Title: Somewhere In Between

Author: Loke

Authors Note: About the Miguel/Lorenzo scenes: In this fic, Miguel and Lorenzo go back a long time. They grew up together and are first and foremost close friends, second to sharing a solid boss/employee relationship. They know each other inside and out, and share a comfortable and unique understanding of the other that no one else possesses. So, on most of their interactions, I will write it that way. When Lo is with Miguel, he behaves slightly different, far less dictatorial, not so guarded. Like I mentioned in the previous chapter… Miguel is to Lorenzo, what Jason is to Sonny. Just thought I'd add that so you guys don't think I'm writing Lo as a passive creature all of a sudden. ;) Oh, and in my world, Ric and Lorenzo were in cahoots from the get go. Just thought I'd clarify, you know, if any of you were wondering.

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Chapter Two : Islands, Initiatives, and Inquiries.

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(June16th. Three days after the attempted abduction.)

Catching the closing door midstream, Jason pushed his way into the penthouse, trailing after Courtney. "Can you please just calm down?"

Courtney pivoted on her heel; her arms crossed defiantly, and stared her fiancé down with a glower that he imagined could quite possibly rival his own icy glare. "I won't go Jason. That's all there is to it. Calm or not, that is still my answer." A part of her felt tremendously guilty for giving him so much grief about the decision to ship her, along with Carly, off to the island for safekeeping, but she couldn't help it. Off somewhere relaxing in the sun while her brother and the man she loved stayed home and chased after a phantom was the last thing she wanted. She wanted to be home, helping any way she could, lending a voice of reason when it was needed, though she was fairly certain they would ignore her. But it was more than want. She needed to be there, for him, for Sonny, for Carly, and for herself. She couldn't go.

"Courtney, please…"

"No," she said, dropping her eyes and her voice. "I don't -- Jason, I don't want to leave you, especially now."

The hardened edge of his stance softened at her words, and Jason closed the distance between them. "Come on," he said, placing a finger under her chin, urging her to look at him. "I won't force you to go. We both know that. But what I can do is ask you to understand how important this is. Please, Courtney," he pleaded softly. "Go with Carly and Michael to the island. Help me keep you safe."

She grabbed his forearms and looked beseechingly into his eyes. "As long as I'm with you I am safe."

Looking away, Jason let out an uneven breath. "Carly was with me, and Sonny. But it still wasn't enough."

And there it was. The reason for his desperate need to send her away, and his out of character urging. He felt guilty. He felt responsible for what almost happened. "No," she said firmly, trapping him in her gaze. "I will not let you do this to yourself, Jason. Carly is fine."

"Yeah, but not from anything I did. Carly getting away was all her. In the end she was the one who kept herself safe." Jason wasn't sure how to explain what it was he felt. All he knew was that almost having his best friend snatched right out from under his nose, and at his wedding of all places, felt like a backhand to the face. It shouldn't have happened, plain and simple. He dropped the ball, and there was no way in hell he was going to let his fiancé get caught in the crossfire when the bastard came back for round two. And he would be back. Jason was sure of it.

Watching Jason rip himself apart was breaking her heart. It just wasn't like him. "Jason, don't…"

"Courtney, I'm not beating myself up, okay? I'm facing facts. I slipped up." The coldness in his voice sliced through the room as he pointed a finger at his chest. "And someone I care about almost paid the price. I won't allow it to happen again. And for me to be able to do that you can't be here. If you stay right now, you'll only be in danger." Jason closed his eyes, and forced the edge off his voice. He couldn't get angry with her; she was only doing what she always did, fighting to stand beside him, no matter what. It was one of the reasons he fell in love with her; her strength in the face of anything, even unknown dangers that could be disastrous for their family. Moving closer to her, he cupped her face in his hands and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I love you too much to take that risk."

Riveted to his steely blue eyes, the eyes that had a way of grabbing hold of her and commanding every ounce of her attention, Courtney could feel her resolve crumbling. And for his sake, she wasn't sure she wanted it to recover.

Jason gauged her silence carefully, and for the first time since he met her, found he couldn't read her eyes. Unsure if he was losing the battle or not, Jason tried again. "Courtney, please."

The quiet desperation in his voice nearly broke her heart in two, and at the same time, sent a shiver of stark realization down her spine. The attempt on Carly, and the looming threat he was certain would swoop down on them at any moment, had scared him. Jason was afraid. At first, she thought she must be reading it wrong. But looking into his pleading blue eyes, she knew she wasn't mistaken at all, and that she had no other choice but to give in. She had to do this for his peace of mind if nothing else, even if she didn't agree with it.

