Note: Starting next week, in an effort to get the story finished quicker
(not that I want to rush, I just want to get it done before school ends...
since I won't be on DSL anymore and dial up can't handle all the
chapters...), I will begin posting two chapters per day. I've been working on
two chapters a day for about a week now, and if I continue to do so, I
think that I can manage to get the story done. So, look forward to that.
Kayla- You're right, Ric is a twisted soul, but he's also tormented and his reasons for doing things, while in no way justified, are at least reasonable in his eyes. It makes him a character that can be pitied as well as hated and loved, very interesting traits.
Joy- I was wondering where you went! I was going to think that you'd respond when the boy got out, but I respect your choice to not review, at least you do it more often than most other people, which is something that I appreciate. Anyway, yes, moments with Damian and Jason are great. I could imagine Jason watching 'Star Wars,' although having him enjoy the movie would be another thing in its entirety. I bet he loved the movie when he was a kid, but since he can't remember that time... the point is moot. I know that the homecoming was anti-climactic, but I thought it worked and I didn't want it to be as huge as people thought it would be. Always have to keep the readers guessing, you know how it goes.
Corinthos Household-
Why had she reacted the way that she did? Damian wished that he knew. He wished that he could read Maxie as well as he thought he could. He didn't think that she would hold such a festering disappointment in him because he wouldn't tell her about the incidents that really happened at the docs that night. What was he going to tell her? Was he going to say that he was there because he wanted to protect his family? Would he tell her that his involvement was caused simply because of his father's hand in the entire operation? She probably suspected as much. After all, whenever something happened in Port Charles that had such a context of violence, Sonny Corinthos would always find his name somehow attached to it no matter what. The worst part was that most of the time the accusations were completely founded, regardless of what the law would say in the end. What happened on the docks that night was not Sonny's fault, though. Damian knew that. His father didn't want anyone to get hurt, but the person who tried to kill him had other plans. Sonny defended himself, regardless of how fatally it was. He had every right to act the way that he did given the situation.
Maxie might believe that, but she would also likely let it slip to someone. She would probably tell Georgie. Damian had nothing against the relationship that the two Jones sisters had, but if it meant that he would put his own family in danger of getting arrested then he would have to keep his silence for the time being. Maybe one day he could tell Maxie the truth, but that day would not come for a long time.
He had been alone on the couch for as long as he could remember. He didn't even have that much time away from the house. He wanted to spend it with her, but she didn't want to spend it with him. He would never force himself on her, that went against everything that he believed in, so he left because that was what she wanted him to do. He didn't like it, however. He hated fighting with people. He hated the conflict and the hurtful words that an argument caused. His mother and he had never argued before, but he had heard his aunts and uncles fight constantly in Los Angeles. A few times those relationships ended up in divorce... something that Damian never wanted to do with his wife. The bonds that were to be made on a wedding day were to last eternally, never be severed. He still loved Maxie more than anything else, but would they ever be able to look past the fact that Damian could likely never be completely honest with her when it came to what happened with Sonny? The irony was not lost on him. He hated the organization that his father owned, but he would protect that organization because he cared about his father too much to see him get placed in a cell. Sonny's claustrophobia had nothing to do with his desire to keep Sonny out, it was the sheer fact that he didn't want to be without his father. They hadn't even been together for that long, and he certainly didn't want to take Sonny away from Michael or Morgan, who needed him much more than Damian did. There was no telling if Jason would be able to get out of the line of fire if that were the case. It wasn't a secret that Jason Morgan and Sonny Corinthos worked together in just about every single aspect of life. He couldn't take his father and his Uncle Jason away for anyone, not even Maxie. But he didn't want to lie to her. He was so confused.
"I would have thought you'd still be at the hospital," Sonny walked down the stairs, carrying Morgan in his arms.
"I was only there for a few minutes," Damian said, turning to face his brother and his father.
"Was Maxie not working?"
"No, she was there. We saw each other, but she wanted me to leave..." Damian's voice was pained as he explained what had happened , even if it was the most abrupt version of the story that he could give his father without telling him everything.
