Notes: Didn't go on the trip again. Family and making up their minds are
two seeming impossibilities. But, I said I wouldn't post over the weekend,
so I didn't post over the weekend.
Shadow- If you're not feeling very well you don't need to review my stuff, I don't care how much you like my story, health comes first. Still, I am glad you are enjoying. The continued support is greatly appreciated.
Shamira- This could take a long time, but that is okay. As always, excellent to have you back on the review team. At first I was kind of weary about doing the two weeks ahead thing, but having ALL of the stuff happen that has happened so far and is going to happen in the future within the span of like five days seemed a little too stupid, even for soaps. Besides, the angst is more angst-like if it's given time to burn. I believe it would have lost some of its impact if it had been Damian's there one day and gone the next. Plus, you're right, they would never get the time alone. I'm all for the empowerment of Maxie! As for the Robin/Robyn thing, I believe Maxie is Robyn Richards, and Skye is Robin Christopher (and Lydia was J. Robin Miller, or J. Robyn Miller), but if that's not true then switch them around. One of them spells the name with a 'y.' The hate for the Alky is so hard to understand, I love the Alky. Granted, he is a crazy mother, but I still think he's cool. Besides, the good villains you're supposed to hate. And, since you hate Alky in my story, too, I guess I'm doing a good job. I've come up with a fan name, granted, it's actually LONGER, but I think it works: Daxamilian. Damian and Dillon will be spending time with one another soon enough. I've had to wait awhile, but I want to write their dialog, it could be amusing. The last line of the chapter was a good cliffhanger, wasn't it?
What can I say? I specialize in angst, it's the best thing to write. The other S/C of GH is indeed a supercouple all itself. Super-siblings would be the best term. I agree with you, my love for Courtney is hard to tell these days with her flaunting all over Brian, who needs to die. Please die soon. Damian's angry, but he is indeed much more sorrowful over what he lost, and what he thinks he can never regain. I didn't really think of Sonny's past as a subtext to the Michael stuff, but I guess I just got really lucky and it worked. Yay, original character plus established character chemistry! It wasn't very hard, but it was a long process.
The journey is great, so very great. Jason's a character with plenty of layers, but he really only shows so few, because he's not supposed to be open about anything, it goes against being Jason. That doesn't mean he still doesn't have those emotions, which makes him a lot of fun to write, at least for me. I don't much like these 'aw' moments, but if you like them, then all is good. Michael's reaction to Carly was intended. Nothing would hurt her as much as her own child getting angry with her, not even Sonny. Sonny's angry, partly at Carly, because he does feel that she was a very big part of him leaving, even if he knows he was the bigger factor. Ah, the kiss. I couldn't just do them thrusting into each others arms and making passionate suck face right out of the box, could I? Well, I could, but that isn't who Damian is as a character. It took him off guard, and with the situation he was in at the moment, he was very scared.
That chapter was supposed to be the shortest chapter, but also one of the most important. It's supposed to provide a crux as to who Damian is as a character. His hatred of the faith that lied to him, his insecurities over his own life. The piano was a nice touch, and it got him playing it again. Which will come into play at least one more time.
I will say this about Michael to anyone who asks: The boy is a whole lot smarter than he seems to let on. Plus, kids are actually making very complex thoughts in their own ways. You're right, everyone does judge Sonny, but can you blame them? I'd judge Sonny, too. But that's what makes Jason such a strong confidant. I don't really get those vibes from Liz on the show, but I've only been watching for such a small time, so I don't know for sure.
Jason/Faith scenes are so much fun to write. Faith's so very uppity and Jason's just Jason. You're right, how can scenes with the two of them not be great? And I just realized that I skipped a chapter, so we'll put two in one paragraph. The Georgie/Maxie moment was there because they hadn't really had very much time together since the whole 'I don't want you to die' thing that was a few chapters back. Plus, it got Maxie to admit her feelings for Damian, and confide in someone about how she feels that she did something wrong. I'm just systematic like that. Oh! And the Zander thing on Friday made me think of a way to incorporate the two of them into this. It should be up by the months end. Faith's involvement with Damian was also planned, because she'll have a bigger part soon enough. Back to the other chapter. In that chapter I let out a lot of foreshadowing, look for it!
