Companion piece to What If I Can't? It's about a year after the events in that story. GQ point of view… A middle-logue, if you will (as opposed to pro- and epi- :P)… In my AU, Sage Alcazar (whom, by the way, I don't appreciate being recast with Ned's would-be rape victim with a new do like I wouldn't notice…) has only met Dillon through chance meetings… Lorenzo never hired him to 'baby-sit'. And if you haven't read What If I Can't, I strongly suggest you do so. That way some of the back information in this piece won't make you go "What the …?" You'd probably enjoy it more…
What Trouble Brings…
O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O
We are fallible. We certainly
haven't attained perfection.
But we can strive for it, &
the virtue is in the striving.
-- Carlos Romulo
O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O
Thoughtful, crafty eyes watched as Dillon Quartermaine made himself comfortable at an empty table within the confines of Kelly's and drank a soda. He was probably there to wait for his girlfriend… Georgie. What a name… Georgie. It was a guy's name… With a huff and a disregard for anything having to do with decency, she pulled open the door to the restaurant and sauntered in. The menu was in front of the teenager's face, blocking her view of him, but she knew that he was aware of her entry. Who wouldn't be? But instead of making her way over to him, she sat down at a table in the corner – much to the surprise of even herself. Her uncle must have been rubbing off on her more than she expected him to. Watch, and learn. It was that creed to live by that had gotten him to where he is today… and to where she was. So, she'd take a lesson from her dear uncle and bide her time. After all, the best things were worth the wait, right? Yet another lesson learned from her uncle…
Dillon knew the second she walked in the door. How could one not? Sage Alcazar was about as subtle as a sledgehammer. He knew that the dark temptress was trying to stir up problems with him and Georgie. He also knew that the poor girl was bored off her rocker here and needed to incite dramatics to make life more exciting. The poor girl had lost her father and had been sent to stay with her uncle – it was understandable that she had a few issues. Yet, the only reason Dillon tolerated her was because of his loyalty to Lorenzo. And since Lorenzo had asked him to watch out for Sage a few times, Dillon had agreed. There was no other explanation. But lately, it seemed as if Georgie needed more of them. A simple 'She's just a job, I don't like her at all' didn't seem to work with her anymore. What else could he say though? Dillon's thoughts were interrupted when a familiar face walked through the door.
"Hey Dillon!" a smiling Carly Alcazar said happily. Dillon smiled back.
"Hey Carly…" he answered. The Quartermaines had long since stopped trying to convince everyone in Port Charles that Carly was trouble. Their word – especially Edward and AJ's – didn't really mean much anymore after all of the trouble they've caused over the years. The stories they'd told Dillon about Carly, no matter how true they were, paled in comparison to some of the stunts they've pulled off… or nearly so. And since he started working for Lorenzo, all Dillon had seen was the brighter side to the blond woman. And he liked her. She was fun, imaginative, and very loyal. Almost reminded him of an overstated Georgie… Anyway, ever since Carly married Lorenzo, it was like Port Charles was seeing a different woman.
"How are you today?" she asked him as she stood next to the table.
"Good, and yourself?" he asked politely. She grinned.
"Couldn't be better… and might I say, you're looking quite handsome today," she commented, raising an eyebrow at the well-cut navy suit he wore and the tamed blond locks on his head. Dillon smiled.
"I've put in a half day with Ned at ELQ," he said. Carly nodded.
"Ned's a good guy, you'll learn a lot from him," she said. Dillon laughed.
"Yeah, between him, Jason and Lorenzo, I could just end up ruling the world," he joked. Carly rolled her eyes.
"Don't say that too loud… this is Port Charles, you know. There are too many people here that think they do rule the world…" she said. "But again, with Jason and Lorenzo, you'll learn a lot from them as well…" Dillon looked down at his watch.
"Speaking of, I have to meet Jason in a few minutes. I should get going," he said, causing Carly to grin as she wiped a stray hair from her forehead.
"You've given Edward a fit, haven't you, by working with Jason," Carly stated more than asked. Dillon just grinned back for a second as he stood up.
"It's worth it just to watch him bluster about. I swear, he's going to blow a vein one of these days," he said.
