Second Chances

Chapter 10

"I'm sorry miss but you can't be in here. We need to take Mr. Corinthos up to surgery."

"It's Dr. Quartermaine." Emily said with some defiance." and this is my patient."

"You're Emily Quartermaine? So the wandering daughter comes home. I've worked with both of your parents on operations. They are both good doctors.

"Yes, they are. Now look he has a bullet wound to his upper right quadrant. The pulse was thready and his BP is shaky." Emily said looking at his chart.

Dr. Patrick Drake looked at the young woman. She was quite beautiful and had a feisty temper. She also looked exhausted. She obviously cared about Corinthos. What was a beautiful woman like her doing being involved with Corinthos? Patrick also remembered reading that she had been married to Nikolas Cassadine who had died under questionable circumstances. There were rumors of insider trading and being involved with the mob. She had quite a complicated life. Drs Quartermaine must love the fact that their daughter is involved with the local mobster. It would have been priceless to see Alan's reaction.

"Look I'm one of the best trauma surgeons around here. If you are aware about how serious his trauma is then you know that we need to get him to surgery. I'm worried that the bullet perforated a lung. I understand that you probably have some training as a student."

"I am fully qualified. I was trained at the Sorbonne in Paris. I worked with Doctors without Borders for 2 years before opening my own practice in Madrid, so stop patronizing me. I deal with trauma cases at my clinic in Madrid. I am well aware with what we are dealing with. Look we need to stabilize his vitals first. Surgery could kill him if you did it right now." Emily said defiantly to Patrick.

"Is there a problem in here Dr. Drake?" another voice questioned.

"No Dr. Quartermaine. I was just explaining to your daughter..." Patrick began.

"Emily..." Monica said looking at her daughter. Emily was all grown up. She looked tired though. There was blood on the front of her sweater.

"Emily are you hurt?"

"No I'm fine. It's Michael...Sonny he was hurt in a fight. I stopped the bleeding. I was trying to explain to Dr. Drake that he needs to be stabilized before he is moved into surgery." Emily explained showing her mother the chart.

Monica looked at her daughter. How did she know Sonny Corinthos? Emily had lived halfway across the world in Madrid. Monica had tried to convince her daughter to come home but Emily wanted to stay in Madrid. She was needed there. She had a purpose. She wanted to raise her son there.

"Carlos?" Monica questioned thinking about her grandson.

"He's outside with Jason." Emily said.

Monica looked over the chart.

"Emily I think Dr. Drake is right. Prep Mr. Corinthos for surgery and get an O.R. ready. If we wait to let his stats stabilize he could get worse. We need to move now." Monica said to a nurse. She pulled Emily aside as they got Sonny ready for transport up to the ER.

"Emily we can wait out here." Monica said putting her arm around her daughter's shoulder.

Emily and Monica walked outside. Monica looked at her daughter and hugged her.

"Emily are you alright? What are you doing here?" Monica questioned.

"I came here for Liz Webber's wedding. You remember we went to school together. She's getting married to Max Giambatti." Emily said

"I heard something about that. Emily are you alright?"

"I'm o.k. but Sonny?" Emily questioned looking in the trauma room. Just then the door opened and Sonny was brought out. "Stop please just let me say goodbye to him."

Emily walked over and saw Sonny. There were all sorts of wires on him.

"Sonny que usted sostiene encendido muy bien. No voy a perderle otra vez. Carlos y yo le necesitamos. Estancia con nosotros. Sonny te quiero."(Sonny you hold on o.k. I'm not going to lose you again. Carlos and I need you. Stay with us. Sonny I love you.) Emily said as she kissed Sonny on the cheek. Monica pulled her back. Emily brushed a tear aside and Monica held her.

"Where's my son? I heard that he was here. I want to see him now." Hector said as he entered the hospital. Manuel saw him and walked over.

"Carlos what are you doing here?" Jason said as he walked over to the older man. Hector looked over at Jason.

"Jason I can explain. Manuel what happened to Michael?"

"He's been taken to the trauma room sir. Sonny was hit in the chest. He's in surgery right now. Ms. Quartermaine and your grandson are doing fine. You're grandson is over there."

"Grandson what are you talking about?" Jason said looking at Carlos.

"Jason I can explain..." Hector said.

"This is Senor Corinthos Jason, Sonny's father. I've been working for him. It's a long story."

"I'd say so. You told Emily..." Jason said trying to understand.

"I know I wanted to keep an eye on her. I thought that Michael had died in Madrid in that car explosion. I never knew that he lived. If I had I never would have kept your sister away from him. I couldn't tell her who I was and put her in more danger. I'll explain everything Jason." Hector said knowing that the young man didn't understand him.

Carlos who had been sitting over by the window with a nurse saw Hector and rushed over to him. Hector picked up the little boy and hugged him close.

"¿Qué usted está haciendo aquí? ¿Usted vino ver a mama? Había malos hombres."( What are you doing here? Did you come to see mama. There were all sorts of bad men.)

"Sé. Estoy apesadumbrado mi muchacho. Se aprueba. Todo será fino. El papa está aquí."( I know I'm sorry my boy. Everything will be fine. Papa is here.) Hector said stroking the young boy's hair.

Jason looked at the older man.

"Jason I can explain..." Hector said looking at his young friend.

"What are you doing holding my grandson sir ? " Alan questioned.

" And you must be Dr. Quartermaine. Jason could you please take Carlos." Hector said looking between Jason and Alan.

"Yes." Jason said."Hey sport lets go look at some books."

"I've come to see my son. I understand that he was brought here." Hector said looking at Alan.

"Who is your son?"

"Michael Corinthos. I'm his father and that was my grandson that I was holding."
Hector said.

