True Love Never Dies

Chapter Ten-Chasing Emily

It was barely 6:00 am when Jason pulled up the driveway to the Quartermaine estate. As they walked up to the door, he looked over at Emily. She looked tired and a little sad. He had basically no idea what had transpired between her and Zander. The whole trip, she had barely spoken a word to him.

When he had caught up with them at the cabin, Emily had tried to tell him that she promised to help Zander across the Canadian border. But, Jason was adamant, Emily's part in Zander's escape was over. He was taking her home where she would be safe. He pointed out to Zander that he was only a few miles away from freedom, so he didn't need Emily.

Jason caught a look between the two teens and knew that he had gotten to Emily just in time. He could tell that Emily had already invested too much of herself in Zander.

"Are you okay?" he asked her now, as she was about to open the front door.

Emily looked back at him.  "Yeah," she said, smiling wearily. She knew that Jason had only done what he felt was right for her because he loved her.  "I just wish I knew how Zander was."

She opened the door and stepped inside. She could hear voices in the living room, most likely another one of the Quartermaine's legendary fights. From what Emily could hear through the closed doors, she knew it was about her.

"You should have sent her to St. Catherine's a long time ago, Alan!" Edward boomed at anyone who could hear him.

"Edward, stop it!" Monica shrilled, "you're only making things worse!"

Alan stepped in.  "Monica's right, Father," he told Edward, "stay of it."

Emily carefully opened the door. All heads turned. Monica was the first to reach her.  "Em? Oh, my God, it is you!"

Emily didn't expect it but she missed her mother more than she knew and started crying as soon as Monica threw her arms around her.

Alan rushed over and put his arms around both of them.  "Oh, Em, it's so good to have you back!"

Edward stood back watching the threesome. He saw Jason edge his way inside the room.  "I suppose this is your doing, young man?"

Alan looked up to see to whom he was talking and was surprised to see his son. "Jason! Did you bring Emily home?"

Jason nodded.

Monica let go of Emily and reached to hug Jason.  "Thank you," she breathed.

Edward watched his grandson with interest.  "How did you hear about her kidnapping?"

"Sonny told me," Jason answered, releasing Monica.

"It doesn't matter how he found out, Edward," Monica insisted, "the important thing is he found her and brought her home."

She held both Emily's and Jason's hands.  "The important thing is that both of them are home."

***

In Canada--

Zander walked into the coffeehouse and took a seat at the counter. When the waitress came over, he ordered eggs and sausage on toast with a cup of coffee. She poured him a cup of coffee immediately and went to place his order with the cook. Reaching inside his jacket to make sure he had some money left, he pulled out the bag of snacks.

Taking out the Pixie Sticks, he thought of Emily. It was best that she was away from him, he thought. He was bad for her; all he could give her would be trouble.  Still, he remembered the morning they woke up in the car. He had looked over the front seat to find her still sleeping. She looked so beautiful lying with her eyes closed and a smile playing on her lips. What if? He thought. What if they had met somewhere else? Would they have had a chance?

Taking out his wallet, Zander threw a couple of bucks down on the counter. He had to find out if it was just wishful thinking or if there was something between them.

***

Emily was tucked into her bed while Monica fussed over her.  "Mom, I'm fine," Emily tried to tell her mother.  "I'm just tired."

"Are you sure? Maybe we should take you to the doctor for a checkup," Monica fretted.

Emily smiled.  "You are a doctor," she reminded her, "don't I look okay to you?"

Monica sighed.  "You look wonderful, sweetheart," she said, "I'm just so glad you're home."

"Good," Emily said, "Now can I get some sleep?"

Monica agreed to leave the room and promised Emily that she would be home all day if she should need her. When she finally left, Emily turned on her side and closed her eyes.

She pictured Zander's face as she remembered the events of the last few days. When he was cornered at the rave, he was scared, desperate even. As she had gotten to know him over the next hours, he had let down his guard and let her see how lonely he had been while growing up. He wasn't the drug-dealing scumbag that she and her friends had thought him to be. He had saved her life that night in the motel room, she remembered. She drifted off to sleep trying to think of a way to repay him.

***

Jason arrived at Sonny's penthouse to deliver the news that Emily was safe at home. Johnny knocked on the door to announce his arrival and as Jason walked in, Sonny stood up from the couch where he had been playing with Michael.

"Hey, buddy, look who's here?" Sonny said to Michael, who looked up at Jason briefly.

Jason chuckled, "it's good to see you too, Michael." Michael was more interested in his trucks.  "He doesn't remember me," Jason said, matter-of-factly.

"Of course he does," Carly insisted, as she walked down the stairs. Jason turned and she walked over and gave him a big hug.  "It's good to see you, Jase," she whispered.

"Carly, could you take Michael upstairs?" Sonny asked, "Jason and I have things to discuss."

"Now?" she asked, "I wanted to visit with Jason."

Sonny looked at her and she knew that she wouldn't win this argument. Giving Jason one more arm-squeeze, she bent down to Michael, "come on, Mr. Man, let's you and I go upstairs and play by ourselves."

As she helped Michael collect all of his trucks and went upstairs, Sonny and Jason each took a seat on the couch. When they knew that Carly was out of earshot, Sonny asked Jason, "I take it you found Emily? How is she?"

"She's safe," Jason began, "I don't think she was hurt."

"That's good," Sonny nodded, adding, "What do you think of this Zander Smith?"

Jason thought a minute before answering.  "I think he's mixed up in some serious stuff. What do you know about him?"

Sonny shook his head.  "Just that he was selling drugs for Sorel," he told Jason. "And that he found out about the undercover cop, Ted Wilson, and reported him to Sorel."

"You think he killed the cop?" Jason wondered.

Sonny shook his head.  "Nah, that has Sorel written all over it. He wanted to make an example of Wilson. Cop-killing is just his style." Sonny paused. After some consideration, he asked Jason, "Do you think Zander Smith can be trusted?"

Jason raised his eyebrows.  "What are you thinking?" he asked.

Sonny told him about his legal troubles and about marrying Carly to keep her from testifying.


"You don't want to marry Carly?" Jason asked him.

"I don't want to get into another marriage for the wrong reasons," he told Jason.

Jason knew all about his first marriage to Lily. He knew all too well how guilty Sonny felt when she was killed.

"Besides," Sonny added, "there's another reason."  He paused, unsure of how he should proceed.  "There's someone who just reentered my life," he said simply.

"A woman?"

Sonny nodded.  "It was a lifetime ago when I last saw her but I ran into her here in Port Charles," he told Jason, "in fact, right here in this building."

As he told Jason about seeing Angel, Carly peered over the staircase. She listened quietly as Sonny talked about another woman. She could feel her hold on Sonny giving way.

***

Emily slept the whole day. When she finally opened her eyes, she peered at the clock beside her bed. 4:30 PM.  Stretching, she pulled the covers back and swung her legs off the bed. She shuffled sleepily into the bathroom and turned on the faucet, letting the cold water run. She splashed her face, feeling more awake with each splash.

As she was sitting on the toilet, she heard a knock.  "Coming!" she called out. She stepped into the room and opened her bedroom door. Seeing no one at the door, her brow creased. Damn! I must be tired, if I'm hearing things, she thought. She decided to climb back into bed to read when she heard the knocking again. She turned around and was surprised when she saw Zander's face peering at her through the window.

"Zander!" she called, as she rushed to open the window.  "What are you doing here?"

Zander climbed in the window. Standing before her, he didn't know what to say.  "I came to see you," he said shyly.

To be continued…soon! Please read & review!