Stephanie bless you girl for putting up with my complaining and rough draft. I owe you big time, which means, more long-winded reviews will be coming your way. hugs
zaxie-crazythank you so much for enthusiasm and continued replies. A consistent reader and replier on this on has been a blessing.
OMG Loke you read, you replied!! What an honor! :o) As I worship you and your stories almost as much as I worship Stephanie and hers, I was thrilled to see that you R&R. I needed a big ego boost as the muses were kicking my ass, so thanks for helping me take them on! hugsOk I'll stop rambling now … rest assured while the chapters are coming out slow I'm not giving up.
Chapter 4: Careful What You Say
Two Days Later.
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Bring sad songs/Let them swell/We had a little heaven and spent some time in hell/We might have faltered, but you know we never fell/Might have missed the mark/But they sure can't say we failed
Goodbye, I guess/I said friend you got to know/You'll take a piece of with you/Got of piece of my soul
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Goodbye Song by Erin Burkett
"The mystery is not how does love begin, the mystery is how to make it stay, and the magic occurs when it does. Ric and I had that magic," Elizabeth's eyes were wet with unshed tears. "I'm not really sure when I started loving Ric, but no matter what was thrown our way we always overcame it. Love took root in our hearts and kept leading us back to one another," she paused, her heart constricting. This couldn't be real … or the end. She wanted Ric in her life; she wanted to build a family with him.
Looking around at the people who came to the funeral Elizabeth realized that they were there for her and not for Ric. None of them, not her Grandmother, Nikolas, Emily, Lucky or Jason, were there for her husband. They all despised Ric for what he put her through. It didn't seem fair. She had forgiven him, yet they hadn't.
His last act had been heroic, he had rescued Emily. Elizabeth was grateful for his selfless actions and yet she was also angry with him. And more, she was angry with Emily, it was a feeling she hadn't admitted to anyone. Ric had risked his life, which was so precious to her; and Emily, her dearest friend had lived, while her husband hadn't. It was a selfish feeling Elizabeth knew, but it was one she couldn't help nor hide from any longer.
"Ric was never perfect," Elizabeth finally continued. She felt the weight of her friend's concerned gazes. She knew they were all there for her, whatever she needed; they would do their best to give her. But they couldn't give her Ric back and that was what she needed most of all. "But he tried … for me and our family," she placed a hand on her stomach. "I'll carry you in my heart always," she promised him closing her eyes and finally letting the tears slip through them.
Elizabeth heard the priest's voice but didn't pay attention to his words. They didn't help; she remembered that from when she lost Lucky. Only time would help, as contrite as that sounded it was true. As her life moved forward it would give her other things to focus on other then pain and loss.
Though it was difficult to smile, she did so, reassuring her friends that she was fine with staying behind. She wanted some time alone with him, she assured them. The worried looks that passed between them started to bother Elizabeth. She wasn't helpless. She could take care of herself. That hard win confidence helped Elizabeth move her friends along until only Jason was left. And Jason was as silent as she was. She had missed that about their friendship, the quiet between them that spoke volumes. It helped soothe her some when she looked on her husband's grave.
"I never understood why you forgave him," Jason remarked coming to stand beside her. It might have been a long time since he and Elizabeth had been on good terms, but Jason still valued her and was searching for something, a way to come to terms with his own feeling for Carly.
"Do you want to know why I forgave him Jason? Other then the obvious reason that he admitted he was wrong and asked for my forgiveness?" Elizabeth remarked a bit caustically knowing it was a slight dig. "Because I loved him, I still do. Our love went beyond reason or sense. I knew it was foolish to forgive and probably the worst thing for my baby and me but how could I deny that love? When a love is so strong, so powerful, how can I walk away from it? That kind of love should have been torn away by all the horrible things he did but wasn't. So how can you turn your back on that?"
Thinking of Carly, Jason began to realize that you couldn't. "Then you did the right thing by forgiving him."
