So This is new for me. I am going to write this adding an entirely new character. I look forward to making this character grow. This story is going to have a little bit of everything. Please let me know what you think. All reviews are welcome.
Matt was sitting outside Kelly's thinking of the million ways to break things off with Maxie. It was all he thought about lately. She was just too much for him to handle. He didn't think there was anyone that could really handle Maxie. She was overwhelming and annoying and selfish. Everything he really didn't want to be a part of. He used to love being around Maxie all the time. He used to love listening to her go on and on about nothing important to normal people. She really only cared about what was important to her.
He sighed as he took out his phone and texted Maxie to meet him at the docks in an hour. He was just so over it. He needed to end this before their relationship became even more ridiculous than it already was. His thoughts turned to Elizabeth. She was the one person he talked openly about how he really felt for Maxie, and she was always so honest and understanding despite the fact that she could not stand Maxie.
He thought of their brief kiss on the boat before all hell broke loose. He thought of how she had almost died so many times, but had managed to fight her way back. He also thought about the way she had acted when she saw Jason. That had opened his eyes to the reality of her relationship with Jason. She had shared more than just a child with him, and it was written on her face in her moment of weakness. He also remembered the way that Jason had reacted to seeing her. The tenderness he did not know the mob enforcer even possessed. He had never seen Jason look at Sam the way he had looked at Elizabeth.
Their history was long and enduring. He knew that eventually they would find their way back to each other. He had felt jealous of that, and wanted to feel that way for someone. He wanted to love someone so completely that it would radiate from within him. He didn't have that with Maxie, and he would never have it with Liz. As much as he wanted to find out what was there, he could not compete with Jason. No man could.
He looked up and was shocked out of his reverie when he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was like nothing he had ever seen before. Her thick cherry-brown hair shone in the sunlight and reached just barely to her chin. She had light freckles scattered all over her nose and cheeks just under her eyes. She was probably about 5'5 and voluptuous. She was curvy and stunning in all black. She seemed unaware of just how beautiful she was. She had no air of arrogance about her as she distractedly walked towards him.
Maxie was completely forgotten about in the few seconds that he had laid eyes on her. She was walking towards him slowly as if the whole world was in slow motion. He wanted to say something to her, but he was so caught up in watching her that she just kept walking without ever looking at him. Once she was gone, he had a mission. Once this thing was over between him and Maxie he would find that woman and find out who she was.
His phone vibrating on the table jolted him back to reality, and he saw that Maxie had agreed to meet him. His day was about to get even more interesting.
An hour later he found himself standing on the docks waiting for Maxie when he saw her again. She was still just as he remembered her even though it had only an hour ago that he had seen her. He let his eyes take her in again, all of her. She was wearing the simplest of outfits, but she was breathtaking in it. She wore black tight pants with a black lacy tank top. She was clearly uninterested in clothes even though they looked expensive. Her shoes are what gave her the height that he thought she had. She was probably less than 5'2. She was amazing to look at.
He nearly jumped out of his skin when Maxie tapped his shoulder from behind. He turned to see the petite blond looking like she wanted to be anywhere but here. She always had that look when it came to him. He wanted to do this quick like a Band-Aid.
"What's up, Matt? I have things to do," she asked impatiently as she typed away on her Blackberry.
He sighed, "Maxie, I can't do this anymore. I can't be so far down on someone's list if I am going to be their significant other. It just doesn't work well for me. So I think we should just end this."
Her head snapped up, "Are you crazy? We have the perfect situation. We come and go as we please. We spend time together when we want to. I don't see how that is a problem."
"It is a problem. It's a big problem for me. I am tired of you going off all the time when we are in the middle of doing something. We go out to dinner, and something happens and poof you are gone. You go off with Spinelli or you go off to something for Kate. I am just done. I want more than that, and you can't give it to me."
"Is this because of Elizabeth?" she demanded almost stamping her foot.
"It has nothing to do with her. Elizabeth is my friend, nothing more. This is about us. You and I are just not going to work out, and I want to stop pretending that we are. It's ridiculous."
"Ridiculous? Really, you think I am ridiculous now. Wow, I am glad you are telling me this now."