Everyone gasped.

Emily and Monica walked out. Monica had grabbed Emily a pair of scrubs to wear.

"Emily, how do you know Sonny?" Monica said.

"He's Michael, mom." Emily said.

"Michael ? As in your Michael that died. Emily he died. You saw him die in that explosion."

"He didn't...He faked his death to protect me. Luis threatened me. I'm fine but Sonny was worried so he left me." Emily said brushing away tears. "He's alive. Carlos has his father again...Carlos cuáles son usted que hace aquí(Carlos...what are you doing here?)

Emily said looking at the older man. She rushed over. Hector held Emily close to him.

"Suy pensó que usted estaba en Madrid en la clínica. ¿Qué usted está haciendo aquí? Está algo mal con Lily?"(I thought you were at the clinic in Madrid. What are you doing here? Did something happen to Lily?)

"Lily está muy bien. Necesidad de Emily I de decirle algo."(Lily is fine. Emily I need to tell you something.)

"¿Qué usted puede decirme cualquier cosa? Usted me está asustando. Michael es Carlos vivo. Él está vivo y aquí en este hospital. No es eso increíble. ¿Cuál es Carlos?"(What you can tell me anything? You are scaring me. Carlos, Michael is alive. He's alive and here in this hospital. Isn't that incredible. What is it Carlos?) Emily said pulling back. She looked Hector in the eyes. He was worried.

"How do you know this man Emily?" Alan questioned.

"He's an old friend of mine. He helped Lily and I set up our clinic in Madrid. Carlos what is it?" Emily said to her father.

"Emily...you may want to sit down." Hector said leading Emily over to the chair. Emily sat down. Hector sat across from her. He knew once she heard the truth she would never forgive him. He had to take the chance. Jason sensing something took Carlos over by the window and started telling him a story. Monica went over and the little boy giggled when he saw his grandmother. Monica laughed with the little boy. She couldn't deny that he looked like Sonny. The little boy started laughing and giggling. Hector looked at his grandson. Emily watched her son with her mother.

"Emily are you o.k. You didn't get hurt? I'm sorry you never should have been put in that much danger. If I had a clue that..." Hector said taking both of her hands.

"No, I'm o.k." Emily said.

"Emily my name isn't Carlos Rodriguez. My name is Hector Corinthos."

"Corithos..." Emily said quietly.

"Michael is my son. I wanted to tell you."

Emily stood up and started walking around. She brushed a hand through her long brown hair.

"What are you talking about?"

"Please let me explain. Michael thought that I had died. I let him to keep him safe."

"Like your son did to us." Emily said laughing. She looked at her oldest friend. He had been there for her when she fell apart after Sonny was killed. He had helped her.

"Yes Emily if I had ever known that he was alive I would have told you. I thought that he had died. I had gone to Madrid to be closer to my wife who died. I read about Michael's restaurant and saw you that night with him. He seemed so happy. I couldn't take the chance that they people that tried to kill me would kill him."

"But you helped me grieve...you lied to me. You were the one that put him in danger? You were the reason that car..." Hector said getting up. He walked over to Emily and put his hand on her shoulder. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

Emily flashed back to that night walking across the road. It was late at night. She was heading to the clinic. She had Carlos in a stroller. A car came out of nowhere and nearly hit them. Hector had pushed them out of the way. Hector flashes on that night realizing he had no choice but to come out of hiding. He had just found out that Sonny was still alive but was working for Luis. Hector questioned why his son would return to a business that he despised so much. Why did he leave the woman he loved? Hector needed to understand. He was planning on telling Emily that night that Sonny was alive when he found out that Luis was behind the hit. Hector was furious nobody threatened his innocent grandson and Emily. Hector also realized that Luis had threatened Emily and that's why Sonny had left. Hector realized then he had to deal with Luis first. He needed to put everything in place.

"No Emily I never would have put my grandson in that danger. He's fine now."

"But the clinic?" Emily questioned.

"I agreed that it was a good business deal that's why I invested the money in it. I wanted to help you."

"You wanted to help because of Sonny right? "

"Yes but you had also become a good friend. You were like a daughter to me Emily."

Everyone listened to the conversation. Jason looked over he flashed on coming to visit Emily in Madrid soon after she thought that Sonny had been killed. She had been devastated. Hector would show up ever so often to check on Emily. Emily told him that he was a benefactor of the clinic. He had been injured in an accident and Emily had taken care of him. They had become friends. When the clinic went into hard times, Hector put up the money. He was a good friend of Emily's. When Sonny supposedly died, Hector was there for Emily. He helped pay all of her bills. It was a difficult pregnancy. Emily didn't want to tell her family until after the baby was born. She had shown her son to their parents and Alan had been cruel to her calling the baby a bastard. Emily had slapped her father and refused to speak to him again. Monica wanted to spend time with her daughter. She loved her grandson. Emily agreed to stay in Port Charles for a bit. Jason realized that by chance Emily and Sonny were in Port Charles at the same time. They were so close to each other without realizing it. When the people started talking again about Emily and Nikolas Emily realized she had to leave. She returned to Madrid by that time Hector had left Madrid and had gone to Puerto Rico.

"Emily you can't believe what this man is telling you? " Alan said.

"I do. Hector was more of a father to me when I lost Sonny then you ever were." Emily said with defiance in her voice.

Just then Dr. Drake came by.

"The surgery went good. He's in recovery right now. The bullet perforated his right lung causing it to collapse. We were able to reinflate it and stablize him. He should be fine. You can go and see him now Dr. Quartermaine." Partick said looking at Emily. Emily looked at Hector then her son.

"Go I'll watch him. Go be with Sonny." Hector said as he lightly kissed Emily on the temple.