Elizabeth blinked. That was the last thing she expected Jason Morgan to ever say, especially since he hated Ric. Looking up at him, she read his eyes and knew something was wrong. He had been there for her so often in the past and it was that past which compelled her to reach out to him. "What's wrong Jason?"
He shook his head. Jason didn't want to lie to Elizabeth, but he didn't exactly want to talk about Carly either. "Timing," he answered finally.
She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. At his look Elizabeth pointed out, "That's always been a problem for you."
Jason wasn't the kind of man who looked back. The past was done, moving forward one day at a time was all you could do. However, he took Elizabeth's words to heart and thought about it. Their timing had always been off that was for sure, as had things with Carly and even with Robin. "You're right," he commented.
"I won't pry," Elizabeth assured him, "but I will offer you this piece of advice. Life is unpredictable Jason. You never really know what's going to happen next, so if there is something you want," she said trying to be diplomatic, "and it makes you happy, then you should go for it."
"It would cause a lot of trouble," he thought of Courtney being hurt, Sonny's reaction, not to mention what it would do to Michael and Morgan.
"Some things are worth whatever trouble they stir up," she countered.
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Monica hadn't expected things to be easy, life never was with the Quartermaines, but the guilt she carried weighed heavily on her heart. It wasn't like Helena Cassadine was a worthwhile human being. Helena was a heartless, murderer who nearly cost her, her daughter. Yet that didn't seem to matter. As a doctor she had sworn to heal, and as a human being she respected life. It was true that in the past she had considered murder more than once but her beliefs never let her go through with her plans. But this time in a moment of pure anger and hatred she had taken another person's life. How rotten that life was hadn't stopped the toll the act was taking on her.
So much had happened over the past few months with Emily coming home and finding out about her cancer, with AJ leaving the Quartermaines broke and Tracy slinking back into town to cause a world of trouble. Being a Quartermaine was never easy, but it seemed harder now than she could ever remember it being. These last few months her emotions had been pulled in so many directions. Disappoint, fear, pain, worry, exasperation, Monica was sure she could go on listing them forever and now she had another weight to carry … guilt.
Perhaps it wouldn't have been so difficult if Alan hadn't taken such comfort and pride in what she'd done. She found that twisted, and it was causing her to wonder about her husband's stability, as if worrying about her own wasn't enough.
"Hey you," Bobbie greeted coming up behind Monica causing her to jump. At her friend's wide blue eyes concern marred Bobbie's face. "Sorry about that."
"No, it's all right. I've just been a bit jumpy," Monica answered. Catching Bobbie's inquiring expression she wished she hadn't said the last part. She really could use a friend to talk too, but Monica knew she couldn't risk letting the truth out. Lying to Bobbie was never easy, it would be just one more stressor to deal with, and she was truly afraid it would be the one that would break her.
"Is everything all right?" Bobbie inquired. "Has Emily been experiencing any difficulties?"
"No-no, she's fine," Monica replied finding a real reason to smile. "She's at Wyndermere with Nikolas and he's taking perfect care of her, not that Edward or Alan like it very much."
"They're just over-protective," Bobbie, remarked she knew almost too well how the Quartermaine men could be.
"And then some," Monica laughed. It was forced and she prayed Bobbie wouldn't notice.
"Monica…"
Damn, she swore silently. "I thought you'd be at Ric memorial?" Monica remarked hoping to end Bobbie interest.
The sudden shift didn't go unnoticed and it hurt Bobbie to see her friend trying to dodge her. Monica was one of her oldest and most trusted friends. They had relied on each other through the best and worst life had handed them, no rough patches had been able to ruin their bond. Then again, Monica could just need some time. "I wanted to be there," she sighed. "You know how fond I am of Elizabeth."
"I do," Monica nodded.
"Scott's memorial was hard," the redhead stated. "More so then I thought it would be."
