Chapter 27- The Curse of Carly Corinthos

Danny rocked back and forth on the toilet in his bathroom back in V-Town. The door swung open and a V-Guard stood there.

"It's been more than thirty minutes!" The V-Guard dragged Danny out of the bathroom and shoved him onto his bed. He pulled a whip out of his jacket and struck Danny hard on the wrist. Then everything faded.

Rise, oh rise, Oh Mighty V

We Will Bow and Worship Thee

Filthy Cassadines and Spencers Cease

While the True Cassadines will bring Peace

A V-Guard seized Danny by the ear and dragged him down to the centre of the amphitheatre and thrusted him violently into a pool of mud next to Willow, Scout, Rocco, Aiden, Josslyn, and three-year-old Donna while Chase stood on guard. Mud splattered over Danny's face and uniform.

"Ahhhhhh!"

Danny bolted upright out of his dream at the sounds of Scout's screams.

He took several deep breaths and made his way to the hallway. Willow, sweat dripping down her cheeks, was standing at Scout's doorway. Danny joined her and peeked inside. Sam was rocking a shaking Scout in her arms as Drew rubbed her back.

"Shh, it's okay, baby," Sam said softly.

Danny slowly made his way to the couch and plopped down. Willow followed him.

"Did Scout wake you or were you having trouble sleeping again anyway?" Willow asked.

Danny shrugged. "I can't sleep good anymore, haven't for a long time."

Willow nodded. "Same with me."

Danny lowered his gaze. "Do you have nightmares?"

Willow frowned. "Every time I close my eyes, I always see Shiloh and Nelle."

"And I always see the V-Guards and Alessandro."

GHGHGH

Danny was finally catching a break from their new house. He and Scout were heading next door to visit Cam, Jake, and the rest of their family while Jax and Josslyn were coming over to visit with Willow. While Danny was excited to be seeing his cousins, he had an odd feeling his mom wanted a break from them since she was the one who suggested it.

"Hi Danny. Hi Scout." Elizabeth smiled when she answered the door. "It's so good to see you. Violet and the boys have been looking forward to your visit."

When Danny and Scout walked inside, Elizabeth headed down the hall. "Boys! Danny and Scout are here."

"Hi Scout." Violet waved from the couch where she was colouring and Scout walked over to her.

"Hi Violet. I have a loose tooth." Scout wiggled one of her top middle incisors.

"Don't worry, Scout," Danny said. "I'll yank it out later for you."

Scout gawked at him. "That sounds like it'll hurt."

"Oh, it will," Danny said. "It's the worst pain ever to lose a tooth. Some don't survive. Others lose their entire faces."

Scout's jaw dropped slightly.

Violet covered her mouth with her hand and mumbled, "I don't want to lose a tooth then."

"Me neither," Scout whined. "Unless the Tooth Fairy makes us all better?"

Danny grinned. "Mom didn't tell you the whole truth about the Tooth Fairy. The Tooth Fairy does leave something under your pillow, but you're supposed to give it to your older brother."

"I don't have a brother," Violet said.

"Or your two oldest male cousins," Danny said. "Especially one that helps pull your tooth out."

Violet frowned.

"Hey, D!" Cameron fist-bumped him and plopped on the couch next to Violet.

Jake fist-bumped him as well and smiled. He still wore a bandage on his throat.

"I was just telling Scout and Violet the rules of the Tooth Fairy," Danny said.

Cameron smirked. "Can you remind me? It's been years since the Tooth Fairy came to our house."

"Whatever she brings you, you have to give to your older brother or older male cousins."

Jake grinned.

Scout stomped her foot. "But that's not fair!"

"Sorry Scout," Cam said. "Rules are rules."

Violet lowered her gaze. "I don't like that rule."

Cameron rose and walked to the kitchen. "Some rules aren't to be liked. So, Danny, how's your new place?"

Danny shrugged. "Tiny. Boring. And my annoying nerd of a sister made me lose the basement!"

Cam groaned as he pulled two large bowls from the cupboard and placed them in the sink. "I was hoping for the basement too. But Jason and Mom insisted on taking it…"

Jake frowned and pointed to his chest.

"And Jake was hoping to have it too," Cam added as he turned the tap on in the sink.

"It's not fair," Danny said. "They always treat us like little kids."

"I guess on the bright side, we don't have to share," Cameron said. "Not like Aiden and Violet. Though I think it's good for Aiden right now. Violet's the only one he'll talk to."