"The world will miss him, I'm sure," Carly said sarcastically.
"Oh yes… one less cantankerous old coot to worry about… Anyways, I'm off. I'll probably see you later," he said. Carly nodded.
"Say hi to Georgie," she said. Dillon smiled with a small wave as he exited the restaurant. The jury was still out on what Georgie thought about Carly. She often commented – as did the rest of the town – that Carly and Lorenzo would never last. But Dillon thought differently. He had been there through the joint kidnapping plots and had helped the pair rescue each other. It was definitely a love that would last… anyone could see it in on their faces as they looked at each other. It was the kind of love that Dillon hoped his feelings for Georgie would turn into. As much as he loved her now, he held no illusions. He knew that they were both still so young. They still had a lot of growing up to do and a lot of bumps in the road to weather. Carly often – much to the amusement of both Jason and Lorenzo - called Georgie 'Saint Georgina' or 'Miss Goody Two-Shoes', and she was right. Georgie was the realist of the two of them - the light side to Dillon's darker romantic. It was she who had insisted that he take the part time position with Ned at ELQ when it was offered, rather than dedicate all of his time to working for Jason and Lorenzo. He knew that Georgie was afraid what would happen to him if he got too entangled in the 'business'. She didn't grow up under the guidance Mac Scorpio and not learn a thing or two about mobsters…
Looking at his watch, Dillon increased his pace towards Jason's penthouse. He would just make it in time for the meeting. By the time he reached the front doors of the penthouse, the two guards stationed at the front doors of the high rise had already made their way inside.
"Shit…" he muttered to himself. It wasn't exactly going to come off as suave when he rolled into Jason's late. Shaking his head at himself, he punched the button to the elevator and waited impatiently.
"Running a little late, are we young Quartermaine?" Luke Spencer's voice rang out, causing the teenager to spin around. Walking along side the white-haired man was Lorenzo Alcazar.
"Well, it seems as if everyone's running a little late today," Dillon said with a grin. Luke shrugged and Lorenzo smirked.
"I doubt that Morgan will shoot us that badly… maybe a foot or something," Lorenzo said lightly. Dillon grinned up at his idol.
"Not if he doesn't want Carly coming down on his head," he said. Luke let out a laugh.
"Or the beautiful Ms. Jones… that girl can certainly hold her own," he said, causing Dillon to smile. He thought back to Georgie standing up to Faith Roscoe on the docks…
Don't touch him, you skank! It was the night that Carly had come to their rescue, Lorenzo following just behind to come to her rescue.
"Yeah, she can hold her own, can't she," Dillon said as he watched the elevator light hit ground level. Luke chuckled as the elevator doors dinged open.
"Love is in the aiiiiiiiir…" he cried, skip-hopping into the elevator and waving his hands around exaggeratingly. Dillon looked to Lorenzo to see the man working hard to hold back a laugh. Luke looked back at the two of them with a grin.
"Come on you love-sick twitterbugs… let's get up there… the mobsters have rung the bell…" Luke said. Lorenzo resisted the urge to roll his eyes, as did Dillon, as the two men stepped into the elevator behind the crazy man.
"'Love-sick twitterbugs'?" Lorenzo asked. "You honestly couldn't come up with anything better than that?" Luke just grinned as he watched the numbers climb.
"It was off the top of my head, give me a break," he muttered. Lorenzo turned to the man.
"And why exactly are you involved in this meeting anyways? Mr. Quartermaine, I can understand. And since I'm a partner, my presence is expected. But you?" he asked. Luke shrugged.
"I'm all-around important, I guess. All… around… important…" he said, making a circle in the air with his hands to emphasize the point. Dillon smirked.
"All around jackass," he muttered. Lorenzo chuckled as he pat the boy on his shoulder. Luke just huffed.
"How you're not dead with that mouth, boy, I will never understand," he said, shaking his head.
"I'm all-around important, I guess," Dillon retorted, making an identical circle in the air to Luke's. Lorenzo's chuckle turned into an outright laugh as the doors opened with a ding. The tall man was still laughing as they walked to the Morgan penthouse. The two guards stationed at the door looked to be two deer in a pair of headlights as they stared at Lorenzo. Dillon couldn't hide his smirk when his idol suddenly scowled.
