Notes: Max was never seen on screen. Based upon the Gh timeline he would be born in 1977, but due to the aging of Jason and AJ he should be about 29. Reginald is late 40s in this and has been with the family since about 1980. I'm intending this to be a saga that will hit upon most of the Port Charles Residents, but the first couple of chapters will deal with Max's return.
Max Quartermaine approached the mansion with trepidation. He hadn't been here in years. After swearing up and down that he would never return to this gilded cage, here he was, all over again, ready to be beaten down by those from whom he had only asked love. Why can't I have a normal family, he railed.
Pulling his rental car into the long circular driveway, he sat deep in thought. How had things changed since his last visit of 2 yrs ago? What was new with his family? When Max had left Port Charles after renouncing the family business, the only ones he had kept in contact with constantly were grandmother and his adopted sister Emily, with an occasional letter or phone call to Monica, his mother and Ned his cousin. They were the only ones he had ever truly gotten along with.
He found his gaze upon the stones in the stone walk. Remembering watching Reginald filling in some of the damaged stones elicited a smile from him. Those were the days. But still, wasn't that something a father did with a son. Where had his father been? Bedding Susan Moore? Sighing, he shook his head. Bitterness would get him nowhere.
Approaching the ornate door, Max felt his heart rate increase. How would they all react to this? Grandmother would be pleased, and Emily but what about the businessmen in the family, what about Alan? Oh well, here goes nothing, he told himself and rang the doorbell.
When Reginald opened the door, looking a little older, Max was shocked to feel his heart leaping in his chest. Here was someone who was family, if not literally then figuratively.
"Reginald. It's so good to see you!" He said with feeling. Reginald regarded the young man for a moment, could it truly be him?
"Max? I mean, Mr. Quartermaine, sir? Is that you?"
Max nodded. Seeing Reginald again actually brought a lump into his throat. It had been too long. Far too long. Finding his voice, he asked, "How is everyone?"
Reginald smiled sadly as he held the door open to admit Max. The boy had grown. A young 20 years old when he had left the first time, the boy that had gone was now a man. A magnificent man, he admitted to himself. Max had the air of a Quartermaine without the arrogance. He was one of the good ones. He had so many questions for the man, but he knew his place. His place was to listen and observe to have the questions answered that way.
Is anyone home Reginald? I would like to see them if they are." Max started off to look for the family, but Reginald stopped him with a gently retraining arm.
"Sir perhaps it would be best if you waited in the living room." Reginald couldn't let Max see the sorry state Alan was in. Your grandmother and grandfather are in there."
Max took a deep breath. Grandfather. The man who had always trod upon his dreams with precision. The man who in a few short years had gone from trying to tear Max down to destroying his self esteem and driving him away. Acting, grandfather had snorted like the profession was a dirty word. Granted, it wasn't the family business, but Max prided himself on never having to accept a handout from that man. Slowly entering the room, Max had no desire to startle his grandmother. Grandmother, as delicate and beautiful still as a wildflower. Her lifetime was etched upon her face, a face that still glowed from the innate goodness of the woman within.
"Hello grandmother, grandfather." Max said waiting for a scene. His grandmother just looked at him with a serene smile upon her face. Sighing, he turned his gaze to his grandfather, Edward stood in place, looking rather shocked.
Moving foreword, bolstered by the fact that Edward wasn't screaming at him yet, he bent to deposit a kiss in Lila's cheek.
"How are you grandmother. I have missed you so." Max's statement was heartfelt. His grandmother had always been the stabilizing force in his life.
"Max," Lila's voice was gentle as she looked upon her favorite grandson. "You look well. Oh I am so happy to see you!" Patting the couch beside her wheelchair, in invitation. "Sit down, Max. Oh Edward, isn't this wonderful? Max is home."
Max turned to a still silent Edward. Extending his hand to his grandfather, he hoped it would be shaken. "Yes grandfather, I am home. I know you may not be glad to see me, however." Edward looked at the boy's hand and slowly shook it.
"Welcome home Max." He said finally. Maybe Max would bring some order to Alan's life, because no one else could. "Sit with your grandmother and I'll try to sober up your father." Max's eyes flashed angrily. Alan was still on a downward spiral. Grandmother had written him about that a few months ago.
Chapter 2
Suddenly the room flooded with people. There was Emily running up for a hug and Monica and AJ and Ned and a very disheveled Alan stood in the doorway. Giving Emily a hug first, Max was shocked to see that the beautiful young coltish girl had turned into such a gorgeous young woman. She could easily be a model. Glancing to the right of Emily, he met the resigned smile of Monica. Gosh she looked much older, and much more tired. When had his mother started looking so old?
AJ and Ned hadn't changed very much at all. AJ looked healthier but Max knew that would all come out in the course of discussion. But Alan, his father on the other hand...Max was shocked when he looked at Alan. Unshaven with wild eyed, Alan looked like a desperate man. Breaking his hug with Emily, he motioned Monica over for a hug. When he was holding her tightly, he could feel her trembling.