"Fine," she sighed, defeated. "I'll go."

She wasn't sure why, but the words seemed to echo sullenly in her mind, twisting her gut as Jason silently enfolded her in his arms.

----------

"Sonny?" Carly's voice echoed through the Penthouse as she trudged down the stairs. Inspecting the empty living room, Carly tried again, louder this time. "Sonny!"

Carly stood at the bottom of the stairs, her hands set on her hips. Where in the hell had he disappeared to now? She, Michael, and Courtney were due to leave in less than an hour for the Island and her husband had dropped out of sight again. "Sonny, where are you!"

Carly's narrowed eyes flew to the front door as it opened, her husband emerging from the hall. "Where did you go?"

Shutting the door behind him, Sonny closed the distance to the desk and began sifting through the contents of the top drawer. "I was just making some arrangements."

"Arrangements?" She hated that word. Nothing good ever came from that word.

Sonny came up with what looked like an address book, and began to leaf through it. "Yeah, just some extra security measures for the Island, that's all."

Stepping closer, she crossed her arms over her chest and watched her husband reach for the telephone. "How many guards am I going to have on me now? Four? Five? An even half-dozen?"

Sonny replaced the phone on the cradle and turned around, clearly unimpressed. "As many as it takes, Carly," he said flatly. He knew exactly where this was going.

"Isn't it enough that we're being shipped away? Do we have to have an army of guards watching our every move, too?"

Sonny clamped his mouth shut and fought his frustration. Once, he wished, just once he'd like to have her not go against him on a decision. "Do you even remember what happened?"

Carly resisted the urge to roll her eyes. What kind of question was that? Of course she remembered. In fact, she wished she could forget. But why did what almost happened have to change anything about her present security? "I don't understand why anything has—"

"Carly, please," he pleaded softly, running a hand over his unshaven face. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

"But, Sonny, sending us away—"

Sonny stopped her cold, unable to hold back. "Do you think I want to send you and Michael away, huh? Do you think I want to tear Courtney away from Jason on what would have been their honeymoon, and force her, Michael, and you to fly to the Island because your safety, your very lives may depend on being as far away from me as you can get?" Sonny was trying desperately to keep in control of his emotions, but saying his fears out loud only seemed to make them that much more real. And that much more overwhelming. "That's the last thing I want, Carly. But it doesn't matter what I want, because I don't have a choice. I allowed for a loophole in security at the wedding. You were alone and someone almost stole you and our unborn child from me. I will not be that careless with my family ever again. Carly, I will not lose you, too." Sonny's chest was heaving, out of breath from his rant. He honestly hadn't meant to let loose on her like that, and cursed himself silently for losing control.

Carly felt frozen, in shock almost, as she stared, mouth slightly agape, at her husband. She could see the pain in his eyes, the internal war being waged within his body and worse yet, the guilt that riddled his soul.

But he had no reason to be guilty.

There as no way anyone could tell that someone would try to steal her from Jason and Courtney's wedding.

It wasn't his fault. It wasn't.

Her temporary paralysis falling away, Carly felt her heart pinch as her arms went out to him, doing the only thing she could at that moment. Holding him tightly to her body and reminding his shaken heart that she was still right there. She would always be there. Nothing would ever change that.

"You didn't lose me," she whispered into him, her arms still clenched around him. "You will never lose me."

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Ric Lansing stood on the edge of Pier 52, looking at the impressive yacht that occupied it.

Alcazar's Yacht.

Remembering his last encounter with the drug lord, Ric's hand went to his neck, tentatively grazing over the still bruised and tender skin. After what happened the other night, and the warning that had been indelibly etched on his panic-stricken mind, Ric was well aware that this was the last place he should be.

In fact, his presence was downright stupid on his part. He was playing a dangerous game with his life, with Elizabeth's.

But as high as the stakes were, he couldn't help it. His rampant curiosity had gotten the best of him.

Alcazar clearly had something planned for Sonny, and Ric wanted more than anything to know what that something was. If Sonny was going to be taken down, Ric wanted a front row seat, or better yet, an active role in his brother's demise. He had to be involved. He had to change Alcazar's mind somehow.

But that part could come later. What had to be done now was finding a way to get on this Yacht. Without Alcazar killing him.

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"Mr. Alcazar?"

Lorenzo paused from his work, almost thankful for the distraction. "What is it?" he asked, not bothering to make eye contact with the guard.

"This just came for you." The guard crossed the room to Lorenzo's desk and lifted a large black envelope into view. "The messenger said it was urgent."

