For the Love of Family

Chapter 2: Best Interests at Heart

"Shock at 300, everyone clear!" Dr. Monica Quartermaine commanded, the nurse pressed remote button to deliver the shock to the seventy year old gentleman who had back into ventricular fibrillation while she had been performing angioplasty his LAD. Monica looked to the monitor seconds later and was rewarded with a sinus tachycardia. She breathed deeply and instinctively diverted her eyes upward seemingly beyond the ceiling.

"Now lets see if we can finish what we started," she suggested returning her attention to the screen that was showing her his coronary arteries. She advanced the catheter into the artery and again inflated the balloon, carefully watching the monitor but this time Mr. Rutherford's heart cooperated. Balloon deflated the artery showed good flow and she deployed the stent that would hopefully keep the vessel open, and enable him a few more years with the grandchildren.

She finished the procedure, and followed the patient to the post catheterization recovery area to write ICU admission orders. Although groggy from the sedation, Mr. Rutherford appeared to be doing well.

"Monica," a familiar voice called her name and she looked up from her orders to see her husband Dr. Alan Quartermaine, a trama surgeon who was also the hospital's current Chief of Staff.

"Hello Darling, are you finished for the day?" Monica asked.

"Actually yes. Occasionally my best laid plans do not go awry. I'm not even on call tonight. I can pick up up Nicole from piano lessons and then we'll head to Katelyn's meet. Why don't you join us there?"

"I shouldn't be too long I need to get this patient settled, speak to his wife, and read some EKGs. Actually on second thought I'll have to bring those EKGs home because I believe that all of Kate's events are in the first half of the meet. I haven't been to a track meet in years, well not since Emily was still running for the high school team. It was such a great sport for Emily, its great to see Kate discovering it as well," Monica reminisced.

"Yes," Alan agreed uneasily.

"Yes but?" Monica said noting the uneasiness in her husband's response.

"Well Emily wasn't also swimming twenty hours a week while she was on the team. I suppose I worry if she's doing too much," Alan suggested.

"She seems to be doing alright with it though, and her grades are wonderful. She still talks to us, some of her music we can understand, she's nice to her little sister, perhaps we're lucky," Monica suggested.

"More blessed perhaps, it is going to be so good to have Emily home again. Anyway I should go or I'll be late to pick up Nicole. I love you, I'll see you in a bit," Alan said.

"I love you too. Make sure Nicole is warmly dressed enough for the meet, it may be the end of March but it's still cold," Monica returned.

After Alan's departure Monica finished her orders, looked over the nurse's vitals and the rhythm strips. Mr. Rutherford's vitals appeared adequate and stable and he appeared to be in sinus rhythm. "I'm going to go speak with his wife and then I'm leaving please page me if there are any problems Virginia," she said to the nurse.

"Of course Dr. Quartermaine, have a good night," Virginia said.

"Thank you, you too," Monica returned pleasantly and headed toward the double doors.

Forty minutes later she pulled into the athletic visitors parking at Port Charles High School and walked over to the stadium that housed the track and the football field. She scanned the stands for her husband when she heard a loud bellowing "Gooooooooooo Katelyn!" that sounded as if it was coming from a bullhorn. In actuality it was merely her father in law, she chuckled and followed the sound to her family.

"Oh there's mommy! See daddy she had no problems finding us!" Nicole exclaimed as she joined them.

"I just followed the sound," Monica admitted.

"Is there a law against cheering, I think not! Anyway that girl she just passed finished in the top three at the state finals in the 1500 last year. Katelyn's on pace to break 4:40," Edward protested.

Monica looked down to the track where there daughter led by about 40m driving her arms down the homestretch. "Is this it or do they have more laps to go?" she asked.

"This is it, it's the 1500 Monica only three and three-quarter laps," Edward said as Katelyn crossed the line and slowed to a gentle walk.

"Oh I thought she was running a relay," Monica said then blushed a little noting that there were no batons involved.

