Chapter 15- Frozen Skye
Jax used his phone as a flashlight as he made his way through the trees on the Quartermaine grounds. He kept calling out for Skye with no answer.
"Breathe… breathe… breathe…" a very faint, frightened voice cried out in the distance.
Jax pushed his way thought some bushes and saw Skye all wet and white as a ghost, pulling herself onto dry land. She dropped down and he ran over to her.
"Skye?" He started to lift her. "Come on, we need to get you to the hospital."
"No, he got me."
"Who got you?"
"I shouldn't have… I shouldn't…"
"Come on, we're going to GH…"
"No… no…" she whimpered, and her body shook. "Home… Go home…"
"Come on…" He scooped her in his arms. "I'll call Alan on the way."
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"Have you found her yet?" Rae asked as she and John walked inside the Quartermaine mansion.
Monica rolled her eyes.
"We haven't," Alan said. "I've called all over town and the police won't do anything until it's been 24 hours."
"Oh, good grief," Monica said. "I bet she's watching us and having a cow at how much attention she's getting through this. I better send her some popcorn so she can enjoy the show."
"Monica…" Alan started.
"Listen here, Monica," Rae spoke up. "This isn't the time for your sarcasm or lack of faith in my daughter. I don't care if this is your house, I know there is something wrong, I can feel it. So, go upstairs and stay out of the way."
"Excuse me?" Monica laughed. "You don't come into my home and tell me what to do."
"Rae is right," Alan said. "You're delaying valuable time in finding Skye. Please leave."
Before Monica could leave or say something else though, AJ came into the foyer. "Jax just called. He just took Skye to GH."
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Adam, Liza, Stuart, Marian, Hayley, and Matteo sat in the living room of the Chandler mansion watching Colby play with the new doll Hayley gave her.
Stuart bounced in his chair and smiled. "So, Hayley, what is your big news?"
Hayley looked at Matteo and squeezed his hand, then turned to the others. "Matteo and I are going to have a baby."
Stuart's face lit up. "A new baby!"
Adam scratched his chin, then sat up and smiled. "This is wonderful news. My first grandchild. Oh, I'm so proud of you." He got up and hugged Hayley, then shook Matteo's hand. "I bet it's a boy and he'll take right after his grandfather."
"Oh gosh," Hayley said. "That would be… something."
"I'll teach him the ropes of the business as early as possible, of course," Adam said.
Hayley rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah. We wouldn't want him not to know how to fight dirty business before he's five. Whatever would we do?"
"Mr. Chandler…" Winefred hurried into the living room. Your daughter was just taken to the hospital."
He stared at her, then looked at Hayley and then Colby. Stuart looked frightened.
"Skye!" Winefred said. "She's suffering from hypothermia and you're listed as her next of kin."
Adam's eyes grew wide. "What!? In Llanview?"
"No, she's at the Port Charles General Hospital."
"We must go, Adam," Stuart stood next to him. "Skye needs us."
"Oh, yes, of course! Grab me my coat, will you, Winefred?"
"Yes, Mr. Chandler." Winefred left the room.
"I'll come with you," Hayley offered. "I haven't seen Skye since Uncle Stuart's fake funeral."
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"Skye is suffering from hypothermia," Tony explained.
"How did this even happen?" Tears streamed down Rae's cheeks. John wrapped an arm around her.
Monica's mouth dropped slightly.
"I found her just as she was crawling out of the lake," Jax said. "She was too disoriented to tell me what happened. She just mentioned a he. She said he got me. But then she said she wanted to go home. Nothing else really made sense."
Alan gritted his teeth. "Lorenzo Alcazar. I bet he was behind this."
"We've got her on fluids, warm and moist oxygen, heated blankets," Tony said. "We're slowly trying to warm her up but…" He looked at Alan. "As you know, we can't warm her up too quickly. We're closely monitoring her. You may visit her, two at a time."
Rae looked at John, but he prodded her on. "Go with Alan, it's all right."
Alan and Rae headed inside.
"When I find Lorenzo Alcazar, I'm going to kill him," AJ said.
"Take a number," Edward said. "I think it'll have to be a group effort.
Rae and Alan stood in the doorway for a few moments just watching Skye. She was so pale, just like snow. She was covered in heated blankets, had oxygen tubes in her nose, and she was sweating.
Rae sat on one side and Alan on the other. Rae gently held her hand. "Skye?"
Skye slowly opened her eyes and started to cry. "I—I—I…"
"It's okay, honey," Rae said. "Don't try to speak. But your father and I are here. We're not going anywhere."
"Your mother is right," Alan said. "We're here to help you pull through this. You will pull through."
"I—I—I couldn't get out… I wanted… I—I"
"What do you mean you couldn't get out?" Alan asked. "Of the water?"
"He—He put me in… I couldn't get out…"
"Skye, try to calm down," Rae said. "You can tell us when you feel better."
"The water… the water… the only way… It—it… I couldn't get out…"
"You're out now, and you're safe," Rae said.
"I couldn't get out…" Skye repeated. "I wanted… I—I—I want to go home… The-the water is cold…"
"You're out of the water now," Alan said.
"I'll do it… Gr—Grandmother… I'll do it… I'll paint… I just couldn't get out…"
"You mean your room?" Rae asked. "You'll paint your room?"
"P—please t-take me back… I'll do it… I will… I—I didn't mean it…"
"She's in shock," Alan said.
"I—I didn't mean it…" Skye continued. "I—I needed to tell you… but I couldn't get out… I'm s—sorry… but I couldn't get out…"
"You're out now, Skye," Rae said. "You're out and your safe."
"I—I'm sorry… but I couldn't get out… I couldn't get out… I won't write it again… I'm sorry… I—I'm sorry…"
"Do you mean the article you posted of me and your mother?" Alan asked.
"I—I just want to go home… p—please take me back… I—I'll be g—good… I'll p—paint… I n—needed to t—tell you… p—please t-t-take me back… p—please…"
"To tell us that you're sorry for writing that?" Rae laughed a little. "That is the least of our worries right now."
"I d—don't want to d—die…"
"You're not going to die," Alan said.
"I—I want to g—go home… but I needed to tell you… b—before I die…"
"Skye, you're not going to die," Rae repeated.
"I needed to tell you…" Skye looked up at Rae, but a little unfocused. "I—I don't hate you… p—please take me back… I—I want to go home… I—I don't hate you…"
Rae laughed through her tears and kissed her forehead. "Well, I don't hate you too. I would love for you to come back home with me. But when you're better, that's something you can decide, and I'll support you no matter where you want to live."
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"Let me through…" Adam butted in front of the line at the desk, Stuart and Hayley not far behind. "I am looking for my daughter, Skye Chandler."
"You must be Adam," Bobbie said. "I called you. She is in room 514."
"Thank you."
Adam, Stuart, and Hayley made their way to the fifth floor to find the Quartermaines, Jax, and John waiting outside of Skye's room.
"Where is Skye? Where is my daughter?"
"She's inside with her parents," Edward said. "It has been a long time, Adam."
"Yes, well, not long enough," Adam said. "I need to see my daughter."
"Only two visitors at a time," Monica said.
Adam scoff. "You think I care about hospital rules? I am her father!" He made his way into her room. He looked at Rae and Alan but turned his attention to Skye. "Sweetheart, I came as soon as I heard."
"See, Skye?" Rae said. "There are a lot of people here that care about you."