. Having been in her studio on several occasions before, Sonny knew that was a bad sign.
"Did you need something?"
Noting the concern in her eyes he realized he’d been quiet too long. "I just wanted to check on you."
"You don’t have to do that anymore. I told you I’m fine," she reminded him.
Sonny merely shrugged. "You always say that, even when it’s not true."
"Yeah well…" Elizabeth finally shrugged and took a seat on her old couch.
Sighing reluctantly he joined her. He’d discovered that the couch wasn’t very comfortable. The fact she seemed to be able to sleep on it amazed and worried him. "I see you got your window fixed."
Turning Elizabeth checked her windows. "It’s a funny thing about the window. Most of the time it takes months to get anything fixed in this building. But a repairman and the Super showed up the morning after the storm and replaced it. In fact they arrived before I even called the Super to inform him it was broke," her eyes returned to Sonny. "You wouldn’t know anything about that would you?"
"Yeah, well…" he mimicked her words and managed to win a smile.
"Thank you. I wasn’t at my best that night. I’m surprised you didn’t run for the hills."
"It was a hard night for all of us." Sonny’s voice turned reflective as he remembered the night of the storm.
Sonny ran a hand through his hair and then shook the water from it as he hurried up the stairs. He’d been too impatient to hunt for an umbrella, instead he’d hurried out into the storm the minute Francis had made his report. He was already kicking himself for his arrogance. He’d stayed in his penthouse brooding, plotting, cursing both Sorel and Angel, instead of following Elizabeth when she’d run out of the penthouse. He’d rationalized that Francis was with her, so he’d make sure she’d get home safely. The only thing was Francis hasn’t been with her. In fact he hadn’t even known she’d left her studio. That was unsettling enough but what really concerned him was when Francis told him about the conversation he’d overheard. The fact that Helena Cassadine was planning to kill Elizabeth drove him out of his penthouse and into the storm in an effort to find her.
Reaching the landing on the third floor he hurried for her door, dimly aware of Francis dogging his every step. He’d nearly reached her door when the door across from the studio opened. He recognized the surprise on his man’s face.
"Mr. C-corinthos," Cal Rogers stuttered.
"When did she get in?"
"She came in at 11:25." Cal reached for his notebook. "I noted it and was going to ask Francis about it in the morning because he’d said she was in the studio the whole time. She didn’t leave while I was here."
Sonny waved away the man’s concerns over covering his ass. "Was she okay?"
"She seemed upset, she kept looking over her shoulder like she thought someone was following her." He held out the notebook. "Again, I noted it."
"Go back inside, you’ll be relieved in the morning." Sonny ordered and wasn’t surprised when Cal almost fell over himself to comply.
"As far as she knows you’re my guard," Sonny informed Francis. "Keep your ears open."
Francis nodded and took a step back taking up his position. Sonny waited until he was in place before knocking on the door. His knock went unanswered, so he knocked again harder this time. It was after midnight but he could see light coming from under her shade "Elizabeth?" He called through the door while knocking a third time. In this case the third time was the charm because she finally opened the door.
"S-sonny what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to finish our conversation." He waited for her to move but she remained where she was, one hand holding firm to the door barring his entrance to the studio. "You left so quickly earlier I wasn’t finished with you."
Her eyes flashed at his words, yet she made no effort to move.
"Let me in," his voice was soft his tone wasn’t.
Sighing Elizabeth stepped back. "Come in but mind the mess."
Mess that was a good word. Destruction was another. Her things were scattered throughout the room, bits of glass, paint had been flung everywhere. Furniture had been overturned, canvases broken. He recognized the signs of someone losing their temper and letting loose. He ought to recognize it, he’d done it often enough. The destruction in the room didn’t shock him it merely made him weary. Elizabeth shouldn’t have been driven to the point of breaking. In that moment his need to help her solidified into a determination. As long as he was around she wasn’t going to break again. He may not have been able to help Emily or help Elizabeth with Sorel when she’d needed him, but he was here now and he was going to help her whether she wanted him to or not.
"I told you it was a mess."
Hearing the defensive tone in her voice Sonny turned his attention from the mess to her. "Are you okay?"
"Why is everyone asking me that today?" She demanded.
"Probably because you look like hell," he answered honestly.
"Yeah well life sucks," she muttered before turning away.
Sonny recognized an evasion when he saw it and let it pass for the moment. "What happened to the window?"
"It broke."
