Title: Blood Ties
Summary: Three brothers; torn apart by good intentions; come together to bring a final end to the insanity. And reunite a broken family.
Disclaimer: General Hospital belongs to ABC and affiliates. I am merely borrowing.
Author's Note: This is my first fore into GH fanfic. Hopefully the story works out here as well as it has been in my head. Updates may be a bit scattered, as the storyline has a few twists and turns even I have yet to discover. And if anyone wishes to see the wonderful banner for this fic, created by the amazing Huma the Guma, follow the link in my profile.
And, of course, much thanks to beta Selene Antilles.
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Prologue
The sun lay low over the small grove of trees in the riotously blooming garden. The oranges, purples, pinks, and reds split the sky, the colors spilling onto the vegetation below.
She sighed, rubbing her hand over her swollen abdomen as she stared out of the second floor window. She hadn't been in her garden in two and a half weeks. Anthony had forbid it, his temper blazing as he ranted about her betrayal, about how she was only trying to go back to him. She had cowered in the corner, as usual. She was terrified of her husband. Her abusive, controlling, destructive, manipulating bastard of a husband.
Anthony ruled their home - his home, her prison - with an iron fist. He controlled everything—where she went, who she spoke to, who she saw, what she did. Especially now.
She couldn't, she wouldn't, let her babies grow up that way. Not her children, not in this hell with no escape. She had to save her babies.
Anthony knew she was pregnant. He also knew that the child she carried wasn't his. He knew the child she carried wasn't his. Anthony believed that she was having one baby. A baby. Not the twins she actually carried. There had to be a way.
Perhaps she couldn't save both of her babies right away, but she and her children would escape her husband's tyrannical insanity.
If it was the last thing she did.
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He crept into the garden, keeping a vigil eye out for his father, or grandfather, or worse, his brother, passing by. He couldn't chance them coming too close and seeing him. He couldn't deal with them and their multitude of issues right now.
A smile he couldn't help, but would not smother, bloomed as he approached his grandmother. She was seated in her chair, happily among her flowers, her fingertips gently brushing the soft petals.
"Hello Grandmother."
"Jason." The old woman looked down and a big smile broke out over her pale countenance as she saw him. "Hello darling."
He smiled back, crouching low by her chair and taking her soft hand in his, "How are you?"
"I'm doing well my dear," Lila grasped her grandson's hand tightly in hers, "Although, I'm much better now that I see you're still in one piece."
Jason leaned into the wizened hand she placed against his cheek, "You don't have to worry about me, Grandmother. I'll be alright."
"I know dear," Lila smiled brightly at her adored grandson. Then the smile dimmed and her face turned serious. "Jason, darling, I have something very serious that I have to tell you."
Jason's brow furrowed as he waited curiously for his grandmother to continue. "Go on." He wondered what could cause such a shadow to cross her face. Her entire body tensed and Jason became uneasy.
"Your brothers need you my darling," Lila began, but the bushes began to rustle as the Quatermaine family made their way through the garden towards her. Lila glanced around furtively, "Your brothers need your help."
As the family neared, Jason could see his beloved Grandmother was becoming more and more nervous. He could tell that there was more she wanted to tell him, but she clammed up tightly as AJ stopped steps away.
"You should go darling, before they see you," Lila advised, no matter how unhappy it made her to see him go. She would have to tell him the secret another time; though it must be soon, for he needed to know.
"I'll be back," He promised, confused by her secrecy, "I promise, I'll see you soon. You're not going to get rid of me that easily."
"Good my darling," Lila smiled as her grandson chanced being spotted by his father, mother, grandfather or brother, standing taller to press a kiss to her pale, wrinkled cheek. "I love you my dear."
"I love you too," He replied with a soft smile before heading back the way he'd come.
Your brothers need you. Your brothers need your help. This baffled him. His brothers? Brothers. As in more than one. He had AJ, relatively speaking. Was Grandmother talking about AJ? AJ was in trouble? That wasn't exactly a new occurrence, but Grandmother was just as aware as he was that AJ would never accept his help for anything. What could Lila mean? He decided to continue their conversation the very next time he visited. Which would be very, very soon.
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Well??