"I didn't say you were ridiculous. I was saying that pretending our relationship is anything other than a joke is ridiculous. I am sorry. I don't want to hurt you, but I just can't keep this up anymore. So it's over. Done."
She glared at him, "Fine, whatever. I was thinking about breaking up with you anyways."
"Sure, was that before or after the woman behind the man article came out?" he smirked.
"Oh, shut up, Matt. Just remember that this is your decision, and I will not be here when you realize you made a mistake."
"Don't hold your breath," he muttered as she stomped away in her best high-heeled manner.
He let a breath in relief and turned to find that the girl was gone.
"Damn," he said under his breath and he took off in the direction he thought she might have gone.
He never found her though he roamed around all over looking for her. He finally gave up, and went to the hospital to check on Liz. He thought about the girl all the way up to Liz's floor. He couldn't wait to tell Liz about breaking up with Maxie. That should help her feel better, no doubt. He walked off the elevator thinking about the mystery woman again. Who was she?
Karisma (Matt's Mystery Woman)
So this was Port Charles? It seemed dirty and grimy, but she wasn't used to city life. She was from the south and there weren't factories and shipyards where she grew up. She didn't want to draw attention to herself so she kept her head down and didn't look at anyone. It wasn't that Port Charles was that big of a place by normal standards, but from the "village" that she grew up in it might as well have been a metropolis.
She moved here just out of college after landing a job at Crimson as a 2nd assistant to Kate Howard. She knew she wasn't the most fashionable girl, but she knew fashion. She knew what was what, and she had worked hard to get this position. She had sent in letters of recommendations. She had found Kate in New York City a few times just to get her to talk to her about the job. She knew Kate was a monster to work for, but she would do it. She wanted this.
She thumbed through her IPhone as she walked the streets of Port Charles, and wondered why Kate Howard would chose to have her magazine here and not in New York City. Granted, NYC was only a couple hours away, but still. Why here? What was so special about this place?
As she walked past a brownstone restaurant called Kelly's, she noticed a guy sitting outside looking disturbed and confused. She was shocked at how cute he was. Maybe this town wasn't so bad after all. Her attention was brought back to her phone when she got a message from her mother. She continued to keep walking around after she messaged her mother back.
She somehow wound up at some docks. This place didn't seem like it should be the home to one of the most influential fashion magazines out there. Docks? Really? The docks were eerie to be around. The water was so dark and she could smell the salt water in the air. The salty air was mixed with smell of something burning. She couldn't quite put a name to what the other smell was, but she could guess it was probably something killing the ozone.
She ran her fingers through her short hair, and looked back down at her phone. She had been walking around this place for hours, and she was ready to find her hotel. She looked around to get her bearings when she saw the cute guy coming onto the piers. She looked back down at her phone so he wouldn't think she was staring at him. She heard a not so masculine voice suddenly and she looked up to see him talking heatedly with a small, fashionably dressed, blonde girl.
She watched for a few minutes, and realized it was not a conversation she wanted to be around. It looked like they were arguing, and they should have their privacy. In her old town, she hated that everyone seemed to know your business before you did, and she wasn't going to start off on the wrong foot here. She turned around and headed back towards her hotel. She was staying at the same place the magazine was published at, The Metro Court.
It was the fanciest place she had ever stayed in, and it was costing a pretty penny. She was going to have to find somewhere cheap to live if she was going to stay here. She unlocked her door and went inside. She was not used to being alone like this. She had grown up in a house with three older brothers and 3 older sisters with her being the youngest of seven. She was never alone. She had had roommates all through college, and now she was completely alone.
Part of her relished it because it gave her time to think and plan what her next moves were going to be without some there to constantly give her their unwanted opinion. Then she got lonely so easily with no one to talk to. It was a double edged sword this being alone thing. She hoped she could make friends. She started work on Monday and it was only Thursday. She should make an effort before then to at least meet some new people.
She sighed and sat down on her bed. She was a friendly person before, but things that had transpired in the last year had made it difficult for her to want to get close to people. The things that had happened were the reason she had moved to a whole new area. She needed a fresh start away from all her problems hoping they would not follow her here.