"What?" Lorenzo asked. The two guards looked at each other and then back to Lorenzo. They didn't say anything, just stared. Luke clapped a hand on Lorenzo's shoulder.
"Look a little more intimidating, boss man. The laughing has led these two to think that the real you must have been carried off by little blue Mars men…" Luke said. Lorenzo just shook his head before he looked to the two guards.
"Have they started yet?" he asked. One of the men shook his head as the other reached out to open the door.
"Waiting for you, sir," the guard who opened the door said. Dillon smiled in appreciation at the two as he followed Luke and Lorenzo into the penthouse.
"Hey Luke," Dillon called. When he had the other man's attention he continued. "What makes you think Mars men are blue? How believable is that, really?" Luke rolled his eyes.
"Young Quartermaine, when you're talking about mythical creatures, who's to say what's believable? Have you seen a Mars man?" he asked, causing Jason to look over with a confused frown. Sonny, who'd overhear most of the argument from the couch, chuckled.
"What the hell are you two talking about?" Jason asked, but he was ignored.
"Oh come on, Luke. Why throw out Mars men when you could have said 'body snatchers'. It would have been more believable. There has been a movie made about it, people would identify with it more…" Dillon remarked. Luke let out a little whistle.
"Whooohooooo… getting' all Hollywood and mighty on me now, are you?" he asked, throwing up his hands as if to fend off an invisible attack. Dillon sat down in one of the leather chairs with a shrug.
"I'm just saying, is all…" he said back. Jason came to sit down in the other leather chair with a manila envelope in his hand.
"What are you two arguing about?" Jason asked as he watched Lorenzo make himself comfortable on the couch. Luke looked at Jason.
"Oh, we're not really arguing. It's just a simple matter of young Quatermaine growing into his smart ass shoes," the white haired man said. Jason smirked for a second before he shook his head and turned his attention back to the folder.
"Well… to the subject at hand, then," he said, opening the object in his hand.
"Faith Roscoe…" he said. Those two words had everyone's undivided attention. The young widow was trouble. Dangerous trouble. She'd been a subject of heated discussions between Jason, Sonny and Lorenzo for many months since no one knew, exactly, what to do with her.
"What's going on, Jase?" Sonny asked. Jason looked around the room before he set the file down.
"I've been in discussions with her for the past week," he said, much to the surprise of everyone. "We've discussed the terms of a truce…" Luke stood up with a surprised yell.
"What? Have you forgotten what that little viper has done? She was part of the plot to kidnap Alcazar… and my niece got caught up in that little war and almost got her killed. Have you forgotten that already?" he asked. Jason's blue eyes hardened.
"No, Luke, I haven't forgotten. But things are happening right now. There are rumblings of a new player and a turf war. We need all the strength we can get. Faith Roscoe has connections and she has men. We need both if what's being said is true. I know you've heard those same rumors, Luke. That's why you are here tonight," he explained. When he looked around the room again, he saw Lorenzo deep in thought.
"What are you thinking?" Jason directed to him. The other man's eyes focused again.
"I'm trying to think of who's posed a threat to any of my associates in South America. Right now I'm drawing a blank, but I'll get in contact with them early tomorrow," he said. Jason nodded.
"It could be from the inside, too," he said. Sonny stood up and went to find Jason's liquor supply.
"Yeah, it could. But we've weeded out all the opposition," Sonny said. "We were real careful with that. If it is on the inside, who would it possibly be? I trust every single one of the men we have with my life…" Jason let out a sigh and ran a hand over his face.
"I know that, Sonny. And we still don't know what, exactly, we're facing," he said. Luke cleared his throat.
"Big players? Excuse the small player interruption… but Morgan? I don't think it's going to be a 'we' involved here. You're the big gun in town now… everyone knows that," he said. Dillon's mind kept spinning around something as well and knew that he should probably say it.
"Faith Roscoe," he said, causing everyone to look at him. He practically gulped down a bit of stage fright when he realized all attention was on him. "Umm… what I mean to say is… well… She's been negotiating with you for a truce. And you say you're willing. All this talk of an insider leads me straight to her. What if she's planning a double-cross? What better way to do that than to shake hands across the table and shoot the gun under it," he said. Luke chuckled.
