CHAPTER 36

Michael was already at the restaurant when Carly got there. She had a few problems that needed to be straightened out, but overall, was happy how Olivia was managing the place with Carly's reduced workload.

She sat down at the table with her firstborn and was surprised to receive a kiss on the cheek. "Okay, now I know something is up. Come on, let me in on it," she said, half-joking.

Carly noticed that when he looked at her, Michael looked serious. "Mom, we need to talk about Joss," he said. "I don't know how to tell her that you and my father…you really aren't in love. And she's fixated on this and I don't know how to get her off of it."

It was so like her son to cut to the chase. "She is fixated on it, isn't she? But the thing is, I don't know how far off she is," Carly said at last.

"AJ said you had a talk last night."

His mother nodded. "It's not love yet. But we don't hate each other, not like we used to. There's a spark that we lit," she let out a sigh, "and I think we are both scared of where it is taking us."

"What do you mean?"

"I haven't been in town all my life, but I have been here long enough to see what kind of marriage Alan and Monica had. There were times they," she laughed, "they literally tried to kill each other. Then there were times they couldn't think of being apart. When he died, Monica was devastated. Now, I'm not saying that if anything happened to AJ, I'd be the same way, but…"

"But you have feeling for him," Michael concluded.

"I had a good life, years ago with AJ. Not perfect, but we understood where we stood with each other. I was accepted, for the most part, by the Quartermaines. And now, I look back and see just how blinded I was by wanting Jason, even though I knew he didn't love me. And I used you to try and keep him," Carly explained. "Then, one night, I went to the penthouse looking for him and found Sonny there. We had a fight, he called me terrible names, I shot them right back at him and…we wound up in bed together. And I ended up pregnant."

"I remember Dad mentioning it a few times," Michael said.

"Well, when AJ found out it wasn't his, he played along, at least for a little bit, but in the end, Sonny wanted me to come live with him," Carly went on. "And I agreed, told AJ that I was leaving him and…" Michael put his hand over his mother's. "After that, the pain of that loss, I admit, it clouded a lot. And Sonny, he was so bereft, I don't think he's seen straight since then."

"But now, you see it differently?" Michael asked,

Carly looked thoughtful. "The day I left AJ, I went to see Lila. She asked me if I could still let AJ see you, but he was drinking. We all know what has happened when he drinks," she said, memories of Jason flashing through her head. "I actually told her, if he got his act together and got sober, I'd be willing to let you see him."

"I never knew that," Michael said.

She laughed softly. "Well, it's funny what you remember after a lot of years. I think time and all the bad stuff helped me forget that conversation, but now…" She grimaced and touched her stomach. Michael's look asked her as she answered, "The baby just jabbed me a bit." Then she added, "I wish Lila was here to see this. It hurt her the most when I left with you. She always loved AJ, even through all the bad times and always hoped he would change."

"I know it hurt him that he never got a chance to see Edward before he died. By time Tracy let him go up, it was too late," Michael said.

"I know you may not think this, but I was happy you got closer to him those last few years," Carly said.

"Could you imagine him and Joss?" Michael let out a chuckle.

"Oh, she'd have him wrapped around her little finger, that's for sure," she replied.

They grew quiet for a minute. Then, Michael asked, "So what are you going to do about AJ? Do you really think there's a chance for the two of you?"

"I really don't know, Michael. But for the first time in a while, I think I'm willing to explore it."

AJ walked into Kelly's and saw Morgan at a table. The younger man looked up and smiled as AJ approached the table. "Dude, you need a plan," he said.

Sitting down, AJ blinked. "I'm sorry?" he asked, confused.

"Look, I can tell you've got moves, but, you got any more?" AJ looked behind him, thinking he had entered and alternate reality or something. He returned his attention to Morgan, who was laughing. "Sorry, but I had to have a little fun at your expense, especially after what we saw last night."

"Haha," AJ replied.

"But I have to ask, how serious are you about Mom? Cause, you should know, Joss is scheming to try and get the two of you together," Morgan told him.