Danny scrunched his face. "Really?"

"Yeah. Well unless you count when he begs Mom for V-Vitamins everyday and pleads to go back to V-Town. I heard him telling Violet the other day that he thinks the Almighty V will come rescue them soon. He rarely leaves his room. Only has a few times."

"That's kind of sad…" Danny said.

"Uh-huh," Cam said. "I'm excited to start work at the fire-slash-police station this week though."

"Yeah, I'm kind of looking forward to school too," Danny said.

"Jake's going to finish up a year or two of high school as well." Cameron carried the two bowls of water over to the couch and handed one to Violet and Scout.

The girls stared at the bowls.

"Girls, we need your help," Cameron said. "We are counting on you. Now, hold those bowls above your heads."

Violet and Scout's eyes grew wide, but they lifted them above their heads.

Danny scrunched his face.

"If either of you drop your bowl, tilt it, or spill any water from them, we'll all fall off this island," Cameron said.

The girl's faces paled.

Danny smirked. "He's right. All of us are counting on you. Do not let us down."

"I don't want to fall off the island!" Scout said.

"Then hold it tight!" Danny warned.

"Come on, this will be good for you," Elizabeth said as she returned with Aiden and squeezed his shoulders. "You used to love to see Scout."

Aiden's shoulders stiffened and his face was pale.

Elizabeth let go of his shoulders and looked at Violet and Scout. "What are you girls doing?"

Cameron rubbed his hands together. "Well, D… want to check out my new room?"

"If we drop the bowls, we'll fall off the island," Violet said, her arms starting to shake.

"Or if we spill the water," Scout added.

Elizabeth scrunched her face. "Where did you get an idea like that?"

"Yeah, let's check out your new room," Danny said and hastened to the hallway with Cam and Jake.

"Hold it!" Elizabeth raised her voice, then took the bowls from Violet and Scout.

Danny, Cam, and Jake came to a halt.

"Did the boys tell you to hold the bowls?" Elizabeth asked.

The girls nodded.

Danny groaned.

"And did they tell you we'd fall off the island if you put them down?"

"Or if we spilled the water," Scout said.

"Really? Well, they were lying to you," Elizabeth said. "That's not going to happen."

Violet furrowed her eyebrows. "Cameron is mean!"

Scout crossed her arms. "So is Danny!"

"Well, now that's settled who's mean and who isn't," Cam said. "Let's go check out my room, D."

"You're not going anywhere until you apologize to your cousins," Elizabeth said.

Slam.

Danny swung his head around where the front door had swung open and Carly marched inside. Danny gaped at her. Thousands of red lumps covered her face and arms.

Elizabeth groaned. "Carly, can you please knock—are you okay?"

"Where is Jason?" Carly set her hands on her hips.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "He's at Wyndemere with Drew… you know, doing their new job!"

"Well, I've had enough of you slithering into every aspect of his life, including enslaving him here."

Elizabeth sighed. "Can you kids go to your rooms please?"

Cameron crossed his arms. "I'm not leaving!"

Elizabeth took Violet and Scout's hands and prodded them to the bedrooms with Aiden, then returned. "Carly, I do not appreciate you storming into my house without knocking!"

"Well, I don't appreciate the control you are holding over Jason!" Carly huffed. "He should be living with me!"

"He doesn't want to live with you!"

"You know, I think you're just jealous of my mom," Cam said.

"Jealous?" Carly laughed. "Jealous of Elizabeth?"

"Carly, what is all over your skin?" Elizabeth asked. "It looks like boils."

"Oh, that's nothing." Carly kicked one of her flats off and showed the bottom of her foot where there were flat, red and white sores. "I wouldn't be surprised if you caused this!"

"Carly, that looks like a fungal infection," Elizabeth said. "You really should get that checked out."

Carly slipped her shoe back on. "No, I won't do that. You see, because of you, Ava, Alexis, Sam, and so many little people like yourself have turned my loved ones against me. I already lost Sonny and Morgan! Now… now… Ava has Avery… and Michael, Josslyn, and Jason want nothing to do with me! Now whose fault do you think that is?"

"Uh… yours?"

Danny lifted the neck of his sweater and laughed into it.

"No, it's not my fault," Carly said. "It's all of you! You are plotting against me! And now, even Mama keeps scolding me like a child. Says I'm not focusing on Donna. How can I do that when all the people I love are being kept from me?"

