My Life Closed Twice
Chapter 23: The Sick Prince
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!
I sighed, "So which one of the Quartermaines have already been here today? I would bet on Great-Grandfather."
"All of them. You can tell them that Michael is my son and they are not welcome," Mrs. Corinthos said.
"I thought I made this clear last night. I am not the Qs spokesman or answering machine. If you want to tell them something, tell them. If you want to complain, get in line," I told her.
"Carly, she is just here to visit Michael," Ms. Spencer said.
Mrs. Corinthos studied me for a moment. I met her gaze steadily. Finally she looked away.
"Come on Carly, let's go down to the cafeteria and get you something to eat," Ms. Spencer said.
"I don't want to leave Michael alone," Mrs. Corinthos said.
"You need to eat. I can let the nurse on duty know where we are so they can contact you if anything changes. Kristina can sit with him for a minute," Ms. Spencer argued.
Mrs. Corinthos looked at me again. She was wavering. I stayed silent, not wanting to interrupt the spell Ms. Spencer was weaving around her daughter.
Finally Mrs. Corinthos caved. I waited until they both were out of sight before heading into Michael's room.
The beeping of the monitor sounded unnaturally loud in the quite room. It was eerie to see Michael lying there. Except for the absence of a spreading stain and a calmer breathing pattern I could be back in that ambulance again. I knew logically he was in much better shape then the last time I had seen him, he just didn't necessarily look it. I sat down in the chair by his bedside.
I watched him for a while. Watched each breath he made. Watched his chest to reassure myself the stain was gone. I tried to memorize how he looked now. It might not be much better, but anything was better then that other picture of him in my head.
Slowly I began to relax. He was going to keep breathing. The stain wasn't coming back. I propped my feet against the bottom frame of the bed and scrunched down in the chair. Jeez these chairs are hard. One would think they don't want you to stay.
So I sat there listening to the monitor beep and watching Michael breath.
Suddenly I jerked awake. Someone was in the room with us. I stood up and spun around, ready to defend Michael again.
Mr. Corinthos was standing in the doorway, "I didn't mean to wake you."
I shrugged. "I didn't mean to fall asleep," I responded.
"We haven't been properly introduced. I am Sonny Corinthos, Michael's father," he said as he reached his hand out.
I shook his hand and returned the introduction, "I am Kristina Davis- Ashton, the bane of Michael's existence."
"You weren't yesterday," he said.
"Don't encourage her," Michael's voice croaked behind us.
I turned back around to face him. His eyes were barely open, but that smile was back. "I still don't like you, Spencer," I told him.
"You're still crazy, Quartermaine," Michael responded.
That was that. Life would get back to normal.
"How are you feeling?" Mr. Corinthos asked from behind me.
"Sore. It's ok though," Michael answered.
I didn't believe him, but since it was his father and not his doctor I let it go. "So how long are you planning to play up the sick prince act?" I asked as I leaned against his bed.
"At least a week," Michael said.
"So can I borrow your car?" I returned.
"Not on a bet," he said.
"Darn, I was hoping to take a road trip. Now I have to go to the Q family dinner," I groused.
"I thought you eat them, not with them," Michael said.
"Unfortunately they are not in season," I sighed.
"Such a tough life you have Quartermaine," he said softly as his eyes fell closed again.
"I will try to forbear," I told him.
Michael was asleep again. I turned around to face Mr. Corinthos. Mr. Corinthos was just watching us with a wistful expression. I had to wonder which particular what-ifs were running through his head.
"Don't worry, he is going to stay alive just to drive me crazy," I reassured Mr. Corinthos.
Mr. Corinthos looked at me. "It would be better for you if you stayed away."
"So I have heard. I'll tell you the same thing have told everyone else. I don't want to be your friend, Mr. Corinthos. But somehow I am Michael's friend. I don't give up friends for anyone. Not you, not Jax, and not even Mom. He is stuck with me," I told him.
"Even after yesterday?" he asked.
"I know better then most that you can do all the right things and still end up dead," I said.
"You are very much like your mother," Mr. Corinthos said.
"Yes I am," I agreed.
Mr. Corinthos smiled. So he was the one who taught Michael that trick. "He isn't going to know what hit him."
"Not until I tell him," I said.
Mr. Corinthos' smile grew larger and he even chuckled. That's when I noticed Mrs. Corinthos standing right out side the door.
She was watching us with the strangest expression on her face. It was half guilt and half fond indulgence. I couldn't tell if she was seeing some past scene or a future dream. Whatever it was when she noticed me looking at her she schooled her features. However, not before I saw her make a decision. I couldn't help wonder about what.