"Kid's going Hollywood again. But I see his point. Faith could be weaseling her way in only to plant her very own insider to take you down," he said. Jason looked to Lorenzo, who shrugged.
"It's possible… and with Faith, it's more like probable," he said. Jason nodded as he looked down to the file again. He then looked to his cousin.
"Well Dillon… I think you've pretty much secured your surveillance position," he said. Dillon's eyes widened in excitement. Finally, something other than 'companion' or 'runner'.
"Who'll I be tailing?" he asked, causing the mobsters to smile at his wording.
"Faith Roscoe, of course," Sonny answered for Jason, knowing how his friend thought.
Dillon snuck into the dark living room at the mansion through the veranda doors. Hoping to avoid all of his crazy family members he quietly made his way to the door. Just as he reached for the doorknob, the door flung open, light from the entryway spilling into the room. Dillon's shoulders dropped in defeat when the light flicked on, revealing his grandfather.
"Where have you been, young man? Your grandmother is worried sick! You didn't call to say where you were or when you were going to be home. Lilah was about to have me call the police," Edward said as he walked into the living room. Dillon rolled his eyes. His grandmother would have done nothing of the sort. Why Edward persisted in using Lilah as a smokescreen was beyond every inhabitant of the Quartermaine mansion. And because of the mixture of excitement and dread at his new job, Dillon didn't feel like compounding those feelings with a lie.
"I've been with Jason… other than that, you don't need to know anything," Dillon answered as he threw his jacket over the back of the desk chair. Edward huffed in response as he walked further into the room.
"You will cease working with that ruffian and his goons, young man. Do you hear me?" Edward ordered. Dillon just shook his head.
"You don't have any say over me, Edward, you never have," Dillon said. "I can choose what I want to do, when I want to do it. You can't stop me…" A white eyebrow cocked up as the old man stared the teenager down. Dillon wasn't moved. He just crossed his arms and stared back. Finally, after an angry shifting on his feet, Edward stuck a finger out towards Dillon.
"You're turning out just like your hooligan cousin, young man," Edward croaked out after a second or two of blustering about, his old body shaking in its anger. Dillon just continued staring at the old man until it unnerved Edward and he walked out of the room. Dillon just looked at the recently vacated doorway. It was becoming apparent to Dillon that turning out like Jason Morgan wouldn't be as bad as everyone seemed to be making it. With a smile on his face, he turned. There, standing in the veranda doors, was Georgie. And she didn't look happy. Instead, she looked troubled.
"Georgie," he said, starting towards her. She held up her hand as she walked further into the mansion and closed the door behind her.
"Dillon…" she said. "What were you and your grandfather talking about?" Dillon shifted on his feet uncomfortably. He knew she wouldn't like the subject matter.
"Uh… well… actually… we…" he started, trying to hedge. But knowing it wouldn't work, he let it all out in a single breath. "…Were talking about me working for Jason." Georgie's jaw clenched as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"He doesn't want you to work for him, does he?" she asked. Dillon let out a heavy sigh.
"Isn't it pretty much what I argue about with everyone?" he asked as he turned and flopped down on the couch. "You, Edward, my mother, Uncle Alan, cousin AJ… the list goes on." Georgie sat down next to him.
"Did Edward threaten to keep you out of ELQ?" she asked, worriedly. Dillon looked at his girlfriend.
"No, Georgie. He did not threaten to keep me out of ELQ. It's not his decision, remember? I'm working for Ned," he reminded her. Georgie shook her head.
"Working for Ned doesn't mean anything. Edward is the one that pulls the reigns… and you shouldn't be goading him on. You know he doesn't like you working with Jason. You can't afford to lose this job," she said. Dillon let out another sigh.
"Georgie, ELQ isn't the only job I have. And probably not the last one I'll have either," he said, taking her hand in his and squeezing it. Georgie looked down at where there hands clasped each other, relishing it.
"I'm just worried, Dillon. You can't depend on a life in crime… and that's what your cousin and Alcazar do… they're criminals. I don't want you to end up like them," she said, finally looking up at him. Dillon was silent, deciding not to rise to the bait.
