La Bella Mafia
"What?" he asked, outraged. "Max is a Cassadine? Skye, how could you do this to me? How could you lie about who Max's Father really is?" he yelled.
"Sonny, I'm so sorry. I just thought that it would be best if you didn't know the truth. I figured the less people who knew the less likely it would be for Helena to find out and try to stake her claim in the future. I didn't want to keep this from you Sonny, I really didn't, I wanted to tell you so many times but I knew that you'd never understand and that you'd probably never trust me again." Skye explained, through tears. "I was willing to take my secret to my grave. I never wanted anyone to find out about it, ever. It's the only way that I knew that I could keep both Max and myself out of Cassadine reach."
"All the years when I thought that I was protecting you and our children you were carrying this secret that you knew damn well could destroy us all?" Sonny shouted. "How could you lead me to believe such a lie?"
"I know that you hate lying Sonny, I get that." Skye told him. "But I also know that you would do anything to protect your children and nothing has changed, Max is still your son, my mistake in not telling you the truth hasn't changed that. He was your son the day we married in that little church outside Port Charles. Max is your son. Just because his Father isn't who you original thought doesn't mean that he's any less your son."
"I know it doesn't. It's just that everything is now one big lie, Skye." Sonny told her, trying to control his voice. "Everything that we built our family on has been blown to pieces."
"No, no it hasn't, our lives weren't built on lies." Skye argued. "They were built on love. I love you Sonny. I've never lied to you about that. And when you said that you loved me I never had any reason to doubt you. This will only change things if you let it. You have to understand that everything I did, I did in order to protect my son, not to have some sort of secret from you."
He was silent.
"We were happy once Sonny, remember?"
He nodded. "Yeah, before I messed everything up."
"Sonny, you didn't mess everything up, I did."
"No." he said strongly. "It was entirely my fault, if I wouldn't have faked that drug bust then you would have never came back here and met up with Duncan. And then there's Faith. We've destroyed everything Skye, everything that we ever had."
"That's not true." she whispered. "Remember our wedding day? Remember how happy we were and how hard it was snowing?"
Sonny smiled. "Yeah, I remember. I also remember the Quartermaine's having a fit right before the ceremony started and then calming down once it began."
"It was because they knew that I loved you. Tracy was just convinced that we were getting married because I was pregnant." Skye recalled. "If they only knew." she whispered. "The vows that I said to you that day were real, they were from my heart. I said them because I loved you more than anything and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."
"I promised to love, honor and protect you and now I feel as if I've failed you, just like Luis failed you."
"Never." she said, softly. "I knew that you were the right man for me. You were the kindest and most gentle man that I had ever met. And when I told you that I was pregnant and that I knew that you weren't the Father, you were understanding and you promised me that you would protect and honor my child, our child."
"I thought I was protecting you both."
"You were, Sonny, you were. At the time you just didn't know who from. I thought it would be easier for you to accept the child if you didn't know who the real Father was. I never had any doubt that he wasn't Stefan's."
"You thought it would be easier for me to accept a child that belonged to Jax."
Skye nodded. "Yes. I was selfish and I thought it would be easier for you to keep the secret because you and Jax don't exactly like each other."
"That's an understatement." he mumbled.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say." she whispered. "I'm sorry that I lied to you about Helena and I'm sorry about pushing Faith down the stairs. Is your baby all right?" she asked him.
"Yeah, Faith said that she was examined and that the baby was fine."
"Good." Skye said through tears. "That's really great. How far along is she?"
"About five weeks."
"Sonny, are you sure that Faith's baby doesn't belong to Ric?" she asked, hopeful. "I mean, isn't there a strong possibility that she's a little further along?"
"Skye." he said, stopping her thoughts and her words. "The baby's mine."
Skye nodded and turned silent for several seconds. "Are you going to marry Faith? You know, our divorce is almost final, you have every right to move on with your life."
"I don't know yet. I mean, how good of an example would I be setting for our children if I didn't marry her?"
"So, you've considered it?"
"Honestly, yes. Like you said, we are almost divorced and I want to make sure that my baby gets the best life." Sonny told her. "I can't let my child grow up without a Father."
"How chivalrous of you, but have you forgotten that we still have to tell our children that we're getting a divorce?" she questioned. "How's it going to look when your blushing new bride moves into our home and I move out and the children are asking all sorts of questions because they don't understand?"
"We're going to talk to the children together. We'll explain that things are changing and hopefully for the better."
"How do we start that conversation Sonny?" she asked, tears in her eyes. "Mommy and Daddy are getting divorced because Mommy cheated on Daddy and then Daddy cheated on Mommy and now Faith is going to be your new Mother and give you a little brother or sister."
"Things will be explained, delicately." he assured her. "We'll just tell them that some things have changed and that we can't stay married to each other any longer and that things will be different, but they won't change drastically."
"I want to live in Port Charles." Skye told him. "I want to be here with my family."
"I still want to live in Italy and I think that the children would want to also, that's where they were raised, all their friends are there, why should they have to make all the sacrifices?"
"Our children aren't strangers to Port Charles, they've been here many, many times, it's there second home. It's not like I want to move to Japan."
"Let's just work on telling the children first, then we'll settle everything else."
"There's just one more thing." she said through tears. "I need you to do something for me."
"Anything."
She held out her left hand, "I want you to take my wedding rings off."
"What?"
"I want you to remove my wedding rings." she repeated. "We're no longer together and these rings are a symbol of our commitment and honor and loyalty to each other. We both know that those things that used to matter most now mean nothing."
"We both messed up." he confessed.
Skye nodded and continued to hold her hand out. Sonny took her left hand in his right, he looked up into her eyes, they were flooded with tears and he knew that she was determined not to let them fall. He carefully slid the large, sparkling diamond off her finger and then followed with the diamond band. Sonny placed both rings in her right hand, her hand immediately closed tightly over them.
The tears in her eyes finally spilled. At that moment in time she knew that it was truly over. Sonny kissed the top of her closed hand and then held out his left hand. Skye quickly removed the ring and tried to hand it to him.