Matt
Standing outside Liz's hospital room, he contemplated what he was going to do now to find that girl. Liz would help him since it would keep him away from Maxie, and he wouldn't be pursuing her anymore. Not that the thought had completely left his mind. He was interested in Liz, but he knew he did not stand a chance. She had too much unfinished business with Jason I'll kill you with one look Morgan, but Jason was married now to Sam. That match seemed to work more than Elizabeth and Jason. She seemed too sweet for Jason. Sam was rough around the edges and she knew how to handle a gun.
Elizabeth was meant to be protected and free to do what she wanted. She could never have been free if she stayed with Jason and have bodyguards following her where ever she went. That just wasn't something that would make her happy, in his opinion, but what did he know.
As he turned the door handle to go in, he could already hear the machines beeping normally and the silence that came in between each beep. He saw that she was looking off into space like she was just thinking about nothing and everything at once. He knew when she had that look she was deeply troubled by something. He had known her long enough to know what she looked like when things were bothering her, when she was thinking about something that made her happy, and when she just thinking.
"Matt," she smiled looking at him as soon as he shut the door behind him.
"Hey, Liz. You are looking better. I thought I would come by and give you some good news."
"Maxie got hit by a bus?" she teased.
He shook his head snickering, "Close, but alas no. I ended things with her. It's over. Caput."
She was silent for a few seconds as she took in what he said. He couldn't help but be hopeful that she would be happy about this and want to be with him. It was a small hope, but it was there none the less.
"Are you happy about it?" she asked in small voice.
"Yes, I am. It was my idea. I ended it with her on the docks."
"Well, then okay. Good, I am so glad you dumped that little wolf in sheep's clothing," she breathed in relief.
He sat down in the chair next to her bed, and wondered who had put it there. It hadn't been there when he left earlier.
"Yes, and now I am free. I feel lighter somehow."
"Well, I don't see how you would feel lighter. She wasn't weighed down by much and that's including a brain," she shrugged.
"Wow. Please don't hold anything in."
"Believe me, I won't. She's a vapid, little climber. Anyways, you should go out and celebrate. Go to Jake's with Patrick and Steve. Embrace your new found freedom."
"I would rather go out and celebrate with you."
"Well, I can't right now. I am stuck here until my doctor deems me healthy enough to go home," she informed him as if he didn't already know.
He was her doctor, and he had refused repeatedly to let her go home. Now he kind of wished that he had let her out.
"Okay, I hear ya. I will celebrate doubly with you when you get out. We'll celebrate your freedom from this place, and my freedom from the climber as you so affectionately called her. So how are you feeling?"
"Better. Ready to get out of here and go home to my boys. Get my life back to normal."
"Was somebody here?" he questioned looking at the chair he was sitting in.
"Sure, lots of people have been here. You are not my only admirer, Dr. Hunter. My brother was here. Olivia, Lulu, Epiphany, etc."
"Jason?"
"No, he hasn't been here since I had my fever meltdown. Which by the way is really embarrassing to think about. It has been almost three years since Jason and I ended things. Sure, it was hard when it first happened, but it was for the best. Then he married Sam, and that brought all that back to the surface. He couldn't marry me because it was too dangerous, and then he goes and marries that woman. Ugh. Sorry, it just stings that's all," she sighed as she laid her head back against the pillow.
"I am sure it does sting. But I have to say, seeing him with you. Honestly, I have never seen him look that way when he looked at Sam."
"He was worried about me. I was spouting off about Jake. I was being ridiculous. Trust me Monica let me know. Which is ironic coming from her since she isn't exactly a saint. I have always thought that people in glass houses," she smiled.
"Shouldn't throw stones," he finished for her.
He didn't know the history of the people that lived in Port Charles like Liz did. In the three years that he had been here, he had only come to be close with a few people and Liz was one of them. Monica was purely a colleague. He really didn't want to know anyone that could have been so nasty to a deathly ill patient.
"So what are you going to do now? I mean about Jason."
She shrugged, "There is nothing to do. He is attached to that bottom feeder for the rest of his life. I think that kind of puts the nail in the coffin for us."