Sonny, of course, wasn't about to take that pitiful explanation as the entire reason. "You were in jail for a week, and now you're finally out and she couldn't spare some time for you? That doesn't sound like her."
"She had a lot to do," Damian replied. "She... just didn't want to be around me at that time."
"What happened?"
Damian pondered telling Sonny everything, and in the end his mind told him that it was the best thing to do. What was the worst that could happen? Maxie didn't know anything, and he would never expect his own father to order a hit on the woman that he loved. Sonny wouldn't be that sadistic, would he? "She asked me to tell her about what happened on the docks, dad. She figured that since I was cleared of everything that I could just talk openly about it. But I couldn't because I wasn't going to take the chance that she would talk to someone about it and then it would end up getting you or Uncle Jason in trouble."
"You did the right thing," Sonny was proud that his boy wouldn't put his girlfriend in front of his family. It wasn't unexpected, though. Family meant so much to Damian. It was humbling, really.
"If I did the right thing why do I feel so horrible about it?" Damian asked. "I feel like I lied to her, but I didn't. I just can't bring myself to put anyone into any possible danger by telling her what happened. Is this what happens when someone gets involved in your life, dad? Are we so enamored by you, care about you so much that we're willing to throw everything out the window just to protect you?"
"I never asked you to be silent about what happened with anyone, not even Maxie," Sonny bounced Morgan around softly. His voice was as serene as he could make it. "You did it because you felt that it was the right thing to do. I agree with you, it was."
"I never thought we'd get into a fight."
Sonny chuckled, "You're just being delusional if you think that you can get away with not getting into a fight with someone you love, Damian. No matter how much you care about someone there's always going to be something that you just can't agree on."
"What if she doesn't want to see me anymore?" Damian expressed his fear of losing Maxie. He'd almost lost her twice in such a short time already, but he had managed to somehow cling onto her, still retain that love that he depended on so much. Would the third time be the time that he struck out?
"If she can let something as small as that get in the way of your relationship... then you're better off without her," Sonny hated being as cold as he sounded, but it was true. Damian deserved someone who would always trust him regardless of his decisions. "I don't want to think that she isn't the one for you because I know how much you care for her, but the fact is that sometimes we can't be with the people that we love because of what we do."
"I don't do anything," Damian defended himself. "I try and keep myself as far away from your operations as I can. I try to find that thin line that can let me be around you despite knowing what you do for a living. I try and try and try, but all I seem to be doing is failing at it. Maybe I am delusional. Maybe I should just stop trying to turn a blind eye to what I know you do."
"What are you saying?"
"I don't know," Damian sighed in defeat. "I don't know what I want to do right now. I've always wanted a relationship, a good one, with everyone that I come into contact with. I don't want to have anything that could possibly make me think lower of people because of what they do, but I don't think I can continue to do that with you, dad. I was almost put away because I refused to stop protecting you. Uncle Jason was shot because he protected you. People get hurt because we're involved with you."
"I want to change that," Sonny said. "I really wish that I could make the world safe for everyone that I care about, but I can't. Even if I didn't do what I did there would still be the danger that comes with being alive today. I can't put everyone in a bubble and hope for the best, I have to let them live their lives as best as I can, but they also have to let me live my life the way that I want to."
"How do you do it?" Damian asked. "How do you live your life with so many contradictions but manage to make it as good as you can?"
"I just roll with the punches," Sonny said. "My whole life I've always been someone who took everything that was thrown in my way and made it out to my benefit as much as I could. Sometimes it's never a good thing. I lost my wife and two of my children because of this life, but I've also gotten more happiness than I could have ever hoped for because I just keep on living, I don't let myself get defeated by what happens. That's what you should do with Maxie, Damian. You should give her the space that she wants right now, let her decide what she wants to about your relationship. Don't try and push yourself back into her life. That never works."
"I guess it's the only thing that I can do," Damian got off the couch and stretched. His long moment of contemplation had tensed his muscles more than he thought it would have. But, if she stopped loving him, could he stop loving her? He didn't think that he could. "Is Morgan okay?"
