Note: 100 chapters as of today! Cue the streamers and the cheers and everything in-between. It is fitting that the 100th chapter of this story deals with the celebration. Gee, how did that happen?
Story-
Corinthos Household-
Some things were in and of themselves a sight to behold. Four adults, quite possibly four of the most powerful adults in Port Charles, around the penthouse that people feared, dancing and laughing was one of them. Although they had been through a lot together, the Corinthos and Morgan families really did not take much time to be normal people. It was a rarity for them, and while they did not consciously realize it, it was something that they all, on some level, wanted. They knew that it would be impossible to obtain, so it was best kept to themselves, not speaking of it to anyone else.
Even Jason was having a good time, something that he had long since given up on trying to hide. They would tell stories about things that seemed so funny to all of them now that they were a little older and wiser, stories about Michael and when he was a baby the way that Jason and Carly would wonder just what was going to happen. It was good to have family, and Jason knew that he had the best family that he could have ever hoped for.
"Come on, Jase," Carly stood up in her crimson form fitting dress, "you promised me a dance!"
The smile that was on his face was quick to fade. He had struggled with the dancing throughout the night and figured that it was over. He should have known better than to have hopeful thoughts, especially when Carly was involved. "Carly…"
"Jason," Courtney nudged her husband, a playful grin that she hoped would lighten the mood plastered on her own face, "you did promise Carly a dance. One dance."
"One," Jason said blankly. "That's all I promised."
"And that's all I'll take," she held her hand out to him. "I just want one last dance with the best friend I've ever had in my life before the year ends. Is that so much to ask."
Reluctantly, Jason got up, "If you end up having your toes stepped on, don't say I didn't warn you."
"I can handle a few bruised toes… just don't break anything."
"No promises this time, I know how you love to twist them around."
Sonny and Courtney glanced at one another, having a good natured chuckle at Jason's expense. The funny part was that, while he tried to play it off like he had no idea what he was doing, Jason was actually quite the dancer. Perhaps the inherent knowledge of the Quartermaine parties was still dormant in his mind, as long as it was only something harmless like that and not something that would destroy their lives, nobody would complain.
Sonny stood up, "No reason why I can't share a dance with my baby sister, right?"
Courtney grabbed his hand, "How could I resist an offer like that?" Her lilac dress shimmered in the dim light as she walked over with him, a comfortable distance away from her husband and her best friend.
"The last time I saw you look this beautiful was on your wedding day," Sonny smiled. His sister was gorgeous, there was no denying that. Sonny, of course, had nothing but sibling love for Courtney, but she was quite thankful that Sonny had no clue about her when she was a teenager. He would have played the overprotective brother, and a pretty girl like Courtney would have had plenty of scorned dates.
"You don't look that bad yourself. The tie suits you…"
"Thanks."
"I wish dad could be here…" it was a simple wish, but she looked at Sonny and knew that she probably shouldn't have said anything.
"Before you go thinking that I had something to do with Mike's non-invitation, you should know that everything was planned by Carly, including the guest list."
"If she would have invited him…"
"I would have welcomed him with open arms. Mike and I may have our issues… but that doesn't mean that we have to avoid each other."
New York, New York-
It was a late night, and he knew that sleep wouldn't be an option. Even though he was relatively far from Times Square the sounds carried enough to keep him up. He usually tried to get away from New York on New Years Eve, but he was glad that he had managed to stay this year.
John Durant picked up his phone and dialed a number. Normally he wouldn't call so late, but even older people stayed up till midnight on New Years Eve. Besides, it was important. "Hey, it's me. Cancel all my plans for the time being. I've got something that I need to take care of in Port Charles. Yes, I know who stays there… that's the reason why I'm going. Thanks. I'll give you updates, of course." John hung up the phone.
He looked out the window at the city that he had vowed to protect. He had done a good job, at least in his mind. Crime had gone down, and in such a big city like New York even the smallest amount of crime going down was helpful to the innocent people who did abide by the law.
The lights of the city reflected into his window, illuminating his face. "Sonny, you might have tried to be subtle, but I know you're out to get me… I don't intend on going easily."
Kelly's-
"Can I just say one thing?"
"What would that be?"