"Well, if marriage lasted forever as it used to, but one thing I have seen is that marriages fall apart as easily as they come together."
She shook her head stubbornly, "Sam has been trying to get her hands on Jason since the beginning. She has done that now. The fact that he could so easily get past the things she has done in the past shows they are meant for each other."
"Well, then what about Lucky?"
"Humph. Lucky is out "finding himself" in the world. Who knows when he'll be back? Who really cares!"
"I thought you did."
"I am too tired to care. I am just over it all. I want to have a quiet life with my boys, and that'll make me happy."
"Well, sounds like you woke up during your sickness. I mean on the boat you were all about being back with Lucky, and now who cares. It's interesting."
"Why is that interesting? I have more important things to worry about than Lost Lucky. So, you should be going to get ready to get drunk at Jake's."
"I will," he said standing up looking at her curiously.
She wasn't really looking at him now. She was a million miles away, lost in her own thoughts. She was trying to be strong and let the men of her past go. He wished it were going to be that easy for her. Letting that kind of love go was never easy to do.
"I'll be by tomorrow to check on you and hopefully you will be ready to go home."
She sparked at the mention of home, "Good. I am tired of this hospital food already."
He couldn't help but smile at her, "I am sure you are. I will see what I can sneak in from Kelly's tomorrow."
She nodded and he went to walk out of the room. Her voice stopped him.
"I know you will be happy with the decision that you have made. Now you can just celebrate your amazing accomplishments without having to share it with the bloodsucker we call Maxie."
"Thanks for the boost. I will be back tomorrow," he laughed as he walked out.
She was something, and she seemed to be better all the way around since she had gotten so sick. It was like she had woken after a long sleep and her eyes were wide open to the reality that was her life.
He found Patrick in the locker room with Steve which was convenient.
"So what are y'alls plans tonight?" Matt asked plopping on the bench across from them.
"Not much. Sleep was on the agenda. Why, Matt, you almost look spritely? What happened?" Patrick asked looking at his brother suspiciously.
"Maxie and I broke up. Well, actually I broke up with her on the piers about an hour ago. So I was thinking we could go to Jake's to celebrate my new found freedom," Matt answered happily.
He wanted to have some drinks and talk with his older brother and Liz's brother. Steve could maybe give him a better understanding as to what he should or could do to woo Elizabeth. Or maybe he would run into his mystery lady? There were so many possibilities for him now. He had had a crush on Liz for some time now, but he was equally intrigued by this mysterious new woman.
"Sure, that sounds like a good idea. What guy doesn't like celebrating his bud's recent detachment. I am game," Steve quickly agreed.
"Yeah, I could use a night out as well," Patrick sighed exhaustedly.
Matt knew Patrick and Robin were having difficulties since this last debacle with Lisa. Lisa had reeked havoc on all their lives for months, but this last go round had seriously left its mark on both of them. Robin just wasn't her usual bossy self anymore. She voluntarily stepped down as chief of staff, something she never would have done before Lisa had done her worst, and now she was even cutting back on work. Patrick was beside himself on how to help her.
"Alright. Then let's go. We have some drinks to consume," he urged enthusiastically.
They all left the hospital 20 minutes later and headed to Jake's. It seemed like it was a quiet night when they came inside. Coleman was behind the bar drying a glass tumbler and chatting with Kate Howard. Other than Kate there were a few other people that Matt didn't know.
"It's dead in here tonight," Patrick commented looking around the joint as they took a table in the center of the bar.
"It's still early. Maybe it'll pick up," Coleman answered as he came over with three beers for them.
"Coleman, bring the tequila and three shots glasses," Matt said looking around at the empty bar.
Coleman nodded and walked back to the bar.
"So Matt what brought on this surge of empowerment? It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain patient of yours?" Patrick asked condescendingly.
"Well, no, not really. I mean she has always encouraged me to do what's best for me as she does for everyone in her life. But I think the boat ride was really the final straw. She wanted to make my accomplishments all about her. She wanted everyone to think that she was the woman behind me that made me do the things I did. It was utterly ridiculous. She wasn't even around when I began my research all those years ago, and she hasn't been around lately while I was pushing to get it published. Liz called Maxie a little climber. I don't think I could have described it better myself."