Definitely showing more haste than usual, Lorenzo reached for the envelope and dismissed the guard. He turned it over in his hands, tugging lightly on the ties that held it closed. Slipping a hand inside, he pulled out a smaller manila folder and smiled. Even without opening it, Lorenzo knew exactly what it was.

---------

Emily looked up from her spot on the bench, watching her brother approach. He had called her, putting a slight kink in her afternoon plans. But she wasn't angry, not even annoyed. With Carly's almost-abduction, she knew he had a reason for the impromptu meeting. And as he came closer, Emily felt her concern grow. Jason looked awful.

"Hey." Jason sounded tired, exhausted really.

"You okay?" She asked, sisterly instinct kicking in as she forwent her own greeting.

He dropped down next to her, leaning back into the bench. "I'm fine. Just a little tired." Tired was a vast understatement. After scouring town for leads and his conversation with Courtney, Jason was beyond drained.

Emily quickly scanned her brother's slackened, defeated form, his weary eyes, and the traces of stubble peppering his face. It was obvious he hadn't slept much in the past three days and even more obvious that something was wrong, very wrong. She didn't want to sound 'motherly' but she couldn't help it. This was Jason, her big brother. The protective instinct went both ways. Emily swiveled in her seat to face him. "Look," she said. "I know this is an awful time, but you can't run yourself ragged. You're not superman, Jase."

Jason placed a reassuring hand over hers and looked at her. "Emily, I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me."

"Fat chance, Jase," Emily snorted. "It's me, remember? Your sister? Worrying about you is my job."

"And you're very good at it." He smiled, bringing his hand up to give her shoulder a squeeze. "But trust me, Emily. I'm okay."

Emily allowed his words to settle her a bit, but not completely. She could still be worried about him and keep it to herself. There was no crime in that. "So… you wanted to talk to me?" She asked him with downcast eyes, steering them away from the obviously futile subject.

Being brought back to the issue at hand, Jason felt himself tense up. Everything about this situation, the uncertainty most of all, just pissed him off. "Yeah," he sighed. "I wanted to discuss security for you."

Mentally, Emily cursed. She knew this was coming, she had just hoped to get lost in the shuffle a while longer. Obviously, her brother had other ideas. "By 'discuss', you mean inform me to the new arrangements, don't you? As in the arrangements that have already been made, the one's I won't be able to talk you out of?"

He understood where her reluctance came from, but still, as with Courtney, he couldn't afford to let this go. Emily meant entirely too much to him. "Look, I know you haven't had guards now for a while, but after what happened…" Jason trailed off, dropping his eyes. "I can't take the risk, Em. Not with you." He looked at her, hoping he didn't have a fight in front of him.

What greeted his hesitant eyes set him immediately at ease. Emily was smiling. It was a small smile, but at least it was there.

"Its okay, Jason. I mean, I'm not thrilled, but it's doable, for now."

Thank God. He had been so afraid she would object and flat out deny the security, not that he wouldn't have put them on her anyway. Covertly. But this way, he could protect her in the open without trying to hide it. It made everything so much easier. With Courtney and Carly on their way out of town, and Emily being guarded fulltime, Jason could throw himself into this without any hang-ups. He could commit himself entirely to identifying the threat. And removing it. Permanently.

Jason let out a relieved sigh, and smiled gratefully at his little sister.

He didn't have to worry about her now.

----------

From a murky corner, hidden form Morgan's view, Miguel watched carefully the exchange between brother and sister.

He had been unsure before, but now as his shadowy eyes took in the scene before him, the way Morgan smiled at the girl, the way he gently touched her shoulder and held her hand, Miguel felt all previous doubt remove itself.

Ms. Quartermaine was, in point of fact, very dear to Jason Morgan. Very dear.

---------

Sonny watched his sister carefully, taking notice of how the dappled afternoon sunlight washed over her stoic form as she gazed listlessly at the passing scenery. She looked so sad.

That was his fault.

His life turned what should have been a beautiful and precious moment between her and Jason, completely upside-down. His negligence ruined his own sister's wedding day.

Sighing, he dropped his head and studied his hands, twirling the golden wedding band on his finger. He remembered his last wedding to Carly; in fact, he could still remember his vows. Standing there, looking into Carly's eyes, pledging his love and his life to her was a moment he would never forget; a moment he would carry with him forever.

That moment didn't happen for Courtney.

Looking to his side at his sister's unmoved profile again, Sonny swallowed a silent promise. Courtney's dream wedding may have fallen apart, but if it took every last ounce of energy in him, he would give that moment back to her, and to Jason. When this was all over, he would fix it. He would make it right for her again.

