Greystone
A smaller group of friends and family met at Sonny and Carly's for the reception. Kellie, looking for a few moments alone, found her way to Sonny's study. She was tracing the edge of the desk when Dante found her.
"I wondered where you went off to," Dante said.
"I just needed a few moments to think," Kellie said.
"I don't blame you," Dante said, "Especially with the families insinuating ideas about your role in Dad's business. At his funeral of all things."
"You overheard that," Kellie said.
"Kind of hard not to," Dante said, noting Kellie seemed distracted, "Hey, what's going on? You seem kind of I don't know."
"How are any of us supposed to seem?" Kellie asked.
"Point taken," Dante said, "It's just I know you have certain expectations on you being Jason's wife."
"It's not just that I'm Jason's wife, Dante," Kellie said, moving behind the desk.
"What are you doing?" Dante asked as Kellie disappeared behind the desk. He heard the sound of a drawer open and Kellie moving stuff in the drawer.
"Looking for the good stuff," Kellie said, setting a bottle of high-end scotch on the desk.
"So that's where Dad kept it," Dante said, "But wait, I've seen that drawer, Dad never kept…"
"False bottom," Kellie said, putting glasses on the desk and standing up, "And you call yourself a detective."
"Former detective. How long have you known about that?" Dante asked.
"I figured it out years ago," Kellie said, opening the bottle and pouring into the glasses, "When I first came to Port Charles. I could barely stand to be in the same room as Dad and didn't get a really get a choice about living accommodations after being injured. Soon as I didn't need pain killers, I found the good stash."
"Did he ever figure it out?" Dante asked.
"Not that I'm aware of," Kellie said, handing Dante a glass.
Dante looked skeptical, "It feels kind of wrong to…."
"Seriously, who else is going to drink it," Kellie said, "And consider this the one time you get to sneak into dad's good liquor like we might have as kids together."
"Speak for yourself," Dante said, "You might have broken into Dad's liquor. Your juvie record was probably colorful."
"Any thing on my juvie record was related to me to leaving bad situations," Kellie said, "Or defending myself. I had enough trouble without throwing drugs, liquor, or other mischief into the mix."
Kellie set the drink on the desk and pushed it towards Dante. Then proceeded to drink hers.
"Last I checked you were never partial to scotch," Dante said.
"I make an exception for this," Kellie said, "Come on, don't make me drink this by myself. You're not as straight-laced as you like to think you are."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Dante said, reaching for the glass and taking a sip, "You're right this is good stuff."
"I told you," Kellie said, moving out from behind the desk.
"Well, expensive scotch doesn't mean I'm going to drop the conversation we started," Dante said.
"A conversation we shouldn't even be having," Kellie said.
"I'm worried about you," Dante said, "I know that Dad being gone leaves a void in a business that really shouldn't exist. Granted Jason is obviously prepared to step in. I worry about you getting mixed up in it."
"Probably too late for that," Kellie said.
"No, Kellie," Dante said, "Don't let Jason or the families or Cyrus or any one else drag you in. We both know you don't want any part of that."
"All I'm trying to do is make sure everyone stays safe and unharmed," Kellie said.
"But at what cost?" Dante asked.
"Dante, you do realize that my limits might be different than yours," Kellie said, sitting on the floor against the desk.
Dante sat down on the floor, "Do you know what they are? Have you thought about where you draw the line?"
"I have, Dante," Kellie said, "How could I not?"
"Why do I get the feeling that you may have already done something questionable?" Dante said, taking a drink.
"Even if I had done something questionable," Kellie replied, "It's not a discussion you and I would be having."
"I hope you know what you're doing," Dante said.
"Always," Kellie said, "How are things with Rocco and Lulu?"
"Lulu's been a rock through all this with losing Dad," Dante said, "I think we might be on our way to getting back together maybe it's going to be awhile. She was ready to move on with Dustin and.."
"Be patient, and don't screw it up by deciding to on missions without talking to her again," Kellie said.
"Never again," Dante said, "Did we toast Dad?"
"No," Kellie said.
"It is his scotch," Dante said, "We probably should."
"We need more scotch for that," Kellie said, realizing their glasses were empty.
"You're right," Dante said, standing up slightly and grabbing the bottle off the desk. He poured the scotch into his and Kellie's glasses.
"So what are we going to toast Dad for?" Dante asked.
"Keep it short," Kellie said, "It is complicated for both of us. He shot you. He and I disowned each other multiple times."
"Officially, I accidentally shot myself," Dante said.
"And you worry about my limits," Kellie said.
"You're right. We probably should just keep the toast short," Dante said, raising his glass.
Kellie raised her glass, "To Dad."
"To Dad," Dante said, as they clinked glasses and drank.
Kellie leaned her head against Dante's shoulder, "I miss him. I never considered that would actually be possible."
"It did just seem like he'd keep going forever," Dante said, "Even though a short life span was always a possibility in his line of work."
"You're right," Kellie said, "It did seem that way. He dodged death so many times, part of me thought this day was way off in the future. That there'd always be more time with him."
"Do you ever regret not sticking around or giving him such a hard time?" Dante asked.
