1 The Same Coin
By Jessie
Chapter Two: Chance Meeting
1.1 Author's note: ****** denotes flashbacks
***NYC Metropolitan Opera House (Approx. 18 years ago)
Michael Corinthos helped his mother into one of the plush velvet seats. Knowing his stepfather would be out of town for the weekend, he reserved a box at The Met for the evening performance of Aida, one of his mother's favorite operas. He looked at her smiling face and noted how the dark green evening gown he'd purchased for her brought out her lovely dark hair and eyes. Once a beautiful woman, her joyless existence gradually eroded that beauty, except on rare occasions, like tonight, when she was allowed to breathe free and be happy. He handed her a pair of opera glasses and a program, silently swearing to himself, that one day, he'd free her permanently.
Then, the orchestra began playing the overture and he settled himself in his chair and fixed his eyes on the stage.
After the first few scenes, Michael's attention began to wander. Not able to speak Italian, he found it hard to follow the plot, and besides, opera had never really been his favorite thing. So, to keep himself occupied, he raised his glasses and began looking at the other audience members. He glanced at the box across from them and chuckled at the sight of an older man not so discreetly picking his nose. Then he noticed the man's much younger wife smiling at him, so he flashed a dimpled grin her way. He scanned the seats below, some seemed bored, some were interested, and some were doing the same thing he was doing. He continued looking around until he felt the nagging feeling he was being watched. He looked to the box on his right and he saw her.
She was dressed in a soft lilac gown which hugged and draped every curve, her shiny, auburn hair was pinned back from her face but hung loose to her shoulders, and she sat there, resting her ivory cheek on one white gloved hand. She stared at him with an expression of such awe and fascination that he
felt compelled to respond. So, he gave her his most flirtatious grin, the one that had never failed him. No response. So, he tried again, this time, he added a wink. Still nothing. Never one to shy away from a challenge, he smiled at her a third time, only instead of winking, this time he blew her kiss. When her gaze shifted slightly to the right, he shifted his as well, and to his dismay, he realized she had not been staring at him, but was watching the opera! Michael frowned. Here he had done his best to flirt with her but she was completely oblivious. Frustrated and vaguely insulted, he had decided to give up and go back to looking around. Right as he was turning his face away, a funny thing happened. She looked right at him. He turned his head to meet her gaze, and for a split-second, their eyes were locked. Then, realizing she'd been caught, she blushed scarlet and lowered her eyes. ' Now I got her,' he thought to himself and smirked at her arrogantly. She looked up just in time to catch the smirk, her eyes narrowed; she raised her chin, and sat back in her seat so he couldn't see her. Michael chuckled softly. So this one wasn't just a pretty face. This girl had spunk.
Jax's Plane-present time
" Skye?" Jax asked worry creeping into his voice," Are you all right? You've barely said a word since we left the island."
" It's just been a really long day," she answered, " Plus, I'm worried about A.J. I really think he's in over is head here, and if he's not careful, he's going to end up in an unmarked grave somewhere, courtesy of Sonny Corinthos."
"That's another thing, how did your chat with Sonny go?" he asked. Her face went totally white and he asked urgently, " What? Did he threaten you? Because if he did.."
Skye shook her head." Actually, I was the one making threats. I let him know, on no uncertain terms, that if he hurt my brother, he'd pay. And I meant it."
Jax chuckled," Poor Sonny, he's finally met a woman he can't charm. I almost feel sorry for the guy."
Arching an eyebrow, she said," You feeling sorry for Sonny? May I ask why?"
" Because," he answered," I'd really hate to have you for an enemy."
She smiled and said," Oh, I don't think you'll ever have to worry about that, Mr. Jacks. In fact, I can almost guarantee it."
St. Sophia-present time
Sonny came in from the terrace and scanned the room for Skye, but she was nowhere to be found. He noticed that Jax was also missing. Courtney and A.J. were standing by the cake, talking to Ned, and Alexis was sitting on the sofa alone. He strode over to where she was sitting and sat down beside her.
