My Life Closed Twice
Chapter 13: Weak Link
Disclaimer: General Hospital and all its characters belong to ABC, Disney, etc.
Author's Notes: Thanks to my faithful beta reader. Please read and review!
"Huh?" Michael responded.
"The weak link. Whenever you need information on mistakes you go to Junior." I explained.
"Bodyguard?" Michael asked.
"No, Uncle Alan Quartermaine Junior," I said.
"AJ Quartermaine," Michael said in a weird voice.
"I don't expect you to come. I know how most people avoid even the semi- sane members of the Qs." I assured him.
"No, you need a ride," he said in a determined voice.
When we got to his car I asked him if he knew where the ELQ dock offices were. Thanks to Aunt Monica's letters I had been kept up on all the family news, including Junior's many job changes. He nodded and started the car. He seemed very tense for someone just driving to the dock.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you from any Qs we might come near," I told him.
"I thought you were the one who needed cute bodyguards," Michael quipped.
"The burden of being related to royalty," I answered.
"When did Mr. Quartermaine get knighted?" Michael asked.
"Thanks for that nightmare. No, my cousin is Prince Nicholas Cassadine," I said.
"Prince of what?" He asked.
"Money mostly. The Cassadines were princes in Russia before the revolution. My ancestors got out with enough money to become princes of capitalism with feudal tendencies." I said.
Michael parked the car in the ELQ lot. However, he kept his hands clutched on the wheel. I got of the car and leaned in the window, "Just wait here. It's better not to mob Junior anyway."
I headed toward the front door. Just as I reached the sidewalk Junior came out of the front door. Somehow Junior never changed; Dad used to say it was because he never grew up. I just think he has a really good plastic surgeon. Whatever the reason, his personality didn't change anymore then his outside. Thus he stayed the weak link.
"Junior," I called out.
"Kristina? I thought you were coming to dinner tonight with Emily," he said.
"Yeah. I just thought I would come down and get some warning on the latest family battles," I said. OK, I usually went to Aunt Emily for that type of information, but I figured it was a good way to break the ice.
"Nothing really special, except for you," Junior said.
"So Great-Grandfather isn't already down at the courthouse asking for custody?" I asked.
"No Mom, Dad, and Emily vetoed that plan last night," he said.
"Will that really stop him, especially with Nicholas and Uncle Stephan missing?" I prodded. I wanted him talking about the war between the families. If I could get him on a roll he would probably tell me everything I needed to know.
"Don't worry, your mother made sure the old man wouldn't get custody a long time ago," Junior reassured.
"Well you're not the one living at Ms. Spencer's with the twins and a bunch of crazy people," I pointed out. "Everyone is on edge and Mr. Spencer keeps bringing up vengeful old ladies."
"You're staying at the brownstone? How did you get here?" he asked.
"Oh, Ms. Spencer's grandson brought me by," I said glancing over my shoulder. Michael was now leaning against his car.
"Michael came here with you?" he asked.
"He has the wheels and I have the brains," I said. "I just needed to be sure that one of the Q's was not the bogie man."
I had lost Junior though. He was just staring across the lot at Michael. Well it was time to re-direct his attention. "So who are the bogie men around here?" I asked.
"Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan," he spat out loud enough so even Michael could hear.
Great, Junior couldn't even get a simple re-direct right. I could see Michael straightening up. "I hardly think even Mr. Spencer would call two men Mata Hari."
"When it comes to destroying families Corinthos and Morgan are the culprits," Junior ranted.
For a weak link, he seemed particularly strong at staying on this topic. "Gossip or facts Junior?" I asked.
"Fact. Michael is my son. Jason and Sonny stole him from me with the help of Carly and your mother," he said. "Although I think Alexis had the grace to feel sorry for it when Kristina died because of Sonny."
I had enough, and by the way Michael was heading over here so had he. So I decided to end things with the one thing Dad always used to shut Junior up. "Meet any good trees lately?"
I didn't know why it was such a good exit line, but it always worked. I turned and heading back to the car, grabbing Michael along the way. "Let's get that lunch you promised me Spencer."
