Compassion
Ned seen Skye from across the french doors, he hesitated before he opened them and began to approach her. As he walked towards the lilies, he bent down and broke one away from the others. Skye looked up and seen him standing before her, he was smiling down at her offering the white lily.
"I'm sorry for whatever I did."
As Skye took the flower from him her hand brushed softly over his, "I thought you were mad at me."
Ned took a seat beside her, "Why would I be mad at you?"
"Because of what happened with Alexis in the park."
"No, you were right, you were acting like the parent that Alexis and I should have been."
Skye turned around on the bench so she was facing Ned, "I don't want to take Kristina away from Alexis. I'm not a baby napper, I'm just trying to protect her. I don't want her to go through what I did as a child."
"I know and I appreciate that, but Alexis is sick right now and she's not seeing that what she's doing is hurting both her and Kristina."
"She needs help Ned, she really does because she's going to end up losing that little girl forever and that's something I know she couldn't bare."
"Maybe you should be the one to talk to Alexis."
"Why me? So she can insult me some more or call me a slush or a whore?"
"Skye, you're not a whore and you're not a slush. She just says those things to upset you."
"Well, call me petty, but they do have an effect."
"I understand that, but I think that if you talk to her it would help."
"It'll be like talking to a brick wall, but I'll give it my best shot."
Skye brought the flower in her hand up to her nose, inhaling it's scent, "Sweet gesture." She commented as she got up off the bench and headed for the door.
Ned couldn't help but smile. He wanted her more than anything in the world, she made him feel so alive, but she didn't know because she didn't allow herself to feel that way anymore. He could tell her, but he wasn't so sure she'd believe him.
Jax had destroyed her trust, her belief and made her worst fears come true. He shattered her like glass. And in the passing months of putting bits and pieces back together she was still fragile. It may take a lifetime to get her to open up to him.
Skye took Ned's advice and a few days later she arranged to meet Alexis at Kelly's. She had been waiting about ten minutes. Then she seen Alexis coming towards her, "What's this about Skye?"
"Have a seat." She offered.
"Does this mean I'm going to be here a while?"
"Just sit down." Skye said dryly.
Alexis let out a sigh and then sat down.
"I want to talk to you about Kristina."
"Is something wrong?" Alexis asked worried.
"No."
"Skye, if you brought me here to tell me that you're taking my daughter away from me you can just save your breath."
"For an attorney you sure do judge alot don't you?"
"Whats' that suppose to mean?" Alexis snapped.
"It doesn't matter, what matters is Kristina." Skye paused thinking Alexis would have something to say, but surprisingly she remained calm, "Alexis, what kind of childhood did you have?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"Let me tell you about mine. I was raised my Althea, the woman I thought was my mother. She was an alcoholic. I was abused by her alot, she made me feel like a shell of a person. Always telling me that I wasn't good enough and for the longest time I believed her. She put me through hell and back day after day until she killed herself, which made me guilty. She was sick Alexis and she never got help and it killed me emotionally. I think that if Rae and my father would have raised me, I might be a better person."
"I grew up around Helena, I watched her kill my mother. She spewed venom, everything she touched turned to hate. She was a horrible person, a horrible mother and I vowed never to be like her."
"Alexis, you are Kristina's mother, rather that's a good thing or a bad is up to the decisions you make. You say that everything you do you do for Kristina, some of those things are only going to hurt her in the end. You cannot use her to justify all of your mistakes. If you don't pull yourself together and make some changes you're going to lose her forever."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I love that little girl and I want her to have the childhood that I couldn't have, that you couldn't have. I want her to know she's loved by so many people. I know the Quartermaine's aren't perfect, but they do love her and would do anything to protect her. And Ned, he loves her so much, I don't know what would happen to him if Kristina were taken away from him. I'm trying to help you Alexis, I'm not trying to replace you."
"Skye, I had no idea that was the way you felt, if only you were this open from the beginning." Alexis said truly touched.
"I just wanted you to know that I'm not a threat to you."
"Why the sudden change of heart?"
"I've always felt this way it's just that sometimes my scheming mind takes over and I lose the light of what I'm suppose to be doing."
"I'm guilty of that sometimes too." Alexis spoke softly.
It had taken nearly forever for the gatehouse to be rebuilt. Ned thought he'd never get out of the Quartermaine Mansion. The last box had been unpacked and everything was finally going to get back to normal, well as normal as it could get.
Ned picked up the telephone and called over to the main house. It rang only twice before it was picked up, "Hello." Boy was he in luck, it was Skye's voice.
"Are you busy?"
"Not at the moment."
"How would you like to come over here and have some dinner with me?"
"I guess I could."
"Everything's ready."
"Okay." Skye agreed as she hung up the phone in the library and headed for the door.
The doorbell to the gatehouse rang, Ned left the dining room and headed for the door, he and Skye were finally going to get to spend some time together. All alone. He placed his hand and the knob, turned it and opened the door, but his smile suddenly turned sour.
