Georgie walked out onto the sun deck on the second floor of the clinic, sipping on her second cup of coffee of the day. Port Charles looked beautiful covered in the warm sunlight and for a second she forgot all of the nervous energy that was building up inside of her. A breeze blew through her hair and she tucked the strands back behind her ear. Everything was so calm, so peaceful, so unlike her life. The last three years had been incredibly, well normal.
She wondered if Dillon knew about the clinic. He had always encouraged her. He had even paid for the majority of her tuition. A little part of her, that she kept locked away, wished that he was there to share it with her. After all, she wouldn't be where she was without him. She smiled as she remembered the day she received her acceptance letter.
* Flashback *
"It's here!" she cried, rushing into Dillon's penthouse at top speed.
Dillon came jogging down the staircase with a big smile on his face.
"Did you open it?"
"No," she shook her head nervously "I couldn't. I want you too."
"Me? You should."
"No, here," she passed it over to him "You do the honors."
Dillon sighed, taking it and ripping it open. He stared at it for a second, as if he were deep in thought.
"What? What does it say?" she nervously paced back and forth on the carpet.
"I'm sorry Georgie..."
"What?"
"I'm sorry that I won't be seeing you as much, because you're in!"
"What? I'm in?" she stammered "I'm in!"
She jumped up into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"I, I can't believe it!" she pulled away with a huge grin on her face.
"I told you, I knew you could do it."
She stared at him for a minute.
"You, you didn't, you know, talk to the dean of admissions did you?"
"What?"
"You know, like, pay him off?"
"No," he smirked "No, I'm afraid you did this all on your own. Although, I would have done that if they had been stupid enough not to let you in."
"I wouldn't want you to do that," she frowned.
"Yeah, I know," he nodded, raising an eyebrow "But you're in."
"I'm in!" she squealed with excitement.
* End Flashback *
"Georgie?" Maxie walked up behind her, causing her to turn around quickly, spilling her coffee on the concrete and onto her shirt.
"I'm sorry," Georgie bent down and picked up the cup.
"Georgie, your shirt. I'm so sorry. I'll go home and get you another one."
"No, no it's fine. I have a couple of hours before I start having appointments. I'll just drive home and get one."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, yeah it's no big deal," Georgie nodded, walking passed her and into the building.
"Are you ok?" Maxie followed her "You seem really jumpy. I know you're nervous about work but you're going to do fine."
"It's not that," she shook her head "I've just got a lot of things on my mind right now. I'll be back in an hour."
"Ok," Maxie nodded, watching her sister leave the building.
"Where's she going?" Lucas Jones walked up behind her "I have a bunch of stuff to go over with her."
Lucas was the head nurse at the clinic.
"I don't know," Maxie shook her head "But I'm really worried about Georgie."
"You made it," Ryan sauntered up to Dillon at the airport as he stepped off the private jet.
"Unfortunately," Dillon adjusted his tie as they walked to the awaiting limo "I just want to get this over with and go back."
"You know, I've been here all night and all morning, and I have yet to see anything that would spook you into swearing off this town. What's the mystery?"
"No mystery," Dillon shook his head "Just a piece of my past. A past that I can't let go of, that's all."
"Sounds interesting," Ryan smirked as they climbed in on the leather seats and took off for the pier.
"It's over," he assured him "Besides, it doesn't concern you. We are here on business, so let's get it taken care of, all right?"
"Of course," Ryan nodded, opening his briefcase and rummaging through the papers.
Dillon wasn't paying any attention, just staring out the window. It had been three years since he had walked these streets, felt the cool breeze coming up from the docks during the evening.
"Are you listening to me?" Ryan interrupted his thoughts "Here's the information you need to show them once we get there. These are the facts."
Dillon took the paperwork from him and stuffed it into his jacket. He leaned his head against the back of the seat and let out a deep sigh.
"Is it that past creeping up on you again?" Ryan asked, locking the briefcase shut.
"It never goes away."