When she moved away he saw the bandage on her palm, a bandage that hadn’t been there when he’d seen her earlier. Curious he studied the studio again. It didn’t take him long to spot the first-aid kit on the couch and a rag in the trash that looked like it had been stained with blood. "What happened?"
"What happened where?"
"What happened to your hand?" Stepping closer he took her injured hand. Judging from the size of the bandage and the trace of blood on it she had a nasty cut. "This wasn’t here earlier."
"It’s nothing."
"Elizabeth," he pressed and watched her eyes dart around the room, looking anywhere but at him.
"I just cut it on some glass from the window."
Sonny let her hand drop when she tugged, watching her walk away he knew one thing for sure, she was lying about something.
"It’s late," she spoke again. "Why don’t you ask me what you need to and then leave? I imagine you can’t wait to see the last of me."
"Don’t say that," he snapped angrily. "Don’t put yourself down like that."
"Sonny."
"I do have something to say." He could see her brace as if she was preparing herself for a blow. The image of that triggered memories of his mother that he wanted no part of. "I didn’t come here to question you. I just wanted to tell you that what happened wasn’t your fault." He could tell by her expression that his words were the last she’d expected to hear from him. And that knowledge bothered him. How could she think so little of him that she’d think he’d cut her dead over this?
Because that’s what you do.
The voice echoed in is head and it was true. In a sense Elizabeth had betrayed him and that was something he didn’t tolerate. So why was he trying to reassure her? Why did he still want to help? He couldn’t forgive Carly’s betrayal yet he was rationalizing Elizabeth’s, Why? Because it wasn’t personal the way Carly’s had been?
"You can’t mean that Sonny. People were hurt because of me, you were hurt, Carly was almost killed," she reminded him. "The smartest thing you can do is walk out the door and never look back before I hurt you again."
"Jesus it’s like looking in a mirror," Sonny marveled in shock.
"What?" Confusion was evident in her expression.
"You keep everything your feeling inside, bottled up until it explodes in a destructive way," he gestured at the trashed room. "Then you turn around and try to push the people you care about out the door." Her behavior fit him to a tee and it was unsettling to see the behavior in another person.
"What do you want from me?" Elizabeth wailed.
"The truth."
"I told you the truth. I told you I knew where Sorel was all along. That I could have stopped him from taking your wife hostage, I could have stopped you from blowing up your penthouse but I didn’t."
"I don’t blame you for what Sorel did," Sonny remained calm even as she began to get upset.
"How can you not?"
"Do you blame me for not being there when you came to me for help?" He asked.
"Of course not," Elizabeth snapped. "You didn’t know I needed help."
"And you didn’t know what Sorel was going to do," he reminded her. "Nothing you did changed the way I feel about you. I told you. You’re my friend, I don’t have very many of those, so I’m not about to lose one."
That seemed to take the wind out of her sails and she collapsed on the couch. "If you were smart…"
"I’m more than smart," he interrupted her and took the seat next to her. "I’m not going to lose a friend."
"Sonny?" Elizabeth snapped her finger next to his ear trying to get to his attention. "Where did you go?"
"I’m just remembering." Sonny came back to the present. "How’s your hand?" He wasn’t surprised that his question prompted her to move from the couch. In the weeks since the storm, since her confession he’d become aware she was keeping something from him, and he had a feeling it was more than her and Nikolas’ plan to help Lucky. He’d tried subtle pressure but so far it hadn’t worked.
"It’s fine. The cut’s nearly healed." She smiled brightly, too brightly.
"I wish you’d talk to me. Maybe I can help."
"There’s nothing to help with."
"Really?" He moved a step closer. "So you just decided to start dating Nikolas after being friends for years, even though he seems to be still in love with his ex while you’re in love with Jason?"
"I’ve moved on."
"Wrong you’re not moving at all. Your stuck in a vicious cycle. I’ve been there I know the signs, Elizabeth. If your not careful you’ll slip and everything will crush you," Sonny warned her as honestly as he could.
P.C.P.D.
"You’re brooding again." Detective Garcia informed his partner and wasn’t surprised by his lack of response. Pushing on the floor he sent his chair in motion sending it crashing into Taggert’s desk.
"What are you doing?" Taggert snapped.
"Looking at the board." Garcia ignored the glare and focused on the board that had been set up for Sorel’s murder and the persons of interest listed on it. "I notice you seem to have focused on one name. Does that mean you believe our newly discovered witness?"
"Do I believe that Lucky Spencer saw Jason Morgan on the docks near the hospital wiping blood from his hands?" Taggert asked.
"Yes."