" Are you okay," Alexis asked," I saw Skye go out there after you. That can't have been good."
Sonny shrugged, " Nah, I'm fine. It was just insults and empty threats, you know, the same as usual. By the way, where did the little princess run off to? I expected her to be sticking to A.J. like glue just to make sure I don't off him."
" Jax said he was taking Skye on some romantic weekend adventure." She answered." What he sees in her I never know. She's completely…."
Sonny didn't hear the rest. He felt like someone stabbed him in the gut. He had always assumed she and Jax were sleeping together, but to hear his suspicions confirmed made him feel angry and jealous. He imagined Jax taking her clothes off, revealing her flawless ivory skin. He could see him memorizing ever curve with his hands and his mouth, and see him kissing that spot in the hollow of her neck that had always driven her wild with passion. He could hear her response and feel her shuddering with need. Sonny's insides twisted at the thought of another man touching what had been his, what he'd tried so hard to forget, and yet never quite succeeded.
" A toast," he heard A.J. say, " To my beautiful bride, who has given me more than she'll ever know." A.J. smiled and looked at Sonny.
Sonny's mind snapped to attention. He gave A.J. a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
" And to Sonny," A.J. continued, " Who, in spite of our history, has graciously offered to make peace. On behalf of my wife and myself, I thank you. Cheers."
"Cheers," the all said in unison and clinked their glasses.
As Sonny sipped his champagne, he stared at A.J. kissing his sister and fought to control the hatred and fury roiling inside him. He saw the love shining in Courtney's eyes and he remembered A.J.'s offer to trade her for Michael. As he thought about how callously that son of a bitch was using his sister, he realized his original plan wasn't good enough. He had planned to have him killed, but now he something much better in mind, something that would hit him where he lived and breathed, something that wouldn't just hurt A.J. He chuckled and thought to himself,' Enjoy your weekend with Candyboy, princess, because it's the last one you'll be spending together.'
TBC
Thanks everyone for the great feedback!
I wasn't sure whether this would be well-received, but your comments and reviews have helped inspire me!!!
By Jessie
Chapter Two: Chance Meeting
1.1 Author's note: ****** denotes flashbacks
***NYC Metropolitan Opera House (Approx. 18 years ago)
Michael Corinthos helped his mother into one of the plush velvet seats. Knowing his stepfather would be out of town for the weekend, he reserved a box at The Met for the evening performance of Aida, one of his mother's favorite operas. He looked at her smiling face and noted how the dark green evening gown he'd purchased for her brought out her lovely dark hair and eyes. Once a beautiful woman, her joyless existence gradually eroded that beauty, except on rare occasions, like tonight, when she was allowed to breathe free and be happy. He handed her a pair of opera glasses and a program, silently swearing to himself, that one day, he'd free her permanently.
Then, the orchestra began playing the overture and he settled himself in his chair and fixed his eyes on the stage.
After the first few scenes, Michael's attention began to wander. Not able to speak Italian, he found it hard to follow the plot, and besides, opera had never really been his favorite thing. So, to keep himself occupied, he raised his glasses and began looking at the other audience members. He glanced at the box across from them and chuckled at the sight of an older man not so discreetly picking his nose. Then he noticed the man's much younger wife smiling at him, so he flashed a dimpled grin her way. He scanned the seats below, some seemed bored, some were interested, and some were doing the same thing he was doing. He continued looking around until he felt the nagging feeling he was being watched. He looked to the box on his right and he saw her.