Georgie raced down the docks. Of all the days to run out of gas, she was already running late for work. She passed by one of the benches and against her better judgment, she sat down to catch her breath. She closed her eyes and tried desperately to calm down.
"Excuse me?"
She opened her eyes to find a tall man, dressed in a suit looming over her, looking at her through his silver rimmed glasses.
"Yes?"
"Could you tell me where pier 54 is?"
"Pier 54?" she raised an eyebrow "Who wants to know?"
"I have business there, now do you know where it is?"
"It's the third loading dock, that way," she pointed passed her "Who are you?"
"Thank you," he nodded, walking passed her and down the dock.
Pier 54 was Dillon's property. She knew he still ran business through there but it was awkward that some stranger would want the information. The suspicion got the better of her and she quickly stood up to follow him but two men walked into her path.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry but this dock is closed."
"Closed?"
"Yes, you'll have to find another way."
"I can't, see I have to go this way."
"Find another way."
"Just let me by," she tried to push her way through them, but they easily overcame her and continued to hold her back.
"Let go of me," she groaned.
"You heard her, let her go," a voice from behind her asserted. The two men quickly dropped their grip on her, turned and headed back down the docks. Georgie stood frozen where she was, unable to turn around for fear that it might be real, and for fear that it might be a dream, all at once.
"Georgie."
She tried to compose herself as best as possible, squeezing fists with both hands. She slowly turned around. There he was. Handsome, in one of his black suits, the sight of him made her heart leap into her throat.
"Dillon."
He stared at her. She was still beautiful, her brown eyes staring intently into his. He literally felt weak just looking at her.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," she answered warily.
"I'm sorry about that. It's just, we have a business meeting that's going to take place at the pier and I posted guards."
"I, I understand."
"I know that you didn't expect to see me in Port Charles."
"I didn't expect to ever see you," she insisted.
"I know, that that's what I told you and I fully intended to keep my word. It's just that circumstances brought me here. I planned to leave by tonight."
"I hope you have a safe trip," she whispered, walking toward him to leave.
"Wait," he reached out and touched her arm. She pulled away and stepped back.
"What do we have to say to each other Dillon? You chose your life, and I have mine now. There's nothing to be said."
"I just want to make sure you're ok. Do you need anything?"
"I don't need anything from you," she shook her head "Look, I'm late for work."
"The clinic, right, I read about that in the paper. That's great, you really deserve it."
"Thank you," her eyes dropped to the ground "I'm really happy about it."
"I'm happy for you."
She looked up and something about the way he said it, the tone of his voice or maybe it was the words, made her want to leave.
"I really have to go...I, I really hope that your life is what you wanted."
She walked passed him and he stood there, frozen on the docks. His life was nothing like he wanted it.
* Flashback *
Georgie jumped up from the sofa when Dillon came through the door. He tossed his keys on the table and pulled off his jacket. She rushed over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Good evening," she smiled, before kissing him "How was your day?"
"Much better now," he grinned as he circled his arms around her waist.
"I'm so glad you're here. I'm so sick of reading these books, I need a break."
"You do? Well, I'll see what I can do about that," he returned her kiss.
"I was thinking we could go out, maybe to The Cellar?" she raised her eyebrows hopefully.
"Oh," he sighed with disappointment "I can't, sweetheart."
"Why?"
"I have some stuff to take care of here."
"Like what?"
"Hm," he smiled, before he picked her up off the ground.
"Dillon," she giggled as he carried her up the stairs.
* End Flashback *
"You're back," Maxie greeted her sister as she walked through the automatic doors. She immediately noted the 'deer in headlights' look in her eyes.
"Yeah," Georgie nodded, trudging past her.
"Um, Emily and Nikolas are waiting in your office."
"They are?" Georgie sighed.
"Yeah, I thought you would glad that they were here to see everything."
"Yeah, well that was before I saw Dillon on the docks."
Maxie's jaw dropped.