He shook his head, refusing to take it. Skye opened her right hand and placed his ring with hers. She got up off the bench and walked over to the end of Lila's pond. The waterfall was crystal clear as it poured massively into the pond. She opened her hand, letting all three rings slide out of her hand, making tiny splashes into the water. Not bothering to turn around to look at Sonny, she just simply kept walking until the reached the den.
She went directly to the bar, but then suddenly changed her mind, instead she headed for the nursery. When she walked through the door she found Isabella standing up in her crib, looking at herself in the mirror in her crib, she was laughing. Skye couldn't help but smile as she lifted her daughter out of the crib.
"Why aren't you asleep?" she asked, sitting down in the rocking chair, holding Isabella against her. Skye began to sing a few lullabies and she drifted right off to sleep, although Skye didn't bother putting her back in her crib right away, instead she held her in her arms, trying to erase the nightmare of Helena.
Flashback
Skye walked out of the courthouse, where she had a meeting with Alexis and was heading toward her store when two men dressed in black grabbed her. That's all she remembered. When she came to, she knew that she was in the water by the sound of splashing. She was taken directly into a cold drafty place where she was throughly tied to a chair. Then the men left, leaving her alone in only a dim candle light.
There was a thick draft making its way through the room which made her incredibly drowsy. When she finally came to again, a warm glow of light was filling the room. Her eyes scanned the room and landed on the figure in black.
"Good evening Antoinette."
"Where am I?" she asked, groggily.
"You're somewhere where no one will ever find you." the person told her as they stepped closer and into the light.
"Helena." Skye breathed out. "What do you want from me?"
Helena put her torch in the holder on the wall and walked over to Skye. "My dear, you and I both know why you're here. I want my Heir, with Nikolas and Stefan gone I need someone to carry on the family into the next generation."
"Nikolas would never have carried on this disaster you call an empire."
"You don't know what Nikolas would have done." Helena snapped.
"You still have Alexis." she offered.
"Natasha is of no use to me." Helena scoffed. "I need a male heir and you're the one who can provide me with him, only you Antoinette. Look at is as an honor, you're providing the Cassadine's with the Prince they need."
Skye shook her head. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Like hell you don't." she snapped. "Your child, the oldest son, Max, is a Cassadine. He's Stefan's son. Let him embrace the world of the Cassadine's, you can't deny the boy his heritage."
"Max belongs to Sonny, he's a Corinthos and a Quartermaine, through and through." Skye snapped back. "Not a Cassadine. Never a Cassadine."
"You have other children Antoinette, let me have Max, let me raise him to the Prince that he is."
"What are you going to do if I don't?"
"I'll make your life a living hell." she responded dryly. "And you know I will."
"You have to let me go Helena. You don't have any other choice."
"Darling." Helena started. "Your faithful husband has turned out not to be so faithful and you are not as innocent and pure as other's would seem to think. If you turn me down now then you'll leave me no choice but to tell exactly what I know."
"God, I hate that you always no everything that's going on, it's eerie." she scoffed. "You can't make me do what you want Helena, I am not one of your puppeteers. If you don't let me go then someone will come after me."
"Maybe...." she taunted. "Eventually. But at the moment everyone seems to be preoccupied. Sonny's with his mistress, your brother is in another country and of course there's Alan and Monica who would never think to look for you here at Wyndemere. So my dear, who does that leave?"
"Plenty of people." Skye challenged.
"Oh." Helena gasped. "I have a pleasant surprise for you, Antoinette."
She disappeared out of sight for several moments and when she returned someone was with her. "This is Antoinette or Skye as other's call her. When she was with Stefan, I simply knew her as Antoinette." she told the woman. "Isn't she lovely? Her hair is the color of fire." she said, moving a lock of hair away from Skye's face. "Her skin is like porcelain." she replied, running her finger over Skye's face, causing her to jerk away. "This is what the Quartermaine's have kept you from for years."
The woman simply looked Skye over.
"You've been treated so unfairly, to be kept from your own child for all these years." she coaxed. "All that can change you know, you could spend all the time with Antoinette that you like. After all it was so cruel for Monica Quartermaine, your ex-husband's lover to take your child away from you, even if she was raised by her Father. Monica took your place. You may have gotten the ultimate revenge on Rick by giving Alan a child, but it doesn't make up for what Monica did."
"And you want to take my place as Max's Mother, isn't that the same thing?" Skye asked loudly. "You want to cut me out of his life."
"Turnabout is only fair."
"Fair would have been if you would have taken AJ or Jason." Skye argued.
"No, this my dear, evens the score." she said, in only the way Helena could, taunting yet, threatening.
"No." Skye said, shaking her head. "You're lying, my Mother didn't want me, she was to involved with her other daughter. Laura was all that mattered."
"Yes." Helena said softly. "Many wars have been fought in this family over Laura. Luke and Stavros and Stefan fought for many years. But now that battle has ended and another is ready to begin."
"No, Max doesn't belong to Stefan, Helena, he doesn't."
"He doesn't belong to Sonny." Helena said, matter-of -fact.
"No, he belongs to Jasper Jacks, not Stefan." she argued. "You have to let me go Helena, you have to." she begged.
"It's not up to me." she answered simply. "It's up to your Mother."
Skye looked from Helena to the other woman. "Please, please let me go. I have to get back to my family, to my business. If I'm gone then everything that I've worked for will fall apart." she pleaded. "Lesley, please, please don't let Helena do this."
"What do you think?" she asked Lesley. "Do you think that our darling Antoinette here should be let go?'
Lesley looked at Skye and the over at Helena.
"Lesley, please, don't let Helena get away with this, don't let her take me from my children, they're young, they need their Mother." Skye pleaded, again. "Is it really fair to let my children, your grandchildren grow up without their Mother? I can't take back the past, but I promise that I'll make up for it. Please, let me go. Just let me go. Mother."
"One condition." Helena exclaimed. "I want to meet the boy. I want to make sure that he's not a Cassadine."
Skye nodded. "Anything, I'll do anything you want, please just let me go."
You know if you don't that I'll come after you." Helena warned.