It was the least he could do.

"Why wasn't Jason at the penthouse when we left? Is he going to be at the airport?" Carly's voice lifted above Sonny's thoughts and he pulled his eyes to her face, and then to his son, who lay curled up in sleep, his head resting on his mother's lap.

Before Sonny could answer Courtney nodded softly and spoke up, still focused on Port Charles as it passed outside her window. "He'll be there. He just went to see Emily first."

"Is he sending her away, too?" Carly's quip was met by a knitted brow and a disapproving glance from her husband. "What?" She challenged him, crossing her arms defensively. "I'm sorry, but I just don't see why Jason is making Courtney come with us. They should be on their honeymoon, not thousands of miles apart from-"

"He isn't making me go anywhere, Carly," Courtney broke in, looking at her sister-in-law. "He asked me, and I agreed."

"Okay, but what's he going to do now? Is he going to ask Emily to hop a flight to the Island too? How many people's lives are going to be put on hold or uprooted because some twisted freak –who I made short work of, by the way—tried to kidnap me?"

In spite of himself, Sonny smiled at the undertone of concern in her mini rant. Carly had an incredible heart, no matter what some may have thought. "Calm down, okay?" Sonny draped a subduing arm across Carly's shoulder. "Jason isn't going to uproot Emily. He's just assigning Johnny to her fulltime."

Carly's face softened somewhat, and she looked down, running a gentle hand over her son's hair. No one else needed to have their lives displaced over this. Theirs was more than enough. "Well good. I mean, its not like I'm particularly close to Emily or anything, but I would hate for her to be shipped away again because of all this. It wouldn't be right; it has nothing to do with her."

Courtney lent her voice again: "Don't worry about it, Carly. Jason just went to tell her about Johnny, and to make sure she's okay. Nobody else is going to be effected by this."

"Courtney's right," Sonny said. "Jason and I are going to fix this, and then all of you are going to come home, and everything will go back to normal. This will all be over soon."

Carly nodded silently, studying his face for a long time. And the closer she looked, the more Carly wondered who her husband was really trying to convince. Her… or himself.

---------

Miguel watched as Jason and Emily said their goodbye, locking in a brief but affectionate hug. As Morgan made his way off the docks, a guard, he supposed, fell in step next to Emily as she took her leave of the docks as well.

"Did you get them?" Miguel kept his focus on the slowly retreating girl and her protector as he addressed a lurking Pedro.

The henchman's face danced with a proud glee, of sorts, as he lifted a camera into the light. "A whole roll," he said.

"Good. Go take care of it, and be sure to get them back to me quickly. A decision needs to be made."

Pedro gave his usual obedient nod and disappeared as quickly as he had come.

Emerging form his hiding place, Miguel surveyed the pier with hands tucked away in his pockets, his lips parting in a smile.

----------

Now or never. The thought seemed to rumble over and over in Ric's mind, spurring him on. If he wanted to see Sonny pay, he had to do this, consequences be damned.

Ric scanned the deck, making sure that the patrol guard had turned the corner, out of view. When he was satisfied, Ric braced himself, and made the jump from the dock to the yacht's deck, trying to keep his landing soft, silent.

Glancing left and then right, Ric dashed forward across the deck and pulled open the door to the inner corridors. He knew Alcazar's study was his best bet of coming face-to-face with the drug lord, and due to a few vividly remembered meetings which took place in that room, finding the study wouldn't be a problem. Now all he had to was get there. Undetected.

----------

Lorenzo poured over the manila folder's contents, examining each item closely, carefully. Leaning back in his chair, he singled out one article in particular from the folder. It was a photo of a young woman with long, softly streaked brown hair, and dark, telling eyes. Emily Quartermaine . Lorenzo brought a hand up to the photo, tracing the outline of her hair with a finger. So this is what the possible ruin of Sonny Corinthos looks like, he thought. Not what I expected.

What had he expected, though, he wondered. A girlish, bubbling, teenager who lacked maturity and poise? Well, judging from the photo he held in his hand that certainly wasn't the case. No, Emily was indeed young, he would admit to that, but there was hardly anything girlish about her. In fact, she was stunning. But aside from her obvious beauty, there was something about her, about her vibrancy, her smile, her whole presence. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

Suddenly, a brief knock at his door, followed by it being thrown open, pulled him from his thoughts again. "What is it now?" He sighed, lifting his head and immediately receiving his answer.

"What are you doing here?"