Story-
Some things never changed, regardless of where you were in the United States. One of those things was that hospital food, by nature, was extremely distasteful. Even that which was deemed edible to the public looked like it had long since passed on the expiration date. Much to his relief, Damian wasn't there to eat anything. He somehow doubted that they could mess up a can of Pepsi. But anything was possible. It wouldn't surprise him if they managed to make salad distasteful. Still, he'd take his chances. He grabbed a can and paid the person at the register. He sat down on one of the chairs and popped it open. One thing struck him as odd. Sonny was his blood father. Michael was his adopted brother. Yet, he recognized Michael as his brother, and did not recognize Sonny as his father. It was a strange feeling, but at the very least part of it extended to Michael's youth. He was normally so happy and full of exuberance. It was something that Damian looked at with fondness. Michael was the exact opposite of what he was when he was a young boy. It was like looking into a mirror and seeing an opposite reflection on the past.
"This seat taken?"
"Maxie," Damian smiled, "Of course not. Please, have a seat."
She returned the smile and sat down, "How is he?"
"He was sleeping when I saw him. We still don't know what's wrong with him, not exactly."
"Well, what do you know?" Maxie asked, being as supportive as she could be.
"He can't talk," Damian informed her, "It's like that part of his brain shut down and he can't remember how to speak. They think that it's because of," He was quiet, he didn't like admitting this to himself, "Because of me."
"What do you have to do with any of this?'
"I left. I didn't give him any explanation. I didn't even say goodbye. I knew he would take it badly, but if I had known that it would have sent him to the hospital." He didn't say the rest, it was implied more than enough.
"You needed to leave," Maxie grabbed his hand, "You didn't feel safe there anymore and it was for your own sanity that you left that place."
"Still, if I had known that it would have cost this much."
"Would you have stayed?" She asked.
"I, I don't know."
"Even if this is your fault, which it might not be, you had no way of knowing what would have happened. Don't blame yourself for this. Michael's going to recover, and you're going to be there helping him as much as you can, right?"
He nodded, "I'll do anything I can to help him."
"Even move back with Sonny and Carly?"
That stopped him. It might take that step to help Michael as much as he could. But could he do it? Could he return to that house full of lies and a stepmother who hated him? Even for Michael, would he make that sacrifice? With a heavy heart, he knew the answer, "I couldn't do that."
"Let him know that, Damian," Maxie advised. "Let Michael know that you still care about him a lot, but you can't bring yourself to live around him right now. As long as he knows that you're going to be there for him when he needs it, I'm sure it will help him plenty."
"You really think so?"
"Well, I'm no doctor, but I'd say it's a pretty strong hunch."
He laughed, "Thanks, Maxie."
She giggled with him, but her mood quickly returned to the tone of somberness that she was feeling. "Listen, about the other night-"
"I'm sorry about that."
She shook her head, "You don't need to be, it was my fault. I shouldn't have kissed you."
"I shouldn't have pushed you out."
"I took advantage of you," She said. "I went over to comfort you and instead acted on something that I wanted."
"You wanted it?"
She blushed slightly, "Of course I did. What did you think?"
"I thought you just felt sorry for me," He answered. "I've never really had many people outside of my grandparents that even pretended to care about me. I guess I'm just not used to it."
"You're not mad at me?"
"Of course not," He placed the now finished soda on the table. "I just didn't know what to do."
"There you are!" Georgie came up from the other side of the room. "What are you doing here?"
Maxie looked up, "I'm on my break."
"Funny, so am I."
Maxie rolled her eyes, "Since when?"
Georgie sat down on the chair next to her, "Since now."
"Don't you usually spend your breaks talking to Dillon?"
"He's watching his favorite black and white movies right now. I don't like calling him when he's watching them."
"Georgie!" Maxie exclaimed, "He knows all the words by heart, he's watched them hundreds of times!"