Taggert shrugged. "I don’t know. The kid hasn’t been too tightly wrapped in the last few months. It wasn’t that long ago that he was sharing a cell with Sorel. Who is to say the kid didn’t whack Sorel himself?"
"That’s a new one," Garcia muttered. "There’s no prints on the scalpel just smudges. It could have been wiped after it was used. The blood could be Morgan’s, maybe he cut himself on the scalpel when he stabbed Sorel, or it could be Sorel’s."
"If it was even blood that Lucky saw on the rag."
"Well we can’t send a team to the landfill to look for a blood stained rag that may or may not exist. That may or may not have Joseph Sorel or Jason Morgan’s blood on it, or both," Garcia finished. "So where does that leave us?"
"In the desperate need of a break. I swear if we get one more piece this whole thing will fall into place." Taggert moved to the board and circled the part of the board that said petite brunette. "I think if we find her we might find that missing piece."
"I didn’t think you believed there was a woman," Garcia reminded him.
"I didn’t but now there’s a corroborating witness one who wasn’t drugged or under a doctor’s care. Credibility now swings in favor of the witnesses."
"I guess we need to identify her then."
"Identifying the woman is now the most important thing in the case," Taggert agreed.
ELQ Jet
"You should rest now, I have a feeling you won’t want to when we land." Jason pointed out when his sister shifted yet again.
"I can’t," Emily cried. "I’m just so excited. I’m finally going home, I’m finally going to see everyone again. And what’s even better I can move my legs again."
He couldn’t help but smile at her obvious delight.
"Aren’t you excited?" Emily asked.
Shifting his attention from the window he shrugged and didn’t answer. Silence reigned in the plush cabin for several minutes.
"You don’t have to stay with me." Emily finally broke the silence. "I know you promised you’d stay as long as I needed you, but I’ll understand if you don’t want to stay in Port Charles."
Was it wrong that he was tempted by the offer? It was true that Sonny and him had taken the first step in repairing their strained friendship but he didn’t know if he was ready to begin dealing with him on a fulltime basis again. Besides Sonny he’d also have to deal with Carly who would probably beg for his understanding while at the same time beg for his help in getting her and Sonny back together. The Quartermaine’s no doubt would be all worked up again. The old man would probably try to use the fact he’d been with Emily to try to pull him back into the family. When he refused it would probably get ugly.
There was also the question of Elizabeth. Returning to Port Charles meant that he’d see Elizabeth and he wasn’t ready to deal with her. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if she started coming around again. A part of him longed for that to happen another part dreaded it. He knew it wouldn’t take much for Elizabeth to pull him back in. He didn’t want to be that yo-yo he had been the last time he’d been in town. Immediately he felt bad for the thought. He couldn’t blame Elizabeth for everything. She had been confused he knew that. But she’d also driven him crazy.
If he were honest he’d have to admit that he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t seek her out on his own. He still cared about her and was beginning to believe he always would, but that didn’t mean anything would ever change between them. And however tempting it was to take the reprieve Emily had given him he knew he couldn’t. He hadn’t forgotten her angry words about him always leaving. Even if she didn’t admit it he knew she wanted him to stay in town.
"I’ll stay for awhile. I can’t guarantee how long. But I’ll make you a deal. When I do leave I’ll tell you face to face and I’ll leave you a number you can call if you just want to talk to me," he offered. "Fair enough?"
"More than fair."
Sighing Jason turned back to the window, they were still 3 hours away from Port Charles yet he could already feel the tension entering his body causing his muscles to tighten up.
Underground Lab
"Stavros are you listening to me?" Helena asked.
"When I must," Stavros replied silkily. "Only when I must mother." He was baiting her and as usual she had taken it.
"I want to know why you are waiting to announce your return. Why you persist in continuing your Lucien Kane persona?"
"I told you I will announce my return when I’m ready."
"The longer you…"
"The decision is mine mother," he cut her off sharply. "All the pieces aren’t in play yet. I need to wait until that happens before I make my announcement."
"By pieces I trust you mean Laura Spencer?" She questioned.
"She’s one of them," he conceded. Laura’s seemingly endless buying trip was beginning to bother him. He wanted his wife back where she belonged … with him.
"About Nikolas."
Again he stopped her words, this time with a raised brow. "Nikolas is my concern."
"He needs your guidance. He has been making the wrong choices. Stefan was always too weak to show Nikolas what it truly means to be a Cassadine." Moving past him she filled her glass with more wine. "First there was his ill-advised dalliance with Gia, now with his continued pursuit of Elizabeth Webber, Lucky Spencer’s former fiancé. I should have taken care of that bothersome girl years ago. Nikolas needs a firm hand Stavros, your hand."
