Chapter 16: First Steps
~ Boston~
"Mr. Wayne."
"Yeah. How's my kid?"
"We have to talk. Would you like to come into my office?"
"What is it Doc? Tell me what's wrong with him right here."
"Your son has a pulmonary emphysema."
"I don't understand. He's never had any health problems. He's always being healthy and strong."
"It seems he's being having problems breathing. We need to keep him under observation to see if he responds to the treatment. If he doesn't..."
"He will. But we can't stay here."
"We can't risk him getting bronchitis or pneumonia. That could be deathly."
"I don't understand."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. Fix him."
"We'll do everything in our power to help him."
Luke dropped into a chair and buried his face on his hands.
~ Port Charles ~
A week. Elizabeth was sitting under a tree looking toward the lake, it had being a week since they moved into the safe house. Nikolas and Emily were still scared for their baby. They wanted to know what was wrong with her, but she hadn't talked to them about her fears. What was the point on making them more worried than they already were? They hadn't heard from Luke or Lucky and it seems like Helena's men were still looking for them.
Francis and Jason had come by every day. They bought food and other provisions so they wouldn't need to go into town for a while. Francis said they had people looking around for Helena's men and when they find something they would come tell them everything. Jason hardly talked. He seemed lost in thought and worried. Elizabeth had retreated to a corner and watched him a couple of times. He had followed her advise and had showered everyday, shaved and got his hair cut. She smiled as she remembered the last time they saw each other. Then, her smile vanished. He was hurting then and even though he tried to disguise it, he was hurting now. He smiled at Emily and even at her once in a while, but his eyes were still dark. She saw shadows lurking around in his blue orbs. What could she do to help him? She wished they could go back in time, back to the days when all they needed was to look at each other to know what they were feeling, but that was long gone. Too much pain and heartache had built a wall between them, a wall that she was determined to take down brick by brick if it was necessary. She had to find a way to get there again. Looking out to the water and tightening her suede jacket as the cold breeze brushed her body, she let out a sigh and closed her eyes.
After talking to Emily and Nikolas for a while, Jason found his way out to the backyard. He saw her leaning on the tree. As he made his way toward her he couldn't help but wonder how they have gotten to this place. Things used to be so easy between them. Words didn't have to be spoken, a look, a hug or a hold of hands used to be enough for them to know what the other was thinking. But those days were long gone. He never used to think of what if's, but somewhere down his path he got lost and he recently realized that the only place where he ever really felt at home was in her arms.
There was so much they needed to say...
~ Inside the cabin~
"Where's Jason?" Emily said coming out of the bathroom.
"He was in the kitchen and wondered out the back door." Nikolas was reading the paper and hardly looked up to his wife.
"Isn't Elizabeth out there?"
"Yes."
Emily went around the couch and sat in the arm, besides Nikolas. "That explains your mood."
"What mood? I don't have a mood." Looking at Emily with his eyebrows in a V shape.
"Yeah. Whatever." She said kissing his forehead as she made her way to the kitchen.
She went straight to the window. She watched as Jason made his way towards Elizabeth. Then he stopped. "Come on you dimwit. Just do it!", she whispered.
"What are you doing?"
Emily jumped and turned around with her hand over her heart to find her husband in front of her.
"Nick! You scared me half to death." "Why are you spying?"
"I'm not spying. I was just simply looking out the window." She said sweetly and added guiltily after he gave her one of his famous 'I know better' look. "OK. I was simply looking out the window, trying to see if they were talking. He's being here everyday for the past week and they hardly said a word to each other." She was walking to the fridge where she took an ice cream carton that already had a spoon inside. Then she went to one of the cabinets and took a small bag of chips. Nikolas looked amused as she kept talking. She sat down and dipped a salty chip inside the rocky road ice cream and then munched on it. His frown became a silly grin.
"What?" She asked with her mouth half full.
"Nothing. I- since when do you have cravings?"
"I don't have..." She looked down and then to Nikolas who was now standing next to her. "Since five minutes ago?"
~ Sonny's island~
Sonny was in his studio, lost in the past. A knock in the door took him out of his reflections.
"Mr. Corinthos. May I come in?"
"Yes. Are the kids OK?"
"Yes. They are fine. Morgan is taking a nap and Michael is doing his homework. You send for me?"
"I wanted to let you know that I'll be traveling to Port Charles three days from now."
"Should I make the kids bags?"
"That won't be necessary. They are not going. I need to do this alone."
"Are you certain about that?"
