If you are completely confused with what is happening and who is paired with who either read my first GH piece or be patient. Everything will be explained and although this is a sequel to the first one it is possible to understand this work without reading the first.
Sins of the Father
Chapter 1: Breanna Barrett
Strains of Christmas Carols piped through the Barrett-Rodriguez house as detective Cruz Rodriguez frantically cleaned before his wife's return. Brenda had been in London for a week for a photo shoot and well he supposed he had been a little lax in his housekeeping while she was gone. As Cruz turned off the vacuum cleaner and wheeled it in the direction of the closet he heard the doorbell ring. He wasn't expecting anyone, even if Brenda had managed to catch an earlier flight and then had taken a cab from the airport to surprise him she certainly wouldn't ring the doorbell.
"Just a minute," Cruz called put the vacuum cleaner away and then went to the door.
Opening the door on his doorstep he saw what could have been the younger version of his wife. He saw the same sparkling brown eyes, the same long dark brown full locks, the same beautiful features. She was tall and trim well actually really thin just as his wife but also still in that gangly adolescent phase that all girls go through and his wife had come out a knock out. "Is Brenda Barrett-Rodriguez here?" she asked softly and hesitantly.
"No, I'm sorry she's not," Cruz said flatly and then regretted the way he had said it but he was feeling a little uncomfortable standing there thinking how beautiful a girl who he was certain wasn't eighteen and probably not even fifteen yet was.
"Will she be back soon, I'm her sister," the girl said desperately her eyes turned down to the steps she stood on.
Cruz tried to recall a sister, of course there had been Julia but she had been older than Brenda and had been killed in an explosion almost a year ago. Then he recalled on those rare occasions when she had mentioned her father Harlan Barrett and how he had chosen his third wife over Brenda and kicked her out of the family home when she had been seventeen which had led to her move to Port Charles, and then cut off her trust fund at the same wife's request six months later which had led to her taking a nanny position for the doctors Alan and Monica Quartermaine to pay her expenses and tuition at Port Charles University. Of course Cruz wasn't sure that had been such a bad thing for Brenda the Quartermaines had come to care deeply for her and she had made close friends for life. But then he recalled the other half of the story that what had initially hurt the most had been leaving her half sister Breanna only a baby at the time.
"Are you Breanna?" Cruz asked a minute.
"Yes!" the girl said brightly. She smiled to reveal a perfect smile. "You're Cruz right? She's right you're cute," she said impishly as it began to snow again and a few flakes landed and melted into her hair.
"Well why don't you come in, you can watch me clean frantically and then we'll go pick up your sister at the airport," Cruz said opening the door wider and ushering the girl in then noting her six suitcases on the steps behind her.
Cruz lugged suitcases into the entryway of their home laughing slightly at the fact that perhaps overpacking was a genetic trait. Of course he supposed he didn't know exactly how long the girl intended to stay, it was a little early to be coming for the Christmas Holidays as it was only early December. He shuddered wondering if Harlan Barrett had fourth wife who didn't like Breanna.
Breanna was sitting uncomfortably on the couch fiddling with her ipod. "Are you hungry? Can I get you something to eat or drink?" Cruz offered.
"No I'm fine," Breanna said knowing it was a lie and she had vowed to be honest with Brenda and perhaps even her new husband once she had felt him out a little but she also didn't want to spring everything on them at once. If she did she was sure there was no way they'd let her stay.
"Do you need help cleaning?" Breanna asked. Ok so she had never even made her bed before but how hard could it be?
"No I've really just got to run the dishwasher and wipe down the counters now and we'll be good. Brenda's plane gets in around five thirty so maybe we can get dinner at Kelly's or something after," Cruz suggested turning to go into the kitchen
"Who is Kelly?" Breanna asked pulling out a stool at the kitchen counter and sitting down as Cruz scrubbed.
"Probably years ago the person, or perhaps the wife of the person, who owned the restaurant, but its a restaurant in Port Charles," Cruz said laughing.
"Oh," Breanna said not really looking forward to going out to eat.
"But that will probably be closer to six thirty or even seven by the time we get there are you sure you don't want a snack before we go?" Cruz offered.
"No, really I'm not hungry," Breanna said.
"Ok," Cruz rinsed the sponge out in the sink and started the dishwasher. It was about three-thirty and the airport was only thirty minutes away so it was a little early to leave to collect Brenda but he felt uncomfortable hanging out with her little sister who by the math is his head was probably twelve or thirteen.
His cell phone rang interrupting his thoughts and he reached for it, "Rodriguez," he said quickly.
"I'm glad I caught you man," Jason Morgan said.
"What's up?" Cruz asked. Oh how things had changed in the past seven months he thought, he would have never imagined he would have been working with Jason Morgan, alleged mob enforcer for mob boss Michael "Sonny" Corinthos Jr.
"We have a little problem," Jason said.
Cruz made a face, Jason was a man of few words and getting information from him was like pulling teeth.
"What?" Cruz asked.
"Ric Lansing is alive," Jason said tersely.
"Well didn't we suspect that anyway?" Cruz asked, at least he hadn't ever believed the man was really dead, he just thought it was Ric's cowardly way of avoiding extradition. He had shared his concerns with their acting Police Chief John Quartermaine an agent on loan from the FBI and he had admitted as much as well. He wasn't sure why it was such a surprise to Jason.
"But it changes things, especially if he still has an alliance with the Alcazars," Jason said.
"So we go after them both," Cruz really wasn't understanding why this was seemingly shocking news to dare he say his friend. In spite of his "brain damage" Jason was a pretty smart and perceptive man.
"It will involve a change in plans. I know you have to pick up Brenda but we'll meet tonight nine pm, usual spot I'll notify everyone," Jason said and then there was a click.
