Second Chances

Chapter 13

Sonny and his father had sat there in silence after Emily had left the room. They weren't sure what to say to each other. It had been so long. Sonny questioned how his father knew Emily. There was a look and a simple touch between them before she left the room. It was one of familiarity. Hector looked at his son and questioned where to begin.

"How are you feeling now, Sonny? If I had known sooner..." Hector said coming to sit down beside his son. Hector had gotten a call from one of his contacts that he had placed deep in the organization. This man had been feeding Hector information since Hector had figured out that Luis was behind the hit. Hector wasn't sure that he had to make a move until he heard about the call from Luis. The contact couldn't make a move without blowing his cover. Hector then told Sonny hoping that Sonny and Manuel would get to the airport in time. It had almost been too late.

"You knew that this was going to happen?" Sonny questioned.

"I got a call before you arrived at the warehouse. I was going to send Manuel but I didn't want to warn Luis. I was worried that he would do something worse."

"You had somebody there. I could have been killed. You realize that. Emily and my son could have been killed because all of your pieces had to be in the right place. Do you realize that?" Sonny cursed trying to sit up.

"I know. Michael sit down. You need to relax." Hector tried to hold him back.

A nurse rushed in hearing the commotion.

"What is happening in here? This patient is recovering from surgery." The nurse said.

"It's o.k. Nurse. I'm sorry that happened. I promise to keep an eye on my son." Hector said looking at Sonny. The nurse looked at him.

"It's fine. Can he just stay for a bit?" Sonny said looking at the nurse.

"O.k. but you need your rest." The nurse said looking at Hector and shaking her head. Hector walked over and sat down beside his son again.

"How did you even know about Emily? You were in Madrid the same time that I was weren't you? Answer me." Sonny said looking at his father.

"Yes, I met her in Madrid long before she met you. After the party and the hitman left, I was able to sneak out of the house. I was able to get to Manuel's place and he patched me up. I didn't know who was behind the hit. I wasn't sure who to trust. I moved to Spain to be close and mourn your mother and brother. I wasn't sure what to do. I needed time to figure out who was behind the hit. I had no clue that your brother was behind any of this. Michael you have to believe me."

Hector looked at Sonny. Sonny said nothing and waited for his father to continue. Hector walked over to the window and looked out at the darkness. A light rain had started to fall again much like that night.

"I met Emily by chance. It was many years later, she had just moved to Spain after the death of her husband. She was working at the clinic. I was injured in a stupid accident that was my fault. I went to the clinic and Emily took care of me. She wanted to send me to the hospital but I told her that I couldn't. She didn't question my answer. She seemed to understand. Over the next couple of weeks, she would come by my house and take care of me. She told me of her life in Port Charles and her husband Nikolas. She and I became good friends. Nothing more you have to believe me. The clinic went into disrepair after the investors left. It was hard times back then. I agreed to invest back in the clinic for Emily's sake. I was using the name Carlos Rodriguez as a cover at the time."

"Carlos?" Sonny said looking at his father.

"Yes, it was ironic. Emily named your son after his grandfather without knowing. I was there for her after...you died again. She needed someone. She was devastated when she thought that she had lost you. Emily's brother Jason came and stayed with her when I had her friend Lily call him. It was then that I got a call that told me about Luis and you returning to the business." Hector said looking at his son.

"I had no choice about returning to the business. Luis would have killed the woman that I loved again if I didn't return. He gave me a choice. I had to leave."

"What do you mean again?" Hector said looking at his son.

Emily heard the yelling in the hall. She walked down towards Sonny's room. She could hear him talking with his father. She was still so furious with Alan. Jason had come and tried to talk to her. Emily asked if he could watch over her son for a bit longer. Jason told her that he had to deal with Carly. Carlos was with Elizabeth and Max in the cafeteria. Elizabeth was just about to start her shift at the hospital. Emily stopped outside of the door. She could see a nurse walking over.

"There they go again. I need to go and call a doctor. Mr. Corinthos doesn't need to be anymore agitated. He just had major surgery. Dr. Drake will have my hide if something happens to his patient." The nurse said heading towards the door.

"I'm Dr. Quartermaine. My parents run this hospital. I'll take full responsibility for the patient." Emily said showing her credentials to the nurse.

"Fine but I warn you Dr. Drake is not happy when something happens to one of his patients." The nurse said walking back towards the nurse's station.