"I'm happy to see you too." Jax commented as he walked past Ned and into the living room.
"When did you get back in town?"
"Today."
"Welcome back."
"Thanks, how have things been here?"
"Better, ELQ's running smoothly.
"How's Skye?"
"Skye?, Um, she's doing fine. She's sober and I've made a place for her at ELQ. She spends a lot of time with Kristina, she's made a lot of progress."
"I'm glad to here it."
The doorbell then rang for the second time, "Excuse me." Ned said as he got up to answer the door, when the door opened it revealed Skye.
"Come in, I have a guest." Ned said softly.
Skye walked into the living room to see Jax.
"Skye, what are you doing here?" He asked.
"Skye, would you like a glass of tea or club soda?" Ned asked trying to lighten the atmosphere.
"No, I'm just going to go home." She answered.
"To the lakehouse?" Jax questioned.
Skye smiled, "No, I burnt that down."
Jax was shocked, "My stuff was in there."
"Sorry." Skye said as she headed for the door, "Next time you leave your wife make sure you get all your things."
Ned followed her, "Skye, where are you going?"
She opened the door, "Home."
"Skye, wait." Ned said as grabbed her hand, "Don't leave, we can still have dinner."
Skye smiled, "You're right, we can. Call me when Jax leaves."
"Don't leave like this." Ned begged.
Ned grabbed the door knob and closed it behind them, leaving he and Skye on the outside, "Are you okay?" He asked her sincerely.
"Skye kept looking down at the sidewalk, "I'm fine."
He lifted her chin with his left hand, "No you're not."
Skye moved his hand away from her face, "I said I was fine. You should go back inside before Jax comes to his own conclusion." Skye turned and walked down the path and headed for the main house.
Ned watched as she walked away, something wasn't right. He wanted to go after her, but he knew that she'd only push him further away. He sighed and went back into the house.
"What was all that about?" Jax asked absent minded.
"I don't know, she's just upset."
"Is she going to be alright?"
"Eventually. Hopefully." Ned said softly.
"Has Skye been seeing anyone?"
Ned swallowed hard, "Not that I know of, well back in April she was still seeing Coleman Radcliff."
"Where is he now?"
"Around, I guess she just lost interest."
"Do you think Skye might consider giving me a second chance?" Jax asked.
TBC........
I guess I could always put Skye back with Jax. So please review!!!
Ned seen Skye from across the french doors, he hesitated before he opened them and began to approach her. As he walked towards the lilies, he bent down and broke one away from the others. Skye looked up and seen him standing before her, he was smiling down at her offering the white lily.
"I'm sorry for whatever I did."
As Skye took the flower from him her hand brushed softly over his, "I thought you were mad at me."
Ned took a seat beside her, "Why would I be mad at you?"
"Because of what happened with Alexis in the park."
"No, you were right, you were acting like the parent that Alexis and I should have been."
Skye turned around on the bench so she was facing Ned, "I don't want to take Kristina away from Alexis. I'm not a baby napper, I'm just trying to protect her. I don't want her to go through what I did as a child."
"I know and I appreciate that, but Alexis is sick right now and she's not seeing that what she's doing is hurting both her and Kristina."
"She needs help Ned, she really does because she's going to end up losing that little girl forever and that's something I know she couldn't bare."
"Maybe you should be the one to talk to Alexis."
"Why me? So she can insult me some more or call me a slush or a whore?"
"Skye, you're not a whore and you're not a slush. She just says those things to upset you."
"Well, call me petty, but they do have an effect."
"I understand that, but I think that if you talk to her it would help."
"It'll be like talking to a brick wall, but I'll give it my best shot."
Skye brought the flower in her hand up to her nose, inhaling it's scent, "Sweet gesture." She commented as she got up off the bench and headed for the door.
Ned couldn't help but smile. He wanted her more than anything in the world, she made him feel so alive, but she didn't know because she didn't allow herself to feel that way anymore. He could tell her, but he wasn't so sure she'd believe him.
Jax had destroyed her trust, her belief and made her worst fears come true. He shattered her like glass. And in the passing months of putting bits and pieces back together she was still fragile. It may take a lifetime to get her to open up to him.
Skye took Ned's advice and a few days later she arranged to meet Alexis at Kelly's. She had been waiting about ten minutes. Then she seen Alexis coming towards her, "What's this about Skye?"
"Have a seat." She offered.
"Does this mean I'm going to be here a while?"
"Just sit down." Skye said dryly.
Alexis let out a sigh and then sat down.
"I want to talk to you about Kristina."
"Is something wrong?" Alexis asked worried.
"No."
"Skye, if you brought me here to tell me that you're taking my daughter away from me you can just save your breath."
"For an attorney you sure do judge alot don't you?"
"Whats' that suppose to mean?" Alexis snapped.
