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Chapter Twelve Everything Ends Sometimes

The next morning

December 19, 2002

Carly and Jason were outside of Kendall's room at the hospital when they spotted a petite brunette come barreling off the elevator with fire in her eyes.

Carly hissed at Jason, with all the awe of a true fan, "That's Erica Kane!"

Jason gave her a very unimpressed look. She slapped his arm.

Erica was harassing Amy Vining, who was all but drooling on the woman. "Autograph? Well I am flattered, of course. Are you the head nurse? I really must speak to her right now about my daughter and my grandson. Or the chief of staff. Actually, I think it would be better if you page Alan Quatermaine immediately because I want answers and I want them now. The Quatermaine's, well Lila really, and I go way back. She's been a loyal Enchantment user from the day the perfume hit to shelves. As, of course, I am sure you would expect."

Erica paused, stared the gaped mouth nurse down, and asked "Why aren't you paging him yet? Give me the phone. I'll do it myself."

Amy asked "Is it true you married a Count? I read that .But you know they write so much about you that it's hard to know what is true or not. I can't believe I am talking to the infamous Erica..."

"There' nothing infamous about her. She is straight up famous." Carly corrected "You're a legend, Ms. Kane. I've had to double my efforts at Deception just to keep up with your latest product line but I welcome the challenge. Of course, we're outselling you 2 to 1 right now but it's probably because we're new."

"Unless you are Alan Quatermaine in drag, step aside." Erica said "I need to find my daughter."

"Then you will have to deal with me. I'm Carly Spencer. Though you might know me better as Caroline Benson."

"Oh...well, yes, I have heard things." The way she said the last word told Carly and Jason she knew the whole story of them: from Jason being a hitman, to Carly being accused of stealing Michael from AJ, to the million crimes and sins they had committed in their pasts. "Kendall speaks highly of you. Though, her staying here away from her true family all these months has worried me and now I see how very right I was...she goes and has her baby on the floor like a dog...it breaks my heart how beneath a Kane woman that is..."

Just then the elevator doors opened and a blond man came hurrying off.

Carly mumbled "She was on the couch, actually."

But she was drowned out by Jackson Montgomery, Erica's best friend and former lover, calling to her "You could have waited for me to park the car and not jumped out at the curb. How is she? Have you seen her? I told you she's fine. She is, isn't she?"

"Well," Erica said primly "I can't say that I know because everyone in this hospital is working overtime to keep me from her. It seems they are all such big fans of mine," she rolled her eyes.

Jackson, who was much more polite than Erica ever could dream of being, straightened his shoulders, extended his hand and introduced himself to Jason and Carly. Then he asked Amy if they could visit Kendall.

Amy smiled at him, winked, and said "Of course, right this way."

Erica glared at her with a look that said I got your number, missy. Then the mini-mogul and star in her own mind flipped her hair over her shoulder and , in a huff, followed behind the nurse, Jackson, Carly and Jason as they headed for her daughter's room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kendall was shocked to see her birth mom breeze through her hospital door. Less than a year ago Kendall was working on a tell all book about her that was meant to embarrass, shame, humiliate and bring public ridicule upon La Kane. She even went as far as to testify for the State at her mother's murder trial and try to help send her to the chair.

Right before Kendall left Pine Valley to search for Ryan the two woman agreed to put the past behind them and try to be close. Ryan called Erica last night to tell her about the baby, but Kendall hadn't expected her to hop in her private jet and come here.

Ryan was sitting next to her bed, and she was holding their son, when Erica said "Oh my...a boy, you have a son...I have a grandchild..."

"You plan on claiming him?" Kendall asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jackson answered for her, "We are both thrilled to have a new addition to the family."

It amazed Kendall how loyal this man was to Erica. He stood by her side through natural disasters and ones of her making, through all the lies and betrayals, through criminal trials and custody battles. He wasn't her husband but he also wasn't ever leaving her. Kendall would do anything to have had a father like him.

She gave Jackson a shaky smile. "Would you like to hold him?"

"I'd love to," Jackson said. He came over and took the baby from her arms.

Erica said "I came all this way because, despite what you seem to still think, I do care about you and your child. In fact, I want to take you all home with me tomorrow as soon as you are cleared to travel. It's time to get you back home and out of this den of vipers and gangsters. Because that is who runs this town...if you haven't noticed yet. It's actually not safe to stay her a moment longer than necessary."

"Listen, mama La Kane, " Carly said, wagging her finger "Kendall's safe here as long as I got her back. And do you actually think I would let something happen to my nephew? I don't think so. This town is run by people like me. I know how it works and, believe me, it is nothing like that backwater burg you come from."

"Nephew?" Erica shrieked "You are not and have not ever been a part of my daughter's family. I know there was probably in-breeding at that little trailer park you hail from but believe me I know Kendall's DNA never mixed with the likes of yours."