She was dressed in a soft lilac gown which hugged and draped every curve, her shiny, auburn hair was pinned back from her face but hung loose to her shoulders, and she sat there, resting her ivory cheek on one white gloved hand. She stared at him with an expression of such awe and fascination that he
felt compelled to respond. So, he gave her his most flirtatious grin, the one that had never failed him. No response. So, he tried again, this time, he added a wink. Still nothing. Never one to shy away from a challenge, he smiled at her a third time, only instead of winking, this time he blew her kiss. When her gaze shifted slightly to the right, he shifted his as well, and to his dismay, he realized she had not been staring at him, but was watching the opera! Michael frowned. Here he had done his best to flirt with her but she was completely oblivious. Frustrated and vaguely insulted, he had decided to give up and go back to looking around. Right as he was turning his face away, a funny thing happened. She looked right at him. He turned his head to meet her gaze, and for a split-second, their eyes were locked. Then, realizing she'd been caught, she blushed scarlet and lowered her eyes. ' Now I got her,' he thought to himself and smirked at her arrogantly. She looked up just in time to catch the smirk, her eyes narrowed; she raised her chin, and sat back in her seat so he couldn't see her. Michael chuckled softly. So this one wasn't just a pretty face. This girl had spunk.
Jax's Plane-present time
" Skye?" Jax asked worry creeping into his voice," Are you all right? You've barely said a word since we left the island."
" It's just been a really long day," she answered, " Plus, I'm worried about A.J. I really think he's in over is head here, and if he's not careful, he's going to end up in an unmarked grave somewhere, courtesy of Sonny Corinthos."
"That's another thing, how did your chat with Sonny go?" he asked. Her face went totally white and he asked urgently, " What? Did he threaten you? Because if he did.."
Skye shook her head." Actually, I was the one making threats. I let him know, on no uncertain terms, that if he hurt my brother, he'd pay. And I meant it."
Jax chuckled," Poor Sonny, he's finally met a woman he can't charm. I almost feel sorry for the guy."
Arching an eyebrow, she said," You feeling sorry for Sonny? May I ask why?"
" Because," he answered," I'd really hate to have you for an enemy."
She smiled and said," Oh, I don't think you'll ever have to worry about that, Mr. Jacks. In fact, I can almost guarantee it."
St. Sophia-present time
Sonny came in from the terrace and scanned the room for Skye, but she was nowhere to be found. He noticed that Jax was also missing. Courtney and A.J. were standing by the cake, talking to Ned, and Alexis was sitting on the sofa alone. He strode over to where she was sitting and sat down beside her.
" Are you okay," Alexis asked," I saw Skye go out there after you. That can't have been good."
Sonny shrugged, " Nah, I'm fine. It was just insults and empty threats, you know, the same as usual. By the way, where did the little princess run off to? I expected her to be sticking to A.J. like glue just to make sure I don't off him."
" Jax said he was taking Skye on some romantic weekend adventure." She answered." What he sees in her I never know. She's completely…."
Sonny didn't hear the rest. He felt like someone stabbed him in the gut. He had always assumed she and Jax were sleeping together, but to hear his suspicions confirmed made him feel angry and jealous. He imagined Jax taking her clothes off, revealing her flawless ivory skin. He could see him memorizing ever curve with his hands and his mouth, and see him kissing that spot in the hollow of her neck that had always driven her wild with passion. He could hear her response and feel her shuddering with need. Sonny's insides twisted at the thought of another man touching what had been his, what he'd tried so hard to forget, and yet never quite succeeded.
" A toast," he heard A.J. say, " To my beautiful bride, who has given me more than she'll ever know." A.J. smiled and looked at Sonny.
Sonny's mind snapped to attention. He gave A.J. a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
" And to Sonny," A.J. continued, " Who, in spite of our history, has graciously offered to make peace. On behalf of my wife and myself, I thank you. Cheers."
"Cheers," the all said in unison and clinked their glasses.
As Sonny sipped his champagne, he stared at A.J. kissing his sister and fought to control the hatred and fury roiling inside him. He saw the love shining in Courtney's eyes and he remembered A.J.'s offer to trade her for Michael. As he thought about how callously that son of a bitch was using his sister, he realized his original plan wasn't good enough. He had planned to have him killed, but now he something much better in mind, something that would hit him where he lived and breathed, something that wouldn't just hurt A.J. He chuckled and thought to himself,' Enjoy your weekend with Candyboy, princess, because it's the last one you'll be spending together.'
TBC
Thanks everyone for the great feedback!
I wasn't sure whether this would be well-received, but your comments and reviews have helped inspire me!!!
