Chapter 31

Mike's House

Skye tried to get ahold of herself. She realized that she would need to make the most convincing argument of her life in order to make up for throwing away the man she loved. She took a deep breath, wondering what in the world she was going to say. "You know, Mike was right about you having a baby. You are still so young and have so much ahead of you." Courtney looked at her incredulously. Skye pressed on, not sure where she was going with this. "And your marriage is still young, too. I've often heard that it is much better to wait awhile after getting married before you bring children into the picture. After all, you and AJ are still getting to know each other." Courtney folded her arms. "So I've noticed. Apparently I don't know AJ at all. I fell in love with an illusion. An illusion he created to attract me and drive Sonny crazy. You were right earlier when you indicated that I was immature and that I rushed into marriage. I was blind and I made a mistake. I intend to correct my mistake. You don't have to worry about me having a baby with AJ now or ever."

Skye sighed and sunk down onto the nearest chair. "No, Courtney, you did not fall in love with an illusion. Its true that he was putting on an act when he first met you. Turning up the charm, showering you with gifts, playing hero and prince charming. But you didn't fall in love with that illusion. You were just infactuated with it. I don't believe that you are so shallow and materialistic that you would fall in love with a man simply because he gives you expensive things and wines and dines you." Courtney looked thoughtful, and shrugged. Skye went on, "I was watching him the whole time he was courting you. Once he had gotten you hooked and started to spend time with you, he began to shift from illusion to reality. He started showing you more and more of his true self. You got to see all the personality quirks that make AJ who he is. And that was the person you fell in love with. You do love the real AJ. I can't make you believe that, but it's true." Courtney looked pained, and started pacing. "Well, so what if I did fall in love with his real self? On his side it was all a scheme to use me. He never cared about me at all, I was just a pawn to him."

Skye shook her head. "Courtney, if this whole time it had been just a game to him, then he never would have stopped spinning the illusion. Or at the very least he would have maintained the façade that he uses with most people. When I saw that he was showing you what he was really like, I had mixed feelings. I knew it meant that you were becoming very special to him, that he was falling in love with you. I hoped that this would mean he would give up trying to use you. I was also afraid that now Sonny would have yet another opportunity to take someone away from him. But he didn't walk away from you. He kept wooing you, but this time in earnest, not as part of some scheme. Courtney, AJ has told me many times that he loves you and doesn't want to lose you. Why would he tell me such a thing if it weren't true?" Courtney folded her arms. "How do I know that you aren't in on some trick to get me to take him back?" Skye shrugged. "What would be the point? If AJ had still been seeking revenge, he would have succeeded by now. What would be the point of getting back together unless he really does love you?" Courtney threw up her hands. "I don't know! All I know is that he is capable of anything, and I can't trust him anymore. Now are you finished here? I have things to do." Skye sighed. There was really nothing more she could say. "I'll leave you alone. Just think about everything that I've said, Courtney. Please." Skye walked out the door.

AJ's Townhouse

Skye rung the doorbell, feeling a sense of irony that this used to be her home. AJ opened the door, looking haggard. "Well, what happened?" Skye went into the living room and sat down. "Long story short – Mike was the one who spilled the beans to Courtney. She didn't believe him, but Janine confirmed it. Then when she confronted you, she fingered Sonny because she was afraid of what you would do to Mike. Plus she figured it would cause a rift between me and Sonny." AJ sat down, stunned. "She lied to me because she thought I would hurt Mike? And she wanted to get back at you, too?" Skye nodded. AJ shook his head. "I'm almost proud of her. She's got guts. Did you talk to her about me?" Skye nodded again. "I gave a very impassioned speech, AJ. I only hope it works." AJ leaned his head back on the chair and closed his eyes. "I hope so, too. Did you talk to Sonny at all?" There was a long pause, and AJ brought his head up to look at her. She was staring off into space, her eyes suspiciously bright. "I take it you did talk to Sonny, and it wasn't good. Was he taking this whole thing out on you?" She blinked back the tears and shook her head. "I wanted to talk to Courtney and he tried to stop me. He apparently doesn't appreciate my style of confrontation and wanted to protect his little sister from me. I refused to be dissuaded, and so he called off the engagement."

