There were many things that Jason Morgan had a hard time dealing with. Even
though he tried to appear like he could do everything without fail the fact
was that it wasn't true. Jason had failed at a lot of things, most of them
he couldn't really remember. He knew for a fact that he had failed at
getting AJ to stop drinking, because if he had then things would have been
extremely different. He wouldn't have been the person he was. If AJ had
stopped drinking, Jason would still be a Quatermaine, and he might not have
ever fallen for Courtney the way that he did, even though they would have
met because of the fact that AJ was married to her for a short time. If he
wasn't in that accident, maybe he would be a doctor, maybe he'd be working
on Damian at that moment. But if he was a Quatermaine he wouldn't have the
ties to his nephew that he did because of what happened after the accident.
If Jason were still a Quatermaine, Damian would likely be nothing more than
just another patient that he had to help. Luckily, Jason was no longer a
Quatermaine, and it was a choice that he never regretted.
But, as he stood near the door of the family room of the mansion that had once been his home, a haven and a prison at the same time, he did regret that he had made the choice to come. But he had to make sure that Dillon knew what was going on. It was payback for the favor that Dillon had given to him when he helped Jason out while his injury had a bigger impact on his life. Granted, it was a small thing and what Jason was about to do would no doubt cause another scar by his former family, but a debt was a debt. He had to get a driver to bring him to the mansion, which was also something that he didn't like. He could have driven himself... if things were better. But, they weren't. Jason had to accept that regardless of how much he was opposed to the idea of being a weakling.
Tracy Quatermaine was going through the books of ELQ, her father's company and the one thing that Tracy wanted but could never have. She savored every plan that she made to get ELQ out of the grasp of Edward, but they had always failed. Somehow, her father always managed to be at least one step ahead of her. It made him the best foe for her and the worst at the same time. It bred both their love for one another and their hatred. They were far too much alike to ever be as close as most fathers and daughters should, but at the very least they had the utmost respect for one another. Edward wouldn't like it if he knew that she was looking at the documents that she had no actual authorization to look at, but Tracy didn't care. She could make up some excuse if she was caught by anyone. She was good at making excuses.
She heard the knobs of the side door begin to turn. In a hurry, Tracy put the books back in their rightful place and rushed to the liquor cabinet, pouring herself some brandy. She sipped at it, trying to act as normal as she possibly could. When she saw who was at the door, though, she almost spit her drink out. Instead, she forced herself to swallow it, since it was very unladylike to spit. "If you're here to rob us blind why don't I save you the trouble and just give you a few pieces of silverware?"
Jason ignored Tracy's snide remark. Of all the Quatermaines, she was the one that he didn't want to deal with the most. He would have much rather it been Lila, but his grandmother was rarely ever outside of her room. He thought about paying her a visit while he was actually in the mansion, since she would appreciate it so much, but he wanted to get out as soon as he could.
"Fine," Tracy said, taking Jason's silence as a partial answer. "Then I guess I'll have to tell you that we've moved all of the valuables to different places in the house and changed the combinations to all of the safes." Tracy chuckled, "Not that you would remember where they originally were or what those codes were."
"Tracy, I don't have time for you."
"How rude of you," Tracy replied. "My dear nephew, need I remind you that you are not in this house for anything more than a visit. I am your hostess and you will treat me with the respect that..."
"Where is Dillon?" Jason cut her off.
"What could you possibly want with my son?" Tracy inquired. "If you think that you can get him to do something for you and drag him into that cesspool of a thing you call a career then you're wrong and incredibly desperate. What's wrong, Jason? Did the herd of contract killers suddenly become compromised and now you're trying to repopulate? Since you don't have any children of your own you're going after other's to train into hardened killers? I will not allow you or anyone else to train my son into some emotionless creature."
"I would have thought that he had enough training in being emotionless from you, Tracy," Jason replied. "If you're not going to tell me where Dillon is then I'm just going to have to start looking for him, aren't I?"
