The Longest Night

This chapter takes place on February 7th in the city of Port Charles, New York between the hour of 10pm and 11 pm

Chapter Fourteen

The Fifth Hour- Part One

10:00 pm

"Of course, a Prince would have a limo on standby," Matt grumbled as he pushed open the door of the Metro Court.

He took a few steps into the blinding blizzard, toward the limo at the curb, and then thought better of it. Turning around he quickly grabbed Nadine, causing her to let out a soft shocked yelp, and pulled her close to him, to shield her from some of the wind and snow as he rushed them into the door that was being held open by the limo driver.

Crawling into the backseat, Matt shook off the snow and let out a grunt at having to accept help from Nikolas. One call from Nadine and the limo had been dispatched. Though Nikolas was stuck in business negotiants at his office across town, he sent the limo for her, understanding that when Nadine wanted something she would get it with or without his help so he might as well not try to stop her.

Matt had no real problem with Nikolas, the man had saved his life after all, it just got to him that Nikolas had so much money, a royal title and the woman knocking each other over to get to him. Matt had heard plenty of gossip while standing at the nurses station over the months. Leyla had wanted him for herself, Robin used to have a thing for him, Kelly salivated at the mere mention of his name and, of course, Nadine had snagged him.

It was the last one that particularly stung, as Matt could remember well when Nadine would follow him around like a lost puppy dog. He had actually believed she was into him. Ha. What a joke.

She couldn't see past her prince.

"I hope," she said "I don't live to regret letting you talk me into this madness."

"No one said you had to come with me. In fact, there's still time for you to go back into the gala. Jeeves, let Miss Crowell out at the corner."

Nadine cut her eyes at him. "If you're going then I'm going."

"Suit yourself."

"You're a stubborn mule, do you know that?"

"This mule don't really care what you think, do you know that?"

"Well if you get us killed tonight then I'm never speaking to you again. How do you like those apples?"

"I'll take my chances."

"Patrick told you not to come out in this weather."

"I don't give a good damn what Patrick said. His wife and daughter could be in trouble and that means he's not thinking straight. He needs someone with a cool head around."

"Its sweet how much you love your brother-"

"I never said that. Don't put words in my mouth."

"But I don't like you risking your own life like this. Not to mention mine. My Aunt Raylene left me her greatest legacy in her will and if I die then how will I use it for the greater good?"

"Listen, I'm the one who told you to keep your cute little ass back at the hotel. You being here is on you, not me, Nadine."

"My cute little what? Did you really just go there?"

The limo driver rolled down the privacy window. "There's a police cruiser blocking the intersection."

"I'll handle this," Nadine said. She reached in her purse and pulled out a badge.

Matt's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "What...oh hell, what are you pulling now, Crowell?"

She winked at him. "That's Agent Crowell to you."

"Where did you get that?"

"Agent Leeds left her purse on the table when she went to get a drink. Sloppy for someone in the FBI but I think she's kinda new."

"And what do you plan to do?" His voice was incredulous. "Impersonate a federal agent?!!"

"How did you expect to get through the roadblocks?"

"Gun it."

"Silly man. That would never work on these icy roads."

Matt gaped out her as she stuck her head through the rolled down window and said, as she waved the badge, "I have to get back to the station!"

The rookie cop waved them on.

Nadine rolled up the window then smiled at Matt. He said "You are gonna get us locked up for fifty years."

"Don't worry. I will slip the badge back in her purse later and no one will be any the wiser. With all the feds in town lately, who is to say I'm not the latest agent in from Washington?"

"You're a one of a kind woman."

"Thank you."

"What makes you think that is a compliment?"

"Oh, Matt," she said with a sweet smile on her face, as if she knew better than him what he was thinking.

No one could drive him as crazy as her. Yet he also never felt half as alive as when he was around Nadine. She never made anything easy, and she had bad taste in men...like her Prince who she picked over Matt....but he still sorta had a soft spot for the crazy blonde anyway.

Not like he would ever tell her that though.

XXXXXXXXX

10: 09 pm

Johnny figured the party was the last place Maxie needed to be. Every time she got around Spinelli the waterworks started again. She felt so much that her emotions and self restraint seemed to short circuit. If Agent Leeds never showed up that night it would have all went down different but that could be said about everything in life.

If his mother lived, who would he be today? If they never put the hit out on Sonny, this party wouldn't be happening right now. Michael would be safe and at home with his Mom. If Johnny never ran into Lulu that night on the road then Johnny wouldn't know these people at all. His life wouldn't be twisted up so tightly with theirs. Maxie's hand would not be in his as they walked into the kitchen at The Metro Court.

But it was.

And he liked it that way. Her wanting him to be reckless with was the high point of his otherwise fucked up life. Maybe it was the most fucked up part but he didn't care. Because it was also the part that made his heart race the fastest.

And he needed that adrenaline rush to survive.

Maxie didn't soothe his restlessness. She awoke his demons and made them scream with relief at being free. Somehow that made him feel more real. Scary but true.

The cook spotted them and called out "Hey, you can't be in here."

"I'm Johnny-"

"I don't give a hell who you are, man, get out of my kitchen."

"Zacchara. You know that name?"

The man swallowed hard.

Johnny went on. "We'd like some hamburgers, fries and vanilla lattes." He pulled some money out of his pocket and tossed it on the counter.

"And cheesecake!" Maxie added

"And cheesecake. That a problem?"

"No sir."

Johnny gave him a sinister smile and said "Good. Send it all up to Penthouse 4."

When they were in the elevator, Maxie grinned at him. "Thought you hated using your name to get special treatment?"

"It works."

