Chapter Seven: Homeward Bound

What she remembered most was Annabeth's voice in the airport. She didn't ask her to join them—Annabeth hadn't stepped foot on an airplane willingly since the crash in 1972 that killed her husband and daughter, and that almost killed her as well. She didn't even like airports, but she'd come alone with them, braving the sights and sounds to see them off at the terminal.

"Be brave," she'd whispered into Tracy's hair.

Be brave.

Tracy leaned back into her first class seat, wondering how messed up she must have been to allow Simon and Annabeth to talk her into this trip back to Port Charles. The entire incident in her office seemed like a dream, even though only a few hours had passed. The red eye was deserted, with just a few hardy business travelers in coach and one elderly couple on the other side of first class filling out the passenger list.

The safety drill was old hat to her, so she just zoned out while the flight attendant showed them the exits, how to buckle the seatbelts, and how to use their seat backs as a flotation device in the event of a water landing.

Simon was absolutely silent next to her.

How had this happened? How had her entire life blown up in the course of a few hours?

Tracy Quartermaine. She hadn't even spoken the name aloud in 20 years, yet it still felt right. She'd answered their questions, stilting, confused.

Yes, Edward was her father.

Yes, she had been estranged—banished, was the word she'd used.

"Banished, as in feudal Europe?"

It had sounded so bad when Simon asked the question. Like they were freaks. Like what family actually banishes a son or daughter in this modern age? She'd watched their faces as she told them the modified version, edited for family viewing. She'd run afoul of her father, angered him in a way that couldn't be resolved, and had been cut off. Banished from his life and banished from his family.

How she'd drunk her way across Europe for six weeks, then spun a globe to find a place to create her new life.

How she'd given up on trying to reclaim her place in the family.

How she'd given up on Tracy Quartermaine, and poured all of her strength and energy into creating Tracy Walker and Freedom Energies.

Judging from Simon's stony silence next to her, he'd figured out she was still hiding something from him and he wasn't happy about it. He and Annabeth hadn't pushed for more information. They'd just let her tell her story while Chelsea rushed back to her place to pack a few things.

They were good friends.

Tracy Quartermaine didn't have friends, but Tracy Walker was lucky enough to have two of the best friends in the world.

She looked over at Simon. His eyes were closed as he listened to the last of the safety instructions. He was beautiful, she thought absently as she reached for his hand. His eyes opened, and he turned to face her. There was such concern in his expression, such a strong desire to protect her.

It was so evident in everything he did.

Simon loved her.

And this scared Tracy beyond belief. Tracy Quartermaine, Tracy Walker, it didn't matter.

Love wasn't something Tracy understood, nor was friendship. She understood loyalty, especially to family and company. But Simon…and Annabeth, were a mystery to her. Anyone else would have been furious, outraged at a 20 year lie. But they just held her, comforted her, supported her as they had done for so many years. It was almost as if they were relieved, as if they'd known all along she was lying to them, and were grateful to have at least part of the truth out in the open.

"Be brave," Annabeth had whispered in her hair, during that last lingering embrace before she boarded the plane.

Be brave, Tracy, she told herself as she squeezed Simon's hand wordlessly.

In a few hours, everything would be out in the open. Once they reached General Hospital, once Simon saw her family's reaction to her, she'd never be able to keep the truth from him. It would be the ultimate test of his loyalty to her.

And Tracy…

Well, Tracy just had to be brave and let what happened, happen.

Coming in Chapter Eight: Enter Like a Queen, not a Prodigal Daughter