"God hates us."
Elizabeth laughed, "God doesn't hate anyone, Ric, not even you."
"Then why, Elizabeth, does he always make sure that whenever we have plans that involve the two of us having a good time it ends up with something like this happening? I mean, really, the last place I wanted to spend New Years Eve with my fiancé was at Kelly's, the place where you always end up spending the most time, but here we are, stuck inside of Kelly's, no less, because we couldn't make it out into the car without freezing to death. We were supposed to have a nice late night picnic by the stars… and we don't get that."
"Do you think it matters?"
"It matters to me. I wanted you to be happy."
Elizabeth kissed him on the cheek. Mike was somewhere else. He hadn't left, nobody could leave, they were just fortunate that the restaurant was empty by the time the snow got so bad that people couldn't leave. There were those that were upstairs in the apartments, but they had yet to come down. "When did you get the idea that I wasn't happy with what I have right now?"
"You're just saying that to make me feel better."
"Am I?" She pulled away. "Ric, I wouldn't say something just because I thought you needed it to make your bruised ego heal itself, you know me better than that. I told you that it didn't matter where we spent time together, as long as it was with you I wouldn't need anything else."
"Sorry," he apologized, looking at the clock. The time was nearing ever closer. It wasn't Elizabeth's fault that he and Sonny had an altercation. It wasn't even his fault. He tried to be nice to his brother, but Sonny made sure that being nice was something that could never happen. Why couldn't Sonny just forgive him?
"No more miserable thoughts for the rest of the year, do you hear me?"
"No more miserable thoughts for the rest of the year." He knew he could handle it, there wasn't much time left.
Quartermaine Mansion-
"I hate this!"
"Dillon," Georgie gave her boyfriend a sympathetic pat on the hand. She wasn't enjoying the idea very much either, but what could she do? The car they took was probably buried in snow and it wouldn't go away for a long time. She was stuck in the mansion, which used to be something that would appeal to her as a child, but that was before she knew Tracy and Dillon. If Tracy were gone she would be having the time of her life, but that wasn't the case.
"No, don't even try and make me think that the situation is better than it seems, because you can't! I'm stuck here, in the mansion, the place that I tried to leave with everything that I have in my being, with my mother…"
"And me."
"Sorry that you got stuck doing this, I told you to go back to your house, you could have saved yourself."
"And left you to deal with your family alone?" Georgie shook her head. "Besides, I told you that it didn't matter where we spent New Years Eve, just as long as we were together, and it looks like we're together."
"I would have rather been at Kelly's."
Georgie looked out of the corner of her eye and saw Tracy's leering glare at her. It made the teenager's blood run cold. "You and me both."
New York, New York-
"Could those pajamas have cost any more?"
"Yeah, probably."
Damian shook his head, "You're good at making the situation worse, you know that?"
"I thought that was why you loved me."
"I have plenty of reasons for loving you, Maxie."
The city began to cheer as they both looked at the clock. 11:59, one minute to go until the year was over.
"You nervous?" Maxie asked.
"Why would I be nervous? I've brought in plenty of years in my life, this shouldn't be any different."
"I'm nervous."
"Why?"
"Because this is the first time I've ever started a year with someone that I really love and I don't want to ruin it."
Damian smiled, "You won't."
They waited a few more seconds for the countdown to begin. They couldn't see the ball dropping, but they didn't need eyes to hear the people as they went down from second to second. When the cheers erupted the two young lovers embraced one another.
Elizabeth and Ric kissed from opposite ends of one of the tables at Kelly's, determined to make their second chance at a life together work much better than the first.
Georgie and Dillon hugged as they shared a passionate kiss, the old grandfather clock of the Quartermaine Mansion still ringing near them. It wasn't the ideal way that they would spend their New Years Eve together, but as long as they were with one another it didn't really matter.
The dancing had ended, partners had been switched as Husbands and Wives kissed their respective partners in the Corinthos household. As always, none of them had any clue about what they were going to do in the following year, if they would make it to the end. They only knew that their love would keep on going, even long after they were gone.
John Durant listened to the cheers with a sadistic smile on his face. "Sonny, you and Jason just brought in your last year as free men, I promise you that."