"I told you I will handle Nikolas," he reminded her. "I will also handle Elizabeth Webber." He could tell she didn’t like that by the way she turned to glare at him.
"She’s hardly worthy of your concern," Helena started.
"She intrigues me." He stated simply and knowing that would drive his mother crazy he took his leave.
Moving through the tunnels that led to the surface he considered his parting words to his mother. He hadn’t lied. There was something about Elizabeth Webber that intrigued him. Something to do with her eyes. The eyes had pulled at him since that day in Laura’s house when he’d spied her photo. Since learning her history, the rape at 15, being found by Lucky Spencer which led to his own discovery about what his father had done to Laura, the death of Lucky Spencer, her devotion to the Spencer family, he grew even more intrigued.
Even now weeks after he’d begun drugging Luke turning him into the monster he always knew Luke was, she still remained loyal to the Spencer’s, to Luke. In that sense she reminded him of Laura. Also her history of rape reminded him of Laura. His son’s devotion to her, while her loyalty remained with a Spencer reminded him of his own history with Laura. The parallels between the two women were striking. He found himself focusing more and more on Elizabeth especially since Laura remained out of town. It was time to move to the next stage of his plan and get a look at those eyes up close and personal.
Kelly’s
"You’re not eating." A cheerful sounding Jax prodded her.
How the hell he could sound so damned chipper all the time was one of life’s little mysteries she wasn’t sure she even wanted to know the answer too. In the 3 plus weeks she’d been around him she’d found him difficult to get a rise out of. Sonny’s aptly named taunt of Candy Boy seemed to suit him to a sickening degree. He wasn’t completely sweet and that’s what had saved his life and her sanity. Any mentions of Sonny or Jason had him snapping at her. That felt normal to her, it felt right. Her whole life it had been the same thing after a few days of her company most people wanted to throttle her.
"Do I have something on my face?" Jax asked.
"I’m just trying to figure you out," Carly grumped. "Why are you doing this?"
Jax paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. "Because I’m hungry."
Frustrated Carly huffed out a breath. "Why did you tell the cops I was with you the night Sorel died?"
"You’d rather have stayed at the police station with Taggert?"
"Ye-No." Crossing her arms over her chest she sat back in her chair and glared at him. The only reason she’d accompanied Taggert to the station at all was to get a rise out of Sonny. She knew him. Once he learned she was at the jail he’d storm the place to get her released and that would give them time to talk. Only it hadn’t happened that way. Before she even had time to call Sonny, Jax, with his damn Boy Scout complex, had shown up and given her an alibi. Not that she needed one, thank you very much, but now she had one.
Ever since that day Jax had been around a lot. He was annoying her but not so badly she felt the need to kill him. He was even helpful when he wasn’t being a Boy Scout. He’d agreed to back her new business venture, a dance club, yesterday he’d even found the perfect building. She’d found out later when Sonny had shown up at the realtor’s that her husband had wanted to buy the building, but Jax had already bought it out from underneath him. Sonny hadn’t been pleased but that was nothing compared to his reaction when he’d discovered she’d been there with Jax and they were going into business together. Sonny really hadn’t liked that and she couldn’t be happier. She wasn’t above using Jax if it meant making Sonny jealous and in her life.
"Stop thinking about Corinthos," Jax ordered sharply.
"Don’t tell me what to do," she retorted automatically. "How did you know I was thinking about Sonny?"
"You got this look on your face," sighing he drew back. "Brenda used to get the same look on her face when she thought about Sonny."
"I’m not Brenda." She snapped but the heat behind the words weren’t as strong as they could have been. She normally hated it when he compared her reluctance to give up on her marriage with Brenda’s reluctance to give up on Sonny. But at the moment he looked so genuinely sad she couldn’t find the bite she normally had.
"Well isn’t this interesting," Luke drawled from behind her. "It seems Corinthos’ exes can’t seem to help following the same pattern. First Brenda now you Caroline."
"Stuff it Luke," Carly snarled.
"Must have hit a nerve." Luke puffed on his cigar. "Following the brunette’s lead and using the Australian Barbie doll to drive little dimples crazy?"
"This is a private meal Luke," Jax got to his feet. "I’d like you to leave."
Luke bent and whispered loudly in her ear. "At least he has the height to carry that threat off."
Carly tried to shove him away but he was too quick for her and disappeared into the kitchen.