"Yeah," Sonny patted the infant on the back. "I just like walking him around the house from time to time. I feel like he's safer if he's in my arms."
"I'm sure he does, too," Damian replied. "Everyone feels safer if they're in the arms of their parents."
"I'm sorry I never got to hold you growing up."
"You don't need to be," Damian said sympathetically. "You didn't have any control over what happened when I was growing up."
"Which is what hurts me the most. I'm almost always in control."
"You just told me that you took what life gave you and rolled with it. Take the fact that you weren't there for me growing up and accept it, knowing that you're here for me now when I need you."
"You need me?"
"I've always needed a father," Damian smiled softly. "I never thought I'd get one, though. Now I do, and regardless of everything that's happened and will likely happen in the future, I'm a better person because of it."
Sonny could count the number of times that someone said that they became a better person because of his involvement in their life on a single hand. Everyone was always saying that he destroyed their lives without a care in the world, they were wrong. At least his son didn't feel that way. "You don't know how much I appreciate you saying that."
"I think I've got an idea," Damian's response was rather sarcastic, but it was also filled with appreciation. Maybe he really did know how much he meant to Sonny. They both hoped that he did. "I think I'll go and take Michael to Kelly's now. He's probably got enough rest and is likely hungry."
"Wouldn't want to break a promise."
"No, I wouldn't," Damian headed up the stairs.
Kelly's, an hour later-
Even though the two had long since finished their meal, they stayed for a little while longer. Michael was happy, Damian could tell. It could have been because Michael had an intense love of the fries at Kelly's, but he was willing to bet that there was more to it than that. Whatever the reason, Damian intended on staying around just a little while longer, to give his little brother every moment that he could. "Did you like the meal?"
Michael wiped his face on his napkin, which was already stained with ketchup, "You didn't have to take me. I know how much you want to spend time with Maxie."
Damian chuckled. He wanted to spend time with Maxie, but did she want to spend time with him? That was debatable. "Maxie knows how much you mean to me, Michael. Besides, I haven't spent any time with you in so long that I just wanted to give you some of my time for yourself."
"I like spending time with you."
"Yeah, I like it when we spend time together, too."
"Were you scared?" Michael asked. "When you were in the jail, were you scared?"
"Sometimes," Damian answered. "But I wasn't really scared for myself. I was scared for you and everyone else. I didn't want to put you through everything that would happen if I ended up going to prison. That was the really scary part. That and thinking that I would never get to see you again."
"Mommy missed you."
"Did she?"
"She never said it, but sometimes she would look really sad, and I knew it was because you were gone. She feels bad for the way she acted at first."
"I feel bad for being mean to her, too. But that's all behind us now. We're friends, we care about each other and we wouldn't try and hurt one another anymore. We realized how much we were hurting people like you and dad by fighting."
"Do you think we can do this more often?"
"If you want," Damian put some money on the counter. "But we should get back to the penthouse. I don't want your mom to worry about you."
There wasn't a long walk from Kelly's to the penthouse. Neither of them thought anything of it. Michael was walking a few feet ahead of his big brother without a care in the world. Damian couldn't recall a time when he was so carefree, and it caused him to be somewhat envious, but he was happier for Michael because at least the boy felt such a feeling once in his life.
Although neither saw it, Elizabeth and Ric were across the street, coming back from a celebratory dinner. Neither of them paid much attention to the brothers either, although Elizabeth did smile when she saw that Damian was walking around a free man.
"Wait for the light, Michael," Damian said at the crosswalk.
There were a few cars that were coming by, one of which was driven by the man that was hired by Lorenzo to kill Carly's son. Al saw the redheaded boy up the street and started his truck. He could hit and run. He looked around and saw that Sonny wasn't around, which put his mortality rate a little bit higher. While Michael was crossing over the road, unaware of the plot against him, Al came closer. Damian, still a few feet behind, noticed that the car wasn't stopping. If anything it was speeding up. He didn't have time to take Michael out of the way and put himself out of danger as well. Instead he shoved Michael out of the way as his eyes were blinded by the bright headlights, and then there was nothing but blackness.
