Note: Remember, folks, tomorrow starts the 3 chapters a day posting rule.
Less suspense for ya'll!
Kayla- Yeah, I kept those two crazy kids away from each other for too long, didn't I? But now, all is well in the world... for a little while longer.
Story-
General Hospital-
Ric and Elizabeth walked out of the elevator hand in hand. They had not been made aware of Damian's new condition, so they maintained a distraught look on their faces that the others had all managed to wipe off of their faces. Ric had thought about calling the hospital and asking for information, but he had an idea that Sonny would have barred any of the staff from informing him about anything that was related to his nephew's condition.
"Oh, God," Carly muttered, seeing Ric's sight would always disgust her. "And I thought we'd have gotten rid of him for a day or two."
"I'm just a concerned..."
"Save it, psycho," Carly cut in. "I don't want to hear any of your excuses."
"Carly, maybe you should stop being so judgmental for once in your life, especially when it comes to people's mental states," Elizabeth bore no true malice against Carly, but she was being unfair to Ric and Elizabeth couldn't stand by and just let that happen. "He happens to care about Damian a whole lot more than you ever have."
"You listen to me, Elizabeth, you don't know how much I care about my step- son, so don't go and attempt to tell me how I should and shouldn't feel, okay?"
"I seem to remember more than a few conversations where he was telling me how much you wanted him out of his father's life, Carly. He came to me, confided in me because he knew that he could trust me, which was something that he didn't feel he could do with you."
"He can trust me now..."
"Can he?" Elizabeth asked. "Can he really trust you to take care of him right now? Or would you just look at what happened to him as another mark to get him out of your life so that you don't have to deal with him?"
"That's enough, Elizabeth," Ric put his hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "I think you've made your point."
"Just leave," Carly held on to Michael, who was hiding behind her. He hated it when his mommy was angry and yelling. The one person who made her act that way more than anyone else was the bad man that was in front of him. The bad man that had taken her from him and from everyone else. The bad man that... had saved Damian. It was an important distinction, one that didn't sit well with Michael's conscience. His father had told him that Ric was incapable of caring for anyone, but Michael could clearly see that Ric did care for Damian, he could also see that Ric cared for Elizabeth. Michael liked Elizabeth, and he liked her even more since she helped him when he needed someone to hold him.
"It's a public hospital, Carly," Elizabeth pointed out. "Everyone has a right to be here."
"Elizabeth, there's no reason that we should be arguing right now. Why don't we go and get a cup of coffee?"
"Ric..."
"Please," Ric pleaded. "I just don't want to argue with anyone right now."
"Maybe... someone should, I don't know, tell him that things have gotten better." Dillon made a feeble attempt to be the voice of reason. Everyone in the gathered area shot him a dirty look with the only exception being Georgie, who still cocked an eyebrow, the type of gesture that wondered if he had really said what he said. Dillon had to rebound. "Look, I know how much he hurt all of you, and I'm not saying that I'm particularly fond of the guy either, but he helped Damian out a lot lately and he did come because he cares..."
"He doesn't care," Carly argued, "he's just using this as fodder in his never-ending battle against Sonny."
"Do you really think that he's that manipulative?" Dillon wondered.
"Yes!" A unanimous answer from Carly, Courtney, and Mike that bombarded Dillon from three directions.
Dillon slumped in his chair, dejected and defeated. He really should have refrained from saying anything. Maybe it wasn't a good idea living with Jason if there was going to be such opposition to what he had to say. Or, maybe he'd just keep his mouth shut the whole time. That would work to his advantage.
"I know what you're trying to do, Dillon," Courtney said. "And I appreciate the sentiment, but none of us are going to be talking to Ric about anything that has to do with our family..."
"He'd want Ric to know," Dillon muttered.
"What makes you so sure?" Carly inquired.
"You might not want to hear this right now, Carly, but you're letting your hatred of the guy blind yourself to what Damian would want, and that's why we're here. We're not here to support old grudges, we're here to help someone that we all happen to care about. He's my best friend and I'd like to think that I've gotten to know him pretty well in the month that we've known each other. I know that he views Ric as a member of his family, even if you people don't choose to take the same stance because to Damian the blood is all that matters. I'm not asking you to forgive Ric, and I'm pretty sure Ric's not expecting you all to just drop whatever grudge you're nursing, but if none of you are going to tell him then are you going to stop me from doing it?"
