Chapter 5
Between the time the help from Miami would arrive, Zander would try to get close once more to Carly. They had been close before, it wouldn't take much to re-connect with her. He sat at a table in the corner of Kelly's just waiting, he knew she'd be in, it seemed to be her daily routine to come and visit with her mother. The waitress had re-filled his coffee cup a few times before Carly made an appearance at the diner. He didn't make an effort to approach her, he just sat reading the newspaper and sipping his coffee. As she walked passed, she took a second look to be sure it was him before she said anything. "Zander? Oh my God, it is you!" Zander looked up from his paper and smiled. "Carly! How have you been?" He stood up from his chair and gave her a hug. "I'm doing fine, what are you doing back in town? When did you get back?" She was just full of questions and he invited her to sit with him. "Please, sit and I'll fill you in."
They talked for a while, just catching up on things, it had been a long time since he was in Port Charles, alot had changed. "All I want to know is are you happy?" he asked as she sipped the coffee that the waitress had brought her. "Yeah, Zander. I'm very happy. Lorenzo and I have a wonderful marriage." Zander noticed the look on her face when she talked about her husband, he could tell she wasn't telling him everything. He didn't push though, she'd tell him in her own way, and in time.
"Hi Carly, so sorry I'm late." Bobbie approached from the direction of the kitchen. "That's okay mom, Zander and I have just been catching up." Carly stood and embraced her mother. "Well, you two look like you have things to do, so I'm going to go. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again." Zander excused him self from the table and gave Carly a quick hug and kiss on the cheek goodbye. She smiled warmly as she watched Zander walk out the door. Bobbie noticed and raised an eyebrow. "You still love him don't you." she asked her daughter as they took seats at the table. "Zander? Nah .. just fondness. He's really pulled his life together since leaving Port Charles, I'm quite proud of him." Bobbie didn't buy her daughter's answer, she saw more then that in Carly's face as she talked about her former love. Zander and Carly never really explored their feelings for one another, but it was apparent to many people that they shared a bond, and cared deeply for one another. Bobbie always thought Carly had felt more for Zander then she had cared to admit, and from the look on her daughter's face, those feelings were brought to the surface.
"So, what do you want to do today, mom? I got all afternoon. Lorenzo is away on business till tonight, so you have me all to yourself." Carly felt the urge to shop and she knew her mom couldn't pass up going shopping all afternoon. "Well I don't have to be back here till tomorrow, and I have the night off from the hospital, so ...." Bobbie's words drifted off leaving it up to Carly to decide. "How bout some shopping? I could always use a new outfit." Carly smiled and giggled. "Shopping it is."
Zander sat outside Kelly's waiting for Jack to show up, he had called Jack to meet him there. He looked down at his watch checking the time when Jack strolled up. "Where have you been? I thought you were right around the corner." Zander asked as Jack took a seat at the table. "I was nearby, it didn't take me that long to walk here, did it?" Zander apologized for barking at his partner. "I'm sorry Jack, it's this case." he tucked his cell phone back into his jacket pocket before he heard Carly and Bobbie exit the diner. They were enjoying each other's company to much to realize he and Jack were sitting at the table. Jack's eyes focused on Carly as she walked away, and Zander noticed. "Ow! What'd do that for?" Jack yelped as Zander kicked him in the shin. "Hands off ... she's mine!" Zander joked. "That wedding ring on her finger says she's Lorenzo's. How do you suppose he's gonna feel about you invading his territory?" Jack asked as Zander cleared his throat. "I hope he becomes the jealous husband that I think he is and does something stupid. Stupid enough for him to slip up and then we got 'em!"
Zander and Jack weren't sitting there long before Zander's cell phone rang. He answered it and talked for a few minutes to the caller. "That was the Lt. Our guys should arrive here tomorrow morning." Zander stood up and put his cell phone back in his pocket. "Where we going?" Jack asked as Zander started walking away. "We're going fishing." Zander offered as Jack caught up to him. "Fishing?"