"That already happened, they won that too. Katelyn ran the third leg and it was basically over then," Edward informed her proudly.

"4:37.3 by the way, very good, that's about where Emily started if I remember correctly," Edward said in a way that assured his family he most certainly remembered correctly. Emily had turned her grandfather into a track fan throughout her high school and later college career at Columbia he had followed the sport with fervor. He researched the runners and teams their strategy and then took to the stands without fail to scream his lungs out. At first the attention had made Emily uncomfortable, she had started running as nothing more than an outlet for her frustration and pain. Monica had understood that but she encouraged it because she considered it a much healthier alternative than other options she had seen other children choose. What neither of them had realized was that Emily had a smooth stride and amazing aerobic capacity. Her natural ability coupled with her hardwork led to fast times, and increased confidence; as she grew from a gangly eighth grader on the varsity team to a modest yet confident footlocker all american who led her high school cross country to back to back state titles in her junior and senior years. Through it all Edward was on the sidelines and in the stands cheering loudly. Initially taken aback by his enthusiasm Emily came to understand and appreciate his love and support. In reality Edward Quartermaine was not a track fan. In fact he had never followed the sport until the night Emily had shyly stumbled that she had joined the junior high track team. See Edward wasn't really a track fan as many of the parents on Emily's team had presumed; no he was a fan of his granddaughter. Had she decided to take up competitive underwater basket weaving Edward probably would have purchased scuba gear.

Katelyn joined them in the stands about ten minutes later and they congratulated her joyously. Coming up for air she said, "I'm done, and we're supposed to be going for a forty five minute run and then I guess watching the rest of the meet. Do you want me to just call you when we're done?"

"Well normally I'd say we should stay and cheer for your teammates as I'm sure their parents cheered for you, but we are having a guest for dinner tonight and it's almost five so perhaps we should head home," Alan suggested.

"I could see if Kortni's mom could give me a ride, it's not too much out of her way I guess," Katelyn suggested.

"It's alright Kate, your father or I can come get you, we just think someone should be home when Dr. Drake arrives," Monica said.

"Emily is coming home? Really? Wow! I didn't know, cool" Katelyn exclaimed.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Nicole asked.

"Sorry girls, different Dr. Drake, not your sister's fiance," Alan explained.

"Oh," Katelyn said disappointedly. "Well anyway I should go before my little group leaves without me and I have to run alone," Katelyn said hugging her family and then jogging down the steps of the the stadium to the track.

"Dr. Noah Drake?" Edward inquired.

"Yes, he called last week and said he would be in town he wanted to catch up I suppose. It was a bit surprising, although perhaps he's heard about Emily and Patrick's engagement," Monica wondered aloud standing to leave and taking her youngest daughter's hand.

"Perhaps," Edward said absently. "If I'd known we were having dinner guests I would have arranged to fly out in the morning," he finished starting to follow his son and daughter in law.

"Well, it was rather short notice, fortunately Ashley was willing to prepare some salmon and rice," Alan said referring to their au pair Ashley Roberts who was also a college student at Port Charles University. Originally Monica had been very opposed to having "domestic staff" but in time she had also realized that when both parents had time intensive, stressful, and quite honestly careers that would at times necessitate they put true patient life or death emergencies ahead of their children's desires she had admitted that something had to give. Initially Lila and Edward had moved in to help out, but concerned with imposing on her inlaws Monica had suggested the au pair. They had also hired a groundskeeper/ gardener and contracted with a cleaning service that came in three times a week to do the heavy cleaning. Over the years they had aquired several quite delightful au pairs. A few of whom they continued to keep in contact with.

"Oh and Monica made her irresistable cheesecake this morning," Alan added turning back to face his father with a slight smirk.

"Perhaps that is the real reason you failed to tell me about this dinner party son, more cheesecake for you," Edward chided.

