CHAPTER 11

AJ was surprised to see Michael standing outside his office when he arrived at ELQ. They did have a meeting scheduled, which AJ had delayed while he had the talk with Morgan, but he figured his son would wait for him in his office. "Michael, sorry about being late."

"No, it's okay. Everything get taken care of with Morgan?" Michael asked.

"Well, I won't say taken care of, but I had a talk with him. And I told him if he wanted to continue with it, to come and see me," his father answered. "Um, if I can ask, why are you waiting out here for me? You could have just waited in the office."

Michael took a deep breath. "When I went in, there was someone waiting there for you already. I figured I'd warn you."

AJ looked at the door. "Tracy…" he growled as he barged past. He never heard the next thing his son said.

"Not," Michael said, as the door was flung open, "Tracy."

Sitting at AJ's desk was not his bitch of an aunt, but Carly's uncle, Luke Spencer. "Hello there, Junior. I hear congratulations are in order. Or was that condolences?" the older man asked.

AJ actually relaxed at the sight of the other man. "I take it Bobbie told you?" he asked.

"Well, Barbara was half-giddy at the thought of another grandbaby, half concerned, seeing as how you all have traveled down this road before," Luke said. "I, for one, will enjoy the show for the next few months. But seriously, what is it with her and men? They seem to get trapped by her, although the last one managed to get away unscathed."

"Thanks for that," AJ replied sarcastically.

"Look, you more than anyone know how Caroline works. And, from what Barbara tells me, you're going to be co-parenting? Sorry, man, I just don't see it," Luke admitted. "What does Sonny say about this?"

"Sonny? Well, he knows and there were words," AJ said vaguely. While he realized Luke was Carly's uncle, he was also a long-time friend and partner of Sonny's and that made him a wildcard with all this. AJ knew Luke could just as easily serve him up to Sonny if he wanted to.

"If you want, I can at least try to keep him out of your way until he cools down, comes to accept it," Luke offered, almost reading AJ's thoughts. It was a comment that was both surprising and unsurprising.

"Sonny, accept it? Yeah, like that'll happen," AJ answered. "But thank you for the offer anyway. I really do appreciate your advice as well."

"Advice? He's giving you advice?" another voice practically screeched. AJ turned around and was faced by his Aunt Tracy. Before he could say anything, though, Tracy's wrath hit Luke with full force. "How could you, of all people, betray me? And to my drunk of a nephew to boot? Or is that it? You're both three sheets to the wind while your plotting?"

"Tracy," Michael began, his voice struggling to remain patient.

"Now, now, Spanky. It was nothing like that. How could you even think I'd do something like that to you? No, me and Junior had other family matters to discuss," Luke told her. Then, he turned to AJ. "Seems there's gonna be more blood ties between your nephew and my niece."

For a minute, Tracy looked confused until her gave wandered over to Michael. Then, her eyes grew as big as saucers. "No! No, no, Carly would never be that stupid again," she said, beginning her rant. Then, as if rethinking it, her next comment was, "Come to think of it, how many times did she marry Sonny?" Swinging over to AJ, she asked, "How drunk were the two of you this time?"

AJ knew the color was rushing to his cheeks, but he informed her, "Stone cold sober, actually, Aunt Tracy." Then, an edge of menace appeared in his voice. "And the next time you make a comment like that about me, Carly or our children, I'll let Carly know. And you know how she can get when protecting her children."

"Does that go for you too?"

AJ smirked. Then, silently, he moved to behind his desk, as if to reestablish his place at ELQ. "Actually, we have agreed to get along for the sake of the baby and all her children. So, right now, my future looks very good. Head of ELQ, a baby on the way, my son by my side…and my aunt about to get out of my presence."

Tracy let out a laugh. "All the more fun to watch as you fall off the perch."

Luke seemed to get the hint. "Tracy, you've lost this battle. Best to retreat and plan for a new attack." To AJ, he said, "Good luck with Caroline, again, Junior." With that, he took her arm and led her out.

The minute the door closed, AJ let out a breath he'd been holding in. A façade that he had built up in front of his aunt was about to crack. No matter how hard he tried, Tracy would still go after him and her words still scared him.

"She's wrong, you know," Michael said. "You are stronger than she says. And you have others to lean on, if you need it: me, Skye, Monica. Hell, maybe even Mom."