Ric nervously bounced his gaze between Alcazar's unforgiving face and the guard that held him firmly in place. Clearly, the 'undetected' part, hadn't exactly gone as planned.

"Well?" Lorenzo snapped, losing his patience. Obviously his warning to Ric Lansing hadn't been nearly as effective as it was intended to be. But still, he couldn't believe the man was foolish enough to sneak onto his yacht.

Snapping his gaze back to Lorenzo, Ric began to feel a heavy knot of regret and dread from in his belly. Perhaps he should have given this part a little more thought before boarding the yacht. What could he say that would piqué Lorenzo's interest and not get him tossed overboard? "I, um… I…" Ric wildly searched his mind for a reply when a sharp wrenching of his arm proved the perfect motivation. "I…have a business proposition for you!"

Oh, this should be good. Lorenzo felt like laughing. "What could you possibly have to offer me?"

Ric glanced up again at the fairly angry looking man that still held him back by his arms. "Call your goon off and I'll tell you."

Lorenzo leaned back in his chair, his eyes darkening. "Observe your surroundings well, Mr. Lansing. You are in no position to be making demands."

His mind seemed to launch into warp speed as he mentally clawed for an edge, a way to get Lorenzo to listen. Then it dawned on him, he did have something. It was small, and there was a possibility that Alcazar would simply scoff at him and then kill him. But he was there, standing in front of the man who could finally give Sonny an idea of what it was to truly suffer. He had to take the chance. "Actually," Ric said, his confidence growing. "I am."

Getting to his feet, Lorenzo emerged from behind his desk, arms folded across his chest. "Your arrogance is truly astounding, Mr. Lansing. You sneak onto my yacht, blatantly ignoring orders to keep your nose out of my affairs, and then have the audacity to insinuate that you possess some kind of leverage over me." Lorenzo slowly lessened the gap between himself and Ric. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't have Rico here snap your neck and be done with it."

Ric felt his chest tighten in panic. That was exactly what he didn't want. "Because," he stated coolly, fighting to remain composed and unaffected. "I can help you destroy Sonny."

Lorenzo sighed and rocked back on his heels. Was this man stupid, or did he really not grasp the severity of the situation he had just placed himself in? Lorenzo couldn't be sure. "Haven't we been down this road before, Mr. Lansing? And haven't we already concluded that it is a dead end?"

"The other night you never allowed me to present my case. You didn't hear me out."

"And you think I should? Now?" he asked, clearly enjoying what he knew was only Ric's last desperate attempt. This man was, if nothing else, thoroughly entertaining.

Ric really hoped he wasn't pushing the cocky and confident thing too hard, but he knew from experience that begging scarcely got you anywhere with an Alcazar. Begging reeked of weakness, and they abhorred the weak. In order to gain any kind of ground, Ric knew he had to play this out like he had nothing to lose, and as if he actually had a leg to stand on. "I think it would be in your best interest, yes."

Perhaps it was the manila folder sitting on his desk, or maybe the possibilities that it represented. Or it could have been that suddenly Lorenzo found Ric's rampant arrogance and baseless confidence utterly amusing. But whatever the case may have been, something urged Lorenzo to at least humor the man before throwing him out on his ass. "All right," he conceded after a moment, resting on the edge of his desk, eyeing him carefully. "Plead your case, Lansing."

"Can I have my arms back first?"

Lorenzo shrugged his shoulders and relented after a moment of consideration, waiving Rico off and dismissing the guard.

Ric brought his arms to his front again and rubbed at the new tender spots, certain bruises were already forming under the fabric of his shirt. If he got his foot in the door here, he would definitely need to keep his future meetings with Alcazar contact-free, or Elizabeth would start asking questions.

"As I was saying before," Ric said, snapping to attention and jumping right into his cause. "I can help you destroy Sonny."

"And how exactly do you plan on going about that, Mr. Lansing? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Sonny hate you?"

A sly smile spread across the lawyer's face. "That's just the thing. He doesn't, not entirely."

"Sounds encouraging," Lorenzo said flatly. Where in the hell was Lansing going with this?

"Just listen," Ric said, taking a step closer to him. "Sonny thinks I want peace. He thinks I want to start over. But what he doesn't know is that it was all apart of the plan. Make Sonny believe I wanted to strike up a truce, so that when Carly was taken he wouldn't hold me responsible. It was all just to throw him off the scent."

"But you messed that up. Or don't you remember?"

Ric sighed and ran hand over his hair. "I know, and I am sorry about that. But I can still make this work. I can build on the peace I've started with Sonny and slowly insinuate myself into his life, all the while working with you on whatever it is you have planned for him."