"If anyone knows how horrible Maxie can be, it's my sister. Maxie did a lot of damage to Liz and Lucky's relationship. I think you should give her some space though if you are indeed interested in her. She is still reeling from the damage done this go round with Lucky," Steve spoke reasonably.
"I have been giving her space. Lots of space since I have had a girlfriend for the entire time Liz and I have been close friends. But there is something else to factor in now. I saw this girl out by Kelly's," he started but Patrick's booming laugh stopped him.
"Oh, you have the Drake curse. You dump one girl, and you are already looking for your next victim. Dad is the same way. So was I," he laughed.
"I am not trying to find the next victim, but I mean this girl. She was beautiful. I have never seen her around town before. Believe me you would remember her if you had seen her. I am just curious who she that's all. There is no harm in that," Matt shrugged innocently.
They downed three shots in a row and started a game of pool. Matt was surprised when Jason walked in with Carly. Jason had a somber look on his face as usual. The only time he had ever really seen any kind of emotion on the man's face was when he was with Elizabeth, and that was a look of regret mixed in with angst. Now he was as stone cold as Spinelli had always called him.
"Hey, Jason. You haven't been in for your follow up appointment since you've been home. How has everything been since the surgery?" Patrick ask when the two walked up to the pool table.
"Fine. A couple headaches, but nothing big. I will be coming to the hospital in a couple days or so. Just got some business to clear up," Jason answered in his monotone voice.
Again Matt noticed there was no emotion even when he talked to anyone that wasn't Elizabeth.
"Good. You need a follow-up MRI and what not to make sure everything is alright up there," Patrick smiled as he pointed to his temple.
Jason only nodded and briefly looked at Matt before walking to the bar with Carly. Matt felt a shiver roll through his body after that look. He had never really talked to the man, but that look was not a pleasant look at all.
"I think I am going to head out," Matt stated no longer feeling like celebrating.
"Really, this was your idea," Steve said as he knocked a ball in.
"Yea, I know. But I have rounds in the morning, and I should get in early to get the tests on your sister started so she can get home soon."
"She is lucky to have such a devoted doctor," Patrick praised as he tried to hide his smile.
"Yes, I think she is lucky. I am treating her better than Monica would."
"Yeah, Monica has been quite the bitch lately," Patrick agreed.
"You should have seen how cold she was to Liz because of Jason. Monica was the one that told Jason. It was not Liz's fault that Jason rushed to her side as soon as he found out what happened. Monica is just mad because she never knew that Jake was Jason's," Matt ranted.
"Careful, Jason is right over there. Wouldn't want him to think you are talking about him," Patrick laughed slightly.
Matt glanced over his shoulder and saw that Jason was looking his way. He dropped the subject and said goodbye again. He made his way out of the bar, and wasn't surprised when he heard someone walking behind him. He turned to find Jason standing ten feet away from him.
"How is she?" he asked solemnly.
Matt didn't have to guess who he was asking about. He could see it written on his face. He could hear it in his tone, and who else would he be asking Matt about.
"Liz is doing better. She should be released in a day or so. Depends on some test results. But she is on the mend."
Jason only nodded and remained silent.
"Did you want me to tell her anything?"
"No, I just wanted to know if she was okay. She, uh, looked pretty bad when I saw her last, and I haven't been back to see her since then. I don't think it is the best idea right now."
"Why? Because of the way she reacted? She was delirious from a fever. She wouldn't have said those things if she had been lucid."
"I know. She has to be strong all the time, and now she has to build herself back up again after letting those walls down."
"They were only down because she was so sick."
"She is lucky to have you as a friend and doctor. Take care of her."
"I will. Congrats again on your marriage."
Jason didn't say anything else. Instead he just turned and walked away. Matt started walking back towards his car grateful to be out of that situation. Jason was the strangest person he had ever encountered. He just didn't see how Elizabeth and he would have ever had a relationship. Shaking his head, he headed toward home. He had a long day tomorrow.