"Yeah, I get it, Helena." she snapped. "You couldn't keep your own sons alive and now you want my son to take their place, just like you wanted Nikolas to take Stavros' place."
"Nikolas would have made a fine Prince." Helena reflected. "Until he got involved with your sister."
"Emily had nothing to do with Nikolas' death." Skye countered. "Nikolas wouldn't want you to blame her, she had nothing to do with it. Emily loved him and he loved her."
"Don't you dare speak for my Grandson."
"He was my nephew." Skye yelled. "I loved him, I only wanted what was best for him. Nikolas was my sister's son and your sons are the one's who helped push Laura into the Asylum, into a place where she's so close to us and so far away at the same time that it's heartbreaking to even look at her. The Cassadine's ruin everything they touch Helena, everything and if I ever thought for a moments time that was carrying a Cassadine I would have gotten as far away from Port Charles as possible."
End of Flashback
Skye placed Isabella back in her crib and left the room, then she quickly left the house. She had to stop Helena and there was no other way.
Sonny and Skye had very gently explained to their three sons about what was going to be changing in the next few months and to their surprise, they took it better than either one of them could have imagined. They promised the children that they could spend the Summer's and the Holidays in Italy. Skye bought and moved into Wyndemere soon after Helena vanished. New decor and actually opening the curtains didn't make the place so dreary after all.
Occasionally Luke would move through out the hidden passageways and the tunnels, but Skye didn't seem to mind, he was actually quite helpful at times, shedding new light on old schemes.
She flipped though the contracts on her desk, hoping to finish them by morning's light, glancing over from time to time at the playpen in the center of the room.
"Skye?" she heard someone call.
She looked up to see Carly standing in the door way. "Hey, what are you doing in Port Charles?"
"I want back in." Carly told her as she approached the desk. "And I know what I said before, but I was at my club and it just felt like something was missing, like something wasn't right and then I started thinking back and I realized that you were right all along. There's something about this business that keeps pulling me back in. I'm not sure of what it is, but I do know that you can't turn me down because I won't let you."
Skye smiled. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Carly said firmly. "And I love what you've done with this place. I'm telling you when you first told me you bought this place I was thinking it would be way too dark, but you've added a lot of pizzazz."
"Well, I wanted it to be warm and inviting for my children."
"So, what's the plan?" Carly asked.
"The plan is......" a voice said from the back of the room. "To ruin every crime organization from here to Nova Scotia, in return giving us power in several different countries, not to mention respect and dignity. After all we hold something no other crime organization does."
"What's that Tracy?" Carly asked, curiously.
"We're women." Tracy said, lifting Isabella out of her playpen. "Three women in the business industry, no one will ever consider what our real motives are and that, that gives us all the power we need. Underestimation is our key to everything." She explained. "That and the fact that we know what we're doing."
"I like the way you think." Skye told her.
Tracy turned the baby around to face her. "One day, you'll run this entire empire." she said, cheerfully. "You and Zoe."
This was the moment of truth, everything that she and Carly had done in the past six months had all came down to this moment in time. The moment of truth. Skye was escorted to Sonny's Penthouse by two of her men. Jagger on one side and Joey on the other. Johnny took a look at them and then tapped on the Penthouse door. Sonny quickly opened it.
"Mrs. Corinthos here to see you."
"Ms. Quartermaine." Skye said, correcting him.
Sonny looked at the two men with Skye and then back at Johnny. "Skye." he acknowledged. "Come in."
Skye stepped inside with him, leaving her guards behind, she slammed the door closed behind her. "I wanted to tell you heard it from someone else."
"You're living with that cop." he concluded.
"Yes, I am, but that's not why I'm here."
"Why are you here?"
"Because I thought it would be best if you heard what I'm about to say from me." she started. "I've just purchased the Pride-Philips company and new contracts are being put in place immediately."
"You now own the docks?"
"Yes, I will no longer be renting to you or to Faith." she told him. "I want to shut out the competition and this is the best way I know how."
"The competition?" he questioned. "For your shop?"
"No." she answered simply. "It seems that after the Five Families were killed by Faith, the power in Port Charles, actually in all of New York, has been shifting through quite a number of hands. Someone needed to step forward, someone with power and know-how. Someone to take over who can get the job done."
"Lorenzo." he stated. "Or the newly alive Luis?"
"Neither." she said, flatly. "I worked long and hard while you were sitting in prison and when you were released early it put a damper on things. It took a little longer but in the end, it was all worth it."
"What are you talking about?"
"Carly and I schemed with Faith." she said, casually. "The warehouse in Florida blowing up was the beginning of everything. Luis faked his death and it proved to me just how loyal Faith could be and then something changed. She was suppose to have her men shoot at us that day in the village, the day that I was shot, but she had them fire directly at me because she knew that eliminating me would give her free access to you." Skye said, bitterly.
"After she found out that I made it through surgery she went to great lengths to cover her tracks and make it seem like an accident. Then Carly and I arrived in Port Charles, we met with Faith to make some plans, then later that night, I met Faith again on the docks. She threatened to tell you everything and I wanted her out of the way more that anything, so I shot her twice, but she lived." Skye told him, regretfully.
"Then we had conflicting problems. Faith kidnaped my daughter and almost gave me away to Jason, she even went as far to tell him that the gun I shot her with was laying in the bottom of the Port Charles Harbor." she confessed, all very dryly. "He never found it, because Lorenzo had gotten to it first."
Skye continued to look him in the eye. "We were planning to do away with Faith but then she went to Italy, told you about my affair with Ross and you jumped into bed with her. It hurt beyond belief to know that you would take her word over mine and so I did what you know I do best. I contacted Luis and had Nicholas and Sophia Caprice killed, blown up in their limo on their way to the airport. Eliminating Caprice from the competition and Faith having eliminated the Five Families opened the door."
"And now Faith claiming to be pregnant gives me all the security that she won't be able to retaliate against me." Skye said with a smile. "You on the other hand are a different story all together."
"Why?" he asked, shocked to say the least. "Why would you go against me?"
"I never meant for it to turn out like this." she told him. "Honest. I just wanted to remove us from the Mafia life and in the end I realized I couldn't."
"No, you realized you didn't want to." he yelled.