AJ stared at her, stunned. "He called off the engagement because he thought you were going to hurt Courtney?" Skye nodded. "I can't say I really blame him. If I thought he was going to come over and ream you out, I would probably nail wood beams to the door to keep him out. Neither of us are known for our tact and diplomacy." AJ stood up and started pacing. "So my stupid scheming has managed to ruin both of our lives. Now we sit here broken-hearted because I had to get one over on Sonny." Skye stood up and hugged her brother. "AJ, I'm so sorry that it turned out this way. It was so wonderful to see you happy for a while." She pulled away. "Tell you what. How about I bake us some chocolate-chip cookies and you go rent some movies? We'll stuff ourselves with comfort food and escape into entertainment. How does that sound?" AJ nodded wearily. "Sounds fine. But I'm not renting any chick flick type movies. I can do the comfort food, but no sappy three hanky romances." Skye smiled. "Okay, but they can't all be action movies. Throw in some comedies – I'm in dire need of a good laugh."

When the siblings had watched all the movies and the food was all gone, they sat on the couch, talking. "I was planning on giving Courtney her Christmas gift tonight. We never really had a honeymoon, so I bought tickets for the Virgin Islands. I had even arranged for us to go to a private island for a couple of days. It was going to be fantastic. I don't know what I'll do with them now. Cash them in, I guess. Hey, maybe you and I should go? Forget our troubles for a while." Skye shook her head. "You wouldn't be forgetting your troubles, AJ. You'd spend the whole time thinking about what it would be like if Courtney were with you." AJ sighed. Skye put her arm around him. "You look wiped out, maybe you should go to bed." AJ shook his head. "I can't do it. I'll just lay in bed wishing Courtney were with me. Imagining her golden hair spread across the pillow. This is hell, Skye. Complete and utter hell. Listen to me complaining. I know you must be in pain, too." Skye looked down, her chin wobbling as she tried to control her emotions. "While you were out getting the videos, Adam called to wish me a merry Christmas. He also said that he was able to get two more tickets to the Crystal Ball, and was very much looking forward to meeting Sonny." Skye's voice broke on the last word. She took a deep breath. "I had to tell him that we broke up." She looked over at AJ. "I suggested to him that maybe I could still come and bring you with me. He never has gotten to meet you." AJ looked at her in surprise. "Weren't you just telling me that you didn't think we should go on that trip because it would remind me too much that Courtney wasn't there? Wouldn't it be the same at the Crystal Ball?" Skye shrugged. "The difference is that I really want to see Adam right now. But I don't want to go to Pine Valley alone. If you'd rather not go, that's okay." AJ shook his head. "No, I'd like to go. Thanks for inviting me. I'm definitely interested in meeting Adam myself."

Quartermaine Mansion

Christmas at the Quartermaines was unusually quiet. It could have been that everyone was sick and tired of bickering at each other. More likely it was because the misery was pouring off Skye and AJ in waves. Even family members that weren't at all fond of the siblings didn't have the heart to kick them while they were down. Monica approached Skye and asked to speak with her privately. They went out into the foyer. Monica took a deep breath. "Skye, I just wanted to let you know that I am extremely grateful to you for all the support you've given AJ in the past year and a half. Even when the family was against him, you stood by his side. He has needed that so badly. I could see his confidence growing by leaps and bounds, and I was terribly upset that I was not the one to bring that about." Skye looked down. "I don't know if boosting his confidence was the right thing. It only made him think he could succeed at his scheme to get back at Sonny. Now its all blown up terribly in his face." Monica paced. "I have to believe that it will turn out all right. Courtney is young, she doesn't have a lifetime of hurt that inhibits trust. She should be able to forgive him. Thank you, Skye, for talking to her. Even though it meant losing the one thing you wanted most." Skye steeled herself not to cry. "You're welcome, Monica. It means a lot to me for you to say that. Look, I need to go. I promised Rae I'd drop in on her and John. Could you say goodbye to everyone for me?" Monica nodded in understanding.

Skye drove over to Rae's apartment and knocked on the door. Rae invited her in, then enfolded Skye in a warm embrace. For the first time since Sonny walked out of Mike's kitchen and out of her life yesterday, Skye finally gave in to her emotions and sobbed on her mother's shoulder.