"Is it just my imagination or has Luke gotten even more intolerable?" Jax asked.
"He’s always been a bastard." Carly corrected remembering the various times he’d blackmailed and threatened her. "Lately he’s been a cruel bastard."
"How could you tell the difference?"
Amused Carly smirked only to have it vanish when the door behind Jax opened. "Time to go. My even weirder cousin just walked in." Moving quickly she pulled him from the chair and barely gave him time to drop some bills on the table before dragging him out the door.
"Lucky what’s got you looking like you did when Foster got run over?" Luke called from the kitchen door.
"I just…" struck by Luke’s words he focused on his dad. "Foster got run over?"
"Years ago."
Confused Lucky tried to remember when that had happened and wasn’t surprised when he couldn’t. He had trouble remembering lots of things these days, why should the death of his dog be any different?
"What did that bitch do now?"
Startled by the snarled question Lucky looked over at his father. "What?"
"Elizabeth. What did she do now? Besides your brother that is." Luke huffed out a smoke ring. "She’s the only one who puts that your look in your eyes."
At his father’s words Lucky felt angry all over again. Lately every time he spoke to Luke he found himself angry and that anger was normally directed at Elizabeth. Sometimes he got the feeling his dad wanted him to be angry with Elizabeth, but that made no sense. Except for the last few weeks his dad had loved his ex. But that had changed just like Elizabeth had changed.
First there had been her obsession with Jason Morgan and now it was her behavior with Nikolas. He still couldn’t believe she was dating his brother. During those months when he’d pushed them at each other they swore up and down that they were only friends and that was all they’d ever be. Now it was being suggested that Elizabeth had been sleeping with Nikolas the entire time, even when she’d gotten back together with him. He didn’t want to believe his father was right, but knew Luke wouldn’t lie to him about something as important as this.
"So what did she do?" Luke pressed.
"It’s not Elizabeth," Lucky tried to shake the anger away. "I’m wondering why the police haven’t announced that Jason Morgan was the one to kill Sorel. It’s been a day since I told them what I saw."
"And what did you see Lucky?" Sonny Corinthos asked from behind him.
Harborview Road
"Jesus Christ." Skye swore when another fingernail snapped. Her manicure was definitely being shot to hell. Cursing under her breath she went back to work on the lug nuts of her flat tire. She would have called Reginald but she was in the middle of a longstanding feud with the yet to learn his place butler, and wasn’t going to ask him for help. The auto club was out since she’d forgotten to pay her renewal fee, and so far the good Samaritans on the road had been few and far between. Besides it wasn’t as if she couldn’t change a tire, because she could. She just hated the fact it was destroying her manicure.
The sound of a car pulling onto the gravel behind her car had her getting to her feet and turning, a smile of gratitude already on her face. The smile faded when she identified the Good Samaritan. "Lieutenant Taggert."
"Miz Quartermaine," he drawled before looking past her to her car. "Having problems?"
"Nothing I can’t handle." Putting her hands on her hips she dared him to contradict her.
"That’s good to know," he grinned. "Go back to what you were doing then. I’d hate to keep you."
Surprised by his easy acquiescence for a minute she could only stare after him. Reminding herself of her role she turned and went back to the tire. She’d managed to free 3 of the lug nuts already and she quickly set to work on the next one. When she found the mechanic who had put the nuts on so tight she was going to brain him with her jack. She struggled with it for another minute before curiosity got the better of her and she darted a look to her right. Taggert was leaning against the hood of the car watching her, she paused briefly to give him a glare.
She’d managed to free another lug nut when she felt the snap of a fingernail. "Damn’it," she dropped the tool she’d been using and stuck her finger in her mouth trying to take the sting out. "Are you just going to stand there?"
"All you have to do is ask Miz Quartermaine."
Pride goeth before the fall. His mocking words came back to her. Swallowing them, swallowing her own distaste in having to ask for anything she forced herself to speak evenly. "Could you help me with my tire please?"
Taggert immediately pushed off the hood of his car and moved towards her. "Just think if you would have let me help when I first got here you wouldn’t have had to choke yourself asking for my help now."
Skye thought he was very lucky she didn’t have the jack in her hand at the moment or she could have practiced her braining skills on him. Stepping back from him and hopefully the temptation to kick him in the butt, she retrieved her purse and set to righting her appearance.
By the time she was pulling the comb through her hair he was switching tires, and she was clamed down enough to decide a little small talk wouldn’t be so bad. "What are you doing out here? Was there another catfight at the Country Club that you needed to break up?"