Raising his voice he looked pissed. "What do you mean am I certain? Of course I am. I need to talk to my wife, and since she's not taking my phone calls I'm going to talk to her in person. This is not what I wanted. None of this is making any sense. I made a decision, she either comes back with me or she never sees her kids again."
~ Port Charles~
He took a couple more steps forward stopping a couple of feet from where she was sitting.
"Is going to snow soon. I can smell it in the air."
She had her eyes closed, but she could sense him standing there before he even talked. She didn't open her eyes when she answered.
"Snow doesn't smell."
"Yes it does." As soon as he finished he was taken to another time and place. Another lifetime. He could still feel her cold skin over his, her soft hair and sweet smell. He let out a sigh and she turned her head to look at him.
God he looked good. His trademark biker boots and faded jeans. He was wearing a gray long sleeve shirt. His arms crossed over his chest and his head tilted back. He seemed exhausted. Her eyes traveled back to his chest. He wasn't wearing his leather jacket. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen him wear his jacket at all.
"Where's your jacket?" He opened one eye and looked at her. Then he bowed his head and answered.
"I lost it."
"You what?" The question came out before she could think about it. A hint of outraged graced her words.
"I lost it."
She stood up and he could see pure concern on her eyes. "But when? Where? How?"
"Eight months ago. At Jake's. Lost a poker game."
Her eyes never left his face she was serious for a minute. She was trying to inspect his every feature. Jason Morgan wasn't one to make jokes, that much she knew. But he wasn't one to gamble on poker games either. He saw every question on her eyes. She was trying to figure out if he was lying.
"You're not lying, are you?"
"I don't lie." Her eyes opened big in disbelieve. "OK. I don't lie that often. But, I can't lie to you on purpose."
"Yeah, let's not go there." She then turned and walked a couple of feet away from him.
"You're still mad about that." It was a statement not a question so she stayed quiet. "OK. I'll take that as a yes."
"I thought we had said our peace last May about that."
As a flood her words from last summer came back to him.
***"It was really difficult after you broke my confidence and heart with a lie. A huge lie... We've been trough so much together. You were my comfort, my rock, my best friend. Somewhere along the way we drifted apart, but that doesn't mean I've stopped caring. I was mad at you for a while... I'm over everything bad that happened between us." ***
"You said you were over it. But I don't believe you. Whenever the topic comes up you get distant. Literally. You just walked four steps away from me right now."
She turned to look at him then, fire burning in her eyes. "If I were still hung up on that I wouldn't be here. And I sure as hell wouldn't have being worried about you for the last five months. I certainly wouldn't be losing sleep over how cold an empty your eyes look. Just now, I would have being thinking about how messed up my life is and trying to do something about it, but instead I've being wondering what happened to you and how to help you." The words hit him like a pail of cold water. She stood there heat coming up from her neck and creeping up all the way to her ears. Had she really said all that out loud? Oh God! What was he going to think about her?
~ Inside~
"Are they talking?" Francis said as he approached the married couple that was looking trough the window. They both turned to find the bodyguard standing on the other side of the kitchen counter.
"Francis! How did you come in?" Emily said retreating from her place on the window.
"I knock and no one answered. So I used my key. I could see you doing the spying thing Mrs. Cass, but you Mr. Prince. Never in a million years." Said the older man with a disapproving shake of his head.
"Would you stop calling me Mr. Prince. I feel like any moment now I'm gonna burst into song."
Both, his wife and the guard started laughing uncontrollably. "Somehow, I can't imagine you singing 1999."
~ Outside~
"Would you come with me?"
His question caught her of guard. But she didn't let it show on her face. He extended his hand to her. She looked at it and then back at his eyes. She would never get tire of taking what he had to offer. Even if it was just a friendship, even if she never could turn back time and take the world he had offered so long ago. She took his hand in hers and snowflakes started to drop from the sky. She looked up and closed her eyes.
God she looked beautiful! The snow slowly falling in her hair, her soft hand in his. She looked back at him and asked, but already knew the answer. "Where are we going?"
"Nowhere." He said and they started walking hand in hand.
~ *~ *~ *~
I know this story has being really slow, but I think is going to get going soon. Right now I need your help. I introduce this mysterious character that helped Luke get out of the fire and that's being lurking around. I have an idea of who I want it to be. But I would like for you to vote on who you want it to be. I will like to hear from you. Tell me what you think about the story so far. What do you think should happen? I enjoy reading your messages so don't be shy and drop me a line.