"That's exactly right. I realized that this is something that I needed. I crave the power that I have when giving orders to my men. I crave the power of making business decisions and the power that I have when holding a loaded gun in my hand."
"I can't believe that you're doing this to me, to our family. How could you just throw it all away?"
"Why is all right for you to be involved with the Mafia, but it's wrong for me?"
"Because it is!" he yelled. "You're a Mother, you have no business taking other peoples lives."
"And you're a Father, you have no business taking other peoples lives." she shot back. "The only difference is, I do what I do with real emotion, I think out the long term goals and the consequences before I make any sort of move that will effect me and my company. It's not about playing Mob boss, it's about making the right business decisions."
"You think that you can keep this going?"
"I'm a Quartermaine, I can do anything." she said proudly. "I've been married to two mob bosses, you deal in casino's and coffee beans. Luis chose cocaine and weapons. I know the codes and how things are done and I know that together, Carly and Tracy and I can run all of New York. Besides, I'm with a Detective now, everything that I do that would be considered shaded, everyone will look the other way."
"I can't believe this. Our entire marriage was a lie."
"No." she corrected him. "I loved you, I loved you more that you could have ever imagine, I would have given my life for you....I still would. I was just so hurt on how quickly you moved on to Faith, your interaction with her only fueled my passion with the Mafia. I thought that it would be the best way to get the both of you back without seeming desperate."
"But, Skye, you're with another man. You couldn't wait to run to Duncan and you're telling me that you're just going to up and live with him to get back at me?"
Skye nodded.
"And you expect me to believe that?" he asked outraged. "After everything that you've stood here and confessed, how can ever believe anything that you ever say ever again?"
"I thought that you loved me Sonny. I thought when we took those vows that you meant every word you said, but now it's like all your words over the years were lies, if anyone can't trust the other, it should be me. You've let me down more times than I can count." Skye told him. "You promised me forever and then one lie that Faith told, you throw forever away for payback that wasn't even necessary."
"Why do you always spin things in your favor?"
"Because that way it works out for me." she snapped bitterly. "I love you and I would come crawling back to you in a heartbeat if you let Faith go. You don't love her Sonny, you could never love a woman like Faith Roscoe."
"What makes you think that I would take you back?"
"Because despite what you say, I know that you still love me, rather or not you admit it or not. I can see it in your eyes."
"That's not love, Skye, that's anger."
"I can see past the anger." she replied softly. "You know I can. You know that I know you better than anyone."
"You don't get to do this to me Skye. You don't get to walk into my Penthouse, demanding to be called Ms. Quartermaine and then confess all the ways you've worked your way up in the Mafia behind my back and lied to my face. You don't get to tell me your future plans to take over Port Charles and then start crying that you love me and that you want me back. You wanna play Mafia Donna then go ahead, but you're an enemy now, just like everyone else."
"Is that a threat Sonny?"
"You started this war and now you're going to have to fight."
Skye smiled. "You have no ammunition against me Sonny, nothing you say or do could ever restore the power that you once had here in Port Charles. This war, you started, that you think so fondly of is a smoke screen. You're only with Faith because she's claiming she's pregnant and now you're trying to turn it into something more."
"Why don't you go running back to your boyfriend."
"It was a lie Sonny, it was all one big lie." she told him. "I never slept with Ross while you were in prison or while we were still married. Faith lied to you and you believed her."
"And you just went along with her?" he asked. "You never once stopped to tell me that it was all a lie? You told me you were filing for divorce, then Faith came to me and told me about Duncan, what was I suppose to think?"
"You were suppose to have faith in your wife." she said, softly. "You were suppose to believe in me and in our love and when you didn't it felt like you were just waiting for something to come along so that you could give up on us after everything that we had been through. In the end it was easier to go along with Faith's lie because I knew that you would shut me out of your life faster if you thought that I was unfaithful. I knew that you would never accept my involvement in the Mafia."
"I wouldn't have. I still don't."
"And now, your concerns and your approval don't matter to me, because we are no longer husband and wife. We're parents and that's it."
"How do you explain Duncan and your arrangement?"
"Moving on." she told him, simply. "Look at us Sonny, I feel the same way about you that I did five years ago, I love you and I always will and I know you love me, even if you don't want to admit it. You just have too much pride. But I've got news for you. Daddy looked into Faith's file at General Hospital and found something quite interesting."
"What's that?" he asked, intrigued.
"Faith's not pregnant, she never was, Sonny." Skye said. "Faith has a condition were she can't conceive a child, I forget the name of it, it was a long medical term. So you see, she lied to you, she lied to you at least twice that I know of and you believed her both times. You are so naive."
"You're lying." he accused.
"I am?" she asked. "Well, I guess that if I'm lying then my Father's lying too. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back home, Ross is waiting."
Carly had tried to get to Jason in time, but there was no way possible. Sonny had gotten to him first and she happened to walk in on the tail end of their conversation.
Jason turned around and looked at Carly. "Is it true?" he asked.
She held her head up and look him directly in the eye. "Yes, it's true."
Sonny took the cue and left the room.
"How?" he asked. "How could you do this to me?"
"I didn't do anything, I just made the best out of a horrible situation." she explained. "Your business is your business and mine is mine, there's no reason why we have to cross lines."
"I won't stand for this. You cannot go around New York playing lady mob boss, I won't allow it."
"You won't allow it?" she questioned. "I don't care what you'll allow." she snapped. "This is what I want to do, you need to except it, I except what you do."
"It's different." he argued.
"Why? Because you're a man? Because it's not acceptable for your wife to be involved in organized crime?" Carly questioned. "I'm suppose to just sit back and watch your involvement in the Mafia when I know that my involvement is far more powerful than I could ever imagine, because I do what I do with compassion, I don't have the heart of a cold blooded killer."
"Nothing you say can ever fix this, Carly, you've betrayed me."
Carly almost laughed, "I've betrayed you?" she asked. "After everything that you put me through in the past few months, after everything that you put our children through with your prison term and it all turned out to be a lie. The you want to turn around and accuse me of betrayal? I'm sorry Jason, it doesn't work like that. The world doesn't revolve around you or Sonny for that matter."