Lorenzo cocked an eyebrow. "What makes you think I have anything planned for your brother?"

"Nothing has changed, Lorenzo. You still need his ports, and you still hold him responsible for Luis's death. I'd be surprised if you didn't have something planned for Sonny."

Well, he had a point there. "Okay, assuming that I do have something in the works, what role do you see yourself playing in any of it?"

"Simple. Once I get close enough, I'll be able to get you information on him, help sabotage him, or even convince him to enter into negotiations with you. Any thing you want, really."

Lorenzo thought about it for a moment, but quickly came to the decision that Lansing was vastly overestimating his pull with Corinthos and glazing over several pertinent factors. "And while you 'magically' become an integral part of your brother's life, do you also envision yourself becoming Jason Morgan's new best pal?" Lorenzo watched as Ric's face crashed, and his eyes darkened. "What's the matter, Ric? Did your plan just hit a large blonde snag?"

Jason. Of course. Why hadn't he factored his brother's mindless thug into the equation? Jason would most definitely present a problem. But in his mind, that was a wrinkle to be ironed out at a later date. Right now all that mattered was convincing Alcazar that Jason Morgan could be handled. "You don't understand my brother," Ric said, looking Alcazar dead in the eye for maximum effect. "Family means everything to Sonny, and he already wants to reconcile with me. I can feel it. Jason Morgan can be worked around."

The man certainly was giving this pitch everything he had, that much was easy to tell. Determination was written all over Lansing's face. But even with as hard as Ric was working to sell him on this proposition of his, Lorenzo could easily see that it would amount to nothing. Sonny, he imagined, was a man quite like himself, a man who doled out forgiveness very sparingly, and who never forgot. In order for Ric's plan to work, Sonny would have to not only forgive, but also forget everything his brother ever tried to do to him, to his family. That fact alone insured that Ric Lansing's plans would never come full circle. It just wouldn't happen.

"Well…" Lorenzo drew out the word, purposely torturing the man who was clearly burning in anticipation of an answer. He turned his head up slightly, focusing on the mounting desperation in Lansing's eyes. Toying with him just a bit more, Lorenzo flashed a contented smile, briefly offering a ray of hope to the lawyer. False hope. "It's time for you to leave."

Ric's heart crashed to his toes. This could not be happening. He couldn't have struck out again!

The corners of Lorenzo's bearded mouth turned up slightly, invisibly. That was fun, but also an unfortunate waste of his time.

"Come on." Stepping closer to Ric, Lorenzo reached out and attempted to seize the other man's arm in order to further illustrate his wishes. But before Lorenzo could get hold of him, Ric peeled away, jutting to the left and circling behind him, taking refuge on the opposite side of the desk.

"Wait!" he yelled, his arms out in defense as he kept his body behind the black leather desk chair. "You aren't giving this a chance!"

Lorenzo sighed resignedly. This was becoming tiresome, and he meant to put an end to it. Immediately. "How close you become with your long lost brother is of no consequence to me, Ric. You and whatever influences you think you have over Sonny, mean absolutely nothing to me, nor will they assist me in my business ventures." Lorenzo moved to the door and pulled it open. "Now, before my charitable mood fails me…"

Ric bowed his head in defeat and blew out a long, tired breath. But as his eyes absently scanned the top of Alcazar's desk, a familiar face peered back at him, peeking out from the clutter.

----------

The car rolled onto the tarmac, a safe distance from the jet. Getting out, Jason smiled at the sight before him. Courtney was leaning against Sonny's limo, her long blond locks whipping in the wind; her head bowed gracefully, her eyes closed to the beaming sun.

He approached slowly, hesitant to disturb the breathtaking scene, and feeling an incredible urge to memorize the moment.

From behind her hooded eyes, Courtney heard the unmistakable scuff of boot against asphalt, and looked up, already knowing exactly who it was. "Hey," she smiled, reaching out to him. "I was wondering when you were going to get here."

Jason stayed silent at first, dissolving into her touch, wanting only to hold her, to savor the feeling of her in his arms before she disappeared for God only knew how long. "It took a little longer than I thought," he explained as Courtney twined her arms around his waist and hugged him close.

How could a hug feel so good? She often wondered that when it came to being in Jason's arms. But her answer never failed her: it was where she was meant to be. Always.

"Carly and Michael already on board?" he asked, pulling back only enough to see her face.