"Dillon... you shouldn't get involved in this," Geogie said.
"Georgie, I'm just going to tell Ric that his nephew is going to survive. Is that so bad?"
"No," Mike huffed, swallowing his pride and pain that had been caused by Adella's other child. "As much as I hate to admit it, Dillon, you're absolutely right. We shouldn't be fixated on our grudge with Ric right now."
Courtney turned away. Dillon was independent, much like Jason, but that also meant that he was going to express his opinions, even when people, herself in particular, didn't wanted to hear them. She appreciated his honesty and, in a way, his bluntness. She knew that he was right, but she, much like her father, didn't want to admit it. She thought back to the night before and pondered what would have happened to Damian had Ric not been there to be at his side. If Ric hadn't have been there, neither would Elizabeth. Michael would have been alone watching his brother slowly bleed to death. That would have been a blow that he would have never recovered from. She owed Ric. Much as she hated to admit it, she owed Ric. But she couldn't forgive him, no matter what. Without looking at Dillon, she concurred that he was correct, "I shouldn't be so selfish, especially right now."
Carly said nothing, she just rolled her eyes and sat in the chair again.
"I'll be back in a few minutes," Dillon got up. "Try not to plot my death for being a usurper while I'm gone please."
Cafeteria-
"Ric, why do you let those people abuse you so much?" Elizabeth asked. She had stayed silent while they were walking, but the question nagged at the back of her mind and she wanted it to be answered.
"Elizabeth, they have every right to hate me as much as they do."
"You haven't done anything lately that they should be angry at you for," Elizabeth said. "You've helped them more than you've hurt them and they can't see that. They're being selfish."
"I know that, and I'm so grateful that you feel that way," Ric poured a cup of coffee, "but that doesn't mean that they aren't right on some level."
"You're here to help someone that you care about!"
"Elizabeth, like I said, I don't want to argue about it with anyone, not even you."
"Ric, I thought we could talk about anything," Elizabeth took the cup. "Why aren't you talking to me about this?"
"Because this isn't the time," Ric answered. "I don't know... maybe I'm just being optimistic, but I doubt that having any negativity between us isn't going to be helping Damian at all. I know how much it hurt him that Sonny and I weren't as close as brothers should be, and I can't help but think that he still feels that way."
"You're letting people beat on you verbally... to protect him?"
"In a way, yes," Ric smiled sadly. "Pretty dumb, isn't it?"
Elizabeth returned the smile, but hers was filled with love, "No, I think it's sweet."
"Hey," Dillon called out.
Ric turned around, "What? Are you here to take a potshot at me, too? Maybe I did something to the Quatermaine's that you just feel that you have to blast me for."
"Actually, I wanted to tell you that Damian woke up earlier."
"He did?" Ric was shocked, he wasn't expecting such a recovery. A part of him wasn't expecting any sort of a recovery to be truthful.
"Yeah, he saw Sonny, Carly, Michael and Maxie is in there with him right now," Dillon didn't like Ric, he wasn't going to say anything that indicated that he didn't loathe Ric, but he was a Quatermaine, he was sick of petty family feuding. "He's got a few broken ribs and that head wound will still need some observation, but aside fromt hat he should be fine."
"That's great," Ric stated. "I'm so relieved."
"So am I," Elizabeth agreed. "Thank you for telling us, Dillon. We really appreciate it."
"Yeah, sure," Dillon turned around and left.
"Maybe everyone isn't so bad," Ric observed. "Maybe there's hope for us all... in some way."
"Do you really believe that?"
"Why wouldn't I? I've become a believer of a lot of things lately, Elizabeth. First you came back to me, and now my nephew's life isn't in danger. I don't know what I've done to get this kind of positive karma, but I don't want to lose it."
"You've started doing positive things that help people, Ric," Elizabeth said. "When you do that, good things happen to you as well."
Ric hugged Elizabeth, "What did I do to deserve you in my life?"