"Mom are you ok?" Max asked close to her ear. He was concerned about her. After her experience with cancer a few years back, he was more in tune with his mother's mortality, and whatever was going on with Alan had to be very stressful. "Whats wrong with dad?" He whispered next to her ear. As Monica shook her head slightly, indicating this was not the time, Max vowed that he would get an answer somehow. "Later." he whispered to her. "Tell me all about it later."
As Reginald brought in croissants and juice, the whole atmosphere took on a surreal feeling to Max. Making his way over to Alan, who still leaned against the doorjamb; Max put out his hand to his father.
"Hello Dad, how are you?" He asked looking at Alan as if nothing was wrong or different. He was shocked when the usually unflappable and distant man grabbed him in a tight hug.
"Oh Max." Alan said softly. He sounded choked up and Max could feel him shaking badly. He needed a good clean up too; he stank to high heaven. Is he an alcoholic or what, Max wondered, not letting his feelings come forth on his face? He and Alan had never been close and Max was puzzled by this behavior.
"Have something to eat dad." Max led Alan over to the food. Alan seemed stunned or shell shocked and let his eldest pile the plate with danishes and croissants. "What do you want to drink?"
"Scotch." Alan said. Max's eye flashed again.
"Forget that dad. Orange juice?"
"No!" Alan exploded. Tossing his plate down he pushed past Max and out of the room. Well, that was nice, Max thought sourly. He turned around when he heard one person applauding. It was AJ. AJ who at 27 still wasn't over the fact that he 'deserved' to be the eldest child. AJ who could never hide his jealousy and dislike of Max. AJ who wanted to do exactly what Max had done, but instead was sucked into the family machine and ground into a businessman. AJ who had been the one force that have driven Max away in the end.
"What's going on with him?" Max asked, choosing to ignore AJ.
"Your father is a drug addict." Edward declared. What Max thought? My dad? He had been told things were not well with Alan but nobody had prepared him for this. Things really had changed and not for the better. Taking a seat between Emily and grandmother, Max waited for an explanation. It came from Monica.
"He's been on some pain pills for a while, and he's addicted Max. We're trying to break him of it, but he doesn't seem to want to work with us." Max nodded sadly. After all that had gone on with Emily's drug problems and AJ's alcohol dependency he would have thought Alan knew better. But he knew being a Quartermaine didn't entitle a man to have as much brains as arrogance, unfortunately.
"Em, you ok with all of this?" Max turned to his beloved little sister. they had written twice a week every week for two years. He adored her and though she was his family's future. When she shrugged, he pulled her closer. "We have to talk later, ok starshine?" He whispered in her ear, using his special nickname for her. Max had often wondered if Emily was destined for stardom. She had such a huge presence at only 16 years old, that Max found himself wondering what changes adulthood would have on her already stunning looks.
"So Max, why are you home now? I didn't think we'd see you until the next wedding or funeral. " AJ asked nastily. Max ran his hands through his hair and willed himself not to lose his temper. AJ knew how to push every button of his.
"Look you little worm," Max intoned softly. "I am home so get over it and stop getting a rise out of Jul's death." Jul....Max could still picture her as she was on the day of their arrival in Port Charles two years ago. How foolish had he been to have hoped of a happy ending with her where the Quartermaines were concerned. He should have never let Jul meet his family. It was the beginning of the end for them.
As AJ continued to glare at Max he started to stand. Somewhat even tempered normally, he was losing his temper very quickly at the look of smug satisfaction on AJ's face. He was only stopped by a gentle grip on his arm by Monica. "Please don't Max?" Looking at his mother he tried to relax, for her sake. Monica tugged on his arm twice, then let out an audible sigh as he sat down.
"Sorry." He said softly as AJ stalked out of the room. "I can see that while some things change, many stay the same."
Chapter 3
Max sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He had really messed up this time, he felt.
Tension had infused the room and he truly felt out of place. He looked silently at the people in the room, his family and felt sheer loneliness and emptiness. He had never belonged here and it was a mistake to come back. Standing slowly, he walked to the garden. What a peaceful place within the maelstrom of tension and pain the mansion held. How ironic it was that those that possessed every material want or need were so emotionally poor.
Ned watched Max walk out of the room. Why hadn't Alan ever been able to give that young man the love he craved? Ned just couldn't understand Alan's reasoning. Following Max out, Ned's thoughts were on what his cousin might need from him, from the whole family.
"Max?" Ned placed his shoulder on his cousin's shoulder. They had never been very close but to the best of Ned's knowledge, Max liked him. He certainly loved Lois. In fact, the last time Ned and Lois had spoken she had mentioned the teddy bear Max had mailed for Brooke Lynn.
"I don't belong here. This isn't my home. I should have never come back."
"Max that isn't true." Monica whispered. She had followed Ned outside and stood close to tears, unsure of how to reach out to her firstborn son. His eyes bright with unshed tears, he shook his head. That simple gesture prooved to be Monica's breaking point and she grabbed Max in a tight embrace. "You are my son. This is my house. You have more of a right to be here then they do and they will respect you here or find other accommodations."