"That's not a justification for what you and Skye have been up to." Jason shouted.
"Skye and I have created a very successful business in the last six months and now with Tracy's help, we've created an unbreakable business. A business, not a Mob."
"The mafia is still involved." he argued. "You can't deny it."
"I'm not." Carly said simply. "I've accepted what you do and now it's your turn to show me that you believe in me. I bend over backward for you, I've had to accept everything you've ever done with a smile. I was kept in the dark for years and now.....now it's your turn to accept my business. If not then I'll gladly walk away, but I'm not giving anything up for you anymore, anything at all."
"What do you want me to do?" Jason asked. "You throw this huge bombshell my way and you just except me to nod and take it?"
"Yes." she answered. "Because I'm not giving you a choice here. I'm going to keep on doing this because I like it, it makes me happy. So you can either suck up or leave me and we both know that's not what either of us want. I love you Jason, I love you with everything that I have and you know that, this business just fills an empty void in my life. I need this."
"I don't know Carly." he sighed, walking toward her. Jason cupped her face in his hands. "I love you, but I don't know if I can accept this."
"Jase, I don't want to lose you." she whispered. "But I can't give this up, please, please don't make me choose."
"I'll make a deal with you." Jason said, softly. "We'll try things out for a while and see how they go."
Carly smiled and leaned in to kiss him. A tender, yet meaningful kiss, showing her love for him and her gratefulness. She pulled back after a few minutes. "You already knew, didn't you?" she asked.
"Yeah." he answered casually. "Faith told me that Skye shot her on the docks, I didn't want to believe Faith, but some things started to add up."
She nodded. "Skye wanted me to walk away, and I did, I walked away from everything on two different occasions, but I went back. She wanted to take the fall alone, because she knew that she had messed things up with Sonny and didn't think she could be redeemed."
"Things will work out, they also seem to."
"I wish I could say I'm sorry Jason, but I'm not." Carly confessed. "Well, only because I didn't tell you, but other than that if I could turn back the clock, I wouldn't change anything."
Carly was surprised when she was called to met with Sonny on pier 21, she found it out of the blue, but not incredible odd. She was patiently waiting at the docks, when Lorenzo showed up
"Carly, it's lovely to see you again." Lorenzo told her. "How's business?"
"Business is good." she told him. "Never better."
Luis approached Lorenzo, "Where's Antoinette?" he asked his brother.
"I don't know." he replied. "I was called here to meet with Carly."
"Meet with me?" she asked. "I was told that Sonny wanted to see me."
"And I was told that Antoinette wanted to see me." Luis replied.
Sonny and Jason approached the three of them.
Luis stepped forward, he and Sonny shook hands. "It's good to see you again, how's business?"
Sonny smiled. "That's a question for Skye." he turned to Lorenzo, "What did you want to see me about?"
"I was called to meet with Carly, although she said she didn't set up a meeting." Lorenzo explained.
"I was called to meet Luis." Jason offered. "So what's all this about?"
Skye came walking down the pier, "Jason, what did you want to see me about?"
"I was called here to see Luis." He told her. "Who told you that I wanted to see you?"
"There was a message left in my store." she said, recalling the exact message. "It said to meet you on pier 21 at seven pm."
Jason shook his. "I never left you a message."
Skye looked around at the people before her. "This is a strange gathering." she stepped forward, hugging Luis. "I want you to stop by Wyndemere and see Sage before you leave."
"I plan to." Luis said, "I miss seeing her."
Jason looked around at the surrounding area. "Why were we all called here?" he asked.
"I'm sure there's a logical explanation." Sonny offered. "Skye, where are Joey and Jagger?"
"They're at the park with my Father and the kids." she told him. "I was coming to meet Jason, I really didn't think that I would need extra security."
"Me either." Carly agreed. "So, Sonny, if you didn't call me here to meet you, doesn't this look like the biggest setup ever?"
"I agree, something's not right here." Skye observed. "The six of us, seem to be in a very precarious position."
"Let's get out of here." Lorenzo suggested.
Everyone seemed to agree. Skye and Luis headed off together, they were going to Wyndemere. Lorenzo went in another direction and Carly, Jason and Sonny in another. Then it happened. Gunfire erupted and everyone scattered for cover. Luis hovered over Skye, in a protective manner, then proceeded to pull his gun out, firing back, hitting a man on the first shot.
Smoke from all the gunfire filled the air, Sonny tried to pull his gun out, but he wasn't quick enough, in an explosive moment he dropped to the ground, collapsing in a heap. Jason knocked Carly over, trying desperately to save her from the flying bullets when she noticed Sonny.
"Jason, Sonny's been shot." she screamed. "You have to get him, I'll help you."
"No, I'll get him, you stay here and stay low." he yelled over the noise. Jason moved quickly from behind the dumpster and over to where Sonny was laying, he grabbed him and dragged him to where Carly was as fast as he could, but he wasn't fast enough, a bullet flying south lodged into his left arm. Carly flew out from hiding and helped him the rest of the way.
"We have to find out where he was shot." Jason told her, not caring about the blood running out of his own arm.
Carly moved his jacket out of the way. "Sonny?" she called out. "Sonny? Can you hear me?" she noticed the wound in his abdomen. "I found it.'
Jason handed Carly his handkerchief. "I want you to apply pressure to stop the bleeding."
"What about you?" she asked.
"I'll be fine, I want you to stay here with him."
"No." she yelled. "You've already been shot, you stay here with Sonny and keep the pressure on his wound, if you move around too much you'll end up getting queasy." she argued.
"No." he yelled.
Carly grabbed Sonny's gun out of his jacket pocket and moved around the dumpster, she could hear Jason's protests the entire time. She pointed her gun, shooting off several rounds towards the men dressed in black.
Lorenzo crawled his way over to Luis and Skye who were behind stacks of crates. "Faith Roscoe is behind this." he informed them. "She's the only one not here."
"Do you think that she'll show up?" Skye asked.
"More than likely, if only to gloat." Luis answered. "Antoinette, do you know how to fire a gun?"