"Maybe I just wanted to spend some time with you. You are my favorite sister after all."
"I'm your only sister!" Maxie noted that Georgie was acting like the typical little sister instead of acting like the mature motherly figure that she was much more accustomed to. She didn't like it.
"Exactly!" Georgie knew she was being annoying, but it wasn't at Maxie's expense, it was to protect her.
"Can't you see I'm busy?" Maxie tried to appeal to her sense of dignity.
Georgie gazed over at the guy on the other end of the table, "You don't mind that I spend some time with my big sister, do you?"
Damian grinned, "Of course not."
Maxie sighed, the impartial third party had just become partial to Georgie. "Georgie, this is Damian. Damian, this is my little sister Georgie."
Damian shook her hand, "Pleasure to meet you."
Georgie smiled, "Likewise." When she took her hand away from his she continued to put her plan into action, "So, you're the one that she's been talking about for a few weeks?"
"Georgie!" Maxie kicked her sister from under the table.
"What?" She rubbed her leg, "You do talk about him a lot."
"All of it good, I hope," Damian was amused by the sister's and their antics.
"Wouldn't you like to know," Georgie replied coyly. "I want to thank you for helping her when she needed it."
"There is no thanks necessary, Georgie. I saw that Maxie was being harassed and I wasn't going to let it happen. I'd have done the same thing if it had been you in her place."
"So you weren't in the slightest taken by my sister's beauty?" Georgie asked.
"Georgie!" Maxie almost shouted.
If Damian had any soda in his mouth he would have spit it out. Instead he was only able to muster up a very long lag time of uncomfortable silence. Georgie continued the assault, "I asked you a question!"
"To be honest all I saw was someone in trouble, Maxie's physical attractiveness was the furthest thing from my mind at the time."
"But you do think that she's pretty, right?"
Damian got up, "You know what, I think I'll go and see if Michael's up yet." It was a diversionary tactic, and a damned good one, "Thank you for the advice, Maxie. Georgie, I'm sure we'll speak again."
"Oh, you can be sure of that," Georgie agreed, trying not to sound hostile. "Until next time." She watched as Damian rushed away, obviously a bit faster than he would normally walk. "Maybe he isn't gay."
"What the hell were you doing that for?" Maxie's voice was like a drum in Georgie's ear. "You had no right attacking that poor guy like that, especially not right now!"
"I just wanted to see how he reacted to the hard questions," Georgie said. "You know that if Mac sees him, things are going to be much worse than what I was saying."
"Why would Mac ever see Damian?" Maxie asked.
"It's so obvious that you're smitten over that guy, Maxie!" Georgie grabbed her shoulders, "If you want to go out with him, Mac's going to insist on meeting him. He'll be harder on Damian than he ever was on Dillon. Dillon might be a Quatermaine, but Damian is Sonny's son."
"I don't have feelings for him!" Maxie shouted.
"You don't have to hide it from me, Maxie. I want you to be happy with someone. I was watching you for a lot longer than you thought. The way you were helping him with Michael's dilemma, giving him advice from your heart. You couldn't do that with someone unless you cared about them." Georgie hugged Maxie, "I'm so happy that you have genuine feelings for someone."
Maxie pushed her away, "Even if I do, which I'm not saying is true, what makes you think he does?"
"Only one way to find out."
Maxie cocked an eyebrow, "And what would that be?"
"Ask him."
Maxie laughed, "Is it supposed to be that simple?"
Georgie rolled her eyes, "Is it supposed to be more complicated? You like the guy, I'm pretty sure the guy likes you. Ask him if he does, if he does, go and do something together. Not very complicated."
"I can't just ask him that!"
"Give me one good reason why."
"Because," She struggled for a reason. It popped into her head soon enough, "Michael. He's worried about Michael, the last thing he needs is me asking him about his feelings towards me."
Georgie thought about it for a moment, "Are you sure about that?"
"Relatively."
"I still say you should ask him," Georgie said as she started walking away. "Our break is over."
