CHAPTER TWO

THE NEWS HITS PORT CHARLES

February 27th, 2010

10:21 am

SONNY'S MANSION – STUDY

"We have work to do, Johnny – much work needs to be done." Jason stood in front of the younger man whom was sitting in Sonny's over stuffed chair. The one that the back was facing the French doors.

"I'm not going." Johnny said looking up into Jason's eyes – steady. Dead brown eyes staring up in calm blue eyes.

"You have your orders. You are not in a place to disobey Sonny's orders, Johnny. Even though you have chosen and proven your undying loyalty to Sonny – you are still a Zaccahara." Jason's head tilted back. "Let's go."

"No." Johnny breathed out.

"Get up Johnny," Jason rasped out.

"Tell Sonny that he can kill me." Johnny breathed. "I don't want you – his number one weapon to do the job f or him. I want Sonny to kill me himself. I want to be able to look into his eyes and know the reason why I lost."

"Sonny doesn't want you killed." Jason said with a frown. "He just wants you to get off your ass and get your job done. That is all that is required of you."

"She's dying." Johnny said as a single tear run unchecked down his cheeks. "She's dying and Sonny blames me for the time I had stolen from him. If it wasn't for me than he would have wooed her back into his bed long before. Back in his heart – back in her rightful place by his side."

Jason sighed, "Look Johnny, Sonny has forgiven you for your being in Olivia's life – bed and her heart." His right eye brow. "Matter of fact after you continued to protect and defended Olivia against your own sister, Sonny knew you would protect her with your life."

"My life is hers. I would gladly take her place in that hospital bed – I would gladly remove that cancer in her brain and put it in my own. I have lived a ruined and bloodied life – my entire life. I have no reason to live. But, Olivia has much to live for. Her son. Gideon. Sonny. Her family back in Bensonhurst. She's an angel – she doesn't deserve to have to die this young. This way."

Jason sat down on the coffee table. "The business that Sonny wants us to do is for Olivia, Johnny." His brow deepened. "He has told me to inform you that you are no longer a hit man for him. No, your new job and duty is solely to make Olivia's life easier and as comfortable as you can."

"Meaning Claudia." Johnny breathed.

Jason nodded. "Like I said, Sonny wants you to get on with business."

Johnny nodded tightly and gripped the sides of the chair as he got to his feet. "I'll tend to it." He walked pass the still seated Jason, out of the study door.

Jason had twisted around and simply watched the younger man leave his sight. He knew that Johnny would still have many dark days ahead of him – but he wouldn't be suicidal. Much.

10:45 am

KELLY'S

Mike was frowning as he leaned against the counter. He couldn't wrap his mind over what Sonny had told him not three days before. How could he not have noticed things have gotten so serious? Sure he had noticed that she hadn't been up to her sparkling self lately. Sure he knew that she wasn't running on full cycles. He had noticed the pain she had been on – more than twice a week.

At first.

Than it was twice in a day whenever he saw her.

Than it was every few moments that she was in pain.

But she hid it. She hid it as well as she could. As well as she always hid anything that would hold her back from living her life. He should have demanded that she go to bed and just rest. Too allow her body to get the rest it so craved – so she could heal. He should have marched right over to Sonny's and ordered his son to take care of Olivia.

Could of, would have, should have.

None of that was going to change the truth.

How could it? When the truth was that Olivia was more seriously ill than anyone thought. When Olivia was right now fighting for her very own life.

Tears rolled unheeded down his cheeks. Bowing his head he wrapped his arms around his neck. Sobs wretched out of his tight chest.

11:00 am

METRO COURT – OLIVIA'S OFFICE

The door opened.

"What are you doing here? This is a private office." He said in a growl. Eyes glinting at the person whom had the gall to open the door.

"I have come to check up on you." Kristina softly said stepping into the office. Closing the door behind her. "I by passed your office – knowing that you would be here." Stopping in front of the desk in which he was sitting behind. "You haven't been in your office since the moment you learned – have you?"

"No." He shook his head. "I want to be here. In her office. Where her essence is still alive and vibrant." Tears sparkled in his eyes and one slipped down his cheek.

"She's still alive and vibrant, Jax!" Kristina said in a sharp voice. "She's not dead and gone. She is not going to be not for a long, long time."

"You are still young, Kristina, young and innocent. So hopeful and full of faith." Jax whispered. "But I'm not Dante. I don't need false hope and reassurance."