"Let me remind you, that trailer park you're looking down on is where you sent your own baby when you weren't in the mood to raise her!" Carly shot back.

"Caroline," Kendall said at the same time as Jason moved to Carly's side to give her a look.

Jackson leaned down and whispered to Erica "We didn't come here for this."

Ryan said, "Lets leave the past in the past. This little guy wasn't born to set off a family feud."

Erica glared at Carly, then looked at Kendall. "You have to see my point. Ancient friendship aside, you don't belong here and either does little...I can't believe I don't even know what you have named my grandchild."

"We let Carly name him since she is the one who delivered him," Kendal said.

Erica sighed in frustration. Carly grinned at her.

"Don't tell me," Erica said "you chose Bubba, right? The tabloids will have a field day with this."

"His name is," Carly said "Jonathan Ryan Lavery. I've always loved the name Johnny. I have a good friend named that actually, and I know it's Ryan's brother name, too, so it made sense."

"Surprisingly, you made a good choice." Erica said then took the baby from Jack. "Hello John, you're so handsome, yes you are. You're going to be the first Kane of a whole new generation and that means you carry a great legacy on your back. But you're strong enough to handle it. I can tell already."

Ryan came over and took the baby back. He rocked his son and smiled at him.

Carly said "Jase and I should go. You okay?"

Kendall nodded. Carly walked over and bent down to kiss her cheek. She whispered, "Call me if she even tries to mess with you. I'll come right back."

Kendall smiled at her as they left. As soon as they were gone, Erica said "Your old friend is...unique and I am sure you enjoyed catching up with her but please tell me that you are coming home with Jackson and me. I can't leave you in this town that God has forgotten for one more day. Do you know how many murders were committed here last year? The newspaper is filled with stories of that man who just left here...Jase is Jason Morgan. He's an enforcer for the Corinthos family! You just need to run from this place and never look back or else I am afraid you or Ryan or this baby will be the next victim in some mob war..."

"Stop, Erica, please. Take a breath. We're coming home, okay?" Kendall asked.

"Thank the Lord," Erica said

XXXXXXXXX

That night, after Erica went to her hotel suite with Jackson, Carly stopped by to visit Kendall again. She told Jason to drag Ryan off to Jake's for a few hours so she could be alone with her friend.

Carly sat next to Kendall on her hospital bed. "You're leaving tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Carly nodded.

Kendall said, "We can keep in touch."

"That's something people write in the back of a yearbook and then it never happens." Carly tried but failed to keep the anguish out of her voice, but it was right there in her eyes anyway, so Kendall would have saw it no matter what.

(When the day is long and the night,

the night is yours alone,


when you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on.

Don't let yourself go, everybody cries
and everybody hurts

sometimes.) ( REM)

Gently, Kendall said, "You knew I couldn't stay here forever."

"You could, if you wanted to." Carly looked away, unable to stand the way she felt right now.

All she wanted was to keep her friend here, so they could raise their boys together, plan their weddings together, live whole long lives side by side, like it should have always been.

Kendall said, "If I don't go back to Pine Valley I will never make things right with Erica and Bianca, and as much as I wish I didn't care about that, I do."

Carly sighed, "Sorry...I suck at doing this...saying good-bye to you. I've never done it yet in my life. Tell me how...cause it was easy for you to do back in Florida, right?"

"That was the most destructive choice of my life, and you know it. But I had to do it. I had to kill Charlotte. I was on the verge of slitting my wrists. That's how bad I hated what I was back then. It wasn't about not loving you, it was about not loving me. This time is completely different. You can visit any time you want. You have to get to know your nephew and he needs to know you, Jason, and Michael. I'm not trying to break up our family...you have to believe me."

Carly started to cry. "I know...it's just that you are the only sister I have...I don't want to lose you twice in one lifetime...I was just getting used to having your back-from- the -dead butt here again..."

Kendall smiled. "I'll only be a phone call away...I promise...I won't disappear and change my name or ever go anywhere you can't find me again. I wouldn't do that to you. I'm grateful you let me back in your life and that's where I want to stay...in your life...as your sister...okay?"

Carly hugged her, and as soon as she managed to stop crying Kendall started to.

"Hormones," Kendall said

"Sure. Whatever you say," Carly said back.

Carly hugged her tight, hating that she would soon have to let her go soon, and start to live everyday with her old friend Charlotte around again.

There was a fear deep inside of Carly that said if Kendall left Port Charles they would never see each other again, and just the thought of that, left her gasping for breath.

(Well, everybody hurts sometimes, everybody cries.
And everybody hurts sometimes.
And everybody hurts sometimes.


So, hold on, hold on.
Hold on, hold on.
Hold on, hold on.
Hold on, hold on.

Everybody hurts. You are not alone.) ( REM)