They walked down to the wharf and met with the harbor master. "You know how to drive one of these things?" Jack asked as he and Zander boarded an old fishing boat they had rented. "Of course I do. I grew up on the water, remember." Zander rolled his eyes at the thought that Jack would forget something like that about him. "Oh, and here I thought you just knew how to blow them up!" Jack chuckled as Zander turned the ignition. "Funny, Jack. Real funny." Zander smirked as he pulled away from the dock. "Where we headed?" Zander didn't really know, he just wanted to check out the bay and to see who was coming and going into Port Charles. "Just out there. Don't worry, we won't be out here long." He tried to answer his partner the best he could, since he really didn't know himself.
Zander steered the old boat towards Wyndamere, Jack was so interested in it the first night they were in town, so he thought he'd give his partner a good look at the island and the old mansion that sat on the grounds. "Wow, that's creepy." Jack said as Wyndamere came into view. "Yeah it is, trust me. The old place has been here for a long time, even before I had come to Port Charles." Zander and Jack circled the island as thoughts of what had happened there filled Zander's mind. The events that made him escape Port Charles gave him chills as he remembered that night. Jack saw his partner drift off into space and shouted his name to bring him back. "Zander!" Zander glared at his partner as he called his name. "Bad memories?" Jack continued as they made one last pass. "Yeah, the reason I stayed in Miami and away from Port Charles." Jack didn't push the issue, it seemed the more they talked about it, the more Zander got agitated. Zander had seen enough of the bay, he had seen what he wanted to see and he turned the old boat back towards the main land.
Jack didn't understand their expedition out into the bay, though he figured it was all part of Zander's reasons for leaving his home and trying to forget his past. He didn't question it, he knew that if Zander wanted to talk about it, he would. Zander docked the old fishing boat and turned off the engine. "So did we learn anything from our field trip?" Jack asked as he stepped off the boat and onto dry land. "Jack, our field trip was very educational. Come, let me buy you a cup of coffee and explain it all to you." Zander took a grasp on Jack's shoulder and guided him as they walked along the docks.
They walked and talked a piece way before running into someone Zander apparently knew. Jack eyed the young petite woman who jumped into Zander's arms. Zander embraced Elizabeth and twirled her around in his arms. It was the first time in a long time that Jack had seen a smile like that on Zander's face. Zander set Elizabeth down on her feet and brushed back a stray strand of brunette hair from her face. "It's been a long time Zander." she said excited to see him. "It sure has. It's so good to see you." he replied and pulled her into another embrace. She held onto him tightly and he did to her. It was like they had never been apart. All the feelings came rushing back to him as they embraced on the docks, it was a good feeling that he felt and it was something he didn't want to lose again. Jack cleared his throat hoping one of them would notice he was standing there.
"I'm sorry Jack. Elizabeth, this is my partner Jack Keys." Jack extended his hand to Elizabeth and she shook it firmly. "Jack this is Elizabeth ...." It had been a long time, Zander didn't know which name she was now using so he didn't. "Hi Jack. Nice to meet you." Jack smiled at the pretty woman who stood before him. "Hi Elizabeth. Nice to meet you too." Elizabeth's focused turned back towards Zander once more. "You think we could get together later, I'd love to talk with you about some things." she flirted. Zander looked at Jack as if to get his approval. "Yeah I guess so. Jake's?" Elizabeth agreed that Jake's would be fine. "I'll see you later then." she gave Zander a kiss on the cheek before continuing her walk down the pier.
"Okay, you have to tell me your secret." Zander looked at Jack a little confused. "What secret?" he chuckled. "The secret of getting all these women, Zander. Have you had all the women in this town, or only the pretty ones?" Zander chuckled at the thought. Jack's eyes stilled focused on Elizabeth who was a good distance from where they stood. "Come on, let's go get that coffee."