Chapter 14

He lay in bed eyes shut; he never knew why it was so hard for him to sleep. He didn't get it. He opened his eyes knowing what he would find. Nothing. He would see his penthouse his boring room, a place to sleep. Not his home, that was gone. It was gone long ago. It left with her.

He opened his eyes and was shocked at what he saw. There she was sleeping in his bed, but it wasn't the same. As he surveyed the room it was covered in windows on 3 walls. White curtains kept some of the sun out but the room was still glowing. There was a beautiful view of the ocean out the windows. His breath caught in his throat as he looked at the angel that lay next to him.

She was beautiful. She was taking up most of the bed, but he didn't care he was next to her. He could stare at her forever.

She slowly opened her and wiped the sleep out of them. She looked up and was met with his glowing blue eyes. She smiled as she sat up.

He saw her opened her eye. He couldn't believe it was her. They stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. They couldn't get enough; the bedroom door slamming shut interrupted them.

Looking up at thee end of the bed they were met with a pair of blue eyes. The girl sat, knees bent, feet under her butt, hands on her knees leaning forward examining the two. It was like she had eye contact with both of them that was never broken.

The man and woman looked to each other as the girl continued to stare them down. They remained in silence, not sure what to say. Finally, He broke the gaze of his one true love, his home, and his heart to look at the girl. She had his eyes, her smile, and their hair. She was so much like them it scared him a bit.

"You shouldn't have done that," the little girl spoke.

"Why not."

"Because she's gone."

The Childs words scared him. He jerked his head to the side and looked. She wasn't there. Nothing was. It was just an empty bed. He turned his head to face the child he was angry. He wanted her next to him.

"Where is she? Bring her back."

"I can't."

"What? Yes you can. Now bring her back," He was mad, why couldn't she come back.

"I can't, and neither can you."

"What?"

"You can't go back. You made you choice. You can't have her, and you can't have me."

And just like that, in the blink of an eye the girl was gone. He was left alone yet again.

-

He shot up in bed. He was covered in a cold sweat. He wasn't sure he could handle it anymore. He had had that dream for years, ever since Courtney left. He dream that dream so much. He couldn't stop it from coming, and he wasn't sure he wanted to stop it. He longed for it to be true. To get lost in it to just not wake up, but he always did. He always woke up.

He thought about her, his love, his life, his Courtney. He loved her. After all these years he loved her and he couldn't stop it. Seeing her at Kelly's only brought those feeling to the surface. Was that why he kept having that dream, it came more frequently over the last week or so, but why.

Then the eyes flashed through his mind, the blue eyes of the child. He had seen them before only they weren't blue they were green.

Slowly he climbed out of bed and pulled a pair of sweat pants on. He walked down the hall and paused in front of the guest room. Why was he in front of the door he wasn't sure why. He slowly cracked the door open. Looking at the bed he found the girl still asleep. He walked in and sat on a chair next to the bed.

He watched her sleep. She seemed to be able to calm him, like Courtney did. Only it was different, and he didn't get it. He wanted to know why. Why he never seemed able to turn his back on this girl, and why had it been so easy to turn his back on Courtney.

He sat there watching the sleeping teen as he thought of the events that led them to his penthouse.

FLASHBACK

"Michael is more Emma's family than he is yours," Carly stated in anger causing everyone to look and wonder what she meant.

Carly looked around the room. Most of them had questioning looks on their faces; however, Sam's was the strangest. It looked as if she would be sick. Then there was Michael, he looked like he would shoot her, and she knew why. She had slipped up. She hadn't meant to say that. Sure she wanted them to know, but it wasn't her place to tell.

"What do you…" the ringing of Carly's phone interrupted Sonny.

Carly breathed a sigh of relief as she picked up her, and answered.

"Hello."

"Hey, Carly it's me."

"Oh my gosh," Carly said so happy she had called, "You're a life saver."

"Thanks," Courtney replied with a small laugh not, "I need a favor."

"Name it, I wasn't expecting to hear from you for a few days," Carly stated as she turned her back on the eavesdropping group and walked away to get some privacy.