"You are not welcome here," Tracy said. "I could call the police on you... although I somehow doubt that would do any good, they probably all fear you and that knack you have for shooting them. You really should stop that, you know. People could start to talk."
"Call the police, Tracy. I don't care."
"Have it your way. Thanks for the visit," Tracy picked up the phone.
"Put that down," Someone else demanded. "My son has every right in the world to be in his home."
"This isn't his home, Alan!" Tracy protested. "He left, remember? He left to start a collection of novelty body bags."
"Jason..." Alan's voice was not masking his shock. Jason almost never came around, it was rarer than a leap year, and even those could be predicted. "Why are you here, son?"
"I can't stay," Jason dashed Alan's hopes as quickly as they had been brought up.
"Then why don't I escort you out?" Tracy offered snidely. "Here," Tracy took a glass and handed it to Jason, "think of it as a souvenir."
"Tracy!" Alan barked at his sister. "That's enough."
"Alan, we cannot house known killers in our home!"
"We can't?" Alan asked. "Haven't we done it before?"
Tracy shut her lip, which was surprising enough.
"Look," Jason said, "I just came here to see Dillon. Could one of you tell me where he's at?"
"Right here," Dillon walked in. "Jason... you need me for something?"
"There was an accident," Jason said. "Damian's in the hospital."
"But... I thought he was in jail."
"He was let out this morning and this evening he was struck by a car."
"Be thankful that we don't have his luck, my darling," Tracy muttered.
"Mom!" Dillon shot out at her. He loved his mother, he would always love her, but he did not appreciate in the least the way that she acted around him when he was with other people. He hated the way she acted so cold and heartless. Someone was hurt, and the first thing she did was make a quip. Dillon was unaware of Damian's release. Georgie had made no effort to call him, although that was likely because of the lack of cell phone service in the area. Now he was out of jail and in a hospital bed. As much as he hated to admit it, his mother was right, he had the worst string of luck.
"Monica would be examining him, she's on duty tonight," Alan said. "Jason, if anyone can save your friend..."
"Nephew," Jason corrected.
"He's not even family!" Tracy shouted.
"More than you are," Jason was really getting tried of Tracy. He would have killed her long ago if he didn't think that it would cause Lila a degree of pain. Dillon could get over it eventually and Emily probably didn't care either way if Tracy lived or died, but Lila loved her daughter without question.
"If anyone can save your... nephew," Alan stumbled over the word, "Monica is that person."
"I need to be over there," Dillon rushed out of the room.
"Dillon, you're not going anywhere!" Tracy's voice echoed down the hall, but he either didn't hear her or more than likely didn't care.
"Do you know anything?" Alan asked, actually concerned about what was going on with the boy that he didn't even know. He was a doctor. He knew how precious life was.
"No," Jason said. "The only thing that we know for sure is that he was hit pushing Michael out of the way of an oncoming truck."
"Why would anyone want to hurt Michael?"
"Maybe because his precious father is a crime lord!" Tracy pointed out, completely devoid of tact, a tactic that she was without equal.
"Tracy, shut up!" Jason yelled. "Maybe if you didn't spend every waking moment judging people you'd actually have the time to look at yourself and you'd realize that you're no better than any of the people that you claim to be above. If anything, you're so much worse."
"Are you going to let this hooligan talk to me like that?" Tracy asked her brother.
"I don't see anything that he's said being wrong or false about you in any way, Tracy. Everything that Jason just said was entirely true." Alan was more than a little pleased that his son would stand up to his sister. Of course, if there was any Quatermaine who had the gall to stand up to Tracy without batting an eyelash it would have to be Jason. The one who stared down death in the eye on an almost daily basis could look at Tracy and not even flinch. It was an impressive skill, Alan couldn't deny that.
Dillon rushed back down with his jacket, "Jason... could you give me a ride to the hospital, please?"
"Dillon, you will not leave this house with that man!" Tracy decreed.
"Mom... Damian's my best friend and he's hurt. Not to mention the fact that Maxie and Georgie are probably there."
