Rosa- That entire conversation was seriously just filler material. Thank
God Dillon really doesn't study. He's a very smart kid, but he doesn't
apply himself. Damian did, which would explain why he's in Med School.
Really, though, complete filler material was that entire conversation. Glad
you liked it though. As far as I know it was Helen of Troy, because Troy
was the city that she lived in. Of course, if this is some ploy about
OLtL's character Troy... I don't watch it, so I don't really get it. Yes, Mac
got stood up to. Damian don't take it from no one, and if he's going to
stand up to Carly... why wouldn't he stand up to Mac? He'd stand up to Tracy
if she were around! Things appear to be just fine in the Penthouse, but as
we all know such things do not last. At least he will always have Aunt
Courtney there with him, right? I like their relationship, too. She's my
favorite character on the show by far. Thank you for liking him. Yes, 76
chapters, and at least 70 since they met... and they finally go on a date.
Who said I don't work slow? As for the plans, well, those will start coming
into place on Sunday when the date chapters start getting posted. I'm like
30ish pages ahead of what you're reading, so I know what's going on. Hah, I
am the all knower of the ways!
Story-
Corinthos Household-
Sonny walked into his home, the place that he had worked very hard to keep somewhat secluded from his less than uncomplicated life. While there would always be times when the business would bleed into his home life, it at least provided him a temporary escape from the hectic times that he was often faced with. Today was no different. There was plenty on his mind. Myer had told him that the shipments were not meeting up with any resistance, but people still felt that Sonny wasn't at the top of his game. Sonny didn't care what 'people' thought, he only cared that he did the best job that he could. If people didn't understand that, if they couldn't respect that, then they weren't worth his time. If anyone did try and mess with his shipments, they would quickly find out why messing with Sonny Corinthos was the dumbest mistake that they could have ever made. Maybe he didn't make as big an example of Faith as he should have. It put the fear back in some people, but certainly not enough.
He lifted the lid off his cell phone and was about to make a call when Damian walked in. Sonny nonchalantly put the phone back in his pocket. He knew that Damian knew everything, but that didn't mean that he needed to hear everything. Keeping the boy in the dark was part of the best way to keep him safe, the other part being having him inside the house with the rest of them. So far the plan had been a complete success, although there was no telling just how long that it would be. "Where were you?" Sonny asked.
"Out," Damian responded.
"Could you give me a little more than that?" Sonny requested.
"I was at Kelly's, waiting for Maxie to come."
"Was that so hard?" Sonny said bluntly.
"Dad, would you please stop treating me like I'm some fragile antique? I don't need constant surveillance. I know it isn't as safe as it could be in this town, but I think I can manage."
"I don't like it when people think they can manage, Damian," Sonny stated, his voice showing just how serious he felt about the matter. "I only like it when people are sure that they can manage, and when I'm sure that they can as well. You're a resourceful young man, son, but the people that would try and use you to get at me would eat you up in a second."
"Some father's and son's have conversations about what they did during the day. Me and you, we converse about how your enemies would want to kill me. Can't you feel the love?"
"I don't think this is something that you should be joking about, Damian."
"I have to, dad," Damian said. "It's the only way that I can handle what happens around me. I can only take so much. People think I'm a lot more adjusted to my life than I really am. They don't realize just how much of it is an act."
"Do I?" Sonny wondered.
"I don't know. Do you?"
"Is this a trick question?"
Damian shook his head, "This question is as hard or as easy as you make it, dad. You think I just wake up in the morning with a smile on my face when I realize that my dad and my uncle are mobsters who frequently kill people, I've got a step-mother who thinks of me with only a little more appreciation than a common homeless beggar, and that the only girl I've ever fallen in love with has dreams about me dying in her arms? Denial is a powerful tool, so is humor. I have to keep a wall up in order to just function from day to day. But at least I manage now. Before... I couldn't."
"You've changed so much since that night that you came out and told me that you were my boy. You're much more self-assured. You don't take anything from anyone, even me."
"Maybe you're rubbing off on me," Damian stated with a sly smirk.
"As long as it's only the somewhat decent qualities that I have. I couldn't stand to see you become what I am."
"You didn't have to do it, dad," Damian looked at his father. He wondered what Sonny had seen, what he had done. He knew bits and pieces, but there was still so much that he was in the dark about. "I know that you couldn't say no when you were younger, when you were my age."
