Here's part 1 of your surprise jynxie! For those of you that aren't jynxie but are reading this, it's dedicated to jynxieminxie and her best friend. Happy Halloween! (Okay, early Halloween) Not really much happening in this chapter, kind of an overview of what things are like in PC now. Some teasing, punching, growling. You know, the usual. ahaha (: Read, Review and ENJOY!
"You're not gonna wear your costume?" Todd asked, eyeing Carly in the mirror. He noticed her thick hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she had on distressed jeans and a simple, black, long sleeve shirt with a deep v-neck.
"Public nudity is illegal." Carly answered with a straight face. She sneaked a glance back at Todd through the mirror and found him scanning her entire body; most likely picturing what it would look like out of clothes. "Maybe if you're good I'll wear it later." She teased, grinning when Todd's eyes finally came back up to greet hers.
"That's not fair," Todd whispered, moving so that his lips brushed against her ear lobe and his stubble scratched her neck. "I'm never good." he continued, smiling against Carly's skin when he felt her shudder. "We could just skip the trick-or-treating and go straight to making sure all the 'candy' is okay to eat." Todd chuckled, sliding his hand up the front of Carly's shirt pausing for a minute when he hit the underwire of her lace bra.
Carly turned into his touch but growled, "This isn't being good, Todd Manning, and you know it." before pulling away and straightening her shirt. "Come on, you've got to help get Stephanie, Joss and Hope ready. You promised." She said, begging slightly as she tugged on his hand. He unwillingly followed, groaning softly, and they walked into their living room where their one year old daughter, Stephanie Marie, was sitting on the lap of her older brother Michael. At ten years old, Josslyn and Hope, were playing on the floor at Starr's feet while a now seventeen year old Morgan lounged in a chair nearby.
"Who's ready to get all done up?" Carly asked brightly, smiling when the two older girls jumped up in excitement. "Well come on then." She said, picking up Steph and walking back down the hall with the other girls trailing behind.
Carly brought Joss, Hope and Steph back out and everyone "oohed" and "ahhed" in wonder. They looked each child over, making sure every costume was complete, wanting to be positive the Manning family was the best dressed family in Port Charles this Halloween.
All three of the girls were dressed as princesses, each one unique in their own way.
Josslyn had on a luxurious blue satin gown that proved her family had money. It had a full skirt and a sparkling beaded bodice with jewel trim at the very bottom. Her beautiful blond hair was curled and pinned up on the top of her head, each clip encrusted with authentic diamonds and it was all topped with a respectable tiara. Joss's tiny glossed lips spread from ear to ear, she knew she was gorgeous and she sure as hell wasn't going to hide it. Josslyn was ready for a night on the town, but she wasn't so sure Port Charles was ready for her.
Hope had chosen an over the top black and hot pink gown, that reflected both her personality and her trouble-making nature. She'd definitely taken after her mother Starr, but she'd also developed a bond with Michael and eventually some of his protectiveness had rubbed off on her. There wasn't a hint of Cole in her. The little spitfire and her best friend, Joss – who was a complete flirt like her mother Carly, and a force to be reckoned with, even at age ten – were the trouble of the town. Her dirty dish-water hair had been flipped inward at the bottom so that it curled right underneath her jawline, making her Manning features pop. A tiara rested on the crown of her head.
Steph had picked out her own dress too. She wore a lilac gown, and unlike her sister and niece, her skirt was flowy not puffy like a normal ball gown. The dress had diamond crested straps and intricate detailing on the bodice. Her unmanageable blond locks stuck out in every direction, glitter hugged each curl and her tiara glistened in the light. Her costume was completed with her worn-out stuffed cat that she carried everywhere with her. Stephanie never left the house without it and she refused to let Carly wash it. She had such a soft look for such a strong girl. She was tough like her mother, had a sense of humor like her father; even at one year old, and she was made of double the trouble.
They weren't the only one's dressed up for the occasion though.
Starr wore a hip-hugging police costume that bordered between slightly modest and a little too revealing for trick-or-treating with children. Michael, her soon-to-be husband, was wearing black slacks, a white dress shirt with it's sleeves sloppily rolled up to his elbows and a black and white striped vest and it was all completed with black and white leather shoes and a plain black fedora. And inside joke that everyone in Port Charles would be in on. And Morgan was just Morgan. Despite not having as close a relationship with Jason as his brother did, he seemed to be a mirror image of his namesake.
Ready to go, they all rode to the Metro Court to trick-or-treat; Carly had made sure every current inhabitant had been supplied with bags of candy so that they could hand it out to the kids. When they walked into the lobby, making sure each stride was full of confidence and purpose, they saw damn near everyone in Port Charles.
Connie was sitting atop Johnny's lap in one of the chairs, her nurse's costume hiking up way to high, and their 2 1/2 year old son, Claude, was sitting on the ground playing with Thomas the Train, his pumpkin full of candy next to him. The poor boy didn't even notice when Steph wobbled up beside him and started transferring his candy into her own pumpkin. Carly chuckled, "She takes after you Todd, that poor boy is completely oblivious to the fact that he's losing something." Todd mock-ruffled, "No, no, no. She takes after you, it's your fault she's taking advantage of guys that are no where near her league. That, my cunning love, is your specialty."
Carly chuckled and snuggled into Todd's arms, watching as Michael, Morgan and Starr walked ahead with Joss and Hope who were eagerly strutting towards the elevators. Looking back to her crowded lobby Carly saw more friends and family.
Jason sat on a loveseat, his wife Sam by his side and his daughter Emily on his lap. Little Danny had joined Joss and Hope in their endeavor for candy. Sonny stood by the door, Max and Milo at his side. Dante and Lulu were cooing over their son Maximilian, who was named after his surrogate mother.
Carly looked down to Claude and Steph when she heard whining. Stephanie's arms were outstretched toward Claude, who was holding her stuffed kitten just out of arms reach, taunting her. Of course, if Steph couldn't get her kitten back, she was going to do the next best thing. She pulled his curly black hair and made him cry. The look on her face – pure satisfaction.
Johnny reached out as if to grab Steph, but saw who she was and blanched. He looked up slowly, meeting Todd's narrowed eyes with his own fear filled ones. "You touch her and I'll turn your naughty nurse into a body in the morgue." Todd growled threateningly. Carly tightened her grip on his waist, attempting to hold him back, they didn't need a fight tonight. She glanced around and noticed everyone had stopped what they were doing and seemed to be holding their breath in nervous anticipation.
Stephanie broke the tension by proving she didn't need her Daddy to stick up for her. She yanked her stuffed cat away from Claude and promptly swung her closed fist around, giggling when her it connected with his cheek.
Everyone, except Connie and Johnny, shook with laughter. Todd bent and scooped up Steph into his arms, "That's my little kitten." He said proudly, kissing her forehead.
Oh, and stick around for more. Not going to be a terribly long story, just a couple chapters. I'm attempting to write material out of my comfort zone so just bare with me!