~@~@ Dangerous Liaisons

I Disclaim

" Uh oh…" Courtney's words stopped what little friendly conversation was happening at the table. The other four dinners followed the woman's gaze and paled at the sight of Edward Quartermaine barreling down the lobby toward followed closely by Alan and Monica.

" I can't do this again today." Emily said as she rubbed her temples.

" That's alright Em." Ned leveled a look at A.J. and turned back to his cousin when the other man nodded." A.J. and I will handle it, you sneak out the back."

" Thank you guys." Emily didn't waste a second saying goodbye, as she grabbed her purse and headed out toward the kitchen."

" Alright Junior, are we fighting or are we plotting." Ned asks as A.J. cocks his head to the side thinking up different scenarios, before giving an evil grin.

" I think fighting, with Courtney and Kristina refereeing."

Kristina rolls her eyes, and gives a dramatic sigh." Fine, but only because I think that girl needs peace and quiet, and that neither of those things are possible when dealing with Edward."

" Fine, Courtney, you in?"

Courtney looks past her companions at the look of outrage on Edward 's face and nods.

" NED, YOU POMPUS ASS."

" THAT'S RIGHT JUNIOR REVERT TO CHIDLISH NAMES…"

" A.J. let's just go…" Courtney laid a restring hand on her husbands arm as Kristina did the same to Ned, both trying unsuccessfully to pull the men away.

" Would both you of you ingrates, shut up, we have a crisis on our hands. " Edward stops in front of their table, and glares at each person. When both men turn their glares to him he lowers his voice, but can't contain he anger in the message." Tell me where Emily is right now."

" Father, calm down." Alan placed a hand on his father's shoulder, and looked questioningly at his wife. " Monica would you like to tell me what's going on?" All he had was an hysterical phone call from home telling him to meet them here, so far all he knew was that while all his children were safe, one of them was in trouble, and he had the sinking feeling that it was Emily." Why are we looking for Emily."

" Alan this is not the place" Monica gives Ned a pleading look." Have you seen Emily, I need to speak to her its urgent."

Ned tenses up, and sees the look of concern and fear in Monica's eyes, and glances at A.J.'s and catches the tail end of guilt leaving his cowardly cousin's eyes. " What's going on?"

