Nothing Comes For Free

Georgie and Logan, GH

Chapter Six

May 2016

"What is all that commotion?" Georgie asked, hearing a scuffle going on outside. "Come on, kids, come with me. It's time to play hide and seek. Hurry."

Someone had gotten onto the island. They were all in danger. She had to save the kids and herself. Security may not be able to stop the intruder.

Just as she was grabbing up the kids, from the living room where they were playing with toys, and about to rush them into a safe room, the door burst open. A security guard had a man by his collar.

"This guy has papers for you, ma'am. I was going to throw him in the lake but they look official so I thought you better have a look. He wouldn't let go of them so I had to bring him along. I apologize for the disturbance."

"Vlad, that's fine. I'm just glad you have it under control. Let me see those papers."

The man passed them to her. "You've been served."

"Excuse me?" She opened up the papers and saw that Logan was taking her to court for full custody. "That man! AHHHH! I will..." she stopped when she realized the kids were staring at her. "Vlad, please escort our guest back to the launch." She pulled out her cell phone and called the nanny. "I need you to come take the children. We're in the living room. They would like to go visit the stables. Thank you."

"I get to see Pageant," Frankie cried, happily, hearing she would soon be near her favorite horse.

Georgie kept her anger in check until the kids were out of sight and then she stomped up to Logan's room. She walked in without knocking.

He was covered in sweat, shirtless once again, and doing push ups.

She threw the papers on his bare back. "You cretin! You pig! You con man! Letting me think you were decent and we were in this together. You are the worst. The absolute worst. And if you think you are taking those kids from me let me assure you that you will only get full custody over my cold" she broke into tears "dead body!"

He quickly stood up and took her into his arms. She pushed against his chest, beating on it with her fists.

"Shh, hey now, calm down," he said. "I filed that a week ago. I thought you were doing the same. That's what you said, remember?"

She kept crying and beating his chest. "I trusted you in my home with my babies!"

He wrapped her in his arms. "I know you did. I'm sorry, okay? I jumped the gun. I'm not going for full custody. I'm not taking them anywhere. I'm staying here with all of you. I'm here as long as you can stand me."

She gripped onto his sweaty body with all her might, needing something to ground her in this storm.

XXXXXXXX

Logan didn't know what the hell he was doing- not in this house, not raising those kids and not dealing with Georgie.

One minute he thought he had it all figured out. He thought he could let go of the life he built for himself in Texas and make this his life now- with no regrets or complaints. He thought he could be good for the kids. He thought he might even bring a smile every now and then to Ice Water Queen's lips, if that was even possible.

But then he would screw it all up again. Like filing for full custody.

He had moved fast because she said she was doing the same. He knew she could afford a high priced attorney who probably had deep roots in this corrupt town. He needed the same. And, whether Georgie realized it or not, Logan could afford a damn good attorney of his own.

He should have tried to talk to her some more before filing the papers. Now he'd gone and made her cry. He hated to see a lady cry- especially someone as strong as Georgie.

Getting her mad, that he could deal with, but seeing her cry was too much.

All he could do was hold her and hope the tears stopped soon. The fact that she held onto him as if her life depended on it, he was taking as a good sign. The first good sign he'd had since sitting in that lawyers office with her and hearing they would be co-guardians together.

He eased back from her and gently wiped her tears. She tried to avert her eyes and move back.

"Hey now, don't do that. Don't run from me." He cupped her chin and made her look him in the eye.

Something about her eyes in that moment- so turbulent and brimming with emotions- were like a gut punch to him. He'd never seen her vulnerable before.

Judgmental, sure. Bossy, always. Rude while insisting she was the nicest lady in all the land, usually.

But weak, weary and needing someone...needing him...never before. It took his breath away for a moment.

Pulling himself together, he said "We're in this together, okay? Let's quit this stupid war and be the people Maxie and Cooper believed we could be. I'm giving up a lot, believe it or not, to be here but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I know you don't think you need me, and you probably don't. I'm just a pain in your ass. But I need you. I can't raise no girl without you. So, if you could, take some pity on me and help me raise the prettiest, sweetest and toughest girl I've ever known. Will you do that for me...with me?"

She nodded.

He said "I think I see where Frankie gets it from."

Georgie pulled away and turned her back on him. She wiped at her eyes. "You're right. Frankie is a lot like Maxie."

"You're a lot like Maxie, too."

"I'm nothing like my sister was. We were total opposites. Everyone knew that."

"Maybe not as much as you think. You've got fire, Georgie. Take it from me. You've got that same fire that Maxie had, you just show it different. You think longer before you act. But you're just as tough as she was. Good thing cause you're gonna need to be to raise those kids."

"We're really doing this? Together?"

"You tell me."

"Let's do it."

"You got it, darlin."