All We Need of Hell
Chapter 3: Reviewing the Situation
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!
Author's Apology: I deeply apologize speed at which new chapters are being added to this story. If you are still reading this story, THANK YOU! I will try to get more writing time in the future.
Things have changed again. I am no longer in that apartment with Stephan. Where am I?
Kristina is right here next to me. Where is Stephan? Why did he leave me alone with her? He knows how dangerous I am. She looks so peaceful. Like nothing can harm her.
Remember you thought that before. You thought nothing could harm Ned. He looked that way too. Like he was sleeping. I killed him. I can't be trusted with anyone. Stephan knows this. Where is he? Perhaps he is just in the next room.
No one is out here. It is just an empty front room with a sitting area and a kitchen. There is only a bathroom and the bedroom attached. Should I open the front door? I can't leave Kristina alone, but better alone than only with me. Remember Kristina. Everything you do now has to be to keep her safe. You and Ned promised each other. You need to find her a protector.
I know this hall. This is Bobbie's brownstone. Why am I here? I haven't been here since I was married to Jax. That was a lifetime ago. When I still thought that I was safe.
Stop it! You can't think about that right now. You have to remember how you and Kristina got here. What could have possessed Stephan to bring us here? He doesn't like Luke. Actually no one really likes Luke. I knocked him out the first time I met him. So did Kristina.
Wait a minute. Kristina doesn't know Luke. She hardly knows anyone from Port Charles. Yet she did knock out Luke.
I remember he wouldn't stop talking. He wants me to help him with some legal trouble he has gotten himself into. He never wants to go to Scott for help. He never realizes the danger he's in. Perhaps he never realizes because he always makes it out alive. That is why I am here. He always survives. He can protect my Kristina until Stephan gets back.
I need to make sure Luke understands. I need to find him and make sure he understands. He is probably downstairs. Yes, I can hear his voice. I just need to go down the stairs and make sure he knows what he needs to do.
"Welcome to the party sleepy-head." Does Luke really think that is cute?
"Good Morning Alexis. I hope you found everything you needed." Bobbie is always gracious, unless you are actively threatening her family.
"Nice to see you again Alexis." Scott Baldwin.
"Now that the Councilor has finally decided to join us we can get some work done. We don't have much time before the Queen of Darkness comes a- knocking," Luke rambled.
What is going on? Helena doesn't come to visit. She comes to teach. Helena always tried to remind me of who I was. Mother and Ned all in red. They were her lessons.
No Alexis! You can't go back to the red yet. You need to do something. Remember Kristina. Concentrate on what is going on.
Scott is arguing with Luke. "Get off your high horse Spencer. There is nothing you can do but wait for news from the police just like the rest of us."
"The PCPD couldn't find anything, even if it was left on their front step. Besides, she won't leave anything for them to find," Luke shot back. "Now Princess, we need you to step in and take over for Nicholas."
Why would I take over for Nicholas? I shouldn't be allowed to take over anything. I'm dangerous, Luke.
"Luke," Bobbie warned. See, Bobbie understands how dangerous I am.
As usual Luke ignores the warning. "Look Natasha, Nicholas and Gia are already gone. Count Lack-a-Lot has already headed for the hills it's you and me baby against Granny Grim."
"Get real Spencer," Scott said.
"You wouldn't know reality if it hit you over the head,' Luke shot back.
"You are the one who is delusional Spencer. Turning a simple storm into a conspiracy theory," Scott dismissed.
"Hush! We need to be quiet around Aunt Alexis," a small voice ordered.
"You are right Mark," Bobbie agreed. "Gentlemen, lets take this discussion into the next room."
I was vaguely aware of Bobbie herding the men out. My attention was centered on the boy standing in front of me. He looked exactly like Nicholas, except Nicholas hadn't been that small in a long time. He smiled at me with Nicholas' smile and eyes that were brighter then Nicholas' had ever been. Then he went over to join a little girl playing on the carpet.
I sat down on the couch in front of them and tried to figure out what was happening. Nicholas was not a little boy anymore. I remembered attending his wedding. Still there he was sitting in front of me. Who was the little girl? She wasn't Leslie Lu and she wasn't Kristina.
Kristina came in and said good morning to me and then greeted the children as if this was all normal, as if these children belonged to us. They did belong to us, I just couldn't remember how. I tried hard to grasp onto the bits of conversations that had floated just out of reach in my mind.