"No," Kellie said, "I did what I needed to do for me. I had stuff to sort out, a lot of stuff, when it came to Dad. I couldn't do that near here with him. What about you? You stayed in Port Charles after you found out he was your father."
"But I didn't exactly warm up to him at first," Dante said.
"I'm sure he took every opportunity to let you know he wanted to make things up to you," Kellie said.
"Even when I needed space," Dante said, "He could be pushy like that."
"Tell me about it," Kellie said, "It's why you skipped town and showed up at my doorstep as I was in labor."
"Labor, you didn't realize you were in," Dante said.
"It's not like I wouldn't have figured it out," Kellie said, rolling her eyes, "Besides Mom said you were never supposed to hold that over me."
"Funny, I always forget that part," Dante said.
They sat in silence finishing their drinks when Lulu opened the door and entered the study.
"There you two are," Lulu said, noting the scotch, "You found Sonny's good stuff and you didn't invite me."
"It just kind of happened. Technically, it's a liquor drawer," Dante said, "It was her idea."
"I didn't force you to drink it," Kellie said, setting the glass on the desk and standing up. Dante did the same.
"Steady there," Dante said, noting Kellie was a little tipsy.
"This is not fair," Kellie said, seeing Dante not swaying, "You had the same amount I did."
"Oh, wait until he walks," Lulu said.
"Don't tell tales on me," Dante said.
"She should definitely tell tales on you," Kellie said as Jason appear in the doorway, "Oh look, it's my sexy husband."
Dante covered his ears, "I did not need to hear that."
"Oops, I didn't mean to say that last part out loud," Kellie said, "But seriously, we're adults, Dante. What do you think…you never mind."
"Probably a wise idea to hold those thoughts to yourself," Lulu said, "Dante, I'm heading out if you're ready to go. I'll obviously need your keys."
Dante stumbled towards Lulu, who caught him.
"I think we definitely need to get you home," Lulu said, "You can have fun coming home to the Quartermaines after getting caught in your Dad's liquor cabinet."
"We'll go in the back entrance," Dante said, "Then my mom doesn't have to know."
"She'll bust you the moment you walk in the door," Kellie said.
"Lulu, will protect me," Dante said.
"You're not that cute," Lulu said, "Let's go."
Lulu and Dante awkwardly made their way past Jason.
"She's all yours," Lulu said.
Jason entered the room and stood next to Kellie.
"Are you ready to go home?" Jason asked, sweeping Kellie's hair out of her face.
"Yeah," Kellie said, "I disappeared back here because I needed a break. Then Dante found me and we got to talking and then the scotch…and
Jason interrupted her ramble by pulling her in for a hug.
"I love how you do that," Kellie said, "Just somehow make seem okay even when they're not. I wanted to do that for you today."
"You are," Jason said, "I told you before you're cute when you're buzzed like this."
"And say what I would normally filter when it comes to you," Kellie said, "Tipsy mess wasn't what I had in mind."
"You're not a mess, just grieving," Jason said, leading her towards the door, "Johnny's bringing the car around."
Kellie and Jason's House
Kellie and Jason were changing out of their formal clothes. Kellie was struggling to unzip her dress.
Jason came up behind her.
"Let me," he said, helping her with the zipper.
"Thank you," Kellie said when she turned around to face him, seeing he had unbuttoned his shirt.
"Are you okay or how are you doing?" Kellie asked, "I know today wasn't easy for you either."
"Tired, sad, I guess," Jason said, taking her hand, "Glad that this part of this is over."
"Me too," Kellie said.
It feels like…" Jason started to say.
"It feels like what?" Kellie asked.
"That it's been one thing after another," Jason said, "Like we haven't had time to breathe. I wish we could have held off on the funeral longer and kept looking."
"But our world doesn't leave a lot of room for that," Kellie said, grabbing her phone, "Give me your phone."
"What if something happens?" Jason said, looking at his phone on the night stand, "I might need to handle it."
Kellie dialed a number, "Hey Johnny, I'm leaving Jason's phone and my phone outside the bedroom door. Can you and Frances monitor them and get us if there's something we need to handle just for tonight…..Thank you…."
Kellie grabbed Jason's phone and put the phones out in the hallway.
"Tonight, we breathe," Kellie said, heading back to Jason and took his hand, "Come on."
She led him to the bed, urging him to sit down. Jason pulled her on his lap and rested his head against her shoulder.
They both let their tears fall and stayed that way for awhile.
Eventually Jason lifted his head and wiped a tear from Kellie's face, "Thank you."
"For what?" Kellie asked, absently adjusting his shirt.
"Just this, making it okay," Jason said, "You're better at it than you think."
"I try," Kellie said, her fingers moving towards Jason's bare chest. She touched him then stopped, "Um, I should um…"
"Just stay where you are," Jason said, softly.
"Except my filter is gone and the scotch and you," Kellie said, "I'm um… all over the place right now. I want..But I don't want you to feel like you have to…"
Jason kissed her.
"I want to," Jason said, "I just didn't want to take advantage with everything going on."
"It wouldn't be the first time, my tipsy inhibitions led us to…" Kellie replied and then kissed him.
Jason pulled her closer up against him, kissing her back.