Chapter 23: The Sick Prince
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!
I sighed, "So which one of the Quartermaines have already been here today? I would bet on Great-Grandfather."
"All of them. You can tell them that Michael is my son and they are not welcome," Mrs. Corinthos said.
"I thought I made this clear last night. I am not the Qs spokesman or answering machine. If you want to tell them something, tell them. If you want to complain, get in line," I told her.
"Carly, she is just here to visit Michael," Ms. Spencer said.
Mrs. Corinthos studied me for a moment. I met her gaze steadily. Finally she looked away.
"Come on Carly, let's go down to the cafeteria and get you something to eat," Ms. Spencer said.
"I don't want to leave Michael alone," Mrs. Corinthos said.
"You need to eat. I can let the nurse on duty know where we are so they can contact you if anything changes. Kristina can sit with him for a minute," Ms. Spencer argued.
Mrs. Corinthos looked at me again. She was wavering. I stayed silent, not wanting to interrupt the spell Ms. Spencer was weaving around her daughter.
Finally Mrs. Corinthos caved. I waited until they both were out of sight before heading into Michael's room.
The beeping of the monitor sounded unnaturally loud in the quite room. It was eerie to see Michael lying there. Except for the absence of a spreading stain and a calmer breathing pattern I could be back in that ambulance again. I knew logically he was in much better shape then the last time I had seen him, he just didn't necessarily look it. I sat down in the chair by his bedside.
I watched him for a while. Watched each breath he made. Watched his chest to reassure myself the stain was gone. I tried to memorize how he looked now. It might not be much better, but anything was better then that other picture of him in my head.
Slowly I began to relax. He was going to keep breathing. The stain wasn't coming back. I propped my feet against the bottom frame of the bed and scrunched down in the chair. Jeez these chairs are hard. One would think they don't want you to stay.
So I sat there listening to the monitor beep and watching Michael breath.
Suddenly I jerked awake. Someone was in the room with us. I stood up and spun around, ready to defend Michael again.
Mr. Corinthos was standing in the doorway, "I didn't mean to wake you."
I shrugged. "I didn't mean to fall asleep," I responded.
"We haven't been properly introduced. I am Sonny Corinthos, Michael's father," he said as he reached his hand out.
I shook his hand and returned the introduction, "I am Kristina Davis- Ashton, the bane of Michael's existence."
"You weren't yesterday," he said.
"Don't encourage her," Michael's voice croaked behind us.
I turned back around to face him. His eyes were barely open, but that smile was back. "I still don't like you, Spencer," I told him.
"You're still crazy, Quartermaine," Michael responded.
That was that. Life would get back to normal.
"How are you feeling?" Mr. Corinthos asked from behind me.
"Sore. It's ok though," Michael answered.
I didn't believe him, but since it was his father and not his doctor I let it go. "So how long are you planning to play up the sick prince act?" I asked as I leaned against his bed.
"At least a week," Michael said.
"So can I borrow your car?" I returned.
"Not on a bet," he said.
"Darn, I was hoping to take a road trip. Now I have to go to the Q family dinner," I groused.
"I thought you eat them, not with them," Michael said.
"Unfortunately they are not in season," I sighed.
"Such a tough life you have Quartermaine," he said softly as his eyes fell closed again.
"I will try to forbear," I told him.
Michael was asleep again. I turned around to face Mr. Corinthos. Mr. Corinthos was just watching us with a wistful expression. I had to wonder which particular what-ifs were running through his head.
"Don't worry, he is going to stay alive just to drive me crazy," I reassured Mr. Corinthos.
Mr. Corinthos looked at me. "It would be better for you if you stayed away."
"So I have heard. I'll tell you the same thing have told everyone else. I don't want to be your friend, Mr. Corinthos. But somehow I am Michael's friend. I don't give up friends for anyone. Not you, not Jax, and not even Mom. He is stuck with me," I told him.
"Even after yesterday?" he asked.
"I know better then most that you can do all the right things and still end up dead," I said.
"You are very much like your mother," Mr. Corinthos said.
"Yes I am," I agreed.
Mr. Corinthos smiled. So he was the one who taught Michael that trick. "He isn't going to know what hit him."
"Not until I tell him," I said.
Mr. Corinthos' smile grew larger and he even chuckled. That's when I noticed Mrs. Corinthos standing right out side the door.
She was watching us with the strangest expression on her face. It was half guilt and half fond indulgence. I couldn't tell if she was seeing some past scene or a future dream. Whatever it was when she noticed me looking at her she schooled her features. However, not before I saw her make a decision. I couldn't help wonder about what.