"You going to grill me about being old again?" Sonny wondered.
"No... at last not right now. You don't take orders from anyone anymore, dad. You tried to give up the life, and I'm the one that put you back in it."
"I like this life, Damian," Sonny admitted. "It might make me do things that people don't agree with. It might make me do things that I don't agree with. Even so, it's something that I like to do. I wish that I could be different, or at least a part of me does. But we can't always get what we want, can we? I was dealt the hand that I was dealt, but I didn't let it bring me down. I've gotten just about everything that I could ever want out of the life I lead. I can give my wife anything that she wants, and I can keep my children happy. I wanted to do something different with my life... something different from the way that I was raised. I've never treated Carly the way that Deke treated my mother, and I've never hurt the boys. You helped bring me out of my denial."
"Just like you helped bring me out of mine, I guess," Damian mused.
"Didn't you just say that we were more alike than either of us thought?"
"Only the good qualities, remember?"
"You know how glad I am that you're living here again, don't you?"
"You don't have to keep on telling me that you're happy that I'm around, dad. I wouldn't be here if I didn't really want to be." Damian sat on the couch, "I do wish that I hadn't left the first time. I wasted so many weeks thinking that I could never see you as the father that I wanted you to be. Wasted so many weeks hating you for lying to me."
"I'll always hate myself for doing that to you. I should have been honest."
"You had your reasons," Damian said. "They might not have been the best reasons in the world, but they were at least justified. Just promise me something, would you?"
Sonny gazed over at his eldest son, "What is it?"
"When Michael and Morgan ask, don't lie to them. You need to be as honest with your children as you possibly can, dad. You might want to protect us, but we value your honesty more than anything. It's harder to accept something about a person that you really care for when the person doesn't even tell you the truth after you ask. I just couldn't stand seeing you go through the things that we went through with Michael and Morgan. I know they mean so much to you, and I know it would hurt you more than anything if either of them ever felt that they couldn't trust you." Damian stopped himself for a minute before starting up again, "I'm not saying that you go upstairs and tell Michael anything right now, but he's going to ask someday. He's going to hear things, he's going to see things, and he's eventually going to start putting together the pieces of the puzzle. When that happens you need to be upfront with him. You. Not me. Not Uncle Jason. Not Aunt Courtney. Not Carly. You."
"I never make the same mistake twice, Damian." Sonny poured himself a glass of water. "I let my relationship with you corrode because of a lie. I won't let the same thing happen with Michael or Morgan. I got lucky, you forgave me. Maybe they wouldn't be as considerate."
"Let's hope that you never have to find out, dad."
"So, what did you and Maxie talk about?" Sonny asked, not wanting to dwell on the negative subject that he and his son had just spoken to one another about.
"I asked her out."
"You're already going out."
"No, I mean I asked her out on a date. We're a couple, but we never actually went out and did anything."
Sonny laughed, "Really?"
"Everything has been so chaotic since Michael went in the hospital. If it wasn't that it was me waiting to go to Los Angeles and then it was that whole incident with Faith. We've finally got some downtime before something else happens to us. I'm not going to let the chance pass me up."
"Something will happen..." Sonny mused. "It always does."
"I don't really know what to do, dad."
"About what?"
"This whole date thing," Damian slumped a bit in the couch. "I've got no knowledge of what to do in a situation like this. I mean, the only place I know that even serves food is Kelly's, and I certainly don't want to take her there."
"You want some help?"
"From you?"
"Who better to get help from than me? I'm your father and I happen to be happily married. I think I know a thing or two about romance."
"Can we keep the activities to stuff that is at least legal?" Damian requested, being a little sarcastic, but also being a little serious.
"That takes away some of the more exciting possibilities," Sonny grinned. A few days ago, they would never be having a conversation like the one they were having now. A few days ago, Damian would never have been inside that house for as long as he was. He would have never been as comfortable around Sonny as he was. All in all, the last few days had been good to Sonny. Very good. "I think we can manage something, though."
"I will not dress up in a tuxedo."
"You just enjoy slimming the odds down with every passing minute, don't you?"
"Someone has to keep you on your toes. You think you can come up with something special that doesn't involve fancy suits and things that would get me ten to life in a state pen?"
"It might take some working, but I'm sure I can manage."