"He was on the docks? I thought he wasn't coming back to Port Charles. Ever."
"Me too," Georgie laughed out of frustration "But there he was, coming to my rescue as usual."
"What?"
"I'll tell you later," she moved down the hallway toward her office. She opened the door to find Emily and Nikolas sitting contentedly by each other on the sofa.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," she quickly put on a smile "I had something I had to take care of before..."
"No problem," Emily smiled "How's it going so far?"
"All right," Georgie lied "So did anyone give you the tour yet?"
"No," Nikolas shook his head.
"Well, then, how about it?" Georgie opened the door and ushered them out "I'll show the room where you'll be holding your group meetings."
She led them down the hall a little further, to a rather large room. There were sofas, a table with several chairs, even a little kitchen and private bathroom. Emily walked in and circled the space with a smile on her lips.
"It's perfect," she mused at last, turning to her husband "Don't you think?"
"I think you'll do a lot of great work here," he assured her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I hope so," she sighed "as will Georgie."
"Thanks," Georgie grinned "I wish I was that confident."
"You'll do fine," Nikolas smiled at her as they walked out of the room and moved back toward the lobby.
After she had showed them around, Georgie pulled Emily aside while Nikolas talked to Lucas.
"Dillon's in town," she informed her friend "I saw him this morning."
"You're kidding me? Well, what did he say to you?"
"Not much," Georgie sighed, "Of course, I didn't really give him the chance. I'm not really interested in what he has to say."
Emily nodded understandingly "I wish things could have been different for you two. He loved you so much."
"I know," Georgie's eyes dropped to the ground "But we decide our own future, don't we?"
"I'm so sorry."
"Don't be, there's no point. Anyway, I just thought you might like to know, so you could see him before he left. I think he's leaving tonight."
"Thanks but Nikolas and I have plans all day and besides I don't think he'd want to see me, or any Quartermaine for that matter."
"Don't be so sure, you were always one of his favorites."
Emily grinned as she turned and joined her husband.
"Thanks for the tour," Nikolas called to Georgie as they left.
Georgie walked back down the hallway as quickly as she could and locked herself in her office. Alone at last, she lowered her head onto her desk and began to cry.
She wondered if Dillon knew about the clinic. He had always encouraged her. He had even paid for the majority of her tuition. A little part of her, that she kept locked away, wished that he was there to share it with her. After all, she wouldn't be where she was without him. She smiled as she remembered the day she received her acceptance letter.
* Flashback *
"It's here!" she cried, rushing into Dillon's penthouse at top speed.
Dillon came jogging down the staircase with a big smile on his face.
"Did you open it?"
"No," she shook her head nervously "I couldn't. I want you too."
"Me? You should."
"No, here," she passed it over to him "You do the honors."
Dillon sighed, taking it and ripping it open. He stared at it for a second, as if he were deep in thought.
"What? What does it say?" she nervously paced back and forth on the carpet.
"I'm sorry Georgie..."
"What?"
"I'm sorry that I won't be seeing you as much, because you're in!"
"What? I'm in?" she stammered "I'm in!"
She jumped up into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"I, I can't believe it!" she pulled away with a huge grin on her face.
"I told you, I knew you could do it."
She stared at him for a minute.
"You, you didn't, you know, talk to the dean of admissions did you?"
"What?"
"You know, like, pay him off?"
"No," he smirked "No, I'm afraid you did this all on your own. Although, I would have done that if they had been stupid enough not to let you in."
"I wouldn't want you to do that," she frowned.
"Yeah, I know," he nodded, raising an eyebrow "But you're in."
"I'm in!" she squealed with excitement.
* End Flashback *
"Georgie?" Maxie walked up behind her, causing her to turn around quickly, spilling her coffee on the concrete and onto her shirt.
"I'm sorry," Georgie bent down and picked up the cup.
"Georgie, your shirt. I'm so sorry. I'll go home and get you another one."
