Stepping Stones

Summary: Josslyn goes to see Nelle and talks to her about many things, Morgan included.

Part One

Michael Corinthos was working at his desk at ELQ when there was a light knock on the door before it slowly opened. He glanced up and his eyes met Josslyn's. "Hey, Joss. What are you doing here?" He asked, setting down his pen and relaxing in his chair.

Josslyn moved into the room and threw hereself down into the chair across from her and bit her lip nervously. "I just wanted to ask you how Nelle is doing. I wanted to go see her, but I wasn't sure if she'd want me there. I'm really worried. I know grandma said that she was fine, but ..." She trailed off.

"But you're worried about her." Michael completed her sentence with a sigh. "I'm actually amazed that you didn't already go to the hospital to check up on her."

The blonde lowered her head, allowing her hair to surround her face. "I wasn't sure if she'd want to see me. We haven't talked since back in November.."

He studied his sister closely. He knew what she was hinting at, even if she didn't say the words. "She doesn't blame you for what her father did. She understands why Jax did what he did to save you. You know, she heard you sing at the nurses' ball. She woke up while I was listening to you on my phone. You did an amazing job."

Josslyn smiled at that, a bright smile that lit up her whole face. "I liked being up there. I mean, I was nervous and everything but I thought about what you told me, about Nelle, and about...about Morgan and I wasn't as scared anymore." She swiped at her tears at the thought of their dead brother, heart aching. Their mother had just informed her of how Morgan had gotten so off balance. "Did anyone tell you about Morgan and Ava." She spat out the name Ava as if it was a curse, eyes glimmering fiercly.

Michael nodded. "Grandma told me to go see mom and dad when she saw me in Nelle's room. How are you feeling?"

His sister shrugged helplessly and swiped at her tears. "I'm having a hard time understanding it. Ava loved Morgan, or so she says. How can you do that to someone you love?"

"I don't know, Josslyn." Michael answered her quietly as he shook his head. "I don't know." He stood up then and pushed his chair under his desk before he walked over to Josslyn to wrap his arms around her, allowing her to sob into his shoulder. "Listen, I'm almost finished here. How about I take you out to eat and then I can take you to see Nelle?"

Josslyn gave a watery grin at that. "We could pick Nelle up some of those cookies that she likes from Kelly's, too. That will probably help cheer her up."

He nodded at that and gave her a smile back. "I'm sure she'd appreciate that."

Josslyn breezed past Michael into Kelly's and instantly took a seat. She flashed a smile at the young waiter who took note of them and came over to ask for their drink order. After she'd ordered her tea and Michael had ordered his coffee, the waiter left and took advantage of the situation to ask, "So, what do mom and grandma think of you spending time with Nelle?" She smirked knowingly, blue eyes bright as she studied him.

Michael laughed at that as the waiter came back to place their drinks in front of them before walking off again. It didn't shock him that Josslyn would ask that. She was bound to notice that neither woman was Nelle's biggest fan. "Well, apparently grandma tried to convince Nelle to leave, again."

The blonde rolled her eyes at that. "Of course she did. I mean...I get why grandma is pissed. But a lot of people in this town have done awful things. While what Nelle did was bad it's not as bad as what some people around here have done. I mean, Sonny kills people for a living. And Ava is the reason that our brother is dead. And Franco..." She trailed off at that and shook her head as she bit her lip, hard. "Anyway, I don't think that Nelle ever meant to hurt me or you. She could've told me what she suspected to get back at mom when she turned me away. But she didn't. She just said that we weren't friends. And while that hurt, she could've made it hurt a whole lot worse."

Michael didn't say anything to that as they ordered their food. His sister was right. Of the people in Port Charles who had committed crimes, the young woman in the hospital wasn't the one to worry about.

They arrived at the hospital a half an hour later, to go containers in their hands as they walked down the hallway to Nelle's room. As they got closer, Michael could see his sister grew more and more anxious. He squeezed her hand knowingly to help calm her as he knocked on the door before opening.

Nelle was in bed, rested against the pillows and looking better than she had the day before. She had a book in her hand that she put down as she noticed them and her eyes widened in shock as she saw Josslyn. "Michael, Josslyn. What are you two doing here?" She asked with a smile.

Josslyn didn't say anything as she handed Michael the bag in her hands before she hurried over to Nelle to wrap her arms around her. "I'm so glad you're okay." She breathed before she let go and took the seat beside Nelle's bed. "I'd have come earlier, but I was at the Nurses' Ball and I didn't want grandma or mom to suspect anything. Michael and I brought you some food from Kelly's, by the way. I figured that it must suck to have to be in here so it would cheer you up."

The woman in the hospital bed smiled at that and nodded, "Well, you were definitely right." She said as Josslyn fixed her tray and Michael began to take the food out of the bag.

"We picked you up one a cheeseburger, some onion rings, and cookies. Shiloh added in extra." Josslyn announced. As she watched Nelle dig into the food. A question burned at the corner of her mind, one that she wasn't sure how to ask.

Nelle took note of Josslyn's facial expression and asked in a concerned tone, "Are you okay, Josslyn."

The teen tried to smile reassuringly. "I'm fine. I was just..I was just wondering if your kidney is okay."

Nelle and Michael shared a look as she reached out to squeeze Josslyn's hand. "Hey, my kidney is fine, Joss. And I don't blame you for what happened to me. I don't even blame Jax. Your father was just trying to save your life. The only one to blame is my father. But you have to believe me, I don't regret that my kidney went to you. At least something good came out of my dad's selfish decision."

"See, what did I tell you Joss?" Michael asked as he squeezed his sister's shoulder. He sighed as his cellphone rang and took it out of his pocket. He threw an apologetic smile at the two girls before him. "Sorry, I have to take this." He said quietly as he left the room.

Nelle studied Josslyn carefully. Even though just a few months had passed, the girl before her looked older and her heart ached a little at the fact that she'd missed out on so much of Josslyn's life. "I need you to know that when I did what I did, I never wanted to hurt you. Or Michael. My anger was misdirected, but it was never toward you."

"I know." Josslyn told her quietly. "You could've told me what you thought my mother had did, but you didn't. I was telling Michael that while it hurt to have you cut me off, it would've hurt even worse if you'd told me your suspicions. Thank you for that."

"So, I heard you sing at the nurses ball. How was it?" Nelle asked.

The younger girl's eyes lit up at that and she relaxed in her chair. "It was amazing. I'm so glad Michael convinced me to perform. I felt like Morgan was there with me, too." She said excitedly as she beamed. "And the best part is, the Nurses' Ball is for a good cause."

Nelle laughed at that. "Well you did a great job. I think that Morgan would be proud of you."

"That's good to hear. Morgan always loved to hear me sing." Josslyn stated carefully, voice thick with tears.

"Are you okay?: Nelle asked her with a frown.

Josslyn swiped at her tears angrily and shook her head. "Michael and I just found out why Morgan died. Ava Jerome switched his pills."

Nelle gasped in shock. "I'm so sorry. Why would she do that?" She wondered out loud.

The teen sniffled. "Apparently she wanted to keep him away from Kiki. So..she decided to switch his pills with placebos so he'd act out and scare Kiki into leaving him."

Nelle didn't respond as she squeezed Josslyn's hand once more.