"I'll make another one this weekend when you're home father, I've got second call and Alan is on call so we can't go anywhere anyway. Have a safe trip, Nicole give your grandfather a hug and kiss before we go," Monica instructed as they crossed over to the parking lot. When they reached the car moments later she opened the door for Nicole and ensured she was securely fastened into her booster seat in the back seat.

"Do we need anything from the store?" Alan asked.

"Not that I can think of, I suppose if we do I can grab it when I come back to collect Kate," Monica said opening the door to her SUV and getting inside. She and Alan exchanged a quick kiss and then he strode up the parking lot a few spaces to where his lexus was parked.

Monica backed carefully out of her space drove across the high school campus back onto Federal Avenue, past the town square and the court house. She turned onto Main Street and briefly headed in the direction of General Hospital but then made a quick left and proceeded down Lilac Drive past Lilac Park until she reached their home.She pulled into the garage, killed the engine and waited for Nicole to get out of the car. They walked into house together, "Can you go up and pick out one of your dresses to wear to dinner, I'm going to check on how Ashley is doing with dinner and then one of us will be up to help you take a bath," Monica said closing the door and pausing momentarily in the entry way.

"What kind of a dress? Like a princess one?" Nicole asked running towards the stairs.

"No, more like one you could wear to Sunday school," Monica said.

"Ok," Nicole called scrambling up the stairs.

Monica heard the door open and turned expecting to see her husband but instead found her younger son Kirk, a nineteen year old sophomore at PCU, her ninteen year old nephew Dylan Graber , and Ryan West one of Kirk's Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers walking through the front door. Kirk had been living in the dorms at PCU since starting college but came home frequently. Normally Kirk's drop in visits were pleasant surprises but tonight Monica was a little uneasy about their dinner guest and really didn't want any extra chaos. Dinners with Ryan, Dylan, and Kirk were rarely chaos free.

"Hey mom!" Kirk called unaware of his mother's dilemma.

"Hi sweetheart, hello Dylan, Ryan," Monica greeted the boys refraining from ruining her son's "cool status" by giving him a hug.

"Mrs. Dr. Q, looking fantastic as always. I see the pool has been treating you well," Ryan complimented referring to her usual practice of swimming laps before morning rounds. She would usually take Katelyn and Nicole to their swim practice, swim some laps, head to GH for her morning rounds, return to pick up the girls and then they would all go home to have breakfast as a family before they headed to school and she and Alan back to the hospital.

"Thank you Ryan," Monica replied. Ryan reminded her of the character Eddie Haskell from Leave it to Beaver. She and Alan had shared a laugh over that after a particularly surreal dinner with Kirk and his friend. Alan had also stated that he was somewhat more comfortable with Ryan hitting on his wife than his then twelve year old daughter. Monica had, had to agree with that sentiment as well.

Kirk rolled his eyes at Ryan's comment, "I knew I should have left you in the car Ryan. I'll be right back," Kirk said starting for the front stairs.

"What did I do?" Ryan asked.

"Hi Aunt Monica," Dylan greeted changing the topic.

"So what are you boys up to tonight?" Monica inquired.

"Band practice, but Kirk left his guitar here," Dylan replied just as Kirk appeared at the top of the stairs with his guitar.

"Anyway we should go," Kirk said coming down the stairs and giving his mother a quick hug as Ryan opened the door and started out still looking back at Monica. He managed to walk right into Alan who was coming through the door, and fell onto the porch.

Kirk rolled his eyes again, picked up his friend and continued out the door, "Sorry about that dad," he called over his shoulder.

Monica stifled a laugh and gave her husband a quick hug. "Normally I'd wonder why they are in such a hurry? Or did Kirk just want to get Ryan out of the house before he embarrassed himself further?" Alan asked.

"I think they were late for band practice, I sent Nicole up to pick out a non princess dress and I'm going to quickly check on dinner and help her take a bath," Monica said.

