~@~@ It's My Life.

I disclaim

~~~

Johnny checked the rearview mirror again, and glared at Emily when she laughed at him. " It's not funny."

" It's a little funny." Watching him out the corner of her eye she added something else to the list of things she didn't know about him. Johnny O'Brien was sexy when he was flustered, but that didn't surprise her in her mind he was sexy all the time.

" No it's not, what happens when I show up at your parents house with your lip stick on me."

" You just tell my grandfather that you spent the last hour making love to me in the backseat of Jason's Mercedes, he'll appreciate the honesty."

" Not funny, if we want to keep this just between us, and I don't know why that is, but if we do then you can't leave evidence like that or entice me."

" One, we're on the down low, because my family has a tendency to become too involved with my personal life until I no longer have one." Emily tensed up at the thought, it was an understatement and she knew it, the Quartermain's treated her love life like it was the enemy of some seek and destroy mission.

" And Two…"

" What?" Emily looked over at him confusion clearly seen in her brown eyes.

" You said one, as if the next thought would be two…."

" Oh, two." Emily let her hand dance up Johnny's arm, and rested on his shoulder. " Do I really entice you?"

" Yes, and I need you to stop." Johnny pulled into the circular driveway of the Quartermain mansion, and stopped the car at the steps leading to the front doors, he turned the car off and turned to look at his companion. All her earlier bravado seemed to fade as thy drove up the drive way to her family home." We can leave."

" No, I missed them, I'm just…" It was hard to explain 'the Quartermain affect', the feeling of missing them and hating them all at the same time, but every time she returned to the house feelings of insecurity always surfaced. Suddenly she felt like the orphaned eleven year old, trying her best to please the family that took her in when she had no-one else, and while she was grateful and knew they loved her, they also wanted control and she couldn't let them have it no matter what.

" Not sure you can deal with them, maybe you'd feel better is I wasn't there."

" NO, I want you there, it just that things are going to get ugly as soon as they see you, and trust me from the first mention of Jason it's a downward spiral through all my past discretions." She opened the door, but was stopped by his hand on her shoulder. " What?"

" That's kinda my job." He rushed around the side to held open the door for her; he shut it just as the front door of the house opened revealing a very excited Reginald.

" Oh my god Emily." The long suffering Quartermain butler, sprinted down the steps of the home, and grabbed the youngest in a large bear hug, and then began spinning her around." You're back, oh I missed you."

" I missed you too Reggie." Reginald hadn't seemed to change in the year that she had been away, except of course for some gray hairs that she was sure was a result of dealing with grandfather.

" Young lady, you get in this house right now and allow us to greet you properly." Edward Quartermain stood in the open doorway, his bellow was one of annoyance, but you couldn't tell it by the smile that light up his face.

" Yes, Grandfather." Emily gave Johnny a reassuring nod, as she followed an excited Reginald up the steps into the foyer.

" I swear sneaking into town, not letting us know where you are, what have we taught you." Edward grabbed his youngest grandchild and held on tightly, scared that if he let go she disappear.

" Please Father let's hope she forgets all the things we taught her." Alan gently pushed his father out of the way and picked up his daughter. " Hi Baby, it great to see you."

" Hi Daddy."

" Alan what is going…Emily." Monica's eyes quickly filled with tears at the sight of Emily standing in her father's arms." Honey you're home."

" Mom." Emily remained in Alan's arms, and merely moved aside to allow Monica to enter the embrace.

Johnny quietly watched from the sidelines, as the hug continued, stopping briefly to add Skye and A.J. to the mix. It was only Edward spotting him by the door that stopped the group hug from going on." What is that hood doing here?" The rest of the family turned toward the sight of the large bodyguard in a black suit standing against the wall.

" He's not a hood Edward, that is Johnny O'Brien, a friend of Jason's." Lila Quartermain rolled into the foyer in her usual graceful manner. "Nice to see you again, Mr. O'Brien."

"It's always a pleasure Mrs. Quartermain." He pushed off the wall and gave her a smile and a nod.

" Now, where is my Emily?"

Emily pushed her way out of the hug, and ran to kneel beside her grandmother's chair. " Good morning Grandmother."

" Oh Emily, it's so good to see you again, I missed you so."

" I missed you too." She leaned over to kiss her grandmothers cheek before turning to the group. " I missed you all."

" That's all well and good, but why is this hood in my home."

" It's my home, Edward, but why are you here Mr. O'Brien?" Monica hoped that he was just dropping Emily off, the only other reason for him to be accompanying Emily was just too scary, and put both and Emily and Jason in danger.

Emily left her grandmother's side to stand in front of Johnny, taking the brunt of her family's stares." He' s here because he's my bodyguard, and where I go he goes."

" Because your gangster brother's in trouble again, and putting you in danger, well I won't have it." Edward started to shake his finger in Johnny's direction. " You will not be slithering around my house, you little criminal, if Emily needs protection then I'll hire some more people to guard grounds, and you can take one of them as your guard." " Your services are no longer required Jimmy."

" GRANDFATHER." "It's Johnny, not Jimmy, and I'm the only one that can fire him, and I'm not, and lastly as delightful as it is to be here I'm not living in the mansion."

" Now just a minute young lady…"

" That's just it Grandfather, I'm a young lady and I want to live on my own not only that but I think a stress free environment will be better for my therapy." " It's not personal or anything, it's just what's best for me."

" Emily, I don't think…" Alan started, but was cut off by his mother.

" Alan I think we should just enjoy having here back, before we try to move her back in." " Now, I suggest we have a nice family breakfast." Reginald took her hint, and began wheeling her toward the dinning room.

The rest of the occupants followed behind, after all none of them had ever been able say no to Lila Quartermain.