"Yeah," Maxie mused. She wasn't entirely sure, could it really be that simple?
Shadow- If you're not feeling very well you don't need to review my stuff, I don't care how much you like my story, health comes first. Still, I am glad you are enjoying. The continued support is greatly appreciated.
Shamira- This could take a long time, but that is okay. As always, excellent to have you back on the review team. At first I was kind of weary about doing the two weeks ahead thing, but having ALL of the stuff happen that has happened so far and is going to happen in the future within the span of like five days seemed a little too stupid, even for soaps. Besides, the angst is more angst-like if it's given time to burn. I believe it would have lost some of its impact if it had been Damian's there one day and gone the next. Plus, you're right, they would never get the time alone. I'm all for the empowerment of Maxie! As for the Robin/Robyn thing, I believe Maxie is Robyn Richards, and Skye is Robin Christopher (and Lydia was J. Robin Miller, or J. Robyn Miller), but if that's not true then switch them around. One of them spells the name with a 'y.' The hate for the Alky is so hard to understand, I love the Alky. Granted, he is a crazy mother, but I still think he's cool. Besides, the good villains you're supposed to hate. And, since you hate Alky in my story, too, I guess I'm doing a good job. I've come up with a fan name, granted, it's actually LONGER, but I think it works: Daxamilian. Damian and Dillon will be spending time with one another soon enough. I've had to wait awhile, but I want to write their dialog, it could be amusing. The last line of the chapter was a good cliffhanger, wasn't it?
What can I say? I specialize in angst, it's the best thing to write. The other S/C of GH is indeed a supercouple all itself. Super-siblings would be the best term. I agree with you, my love for Courtney is hard to tell these days with her flaunting all over Brian, who needs to die. Please die soon. Damian's angry, but he is indeed much more sorrowful over what he lost, and what he thinks he can never regain. I didn't really think of Sonny's past as a subtext to the Michael stuff, but I guess I just got really lucky and it worked. Yay, original character plus established character chemistry! It wasn't very hard, but it was a long process.
The journey is great, so very great. Jason's a character with plenty of layers, but he really only shows so few, because he's not supposed to be open about anything, it goes against being Jason. That doesn't mean he still doesn't have those emotions, which makes him a lot of fun to write, at least for me. I don't much like these 'aw' moments, but if you like them, then all is good. Michael's reaction to Carly was intended. Nothing would hurt her as much as her own child getting angry with her, not even Sonny. Sonny's angry, partly at Carly, because he does feel that she was a very big part of him leaving, even if he knows he was the bigger factor. Ah, the kiss. I couldn't just do them thrusting into each others arms and making passionate suck face right out of the box, could I? Well, I could, but that isn't who Damian is as a character. It took him off guard, and with the situation he was in at the moment, he was very scared.
That chapter was supposed to be the shortest chapter, but also one of the most important. It's supposed to provide a crux as to who Damian is as a character. His hatred of the faith that lied to him, his insecurities over his own life. The piano was a nice touch, and it got him playing it again. Which will come into play at least one more time.
I will say this about Michael to anyone who asks: The boy is a whole lot smarter than he seems to let on. Plus, kids are actually making very complex thoughts in their own ways. You're right, everyone does judge Sonny, but can you blame them? I'd judge Sonny, too. But that's what makes Jason such a strong confidant. I don't really get those vibes from Liz on the show, but I've only been watching for such a small time, so I don't know for sure.
Jason/Faith scenes are so much fun to write. Faith's so very uppity and Jason's just Jason. You're right, how can scenes with the two of them not be great? And I just realized that I skipped a chapter, so we'll put two in one paragraph. The Georgie/Maxie moment was there because they hadn't really had very much time together since the whole 'I don't want you to die' thing that was a few chapters back. Plus, it got Maxie to admit her feelings for Damian, and confide in someone about how she feels that she did something wrong. I'm just systematic like that. Oh! And the Zander thing on Friday made me think of a way to incorporate the two of them into this. It should be up by the months end. Faith's involvement with Damian was also planned, because she'll have a bigger part soon enough. Back to the other chapter. In that chapter I let out a lot of foreshadowing, look for it!