"On that note I'll go grab a shower, Noah should be here around 6:30, about an hour from now. Did Nicole tell you her news?"

"Her news?" Monica asked curiously.

"Yes, she got an outstanding on her piano lesson and she's going to get to play in the recital after all," Alan said beaming rather proudly.

"I didn't think they were allowed to play in the recital until they were eight? I ran into Alexis the other day and she mentioned that Kristina was looking forward to playing next year," Monica said.

"Well, according to Mr. Rosen it is more a standard of being able to play at a certain level than an actual age. Although I didn't realize that Kristina had been excluded. I don't think it is really fair to deprive Nicole just because Kristina isn't at that level though," Alan said.

"No, of course not I just hope it isn't awkward. Anyway I better check on dinner which has the potential to be even more awkward," Monica admitted.

"True, did you tell Emily about Noah's call?" Alan asked.

"No, I didn't want to put her in a situation where she had to keep something from Patrick. Secrets from your spouse are a bad idea in general and there is no sense in learning bad habits during the engagement," Monica explained.

"Good point, do you think Noah wishes to reconcile with Patrick and wants our help?" Alan asked.

"Well someone probably sent him the announcement from the paper. I feel like we've gotten quite close to Patrick but he's barely mentioned Noah. I don't want to pump Emily for information but I hope he's shared more with her," Monica admitted.

Shortly before 630 Monica and Alan were relaxing on the leather sofa in the living room listening to Nicole play the piano. Katelyn was upstairs theoretically showering and getting ready for dinner but also likely on the phone with her best friend Kortni Barnes, who's father was an orthopedic surgeon at General Hospital. The doorbell rang interrupting their peaceful moment and Alan got up to open the door.

On the doorstep stood Dr. Noah Drake. Alan recalled that he would have to be at least sixty now and he looked perhaps older with a head full of gray hair. Although clean shaven and dressed in an impeccable expensive suit he also looked haggard and worn as if the years had not treated him well. Alan recalled what Patrick had mentioned about the loss of his spouse and his estrangement from his son surely that would be enough to age anyone ungracefully. "Welcome to our home Noah. It certainly had been awhile," Alan began heartily extending his hand. "Come on in," he extolled then stepping back a little to allow the older man to the cross the threshhold into the foyer.

He then led Dr. Drake into the living room where Nicole was still playing the piano. "You remember Monica, I'm sure," Alan said.

"Yes, of course," Noah agreed.

"It's great to see you again, it has certainly been awhile," Monica said standing to hug him.

"Yes, it has. Who is the young Mozart?" Noah inquired.

"Our youngest daughter Nicole. She is five. Katelyn is fourteen, she's upstairs getting ready for dinner after her track meet. Our other three children technically do not live at home. Our oldest son AJ and his wife live nearby. They both teach at Lilac Park Elementary, one of our local elementary schools. Emily is a medical student at Columbia, and Kirk is a sophomore at Port Charles University. Although in our youngest son's case we really didn't lose a son we more gained an entire fraternity of his brothers," Alan quipped as Ashley entered the room from the hall.

"This must be Emily, I presume," Noah asked.

"Actually, no. Noah I'd like you to meet Ashley Roberts, our nanny. She's been with us for the last three years and is also a student at PCU. Ashley this is Dr. Noah Drake, a neurosurgeon, he worked with us at the hospital years ago before moving to Atlanta," Alan introduced them and Noah extended his hand.

"Should I go see if Katelyn is ready for dinner?" Ashley offered.

"That would be great Ashley, thank you," Monica agreed. "Nicole come and meet Dr. Drake," she called across the room to her youngest.

Obediently Nicole stopped playing, hopped off the piano bench and sprinted across the marble floor to her parents. Suddenly shy she leaned against her father and Alan wrapped an arm around her warmly. "Nicole, meet Dr. Drake who mommy and daddy worked with at the hospital years ago. He does brain surgery," Alan explained.