"Georgie, can we not talk about this right now? I'd rather not think about anything having to do with the employment world. We're together, and it's the first time in weeks we've had more than fifteen minutes in the same room, so let's just drop it," he said before leaning in for a sweet kiss. Georgie's heart fluttered a bit at the caress, and it overwhelmed her worry for a few seconds. But when he pulled back, a frown crossed her face.
"What?" Dillon asked her, his eyes searching her face. She stood up.
"You know I just can't let this drop, Dillon," she said. He let out a frustrated sigh as he sat back against the couch.
"Georgie…" he started.
"No, Dillon. Don't 'Georgie' me. You're getting deeper and deeper into this and pretty soon, you'll be so deep that I can't help you get out," she said. Dillon stood up too.
"Maybe, Georgie, this… this isn't your decision, okay? This is what I want to do. You can't run my life for me… You're getting to be as bad as my grandfather," he told her. Georgie stood up straight at the seeming insult.
"Don't compare me to Edward," she said through her teeth. Dillon shrugged.
"If the shoe fits, Georgie… you're starting to get like him. The same song and dance… just different words," he said.
"Fine… if that's how you want to see me, fine. If you don't want to see that I'm worried about you, fine. Don't come asking for my help when you get thrown in jail along with the rest of them," she said angrily before storming to the veranda doors and going out them, only to shut them quietly as she left. Dillon looked at the doors longingly. He wanted to go after his girlfriend, to tell her that he knew she was worried about him and that he loved her more for it. But he didn't. If Georgie didn't understand, then he didn't want to explain it to her. They'd work it out eventually, but for now, he just wanted to not talk about it. With a groan, Dillon stood up. He needed to take a walk. Maybe then he could figure out what to say to Georgie when he went to apologize.
Georgie found herself standing in front of the one person – the last person – she never thought she'd go to for advice.
"How do you do it?" she asked. Carly Alcazar looked up at the teenager with a smirk.
"My, my. Isn't it going against your moral code to be talking to me, Ms. Jones?" Carly asked caustically. For some reason, this young girl's disapproval hurt her. Strange… Georgie just rolled her eyes, belaying her annoyance. Silence continued on for a few more awkward seconds before Carly huffed and set down the coffee she was drinking.
"Fine… do what?" she asked, equally annoyed. Georgie's eyes roamed the room uncomfortably before she pulled out the chair next to the beautiful blond and sat down.
"How do you love a guy who is so deeply entrenched in something that will end up ruining his life?" she asked softly, looking down at her hands. Carly's heart softened considerably at the vulnerable question, but she let out a laugh anyway as she sat forward, closer to the young girl.
"In essence, Ms. Jones… are you asking me how to love a bad guy?" she asked conspiratorially. Georgie hesitated, and then nodded. Carly sat back with a sigh.
"Fist of all, Georgie… Dillon is not a bad guy," she started as her automatic defenses went up. "And to be perfectly clear, neither is Jason, Lorenzo or Sonny." The teenager just looked confused. Carly reached out at pat the girl's hand.
"Honey, the job is not the man. The quicker you understand that, the quicker you will understand everything." Georgie stayed silent with a frown, but nodded again slowly.
"So, you're saying you have to separate the two," she ventured. Carly shook her head emphatically.
"God, no! You can't do that either! It's not a case of Dillon and Mr. Hyde, here. It's a case of the Dillon you're with and love desperately versus the Dillon of his job. They aren't different entities, sweetie. They are just different facets of a person. Like I'm Carly the mother and Carly the wife. Two different facets. And you are Georgie the sister and Georgie the daughter. Again, two different facets," the blond explained. Georgie sat back with a sigh.
"I understand," she said miserably. Carly squeezed Georgie's hand in comfort.
"It's hard, I know. Believe me, I know. I've loved three of such men… Jason, Sonny and Lorenzo. But now, you have to realize that you can't change Dillon," Carly said simply. A sudden thought struck the young woman. "You know, you remind me of someone… three someones, to be exact." Georgie's ears perked up as she straightened. Carly's eyes became vague in memory as she started speaking again.
