AUTHOR'S NOTE: This section was written by Melissa (T & M Fan) & AngelsInstead.
Second Chances : Chapter One
"Carly, you're the best friend that I've got in this town and I don't want to lose you, but I think that we could have something so much better then friendship," Todd stated as he pulled her into a kiss.
Carly kissed him back as his hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to him as he moved her closer to the couch. He lowered her to the couch as she ran his fingers through his hair and moaned through the kisses of pleasure. He began to unbutton her shirt as he kissed her neck. She reached for his pants and began to unbuckle them when they heard a knock on the door.
"Just ignore them...they'll go away," Todd whispered.
"Todd, I know that you're home...I really need to talk to you," he heard her familiar voice say.
"Marty?" Todd whispered as he climbed off of Carly and answered the front door.
"Marty, what are you doing here in Port Charles? If John sees you, he's going to arrest you," Todd stated as he pulled her into the apartment and shut the door.
"There's something that I need to tell you," Marty stated as she noticed Carly laying on the couch in just her bra.
"I'm...I'm sorry to interrupt, I should have called first...I'll come back later," Marty stuttered as she walked back towards the door.
"Wait Marty, don't go...you said that you have something to tell me. It must be important if you're risking you're freedom by coming here."
"It is important...there's something that I should have told you a long time ago. The night of the Spring Fling-"
"What about it Marty? Why are you dredging up that night now? I thought that we had moved past that," Todd interrupted as a pained expression came to his face.
"What happened the night of the Spring Fling?" Carly asked as she buttoned up her blouse and walked towards Todd. She didn't know who this woman was, but she didn't like the fact that neither one of them seemed to be aware that she was still in the room.
"I became pregnant the night of the Spring Fling," Marty stated.
"What?" Todd gasped. "That can't be true...I would have known."
"I'm sorry, but it is true...I had a little girl. Her name is Charlotte, she's autistic and is currently enrolled in Autism Speaks Academy," Marty stated as she handed Todd a picture of her.
"She's beautiful, she looks just like you...Is she...Is she mine?" Todd asked as he looked into Marty's piercing blue eyes.
XOXOXO
Michael was on his way to meet Starr when he stepped out of the shadows. "A.J., it can't be...I saw you die," Michael gasped out.
"I didn't die son. I was given a second chance at life and I want to use that to get to know you better."
"You kidnapped me and let my parents think that I was dead, that's all I need to know about you."
"There's two sides to every story. I know that I hurt you, but all I'm asking for is a chance to explain my side of the story. Please Michael, will you listen to me explain?"
XOXOXO
Starr sat in her apartment waiting for Michael. She was nervous, but excited to take the next step in their relationship.
When she had lost Cole and Hope she thought that the crippling pain would be all that was left for her to feel, but Michael had changed all that for her.
He had been patient and understanding through all of her grief and she had fallen in love with him.
She was just about to call Michael to see where he was when her phone rang. "Hello," she answered.
"Starr, I need your help," a voice that she never thought she would hear again stated.
"Cole!" Starr gasped.
XOXOXO
"That's why I'm here. Since Charlotte started courses at the Autism Speaks Academy, she's becoming far more verbal and she's beginning to ask questions about her father. She'd like to meet him."
"So, am I her dad?" Todd asked.
"I don't know. But I hope you are," Marty admitted. "I hope you'll agree to a DNA test, so we can have those answers once and for all."
"Look," Carly spoke up. "This is really none of my business, but why are you asking Todd for a DNA test now... after all of these years? You possibly had his child all those years ago... but you kept it from him. Why would you do that?"
"Marty had a really good reason," Todd said in Marty's defense. "She didn't say anything because I..."
"Because you what?" Carly asked.
"Because I raped her," Todd replied.
XOXOXO
Michael let out a heavy sigh as he stared at AJ. How could this guy just waltz back into his life after all these years and pretend to really care? All of his life he had heard terrible stories about AJ and his violent tendencies from his mother and Sonny. He couldn't imagine that anything AJ had to say would change his mind about the image he had of him. AJ was probably just going to tell him some lies.
"I know what you did," Michael responded. "You kidnapped me and my siblings... and you told my mother I died."
"Yes, I did do those things, Michael. I can't deny it. But you don't know why."
"I don't need to know why. I don't want to talk to you. I'm supposed to meet my girlfriend."
"Just give me a chance, Michael. I am begging you."
"Alright then. Tell me this. Why did you push my mother down a flight of stairs?" Michael demanded. "You pushed her when she was 5 months pregnant, and she had a miscarriage and lost my baby brother!"
"I didn't push your mother. She fell. It was an accident," AJ swore. "Please, you gotta believe me. I love you, Michael.. and I want to be your father."
XOXOXO
"Cole, is that you?" Starr cried out into the phone.
Was she dreaming? Or was that really Cole's voice on the phone?
"Starr, I need your help. Irene Manning abducted me and Hope after the crash. She faked our deaths...and we are alive!" Cole exclaimed.
Starr couldn't believe it! Cole was really alive? He and Hope had been taken by her crazy grandmother?!
"Cole, where are you?" Starr demanded into the phone.