Chapter 13: Weak Link
Disclaimer: General Hospital and all its characters belong to ABC, Disney, etc.
Author's Notes: Thanks to my faithful beta reader. Please read and review!
"Huh?" Michael responded.
"The weak link. Whenever you need information on mistakes you go to Junior." I explained.
"Bodyguard?" Michael asked.
"No, Uncle Alan Quartermaine Junior," I said.
"AJ Quartermaine," Michael said in a weird voice.
"I don't expect you to come. I know how most people avoid even the semi- sane members of the Qs." I assured him.
"No, you need a ride," he said in a determined voice.
When we got to his car I asked him if he knew where the ELQ dock offices were. Thanks to Aunt Monica's letters I had been kept up on all the family news, including Junior's many job changes. He nodded and started the car. He seemed very tense for someone just driving to the dock.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you from any Qs we might come near," I told him.
"I thought you were the one who needed cute bodyguards," Michael quipped.
"The burden of being related to royalty," I answered.
"When did Mr. Quartermaine get knighted?" Michael asked.
"Thanks for that nightmare. No, my cousin is Prince Nicholas Cassadine," I said.
"Prince of what?" He asked.
"Money mostly. The Cassadines were princes in Russia before the revolution. My ancestors got out with enough money to become princes of capitalism with feudal tendencies." I said.
Michael parked the car in the ELQ lot. However, he kept his hands clutched on the wheel. I got of the car and leaned in the window, "Just wait here. It's better not to mob Junior anyway."
I headed toward the front door. Just as I reached the sidewalk Junior came out of the front door. Somehow Junior never changed; Dad used to say it was because he never grew up. I just think he has a really good plastic surgeon. Whatever the reason, his personality didn't change anymore then his outside. Thus he stayed the weak link.
"Junior," I called out.
"Kristina? I thought you were coming to dinner tonight with Emily," he said.
"Yeah. I just thought I would come down and get some warning on the latest family battles," I said. OK, I usually went to Aunt Emily for that type of information, but I figured it was a good way to break the ice.
"Nothing really special, except for you," Junior said.
"So Great-Grandfather isn't already down at the courthouse asking for custody?" I asked.
"No Mom, Dad, and Emily vetoed that plan last night," he said.
"Will that really stop him, especially with Nicholas and Uncle Stephan missing?" I prodded. I wanted him talking about the war between the families. If I could get him on a roll he would probably tell me everything I needed to know.
"Don't worry, your mother made sure the old man wouldn't get custody a long time ago," Junior reassured.
"Well you're not the one living at Ms. Spencer's with the twins and a bunch of crazy people," I pointed out. "Everyone is on edge and Mr. Spencer keeps bringing up vengeful old ladies."
"You're staying at the brownstone? How did you get here?" he asked.
"Oh, Ms. Spencer's grandson brought me by," I said glancing over my shoulder. Michael was now leaning against his car.
"Michael came here with you?" he asked.
"He has the wheels and I have the brains," I said. "I just needed to be sure that one of the Q's was not the bogie man."
I had lost Junior though. He was just staring across the lot at Michael. Well it was time to re-direct his attention. "So who are the bogie men around here?" I asked.
"Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan," he spat out loud enough so even Michael could hear.
Great, Junior couldn't even get a simple re-direct right. I could see Michael straightening up. "I hardly think even Mr. Spencer would call two men Mata Hari."
"When it comes to destroying families Corinthos and Morgan are the culprits," Junior ranted.
For a weak link, he seemed particularly strong at staying on this topic. "Gossip or facts Junior?" I asked.
"Fact. Michael is my son. Jason and Sonny stole him from me with the help of Carly and your mother," he said. "Although I think Alexis had the grace to feel sorry for it when Kristina died because of Sonny."
I had enough, and by the way Michael was heading over here so had he. So I decided to end things with the one thing Dad always used to shut Junior up. "Meet any good trees lately?"
I didn't know why it was such a good exit line, but it always worked. I turned and heading back to the car, grabbing Michael along the way. "Let's get that lunch you promised me Spencer."