" I'll tell you what's going on your deviant cousin Jason has ruined our darling little Emily."

~~~

" Hey Dad."

Luke smiled and looked up at the sound of his son's voice, and didn't even flinch when he saw him accompanied by his half-brother. Once again Luke took a moment to reflect on how much things had changed, years ago the sight of Nikolas Cassadine in his club would have caused him anger, disgust, and annoyance, but these days he was kind of glad to see the boy, even thought he would never admit it." Well well, Cowboy, and the prince."

" Luke."
 

" Dad, what's up?" Lucky walked up to the bar and sat down in front of his father, before signaling for his brother to follow. " How are the wedding plans coming along."

" Fine, we're a little behind, we had a surprise visitor this morning." Luke turns away from the two men, and begins playing with the bottle behind the bar awaiting the questions.

" Really, anyone we know."

Luke fights the smile, and turns back to them. " Yeah, I think you do." He looks up and meets his son gaze. "Little Darlin'."

Lucky's face breaks into a grin, and then rolls his eyes, at the blank stare on Nikolas' face and explains. " Emily." Before turning back to his father." When did you see Emily? Why didn't she call one of us? How is she?"

" Little Darlin came by this morning, you'll have to ask her why she didn't call, but I'm guessing it was because she was otherwise engaged and she looks like ray of sunshine, just like always." " Walks into a room and lights it up."

" Did you just say walks." Nikolas stares at Luke with astonishment. " Is Emily walking?"

" That's right Princey, little Darlin could do a two-step."

" What did you mean otherwise engaged, Dad?" Lucky raised a questioning eyebrow at his father; there was something about his tone that caused Lucky some concern. " What do you know that you're not saying."

" It's not my place to tell Little Darlins' business, but let me just say that information I have found is a whopper."

" Luke you never felt something wasn't your place as long as I've know you, just tell us, is she in trouble?"

" Emily has become involved with someone…"

" JUST SAY IT." The brothers shouted at the same time and shared a knowing grin, before glaring at Luke.

~~

" Grandfather that's a little too dramatic even for you."

" Really, is our precious little Emily being deflowered by that common thug Jimmy O'Criminal sound like an over dramatization?"

Courtney's gaze flew to her husband who was know holding onto his steak knife with a death gripe, before he dropped it, and stood. He grabbed her hand and fled without a backward glance, not speaking until they reached the elevator. " The best strategy for this is duck and cover, getting involved in that little scene back there will only get Emily in more trouble."

Meanwhile back in the dinning room, Ned was trying desperately to understand what his grandfather was talking about. " What are you talking about?"

Edward glance around the room and motioned for the group to close in around him, before he lowered his voice to a whisper." I'm talking about little Emily being exposed to sins of the flesh by one of that Hoodlum Jason's deviant friends, and actually having the gull to bring that sociopath to the family home."

Kristina looked around the circle with barely contained amusement. " All of this hysteria, because your adult granddaughter is having sex." Edward's eyes widen and pales several shades lighter then when he entered and held a hand over his chest as if his heart might bolt from it's place, while Monica turns to glare at her." What, he said it?"

" Actually Kristina what Grandfather was doing was using euphemisms to avoid actually having to admit that to himself, but what's the problem." He rolls his eyes when Edward harrumphs, and continues. " Emily is an adult and allowed to do whatever she want, no matter what your opinion is about her new boyfriend."

Monica turns to Ned and blinks at what he's implying. " Ned are you saying that you support Emily relationship with a thirty year old Mob bodyguard."

Ned opened his mouth and shut it quickly, and turned to question A.J. and finally noticed that his cousin had escaped. " Coward." He muttered before turning back to Monica." I seem to be missing some information, who is Emily seeing."

"  Johnny O'Brien."

Kristina tried to stay out of it, but the name just triggered a reaction." Sonny's doorman."

" Doorman slash Bodyguard slash child molester." Edward took the seat the Emily early vacated and motioned for a drink." Now I suggest we find Emily and ship her off to Harvard like I've been suggesting." He grabbed the drink from the waiter, and downed it in one gulp." Now I think Jason will 'handle' O'Brien, so we have no problems there, but we definitely need to act now."

" No." Alan finally found he voice and spoke clearly. He shook his head at his father. " There will be no shipping Emily off anywhere, we just got here back, and I'm not sending her away again." "I'm going to do something for Emily that I have unfortunately never done for my other children, I'm going to trust her judgment, and only offer her my love and support."

" Alan…" Monica looked at her husband as if he had grown a second head.

" No Monica, we've done this before we tell them what to do and they rebel and we get farther and farther away from them, we lost Jason, A.J., and I'm tittering on the same cliff with Skye." " It's always been said that Emily is the best of this family, and I'm going to trust that it's true. "

" He's right." Ned said nodding at his Uncle." Emily knows what she's doing, she's a Quartermaine, she can handle herself, and she knows we're here if she needs us."

" Poppycock…"

"Stuff it Edward." Monica locked eyes with her husband and shook her head. " I hope you know what you're doing."

~~~

" Johnny O'Brien."

" Who?" Nikolas turned to looked at Lucky who groaned at the name his father shouted, before he searched his mind and repeated his brother's sentiment." You're joking tell me you're joking."

" Sorry Nikki, but your mom and I got the live show, and it's definitely no joke."

" This is horrific, he worst then the last one." Nikolas said as he ran a hand through his hair. " Well what are we going to do?"

Luke locked eyes with his, and Lucky nodded." We're not doing anything, trying to stop her will only encourage her, tell him Lucky."

" He's right Nikolas, everything that Emily's ever done, is because someone told her not to."

" Well please tell me your not suggesting we just let her continue this lunacy." Nikolas looked at both men, as if there were crazy, which they were if this was really their plan.  

" That's exactly what we're going to do Little Darlin' needs back up, Jason's already got his t–shirt all in a bunch, and I'm sure Eddies' right behind him, agreeing with those two will lose her real quick, and I don't know about you, but I like having little Darlin' in my life, she makes me smile."