"Starr, it's dangerous. You can't come here alone," Cole said as he gave her the location. "We aren't the only ones being held captive here."
XOXOXO
"You...you raped her?" Carly asked as thoughts of Michael bombarded her mind. She knew that Todd had a past that he was ashamed of, but she never thought that he was the same kind of disgusting monster that had raped her son.
"Yes, I did and I wasn't the only one either. I orchestrated a gang rape on her," Todd explained as he looked at the ground.
"That's absolutely disgusting, you deserve to die for what you did to her," Carly stated as she slapped him across the face and stormed out.
"I'm sorry that I caused problems between you and your...friend," Marty stated.
"Don't be sorry Marty, don't ever say you're sorry to me. I'm the one who is sorry and if I lose Carly because of what I did to you then I certainly deserve it. What's Charlotte like?" Todd asked.
"She's smart, she's really good at writing...she comes up with the most amazing, funny stories and poetry, but she has a hard time relating with other people and I know that she gets frustrated. Will you look out for her even if she's not your daughter? I just don't want her to be alone."
"I'll look after her, but why would she be alone. Where are you going to be?" Todd asked.
"I'm sick...I have an inoperable brain tumor and I only have a few months left," Marty explained as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
XOXOXO
"I don't believe you, Sonny is my father. If you cared at all about me, you wouldn't have let me believe that you were dead."
"I didn't have another choice. It was the only way that I could protect you."
"Protect me from what?" Michael asked.
XOXOXO
"Who else is being held captive?" Starr asked.
"Your uncle Victor."
"What, but I thought that my dad killed him."
"Well he didn't. Irene faked his death just as she faked her own. I have to go Starr, Irene is coming and I can't let her catch me with the phone. I love you."
"I love you too," Starr stated as the line went dead.
XOXOXO
Victor paced in the cell as he held his little boy. He had to find a way out of this hell hole. It had been pure hell to watch Tea grieving for him and their son on the television that Irene had set up for him. He wanted to take away all of the pain that she was in, but he didn't know how.
If that wasn't bad enough, he was also worried about Marty. he had heard enough talk from the guards and Irene to know that they had something ominous planned for her. He only hoped that Cole had gotten through to Starr before Irene caught him with the phone. It was their only chance to be rescued.
"Hand me the baby and lie down on the bed," Agent Steed stated as he pointed his gun at Victor.
"What's going on?
"Do what I say or I'll kill you and your son."
Victor handed the guard the baby and laid down on his bed as he was ordered. As soon as he was laying down the guard restrained his hands and feet to the bed with chains.
"Why are you doing this?" Victor asked.
"He's all yours...I'll be back tomorrow morning," the guard stated as he walked away.
"Hello lover, I've missed you and since I've been a very good prisoner, Irene promised me that I could spend some quality time with you," Margaret Cochran stated as she entered the cell. Once she entered the cell, the bars came back down, locking her in with Victor.
XOXOXO
Todd's eyes widened in horror when Marty told him that she was dying. He wasn't taking the news of her illness very well. In fact, he refused to believe that she was dying.
"No, Marty," he said. "You can't die. I won't let you! I'm taking you to Port Charles hospital. There's an excellent surgeon, Doctor Drake there and he can save you."
"Todd, I am already seeing a specialist. There's nothing that can be done."
"There has to be something! You have to live. You have to live for Charlotte. She needs you. And if I am her father, I owe it to her to make sure that her mother stays alive and well," Todd stated. "Now don't argue with me. I want to go with you to see Doctor Drake."
Marty managed a smile when Todd said he would do everything in his power to help her. "Thank you, Todd," she responded. "But I really must go now. I am afraid I have taken up enough of your time."
XOXOXO
"I've been protecting you from Caesar Faison," AJ revealed. "I have reason to believe that you and everyone I love here in Port Charles are in terrible danger. I can't stay in hiding any more. I had to come back and warn everyone of Faison's plans."
"You're crazy. Faison has been dead for years."
"No, he's alive and well... and he's working with a very dangerous woman. Her name is Irene Manning."
"Manning?" Michael said with a frown. Wasn't Irene Manning Starr's crazy grandmother? Supposedly she was dead because Starr's dad had shot her. What the hell kind of sick game was AJ playing?
"Do you have any proof of this?" Michael demanded. "Or do you just expect me to believe you?"
"Yes, I have proof," AJ stated.
XOXOXO
To Victor's surprise and disbelief, Margaret unchained him and told him that she had a plan to help him escape. "You're helping me, Margaret?" he asked her.
"You bet your sweet fanny I am. Our son needs you, Victor. I want you to get out of this terrible place and return to our little boy."
A smile came to Victor's face. He missed Sam so much as well as all of his other loved ones. When Margaret produced a key out of her bra and unlocked the door of his prison, Victor almost kissed her.
"How can I thank you, Margaret?" he asked as she helped him disarm the alarm system and escape through the doors.
"I will want a favor of you someday. It will come when you least expect it. And when I come to you with my wish, you must fulfill it without question. Do you promise?" she asked.
"I promise," he responded without hesitation. "Now I gotta go. I know there are others locked away in this compound by my mother... and I have to get help to save them."
"Good luck, Victor," she said as they parted ways.