"Oh Bobbie," Monica supportively wrapped an arm around Bobbie's waist.
Needing the comfort more then she knew Bobbie rested her head against Monica's. "I really did love him there for a time. Scott seemed so capable, so unstoppable—sort of like Luke in that respect. And if my brother ever heard me say that he'd probably disown me," she laughed.
"No doubt."
Bobbie swiped the tears from her eyes, now was not the time to get emotional. "I sent flowers," she said lamely. Elizabeth was practically a Spencer and she felt guilty for not doing more. Their moment of mutual comfort was cut short when a page went over the loudspeaker for Dr. Monica Quartermaine. "Want to have lunch together later in the week?" Bobbie asked.
"As long as it's not hospital food count me in," Monica answered with a quick smile before hurrying off down the hall. It has been a close call, she thought, and now she either had to find away to pull herself together or cancel on Bobbie.
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"Not you again," Alexis groaned when Lorenzo entered her office. Her mossy eyes flashed with irritation, not so much at his uninvited appearance, but at her body's unwanted reaction to him. She did not want to notice that he cut a dashing figure in his dark suit or that she found the amusement that flashed in his cornflower blue eyes appealing to her on a level she was unwilling to explore.
"Good afternoon Ms. Davis," Lorenzo greeted a smile touching his lips. It was interesting catching her off-guard. Her long hair was pulled back in sloppy ponytail and her suit jacket was tossed on the arm of her chair. Her reading glasses were low on her nose as she looked up at him from behind her desk. What would she look like completely relaxed? He no longer questioned the desire to find out, but he had yet to decide if he wanted act on that urge to find out. "It's good to see that the new DA is hard at work fighting crime. Your predecessor was less concerned with law and order, then lining his pockets."
"No doubt you know this from personal experience," she quipped.
"Are you implying that I would bribe a public official?" Lorenzo asked with a raised brow.
He managed to look affronted and completely innocent and Alexis knew better than to believe either one. He was an international criminal after all—dealing arms, selling drugs, and God knew what else. Proving it though was the problem. Lorenzo, like Sonny, knew how to stay clean. Hell, she'd help Sonny stay out of jail more times then she could probably count. It didn't matter if they owned a few legitimate businesses or not, they were criminals. Lorenzo wore the title well. He was slick and charming, and certainly after something, but what? "I'm not Scott Baldwin," she stated. "I'm not about to make any implications that I can't prove in a court of law. Just so we're clear though … I'm not for sale."
"I would never presume that a woman like you would be," he remarked setting her more on edge.
"Well since you're not here to influence me professionally and we have no personal connections, I'd like you to leave." To prove her point, Alexis dropped her eyes to the case in front of her and tried to start reading again. After the first two words she lost her train of thought. He was still in her office, looking at her, she could feel his intense eyes studying her. Unnerved she blew out a ragged breath. "Was there something else you wanted?"
It was loaded question, undoubtedly Alexis had no idea how loaded, Lorenzo mused. He could picture all kinds of things he wanted from her and found it slightly disconcerting, that she could consume him so. By all rights she was his enemy and a woman he should loathe. She had taken his brother from him and left Sage an orphan. What was it about the women of Port Charles? Why did he find himself feeling things for them that he shouldn't? "To offer you my help," he finally answered.
"I don't need it," she replied automatically interrupting him.
"… before I leave," Lorenzo finished. He watched fascinated as shock filled her eyes. Alexis blinked it away quickly and he found that he admired the way she could rebuild her defenses so quickly.
"Leave?" she asked before she could stop herself and struggled internally. Port Charles would be down a criminal figure if Lorenzo left. As the new DA she should be thrilled. But for those reasons she didn't want to examine she wasn't.
"Yes," Lorenzo replied. He could see that his news mattered to her and he wondered if that meant he mattered. He shook the thought from his mind the second it sprung up.