" This is ridiculous…"

" But he's right, what happened the last time we didn't respect her relationship." When he brother continued to stare at him with a blank expression Lucky filled in the blanks." I'll tell you, we didn't respect what she had with Juan and we got stuck with Zander."

Nikolas rubbed the bridge of his nose, he didn't like it, but he damn sure didn't want to lose Emily, or somehow encourage her bad taste in men. " Fine."

Lucky met Luke's gaze and they nodded relieved; Nikolas may be one the better Cassidines, but he was still a little too controlling for their taste. " Do you know where we could find Em?"

" Last time we talked she was headed to see Sonny." Luke caught the worried gazes passing between the younger men, and gave a grin. " Cheer up, Little Darlin' knows how to handle herself."

~~~

Emily pushed herself off the wall in the elevator as the door opened, and walked out into the hallway of Harborview Towers. Strange just  yesterday she had been in this same position contemplating how she wasn't going to dwell on the past, and how crappie her life had been, now she was probably no more then thirty steps away from her dream man. Smiling at the ironies of life she smiled at Francis as he stepped aside and opened the door, as he announced her. " Miss Quartermaine, here sir."

" Thank you Francis." Sonny got off the couch, and walked toward his guest scowling. " You are trouble."

" Good to see you too Sonny." Emily gave him a small smile, and looked around the room searching for Johnny.

" He's not here." He shook his head and pointed at her, amazed at how the once docile little Emily could grow into so much trouble. " And speaking of him, let me tell you how upset I'm at you."

" Me…"

" Yes you, you got Jason angry, me uncomfortable, Carly's acting weird, and I lost one of my best guards thanks to you."

" What…" Emily's jaw dropped, she never thought that Sonny would actually fire Johnny over this.

" Sonny shut up." Carly descended the stairs and shot her husband an angry look. " Let Johnny tell her."

" Ah… where is Johnny?"

Carly looked at Emily and for the first time actually kind of liked the woman she saw, the girl that Emily had been was a little too Quartermaine for her taste, the woman however had grown up and seemed to look at things without letting her family's biases get in her way. " I believe he went home."

Emily nodded and smiled at Carly." Thanks, I have to go." She stopped at the door and turned to look at Sonny with a questioning expression." Unless you have more to say?"

" Actually…" Sonny opened his mouth to start a lecture, when he felt Carly pinch his side.

" No, he doesn't. Bye Em."

" Bye." She gave a final wave before heading out the door, only to return seconds later looking slightly embarrassed and focused on Carly. " Hey Carly?"

" What?"

" Where does Johnny live?"

Carly turned trying to hide the snicker, Sonny however looked directly at the youngest Quartermaine smirking the entire time." I'll have someone drive you there."  He moved toward the door and directed Francis to drive Emily to Johnny's. " Bye Emily."

" Thanks Sonny." She gave a final wave before following the bodyguard to the elevator.

Sonny closed the door and walked toward his wife, when the phone rang, groaning he changed directions and picked it up." Corinthos."

" Sonny it's me Benny." " We have a problem."

" What's wrong?"

"Jason's missing."

" Missing how?"

" He was suppose to meet me to sing some contracts but he never showed, and no one has seen him."

" DANMIT." Sonny banged his fist on his desk." Start looking, and tell the boys to be careful, he's in a bad mood." He hung up the phone, and looked at his wife. " Trouble."

~~~

" Jason man…" Johnny threw up his hands in surrender, and took a step back.

"Shut up." Jason growled he couldn't ever remember being this angry. Johnny had been his friend, one of only three that he trusted, and the images he had in his head of this man with his sister was causing him to think murderous thoughts. " The time for words is through."

" Jason I know you're angry, but I love Emily." Johnny was frightened, he had faced men with guns before, but this different. This time it was Jason, and this time dying meant leaving Emily, and he wasn't ready to go yet. "I admit I deserve to get the crap kicked out of me, but a gun is little over the top don't you think."

" No, not when an old man is using my sister for sex, and the old man is someone I trusted with her." Jason cocks the gun, and stands, looking if possible more intimidating then before, and walks forward his former friend. " If this was your sister what would you do?"