"He murdered my fiancée Lily while she was returning home from work. I was planning on leaving the business and taking Lily with me. I wanted to start another life elsewhere. The night we were planning on leaving, Lily had to return to the school to finish up some final paperwork. I told her to take some guards with her and she refused. She said it would only take a couple of minutes. She didn't return so I sent some men out to find her. I got a call when...they found her body. The police assumed that some pigs had robbed her and raped her. I knew better. I went looking for who did this to her. I got a letter with photos and the ring. I knew what had happened. She was killed because of me." Sonny brushed his hair aside and looked out the door.

"Sonny I am sorry that you lost Lily." Hector said walking over towards his son.

"No, you are not sorry. So don't even bother trying to tell me that. You could have stopped this. You could have come back to the business. You could have spared me all of this. I had just lost mama and Lorenzo. I mourned you. Why did you let me go through that agony? Why did you leave me with Luis?" Sonny's voice was trembling with anger and sadness. He brushed a hand past his face and looked at his father.

"I thought I was protecting you. I had no clue that your brother was behind the attack. I had no clue what he did to your Lily. I never would have put you within harms way. I thought that your brother would take care of you." Hector said looking at his youngest son. He could see what the business had done to his son.

"He did. He forced me to learn a business that I cared nothing about. Don't worry I became a very important asset. I was able to negotiate deals with the other families that were very profitable. I made us very powerful." Sonny face was cold as stone again.

"But you were dying inside. I can hear it in your voice. Michael..." Hector went to touch his son's arm but Sonny brushed it aside.

"I survived. I became the ruthless businessman that my brother wanted. I learned the business. I learned how the rules went. I learned that you never questioned one of Luis's orders ever." Sonny said with bitterness in his voice.

"That's why you left?" Hector said hearing something else in his son's voice.

Sonny flashed back on laughing with Lily in school. She would have been so incredible.

"I had no choice. Luis made it very clear that if I tested him again what happened to Lily would happen again." Sonny said with anger in his voice. Sonny flashes on the pictures of what had happened to Lily along with the family ring that had come in the envelope. The warning was clear. The pictures had arrived while he was working at the restaurant. Sofia passed him the envelope saying that a man left it at the front door. There was also a letter telling him to meet Luis outside the business the next night. That night was last night that he saw Emily again.

"Luis finding you is why you left Emily in Madrid wasn't it. You never wanted to leave her? "

"No, I loved her. I still love her. I would have spent my whole life with her. I felt alive again with her. I had to leave or else Luis would have killed her. I was not going to let that happen again." Sonny said with regret in his voice.

Emily brushed tears aside hearing Sonny say that he still loved her. She felt the same way about him.

"I understand that you took responsibility for one of my patients when you had no right to."

Emily looked over and saw Dr. Drake looking at her.

"I just got the page from Nurse Wilson. I understand that Mr. Corinthos has become quite agitated. You realize what could happen with his sutures. I don't know what kind of medical training they give you over in Europe but here that could cause some real damage to a patient."

"I understand that. The patient is stable and doing fine."

"And you know this how?" Dr. Drake questioned and shook his head.

"Dr. Quartermaine is one of the top doctors in her field. She trained at the Sorbonne and I believe with Doctors without Borders. I advise you to give her a bit more respect. She has seen a lot more trauma surgery than you have. Emily it is good to see you again."

Emily looked over and saw Jacob Keller looking at her. He looked about the same with his reddish blonde hair blue eyes and perfect smile.

"Dr. Keller, it's good to see you again. I understand that you are working with my mother now." Emily said with a politeness in her voice.

"I am. Dr. Quartermaine is one of the top cardiologists in her field. She had two positions open this year. I transferred her from Columbia in New York to work with her. I was hoping I might see you again. Your father called and said that you were in town for a bit. I understand that you have a small son now." Jacob said looking at Emily. She was a beautiful as he remembered.

"I do."

Dr. Drake listened to the conversation between them. Just then a voice came over the PA system.

"Dr. Drake please go to room 1915.

"I'm sorry but I have to go." Dr. Drake said looking at them and leaving.

"He can be a bit of a pompous jerk sometimes but he is one of the best thoracic surgeons in the business." Jacob said walking closer and touching her hand. "It's really wonderful to see you again Emily. "Do you know the Corinthos family?"

"It's a long story."

"Why don't you tell me over dinner? I get off in a couple of hours. If you want some advice stay away from the Corinthos family. There is always violence around them. They have brought nothing but trouble to Port Charles. He was probably shot by a rival family. I heard that they just pulled the brother's body out of the harbour earlier. I guess that Mr. Corinthos didn't get away that is really too bad."