"Actually I was looking for you."
"Me?" That caused her to look at him. "Why?"
"I wanted to talk murder with you Miz Quartermaine. More specifically the murder of Joseph Sorel and what you had to do with it."
Skye’s compact closed with a snap.
Hotel
Angel Boris nee Sorel was not pleased. Being banished by Sonny Corinthos was not supposed to be the way things happened. How he’d discovered who she really was she didn’t know. But the fact he knew was enough to make her uneasy even fearful. That fear had begun the morning after her father’s murder.
"Sonny," Angel smiled when she recognized her early morning visitor.
"Angel," his responding smile was brief. "Can I come in?"
"Of course," she opened the door wider. "I was just thinking about you. I’m sorry our talk last night got cut short. I was going to call and see if you wanted to have dinner tonight."
"What happened to your hand?"
Angel looked down at the fresh bandage on her hand. "I cut it when I was paring an apple." She explained but it didn’t appear as if he was listening.
"Why do you want to have dinner with me Angel?"
The quiet question jarred her so did his behavior and she began to feel a little nervous. The way he was looking at her, she couldn’t put his finger on it, but she knew she didn’t like it. "I miss seeing you."
"Hmmm."
When he turned away she had the unsettling feeling that he knew of her connection with Sorel. Immediately she shrugged the idea away. There was no way he could have found out. His fact people were good but that was one secret that would stay buried. Something else must be bothering him, probably something to do with is psycho wife. Thankfully the blonde would soon be history.
"I have to ask you something Angel."
"Ask away."
"What kind of game are you playing?"
Confused by the question and the hatred that suddenly appeared in his dark eyes she took a step back. "What do you mean?"
"I mean Angel," his voice turned mocking. "Nosy woman in white, I want to know what kind of game you and your late lamentable father are trying to play with me."
"My father?" She took another step back. He knew. Somehow he knew the truth. Her father must have slipped up somehow. Her eyes darted to her desk and the gun she kept hidden there.
"You didn’t really believe I didn’t know did you? Did you think you were fooling me? That Joseph Sorel’s offspring could fool me for long?" Sonny taunted. "I had a knife would I didn’t lose my mind."
"You knew?" She hated the doubt in her voice. There was no way he could have known all this time. He wasn’t that good of an actor.
"Yes I know and I woke up today tired of having to pretend so I decided to cut to the chase. Whatever your plans were for me they’re over. I don’t want to see you, I don’t want to hear about you, and I have to say I hope I never see a white outfit again."
"You shit." Angel swung out to slap but he caught her wrist before it connected.
"I hate to tell you this but white does nothing for you."
"Let me go," she hissed any feeling she ever had for him turned into hate with that single taunt.
"Only if you do go," he tightened his hold on her wrist. "Get out of town Angel. Get out today or you’ll follow your father into the grave."
She’d left Port Charles that day. She’d had no choice but to obey his order. But that didn’t mean she was gone for good. Port Charles hadn’t seen the last of her. Sonny hadn’t seen the last of her.
Port Charles Grille
"I’ll find the file and leave it on your desk," Elizabeth paused to listen. "I don’t mind … bye Alexis."
"Alexis?" Nikolas asked while taking the seat across from her. "How is she doing?"
"Good. She seems a bit scattered today but that’s probably because Emily’s getting back in town. Zander’s probably driving her crazy," she replied.
"You like working for her don’t you?"
"Yes." She hadn’t thought she would but she enjoyed her job and was thrilled to get out of Kelly’s. "I know she only hired me because Sonny asked her too, but I’m proving I’m worth the hire."
"I doubt that’s the only reason she hired you," Nikolas countered. "You used to work at L&B and with Chloe she knows you from there, she knows you do good work."
Elizabeth decided to believe his words. The belief was something she needed in order to help right her shaky ego. "I guess."
"Have you spoken to Zander?"
"No, I’ve seen him a few times at Alexis penthouse but he ignores me. He gets this look in his eye like he’s trying to figure something out or has figured something," she admitted.
"You think he suspects something?" Nikolas asked.
"Yes."
While Nikolas pondered that little detail Elizabeth shifted her focus to something that had been weighing on her. "Emily comes home today."
"I know."
"What are we going to tell her?" Elizabeth wanted to know.
Nikolas shrugged. "The same thing we tell everyone else I guess."