"Well then…" Alexis licked her lips. What was she supposed to say? Have a nice flight perhaps? Or good riddance? "I," she stopped herself from saying appreciate. She didn't want him interfering with her life, she reminded herself. She was a capable, successful woman who did not need a man to take care of her, her daughter, or her life. "Like I said," she continued, her voice a bit harder, "I don't need your assistance. It was a," fascinating she thought but didn't allow herself to say it, "very presumptuous and unneeded offer." He smirked at her. The insufferable man actually smirked at her.
"It's a standing offer counselor," Lorenzo stated. "Good day."
Alexis watched him turn to leave. "Not any more," she muttered loud enough for him to hear. His response was again unexpected; Lorenzo chuckled as he left her office.
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After a tedious day at school Georgie made her way to Kelly's. Normally she enjoyed going to PC High. To her studying was not just about getting good grades and proving herself, it was a passion. Knowledge, seeking and acquiring it, was one of her greatest joys. But seeing Dillon in the halls had dimmed that joy.
There was a time when seeing Dillon lit up her entire world and Georgie missed that so much. She missed him. She missed laughing with Dillon, watching old movies with him, kissing him … what they had seemed so perfect. It hadn't been though, she reminded herself. At least she hadn't been able to let it be that way because of her jealousy over Sage. It was that jealousy that led her to true stupidity and the creation of Tom.
Georgie still wasn't sure what she'd been thinking, if she had been thinking at all. And therein lied the problem. She got so tangled up in her feelings for Dillon that she lost what she identified herself most with, her smarts. An intelligent person wouldn't have made a boyfriend or an elaborate scheme to make Dillon so jealous that he'd fight for her. She had to reprioritize, and being that intelligent person was first on her list, then, maybe if Dillon was still interested they could see about being that happy couple they managed to be for a while.
Resolved, if not happy, with her plan Georgie reached for the door handle. Her hand collided with another and she looked up into Dillon's eyes.
"Sorry," he smiled longingly. "I wasn't paying attention." Dillon cringed. Way to go, he berated himself, let her think that you're incapable of noticing her.
"Neither was I," Georgie replied. Her heart was fluttering and when her palms began getting sweaty she pulled her hand back from the handle.
Being a gentleman, Dillon pulled the door open for her. "Meeting Maxie?" he inquired, hoping for just a little bit of news.
"Yeah," she answered. "We're having a Mother Meeting. She's not as happy about having Mom home as I am," Georgie found herself explaining. She missed talking over her problems with Dillon, he always offered amusing and insightful commentary, and found herself falling back into that pattern. "It's like she's trying to pick up where we left off, but it's been almost a year and a lot has happened." As she told him about why Maxie was holding a grudge she came to realize that she was still upset with their mother for that too. "How about you?" Georgie asked wanting to skip self-awareness for the time being. But before she could help herself she asked, "Here to meet Sage?" She regretted the question as soon as it came flying out of her mouth.
The hint of jealousy he heard in her voice gave Dillon hope. "Nope. I actually … we're not friends anymore. What I mean is we're not seeing each other anymore—in any capacity."
"Oh," Georgie managed to mouth.
"There you are," Maxie cried pulling Georgie through the doors of Kelly's. "You're late," she bemoaned, "and with Mom's stupid new curfew rule we'll have to make this quick."
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He'd been brooding all day. Sonny hated to admit that his mood had anything to do with Ric, but it did. Whether he hated him or not, Ric had been his brother and now he was dead. Worse of all he died nobly. It infuriated Sonny that Ric would be remembered that way—as a hero.
Ric Lansing was no hero. His so-called brother was a sick man. Obsessive to the brink of insanity, when it came to getting the better of him, and Sonny supposed that Ric might have finally managed it. The kidnapping creep was now thought of as hero who left behind a grieving wife with child. And what was he? A reputed mobster with a broken family and a mistress he used to hide from the pain of losing his wife and children.