Story-
Some things never changed, regardless of where you were in the United States. One of those things was that hospital food, by nature, was extremely distasteful. Even that which was deemed edible to the public looked like it had long since passed on the expiration date. Much to his relief, Damian wasn't there to eat anything. He somehow doubted that they could mess up a can of Pepsi. But anything was possible. It wouldn't surprise him if they managed to make salad distasteful. Still, he'd take his chances. He grabbed a can and paid the person at the register. He sat down on one of the chairs and popped it open. One thing struck him as odd. Sonny was his blood father. Michael was his adopted brother. Yet, he recognized Michael as his brother, and did not recognize Sonny as his father. It was a strange feeling, but at the very least part of it extended to Michael's youth. He was normally so happy and full of exuberance. It was something that Damian looked at with fondness. Michael was the exact opposite of what he was when he was a young boy. It was like looking into a mirror and seeing an opposite reflection on the past.
"This seat taken?"
"Maxie," Damian smiled, "Of course not. Please, have a seat."
She returned the smile and sat down, "How is he?"
"He was sleeping when I saw him. We still don't know what's wrong with him, not exactly."
"Well, what do you know?" Maxie asked, being as supportive as she could be.
"He can't talk," Damian informed her, "It's like that part of his brain shut down and he can't remember how to speak. They think that it's because of," He was quiet, he didn't like admitting this to himself, "Because of me."
"What do you have to do with any of this?'
"I left. I didn't give him any explanation. I didn't even say goodbye. I knew he would take it badly, but if I had known that it would have sent him to the hospital." He didn't say the rest, it was implied more than enough.
"You needed to leave," Maxie grabbed his hand, "You didn't feel safe there anymore and it was for your own sanity that you left that place."
"Still, if I had known that it would have cost this much."
"Would you have stayed?" She asked.
"I, I don't know."
"Even if this is your fault, which it might not be, you had no way of knowing what would have happened. Don't blame yourself for this. Michael's going to recover, and you're going to be there helping him as much as you can, right?"
He nodded, "I'll do anything I can to help him."
"Even move back with Sonny and Carly?"
That stopped him. It might take that step to help Michael as much as he could. But could he do it? Could he return to that house full of lies and a stepmother who hated him? Even for Michael, would he make that sacrifice? With a heavy heart, he knew the answer, "I couldn't do that."
"Let him know that, Damian," Maxie advised. "Let Michael know that you still care about him a lot, but you can't bring yourself to live around him right now. As long as he knows that you're going to be there for him when he needs it, I'm sure it will help him plenty."
"You really think so?"
"Well, I'm no doctor, but I'd say it's a pretty strong hunch."
He laughed, "Thanks, Maxie."
She giggled with him, but her mood quickly returned to the tone of somberness that she was feeling. "Listen, about the other night-"
"I'm sorry about that."
She shook her head, "You don't need to be, it was my fault. I shouldn't have kissed you."
"I shouldn't have pushed you out."
"I took advantage of you," She said. "I went over to comfort you and instead acted on something that I wanted."
"You wanted it?"
She blushed slightly, "Of course I did. What did you think?"
"I thought you just felt sorry for me," He answered. "I've never really had many people outside of my grandparents that even pretended to care about me. I guess I'm just not used to it."
"You're not mad at me?"
"Of course not," He placed the now finished soda on the table. "I just didn't know what to do."
"There you are!" Georgie came up from the other side of the room. "What are you doing here?"
Maxie looked up, "I'm on my break."
"Funny, so am I."
Maxie rolled her eyes, "Since when?"
Georgie sat down on the chair next to her, "Since now."
"Don't you usually spend your breaks talking to Dillon?"
"He's watching his favorite black and white movies right now. I don't like calling him when he's watching them."
"Georgie!" Maxie exclaimed, "He knows all the words by heart, he's watched them hundreds of times!"
"Maybe I just wanted to spend some time with you. You are my favorite sister after all."