Pulling away, shaking his head in that stubborn way that was so reminiscent of Alan and Edward Max's silent refusal reminded Monica how independent he was.
"Where will you go?" Monica had to ask.
"I'll find a place. This town hasn't changed that much mom. This place was never my home, not like my room at school was."
"What about a room at the Port Charles hotel until you find the right place?" Ned offered.
Max considered this in silence for a time, then nodded. "Aj doesn't live there." Ned added.
Gratitude shined in Max's eyes as he hugged Ned and his mother. Spying a blond woman approaching, he quickly asked. "Who is that?" He almost smiled at Ned and Monica's expressions of dismay. Before they could answer the blond sashayed up.
"And who is this?" the blond cooed, flirting outrageously. Ned rolled his eyes.
"Katherine, this is Max Quartermaine, AJ and Jason's brother. Max, my ex Katherine Bell."
Max's eyes widened perceptibly at the implications of that. This was the Katherine Bell that had been such a thorn in his family's life for years. "Hi." He said with a slight smile.
"Why hello." Katherine said with a bring grin. "I'll just be going up to my room now, goodbye." Ned, Monica and Max all stood silently as she sashayed out of the garden and into the living room.
"She lives here?" Max shook his head with a smile. "This is still the most interesting place around. I think I'm going to go over to the hotel for awhile."
Ned watched Max leave and sighed. "Monica how can we be everything to everyone here?"
"We can't Ned." Monica told him, offering a hug. "But we can be there for all of them in any way they'll let us."
Ned nodded and slowly turned away, staring at the stone façade that held so much love and heartache. If a building could speak, this one would have stories to tell and tears to weep.
Chapter 4
Hours later Ned was back in the gardens. Deep in thought, he looked up to see the young woman running from the Quartermaine mansion and down the path to the estate gardens. Sighing, his gaze found the light that shined like a beacon in the upstairs windows. Katherine Bell was in that wing, and Ned wondered if Emily had found out about the tryst Katherine was having with the barely legal Nikolas Cassadine. Ned had known about Emily's crush on Nikolas as well as Nikolas affair with Ned's can't quite stay dead ex-wife for some days now. He had been waiting for the right time to break the news to Emily, but now that time would never come. As usual, Ned was too late to keep Emily from pain and heartache. With a heavy sigh, he gave chase.
The coltish 16 year old was running quickly and Ned took a few moments to catch up. "Emily please stop." He finally gasped, totally out of breath. Emily turned and stumbled, wrenching her ankle sharply on an overgrown root. Falling with a crash her tears turned from embarrassment to pain.
"Ned my ankle." She whispered, twining her arms around his neck as he lifted her.
"All right. I'll take you to the gatehouse. You can relax there. What happened?"
Emily closed her eyes and shook her head, a grim look upon her face. She couldn't get the sight of Nikolas and Katherine out of her head. It was so disgusting and so unexpected. Even as she and Nikolas had been becoming closer he was involved with an older woman all along.
"I…I can't Ned." Emily told him in tears. He gathered her closer and wished he could will away her pain.
"Was it Nikolas?" he asked her gently. Emily pressed her lips together and nodded grimly. Ned didn't need to ask anything else and they both knew it.
"You know Em, teenage boys aren't always known for their intelligence," He started as he walked with her up the gatehouse path. "And in this case…" He trailed off and sighed. "I'll make sure she's out of the mansion by tonight."
"Ned you don't have to." Emily said, feeling her emotional pain lessening a little. She and Ned had always had a special relationship. He seemed to be there in every crisis she had, ready to console and advise her without judging unlike most of her family.
"I know but I want to." He told her, placing her gently on the couch. "Take off your shoe and let me get some ice for that." Walking into the kitchen, he pushed the button on the answering machine as he passed. Ticking off messages as they played, he muttered. "V gig on Thursday, I'll miss ER, drat." Ned and Emily had a standing date to watch Er every Thursday night. "Jax is going to Greece, why is Jax going to Greece do we have anything he'd want there?" Satisfied that the ELQ properties weren't in any immediate danger from the Jacks brothers, he focused on the third message. "Alexis, late dinner 9 Pm." He glanced at Emily worriedly as he came out, wondering if canceling dinner might not be a better idea. Deciding to make Emily his priority for now, he adopted a wait and see attitude about his future date.
"Here you go Em. Put this on your ankle." Ned handed her and ice pack and settled down on the couch next to her. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"
"No." Emily replied with a sigh. "Girl loves boy, boy loves middle aged woman. It's a nasty cycle."
"I've been there you know, as the boy." Ned reminded softly. "Maybe I can give you some insight."
Emily shook her head and blushed deeply. "Can we like not mention that again?" She asked with a giggle. "Can we forget that ever happened?"
"Sure." Ned slipped a n arm around Emily shoulder. His mind hadn't been on Monica at all but another woman and another time, years before Monica.