"Jason was involved with three young women at one time or another… Robin, Elizabeth, and Courtney. They are all a lot like you… realistic, moralistic and unbending," she said. There was a hint of censurewith it. "And then there was me. Trouble, with a capital 'T'… a little on the bad side. Well, things ended horribly for him with Robin, and Elizabeth… and now Courtney. Do you know why? Because a guy like Jason – and Dillon – will always be drawn to the hint of bad. That's why I'm still in Jason's life, and the others aren't. That's why Dillon is drawn to Sage…" The teenager drew in a harsh breath at the other girl's name.
"How do you know about that?" she asked defensively. Carly laughed again.
"Honey, I'm not blind… and I've heard Sage talking about Dillon… Anyway, the reason why Jason's relationships failed so miserably with those 3 women – and why Dillon's will ultimately fail with you if it stays this course – is because the girl was so unwilling to let that bad touch any part of their life and those in it. So, consider this a warning and sound advice from someone who's seen it with her own two eyes… you don't have to embrace the way Dillon has chosen to live. But you have to accept it and you have to understand it enough to know why he loves it," Carly pointed out. Georgie thought over the older woman's words, but still was silent.
"Georgie, I think you and Dillon are perfect for one another. That is why I am telling you this. I see you, Dillon and Sage turning into another Robin, Jason and Carly farce. Stop it before it starts. I can honestly tell you that if history repeats itself, it won't be pretty… especially for you. You love Dillon, he loves you. But you're young. You have a lot of mistakes yet to make and a lot of growing up to do. But don't make this harder on yourself. Just love Dillon. Let a little of his bad even out the light you give him. Later on, it's that exchange of your best that keeps you together forever," Carly said, sitting back with an encouraging smile. Georgie was silent, but a smile graced her features, softening them.
"You and Alcazar?" she pried suddenly, finally enjoying the girl talk with someone other than her sister. Carly chuckled.
"Me and Alcazar," she confirmed. "He balances out my insanity and I balance out his severe logic. A simple case of yin and yang." Georgie actually laughed, but then sobered quickly.
"Thank you, Carly," she said. The older woman grinned as she picked up her coffee.
"Now, was that so hard?" she asked of the appreciation. Georgie grinned back.
"You have no idea," she answered. "You know, all these years, I think people have underestimated you." Carly smiled gratefully.
"Maybe, but I'm also older and wiser, with many regrets…" she said, her eyes fogging over in memory slightly one more time. "There is no greater teacher than experience…"
"Carly…" a voice said from behind, causing both women to look behind her. There stood both Jason and Lorenzo. Georgie's eyebrows raised a good inch as she observed both men looking at Carly with so much love that it made Georgie's stomach flutter. It was even more interesting to Georgie that the look in Jason's eyes went unnoticed by the blond woman. Georgie couldn't help but smirk when she realized how very unobservant the blond woman was where it concerned her best friend. But then again… Georgie thought as she watched Lorenzo Alcazar cup Carly's face and give her a welcoming kiss. I'd be unobservant too. As she watched the three interact, Georgie realized that what Carly had told her earlier was absolutely true, no matter how much Georgie wished it wasn't. The other facets of Jason Morgan and Lorenzo Alcazar were standing right in front of her. But rather than be down about it, it actually lifted her spirits. There was hope for her and Dillon yet… she just needed to make sure Dillon knew that.
A/N – Sooooo… what do y'all think? Okay, those in the CarLo corner? Am I doing 'What If I Can't?' justice? And how 'bout those GQ lovers? Is this going well? And for those people who are Jason/Carly supporters, like myself, I'm sticking in a few hints, clues and whatnot to what MAY happen in the future… For the Sonny fans, he'll probably get a woman… which one, I'm not sure. And for those of you that don't ship at all… this fic is still fun, right? I hope so. It's full of goodies for a person like me… I only hope there are more out there (people like me, that is…)! Let me know what you guys think! Should I continue? Or should I scrap it and say 'waste of my bloody time'? This moves nowhere without reviews… I swear my life on it... :P And just so everyone understands, this won't be as long as the other one. I plan on this being a part of a "What…" trilogy, with the third one being the conclusion and more in the style of the first one. Just an FYI. :)