Something about that idea that Carly could be a partner with him warmed his heart. He knew what she was like in the trenches and she could be a powerful ally. But, he knew in his heart, Carly was usually just out for herself, to protect herself and her children. He was the one that was much more open to working towards their common purpose. Carly would only go along with him, kicking and screaming. Nonetheless, he appreciated Michael's words of support. "Thanks, I still need that, especially after a showdown like that."

They went along with the business of the day when Morgan showed up. "Just wanted to let you that know that Mom talked to Jax this morning. He'll be here within the week for a visit," Carly's younger son told them. "He's looking forward to talking with you, AJ."

"Great, another confrontation," he muttered.

Morgan shook his head. "He sounded more amused by all this than pissed. He'll probably go easy on you, if for no other reason than to go against Dad."

Michael looked at his brother. "Have you talked to dad at all since…?"

"I'm going to go to his house for dinner tonight, talk to him about what's been going on," Morgan said. "Thank you, again, AJ, for our talk earlier, but I need to talk to my dad about all this."

AJ nodded his head. "I understand and I'm glad you're going to have a talk with him."

Morgan nodded back. "When you said you thought there was more I needed, what did you mean?"

"There are meetings you can go to. I have had my issues with them over the years, but they may help you," AJ replied.

Morgan seemed to think about it. "If I decided to go, would you…come with me?"

AJ was touched. He did want to be there for the kid, even if he wasn't his father. Yet, he didn't actually want to do to Sonny what Sonny did to him for all those years with Michael. He knew that could bring Sonny down on him even more. But, he told him he would be if asked.

Morgan smiled. For the first time, he saw Carly's smile on the kid. "Say," AJ began, "it's almost lunch time. Want to join Michael and I at Kelly's?" Morgan nodded and the three left.

Carly was not surprised at all to find Sonny at her front door. Wordless, she stepped to the side and allowed her ex-husband in. "We need to talk about this AJ situation," he said, cutting to the chase.

"And I already told you, I can handle it by myself. It's really none of your business," Carly replied as she walked ahead of him into the living room.

"Carly, you involved with him is my business. Him being around our kids is my business," came the retort, his voice rising in anger.

"Technically, he's around Morgan, if that is the way you want to see it," Carly told him. She wanted to make a comment about how AJ was helping Morgan with his issues, but she saw little benefit in riling up Sonny. "Look, I'm warning you, Michael's in a delicate situation here. If you keep pushing him about AJ…"

"I'm not losing my sons to that man," Sonny said with a quiet fury.

"Then stay out of it, Sonny. I have all this under control."

"You sure it's AJ's? Not that other guy you were seeing?" Sonny asked, a look of desperation in his eyes.

"Todd? No, I'm not nearly as along if it was his. The doctor puts it at no more thirteen weeks. That lines up with the time AJ and I…," Carly said.

"And why the hell did you go to bed with him in the first place? What were you thinking?" His voice was getting louder, as if he were being consumed by the anger.

Something in his voice made her stomach tighten. She tried to ignore it as she replied, "Oh, I don't know, Sonny, it may have had something to do with with you and the fight you two got into that night," she tried to remind him. "Remember, the MetrCourt bar, fists thrown? Ringing a bell?" Her stomach tightened more, making her wince as she went on. "I brought him back to the Quartermaine mansion and tended to the bruises and one thing led to another."

"So, what, sympathy sex?" Sonny said mockingly. But Carly didn't hear him. The pain flared up and she dropped to her sofa. "Carly, are you alright? Carly?"

She couldn't answer him. She knew something was wrong with the baby. She managed to get out, "Hospital," and she heard Sonny on his phone, giving the address. But beyond that, she felt nothing but the pain in her stomach.

She was losing the baby. She knew it. It had happened to her in the past and the familiar pain was there. She was terrified. No matter how this child had come into being or who its father was, she realized, she wanted it. She would fight for it, just as much as she had fought for its brothers and sister. All her children had been born under stressful circumstances and she expected nothing different here.

Carly was barely conscious when the EMTs arrived. She had managed to hear Sonny telling them she was pregnant but after that, it was heard to understand for the most part. But the last thing she heard was the technician asking Sonny if he was the father. He said yes.

N,, that was wrong. She tried to tell them, but by then, she felt nothing. Her last thought before slipping away totally was she wanted AJ there, not Sonny. This was his child, he should be here for this loss.

But he wouldn't be.