Kayla- You're right, Ric is a twisted soul, but he's also tormented and his reasons for doing things, while in no way justified, are at least reasonable in his eyes. It makes him a character that can be pitied as well as hated and loved, very interesting traits.
Joy- I was wondering where you went! I was going to think that you'd respond when the boy got out, but I respect your choice to not review, at least you do it more often than most other people, which is something that I appreciate. Anyway, yes, moments with Damian and Jason are great. I could imagine Jason watching 'Star Wars,' although having him enjoy the movie would be another thing in its entirety. I bet he loved the movie when he was a kid, but since he can't remember that time... the point is moot. I know that the homecoming was anti-climactic, but I thought it worked and I didn't want it to be as huge as people thought it would be. Always have to keep the readers guessing, you know how it goes.
Corinthos Household-
Why had she reacted the way that she did? Damian wished that he knew. He wished that he could read Maxie as well as he thought he could. He didn't think that she would hold such a festering disappointment in him because he wouldn't tell her about the incidents that really happened at the docs that night. What was he going to tell her? Was he going to say that he was there because he wanted to protect his family? Would he tell her that his involvement was caused simply because of his father's hand in the entire operation? She probably suspected as much. After all, whenever something happened in Port Charles that had such a context of violence, Sonny Corinthos would always find his name somehow attached to it no matter what. The worst part was that most of the time the accusations were completely founded, regardless of what the law would say in the end. What happened on the docks that night was not Sonny's fault, though. Damian knew that. His father didn't want anyone to get hurt, but the person who tried to kill him had other plans. Sonny defended himself, regardless of how fatally it was. He had every right to act the way that he did given the situation.
Maxie might believe that, but she would also likely let it slip to someone. She would probably tell Georgie. Damian had nothing against the relationship that the two Jones sisters had, but if it meant that he would put his own family in danger of getting arrested then he would have to keep his silence for the time being. Maybe one day he could tell Maxie the truth, but that day would not come for a long time.
He had been alone on the couch for as long as he could remember. He didn't even have that much time away from the house. He wanted to spend it with her, but she didn't want to spend it with him. He would never force himself on her, that went against everything that he believed in, so he left because that was what she wanted him to do. He didn't like it, however. He hated fighting with people. He hated the conflict and the hurtful words that an argument caused. His mother and he had never argued before, but he had heard his aunts and uncles fight constantly in Los Angeles. A few times those relationships ended up in divorce... something that Damian never wanted to do with his wife. The bonds that were to be made on a wedding day were to last eternally, never be severed. He still loved Maxie more than anything else, but would they ever be able to look past the fact that Damian could likely never be completely honest with her when it came to what happened with Sonny? The irony was not lost on him. He hated the organization that his father owned, but he would protect that organization because he cared about his father too much to see him get placed in a cell. Sonny's claustrophobia had nothing to do with his desire to keep Sonny out, it was the sheer fact that he didn't want to be without his father. They hadn't even been together for that long, and he certainly didn't want to take Sonny away from Michael or Morgan, who needed him much more than Damian did. There was no telling if Jason would be able to get out of the line of fire if that were the case. It wasn't a secret that Jason Morgan and Sonny Corinthos worked together in just about every single aspect of life. He couldn't take his father and his Uncle Jason away for anyone, not even Maxie. But he didn't want to lie to her. He was so confused.
"I would have thought you'd still be at the hospital," Sonny walked down the stairs, carrying Morgan in his arms.
"I was only there for a few minutes," Damian said, turning to face his brother and his father.
"Was Maxie not working?"
"No, she was there. We saw each other, but she wanted me to leave..." Damian's voice was pained as he explained what had happened , even if it was the most abrupt version of the story that he could give his father without telling him everything.
Sonny, of course, wasn't about to take that pitiful explanation as the entire reason. "You were in jail for a week, and now you're finally out and she couldn't spare some time for you? That doesn't sound like her."