Courtney laced her fingers together at the small of his back and turned her head up at him, giving a nod. "Sonny, too." She glanced up at the plane, hey eyes lingering there for a moment. "They're saying goodbye." Sonny and Carly had asked her to come onboard and wait for Jason there, but Courtney couldn't bring herself to intrude upon their last few moments together. Courtney dipped her head and rested her forehead on Jason's chest, closing her eyes. Sonny, Carly, and Michael needed that time, just like she needed this.

Smiling softly, Jason reached up to her hair and ran a smoothing hand over the golden strands, breathing in her scent. "I'm going to miss you," he whispered.

Those soft and simple words were almost her undoing as she clenched him tighter, burying her face in his chest. "I'm going to miss you too."

----------

"What are you doing with this?"

Lorenzo's eyes narrowed as he watched Ric pick up the photo of Emily. "Move away from my desk."

Ric's mind was suddenly bombarded with questions. The most resonate of which being why. Why did Lorenzo Alcazar have a photo of Emily Quartermaine on his desk, in his possession at all? He feared the answer, the only answer that could be. But still, he pushed on, unable to stop himself in his quest for confirmation. Holding the photo out, pinched between his fingers, Ric looked straight at him. "Why do you have this, Lorenzo?"

That was it, the absolute last straw. It was time for Ric to go, one way or another. Lorenzo crossed the room and snatched the snapshot from Ric's hand, replacing it on the desk. "Leave."

"Are you planning to use—"

"Now!" Lorenzo roared, his eyes blazing. "While you still can."

Ric flinched and wisely scooted to the door, Lorenzo close behind.

"Rico!" Lorenzo called for the guard, who immediately appeared, placing himself between Ric and freedom. "Escort Mr. Lansing out," he said, allowing the guard to take hold of Ric and swing him violently into the hall. "And if he comes onboard again, shoot him."

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Peering through Kelly's glass doors, Emily spotted Nikolas and Lucky seated inside, their faces lit in laughter. Emily smiled as she watched them. After all that had happened to them in the past year, no one deserved to laugh and be happy, even if only for a short while, more than Nikolas and Lucky did. In losing Laura to the breakdown, they'd both lost enormous parts of themselves, parts she wasn't sure they would ever get back.

"Miss Quartermaine , are you going in?"

Emily broke from her reverie and turned around, looking up at the questioning face peering back at her. She'd almost forgotten about him, her newly appointed shadow. "Definitely," she nodded. "Are you coming in, too?"

The guard set his handsome face in protest. His job wasn't to mingle in her life, it was to protect it. "No, Miss Quartermaine , that's all right. I'll just stay out here, keeping an eye out."

Emily wrinkled her nose at the formal title. She had let it go so far today, but if she and Johnny would be spending near every waking moment together, the title would certainly get old. "Emily will do just fine, Johnny," she said, smiling lightly. "'Miss Quartermaine ' is way too stuffy for me."

Johnny nodded in agreement. "Sure thing, Emily," he said, falling in place beside the front door to the diner. "I'll be right here if you need me."

A frown pulled at her lips. "Are you sure? I have to meet with Nikolas and Lucky, but you could grab something to eat while you wait." She was starting to remember why she never really cared for having guards, she always felt like such a heel for dragging these poor guys all over town. It couldn't have been their favorite way to spend a day.

Again, Johnny shook off the invitation. It wasn't that he would have minded, but these were dangerous times. He needed to be alert at all times, especially in protecting Emily. Jason and Sonny would have his ass if anything ever happened to her because of his carelessness. "Its okay, Emily," he said, knowing full well that he would have to explain a bit to get her to listen. "You go see your friends." He opened the door for her, clearing the path inside. "It's important for me to keep watch, and that's easier for me to do out here."

"Oh, okay, whatever's easiest for you." Far be it from her to tell a man how to do his job. If Johnny preferred doing his guard thing outside, she wasn't about to argue. "I won't be long." Emily gave him a quick smile before turning and making her way inside.

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Lorenzo blew out an angry breath and dropped down in his chair, his eyes landing on the picture of Emily.

He should have thrown Ric Lansing out the moment he turned up onboard. Now, because of a fleeting good mood, Ric had seen the one thing he shouldn't have. Proof that he indeed had something planned for Sonny. True, the proof was disputable to anyone outside of the equation. But Lansing wasn't stupid and if Lorenzo hadn't cut him off, Ric definitely would have perused any suspicions he had, suspicions that were bound to be growing by now.

In his anger he had allowed Ric to go when he should have eliminated the problem altogether. Now, there was no way to be sure that Lansing wouldn't run to Corinthos or Morgan with his findings in some desperate attempt to get back in his brother's good graces.