"Yes." she answered, she reached for her purse which was laying a few feet away from them. She opened it up. "Here." she said, reaching inside for the gun.
"Nice piece." Lorenzo commented. "Take the safety off and be ready to use it."
"These crates are made of wood, I don't know what's inside but unless it's steel then were eventually going to get hit by the gunfire." Luis explained. "We need to move somewhere safer."
"Do you think that the gunfire is just going to die down?" she asked.
"Sooner or later, they're going to run out of ammunition." Luis said. "Sooner rather than later."
"No!" Skye objected. "We'll fire back."
She moved off the ground and around the crate, men in black were scattered out across the docks. Skye aimed and fired time and time again, Luis and Lorenzo were stunned at her confidence at first but then moved to join her, firing freely into the docks.
Carly continued to fire from behind the dumpster while a wounded Jason and Sonny stayed behind the dumpster. She had never been more frightened or felt more powerful in her entire life as he fired round after round, stopping only to reload.
The gunfire began to die down and a figure in black emerged from the clearing smoke. They were all right when they suspected that this was some sort of setup. Why else would the six of them be brought together? There was no connection other than the missing link: Faith Roscoe.
Faith stood with her head held high, knowing that she had six important people right where she wanted them, begging for mercy.
Skye peered around the crate, she caught a glimpse of Carly out of the corner of her eye, after a few seconds Carly seen Skye.
Carly clutched the gun tighter in her hand and nodded to Skye.
"Come out, come out, where ever you are." Faith said, sweetly. "I know you're all here."
Faith was clearly unarmed, or at least she appeared to be. Her men, or what was left of them, seemed to disappear, leaving her alone. She walked over to the dumpster and peeked behind it. She saw both Sonny and Jason laying what appeared to be lifeless on the cold asphalt.
Carly had just barely made her way over behind the crates where Skye, Luis and Lorenzo were. "Both Jason and Sonny have been shot." she informed them. "It's not that bad, Sonny was shot in the stomach, but Jason said he was going to be fine."
"What about Jason?" Skye asked.
"He took a shot to the arm." Carly told her. "He'll be fine."
"We have to do something about Faith." Luis reminded them. "Question is, how?"
Lorenzo looked at Skye and Carly and then over at his brother. "There's only one way."
"I'm going to walk out into view." Luis told them. "Once she approaches me, someone's going to have to shoot her, it doesn't have to kill her, just something to detain her."
Skye grabbed him by the arm. "Luis, what if it doesn't work?"
"It will." he assured her. "We don't have much time, Sonny and Jason have both been shot."
Skye nodded and watched as Luis quickly moved over to another stack of crates and then out into the light.
"Where are you Faith?" he called.
"I'm right here." she said, coming closer to him, she pulled a gun from her jacket and pointed it at him. "Where's your gun, Luis?"
He slowly removed his gun out of the waistband of his pants.
"Put it on the ground and kick it over here." she instructed.
He did as she asked as Lorenzo, Carly and Skye watched.
"What do you want from me, Faith?" Luis asked her.
"Well, you seem to be the only one left, Luis." she commented. "I want six for six, I want to walk away from here, knowing that I'm the only power left in Port Charles."
"You called all of us here didn't you?"
"Yes." she breathed out. "It was quite simple, all I had to do was make sure that everyone was meeting a different person. Shots would be fired and I'd be the only remaining Mafia force left. Everything's been set up to look like war. A three way war and sadly, all parties included ended up dead. You and Lorenzo cancel out Sonny and Jason and they cancel out Skye and Carly. I'm in a win, win situation."
"Good move." he commented.
"Damn good move." she agreed. "Now, all I have to do is pull the trigger and it's all over, I've won."
A gun shot rang out, then everything became silent. Faith and Luis were standing toward each other. Skye, Carly and Lorenzo looked out upon the scene, they all wondered what had happened. Suddenly Faith dropped down to her knees and then fell back onto the docks.
Luis turned around to see Carly, Skye and Lorenzo approaching him. "Which one of you shot her?"
Skye and Carly shook there heads.
"None of us." Lorenzo told his brother. "The shot came from over there."
Another figure stepped out of the dark.
"Tracy." Skye whispered.
Tracy walked over to where Faith was laying, but before she could reach for the gun, Faith raised it and fired one final shot.
Lorenzo looked over at Skye, who then exchanged glances with Carly. Lorenzo fell to the ground clutching his chest, Luis ran to him. "Lorenzo.' he called. "I'm gonna get help." he assured his brother.
Tracy kicked the gun out of Faith's hand. "My sweet, sweet Faith, that was your last shot." she whispered, reaching into her pocket for her cell.
"Sonny and Jason......" Skye started.
Carly interrupted. "I'll go."
Tracy called 911 and now they were all waiting for help to arrive. "I'm going to see what's going on with Carly. She walked away leaving Skye with Faith.
Skye lowered herself to the ground, hovering over Faith. She checked her pulse, it was weak and thready. She pulled Faith's upper body up against her. She was barely breathing as Skye placed her hand over the bullet wound in the center of Faith's chest, trying to suppress the blood flow. "You deserved this." Skye told her, piercingly "You deserved it."
Faith gasped and then gave a weak smile. "It......was.......worth...it." she breathed out. "Every....thing.....I did."
Skye looked down at Faith in her arms. "You're dying." she told her. "Do you have any last requests?"
Faith's hand rose up to touch the cross laying in the middle of Skye's chest."Kiss...me....goodbye." she breathed, her eyes fluttering.
Skye lowered her head and gently placed her warm lips onto Faith's. It wasn't a kiss of passion or romance or lust, rather filling a last request, a gesture of giving a dying woman what she wanted. The kiss of death. Skye pulled back, watching Faith's final breaths escape her body, it was almost as if she could feel the life draining from her body.
December 21st was one hell of a night, one that they remaining six out of eight would never forget. Faith and Lorenzo were casualties along with a number of Faith's soldiers. It was the night that power was doubted and relationships were put to the max and the one's who landed face up were the ones that held everything.
The survivors all walked away knowing that they could face anything. Everyone discovered something about themselves that night, rather it was good or bad, it was something they could use to their advantage.