Elizabeth, with no actual answer of her own, just continued to hug Ric, hoping that her unwavering love would always be enough.
Kayla- Yeah, I kept those two crazy kids away from each other for too long, didn't I? But now, all is well in the world... for a little while longer.
Story-
General Hospital-
Ric and Elizabeth walked out of the elevator hand in hand. They had not been made aware of Damian's new condition, so they maintained a distraught look on their faces that the others had all managed to wipe off of their faces. Ric had thought about calling the hospital and asking for information, but he had an idea that Sonny would have barred any of the staff from informing him about anything that was related to his nephew's condition.
"Oh, God," Carly muttered, seeing Ric's sight would always disgust her. "And I thought we'd have gotten rid of him for a day or two."
"I'm just a concerned..."
"Save it, psycho," Carly cut in. "I don't want to hear any of your excuses."
"Carly, maybe you should stop being so judgmental for once in your life, especially when it comes to people's mental states," Elizabeth bore no true malice against Carly, but she was being unfair to Ric and Elizabeth couldn't stand by and just let that happen. "He happens to care about Damian a whole lot more than you ever have."
"You listen to me, Elizabeth, you don't know how much I care about my step- son, so don't go and attempt to tell me how I should and shouldn't feel, okay?"
"I seem to remember more than a few conversations where he was telling me how much you wanted him out of his father's life, Carly. He came to me, confided in me because he knew that he could trust me, which was something that he didn't feel he could do with you."
"He can trust me now..."
"Can he?" Elizabeth asked. "Can he really trust you to take care of him right now? Or would you just look at what happened to him as another mark to get him out of your life so that you don't have to deal with him?"
"That's enough, Elizabeth," Ric put his hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "I think you've made your point."
"Just leave," Carly held on to Michael, who was hiding behind her. He hated it when his mommy was angry and yelling. The one person who made her act that way more than anyone else was the bad man that was in front of him. The bad man that had taken her from him and from everyone else. The bad man that... had saved Damian. It was an important distinction, one that didn't sit well with Michael's conscience. His father had told him that Ric was incapable of caring for anyone, but Michael could clearly see that Ric did care for Damian, he could also see that Ric cared for Elizabeth. Michael liked Elizabeth, and he liked her even more since she helped him when he needed someone to hold him.
"It's a public hospital, Carly," Elizabeth pointed out. "Everyone has a right to be here."
"Elizabeth, there's no reason that we should be arguing right now. Why don't we go and get a cup of coffee?"
"Ric..."
"Please," Ric pleaded. "I just don't want to argue with anyone right now."
"Maybe... someone should, I don't know, tell him that things have gotten better." Dillon made a feeble attempt to be the voice of reason. Everyone in the gathered area shot him a dirty look with the only exception being Georgie, who still cocked an eyebrow, the type of gesture that wondered if he had really said what he said. Dillon had to rebound. "Look, I know how much he hurt all of you, and I'm not saying that I'm particularly fond of the guy either, but he helped Damian out a lot lately and he did come because he cares..."
"He doesn't care," Carly argued, "he's just using this as fodder in his never-ending battle against Sonny."
"Do you really think that he's that manipulative?" Dillon wondered.
"Yes!" A unanimous answer from Carly, Courtney, and Mike that bombarded Dillon from three directions.
Dillon slumped in his chair, dejected and defeated. He really should have refrained from saying anything. Maybe it wasn't a good idea living with Jason if there was going to be such opposition to what he had to say. Or, maybe he'd just keep his mouth shut the whole time. That would work to his advantage.
"I know what you're trying to do, Dillon," Courtney said. "And I appreciate the sentiment, but none of us are going to be talking to Ric about anything that has to do with our family..."
"He'd want Ric to know," Dillon muttered.
"What makes you so sure?" Carly inquired.
"You might not want to hear this right now, Carly, but you're letting your hatred of the guy blind yourself to what Damian would want, and that's why we're here. We're not here to support old grudges, we're here to help someone that we all happen to care about. He's my best friend and I'd like to think that I've gotten to know him pretty well in the month that we've known each other. I know that he views Ric as a member of his family, even if you people don't choose to take the same stance because to Damian the blood is all that matters. I'm not asking you to forgive Ric, and I'm pretty sure Ric's not expecting you all to just drop whatever grudge you're nursing, but if none of you are going to tell him then are you going to stop me from doing it?"