Nicholas' voice saying, "I'm going to be a father, Alexis."
"Congratulations Nicholas!" Stephan's voice floats from just outside my door.
"Can I hold one of the babies?" Kristina is so excited.
I even had a feeling that this scene had happened before. Me sitting and watching these two children play silently at my feet. However, then there had been Nicholas, Gia, and Stephan's voices in the background. This time I could hear Luke, Bobbie, and Scotty talking. I could see Kristina standing just inside the doorway to the family room studying the scene they presented. No doubt trying to figure them out.
I could have told her not to bother. That it was an impossible task to try to figure out a Spencer.
NO! I must stay quiet and stay still. Don't go near her. Can't let the red near her. Stay quiet little baby and we will be safe here in the hay. Must protect Kristina. You can't protect her. You can't protect anyone.
Stop it Counselor! You came here for a reason. Remember what you have to do. You have to make sure Luke understands. You have to make sure Luke protects her. You have to hope Luke can.
I forced myself to stand up. I concentrated on reaching the voices. I needed to reach those voices. I needed to concentrate on what was going on. I needed to remember that I needed to get Kristina help.
"I really think you should wait for Marcus," Bobbie was saying as I stepped away from the couch.
"Look with one notable exception, we are all fine upstanding citizens here. Why don't we just give you the PCPD's phone number and you can ask Captain Taggert what his plans are?" Scotty was dubiously claiming as I passed the children.
"Hey shyster, I was upstanding enough to be elected mayor," Luke griped. Some things never change.
"That's ok, I can just go visit Great-Grandfather. I can call Marcus from there," Kristina was speaking. I stopped. Maybe she was right. The Quatermaines were never targets. If Ned had stayed with them he would have been safe.
Then Luke reminded me why Ned had left the Quartermaines. "Jeez kid. Frying pan? Fire? Why don't you go to Sonny? At least he might offer some protection from the Queen of the Dammed."
NO! No matter what else happened, Kristina was never going anywhere near Sonny Corinthos. I took the last step forward. I hit someone, but it didn't matter. Only one thing mattered.
"This is Cassadine business. Sonny comes nowhere near my family EVER again. Do you understand?" I ordered. Never again.
Chapter 3: Reviewing the Situation
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!
Author's Apology: I deeply apologize speed at which new chapters are being added to this story. If you are still reading this story, THANK YOU! I will try to get more writing time in the future.
Things have changed again. I am no longer in that apartment with Stephan. Where am I?
Kristina is right here next to me. Where is Stephan? Why did he leave me alone with her? He knows how dangerous I am. She looks so peaceful. Like nothing can harm her.
Remember you thought that before. You thought nothing could harm Ned. He looked that way too. Like he was sleeping. I killed him. I can't be trusted with anyone. Stephan knows this. Where is he? Perhaps he is just in the next room.
No one is out here. It is just an empty front room with a sitting area and a kitchen. There is only a bathroom and the bedroom attached. Should I open the front door? I can't leave Kristina alone, but better alone than only with me. Remember Kristina. Everything you do now has to be to keep her safe. You and Ned promised each other. You need to find her a protector.
I know this hall. This is Bobbie's brownstone. Why am I here? I haven't been here since I was married to Jax. That was a lifetime ago. When I still thought that I was safe.
Stop it! You can't think about that right now. You have to remember how you and Kristina got here. What could have possessed Stephan to bring us here? He doesn't like Luke. Actually no one really likes Luke. I knocked him out the first time I met him. So did Kristina.
Wait a minute. Kristina doesn't know Luke. She hardly knows anyone from Port Charles. Yet she did knock out Luke.
I remember he wouldn't stop talking. He wants me to help him with some legal trouble he has gotten himself into. He never wants to go to Scott for help. He never realizes the danger he's in. Perhaps he never realizes because he always makes it out alive. That is why I am here. He always survives. He can protect my Kristina until Stephan gets back.
I need to make sure Luke understands. I need to find him and make sure he understands. He is probably downstairs. Yes, I can hear his voice. I just need to go down the stairs and make sure he knows what he needs to do.
"Welcome to the party sleepy-head." Does Luke really think that is cute?
"Good Morning Alexis. I hope you found everything you needed." Bobbie is always gracious, unless you are actively threatening her family.
"Nice to see you again Alexis." Scott Baldwin.