Cruz closed his cell and returned it to his belt. "Who was that?" Breanna asked nosily looking up at him.
"Oh it was just a business associate," Cruz said not really a lie but he didn't want to explain the situation.
"But I thought Brenda said you were a cop, aren't they called partners or whatever, or that's what they are on tv. like Ponce and John?" she said.
Cruz laughed, "You mean from CHiPs? Where did you see that? I think it was in reruns by the time I was your age," he asked.
"It's on HBO right after the Sopranos," Breanna said.
"Your mother lets you watch the Sopranos," in his opinion even the HBO version had way more violence than he thought anyone needed to see.
"My mother doesn't care what I watch, anyway she's on a cruise now," Breanna said matter of factly. "Do you have a mall?" Breanna continued.
Cruz raised his eyebrows, shopping of course like sister like sister. "Yes Port Charles Crossing is right by the highway so it would be on our way to the airport, but wouldn't you rather wait and go shopping with your sister?" he suggested
"I can't exactly go shopping for her Christmas present with her can I?" Breanna quipped.
"No I suppose not, do you know what you want to get her?" Cruz asked personally he was not a big fan of malls.
"Well sort of," Breanna hesitated it was kind of hard to know what to get someone who had everything. Plus she wanted this gift to be extra special since she would actually get to see Brenda open it.
"Alright well we can stop on the way and you can shop for a bit but I don't want to be late to pick up Brenda," Cruz said.
He went to the coat closet and grabbed his leather jacket and a scarf and waited for Breanna to put her coat back on and grab her ipod and backpack purse. In the garage he opened the door to the back seat of his SUV for her. "Can't I sit in the front," she whined.
"I have front passenger air bags," he said getting into the vehicle.
"So?" Breanna asked still standing in the garage pouting.
"So, you don't look like you weigh more than one hundred pounds its not safe no get in the car or we won't have time to stop at the mall," he said firmly.
He saw Breanna stick out her tongue but she did as she was told and he opened the garage door, started the car, and backed out into the driveway. She was silent as he drove down Magnolia Lane and over to Lexington and Sunset Avenue past the other fire station and all the Chapparal County Office buildings. As he proceeded up Sunset Avenue he caught a glance of her in the back seat something in her eyes just looked so sad, he'd seen that look before when Brenda had been at the depths of despair with her anorexia. He felt badly about how he had been stern with her before, after all she wasn't his daughter, or even his sister.
As they passed by the exit to the highway he said, "If you can't find what you want here there always the Gallery Mall on the other side of Port Charles, I could take you some night after work. Your sister likes the Crossings better for most things though," he offered.
Breanna forced a smile, she knew he was trying to be nice and he really didn't have to. Perhaps Brenda was right and not all guys were creeps like their dad. "Ok, thanks," Breanna said.
Cruz watched Breanna closely as they made their way through the early December crowds. "Cruz," he heard and turned to see Dr. Patrick Drake calling to him.
"He's cute too, who is that?" Breanna asked as they made their way in Patrick's direction.
"Christmas shopping?" Patrick asked as they joined him.
"Just a little we have to pick up Brenda from the airport soon. Patrick this is Brenda's younger sister Breanna Barrett, Breanna this is Dr. Patrick Drake, he is a neurosurgeon at Port Charles General Hospital," Cruz introduced.
Patrick extended his hand, "It is very nice to meet you Breanna, my wife Emily and I are very fond of your sister. Will you be staying through the holidays?" Patrick asked.
Breanna hesitated she was afraid to answer honestly. Surprisingly Cruz answered for her, "Yes Brenda and I are very excited she's here to spend our first Christmas together with us. Is Emily on call tonight?" he asked.
"Yes, and its RSV season so I'm sure she'll be exhausted when she comes home tomorrow, we're both off this weekend though so maybe we can get together. Em has a sister around your age so perhaps the six of us could do something," Patrick suggested smiling at Breanna.
"I'll have Brenda give Emily a call," Cruz suggested as they parted.
"Sure, have a good evening," Patrick called.
"He seems nice," Breanna whispered as they walked away.
"He and Emily are both very kind people, Patrick was my best man in our wedding, and Emily was your sister's matron of honor" Cruz admitted.
"I was really mad my mom wouldn't let me go to your wedding," Breanna said wistfully.
Cruz saw the deeply sad eyes return. "Come on, this is one of your sister's favorite stores," he said leading her into the Silversmith a traditional yet trendy jewelry store.
As Breanna looked through bracelets and brooches Cruz's phone rang again.
"Rodriguez," he said stepping away from Breanna slightly but still watching her carefully.
"Its me again, we're going to have to move that meeting to ten, Sonny needs to wait for Alexis to get home because he has all the kids. Carly is at some real estate conference," Jason said.
"Ok I'll see you then," Cruz said and was met with a click and silence from Jason's end. A year ago he would have protested the late hour but he supposed he knew what he was getting into when he agreed to join the organization. Still he would be glad when everything was over and the truth could come out. He returned to where Breanna was, "Did you find anything you like?" he asked.
Breanna looked at him wistfully, "not really," she admitted.
"They do make stuff to order, you could design something and I could come back and place your order," he offered. "But we should go now, your sister is probably exhausted from her flight back from London," he said.
When they reached his SUV he unlocked the doors and turned off the alarm and without even protesting Breanna climbed into the back seat. He smiled back at her drove through a little traffic on the arterial and then made his way onto the highway as the Port Charles International Airport was technically outside of Port Charles and in the town of Moriches. As he cruised Westbound on the interstate he looked into the rearview mirror and noted Breanna had fallen asleep. As he drove he wondered what had truly put the sadness in the child's sparkling brown eyes.