"Dillon... you shouldn't get involved in this," Geogie said.
"Georgie, I'm just going to tell Ric that his nephew is going to survive. Is that so bad?"
"No," Mike huffed, swallowing his pride and pain that had been caused by Adella's other child. "As much as I hate to admit it, Dillon, you're absolutely right. We shouldn't be fixated on our grudge with Ric right now."
Courtney turned away. Dillon was independent, much like Jason, but that also meant that he was going to express his opinions, even when people, herself in particular, didn't wanted to hear them. She appreciated his honesty and, in a way, his bluntness. She knew that he was right, but she, much like her father, didn't want to admit it. She thought back to the night before and pondered what would have happened to Damian had Ric not been there to be at his side. If Ric hadn't have been there, neither would Elizabeth. Michael would have been alone watching his brother slowly bleed to death. That would have been a blow that he would have never recovered from. She owed Ric. Much as she hated to admit it, she owed Ric. But she couldn't forgive him, no matter what. Without looking at Dillon, she concurred that he was correct, "I shouldn't be so selfish, especially right now."
Carly said nothing, she just rolled her eyes and sat in the chair again.
"I'll be back in a few minutes," Dillon got up. "Try not to plot my death for being a usurper while I'm gone please."
Cafeteria-
"Ric, why do you let those people abuse you so much?" Elizabeth asked. She had stayed silent while they were walking, but the question nagged at the back of her mind and she wanted it to be answered.
"Elizabeth, they have every right to hate me as much as they do."
"You haven't done anything lately that they should be angry at you for," Elizabeth said. "You've helped them more than you've hurt them and they can't see that. They're being selfish."
"I know that, and I'm so grateful that you feel that way," Ric poured a cup of coffee, "but that doesn't mean that they aren't right on some level."
"You're here to help someone that you care about!"
"Elizabeth, like I said, I don't want to argue about it with anyone, not even you."
"Ric, I thought we could talk about anything," Elizabeth took the cup. "Why aren't you talking to me about this?"
"Because this isn't the time," Ric answered. "I don't know... maybe I'm just being optimistic, but I doubt that having any negativity between us isn't going to be helping Damian at all. I know how much it hurt him that Sonny and I weren't as close as brothers should be, and I can't help but think that he still feels that way."
"You're letting people beat on you verbally... to protect him?"
"In a way, yes," Ric smiled sadly. "Pretty dumb, isn't it?"
Elizabeth returned the smile, but hers was filled with love, "No, I think it's sweet."
"Hey," Dillon called out.
Ric turned around, "What? Are you here to take a potshot at me, too? Maybe I did something to the Quatermaine's that you just feel that you have to blast me for."
"Actually, I wanted to tell you that Damian woke up earlier."
"He did?" Ric was shocked, he wasn't expecting such a recovery. A part of him wasn't expecting any sort of a recovery to be truthful.
"Yeah, he saw Sonny, Carly, Michael and Maxie is in there with him right now," Dillon didn't like Ric, he wasn't going to say anything that indicated that he didn't loathe Ric, but he was a Quatermaine, he was sick of petty family feuding. "He's got a few broken ribs and that head wound will still need some observation, but aside fromt hat he should be fine."
"That's great," Ric stated. "I'm so relieved."
"So am I," Elizabeth agreed. "Thank you for telling us, Dillon. We really appreciate it."
"Yeah, sure," Dillon turned around and left.
"Maybe everyone isn't so bad," Ric observed. "Maybe there's hope for us all... in some way."
"Do you really believe that?"
"Why wouldn't I? I've become a believer of a lot of things lately, Elizabeth. First you came back to me, and now my nephew's life isn't in danger. I don't know what I've done to get this kind of positive karma, but I don't want to lose it."
"You've started doing positive things that help people, Ric," Elizabeth said. "When you do that, good things happen to you as well."
Ric hugged Elizabeth, "What did I do to deserve you in my life?"
Elizabeth, with no actual answer of her own, just continued to hug Ric, hoping that her unwavering love would always be enough.