Justification was what everyone pined for, knowing that they had to search for redemption for all their actions and that most likely they'd find it in the most unusual places.
Jason was healing from his gunshot wound, resting peacefully at home instead of in the dreary, germ infested rooms of some lame hospital, one of the places he hated most. Carly was acting overly protective for some reason, even though after the shoot out that night on Pier 21 she vowed never to give up her ties to Port Charles and the Crime Organization that she had helped create.
He never thought that he would be so happy to be in the Quartermaine house in his entire life. After his childhood memories were wiped away by the accident, somehow the Quartermaine's felt like home to him. A lot of adjusting had to be done, but he was working on it and making sure that his children were equally aware of just how important the Quartermaine's were.
"Hey." Carly called from the doorway. "I brought you some lunch." she walked in the a tray in her hands. "I hope you're hungry because Cook went out of the way to prepare your lunch, on Monica's orders of course."
"Carly, I'm not an helpless, I can get up and go down to the kitchen and make myself a sandwich." Jason told her.
"Nonsense." she replied. "Besides, it's already fixed and you don't want to upset Cook by not eating it." she sat the tray down on the bed and removed the lid.
"Linguine." he noted. "Because, I never eat Italian." he joked.
"Ha-ha, very funny." Carly said, dryly. "Now, eat the linguine or you'll get no dessert.'
"What's for dessert?"
"I guess you'll just have to wait and see."
"Can't we just skip lunch and go straight to dessert?" he asked, playfully.
"I don't know what kind of dessert you're thinking about, but I was referring to red velvet cake." Carly replied, playing dumb.
Jason moved the tray out of the way and pulled her down on the bed beside him. "You know what I really want?"
"What?" she asked, looking up at him.
"I want to spend the day with my wife, just the two of us."
"Now, that would be a great day." Carly said with a smile.
"I wanna move back here to Port Charles." he said, catching her off guard.
"Really?" she asked, excitedly.
"Yes, we can still keep the Villa in Italy and we can go there anytime we like, but it seems that this is our home. Monica and Alan and Bobbie all deserve to spend a little more time with their grandchildren."
"I love you." she told him, leaning in to kiss him.
He kissed her back. Throughly. "I love you."
It was Christmas day and everything seemed to return to normal. Jason and Carly were as strong as ever and Sonny and Skye were trying to find some middle ground. She revealed the truth about her relationship with Ross. There just wasn't any, they were friends and nothing more. And Sonny decided to move into Wyndemere to be closer to his children.
There was a big Christmas party at General Hospital and another one at the Mansion, where the Quartermaine's, had a free-for-all but also displayed love and warmth sprinkled with holiday cheer.
Skye was convinced that there had never been so much laughter and excitement at Wyndemere. Toys were scattered throughout the hallways and into the main livingroom where there stood a ten foot tree, decorated to the nines, and below it, were mounds of torn off wrapping paper and opened presents.
It had been a good day, it had even snowed a few inches, adding to the children's excitement. And the adults as well. They entire Quartermaine Family spent the afternoon together at the Mansion and now after a long day, Sonny, Skye and the children had finally returned home.
"I was thinking we could change the name of this place." Skye commented to Sonny, as he walked into the nursery, placing their infant daughter in her sleigh style crib.
"What did you have in mind?" he asked, peering over the crib to see his daughter sleeping. "Something bright?"
Skye turned to Sonny. "I was thinking something much more un-Helena-ish." she told him. "Like..."
"Like...Wonderland or Candyland." he joked.
"Or Licorice Lane." she said, overly cheerful.
He laughed and it felt good, he had laughed several times throughout the day. He was truly happy and his laugh happened to prove it to Skye. "I was thinking more along the lines of La Casa Bella"
"The beautiful house." he translated. "How about, Paradise?"
She stepped closer to him. "Paradise." she whispered. "That sounds awful tempting, tell me Sonny, how would that go?"
He took her hand and led her out of the nursery and into the hallway. "Something like this." he told her, covering his lips with hers. After several long seconds he pulled back.
"Sonny are you sure?" she asked, barely above a whisper. "We're divorced and..."
"Shhh..." he said, silencing her. Sonny took her hand and guided her down the hallway and into her bedroom. He closed the door behind them. "From now on, this is going to be our room." he told her. "No more separate rooms or laying in bed awake at night wishing the other was there." He moved forward once again, cupping her face in his hands. "I love you." he told her, taking her bottom lip between his and then her top, pulling her as closely against him as possible.
Skye's arms, instinctively wrapped around his neck, as he continued kissing her tenderly. Trailing kisses from her lips down to her neck made her weak in the knees. He walked backwards until they hit the bed. Sonny pulled her down on top of him, never breaking their kiss. His hands slid under the bottom of her sweater gripping the material, he pulled his lips away from hers as he lifted it over her head. "You are so beautiful." he whispered into her hair.
Her hands roamed over his chest, quickly undoing the buttons, her fingertips ran over the broad planes of his chest as his lips and tongue worked it's magic on the soft ivory skin of her neck. "I want you." he murmured into her neck, again and again.
Skye pulled back and looked into his dark eyes. "Make love to me." she requested. "Please?"
"I love you." he told her, placing a kiss on her shoulder. "I'll never deny you."
Sonny moved off the bed, sliding his shirt of his shoulders. Skye joined him, her hands caressed his chest, moving lower down his abdomen and then to the waist band of his pants. Skillfully, she undid the belt buckle and pulled it from the loops in one swift motion, dropping it to the floor. He rushed to undress himself the rest of the way.
Skye placed her hand over his. "Go slow." she said seductively, sitting back on the edge of the bed.
He did as she asked, removing each garment slowly as she watched, her eyes traveled over his body possessively as he revealed every inch of his sculptured body. Sonny reached out to her, pulling her off the bed. He reached his arms around her, working proficiently to remove her skirt. His breath was warm and inviting on her neck.
She was his wife and she was absolutely stunning, his eyes wandered over her, taking in the site before him. Her breasts seemed as if they were spilling overtop her red lacy bra and her matching thong clung to her body. His lips entwined with hers, pulling her body intimately against his.