"Damn right it does. I would so throw my name around if it got those kind of results. Who knows maybe one day I'll be able to. I could end up as famous as Federico."

"Who?"

Her mouth dropped.

He chuckled.

She slapped his arm. "Joking about fashion is not allowed."

They walked off the elevator. Maxie asked "So how did you score a Penthouse when everyone and their brother are throwing down at the front desk like it's a half off sale at Macy's just to get a broom closet to sleep in?"

Johnny slipped the key in the slot on the door. "Trevor got somebody to give up theirs. He gave me the key not five minutes after it was announced that the roads were closed. He's not good for much but his devious mind guarantees that if he was on the Titanic and there was one spot left on the lifeboat, women and children be damned, he's getting it."

"And giving it to you it looks like since you got his suite. That's kinda scary....a guy like that watching your back." She shivered and made a face.

"Tell me about it."

XXXXXXXXX

10: 15 pm

Lulu sat in a chair on the other side of Carly's desk, talking incessantly about Johnny, in between Carly fielding phone calls from the front desk about what rooms to put people in. It wasn't on a first come first serve basis. More of a who you know gets you a better room, or a room at all, basis.

Life was never fair in Port Charles and it wasn't about to start being that way in the middle of a blizzard.

"His male ego is probably bruised," Carly said "because he can't find a job. That's why he's acting out. Trying to prove to himself he's still manly and in control even if he feels completely helpless right now."

"I get that but what I don't get is why Maxie can make him feel better and I can't? I swear he lights up around her these days and he never used to. I use to make him light up. I'm losing him, I just know I am."

"And that scares the life out of you, right? Because it feels like how it felt when you were a little girl and you realized no matter what you did....your Dad was not gonna stick around."

"Its not the same."

"No. But it feels the same."

"How do you know that? Am I that obvious?"

"I lived it. That's how I know."

"So what did you do to make that feeling stop?"

"Sometimes its still there but I know that even if Jax was to never come home from this business trip...even though that would break my heart it wouldn't break me because I still have someone I can never lose. And that makes even the worst day of my life bearable. But if I didn't have him....I'd be in Shady Brooke and I wouldn't even have the will to get out. I fight for myself, my happiness, my kids, my dreams, my marriage, my family....but the strength I find to fight does not come from inside of myself. I know that might sound bad. But it's the truth. It comes from Jason. He believes in me and he will never give up on me and that makes me believe in myself too."

"I want Johnny to be that for me."

"I know you do, Lulu, but that doesn't mean he will be." Carly reached for her cell. "Hold on, okay?"

She was about to dial Jason's number when the phone rang. "Jase."

"Hey."

"You okay out there? I didn't know this blizzard would get so out of control. I never would have sent you out if I did."

"We found Robin and Emma. They're alive but severely hypothermic. The van was overturned in a ravine. Patrick said that they wouldn't have lasted another hour."

"Thank God you two got there in time then."

"How are you doing? How was the presentation?"

"Cut short by damn Cruz Rodriguez interrupting and sending the guests into a panic because he announced the roads are closed. You should wait out the storm where you are. Its dangerous out there."

"I'm on my way back."

"Jase, you don't have to."

"Yeah, I do. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Drive slow."

"I promise."

XXXXXXXXX

10:17 pm

"I think you should dump Garret."

Smiling she chuckled. "He's just a work associate. There's nothing personal between us."

"Good cause he don't know how to treat a woman."

"And you do?"

"What? You should know better than to ask that."

"Should I really?"

"Do you need more proof?"

"Don't you think that would be dangerous? You're married to the mob. No wait....you are the mob. Again."

"I thought you liked dangerous? Have you changed that much since we last hung out?"

"I should change. For the sake of my sanity."

"Never change, Alexis."

Alexis found herself sitting close to Sonny at the table. As the last hour flew by, and he flirted relentlessly with her. She couldn't help but enjoy it even though she knew what he was up to.

His worry and fear over Robin was the last thing he wanted to focus on. He hated feeling helpless and useless, stuck at the Metro Court with no car to go searching for his old friend. His limo had gone back home and with all the roads closed it wouldn't be easy for the driver to get back to the hotel again.

Sonny was pushing that completely down in his mind, and focusing instead of playing a game of cat and mouse with Alexis. She knew that he wouldn't admit to it but he didn't have to say it aloud for her to know it was true.

It helped to explain to her why tonight, of all nights, he suddenly set his sights just on her. Of course when he was at a low point it was Alexis he sought out......as it should be. If he did that more often then maybe they would truly be close friends still. Maybe her life would make sense. Maybe his wouldn't be so damn messy and pitiful.

Nothing made sense when he pushed her away. She couldn't help him from a distance. Sure avoiding each other meant it was easier to not think about him, to not miss him, to not remember all they used to be....but it wasn't better.

Because when they went weeks without speaking to each other both their lives always spiraled into madness. It seemed like a never ending nightmare, some whole years went by that way, but when they were in the same room, even when they were screaming at the top of their lungs, things started to work themselves out slowly. Desperation exploded and then eased. They danced their dance and the steps finally made sense again.

They never saw eye to eye but they needed the chance to argue, negotiate, and compromise with each other, to make their lives something more than just a series of bad mistakes and deadly consequences.

Maybe too many glasses of wine were making Alexis more open to Sonny, and the temptation that danced in his dark eyes, but she was feeling particularly close to him at that moment. It had been so long since they spent a whole hour focused only on each other. It felt good and right.

The wine kept her fears and insecurities at bay. Kept quiet the voice that always ran through her head. The one that told her every reason she needed to stay away from him. Tonight he needed her. Tonight, just for tonight, she wouldn't run away another time.