"Emma called me. She seemed really upset. I would come…"

"No, You don't have to. I know how important these meetings are. Emma will be fine. I'll make sure of it,"

"Thanks, I'm going to cut my meetings short. I only really need to be at the first couple. I should be there in a week or so."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Carly, don't leave her alone. I know she just needed to talk, but she wouldn't call unless she was really upset. Just watch my baby, ok."

"Of coarse I will. Bye."

"Bye Carly, and Thank You."

Carly hung up the phone and walked back to the group just as Emma walked down the stairs. Carly had her back to the stairs, so Lila was the first to see her.

"Oh my God, I thought you had left," Lila nearly screamed in anger. She wanted this girl gone.

Before Lila could get another word out Carly had run to her side, followed by Michael as he jumped up knocked his chair over only to end up tripping over it and send him smashing into the ground. This caused Emma to laugh, and Carly to smile at seeing her niece laugh.

"Feeling better," Michael questioned as he picked himself up off the ground.

"Who cares if she is," Lila said, her words covered with sarcasm.

"Yes, I'm always better after seeing you make a fool out of your self," Emma's comment gained a slight laugh from Michael as they all ignored Lila.

Kris looked on not sure what to think. Why was Michael so comfy with this girl? Lila didn't like Emma so neither should she. That wasn't the reason that Kris didn't really like her, she didn't even know the girl. She was jealous. She knew her husband wouldn't cheat on her, but she didn't like the closeness between them.

"So should we get back to your place," Emma asked her Aunt.

"About that," Carly said casually.

"What about it,"

"Well how would you like to go into the city," Carly asked hoping Emma would take the bait. She had a meeting for one of her clubs, but she had made Courtney a promise. That and her meeting hadn't been canceled twice already.

"I don't really want to, but sure why not."

"Good, Your leaving," Lila said in an all too happy voice.

"No, Emma you don't want to go, and Kris has to go with, so you can stay with me. I need the company," Michael stated knowing that the last thing Emma needed was a few days in the city with his Mother.

His comment didn't really shock Carly or Emma, but everyone else looked like deer caught in headlights. Everyone had seen the closeness of the two, and wondered what was going on, but the one who was most shocked was Kris.

Emma saw the look on her face, and in her eyes. She wasn't ok with it. Hoping to stop a fight she made a decision.

"No, Michael. People might be uncomfortable with that."

"What? No. It's fine. You'll stay with me."

"No. I won't. It's not your decision it's mine and I'm not gonna. I'll just go with Aunt Carly."

"Oh. That's so sad," Lila commented her voice dripping with sarcasm, "You're really leaving us."

Emma had had enough. First this girl slaps her then she won't shut up about her leaving. Slowly Emma strolled over to Lila, who was still sitting in her chair, and stood right in front of her. Jason, Sonny, Michael, Morgan, Riley, Sam, Carly, and Lila all looked at her. Emma was aware of all the eyes on her. She didn't really care. This girl had gotten away with too much.

"You should learn to keep your mouth shut," Emma state ever so sweetly.

"And why would I want to do that?"

"Because, It'll get you in more trouble than it's worth. I guarantee it," Emma whispered in a now standing Lila's ear.

"Is that a threat," Lila said loud enough for everyone to hear as she smirked. She knew her Dad wouldn't allow this girl to get away with threatening her.

"No. It's a promise, I don't threaten," Emma stated showing no emotion, as she looked her opponent in the eye, "It's more trouble than it's worth to continue whatever it is you have planned."

"You think so," Lila question. Her voice not betraying how truly afraid she was.

Everyone in the room saw her eyes glaze over. They saw her go from happy teen talking with her Aunt, to Mess with me and I'll mess you up. It was a change many of them had seen before. Only it wasn't in this girl, it was in the man that sat across the room.

"I know so," Emma said as she broke eye contact and turned to Kris. Her eyes were softer as she began to speak, "I didn't mean to cause any problems."

"I'll go pack," Emma stated as she turned to walk out of the club.

"She can stay with me."

END FLASHBACK

A phone ringing brought him from his thoughts. He slowly rose from the chair and hurried to the door to answer it before he woke Emma. He looked at her one last time as he shut the door and walked down the hall to get the phone.

It didn't matter. She had been awake the entire time he was there. She couldn't help it. The slap had put memories back in her head, and she was having the dreams again. The ones she had had for so long after everything happened. The ones that scared her to death.