"Don't you!' Kristina demanded in a hot voice. "If you continue down this bleak line of lack of faith – than I don't want you around my brother, father or Olivia."

Jax blinked.

"Olivia is fighting for her life! She's weak and frighten. She doesn't have much strength left in her own body. So she's counting on the ones whom she loves to give her the needed strength. We need to be her strength." Kristina leaned against the desk. Tears sparkling in her eyes, but she refused to release them. "If you can't get yourself together, Jasper Jax. If you can't allow Olivia to have one tenth of your strength, Jasper Jax."

Leaning forward and whispered in his face, "Than you will stay the hell away from Olivia. For good."

With that she leaned back and turned and stormed from the office. Leaving the door wide open.

Jax stared after his best friend's daughter. A thoughtful look on his tearful face.

11:12 pm

ZACCHARA'S MANSION

"Where's my son." Claudia looked up the moment she felt their presence in the room.

"He remains with Sonny." Johnny said his arms tightly across his chest – his stare without any feelings towards his older sister.

"No, now that Sonny's Bensonhurst whore is dying in his house, my son doesn't get to remain there." Claudia said her eyes lifting. "I will not allow my baby boy to be in a house of death or mourning."

"Gideon remains with his father and his mother." Johnny said.

"I'm his mother." Claudia said in a steel whisper. "I carried him for nine months. I loved him for nine months. I protected him for nine months. He's mine. Not hers."

"You made sure to trap Sonny with a pregnancy so he wouldn't kill you." Johnny said over the last tone of her voice. "So that when Sonny learned that you gave the order to kill him – and instead got Michael – than he couldn't possibly kill the mother of his child."

"He's my son." Claudia said in a soft voice.

"He's Sonny's and Olivia's son." Johnny firmly said.

"John -" Claudia begged.

"Sonny has told me to keep you in line. That nothing has changed. That if you try to cause trouble for Olivia or their sons than you will be taken care of." Johnny said in a tone less voice.

Claudia licked her lips. "So does this at least mean; I get to see you little brother."

"I have to keep you away from Sonny and his family." Johnny said.

"I take that as a yes. Are you going to move back in? Your room hasn't been touched since you moved out." Claudia softly said.

"I hate this place." Johnny breathed. "But if it means that you don't go near Sonny; than yes I'll come back." His jaw tightened.

"You can leave now, message has been given and received." Claudia turned her eyes onto Jason finally, "You can tell your boss that Johnny is going to manage me." Her jaw locked. "You tell Sonny for me, Jason, that if Johnny decides to move out again – than all bets are off."

"I won't move out." Johnny said in a dead voice.

Jason turned and left brother and sister alone. He felt bad for Johnny. Well bad. But there was no other way. Johnny had to sacrifice himself for this cause.

12:45 pm

GENERAL HOSPITAL – OUTSIDE ROOM 2020

Looking through the small glass that served as the window into the room. He was sitting in his usual spot on his mother's bed. His hand was covering her hand, his other hand was running lightly down his mother's cheek. His mother was asleep. She looked peaceful.

But that didn't matter to him.

He wouldn't leave his mother's side – not until she was out of that bed. Not until she was out of the hospital – back home. Where ever home was now. Not her apartment. Not over Kelly's. But at Sonny's. She wondered if he would be comfortable living in his father's home.

She doubted it.

But for his mother – he would bare anything. For his mother.

"Why don't you go in there." Her cousin's voice said in her ear.

"He doesn't want to see me. He wants to have his entire essence directed at his mother." Lulu said softly. Afraid that if she spoke too loudly – something tragic would happen.

"Go in there." Michael said putting his hand on her shoulder. "He needs you."

"He needs his mother." Lulu shook her head.

"He needs you. He needs to be able to lean on you." Michael simply said. "Don't be afraid to be the one that Dante leans on for strength."

"I'm not afraid." Lulu said in denial.

"Aren't you?" Michael said without really putting a question on the question. But he left it as a question.

"It's complicated Michael, it's very complicated." Lulu pushed away from the door and leaned against the hallway next to the door – the door to the room where he was.

"It's not that complicated, Lu, not at all. Not complicated at all. He's in there losing his mother with every breath that she takes." Michael said leaning against the wall close to her. "He's in there praying for a miracle that God would just let him keep his mother by his side. He's telling God that he's not ready to lose his mother."

Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I know how he feels. That was what I was begging when my mom was the way she was." Licking her lips, "But, this is much, much different and worse than what I went through with my mother. At least my mother was going to live a long life."

"Was she?" Michael's lips pursed out. "How did you know that her heart wouldn't give out? That she wouldn't be one of the lucky ones to live to be a hundred?"

"We didn't. We just begged and prayed to God that he would let her remain with us." Lulu whispered.

"Just as he is doing right now." Her younger cousin said in a comforting voice.

1:15 pm

SONNY'S MANSION – NURSERY

"Hey there Giddy," She whispered softly as she lightly run her finger down the boy's cheek.

He just looked up at her with sad brown eyes. She wasn't the one he wanted or needed. She knew this. She was fine with this. She had her own daughter at home whom needed and wanted her. No this little boy wanted another woman.

He wanted his mother. His real mother. Not the woman whom had carried him inside her for nine months. No the woman whom had loved him solely for himself the first moment she learned that his father was expecting another baby. He wanted his mother. He craved for his mother.

"She'll be home soon," Carly whispered as a tear rolled down her cheeks. "She is anxious to hold you once more little one." She gently rubbed back his fine silkily black hair.

His eyes welled up and he let out a loud howl – which soon became a scream.

Carly quickly leaned forward and wrapping her arms around the small body of Gideon – glided him out of the crib. Holding him close to her chest – just next to heart – she made her way to the rocking chair that was next to the window.

"I know I'm not the one you want little one. But I'm the next best thing that you need." Her head tilted. "Unless you want your older brothers and sister."

Giddy tried to get out of her arms. Tried so desperately. But his tiny body just wouldn't remove itself from her arms. She kept moving her arms more securely around his moving bodies. Oh if only he was older and could be left alone. He screamed and moved so desperately – until he grew so tired and wearily that he had to lean into the woman. He wasn't comfortable – so he had to move a little bit more into her chest and get comfortable. Listening to her heart beating. It somehow calmed his tired out body. Not his soul. No his soul would not tire until his mother was back with him.

1:22 pm

KELLY'S

"What can I get you?" He looked into the compassionate eyes of the woman sitting at the bar. Her hands reached up and covered his; which was resting in a fist on the counter top.

"What can I do for you?" Bobbie gently and softly requested.

"Absolutely nothing." Mike said pulling away from the kind hand over his. "Nothing." He felt his eyes sting from the redness that he knew was surrounding – due to his crying feast that he had earlier that day.

He very well knew that he had customers in the restaurant when he broke down. But he didn't give a damn on what image he had sent out. If they couldn't handle the owner breaking down some times – than they aren't the customers that he wanted in his place of business.

"Have you visited her?" Bobbie's head tilted. "Every time I have gone by her room – I haven't been able to see you."

Mike nodded. "I visit whenever I can." Swallowing. "What type of man do you take me for?" He demanded in a hot harsh voice suddenly.

Bobbie knew that Mike needed to get this anger out of him. But she wished that he didn't have the audience that he currently had. She did what she had to do. She knew that she had to make him for go letting his angry out. "You are the sweetest, kindness man that I know." She softly said.

His eyes willed up. His head bowed.

2:22 pm

GENERAL HOSPITAL – OUTSIDE ROOM 2020

She was looking into the room once more. He was still sitting where she last saw him. Her hand reached up and touched the door. All she had to do was push the door open. Allow him to know that she was there.

Suddenly his head turned and he stared at her through the small window. His eyes called out to her. His soul cried desperately out to her soul.

She knew what she had to do. Opening the door she softly said, "Dante -"

"Lulu." His voice was horse whisper.

She walked over and put her hand on his tense shoulder. "When was the last time you stood to your feet and stretched?"

"I am not getting up. I don't have to use the restroom." Dante said in a soft steady voice.

"You need to get some rest also," Lulu said softly slowly kneading his hard tense muscles around his shoulder and back.

"I'm not leaving." Dane firmly said. Tensing up even worse than before. He felt if he unwound for even one little inch – than she would manage to get him removed from his mother's side. He couldn't allow that. He felt even now if he left – than his mother would die.

"You ma wouldn't want you worn out due to her." She softly said as she leaned her head against his. "She is in for a long haul. Do you expect to remain by her side always?"

"If it's the way for her to have my strength than yes." He kept his eyes clued firmly on his mother's sleeping face – his hand covering hers on the side of the bed.

END CHAPTER TWO