"No, no it's fine. I have a couple of hours before I start having appointments. I'll just drive home and get one."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, yeah it's no big deal," Georgie nodded, walking passed her and into the building.
"Are you ok?" Maxie followed her "You seem really jumpy. I know you're nervous about work but you're going to do fine."
"It's not that," she shook her head "I've just got a lot of things on my mind right now. I'll be back in an hour."
"Ok," Maxie nodded, watching her sister leave the building.
"Where's she going?" Lucas Jones walked up behind her "I have a bunch of stuff to go over with her."
Lucas was the head nurse at the clinic.
"I don't know," Maxie shook her head "But I'm really worried about Georgie."
"You made it," Ryan sauntered up to Dillon at the airport as he stepped off the private jet.
"Unfortunately," Dillon adjusted his tie as they walked to the awaiting limo "I just want to get this over with and go back."
"You know, I've been here all night and all morning, and I have yet to see anything that would spook you into swearing off this town. What's the mystery?"
"No mystery," Dillon shook his head "Just a piece of my past. A past that I can't let go of, that's all."
"Sounds interesting," Ryan smirked as they climbed in on the leather seats and took off for the pier.
"It's over," he assured him "Besides, it doesn't concern you. We are here on business, so let's get it taken care of, all right?"
"Of course," Ryan nodded, opening his briefcase and rummaging through the papers.
Dillon wasn't paying any attention, just staring out the window. It had been three years since he had walked these streets, felt the cool breeze coming up from the docks during the evening.
"Are you listening to me?" Ryan interrupted his thoughts "Here's the information you need to show them once we get there. These are the facts."
Dillon took the paperwork from him and stuffed it into his jacket. He leaned his head against the back of the seat and let out a deep sigh.
"Is it that past creeping up on you again?" Ryan asked, locking the briefcase shut.
"It never goes away."
Georgie raced down the docks. Of all the days to run out of gas, she was already running late for work. She passed by one of the benches and against her better judgment, she sat down to catch her breath. She closed her eyes and tried desperately to calm down.
"Excuse me?"
She opened her eyes to find a tall man, dressed in a suit looming over her, looking at her through his silver rimmed glasses.
"Yes?"
"Could you tell me where pier 54 is?"
"Pier 54?" she raised an eyebrow "Who wants to know?"
"I have business there, now do you know where it is?"
"It's the third loading dock, that way," she pointed passed her "Who are you?"
"Thank you," he nodded, walking passed her and down the dock.
Pier 54 was Dillon's property. She knew he still ran business through there but it was awkward that some stranger would want the information. The suspicion got the better of her and she quickly stood up to follow him but two men walked into her path.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry but this dock is closed."
"Closed?"
"Yes, you'll have to find another way."
"I can't, see I have to go this way."
"Find another way."
"Just let me by," she tried to push her way through them, but they easily overcame her and continued to hold her back.
"Let go of me," she groaned.
"You heard her, let her go," a voice from behind her asserted. The two men quickly dropped their grip on her, turned and headed back down the docks. Georgie stood frozen where she was, unable to turn around for fear that it might be real, and for fear that it might be a dream, all at once.
"Georgie."
She tried to compose herself as best as possible, squeezing fists with both hands. She slowly turned around. There he was. Handsome, in one of his black suits, the sight of him made her heart leap into her throat.
"Dillon."
He stared at her. She was still beautiful, her brown eyes staring intently into his. He literally felt weak just looking at her.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," she answered warily.
"I'm sorry about that. It's just, we have a business meeting that's going to take place at the pier and I posted guards."
"I, I understand."
"I know that you didn't expect to see me in Port Charles."
"I didn't expect to ever see you," she insisted.
"I know, that that's what I told you and I fully intended to keep my word. It's just that circumstances brought me here. I planned to leave by tonight."
"I hope you have a safe trip," she whispered, walking toward him to leave.
"Wait," he reached out and touched her arm. She pulled away and stepped back.
