** DISCLAIMER I do not own any character appearing on "General Hospital".

*words* = thoughts "words" = talking/speaking ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER 13: Zander and Emily

"Emily, what are you doing here?", asked Zander in shock.

"I wanted to give you this.", replied Emily as she handed Zander some papers. He unfolded those papers.

"Divorce papers? How did you get them drawn up so quickly?"

"Alexis drew them up. Nikolas asked her to help me get them."

"Em, do you realize what you are doing? You are throwing our love away, and love is the basis of our marriage. We haven't even been married for half a year and you have already decided to call it quits? Give me one good reason why I should sign these."

"So I can be with the man that I love."

"Em, I thought I was the man that you love."

"I love you…….. But only as a friend. I love Nikolas. I have secretly loved him ever since I have met him, now I love him enough to marry him."

"But you married me."

"That's when I thought I was dying. I love Nikolas and now I want to marry him."

"So you loved Juan, you loved me and now you love Nikolas? What next Em? You love Lucky, then you love that bartender at the PC Grill?"

Zander was very mad and frustrated. He couldn't help but think about Erin, his daughter, how she has never met Emily and if she did just now he wished it was the same pixie sticks loving Emily he fell in love with. He still couldn't understand why Emily would want to give this all up, why now? Why was the most common question that plagued Zander's mind.

He couldn't help but think of what he would do without Emily, he loved her and he thought she loved him. He has his daughter to think about now and whatever he does about this situation will directly affect her. Zander couldn't help but think of how uneasy Beth felt about dating someone else and introducing someone to the family dynamic that she had established seven years ago.

But what has happened over the years that they have known each other? Emily's cancer couldn't have been the factor, what could have Nikolas said to Emily while she was in that cancer induced coma? Zander wanted answers, but if he asked them, especially with Erin in the other room, what would that do to her?

"No Zander, it's not like that, we've grown apart, you and I.", explained Emily.

"Grown apart? Emily it has only been a month!", said Zander as he was trying to keep his voice down.

"Daddy?", asked Erin as she walked up behind him. Zander turned around and gave her his full attention, Emily looked down at her.

"Yes, Erin,", replied Zander "what would you like?"

"Can I have some more cereal?"

"I tell you what, if you go upstairs and get dressed, we can go to Kelly's and get some hamburgers and fries. Then maybe later we can go to the hospital and visit mom and grandpa."

"Yay!", exclaimed Erin as she hurried up the stairs.

Zander watched as his daughter ran up the stairs. He then looked at Emily, she was smiling and was also giggling. He missed her smile.

"You have a very cute little girl there Zander.", said Emily.

"Yeah I know, too bad that you won't get to know her. " said Zander.

"Zander, I hope we can still be friends."

"I don't know Em, after all we've been through I don't think that we still can. You broke my heart and I don't think I can still be friends with someone who has done that."

"But Zander….."

"You know what? I'll sign these right now, the sooner you are out of my life the better, then I can focus on the relationship I have with my child."

"Fine, but just remember that you will always have a place in my heart, even if it isn't as big as the one it has for Nikolas."

Zander grudgingly signed the divorce papers, he knew he had to do this, but he didn't know why. Probably so he could save Erin from seeing him together with Emily or so he could prevent further heartache if he had to drag this out with Emily.

As soon as Emily walked out that door, Zander realized that this chapter of his life had now ended. The entity known as Zander and Emily had now ceased to exist, all because of another man who could never love her as much as Zander loved her.

Zander and Emily were such as great couple full of love and promise for the future. Where it all went downhill, Zander could not pinpoint it but he knew that now that he and Emily were over that his priorities had to be re-established, with Erin being priority number one. He needed to change aspects of his life and this was the right time to do it. He thought he should owe it to his mother to go to university, but he would have to finish high school to do it, since he ran away before he had the chance to graduate.

__At Kelly's__

Zander and Erin were enjoying their first father-daughter lunch out. Zander looked around Kelly's and saw that a lot of couples were there such as Dillon Quartermaine and Georgie Jones, so in love. His heart could not have helped to break a little since this is where Emily and his love blossomed. Zander's train of thought was suddenly disrupted.

"Daddy, who was that lady that you were talking to this morning?", asked Erin.

How could Zander tell his daughter that it was his wife asking for a divorce? She sat there looking at him anticipating a response, he knew he had to give her an answer.

"Well she was a friend of mine, she wanted to ask me to sign a petition to save the animals.", said Zander. He couldn't believe that he lied, to his own daughter. But it's not like she's going to know, or even meet Emily again.

"Which animals were they going to save?", she asked.

"The fuzzy bunny rabbits."

"That's good I'm glad you signed that.", said someone who was standing behind Zander.

"Grandpa!", exclaimed Erin as she jumped out of her chair and ran to give Cameron a big hug.

"Hi there sweet pea, enjoying your lunch?", asked Cameron.

"Yes I am. Mommy doesn't let me have hamburgers a lot. And daddy said that after we finish eating we could go and visit you and mommy at the hospital."

"That does sound like a good idea, I'm sure your mommy would like that."

"Well Erin, are you done your lunch?", asked Zander.

"Yup.", replied Erin.

"I guess we can go and visit mommy now. Do you think we should bring her something?"

"I don't know."

"How about a piece of that chocolate cake over there.", suggested Cameron as he pointed over to the counter.

Zander handed Erin some money and she headed to the counter. Cameron then asked Zander if the lady that Erin was talking about was Emily.

"Yes, she found out where I was, and she gave me divorce papers.", explained Zander. "She was very persistent in saying that she loves Nikolas now. I thought it was in Erin's best interest that I sign the divorce papers."

"So what are going to do now Alexander?", asked Cameron.

"I was thinking I should make something of myself. You know go into a legitimate profession."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, something that involves a university degree."

"You're telling me you want to go to university?"

"Yes."

"That's great son! What made you decide to do that?"

"I figure that since I have a daughter now that I should clean up my image, plus I really don't like being linked to the mob."

"What are you planning on majoring in?"

"I don't know, but I'll figure it out soon, but for now we should go to see Beth."