"Now that the Councilor has finally decided to join us we can get some work done. We don't have much time before the Queen of Darkness comes a- knocking," Luke rambled.
What is going on? Helena doesn't come to visit. She comes to teach. Helena always tried to remind me of who I was. Mother and Ned all in red. They were her lessons.
No Alexis! You can't go back to the red yet. You need to do something. Remember Kristina. Concentrate on what is going on.
Scott is arguing with Luke. "Get off your high horse Spencer. There is nothing you can do but wait for news from the police just like the rest of us."
"The PCPD couldn't find anything, even if it was left on their front step. Besides, she won't leave anything for them to find," Luke shot back. "Now Princess, we need you to step in and take over for Nicholas."
Why would I take over for Nicholas? I shouldn't be allowed to take over anything. I'm dangerous, Luke.
"Luke," Bobbie warned. See, Bobbie understands how dangerous I am.
As usual Luke ignores the warning. "Look Natasha, Nicholas and Gia are already gone. Count Lack-a-Lot has already headed for the hills it's you and me baby against Granny Grim."
"Get real Spencer," Scott said.
"You wouldn't know reality if it hit you over the head,' Luke shot back.
"You are the one who is delusional Spencer. Turning a simple storm into a conspiracy theory," Scott dismissed.
"Hush! We need to be quiet around Aunt Alexis," a small voice ordered.
"You are right Mark," Bobbie agreed. "Gentlemen, lets take this discussion into the next room."
I was vaguely aware of Bobbie herding the men out. My attention was centered on the boy standing in front of me. He looked exactly like Nicholas, except Nicholas hadn't been that small in a long time. He smiled at me with Nicholas' smile and eyes that were brighter then Nicholas' had ever been. Then he went over to join a little girl playing on the carpet.
I sat down on the couch in front of them and tried to figure out what was happening. Nicholas was not a little boy anymore. I remembered attending his wedding. Still there he was sitting in front of me. Who was the little girl? She wasn't Leslie Lu and she wasn't Kristina.
Kristina came in and said good morning to me and then greeted the children as if this was all normal, as if these children belonged to us. They did belong to us, I just couldn't remember how. I tried hard to grasp onto the bits of conversations that had floated just out of reach in my mind.
Nicholas' voice saying, "I'm going to be a father, Alexis."
"Congratulations Nicholas!" Stephan's voice floats from just outside my door.
"Can I hold one of the babies?" Kristina is so excited.
I even had a feeling that this scene had happened before. Me sitting and watching these two children play silently at my feet. However, then there had been Nicholas, Gia, and Stephan's voices in the background. This time I could hear Luke, Bobbie, and Scotty talking. I could see Kristina standing just inside the doorway to the family room studying the scene they presented. No doubt trying to figure them out.
I could have told her not to bother. That it was an impossible task to try to figure out a Spencer.
NO! I must stay quiet and stay still. Don't go near her. Can't let the red near her. Stay quiet little baby and we will be safe here in the hay. Must protect Kristina. You can't protect her. You can't protect anyone.
Stop it Counselor! You came here for a reason. Remember what you have to do. You have to make sure Luke understands. You have to make sure Luke protects her. You have to hope Luke can.
I forced myself to stand up. I concentrated on reaching the voices. I needed to reach those voices. I needed to concentrate on what was going on. I needed to remember that I needed to get Kristina help.
"I really think you should wait for Marcus," Bobbie was saying as I stepped away from the couch.
"Look with one notable exception, we are all fine upstanding citizens here. Why don't we just give you the PCPD's phone number and you can ask Captain Taggert what his plans are?" Scotty was dubiously claiming as I passed the children.
"Hey shyster, I was upstanding enough to be elected mayor," Luke griped. Some things never change.
"That's ok, I can just go visit Great-Grandfather. I can call Marcus from there," Kristina was speaking. I stopped. Maybe she was right. The Quatermaines were never targets. If Ned had stayed with them he would have been safe.
Then Luke reminded me why Ned had left the Quartermaines. "Jeez kid. Frying pan? Fire? Why don't you go to Sonny? At least he might offer some protection from the Queen of the Dammed."
NO! No matter what else happened, Kristina was never going anywhere near Sonny Corinthos. I took the last step forward. I hit someone, but it didn't matter. Only one thing mattered.
"This is Cassadine business. Sonny comes nowhere near my family EVER again. Do you understand?" I ordered. Never again.