"She had a lot to do," Damian replied. "She... just didn't want to be around me at that time."
"What happened?"
Damian pondered telling Sonny everything, and in the end his mind told him that it was the best thing to do. What was the worst that could happen? Maxie didn't know anything, and he would never expect his own father to order a hit on the woman that he loved. Sonny wouldn't be that sadistic, would he? "She asked me to tell her about what happened on the docks, dad. She figured that since I was cleared of everything that I could just talk openly about it. But I couldn't because I wasn't going to take the chance that she would talk to someone about it and then it would end up getting you or Uncle Jason in trouble."
"You did the right thing," Sonny was proud that his boy wouldn't put his girlfriend in front of his family. It wasn't unexpected, though. Family meant so much to Damian. It was humbling, really.
"If I did the right thing why do I feel so horrible about it?" Damian asked. "I feel like I lied to her, but I didn't. I just can't bring myself to put anyone into any possible danger by telling her what happened. Is this what happens when someone gets involved in your life, dad? Are we so enamored by you, care about you so much that we're willing to throw everything out the window just to protect you?"
"I never asked you to be silent about what happened with anyone, not even Maxie," Sonny bounced Morgan around softly. His voice was as serene as he could make it. "You did it because you felt that it was the right thing to do. I agree with you, it was."
"I never thought we'd get into a fight."
Sonny chuckled, "You're just being delusional if you think that you can get away with not getting into a fight with someone you love, Damian. No matter how much you care about someone there's always going to be something that you just can't agree on."
"What if she doesn't want to see me anymore?" Damian expressed his fear of losing Maxie. He'd almost lost her twice in such a short time already, but he had managed to somehow cling onto her, still retain that love that he depended on so much. Would the third time be the time that he struck out?
"If she can let something as small as that get in the way of your relationship... then you're better off without her," Sonny hated being as cold as he sounded, but it was true. Damian deserved someone who would always trust him regardless of his decisions. "I don't want to think that she isn't the one for you because I know how much you care for her, but the fact is that sometimes we can't be with the people that we love because of what we do."
"I don't do anything," Damian defended himself. "I try and keep myself as far away from your operations as I can. I try to find that thin line that can let me be around you despite knowing what you do for a living. I try and try and try, but all I seem to be doing is failing at it. Maybe I am delusional. Maybe I should just stop trying to turn a blind eye to what I know you do."
"What are you saying?"
"I don't know," Damian sighed in defeat. "I don't know what I want to do right now. I've always wanted a relationship, a good one, with everyone that I come into contact with. I don't want to have anything that could possibly make me think lower of people because of what they do, but I don't think I can continue to do that with you, dad. I was almost put away because I refused to stop protecting you. Uncle Jason was shot because he protected you. People get hurt because we're involved with you."
"I want to change that," Sonny said. "I really wish that I could make the world safe for everyone that I care about, but I can't. Even if I didn't do what I did there would still be the danger that comes with being alive today. I can't put everyone in a bubble and hope for the best, I have to let them live their lives as best as I can, but they also have to let me live my life the way that I want to."
"How do you do it?" Damian asked. "How do you live your life with so many contradictions but manage to make it as good as you can?"
"I just roll with the punches," Sonny said. "My whole life I've always been someone who took everything that was thrown in my way and made it out to my benefit as much as I could. Sometimes it's never a good thing. I lost my wife and two of my children because of this life, but I've also gotten more happiness than I could have ever hoped for because I just keep on living, I don't let myself get defeated by what happens. That's what you should do with Maxie, Damian. You should give her the space that she wants right now, let her decide what she wants to about your relationship. Don't try and push yourself back into her life. That never works."
"I guess it's the only thing that I can do," Damian got off the couch and stretched. His long moment of contemplation had tensed his muscles more than he thought it would have. But, if she stopped loving him, could he stop loving her? He didn't think that he could. "Is Morgan okay?"
"Yeah," Sonny patted the infant on the back. "I just like walking him around the house from time to time. I feel like he's safer if he's in my arms."