"I think you should listen to your mother," Elizabeth said. "And while you're at it, get a procedure done!"

"No, I will not get a procedure done," Carly insisted. "Because there's nothing wrong with my mind. It's Jason, Michael, and Josslyn whose minds are being messed with! And mark my words, I will not let any of you get away with it!" She marched out and slammed the door behind her.

GHGHGH

When Danny and Scout arrived back home, Sam, Willow, Jax, and Josslyn were sitting around the table playing cards.

"You know, Willow," Jax said as he shuffled the cards. "Your mom and I met over a game of Poker."

Sam sighed. "Don't remind me…"

"Really?" Willow asked.

"Indeed." Jax nodded. "In fact, I saved her from some grifter who couldn't accept that she beat him."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, knight in shining armour. Saved one grifter from another grifter."

Josslyn laughed. "Oh, real romantic, Dad."

"Then I turned around and beat her," Jax said.

"With the Dead Man's Hand," Sam said, then turned and smiled at Danny and Scout. "Hey. Did you have fun at your cousins'?"

"Yep," Danny said.

Scout crossed her arms. "Danny told me we would all fall off the island if I spilled water!"

Sam scrunched her face. "What?"

"Technically Cam told you that," Danny said. "I just agreed."

"Elizabeth said it wasn't true!" Scout stomped her foot.

"She's right," Sam said. "It's not true."

"And I bet you're lying about the Tooth Fairy too!" Scout said.

Sam rubbed her temples. "What did he say about the Tooth Fairy?"

"That whatever she gives us we have to give to our big brothers," Scout said.

"Actually," Willow cut in. "You're supposed to give it to your big sister."

Scout's mouth dropped.

"Or your sister's sister." Josslyn winked at her.

Scout tugged on her braids. "I'm so confused!"

Sam groaned. "They're all wrong. Whatever the Tooth Fairy gives you, you can use it however you want to use it."

"Well, on that note. I think it's time that Joss and I head out." Jax kissed Willow's cheek. "Maybe you can come over to our house next time."

Willow smiled.

After Jax and Josslyn left, Scout pouted. "Will my face really fall off if I lose a tooth?"

Sam looked at Danny. "Really?"

Danny shrugged. "What?"

Sam shook her head and stroked Scout's braids. "I've lost all my baby teeth. Daddy has lost his. So has Danny and Willow. None of our faces fell off."

"Oh," Scout said. "Then mine won't either?"

"No, of course not. Now go get ready for bed."

Scout glared at Danny, then stomped hard on his foot.

"Ow!" Danny winced.

Scout sauntered to her room.

"In fact," Sam said. "I think you both should go to bed early too."

"What?" Danny gaped at her. "Why?"

Sam plopped down on the couch. "Because… because I said so."

Willow shrugged. "I'm kind of tired anyway."

Danny glowered at Willow. "You're no help!"

GHGHGH

Danny rolled over in his bed. There was just no way he'd be falling asleep at 9pm! Just what was Mom thinking?

He sat up and hung his legs over his bed and yanked his dirty socks off. He brought them to his nose and sniffed. Ew… perfect.

He opened his bedroom door and saw his parents sitting on the couch together. Drew was stroking Sam's hair.

"I know you want to wait for your dad… and I totally get that," Drew said. "But Patrick said today he doesn't know when he's going to wake up."

Sam frowned, but nodded.

Danny's heart sank.

"I really want to marry you," Drew said. "We've waited so long."

"I want to marry you too," Sam said. "I was thinking before school starts. And I think you're right… I don't think my dad would want us to put on our wedding on hold."

"Are you sure?"

Sam smiled. "As long as our children are there, then I don't want to wait anymore."

Drew leaned forward and kissed her.

"Ew…" Danny muttered under his breath.

Danny walked across the hall and carefully pushed Willow's door open. He inched closer to the heap that would be his sister on her bed and lifted the cover to drop his socks on her face when…

Splash!

Danny screamed. Ice cold water streamed over him. He whipped around and Willow was standing behind him holding a bucket with a grin on her face.

"What's going?" Drew asked as he and Sam appeared in the doorway.

"Danny was going to drop his dirty socks in my face again, but I was prepared this time," Willow said.

"Well it's a good thing school starts in four days," Sam said.

Danny groaned and squeezed some of the water out of his shirt.