Damn-it.

Well, he supposed he could count on the fact that Ric couldn't exactly be held up as a credible source of information in Corinthos' eyes. But hearing that one of their most hated enemies was in possession of Emily Quartermaine 's photo, may be enough to merit at least further inspection on Morgan's part.

Lorenzo ran a hand over his face, considering his options. He could have Ric killed. He wouldn't be depriving Port Charles of anything spectacular or wonderful in ending Ric's miserable little life. In fact, he could be doing the town a service, according to some. But that aside, he couldn't afford even a vague connection to a murder now, not with all they stood to gain if the option of Emily Quartermaine panned out. But then, if Ric took it upon himself to enlighten Sonny and Jason on his little discovery, the Emily Option could fizzle out before it even got off the ground. Just like Carly.

He would have to make sure Lansing kept his mouth shut, he would have to be watched around the clock; there would be no way around it. And even though Lorenzo wasn't completely sold on using Emily, he wasn't willing to allow Ric Lansing the opportunity of screwing with his intentions again.

Just then, the slow creak of an opening door sounded lightly through the quiet study, drawing Lorenzo yet again from his thoughts. But this time, he didn't bother to look up and greet the uninvited guest. There wasn't a need to. He knew perfectly well who it was. Only one man on earth dared to enter his private study without even knocking, and while whistling no less.

"You certainly seem chipper," Lorenzo said to the familiar intruder. "I take that to mean you've confirmed Ms. Quartermaine 's value?"

Seating himself in a large leather armchair just in front of Lorenzo's desk, Miguel tossed the packet of photos taken by Pedro into his boss's lap. "I think these photographs can attest to her worth better that I can."

Lorenzo quickly worked the package open. Pictures of Emily and Jason came flooding out, the pair's affectionate bond evident in every snapshot.

"So he is fond of her then," Lorenzo practically whispered, sifting through the numerous photos.

"Very. In fact, Morgan's affection for the girl was downright touching." Catching Lorenzo's gaze, Miguel feigned a pout. "It nearly melted my heart."

Lorenzo gave a snort of laughter before his face hardened again, the creases on his forehead deepening as his thoughts did. "Would finding the girl at risk be enough to make Corinthos submit to my demands?" Miguel may have been confident, but that one question kept niggling at the back of Lorenzo's mind. Would Emily be enough?

Miguel didn't hesitate. "Morgan's anguish will make it enough."

"Are you positive he has that kind of influence?"

Folding his hands across his chest, Miguel leaned back in his chair, and in a typically smart-ass move, propped his feet up on his best friend's desk. "Do I have that kind of influence?"

Lorenzo knew what Miguel was hinting at, but he refused to allow his concern to be brushed aside so easily. "This isn't about you, Miguel. It's about Corinthos."

"I'm aware of that." Miguel's demeanor shifted back to business mode as he returned his feet to the floor. "But do you really think Sonny Corinthos would allow the adored little sister of his most trusted colleague to stay in your possession and face an uncertain fate? Because I don't. "

Lorenzo lifted his head. "This is his business. His livelihood. Forgive me if I can't see him handing it all over to save a woman who isn't even his flesh and blood."

Miguel furrowed his brow. "We aren't asking him to hand it over… yet. We're simply asking for a foothold and usage of his ports. The rest will come in time."

He wanted to share his friend's confidence, but his own past wouldn't allow it. Lorenzo couldn't comprehend giving it all up or making a concession like that for anyone, let alone a woman. It just didn't make any sense.

"I'm not steering you wrong here, Lorenzo." Miguel rose from his chair and stood in front of the desk. "You need to trust me."

"You know I do." Lorenzo's answer was sharp and immediate.

"Then believe me when I say that the empire Sonny Corinthos has built in this town will crumble, Port Charles will be at your feet, and Emily Quartermaine is the key to it all."

Lorenzo stared at his friend for a long time, drawing confidence from his certainty. Miguel had never steered him wrong in the past, why should now be any different?

It shouldn't, he reasoned. It shouldn't at all. But having trust in Miguel didn't mean Lorenzo couldn't seek some first hand assurance of his own.

Leaning back, Lorenzo gave his decree. "Fly to Caracas and continue with things as we had planned."

"Me?" Miguel's dark eyes flashed with confusion. "Lorenzo, we need to move quickly. Wouldn't I be more useful here, where I can begin making strides? We can't afford to--"

"We will do this, Miguel," he assured his friend, picking up the photo of Emily that lay on his desk. "I just need to check into a few things first."

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TBC…