" I'd like to think I'd trust my sister enough to know her mind."

" DON'T TURN THIS ON HER." " I trust Emily, it's you I doubt."

" When have I ever given you reason to doubt me before this Jason, huh…"Johnny walked further into the center of the room, and met Jason's angry eyes.  " I've had yours and Emily back every time you asked me, when everyone questioned you being the head of the organization I supported you just like I did when you walked away from the business I had your back then and I have it now."  " The only difference is that now I'm backing you twice as hard because I love Emily."

" Really and when did you discover this love, before or after you slept with her."

Johnny took a dangerous step toward Jason, and encountered the head of the gun, before sneering at his friend." Watch what you're saying, you are coming dangerously close to insulting her, and gun or no you will regret it."

Jason held his position. " You're defending her honor, now after what you've done, that's bold of you O'Brien, but it's my job."

The two men glared at each other for several minutes neither one flinching, until their heard someone knocking on the door, followed by someone calling out. " Johnny, it's me." Emily's soft voice broke through the tension in the apartment.

Jason cocked his head to the side, and pocketed his gun. " You getting that."

Johnny clenched his jaw and opened the door. Seeing Emily there in the doorway bathed in light from the hall light almost got rid of the tension and anger he felt due to Jason's presence. " Hey Em." She smiled when she meet his eyes, and stepped forward to kiss him, he caught her lips and pulled her into a hug, before leaning into her and whispering in her ear. " We have company."

Emily stepped out of his embrace and looked past him, meeting Jason's cold blue eyes. " Jason what are you doing here?" Johnny pulled her in the apartment and took her jacket.

" I was wondering the same thing about you Emily, I thought I told you to stay away from him."

" Yeah, but I don't take orders from you Jason." She said the words with more courage then she felt, she didn't know what was going on but this wasn't her brother. She had seen Jason angry and even when he was working, he wasn't so cold, this man didn't look like any Jason she had ever know.

" Emily, I want you to wait outside for me, while I talk to Johnny." Jason said as he came forward and tried to lead her to the door, but she shrugged him off and took a step away from him.

 " I don't think so." Emily looked around, but never having been there couldn't tell if anything was out of place, but feeling like she was glad that she came by when she did. " What's going on? 

" Johnny and I are just talking."

" Well that's nice." Emily turned and saw the anger in her lovers' eyes. " Johnny do you mind if Jason and I talk alone for a while."

" Em…"

" Please.

Johnny saw the determination in her eyes, and realized that she wasn't asking but telling. " I'm in the bedroom if you need me." He gave a warning look to his former friend before walking down the hall into his bedroom where he left the door open.

" What is going on with you, Jason."? Emily turned her bewildered brown eyes on her brother. " I didn't think you'd be happy, I knew you'd be doubtful, but I never expected this." She motioned toward his clothes, and gave an involuntary shudder; he looked like a man ready to kill. " Ordering me to stay away, threatening Johnny."

" I'm trying to protect you."

" And now you sound like grandfather."

Jason flinched like she hit him, he wasn't anything like the old man, he wanted to control Emily, and he only wanted to protect her." That's not true."

" Really you're not trying to decide who I am, by deciding who I love." " Jason you're my brother I love you, and A.J. was right you've always been my favorite, but I'm not fourteen and this isn't something I'm asking your advice about." "I'm asking you to recognize that I'm not a child, and that that I have found the man I want to spend the rest of my life with."

" I can't do that, this isn't good."

" Then you can't be in my life."

Jason brought his head up and he noticed the tears welling up in her eyes, and the quivering lip. " You don't mean that."

"Yes I do, I have supported you in everything, I haven't always understood it or thought it was right, but I always supported you, and if you can't return the favor then you can't be in my life." " And don't say it's not fair, because it's the same thing you did to the Quartermaines."

" Em…"

" NO." The tears now flowed freely down her cheeks." I love him Jason, and if you can't deal with it then I suggest you leave now." Emily turned away from him and tried regain her composure, but when she heard the door slam shut, the tears came harder and faster. She would have collapsed from the pain if not for the pair of strong arms that came around her was, and the man holding her telling her that everything was going to be okay, even though in his heart he wasn't certain.