~ *~ *~ *~
~ Boston~
"Mr. Wayne."
"Yeah. How's my kid?"
"We have to talk. Would you like to come into my office?"
"What is it Doc? Tell me what's wrong with him right here."
"Your son has a pulmonary emphysema."
"I don't understand. He's never had any health problems. He's always being healthy and strong."
"It seems he's being having problems breathing. We need to keep him under observation to see if he responds to the treatment. If he doesn't..."
"He will. But we can't stay here."
"We can't risk him getting bronchitis or pneumonia. That could be deathly."
"I don't understand."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. Fix him."
"We'll do everything in our power to help him."
Luke dropped into a chair and buried his face on his hands.
~ Port Charles ~
A week. Elizabeth was sitting under a tree looking toward the lake, it had being a week since they moved into the safe house. Nikolas and Emily were still scared for their baby. They wanted to know what was wrong with her, but she hadn't talked to them about her fears. What was the point on making them more worried than they already were? They hadn't heard from Luke or Lucky and it seems like Helena's men were still looking for them.
Francis and Jason had come by every day. They bought food and other provisions so they wouldn't need to go into town for a while. Francis said they had people looking around for Helena's men and when they find something they would come tell them everything. Jason hardly talked. He seemed lost in thought and worried. Elizabeth had retreated to a corner and watched him a couple of times. He had followed her advise and had showered everyday, shaved and got his hair cut. She smiled as she remembered the last time they saw each other. Then, her smile vanished. He was hurting then and even though he tried to disguise it, he was hurting now. He smiled at Emily and even at her once in a while, but his eyes were still dark. She saw shadows lurking around in his blue orbs. What could she do to help him? She wished they could go back in time, back to the days when all they needed was to look at each other to know what they were feeling, but that was long gone. Too much pain and heartache had built a wall between them, a wall that she was determined to take down brick by brick if it was necessary. She had to find a way to get there again. Looking out to the water and tightening her suede jacket as the cold breeze brushed her body, she let out a sigh and closed her eyes.
After talking to Emily and Nikolas for a while, Jason found his way out to the backyard. He saw her leaning on the tree. As he made his way toward her he couldn't help but wonder how they have gotten to this place. Things used to be so easy between them. Words didn't have to be spoken, a look, a hug or a hold of hands used to be enough for them to know what the other was thinking. But those days were long gone. He never used to think of what if's, but somewhere down his path he got lost and he recently realized that the only place where he ever really felt at home was in her arms.
There was so much they needed to say...
~ Inside the cabin~
"Where's Jason?" Emily said coming out of the bathroom.
"He was in the kitchen and wondered out the back door." Nikolas was reading the paper and hardly looked up to his wife.
"Isn't Elizabeth out there?"
"Yes."
Emily went around the couch and sat in the arm, besides Nikolas. "That explains your mood."
"What mood? I don't have a mood." Looking at Emily with his eyebrows in a V shape.
"Yeah. Whatever." She said kissing his forehead as she made her way to the kitchen.
She went straight to the window. She watched as Jason made his way towards Elizabeth. Then he stopped. "Come on you dimwit. Just do it!", she whispered.
"What are you doing?"
Emily jumped and turned around with her hand over her heart to find her husband in front of her.
"Nick! You scared me half to death." "Why are you spying?"
"I'm not spying. I was just simply looking out the window." She said sweetly and added guiltily after he gave her one of his famous 'I know better' look. "OK. I was simply looking out the window, trying to see if they were talking. He's being here everyday for the past week and they hardly said a word to each other." She was walking to the fridge where she took an ice cream carton that already had a spoon inside. Then she went to one of the cabinets and took a small bag of chips. Nikolas looked amused as she kept talking. She sat down and dipped a salty chip inside the rocky road ice cream and then munched on it. His frown became a silly grin.
"What?" She asked with her mouth half full.
"Nothing. I- since when do you have cravings?"
"I don't have..." She looked down and then to Nikolas who was now standing next to her. "Since five minutes ago?"
~ Sonny's island~
Sonny was in his studio, lost in the past. A knock in the door took him out of his reflections.
"Mr. Corinthos. May I come in?"
"Yes. Are the kids OK?"
"Yes. They are fine. Morgan is taking a nap and Michael is doing his homework. You send for me?"
"I wanted to let you know that I'll be traveling to Port Charles three days from now."
"Should I make the kids bags?"
"That won't be necessary. They are not going. I need to do this alone."
"Are you certain about that?"