"It won’t be easy to lie to her." It wasn’t easy to lie at all. Nikolas’ solution to Helena’s threat against her had been to pretend to date. That way he could effectively warn Helena away from Elizabeth. She hadn’t liked the idea. Though she was getting used to lying what they were doing now was deliberately hurtful. Lucky, even Gia had been surprised, hurt and angry when they took their farce of a relationship public. She knew he was in pain over hurting Gia, but she couldn’t talk him into bringing Gia into the plan. Gia was safe as long as she was away from him, while she was safe as long as she was with him. It was an ugly situation.
Surprisingly she didn’t feel that guilty over hurting Lucky. Since the night he’d ended it with her, the night he did something to Luke, Lucky had changed into a person she no longer recognized and more importantly didn’t want to know. Sometimes she wondered why she even kept up with the charade then she’d think of Nikolas, Lulu, and remember the Luke and Lucky of old and had her reason. Things were going to be worse now. It was one thing to lie to the whole town and get away with it. It would be something else to lie to Emily.
"Elizabeth." Nikolas’ hand covered hers on the table. "What’s wrong?"
"Do you think she’ll even want to see us?" Elizabeth asked a bit tearfully. The friendship may have begun over her desire to get Lucky, but it was so much more now, and it was something she didn’t want to lose. And yet she half-believed it had already been stripped from her.
"Of course," he faltered under her steady gaze. "She’ll probably see you."
"I don’t know about that. She had to have been hurt over the way we shut her out in the weeks before the accident." She suddenly realized they had been lying for months all in their attempt to help Lucky, would the nightmare ever be over?
"We didn’t have a choice then and we don’t now. If we tell her what’s going on it will put her in jeopardy. I don’t want anything else to happen to her. What Sorel did was bad enough."
Flinching Elizabeth pulled her hand from his and leaned back in her chair. "She won’t be easy to convince. She’s always been Lucky and my staunchest supporter."
Nikolas rubbed at his forehead for a moment before focusing on her. "You told her about the time I kissed you on your birthday right?"
Flushing she nodded.
"She knows I had feelings for you then, we’ll just have to convince her that those feelings never fully went away and when you and Lucky broke up I acted on them again and this time you were receptive."
"Do you really think she’ll believe that?"
"She has to for all our sakes," Nikolas finished ominously.
Stavros hesitated in the doorway of the P.C. Grille and made a careful survey of the upscale restaurant before entering. He had to make sure neither Alexis or his son, were inside. Spotting his son he started to withdraw until he saw his son’s companion.
Going on instinct he moved back into the foyer of the hotel and made a call. "Mother I need you to call Nikolas and get him to come to the yacht … I don’t care how you do it, just get him there now." Slapping his phone closed he picked a spot in the lobby where he could observe without being noticed and waited. His wait lasted 5 minutes but finally he was rewarded when Nikolas and Elizabeth emerged from the Grille. The lobby was relatively empty so he was able to hear their conversation.
"There’s no point in your waiting Nikolas. I need to go to Alexis’ office and get the file for her."
"I can wait," Nikolas replied.
"You said Helena was being demanding."
"She’s always demanding," Nikolas interrupted.
"It’s going to take me awhile to find the file. Go see Helena," she read the look in his eye. "I’ll take a cab home."
"Alright."
The reluctance on his face was impossible to ignore. Stepping closer she embraced him and kissed him on the cheek. "I’ll call you." Then because she was getting used to it, because it was expected of her and because they were in public she brushed her lips lightly over his before stepping back. "Night."
"Goodnight Elizabeth."
Elizabeth followed him out the door and dug in her bag for the office key as she headed across the street to Alexis’ office building. Waving to the guard that was more engrossed on the baseball game than in keeping the building secure she headed for the elevators. It wasn’t the first time she’d been in the office building after hours, but it was the first time she’d felt uneasy about it. So uneasy in fact that she kept darting looks over her shoulder as she headed for the door. In her haste, she dropped the keys on the floor, picking them up she tried to battle back the nerves that had snuck up on her. She had just slid the key in the lock when she heard the elevator ding. Frantic she hurried inside the dark office, slammed the door and quickly locked it. She regretted the slam as soon as it happened. Now whoever was on the elevator knew where she was.
Flipping on the lights she looked longingly at the phone. Nikolas would come back if she called. Heck even Sonny would either come himself or send someone if she called. His visit earlier, all of his visits lately had convinced her that he wasn’t going anywhere. Forcing herself to move away from the door and calling herself a fool she made herself get to work. It was foolish to get spooked walking down a hall. She was perfectly fine, there was a guard downstairs and a locked door between her and the outside world. With those admonishments she got to work.