~~~

A few hours later

" That wasn't so bad now was it." Emily asked from her place beside Johnny, as they walked along the docks. " I actually think they may like you, they never invited anyone else I know to eat with us." " Of course you were correct to decline, they have a tendency to poison people."

" Your grandfather called me a hood." He had been prepared for it, the first time he had guarded Emily at the Mansion Edward Quartermain had called him every name for criminal that he knew, in his eyes hood was a term of endearment." You're right I think they like me."

" Yeah…" The smile of her face quickly fell when she noticed someone else on the docks. Zander Smith, and he was heading for her.

" Emily."  Zander had been waiting for Liz when something told him to turn around, and when he did he saw her. She hadn't changed since the last time he saw, except for the fact that she was walking, a feat which he was glad he could witness. " Wow."

Johnny had never liked Zander Smith, admittedly he never liked any guy that ever showed interest in Emily, but Zander was the worst. A drug dealer/kidnapper, with no respect for himself or any one he claimed to care about, so far everyone that took any interest in the kid, some how wound up hurt, and he be damned if Zander got a second shot at hurting Emily. Completely happy with his new assignment he quickly stepped in between Emily and her Ex. " Sorry Mr. Smith, but Mr. Morgan would rather you have no contact with his sister. "

" Johnny cool your heels I just want to say Hi." Zander silently cursed his bad luck out of all the guards Sonny had for some reason Johnny never liked him, Francis once told him that it was because Johnny thought of Emily as his little sister and was just trying to protect her, but not even Jason seemed to dislike him as much as the angry body guard in front of him.

" Johnny can I speak to Zander for a moment, please?" The question she asked didn't reach her eyes, she silently told him to back off for a moment." I'll take care of Jason."

" I'll be over there if you need me. " Giving Zander a final glare and warning, he walked the shirt distance to the bench, and just watched them.

" So you're walking, when did that happen?"

" Six months ago, it was a temporary paralysis, I just needed rest and some physical therapy." " Zander I wanted to apologize for the last time we spoke." " I want you to know that I never believed want A.J. told me about you and Sonny getting him drunk."

" Then why did you say you did."

" Because I wanted out, out of the middle of your battle with my family, out of the Sonny/AJ/Carly saga." "I just wanted to be away from everything and I should have just told you that instead of letting you believe of thought badly of you, but I was scared and confused and I panicked, and I'm sorry."

" What about the boyfriend?"

" There wasn't one, but there is now." " But then I hear you have a new girlfriend." Zander jerked his head up and met her eyes. " Yeah, I heard about you and Liz."

" Yeah I suppose Jason ran to tell you."

" Actually Jason doesn't know that I know, and for your information Jason doesn't 'run and tell' nor does he hold petty grudges."

" Unless Sonny tells him to."

Emily looks away disappointed, she had hoped that Zander wouldn't revert to his old ways of anger and laying blame. " Why don't we not talk about my brother or Sonny, that way we can end the conversation as friends."  

"Oh my god Em." Liz ran down the steps, she had expected to meet Zander, but the seeing her best friend was a great surprise. She pulled Emily in her arms and gave her a quick hug before stepping back and admiring the changes. " When did you get here? When did you start walking again? How long are you staying?"

" Hey Liz." " Let's see, yesterday, six months ago, and permanently." Emily gave her a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Johnny caught the smile and moved forward motioning toward his watch. " Ms. Quartermain, your appointment." 

" Yes, thank you Johnny." " I have to go… uh… I'll see you guys."

Liz watched Johnny and Emily hurry off, and turned to Zander with a concerned look." Did something seem strange to you?" 

" I wouldn't know, I don't think I knew her as well as I thought."