When Max let in Courtney she found brother staring out the window, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He was holding it so tight that his knuckles were white. "Sonny?"
He didn't respond to her first call. Slowly Sonny raised the crystal glass and took a sip of the aged alcohol and it burned down his throat with satisfaction. He heard his sister say his name again. Sonny didn't want look at Courtney; her pale blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes filled with concern for him would be too much to face. "What?"
Courtney bit her lip. His voice was hard and unfriendly. It was a tone she often heard him use when speaking with Mike and it cut her when he used it on her now. She knew this had to be difficult day for Sonny. Ric was his brother, that family connection meant something to him, even if he despised him. She wished Jason were here to do this for her, but he had felt the need to go to funeral for Elizabeth's sake. It was sore spot for her; Jason's need to do things for other women, Carly included.
"I just wanted to check on you."
"I'm fine Courtney," he spat.
She didn't want to argue with him. Now was not the time. It was clear to her that things were still too raw for him to deal with, she shouldn't push, she knew. "Do you," Courtney was about to ask if he needed anything but she knew how he'd answer—no. Sonny Corinthos would never admit to needing something from anyone, including his sister. "Do you," she started again; "want to go to dinner with me tonight. Just the two of us? We haven't done something together like that since…" she came to a stuttering halt. If she mentioned shopping for her wedding dress would he think of her wedding day? Would he think of Ric kidnapping Carly and all that followed?
Sonny could picture the happy look that had been on Courtney's face when they finally found the perfect gown. His baby sister, a radiant angel – it was a stark contrast to the bitterness he felt. He knew it was pointless to wallow in that darkness but he couldn't think of a reason to pull himself up out of it. "No."
"Sonny," Courtney protested.
"Just get out," he ordered before downing the rest of his whiskey.
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The knock on her office door interrupted Alexis from her work and she couldn't help but wonder if it was Lorenzo again. Her breath began to catch in anticipation of seeing him and the second she realized that she frowned. Not going there, she reminded herself. "Yes," she called out.
Brian entered DA Davis' office. She hadn't changed it much from the way Scott had set it up. The pictures on the desk where different, the diploma's on the walls carried a different name and that was about it. Still in the last few days he come to respect Alexis Davis for her dedication. Knowing that he was about to test it was not pleasant.
"Detective Beck," she smiled. "I thought I explained that I expected you take it easy if you were going to come back to work. Lucky, Office Spencer," Alexis corrected herself, "thinks you've been pushing yourself to hard."
It was unwanted concern, but Brian appreciated it. "It was my collar," he explained. "I had to follow it through."
Standing there tall and somewhat defiant, he reminded Alexis of Nikolas. Her nephew would see his duty through at all cost. "All right. What does forensics have to say about of Jane Doe?"
"The body has been identified as Helena Cassadine," Brian stated. He saw a number of emotions flicker across the DA's face.
It shouldn't have shocked her, Alexis knew Helena was dead; she had fallen into a fiery death that she no doubt deserved. "I'll get a hold of Nikolas. I can't image he'll have a service but he'll want to bury her."
"We can't release the body yet," Brian informed her.
"Why not? We know she died during the cave-in in the Versailles Room. Case closed," she said dismissively.
"Apparently not," he countered. "Helena was shot, twice, practically at point-blank range before falling through the floor. If she fell through the floor at all," Brian remarked.
"Don't be ridiculous," Alexis scoffed. What Brian was suggestion just couldn't be true because that would mean that either Nikolas or Monica had shot Helena, possibly even pushed her to her death.
"Helena Cassadine was shot," Brian stated coolly. "A crime was committed."
"I'm aware of that," Alexis stated.
"So what are you going to do about it?" Brian challenged.
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Previews of Chapter 5 (Unexpected Complications): Lorenzo tells Sage he can't go quite yet; Luke finds out how he, Skye and logical don't go together, Nikolas and Monica discuss their predicament and more.