CHAPTER 14

Nearly everyone who had been at the PC Grille followed the ambulance that carried Carly to the hospital. That was 3 hours ago. The General Hospital waiting room was packed to capacity as friend and foe alike all waited for some word that the woman who saved their lives was going to live. After she collapsed the paramedics who were already on the scene worked to resuscitate her. They did manage to restart her heart but she was still unconscious as they loaded her into the ambulance.

Lucas was the first to break the silence. "Umm, excuse me? Agent --…" He gestured his hand in Jeff's direction.

"Its Montgomery but just call me Jeff." He answered

Lucas nodded, "Can you tell us anything about my sister?"

Jeff shook his head, "I know as much about her condition right now as you do."

"I'm not talking about her condition." Lucas sighed, "How did she become apart of the CIA in the first place and for how long."

"I know you have a lot of questions and believe me I would love to give you the answers but unfortunately I can't. Caroline is still a classified Agent. Meaning that she is encoded in our files so that no one knows it her. Of course that's all shot to hell now but until all the information is released at the trial I can't tell you anymore than you already know. " Jeff said sadly

Lucas who was still in many ways just a kid seemed to accept that but Sonny had no intention of accepting any explanation but the truth. "The least you can do is tell us if she's been working in the CIA the entire time she's been in Port Charles."

Jeff looked for a moment like he was about to take pity on everyone and give them something but just the Bill and Charlie walked over to him and pulled him away. The stood huddled in a corner talking quietly. "She's alive and will make a full recovery fairly shortly." Bill said

"That's great but why couldn't you say that infront of her family?" Jeff asked

"Because they can't know that." Bill told him quietly.

"We have Caruso, Marcus, Sorrel and the men who were in town but there are still a lot of other people who would love the chance to kill Carly." Charlie explained.

"So what do we do?" Jeff questioned

Bill shrugged, "We have two options. The first is to tell everyone that she died and then take her to a safe house. The second is to tell them that she went catatonic and we had to take her to a facility out of the country where she isn't allowed to have visitors."

Jeff sighed, "Those are our only options until the trial?"

"My votes for catatonic." Charlie said

"You know that means that Corinthos and Morgan will be looking for her." Jeff said

"But at least when we say its out of the country it will keep them occupied enough not to look for her here." Bill said.

"All right well lets go talk to Carly and tell her the plan." Charlie said.

The three agents walked away quickly. In her room with all the blinds closed and the door locked Carly shouted, "I have to be what?"

"Catatonic." Charlie supplied

"Its just until we can get you out of the hospital. After that you'll be in a safe house until the trial which isn't that far off." Bill said

"You know they'll look for me." Carly said

"That's why we're telling them its out of the country. It will keep them occupied until the trial starts and you and they have to testify." Jeff said, "Listen Ace its either this or we tell them your dead. Your choice."

Carly opened her mouth to protest and then closed it on a sigh. "Fine. Let me get dressed. You all get a wheel chair and a blanket." She ordered, "Oh, see if you can find me a teddy bear. If I have to do this I might as well do it right."

While the men were off finding the articles that Carly requested she pulled out the duffel bag that Jeff had the foresight to bring. She pulled out a pair of stretchy work out pants, a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. She got dressed quickly and pulled on a pair of tennis shoes.

When they came back Carly was messing up her hair. "What do you need this stuff for?" Jeff asked

"You have to take me out the main door and let them see me otherwise you'll never be able to pull this off." Carly said. She sat down in the wheelchair and wrapped herself up in the blanket. She clutched the teddy bear tightly in her hands. "OK. Lets do it."

"All right we've told Tony Jones and your nurses not to say anything or they'll be charged with obstruction of justice. Dr. Mason has agreed to be the one to tell your family. " Bill said.

Carly sighed, "I hate this."

"I know Ace but you've got to." Charlie said

Carly put a blank expression on her face as they wheeled her out of the room. They stopped before going around the final corner and listened as Dr. Mason talked to the crowd in the waiting room.

"At first it appeared as though she would make a full recovery but when she woke up she just went crazy, screaming and crying and then she just stopped. She's sunk very far into herself and we feel that its in her best interest to have her taken to an institution." Dr. Mason explained

"You're sure she's catatonic." Luke asked, having experienced this with Laura.

"Yes unfortunately." Dr. Mason answered and turned as Charlie pushed her wheelchair out to meet the crowd with Bill and Jeff walking just behind.

Sonny and Jason stared heartbroken at the woman in front of them. At first they had thought that the doctor had been lying but one look at her and they knew he wasn't. Carly was gone and the woman before them was a hollow shell of her former self.

Bobbie moved forward to kneel in front of the wheelchair, "Carly its mama, can you hear me?"

Even Luke was fooled, "She's gone Barbara Jean."

"Where are you taking her?" Bobbie asked

"There's a federal sanitarium in Europe where we can keep her safe until the trial and get her the help she needs." Bill answered, "We will ask that for her safety you refrain from visiting. I will request to have updates sent to you weekly."

"You're sure its necessary to send her out of the country." Jason questioned

"Yes, there are certain elements to the case that make it better to get her as far away from Port Charles as possible." Charlie answered

Bobbie, Lucas, Courtney, Jax, Sonny and Jason all hugged Carly goodbye and kissed her cheek.

Once the elevator doors had closed behind them Carly felt a tear fun down her cheek. "I can't believe I just did that to them."

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