" Are you okay?" Johnny looked around checking the area for anyone, and then ducked into the alley taking Emily with him, before he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

" Yeah." She kissed and lips softly before stepping back and looking at him. " It's not what you think I don't have anymore romantic feelings for Zander it's juts that I feel betrayed, and I don't understand why."

" It's because she's your best friend and she didn't tell you, and she should have, because you would have told her."  

" I don't even know if you could call her my best friend, that was the first time I've heard from her in almost a year, and I know I sound like I'm whining and that she had stuff going on, but oh god it gets me so angry." Emily pushed herself out of his arms and began pacing like a caged animal in the small space." Am I being immature?"

" No you have every right to be upset, she isn't behaving like a friend." He watched her closely looking for any signs of sadness or tears, but all he could see was anger, and he almost felt guilty for being happy about it. It wasn't that he didn't like Elizabeth Webber, but he had watched her part-time friendships with both Emily and Jason, and he couldn't help but feel that there was more then give from the siblings and mostly take from Elizabeth.  " Come here."

The anger that began to build up disappeared quickly when she walked into his arms for a kiss. So in grossed in their embrace that nether heard the movement form behind them until it was too late.

" What the Hell?" Luke Spencer and his fiancée stopped right outside the back door of Luke's at the sight. " Get your paws of little darlin'."

" EMILY." Stepping from behind her husband Laura stared open mouthed at the sight, she had seen the couple kissing, but she had no clue it was Emily, and a very familiar older Man that she couldn't quite place.

Emily turned and stared in amazement at the voice, a large smile starting on her face." Mr. And Mrs. Spencer, hey I was meaning to come see you."

" Nice try little darlin', and we are thrilled to see you walking, it's still Luke and Laura, and don't change the subject." Luke took the in Johnny's surprise, and used it to his advantage, by pulling Emily out of his arms, and steeping in between them to glare at the older man. " Now exactly do you think you're doing, O'Brien."

" Mr. Spen…Luke it's okay."

" What do you mean it's okay." Luke steps back and looks from Emily to Johnny, and then at Laura who eyes have widened coming to the same conclusion he reached." NO… you two…" He motions between the two with his hands all the while shaking his head profusely, and stopped to look at his son's best friend with questioning eyes. " O'Brien's old enough to be your…"

" Older Brother." Emily motions for Luke to lower his voice while she looks around the alley onto the street." Could we do this later?"

" No in the office now." Laura finds her voice again, and point toward the door leading to Luke's. Too many things were happening in her life that she couldn't control, and Emily's affair with an older man was marginally under her control, and she was going to milk to for all it's worth.  

Emily and Johnny reluctantly followed Laura into the office with a still shocked Luke walking behind, and took a seat to where they indicated waiting for the lecture to begin.

" You know with all due respect…" Emily was about to continue when she looked at Luke and stopped mid sentence at the look on his face, the usually jovial man looked upset and annoyed. " Never mind."

" That's right never mind, you little darlin' became my concern the second the you took off across the country with my son, and that hasn't changed, you're a Spencer by heart and I got to tell you this worries me."

" Mr. Spen… Luke, I understand your concerns."

" I don't think you do Emily." Laura sat on the edge of the desk and took her hand. " You're in a relationship with a much older man that you obviously feel needs to be hidden."

" Not true, we're hiding because my family finds it necessary to try to destroy all my relationships."

"Well I hate to agree with Eddie, but they had good reason your last two boyfriends were duds darlin'." Luke sat back in his chair; putting his feet up on the desk, and leveled her with a pitying glance.

" At least we agree on something." Johnny gave Luke a knowing glance, but look down when he met Emily's angry scowl. " Sorry, shouldn't have spoke."

Luke bit back the chuckle, and shook his head, O'Brien was already whipped." But to correct my lovely wife, my problem is not the age, but the fact that your new beau is in the mob."

"WHAT!?!?" Laura gave the Johnny another glance still not able to place his face; she shot her husband a puzzled look.

" Take a good look Laura, it's Sonny's bodyguard."

" JOHNNY!" The facts click into place and she begins massaging her temples. " This is getting worse, Emily your family will flip out, and you'll be lucky if Edward doesn't lock you up in a convent."   

" Not to mention Jason and Sonny's reaction to your little version of 'The Bodyguard', there's probably a place where they hide bodies for guys like you O'Brien."

" You see, another reason not to go public, we're being attacked on all fronts." " My family I can deal wit, I've been running their gamut for years, but Jason's reaction to me being with Johnny is something I'd rather not deal with without the proper body Armour."

" What do you mean with Johnny?" All heads turned toward the office door where Jason Morgan stood with his eyes narrowed in Johnny's direction.