Nothing Comes For Free

Georgie and Logan, GH

Chapter Twelve

June 2016

"Mr. Hayes, my name is Harrison Tate. I am the attorney handling the estate of Mr. Cooper Barrett and his wife Maxie-."

"Coop's dead?"

Logan damn near passed out. His best friend was dead and he had to hear from a damn lawyer. No one in Port Charles had thought to call him.

"I apologize. I assumed you had been informed. There was a house fire-."

"What about the kids? LJ and Frankie? Are the kids...?" He sunk into a chair.

"The children were not home that evening, as I understand it. In fact, I was calling to let you know that you have been named as a guardian to both children, but there are some stipulations. The will reading is next week. It is very important that you are present. I'm very sorry for your loss. I understand if you need some time to decide how to move forward. Can you attend the will reading so we could discuss this in person?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be there." He hung up the phone. He would have to figure out the details later.

He broke into tears. Coop was gone. He had been a brother to Logan for the last decade. He was a good guy, so much better, in a lot of ways, than Logan, so crazy about his wife still and they had two fantastic little kids...LJ and Frankie, damn, they were orphans.

Coop and Maxie had left him the kids. What could they have been thinking? He couldn't do this. How was he going to be a Dad to them all on his own? He was suddenly regretting never settling down.

He had no wife to wrap him in a hug and promise they would get through this together. He covered his face with his hands as sobs wracked him. He was on his own in life now. He didn't have any family left...except two little kids that were counting on him.

"Maxie and Cooper..." Georgie whispered, as tears streamed out of her eyes, "they're alive."

Logan froze. His mouth dropped. "What? Are you sure? How?"

"My Dad was talking really fast but he said something about Helena Cassadine faking their deaths so she could use them as leverage against my birth father. He's the head of the WSB. The only reason Maxie and Cooper were found was because Cooper managed to overpower a guard, make a phone call to Frisco and give the WSB their location. I guess Helena said she planned to keep them for years."

"I can't believe this...who the hell is Helena Cassadine?"

"A crazy bitch but forget about her. Logan...we have to give the kids back."

He pulled her into his arms. "Baby, I know, I know. It's going to be okay, I promise you. This is a good thing. An amazing thing. We need to get back home and see them, get the kids back to them. Are they okay? Are they hurt?"

"They're okay, I think. My Dad was crying happy tears so it was really hard to understand everything he was saying but they're alive and home. It's amazing."

"It's a miracle."

He looked into her eyes. She was stunned. He could see how much pain was there because getting back her sister and brother-in-law meant that the life that Georgie and Logan had been building together, as far as raising the kids, was over. It would break his heart to go back to being Uncle Logan but he would gladly suffer that heartbreak to get the kids their parents back. He knew, deep down, Georgie felt the same, but she was just in shock at the moment.

She whispered "We need to head home."

"Let's tell the kids and then we can FaceTime your folks."

He stood up and reached out his hand to her. She took his hand.

He said "Hey, just so you know where I stand, this changes nothing when it comes to how I feel about you. I owe Coop and Maxie a big thank you for trusting me to raise the kids with you. For giving me a chance at having that kind of life, this family with you. I will forever be grateful. But you and me are more than just co-guardians. I know your head is spinning. Mine is too. This is the best news ever and also it hurts to lose the future we were planning. It's all that at once but what it is not, Georgie, what it could never be...is the end of you and me." He cupped her cheek. "We're gonna get through this together, girl."

"I feel so selfish for hating the fact that we have to give the kids back. I know they belong with their parents. I would never wish Maxie or Coop to be gone...but I had accepted they were. I started to let myself believe I knew what the future would be...it was so close...and now it's gone."

"It's just changed. We go back to being Uncle Logan and Aunt Georgie...and this gives us time to live it up some before we are raising kids together again."

"Logan..." she said, as a blush covered her cheek.

His phone rang. He let out a groan. "Let me take this real quick and then we wake up the kids and give them the best news of their lives." He answered his phone "Scott, hey...yeah, I did hear but thank you for calling me. I appreciate it...yeah...I plan on sticking around Port Charles...Maybe, I ain't making no promises, old man. Now I gotta go."

Logan disconnected the call. "You ready?"

"I'm grateful to not be doing this alone. I think I would have lost my mind if I was the only guardian for LJ and Frankie this whole time. When you moved into my house I was so ticked that I was forced to live with you but now I am so grateful we got the chance to have that time together."

"We'll have more time, okay?"

"We better go tell the kids." She headed into the house.

Logan followed her. They woke both the kids up and gathered them on the couch in the living room.

Georgie said "Grandpa Mac called and told us something pretty awesome. There was a big mistake when we all thought your Mommy and Daddy went to heaven. We were wrong. Some bad people lied about that. Your Mommy and Daddy are alive and they are waiting back home to see you again."

The kids were shocked but also overjoyed. Soon they were on a Facetime chat with their parents. The kids were jumping with joy to get to see their parents. The moment Georgie saw Maxie she burst into happy tears.

Logan wrapped his arms around her from behind, to comfort her. She relaxed against his body.

Maxie exclaimed "Are you two together?!" A sly smile curved her lips.

Georgie said "Don't worry about that. There's a lot more important things to talk about. Like how soon we can book a flight back home."

It was decided that they would all fly back together, even though they had drove out. Charlie would stay with the neighbor again. Then Logan could fly back for his dog and truck once everything calmed down a little.

Coop said to Logan. "Thank you, brother, for taking care of my kids. I knew you would but still...I know it wasn't easy. But there is no one else I would trust like I trust you."

Maxie said "And there is no one else I would trust like I trust my sister, so that is why you two had to both be guardians. Though I never thought you'd hook up! You're totally not her type, Logan."

Frankie asked "What is hooking up?"

Georgie blushed. "It's not important, sweetie! It means good friends, that's all."

LJ said "I told you that they are in love, like Mommy and Daddy. Hooking up is love, right, Daddy?"

Coop chuckled. "Well, um, you would need to ask your Uncle Logan about that one, son. But if they are in love then you could get a new cousin soon. Maybe even named Cooper since we do have that agreement, Logan..."

"Okay, okay," Logan said "We are getting way off track here. I'm going to start checking flights on my phone. We need to get the kids fed, pack up and head to the airport. You guys keep catching up though. I'll see you soon, brother."

"Safe travels," Cooper said "and thank you again."