"I appreciate the help, dad."
Sonny nodded, "It's about time I started being an actual father to you. Besides, this will give me some practice for when Michael and Morgan start dating."
"You're not the one that they'll have to worry about. Carly's going to be... scary."
"She's already scary," Sonny noted. "She just wants her boys to be happy."
"And she'll think they're happy when she thinks she's happy, right?"
"You catch on fast."
"Can't be a doctor without being able to pick up on the simple things. Now, let's hear some of these ideas."
Sonny grinned once more. Further assured that the days had been good to him.
129
Story-
Corinthos Household-
Sonny walked into his home, the place that he had worked very hard to keep somewhat secluded from his less than uncomplicated life. While there would always be times when the business would bleed into his home life, it at least provided him a temporary escape from the hectic times that he was often faced with. Today was no different. There was plenty on his mind. Myer had told him that the shipments were not meeting up with any resistance, but people still felt that Sonny wasn't at the top of his game. Sonny didn't care what 'people' thought, he only cared that he did the best job that he could. If people didn't understand that, if they couldn't respect that, then they weren't worth his time. If anyone did try and mess with his shipments, they would quickly find out why messing with Sonny Corinthos was the dumbest mistake that they could have ever made. Maybe he didn't make as big an example of Faith as he should have. It put the fear back in some people, but certainly not enough.
He lifted the lid off his cell phone and was about to make a call when Damian walked in. Sonny nonchalantly put the phone back in his pocket. He knew that Damian knew everything, but that didn't mean that he needed to hear everything. Keeping the boy in the dark was part of the best way to keep him safe, the other part being having him inside the house with the rest of them. So far the plan had been a complete success, although there was no telling just how long that it would be. "Where were you?" Sonny asked.
"Out," Damian responded.
"Could you give me a little more than that?" Sonny requested.
"I was at Kelly's, waiting for Maxie to come."
"Was that so hard?" Sonny said bluntly.
"Dad, would you please stop treating me like I'm some fragile antique? I don't need constant surveillance. I know it isn't as safe as it could be in this town, but I think I can manage."
"I don't like it when people think they can manage, Damian," Sonny stated, his voice showing just how serious he felt about the matter. "I only like it when people are sure that they can manage, and when I'm sure that they can as well. You're a resourceful young man, son, but the people that would try and use you to get at me would eat you up in a second."
"Some father's and son's have conversations about what they did during the day. Me and you, we converse about how your enemies would want to kill me. Can't you feel the love?"
"I don't think this is something that you should be joking about, Damian."
"I have to, dad," Damian said. "It's the only way that I can handle what happens around me. I can only take so much. People think I'm a lot more adjusted to my life than I really am. They don't realize just how much of it is an act."
"Do I?" Sonny wondered.
"I don't know. Do you?"
"Is this a trick question?"
Damian shook his head, "This question is as hard or as easy as you make it, dad. You think I just wake up in the morning with a smile on my face when I realize that my dad and my uncle are mobsters who frequently kill people, I've got a step-mother who thinks of me with only a little more appreciation than a common homeless beggar, and that the only girl I've ever fallen in love with has dreams about me dying in her arms? Denial is a powerful tool, so is humor. I have to keep a wall up in order to just function from day to day. But at least I manage now. Before... I couldn't."
"You've changed so much since that night that you came out and told me that you were my boy. You're much more self-assured. You don't take anything from anyone, even me."
"Maybe you're rubbing off on me," Damian stated with a sly smirk.
"As long as it's only the somewhat decent qualities that I have. I couldn't stand to see you become what I am."
"You didn't have to do it, dad," Damian looked at his father. He wondered what Sonny had seen, what he had done. He knew bits and pieces, but there was still so much that he was in the dark about. "I know that you couldn't say no when you were younger, when you were my age."
"You going to grill me about being old again?" Sonny wondered.
"No... at last not right now. You don't take orders from anyone anymore, dad. You tried to give up the life, and I'm the one that put you back in it."
"I like this life, Damian," Sonny admitted. "It might make me do things that people don't agree with. It might make me do things that I don't agree with. Even so, it's something that I like to do. I wish that I could be different, or at least a part of me does. But we can't always get what we want, can we? I was dealt the hand that I was dealt, but I didn't let it bring me down. I've gotten just about everything that I could ever want out of the life I lead. I can give my wife anything that she wants, and I can keep my children happy. I wanted to do something different with my life... something different from the way that I was raised. I've never treated Carly the way that Deke treated my mother, and I've never hurt the boys. You helped bring me out of my denial."