Airport
"Monica if you keep pacing and talking to yourself like this security is going to get nervous." Alan Quartermaine warned his wife but Monica gave no sign of having heard. Sighing he shifted to the edge of his seat and waited, when she started to pace past him again he caught her hand and pulled her down to the chair next to him.
"Alan." Startled, Monica’s tone was more surprised then angry.
"You need to calm down," he reminded her.
"I know it’s just," she ran a hand through her hair then clutched at his hand. "She’s finally coming home. Our baby is finally coming home."
"It’s hard I know," he patted her hand. He was thrilled over seeing his daughter, he just wasn’t as demonstrative. Probably because he knew Emily still had a lot of work to do. Besides the physical recuperation there was her emotional recuperation as well. And her emotional well-being seemed to factor back to Zander Smith.
While Emily had been away he’d let his guard down around Zander. Zander was easier to tolerate when he wasn’t watching his daughter throw her life away on him. He didn’t deny the boy cared for her and Emily believed she loved Zander, but they were still so young. They didn’t realize how hard life could be. Love was difficult enough when you were older. But their youth, their violent history, their vastly different backgrounds meant their relationship was doomed to fail. He’d hoped his daughter would let Zander go while she was recuperating but judging form her letters and phone calls she hadn’t.
Didn’t Emily realize she was the last hope for his family … his future? A.J., with his addiction problems that had him sliding out of control every few months, didn’t have much of a future. Rubbing his hands together in a tic he’d developed in his own time of addiction, he ruefully reflected that A.J. would never conquer his addictions permanently the way he had.
Jason, his sigh was weary and bitter, his son was dead, he’d been dead for several years now. The angry young man with Jason’s face wasn’t his son. Monica repeatedly told him that his bitterness over losing Jason Quartermaine forced him to blame Jason Morgan and blinded him to the good that remained in his son. Monica didn’t understand. She wasn’t the one who’d fallen from hero to stranger overnight. All his life he’d battled for his father’s approval, battled Tracy, battled his father’s derision over his choice of medicine over business. A.J. had fallen in line with the old man regarding business, but Jason, his beloved Jason, had wanted to be a doctor like him. Losing him was a blow he’d never recover from.
Skye, though he loved her dearly, had come to him fully-grown, fully shaped, angry and bitter. She had her own demons that drove her, demons he felt would always drive her. So that left Emily. Beautiful smart Emily who had already lived through so much yet remained untouched somehow. He needed her to succeed he needed her to thrive, she was his only hope.
"Here they come," Monica pointed to the waiting ambulance attendants and moved to the door of the private entrance.
The plane taxied to a stop and after a long minute the door opened. Monica was already gesturing to the attendants to go up the stairs to help Emily when she appeared in the plane’s doorway being held aloft by her brother. "He came," she breathed, "Jason came home with her."
Alan’s smile of welcome began to slip while he watched his stranger of a son make his way carefully down the stairs carrying his beloved daughter. Monica had raced outside to greet them, to hug them both when Jason settled Emily on the waiting stretcher. His eyes narrowed when Jason hugged his wife back. A part of him longed to run out and join in their reunion, but his gut was also twisted over his sense of loss and he remained where he was.
Alexis’ Office
Finding the file had taken almost an hour and by that time her earlier scare had been completely forgotten. So it was with a light heart that Elizabeth switched off the lights and let herself out in the hall. Pausing only long enough to lock the door she headed for the elevator.
"Excuse me."
Startled Elizabeth whipped around trying to find the man who’d spoken. As he was the only one in the hall he wasn’t hard to spot. He was tall probably in his mid-thirties with dark hair and a goatee. He as impeccably and richly groomed. He also had good manners. She could tell that by the way he’d stopped well away from her as to not alarm her.
"Yes?" Her voice remained steady while her heart tried to return to its regular rhythm.
"I was wondering if you could help me." He smiled then and his expression lightened considerably.
She gave a cautious smile in return. "What did you need?"
"I saw you come out of Alexis Davis’ office. I was wondering if you know where she is I really need to speak with her."
Elizabeth’s guard dropped. He wasn’t after her, he wanted Alexis. "She had some personal business to take care of today."
"Will she be back tomorrow?" He took a step closer.
"May I ask who you are?"
Again he smiled and this time he held out his hand. "I’m Lucien Kane."
For some reason his smile reminded her of the feral smile a cat gave right before it pounced on some unsuspecting prey. Trying to shake the image she reluctantly took his hand. It was cold, a bit clammy and he didn’t let it go. "I’m Elizabeth Webber."