"Jacob, I can't believe that you said that. We have an oath to do no harm. We are supposed to save people. Sonny was shot protecting my son and me tonight." Emily said with anger in her voice.

"Well you would probably do better keeping away from them." Jacob said looking at Emily. "Your father is worried about you."

"Emily I thought I heard your voice out here." Hector said walking out of the room. "Where's Carlos?"

"He's in the cafeteria with some friends. How is Sonny doing?" Emily questioned.

"Oh I'm sorry is this a friend of the family." Hector said looking over at Jacob.

"No, just an old friend of the family. Hector Corinthos this is Dr. Jacob Keller.

Jacob looked at Emily and started to walk away when it was clear that Emily knew the Corinthos family.

"Emily are you o.k.? Was that man bothering you?" Hector said sensing the tension in her arm.

"No, I'm fine. How is Sonny?"

"Better but he is so bitter. He still loves you very much Emily. You should go and see him. Emily is something wrong?" Hector turned Emily's face so she was looking at him. He could see the worry in her brown eyes. "It isn't Sonny."

"Sonny está muy bien. El Dr. Keller acaba de decirme que el cuerpo de Luis fuera encontrado en el puerto por el policía. Sé que él era su hijo. Estoy apesadumbrado." (Sonny is going to be fine. Dr. Keller just told me the police found Luis's body in the harbour. I know he was your son. I'm sorry.)
Hector looked at Emily. He doubted she would be sorry when she found out what had happened tonight. She was always so gentle with everyone. He pulled her aside. He watched as a pair of nurses walked by. Hector opened the door to a stairway and led Emily inside.

"I'm not. Emily he's behind everything that happened tonight. He needed to be taken care of. Nobody goes after my family and lives. I had no choice. He was going to kill me. Manuel made a choice that saved my life." Hector says with quiet anger in his voice. Emily listened to her old friend. She never knew this side of him. She couldn't breathe or think. She started gasping for breath.

"He was the one. The man at the restaurant?" Emily remembers seeing a limo arrive just as she was leaving with Elizabeth. She saw Sonny get very animated. She realized afterwards that it was the same man that Sonny was arguing with outside the restaurant in Madrid.

"Yes, He didn't want Sonny to know about his family." Hector said trying to calm Emily down. Emily sat down on the stairs. Hector looked at her.

"Why?" Emily questioned looking at Hector.

"There was a codicil in my will. My entire fortune went to my first born grandson Emily. I made the provision the night before the party." Hector said. It dawned on him then that Luis had been in the living room when he made the changes.
Just then Emily and Hector heard voices coming from outside the door. Emily and Hector rushed into Sonny's room. A police officer was standing there interrogating Sonny.

"I am not going to speak to you until my lawyer is present. Ouch." Sonny said sitting up.

"Sonny lie back down. I need you to leave this room." Emily said rushing over to Sonny's side.

"Emily...you don't need to be here." Sonny said looking at her.

"I'm sorry Miss but D.A. Davis wants us to talk to him. This is a police matter if you could please stand out of the room." Lucky Spencer said before turning around.

"I'm Dr. Quartermaine and this is my patient."

"Emily...what are you doing back in Port Charles? I thought that you had left."

"I came to see my family. I thought you had left for New York."

"I was. I work for the FBI now."

"Did you work for them back then as well Lucky? Were you just doing an investigation?" Emily said looking at Lucky.

"Emily I had no choice. There was evidence that Nikolas was working with organized crime. I needed to find out if it was the truth. I'm sorry."

"Why are you here for Sonny?"

"It's part of the same investigation. I'm sorry Nikolas had ties to Mr. Corinthos. I've been conducting an investigation on drug smuggling along with the DEA. We got a tip that there was a huge shipment of drugs at Mr. Corinthos's warehouse. We raided it tonight. We found all the paperwork. We also found a blood trail as well. The police just pulled Mr. Corinthos's brother's body out of the water. He had been shot once in the back. We are pretty sure that Luis Alcazar's blood will match the blood pool at the warehouse. We have an account of an altercation between Mr. Corinthos and his brother outside the PC Grill tonight. DA Davis wanted us to move in tonight. Mr. Corinthos. Emily I have no choice. I have to do my job."

Emily looked at Lucky. She never thought that she would see his face again.