Raising his voice he looked pissed. "What do you mean am I certain? Of course I am. I need to talk to my wife, and since she's not taking my phone calls I'm going to talk to her in person. This is not what I wanted. None of this is making any sense. I made a decision, she either comes back with me or she never sees her kids again."
~ Port Charles~
He took a couple more steps forward stopping a couple of feet from where she was sitting.
"Is going to snow soon. I can smell it in the air."
She had her eyes closed, but she could sense him standing there before he even talked. She didn't open her eyes when she answered.
"Snow doesn't smell."
"Yes it does." As soon as he finished he was taken to another time and place. Another lifetime. He could still feel her cold skin over his, her soft hair and sweet smell. He let out a sigh and she turned her head to look at him.
God he looked good. His trademark biker boots and faded jeans. He was wearing a gray long sleeve shirt. His arms crossed over his chest and his head tilted back. He seemed exhausted. Her eyes traveled back to his chest. He wasn't wearing his leather jacket. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen him wear his jacket at all.
"Where's your jacket?" He opened one eye and looked at her. Then he bowed his head and answered.
"I lost it."
"You what?" The question came out before she could think about it. A hint of outraged graced her words.
"I lost it."
She stood up and he could see pure concern on her eyes. "But when? Where? How?"
"Eight months ago. At Jake's. Lost a poker game."
Her eyes never left his face she was serious for a minute. She was trying to inspect his every feature. Jason Morgan wasn't one to make jokes, that much she knew. But he wasn't one to gamble on poker games either. He saw every question on her eyes. She was trying to figure out if he was lying.
"You're not lying, are you?"
"I don't lie." Her eyes opened big in disbelieve. "OK. I don't lie that often. But, I can't lie to you on purpose."
"Yeah, let's not go there." She then turned and walked a couple of feet away from him.
"You're still mad about that." It was a statement not a question so she stayed quiet. "OK. I'll take that as a yes."
"I thought we had said our peace last May about that."
As a flood her words from last summer came back to him.
***"It was really difficult after you broke my confidence and heart with a lie. A huge lie... We've been trough so much together. You were my comfort, my rock, my best friend. Somewhere along the way we drifted apart, but that doesn't mean I've stopped caring. I was mad at you for a while... I'm over everything bad that happened between us." ***
"You said you were over it. But I don't believe you. Whenever the topic comes up you get distant. Literally. You just walked four steps away from me right now."
She turned to look at him then, fire burning in her eyes. "If I were still hung up on that I wouldn't be here. And I sure as hell wouldn't have being worried about you for the last five months. I certainly wouldn't be losing sleep over how cold an empty your eyes look. Just now, I would have being thinking about how messed up my life is and trying to do something about it, but instead I've being wondering what happened to you and how to help you." The words hit him like a pail of cold water. She stood there heat coming up from her neck and creeping up all the way to her ears. Had she really said all that out loud? Oh God! What was he going to think about her?
~ Inside~
"Are they talking?" Francis said as he approached the married couple that was looking trough the window. They both turned to find the bodyguard standing on the other side of the kitchen counter.
"Francis! How did you come in?" Emily said retreating from her place on the window.
"I knock and no one answered. So I used my key. I could see you doing the spying thing Mrs. Cass, but you Mr. Prince. Never in a million years." Said the older man with a disapproving shake of his head.
"Would you stop calling me Mr. Prince. I feel like any moment now I'm gonna burst into song."
Both, his wife and the guard started laughing uncontrollably. "Somehow, I can't imagine you singing 1999."
~ Outside~
"Would you come with me?"
His question caught her of guard. But she didn't let it show on her face. He extended his hand to her. She looked at it and then back at his eyes. She would never get tire of taking what he had to offer. Even if it was just a friendship, even if she never could turn back time and take the world he had offered so long ago. She took his hand in hers and snowflakes started to drop from the sky. She looked up and closed her eyes.
God she looked beautiful! The snow slowly falling in her hair, her soft hand in his. She looked back at him and asked, but already knew the answer. "Where are we going?"
"Nowhere." He said and they started walking hand in hand.
~ *~ *~ *~
I know this story has being really slow, but I think is going to get going soon. Right now I need your help. I introduce this mysterious character that helped Luke get out of the fire and that's being lurking around. I have an idea of who I want it to be. But I would like for you to vote on who you want it to be. I will like to hear from you. Tell me what you think about the story so far. What do you think should happen? I enjoy reading your messages so don't be shy and drop me a line.
~ *~ *~ *~