"Just like you helped bring me out of mine, I guess," Damian mused.
"Didn't you just say that we were more alike than either of us thought?"
"Only the good qualities, remember?"
"You know how glad I am that you're living here again, don't you?"
"You don't have to keep on telling me that you're happy that I'm around, dad. I wouldn't be here if I didn't really want to be." Damian sat on the couch, "I do wish that I hadn't left the first time. I wasted so many weeks thinking that I could never see you as the father that I wanted you to be. Wasted so many weeks hating you for lying to me."
"I'll always hate myself for doing that to you. I should have been honest."
"You had your reasons," Damian said. "They might not have been the best reasons in the world, but they were at least justified. Just promise me something, would you?"
Sonny gazed over at his eldest son, "What is it?"
"When Michael and Morgan ask, don't lie to them. You need to be as honest with your children as you possibly can, dad. You might want to protect us, but we value your honesty more than anything. It's harder to accept something about a person that you really care for when the person doesn't even tell you the truth after you ask. I just couldn't stand seeing you go through the things that we went through with Michael and Morgan. I know they mean so much to you, and I know it would hurt you more than anything if either of them ever felt that they couldn't trust you." Damian stopped himself for a minute before starting up again, "I'm not saying that you go upstairs and tell Michael anything right now, but he's going to ask someday. He's going to hear things, he's going to see things, and he's eventually going to start putting together the pieces of the puzzle. When that happens you need to be upfront with him. You. Not me. Not Uncle Jason. Not Aunt Courtney. Not Carly. You."
"I never make the same mistake twice, Damian." Sonny poured himself a glass of water. "I let my relationship with you corrode because of a lie. I won't let the same thing happen with Michael or Morgan. I got lucky, you forgave me. Maybe they wouldn't be as considerate."
"Let's hope that you never have to find out, dad."
"So, what did you and Maxie talk about?" Sonny asked, not wanting to dwell on the negative subject that he and his son had just spoken to one another about.
"I asked her out."
"You're already going out."
"No, I mean I asked her out on a date. We're a couple, but we never actually went out and did anything."
Sonny laughed, "Really?"
"Everything has been so chaotic since Michael went in the hospital. If it wasn't that it was me waiting to go to Los Angeles and then it was that whole incident with Faith. We've finally got some downtime before something else happens to us. I'm not going to let the chance pass me up."
"Something will happen..." Sonny mused. "It always does."
"I don't really know what to do, dad."
"About what?"
"This whole date thing," Damian slumped a bit in the couch. "I've got no knowledge of what to do in a situation like this. I mean, the only place I know that even serves food is Kelly's, and I certainly don't want to take her there."
"You want some help?"
"From you?"
"Who better to get help from than me? I'm your father and I happen to be happily married. I think I know a thing or two about romance."
"Can we keep the activities to stuff that is at least legal?" Damian requested, being a little sarcastic, but also being a little serious.
"That takes away some of the more exciting possibilities," Sonny grinned. A few days ago, they would never be having a conversation like the one they were having now. A few days ago, Damian would never have been inside that house for as long as he was. He would have never been as comfortable around Sonny as he was. All in all, the last few days had been good to Sonny. Very good. "I think we can manage something, though."
"I will not dress up in a tuxedo."
"You just enjoy slimming the odds down with every passing minute, don't you?"
"Someone has to keep you on your toes. You think you can come up with something special that doesn't involve fancy suits and things that would get me ten to life in a state pen?"
"It might take some working, but I'm sure I can manage."
"I appreciate the help, dad."
Sonny nodded, "It's about time I started being an actual father to you. Besides, this will give me some practice for when Michael and Morgan start dating."
"You're not the one that they'll have to worry about. Carly's going to be... scary."
"She's already scary," Sonny noted. "She just wants her boys to be happy."
"And she'll think they're happy when she thinks she's happy, right?"
"You catch on fast."
"Can't be a doctor without being able to pick up on the simple things. Now, let's hear some of these ideas."
Sonny grinned once more. Further assured that the days had been good to him.
129