"Hi," Nicole said smiling. Noah noticed the sparkle and glimmer in her eyes. It reminded him of his Mattie.

Katelyn and Ashley joined them then and they progressed into the dining room where Monica led the prayer and they sat down to dinner. Dinner conversation was superficial and light. After dinner Katelyn offerend to help Nicole get ready for bed before finishing up her own homework so both girls gave their parents good night kisses and hugs and then left the room hand in hand. "Why don't you take Noah back into the living room. I'll help Ashley with the cleanup and then bring us in some tea," Monica suggested.

In the living room Alan and Noah sat uncomfortably. Noah asked politely about General Hospital. Alan talked proudly about their regional trauma and cardiac care designation and the new perinatal center. With sadness he mentioned the death of former Cheif of Staff Steve Hardy and more recently neurosurgeon Dr. Tony Jones who had succumbed to the encephalitis outbreak of a year ago. He looked up and saw Monica coming in with a tray of tea.

Monica set the tray on the coffee table and joined her husband on the sofa where she served tea to the three of them. Settled with their tea conversation resumed.

"I'm sorry to hear about Dr. Jones' death. He was joining the medical staff around the time I was getting ready to move to Atlanta, but I've spoken with him at some professional meetings and conferences since then, he always seemed to have a genuine regard for his patients" Noah said.

"Yes he did. Tony was a good man. He made some poor choices at times, more in his personal than professional life, but I suppose we all do at times. The reality is no matter how much you might want you never can go back and change the past you can only attempt to move forward to a better future," Monica said making Noah wonder if perhaps the Quartermaines knew what he wished to talk about. Perhaps it was odd for him to be preparing to bare his sole to colleagues he hadn't spoken to in over twenty five years. However, in sense he had more of a collegial bond with Alan Quartermaine than he had formed with any of his colleagues in Atlanta. His therapist said that was foreshadowing for his downward spiral but Noah saw it more as having different priorities at different periods in his life. There were only limited hours in the day and his first priority had to be his wife and Patrick. He didn't socialize outside of the hospital with any of his fellow doctors.

"True, unfortunately sometimes though one poor choice leads to a series of others and trail of destruction," Noah said making Monica wonder if the details of Tony's infidelity and legal issues had been known by his greater colleagues outside of the area.

"So your department must be reasonably young," Noah questioned attempting to delay the inevitable.

"Somewhat, Dr. Art Kraznick is about our age, he joined the medical staff about fifteen years ago, he needed a change after the death of his wife and son in an accident. Dr. Kurt Russell is four years out of residency and after Dr. Jones' death we added Dr. Mark Straslow who just finished his residency last year. Being a level one trauma center we have to have a trauma surgeon and neurosurgeon in house and they are all taking more call than they want. We're serendipitously gaining a young doctor four years out of residency who has been working at an attending in the city. His fiance just matched at General Hospital for Pediatrics so we're getting an added bonus and we're actively recruiting a fifth now," Alan said steering the conversation towards what he presumed Noah wished to talk about, his son Patrick.

However, Noah was unaware of the connection. He did note that perhaps the hospital's desperation would work in his favor. He took a deep breath and began to tell the doctors Quartermaine about his wife's unsuccessful craniotomy and death and his downward spiral into depression, alcohol, and general self destruction. Monica squeezed her husband's hand as Noah spoke. She remembered the night of her father in law's first, and she hoped only, heart attack five years ago. She had been only a few weeks away from her due date with Nicole and on in house Cardiology call. The ER had called her to alert her about an incoming cardiac arrest and she had gone down to the ER to help the ED physician Dr. Joe Scanlon run the code. The paramedics had been unable to obtain IV access and she had quickly thrown in a central line without even realizing who the patient was. After defibrillation and some code drugs pushed through her central line there was a restoration of spontaneous circulation and EKGs showed the likely explanation as an ST elevation myocardial infarction. Edward was whisked off to the cath lab and Monica attempted to reach their second call as she didn't feel it was appropriate for her to do her father in law's cardiac catheterization. However, as Edward's blood pressure started dropping Monica realized she didn't have that luxury and went ahead with the procedure. She had told Alan later that she was sure that God had guided her hands and looked after them all that night as she successfully stented two arteries and gave her father in law a chance to meet their youngest daughter. She wished that things had worked similarly for the Drakes.