"What do we have to say to each other Dillon? You chose your life, and I have mine now. There's nothing to be said."
"I just want to make sure you're ok. Do you need anything?"
"I don't need anything from you," she shook her head "Look, I'm late for work."
"The clinic, right, I read about that in the paper. That's great, you really deserve it."
"Thank you," her eyes dropped to the ground "I'm really happy about it."
"I'm happy for you."
She looked up and something about the way he said it, the tone of his voice or maybe it was the words, made her want to leave.
"I really have to go...I, I really hope that your life is what you wanted."
She walked passed him and he stood there, frozen on the docks. His life was nothing like he wanted it.
* Flashback *
Georgie jumped up from the sofa when Dillon came through the door. He tossed his keys on the table and pulled off his jacket. She rushed over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Good evening," she smiled, before kissing him "How was your day?"
"Much better now," he grinned as he circled his arms around her waist.
"I'm so glad you're here. I'm so sick of reading these books, I need a break."
"You do? Well, I'll see what I can do about that," he returned her kiss.
"I was thinking we could go out, maybe to The Cellar?" she raised her eyebrows hopefully.
"Oh," he sighed with disappointment "I can't, sweetheart."
"Why?"
"I have some stuff to take care of here."
"Like what?"
"Hm," he smiled, before he picked her up off the ground.
"Dillon," she giggled as he carried her up the stairs.
* End Flashback *
"You're back," Maxie greeted her sister as she walked through the automatic doors. She immediately noted the 'deer in headlights' look in her eyes.
"Yeah," Georgie nodded, trudging past her.
"Um, Emily and Nikolas are waiting in your office."
"They are?" Georgie sighed.
"Yeah, I thought you would glad that they were here to see everything."
"Yeah, well that was before I saw Dillon on the docks."
Maxie's jaw dropped.
"He was on the docks? I thought he wasn't coming back to Port Charles. Ever."
"Me too," Georgie laughed out of frustration "But there he was, coming to my rescue as usual."
"What?"
"I'll tell you later," she moved down the hallway toward her office. She opened the door to find Emily and Nikolas sitting contentedly by each other on the sofa.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," she quickly put on a smile "I had something I had to take care of before..."
"No problem," Emily smiled "How's it going so far?"
"All right," Georgie lied "So did anyone give you the tour yet?"
"No," Nikolas shook his head.
"Well, then, how about it?" Georgie opened the door and ushered them out "I'll show the room where you'll be holding your group meetings."
She led them down the hall a little further, to a rather large room. There were sofas, a table with several chairs, even a little kitchen and private bathroom. Emily walked in and circled the space with a smile on her lips.
"It's perfect," she mused at last, turning to her husband "Don't you think?"
"I think you'll do a lot of great work here," he assured her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I hope so," she sighed "as will Georgie."
"Thanks," Georgie grinned "I wish I was that confident."
"You'll do fine," Nikolas smiled at her as they walked out of the room and moved back toward the lobby.
After she had showed them around, Georgie pulled Emily aside while Nikolas talked to Lucas.
"Dillon's in town," she informed her friend "I saw him this morning."
"You're kidding me? Well, what did he say to you?"
"Not much," Georgie sighed, "Of course, I didn't really give him the chance. I'm not really interested in what he has to say."
Emily nodded understandingly "I wish things could have been different for you two. He loved you so much."
"I know," Georgie's eyes dropped to the ground "But we decide our own future, don't we?"
"I'm so sorry."
"Don't be, there's no point. Anyway, I just thought you might like to know, so you could see him before he left. I think he's leaving tonight."
"Thanks but Nikolas and I have plans all day and besides I don't think he'd want to see me, or any Quartermaine for that matter."
"Don't be so sure, you were always one of his favorites."
Emily grinned as she turned and joined her husband.
"Thanks for the tour," Nikolas called to Georgie as they left.
Georgie walked back down the hallway as quickly as she could and locked herself in her office. Alone at last, she lowered her head onto her desk and began to cry.