Slowly he lowered them onto the rug in front of the fireplace, it was the only light in the oversized room, warm and luminous, bathing their skin. Sonny's hands moved over her shoulders and into her hair, then down her neck and chest. His fingers slid down into her cleavage and unhooked her bra, pushing it off her body with ease.
He lowered her down against the soft rug with the threat of his weight. He placed a kiss on her lips and then trailed wet kisses down her neck and to her breasts, his hands caressed the soft flesh and then his hot mouth covered the entire nipple, teasing her with his tongue before moving to the right one.
Skye arched her back against the rug, her hands threaded through Sonny's thick, dark hair, encouraging him to continue. She felt his kisses on her stomach and down to the top of her thong, not bothering to ask her to lift her hips, he simply ripped the flimsy material from her awaiting body. He placed a kiss above her soft curls before she moved back up to her mouth, planting a delicious kiss on her lips. She moved her leg over his waist, turning him on his back.
Her hair curtained around his face, it felt like silk as she glided down his torso, kissing the warm skin as she went. Sonny's hands tangled in her thick red mane. "Skye." he breathed. She continued her tortuous movements on his lower regions even though he let out a few small requests for her to stop.
"You have to stop." he told her. "I can't take much more." he rasped.
She made her way back up his body. "I need you." she whispered seductively, then attached her lips to his.
Sonny rolled them over, sliding himself between her inner thighs, in one fluid motion they were intimately connected, moving together in harmonious rhythm. Her hips rose to met his every thrust and her hands roamed savagely over his muscular back, claiming all that she touched.
"I love you." she whispered. "Promise me that nothing will ever come between us again."
"I promise." he whispered back.
Their lips became infused in a never ending, explosive kiss, their tongues tangled together erotically. Together they moved in complete sync, every motion was sensually satisfying, sating all their carnal desires.
His hand slid over her left outer thigh, pulling her closer to him while his lips traveled over the delicate, velvety skin on her neck, followed by the massage of his tongue and the nipping of his teeth, being was very cautious not to leave his mark on her inviting flesh.
Skye arched her back against his now invigorating plunges, his body filling hers so easily again and again, her body gracefully accepting his. They glistened in the glowing light from the fire, her hands roamed freely over his slick back, holding him as close to her as possible.
Their eyes locked together. Amber on ebony. Feeling every sensation together as both of their bodies struggled desperately to find their releases. Soft, passionate kisses turned into breathless, heated ones. His name escaped her lips with such love and desire, giving herself over to him completely as he took her directly to the edge, threatening to push her over before pulling her back.
She clung to him desperately as he drove her further and further into a much anticipated pleasure filled paradise, just as he had promised. It only took him mere seconds to follow her, his body collapsed into her awaiting arms. Together they found that great sex would conquer all other differences.
Rows and rows of vintage wine bottles filled the cellar. Skye brushed her hand over the labels, trying to pick out a bottle of her liking. A small sound creaked in the next room, causing her to move take the lantern and move around the maze of walls until the noise was louder. She shined the light directly into the corner.
There she found the cause of the creaking. Helena was hanging from a noose in the corner. There must have been a draft, because the body was swinging back and fourth. Skye turned to leave, not thinking anything of it, smiling to herself.
"Hey, Red!"
She quickly turned around. "Luke, where have you been?"
"Around." he told her. "I hate the holidays and all that." He said, looking up to see Helena hanging from the noose. "Helena's no longer a problem."
"Not in the least, although, I don't want her hanging down here much longer. I fear she going to start to smell and get all icky." Skye said, cringing at the thought.
"And isn't she a wonderful decoration?"
Skye glared at him.
"All right, don't get your panties all in a twist." Luke joked. "I'll get her out of here and put her with the rest of the Cassadine's."
"Thank you." She said walking towards the door, "Come on, I've got something you'd like."
"Skye....." Luke said playfully. "I thought you were a happily cohabiting woman?"
"Oh, Luke, don't flatter yourself." she said, flipping her hair back, her voice filled with humor. "I've got enough alcohol in the wine cellar to fill the Port Charles river, I thought you'd like to pick your poison and use it at your club."
"Luke's?" he asked. "I'll add it to my private collection."
"You have a private collection?" she asked, intrigued. "Where?"
"Flowing through my veins." he said with roaring laughter. "My blood's 90 proof."
"You are such a delightful man." she replied, sarcastically. "I'll never know what my sister seen in you."
"My undying charm."
Skye smiled. "Maybe."
She knew that she did what she had to do to protect her family and for that she would never be sorry, now everything that she dreamed of was finally hers. Everything.
Carly popped open a bottle of champagne, it spewed halfway across the room, but it didn't matter. Nothing did. They had won, they had won hands down, the power in Port Charles lay solely in their hands. She poured the champagne into a glass and handed it to Tracy, who handed it to Skye. Then she handed a second glass to Tracy and poured herself one before sitting the bottle down on the table.
Tracy lifted her glass. "Well, we did it, everything is officially ours." she said with a smile. "Here's to many, many years of power."
Carly tipped her glass. "Here's to us, the three most powerful, intelligent business women in the world."
Skye held up her glass. "To you Tracy and your treachery, without you, we wouldn't be here tonight."
They all raised their glasses up, clanking them together.
Skye smiled, wickedly. "La Bella Mafia."
Skye walked up the steep stairs and into the old Roman Catholic Cathedral. The sun radiated brightly through the stained glass windows, giving it a look a serenity, but also I look of eeriness. She slowly walked through the aisles, by the end of each row of pews and made her way into the confessional.
With her right hand, rosary clasped tightly in it, she signaled once to her forehead, down to her abdomen, to the left of her chest and then to the right. The priest entered the adjoining side. Skye sat back, unclasped the rosary from her hand and slipped it over her head.
"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned." she whispered.
THE END!
-July 6th 2004-
© Lola
Well, I hope that La Bella Mafia was a great read for you. I certainly enjoyed writing it and adding all the fun twists and turns! Thanks for all the continued support! Please review and let me know you're final thoughts!
Thanks!!!!