"I know it was wrong for me to do the surgery, morally, ethically, and now I must live with the guilt, regret, and wonder if perhaps a more objective surgeon could have brought her through this," Noah said quietly.

"Oh Noah, I'm so sorry that things happened this way and sorry about your loss. What I said before is true though, in time you have to allow yourself to heal. I'm sure Mattie would want that," Monica said.

"She is right," Alan asserted. "Are you still drinking?" he asked.

"No, I've been sober for almost nine months now. I was on call one night, in no shape to operate and needed to, I had to call a colleague to cover and after that I checked into a rehab program. I suppose that is the other half of our conversation, I need a physician sponsor to return to practice, I'd like you to be that person and I'd like to return to General Hospital," Noah said.

Alan was taken aback and unsure how to respond. General Hospital needed another neurosurgeon and he remembered Dr. Drake's talents. Still the liability of the issue could be a nightmare. The hospital was still reeling from recent tragedies and he wasn't sure how they would survive another if it came to that. Plus there was the issue of Noah and Patrick's relationship. Through their conversation he had become quite certain that Noah had no idea his son was planning to marry their daughter within the next few months. "I would have to talk to our hospital attorney of course but I think we can work something out," Alan said slightly uneasily. "However, before I do that I think there is something else we need to discuss," Alan said firmly.

"Of course, anything," Noah said feeling slightly like he was heading to execution.

"When was the last time you spoke with your son?" Alan asked.

Noah shuddered. There weren't words to describe how he had failed Patrick not just by taking his mother, but by being unable to see past his own pain. Patrick had started college early and they hadn't spoken since. Recently he had begun to look for his son but they had not connected. He supposed Alan had every right to call him on that. "It's been years. I couldn't see past my own pain or even begin to understand his. I'd like to repair things but perhaps that is too much to hope for, and honestly I don't even know where he is," Noah said hanging his head.

"I had begun to suspect as much,"Alan began and Noah sunk deeper in his chair. He deserved that condemnation he realized but it still hurt. "At first when you called we thought you wanted to talk about Patrick," Alan continued and Noah realized perhaps it wasn't condemnation as much as a statement of reality.

"Why did you think I would want to talk about Patrick? I'm surprised you even remembered his name. He was just three or four when we ran into you at that conference in California," Noah said.

"Well we've gotten to know your son quite well over the last few years. He's engaged to our daughter Emily, he mentioned he hadn't seen you much in recent years, we just figured you had heard about the engagement," Monica said.

"Is he...is he alright?" Noah asked voice quivering.

"He seems to be, he and Emily really connect and I think they've both shared their grief and come out stronger for it. We're excited to have them back here perhaps for good soon. Emily matched here for her Pediatrics residency,"Alan explained.

"So my son is the bonus neurosurgeon?" Noah asked emotions circling wildly, loss, pride, hope, and then more loss.

"Yes, he's quite talented from what we hear. I truly believe that God sometimes brings us into situations for reasons we don't always understand, perhaps this is his way of giving you and Patrick a second chance at a relationship. I just didn't want you walking into that without knowing that," Alan admitted.

"I'm not sure what to say, my therapist thought my desire to return to NY was just an attempt to hide, and perhaps this will sound crazy but I prayed about this and this was what my gut told me to do. Perhaps you're right, I want a relationship with Patrick. I'm not sure if I deserve that but I want one," Noah said.

"I think he wants that too, and what you said doesn't sound crazy at all," Monica said her eyes misting.