"Yeah, I kind of figure that out, especially after this morning," AJ admitted. "Is it just me, or have I been having the same conversation about this over and over again for the past few weeks?" He shook his head.

"And how often have you had this with Mom?"

AJ thought back. "A few times," he answered.

"Maybe you're overthinking it? Like, just try being with her. Take her out on a date, turn on the charm. Don't think about what happened in the past, think about the future," Morgan advised.

"But that's the problem. We have a lot of past that's hard to forget. We've done a lot…that's hard to forgive."

"Like killing my child?" Sonny's voice asked from behind him.

AJ turned around and faced the mobster. "Sonny, I didn't…"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" the other man screamed. Then he stepped back, obviously trying to calm down. He looked at his son. "Morgan, let's go."

Morgan looked to AJ, then to his father. "Look, can I talk to you later, Dad? We were meeting about something."

"Now, Morgan. I don't want to see you around this scum."

Morgan was about to protest, but AJ stopped him. "I don't want to cause any trouble, Morgan. We can talk back at the house."

"He's not staying there any longer," Sonny said.

"Dad, that's my home. Besides, I'm an adult, I can make my own decisions," he son told him.

"I will not allow you to live under the same roof as this killer."

"Pot, meet kettle," AJ mumbled under his breath.

"What did you say?" Sonny's voice was dangerous.

AJ looked up. "I'm a killer? Look in the mirror, Sonny. How many enemies have you ordered the deaths of? How many have you personally killed or sent my brother out to do?" Before he could get another word out, Sonny's fist went flying.

Morgan reacted a half-second too late. AJ had fallen to the floor with the hit and Sonny was all over him. Morgan jumped up and tried to get them separated, but it was no good. Then another pair of hands appeared and Morgan saw Dante also working to get Sonny away from AJ.

Sonny was only further enraged and, not even seeing his firstborn, pushed Dante into another table, continuing to pound AJ. Dante managed to get his bearings and, with Morgan's help, they finally stopped Sonny.

Morgan looked down and saw AJ was a bloody mess. He ran to his side. "AJ! AJ, can you hear me?" It looked like AJ had lost consciousness from the beating. Morgan looked up to Sonny. "What they hell!?"

"He deserved it! He killed my son, your brother! He deserves everything he gets," Sonny declared without regret.

Morgan turned away, pulling out his cellphone and dialing 911. He gave the information as Dante kept his hand clasped on Sonny's shoulder. "You know I have to arrest you, Sonny," he stated.

Sonny didn't seem to fight it. As he was being read his rights, the EMTs got to the diner and began working on AJ. They eventually got him on the gurney and took him to GH. "Are you son?" one of them asked.

Morgan took a hard look at AJ, then at his biological father. "Yes," he answered.

"We need you to come to the hospital with us."

Morgan nodded. "But I need to call my brother first. He's with our mom and she's pregnant. She needs to know." Sonny was being led away by Dante as Morgan dialed his phone. "Mikey, are you still with Mom?"

"Yeah, is something wrong?" Michael answered, sensing something had happened.

"Look, just get her to GH, okay, with as few questions as possible," Morgan told him.

At the MetroCourt, Michael looked over at his mother, who was visiting with patrons after they had finished with their lunch. "What happened?"

Morgan sighed, then told him, "There was an incident at Kelly's. They need to get AJ to the hospital."

"Morgan, what happened?"

"Just…just get there, alright?" With that, he hung up the phone. AJ was in the ambulance by then and they were signaling to leave. Morgan hopped in the front, and they headed to General Hospital.

Michael was looking at his phone when Carly returned to the table. "Who was on the phone, honey?"

"It was Morgan. We have to go to GH," Michael said, trying to offer little in the way of information.

"What happened?" Carly asked, fear gripping her stomach.

"He didn't say, just to get to the hospital."

"Michael…" she warned him.

"Something happened with AJ, but he didn't tell me anymore. I'm sorry," Michael replied. He pulled the chair out for his mother. Carly looked at him, got up and they left.