"It doesn't matter, what matters is Kristina." Skye paused thinking Alexis would have something to say, but surprisingly she remained calm, "Alexis, what kind of childhood did you have?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"Let me tell you about mine. I was raised my Althea, the woman I thought was my mother. She was an alcoholic. I was abused by her alot, she made me feel like a shell of a person. Always telling me that I wasn't good enough and for the longest time I believed her. She put me through hell and back day after day until she killed herself, which made me guilty. She was sick Alexis and she never got help and it killed me emotionally. I think that if Rae and my father would have raised me, I might be a better person."
"I grew up around Helena, I watched her kill my mother. She spewed venom, everything she touched turned to hate. She was a horrible person, a horrible mother and I vowed never to be like her."
"Alexis, you are Kristina's mother, rather that's a good thing or a bad is up to the decisions you make. You say that everything you do you do for Kristina, some of those things are only going to hurt her in the end. You cannot use her to justify all of your mistakes. If you don't pull yourself together and make some changes you're going to lose her forever."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I love that little girl and I want her to have the childhood that I couldn't have, that you couldn't have. I want her to know she's loved by so many people. I know the Quartermaine's aren't perfect, but they do love her and would do anything to protect her. And Ned, he loves her so much, I don't know what would happen to him if Kristina were taken away from him. I'm trying to help you Alexis, I'm not trying to replace you."
"Skye, I had no idea that was the way you felt, if only you were this open from the beginning." Alexis said truly touched.
"I just wanted you to know that I'm not a threat to you."
"Why the sudden change of heart?"
"I've always felt this way it's just that sometimes my scheming mind takes over and I lose the light of what I'm suppose to be doing."
"I'm guilty of that sometimes too." Alexis spoke softly.
It had taken nearly forever for the gatehouse to be rebuilt. Ned thought he'd never get out of the Quartermaine Mansion. The last box had been unpacked and everything was finally going to get back to normal, well as normal as it could get.
Ned picked up the telephone and called over to the main house. It rang only twice before it was picked up, "Hello." Boy was he in luck, it was Skye's voice.
"Are you busy?"
"Not at the moment."
"How would you like to come over here and have some dinner with me?"
"I guess I could."
"Everything's ready."
"Okay." Skye agreed as she hung up the phone in the library and headed for the door.
The doorbell to the gatehouse rang, Ned left the dining room and headed for the door, he and Skye were finally going to get to spend some time together. All alone. He placed his hand and the knob, turned it and opened the door, but his smile suddenly turned sour.
"I'm happy to see you too." Jax commented as he walked past Ned and into the living room.
"When did you get back in town?"
"Today."
"Welcome back."
"Thanks, how have things been here?"
"Better, ELQ's running smoothly.
"How's Skye?"
"Skye?, Um, she's doing fine. She's sober and I've made a place for her at ELQ. She spends a lot of time with Kristina, she's made a lot of progress."
"I'm glad to here it."
The doorbell then rang for the second time, "Excuse me." Ned said as he got up to answer the door, when the door opened it revealed Skye.
"Come in, I have a guest." Ned said softly.
Skye walked into the living room to see Jax.
"Skye, what are you doing here?" He asked.
"Skye, would you like a glass of tea or club soda?" Ned asked trying to lighten the atmosphere.
"No, I'm just going to go home." She answered.
"To the lakehouse?" Jax questioned.
Skye smiled, "No, I burnt that down."
Jax was shocked, "My stuff was in there."
"Sorry." Skye said as she headed for the door, "Next time you leave your wife make sure you get all your things."
Ned followed her, "Skye, where are you going?"
She opened the door, "Home."
"Skye, wait." Ned said as grabbed her hand, "Don't leave, we can still have dinner."
Skye smiled, "You're right, we can. Call me when Jax leaves."
"Don't leave like this." Ned begged.
Ned grabbed the door knob and closed it behind them, leaving he and Skye on the outside, "Are you okay?" He asked her sincerely.
"Skye kept looking down at the sidewalk, "I'm fine."
He lifted her chin with his left hand, "No you're not."
Skye moved his hand away from her face, "I said I was fine. You should go back inside before Jax comes to his own conclusion." Skye turned and walked down the path and headed for the main house.
Ned watched as she walked away, something wasn't right. He wanted to go after her, but he knew that she'd only push him further away. He sighed and went back into the house.
"What was all that about?" Jax asked absent minded.
"I don't know, she's just upset."
"Is she going to be alright?"
"Eventually. Hopefully." Ned said softly.
"Has Skye been seeing anyone?"
Ned swallowed hard, "Not that I know of, well back in April she was still seeing Coleman Radcliff."
"Where is he now?"
"Around, I guess she just lost interest."
"Do you think Skye might consider giving me a second chance?" Jax asked.
TBC........
I guess I could always put Skye back with Jax. So please review!!!