"I've always said that you were better than those common twats that you associate yourself with," Tracy commented. "And I know for a fact that you are light years ahead of any son of Sonny Corinthos."
"Mom, I'm going," Dillon stood up to his mother based on the sheer principal of it alone. "You can't stop me."
"If you leave out that door, don't bother coming back," Tracy's threat could have been idle, but at the same time it could have been the real thing.
Dillon didn't care either way, "Mother, I love you, but I won't stand around while one of my friends is in pain just because you don't like him."
"Dillon, I know what's best for you."
"Only in the direction that you want my life to take me, mom. I'll never be the type of person that you are, which is what eats you up, isn't it? I'll never allow myself to be this callous, jaded, phlegmatic creature who doesn't care about any other person but themselves."
"I care about you."
"If you cared about me," Dillon headed for the door, "you wouldn't stop me from doing what I know is right."
"I meant what I said, Dillon! You're not coming back into the mansion!"
"Then you saved me a few months on my wait until I'm 18 to move out plan!" Dillon shouted as he and Jason walked out, Dillon slamming the door behind him.
Tracy poured herself some more brandy, "Now, all I do is wait until he comes crawling back to me."
"You really think he will?" Alan asked.
"Please, unlike your children, mine actually care for me."
"I care about Jason too much to force him into doing anything. I let him live his life the way he wants to, even when I don't believe in it. Tell me, Tracy, which one of us is the better parent? The one who tries to control ever single aspect of their children's lives, or the one that lets them become their own person?" Alan didn't give Tracy a chance to actually answer, he was out of the room a moment later.
Outside-
"I can't believe my mother!" Dillon was irate. "The nerve of that woman! Damian's hurt and the only thing she can tell me is that I can't go and make sure that he's all right. Now I know why everyone hates her so much."
"You sure you're making the right choice?" Jason asked. Although he'd never actually say it aloud, he was both proud and astonished that Dillon had took the tone with his mother that he had. Dillon always seemed too passive and goofy to stand up for himself. Jason was impressed, and he didn't impress easily.
"My mom's just blowing out hot air."
"What if she isn't?" Jason wondered.
"Well... I mean... I could find somewhere to live." Dillon looked at his cousin, "Hey... Jason... thanks. I know how much you hate coming to the mansion, and I don't blame you, but I appreciate the fact that you actually took the time to ignore that animosity and tell me."
"You're his friend and I thought you deserved to know. Come on, I'll drop you off."
But, as he stood near the door of the family room of the mansion that had once been his home, a haven and a prison at the same time, he did regret that he had made the choice to come. But he had to make sure that Dillon knew what was going on. It was payback for the favor that Dillon had given to him when he helped Jason out while his injury had a bigger impact on his life. Granted, it was a small thing and what Jason was about to do would no doubt cause another scar by his former family, but a debt was a debt. He had to get a driver to bring him to the mansion, which was also something that he didn't like. He could have driven himself... if things were better. But, they weren't. Jason had to accept that regardless of how much he was opposed to the idea of being a weakling.
Tracy Quatermaine was going through the books of ELQ, her father's company and the one thing that Tracy wanted but could never have. She savored every plan that she made to get ELQ out of the grasp of Edward, but they had always failed. Somehow, her father always managed to be at least one step ahead of her. It made him the best foe for her and the worst at the same time. It bred both their love for one another and their hatred. They were far too much alike to ever be as close as most fathers and daughters should, but at the very least they had the utmost respect for one another. Edward wouldn't like it if he knew that she was looking at the documents that she had no actual authorization to look at, but Tracy didn't care. She could make up some excuse if she was caught by anyone. She was good at making excuses.
She heard the knobs of the side door begin to turn. In a hurry, Tracy put the books back in their rightful place and rushed to the liquor cabinet, pouring herself some brandy. She sipped at it, trying to act as normal as she possibly could. When she saw who was at the door, though, she almost spit her drink out. Instead, she forced herself to swallow it, since it was very unladylike to spit. "If you're here to rob us blind why don't I save you the trouble and just give you a few pieces of silverware?"