"I'm sure he does, too," Damian replied. "Everyone feels safer if they're in the arms of their parents."
"I'm sorry I never got to hold you growing up."
"You don't need to be," Damian said sympathetically. "You didn't have any control over what happened when I was growing up."
"Which is what hurts me the most. I'm almost always in control."
"You just told me that you took what life gave you and rolled with it. Take the fact that you weren't there for me growing up and accept it, knowing that you're here for me now when I need you."
"You need me?"
"I've always needed a father," Damian smiled softly. "I never thought I'd get one, though. Now I do, and regardless of everything that's happened and will likely happen in the future, I'm a better person because of it."
Sonny could count the number of times that someone said that they became a better person because of his involvement in their life on a single hand. Everyone was always saying that he destroyed their lives without a care in the world, they were wrong. At least his son didn't feel that way. "You don't know how much I appreciate you saying that."
"I think I've got an idea," Damian's response was rather sarcastic, but it was also filled with appreciation. Maybe he really did know how much he meant to Sonny. They both hoped that he did. "I think I'll go and take Michael to Kelly's now. He's probably got enough rest and is likely hungry."
"Wouldn't want to break a promise."
"No, I wouldn't," Damian headed up the stairs.
Kelly's, an hour later-
Even though the two had long since finished their meal, they stayed for a little while longer. Michael was happy, Damian could tell. It could have been because Michael had an intense love of the fries at Kelly's, but he was willing to bet that there was more to it than that. Whatever the reason, Damian intended on staying around just a little while longer, to give his little brother every moment that he could. "Did you like the meal?"
Michael wiped his face on his napkin, which was already stained with ketchup, "You didn't have to take me. I know how much you want to spend time with Maxie."
Damian chuckled. He wanted to spend time with Maxie, but did she want to spend time with him? That was debatable. "Maxie knows how much you mean to me, Michael. Besides, I haven't spent any time with you in so long that I just wanted to give you some of my time for yourself."
"I like spending time with you."
"Yeah, I like it when we spend time together, too."
"Were you scared?" Michael asked. "When you were in the jail, were you scared?"
"Sometimes," Damian answered. "But I wasn't really scared for myself. I was scared for you and everyone else. I didn't want to put you through everything that would happen if I ended up going to prison. That was the really scary part. That and thinking that I would never get to see you again."
"Mommy missed you."
"Did she?"
"She never said it, but sometimes she would look really sad, and I knew it was because you were gone. She feels bad for the way she acted at first."
"I feel bad for being mean to her, too. But that's all behind us now. We're friends, we care about each other and we wouldn't try and hurt one another anymore. We realized how much we were hurting people like you and dad by fighting."
"Do you think we can do this more often?"
"If you want," Damian put some money on the counter. "But we should get back to the penthouse. I don't want your mom to worry about you."
There wasn't a long walk from Kelly's to the penthouse. Neither of them thought anything of it. Michael was walking a few feet ahead of his big brother without a care in the world. Damian couldn't recall a time when he was so carefree, and it caused him to be somewhat envious, but he was happier for Michael because at least the boy felt such a feeling once in his life.
Although neither saw it, Elizabeth and Ric were across the street, coming back from a celebratory dinner. Neither of them paid much attention to the brothers either, although Elizabeth did smile when she saw that Damian was walking around a free man.
"Wait for the light, Michael," Damian said at the crosswalk.
There were a few cars that were coming by, one of which was driven by the man that was hired by Lorenzo to kill Carly's son. Al saw the redheaded boy up the street and started his truck. He could hit and run. He looked around and saw that Sonny wasn't around, which put his mortality rate a little bit higher. While Michael was crossing over the road, unaware of the plot against him, Al came closer. Damian, still a few feet behind, noticed that the car wasn't stopping. If anything it was speeding up. He didn't have time to take Michael out of the way and put himself out of danger as well. Instead he shoved Michael out of the way as his eyes were blinded by the bright headlights, and then there was nothing but blackness.