"I'm your only sister!" Maxie noted that Georgie was acting like the typical little sister instead of acting like the mature motherly figure that she was much more accustomed to. She didn't like it.
"Exactly!" Georgie knew she was being annoying, but it wasn't at Maxie's expense, it was to protect her.
"Can't you see I'm busy?" Maxie tried to appeal to her sense of dignity.
Georgie gazed over at the guy on the other end of the table, "You don't mind that I spend some time with my big sister, do you?"
Damian grinned, "Of course not."
Maxie sighed, the impartial third party had just become partial to Georgie. "Georgie, this is Damian. Damian, this is my little sister Georgie."
Damian shook her hand, "Pleasure to meet you."
Georgie smiled, "Likewise." When she took her hand away from his she continued to put her plan into action, "So, you're the one that she's been talking about for a few weeks?"
"Georgie!" Maxie kicked her sister from under the table.
"What?" She rubbed her leg, "You do talk about him a lot."
"All of it good, I hope," Damian was amused by the sister's and their antics.
"Wouldn't you like to know," Georgie replied coyly. "I want to thank you for helping her when she needed it."
"There is no thanks necessary, Georgie. I saw that Maxie was being harassed and I wasn't going to let it happen. I'd have done the same thing if it had been you in her place."
"So you weren't in the slightest taken by my sister's beauty?" Georgie asked.
"Georgie!" Maxie almost shouted.
If Damian had any soda in his mouth he would have spit it out. Instead he was only able to muster up a very long lag time of uncomfortable silence. Georgie continued the assault, "I asked you a question!"
"To be honest all I saw was someone in trouble, Maxie's physical attractiveness was the furthest thing from my mind at the time."
"But you do think that she's pretty, right?"
Damian got up, "You know what, I think I'll go and see if Michael's up yet." It was a diversionary tactic, and a damned good one, "Thank you for the advice, Maxie. Georgie, I'm sure we'll speak again."
"Oh, you can be sure of that," Georgie agreed, trying not to sound hostile. "Until next time." She watched as Damian rushed away, obviously a bit faster than he would normally walk. "Maybe he isn't gay."
"What the hell were you doing that for?" Maxie's voice was like a drum in Georgie's ear. "You had no right attacking that poor guy like that, especially not right now!"
"I just wanted to see how he reacted to the hard questions," Georgie said. "You know that if Mac sees him, things are going to be much worse than what I was saying."
"Why would Mac ever see Damian?" Maxie asked.
"It's so obvious that you're smitten over that guy, Maxie!" Georgie grabbed her shoulders, "If you want to go out with him, Mac's going to insist on meeting him. He'll be harder on Damian than he ever was on Dillon. Dillon might be a Quatermaine, but Damian is Sonny's son."
"I don't have feelings for him!" Maxie shouted.
"You don't have to hide it from me, Maxie. I want you to be happy with someone. I was watching you for a lot longer than you thought. The way you were helping him with Michael's dilemma, giving him advice from your heart. You couldn't do that with someone unless you cared about them." Georgie hugged Maxie, "I'm so happy that you have genuine feelings for someone."
Maxie pushed her away, "Even if I do, which I'm not saying is true, what makes you think he does?"
"Only one way to find out."
Maxie cocked an eyebrow, "And what would that be?"
"Ask him."
Maxie laughed, "Is it supposed to be that simple?"
Georgie rolled her eyes, "Is it supposed to be more complicated? You like the guy, I'm pretty sure the guy likes you. Ask him if he does, if he does, go and do something together. Not very complicated."
"I can't just ask him that!"
"Give me one good reason why."
"Because," She struggled for a reason. It popped into her head soon enough, "Michael. He's worried about Michael, the last thing he needs is me asking him about his feelings towards me."
Georgie thought about it for a moment, "Are you sure about that?"
"Relatively."
"I still say you should ask him," Georgie said as she started walking away. "Our break is over."
"Yeah," Maxie mused. She wasn't entirely sure, could it really be that simple?