Jason ignored Tracy's snide remark. Of all the Quatermaines, she was the one that he didn't want to deal with the most. He would have much rather it been Lila, but his grandmother was rarely ever outside of her room. He thought about paying her a visit while he was actually in the mansion, since she would appreciate it so much, but he wanted to get out as soon as he could.
"Fine," Tracy said, taking Jason's silence as a partial answer. "Then I guess I'll have to tell you that we've moved all of the valuables to different places in the house and changed the combinations to all of the safes." Tracy chuckled, "Not that you would remember where they originally were or what those codes were."
"Tracy, I don't have time for you."
"How rude of you," Tracy replied. "My dear nephew, need I remind you that you are not in this house for anything more than a visit. I am your hostess and you will treat me with the respect that..."
"Where is Dillon?" Jason cut her off.
"What could you possibly want with my son?" Tracy inquired. "If you think that you can get him to do something for you and drag him into that cesspool of a thing you call a career then you're wrong and incredibly desperate. What's wrong, Jason? Did the herd of contract killers suddenly become compromised and now you're trying to repopulate? Since you don't have any children of your own you're going after other's to train into hardened killers? I will not allow you or anyone else to train my son into some emotionless creature."
"I would have thought that he had enough training in being emotionless from you, Tracy," Jason replied. "If you're not going to tell me where Dillon is then I'm just going to have to start looking for him, aren't I?"
"You are not welcome here," Tracy said. "I could call the police on you... although I somehow doubt that would do any good, they probably all fear you and that knack you have for shooting them. You really should stop that, you know. People could start to talk."
"Call the police, Tracy. I don't care."
"Have it your way. Thanks for the visit," Tracy picked up the phone.
"Put that down," Someone else demanded. "My son has every right in the world to be in his home."
"This isn't his home, Alan!" Tracy protested. "He left, remember? He left to start a collection of novelty body bags."
"Jason..." Alan's voice was not masking his shock. Jason almost never came around, it was rarer than a leap year, and even those could be predicted. "Why are you here, son?"
"I can't stay," Jason dashed Alan's hopes as quickly as they had been brought up.
"Then why don't I escort you out?" Tracy offered snidely. "Here," Tracy took a glass and handed it to Jason, "think of it as a souvenir."
"Tracy!" Alan barked at his sister. "That's enough."
"Alan, we cannot house known killers in our home!"
"We can't?" Alan asked. "Haven't we done it before?"
Tracy shut her lip, which was surprising enough.
"Look," Jason said, "I just came here to see Dillon. Could one of you tell me where he's at?"
"Right here," Dillon walked in. "Jason... you need me for something?"
"There was an accident," Jason said. "Damian's in the hospital."
"But... I thought he was in jail."
"He was let out this morning and this evening he was struck by a car."
"Be thankful that we don't have his luck, my darling," Tracy muttered.
"Mom!" Dillon shot out at her. He loved his mother, he would always love her, but he did not appreciate in the least the way that she acted around him when he was with other people. He hated the way she acted so cold and heartless. Someone was hurt, and the first thing she did was make a quip. Dillon was unaware of Damian's release. Georgie had made no effort to call him, although that was likely because of the lack of cell phone service in the area. Now he was out of jail and in a hospital bed. As much as he hated to admit it, his mother was right, he had the worst string of luck.
"Monica would be examining him, she's on duty tonight," Alan said. "Jason, if anyone can save your friend..."
"Nephew," Jason corrected.
"He's not even family!" Tracy shouted.
"More than you are," Jason was really getting tried of Tracy. He would have killed her long ago if he didn't think that it would cause Lila a degree of pain. Dillon could get over it eventually and Emily probably didn't care either way if Tracy lived or died, but Lila loved her daughter without question.
"If anyone can save your... nephew," Alan stumbled over the word, "Monica is that person."
"I need to be over there," Dillon rushed out of the room.
"Dillon, you're not going anywhere!" Tracy's voice echoed down the hall, but he either didn't hear her or more than likely didn't care.
"Do you know anything?" Alan asked, actually concerned about what was going on with the boy that he didn't even know. He was a doctor. He knew how precious life was.
"No," Jason said. "The only thing that we know for sure is that he was hit pushing Michael out of the way of an oncoming truck."
"Why would anyone want to hurt Michael?"
"Maybe because his precious father is a crime lord!" Tracy pointed out, completely devoid of tact, a tactic that she was without equal.
"Tracy, shut up!" Jason yelled. "Maybe if you didn't spend every waking moment judging people you'd actually have the time to look at yourself and you'd realize that you're no better than any of the people that you claim to be above. If anything, you're so much worse."
"Are you going to let this hooligan talk to me like that?" Tracy asked her brother.
"I don't see anything that he's said being wrong or false about you in any way, Tracy. Everything that Jason just said was entirely true." Alan was more than a little pleased that his son would stand up to his sister. Of course, if there was any Quatermaine who had the gall to stand up to Tracy without batting an eyelash it would have to be Jason. The one who stared down death in the eye on an almost daily basis could look at Tracy and not even flinch. It was an impressive skill, Alan couldn't deny that.
Dillon rushed back down with his jacket, "Jason... could you give me a ride to the hospital, please?"
"Dillon, you will not leave this house with that man!" Tracy decreed.
"Mom... Damian's my best friend and he's hurt. Not to mention the fact that Maxie and Georgie are probably there."
"I've always said that you were better than those common twats that you associate yourself with," Tracy commented. "And I know for a fact that you are light years ahead of any son of Sonny Corinthos."
"Mom, I'm going," Dillon stood up to his mother based on the sheer principal of it alone. "You can't stop me."
"If you leave out that door, don't bother coming back," Tracy's threat could have been idle, but at the same time it could have been the real thing.
Dillon didn't care either way, "Mother, I love you, but I won't stand around while one of my friends is in pain just because you don't like him."
"Dillon, I know what's best for you."
"Only in the direction that you want my life to take me, mom. I'll never be the type of person that you are, which is what eats you up, isn't it? I'll never allow myself to be this callous, jaded, phlegmatic creature who doesn't care about any other person but themselves."
"I care about you."
"If you cared about me," Dillon headed for the door, "you wouldn't stop me from doing what I know is right."
"I meant what I said, Dillon! You're not coming back into the mansion!"
"Then you saved me a few months on my wait until I'm 18 to move out plan!" Dillon shouted as he and Jason walked out, Dillon slamming the door behind him.
Tracy poured herself some more brandy, "Now, all I do is wait until he comes crawling back to me."
"You really think he will?" Alan asked.
"Please, unlike your children, mine actually care for me."
"I care about Jason too much to force him into doing anything. I let him live his life the way he wants to, even when I don't believe in it. Tell me, Tracy, which one of us is the better parent? The one who tries to control ever single aspect of their children's lives, or the one that lets them become their own person?" Alan didn't give Tracy a chance to actually answer, he was out of the room a moment later.
Outside-
"I can't believe my mother!" Dillon was irate. "The nerve of that woman! Damian's hurt and the only thing she can tell me is that I can't go and make sure that he's all right. Now I know why everyone hates her so much."
"You sure you're making the right choice?" Jason asked. Although he'd never actually say it aloud, he was both proud and astonished that Dillon had took the tone with his mother that he had. Dillon always seemed too passive and goofy to stand up for himself. Jason was impressed, and he didn't impress easily.
"My mom's just blowing out hot air."
"What if she isn't?" Jason wondered.
"Well... I mean... I could find somewhere to live." Dillon looked at his cousin, "Hey... Jason... thanks. I know how much you hate coming to the mansion, and I don't blame you, but I appreciate the fact that you actually took the time to ignore that animosity and tell me."
"You're his friend and I thought you deserved to know. Come on, I'll drop you off."