She's free!
Spencer couldn't stop himself from shaking. Excitement and relief coursed through his veins, the headline from The Invader clear and present on his phone. He swiftly walked from his room to the great room, stopping dead in his tracks when he caught a figure at the table in the corner.
"I see you've gotten the news," Ava beamed, a mimosa in her hand.
"Didn't you move out? Why are you still here?"
"I'm not banned from the castle."
"But you're not welcome here."
"I don't remember Uncle Victor saying that."
"I-" Spencer took a deep breath, "You know what? Today is a good day, and I won't let you ruin it."
"What's there to ruin? You and I are both happy Trina is free from that sham of a trial."
Spencer closed his mouth, his eyes locking with Ava's. A silence weighed over them, existing until Spencer took a seat across from her. It was a sight Nikolas took in as he came from the kitchen, and rather than join them, he stayed in the shadows by the opening.
"You did the right thing," Ava began, "speaking up for her the way you did."
"Trina was innocent. I may have been Esme's 'ally' but I wasn't going to sit there and let Trina's life be ruined."
"Admitting to a prison break to keep a young woman out of jail? That's quite big of you."
"I'm glad Commissioner Ashford decided to let that go. I left to visit my mother's grave, not to go on a joyride."
"And Trina saw you."
"I'd like to think that sealed the deal."
"Don't go crazy," Ava scoffed with a smile, "The only person who saved Trina was Trina. You helped, I won't deny that, but you're not the hero in this story."
"You and I both know how strong Trina is," Spencer leaned in, "but what Esme did to her was something she couldn't fight alone."
"Of course she wasn't alone. She had her family to back her. She had her friends in Joss and Cam, she practically had the whole town behind her. And she had you."
"She always had me."
"Even though your methods of showing it were…unconventional, to say the least."
"I did what I had to do. And now Esme is dead and gone and out of our lives."
"Right," Ava nodded, "I'm quite thankful for that."
Nikolas winced at her tone, Esme flashing in his mind. His heart ached the more their tryst rested on his conscience, his head leaning against the wall.
"Do you plan to see Trina today?" Spencer asked, clasping his hands together on the table.
"She's having a party at The Savoy later tonight and I plan on attending," Ava replied with a smile, "Are you?"
"I'd like to, yes. If she'll let me."
"You don't think she will?"
Spencer paused, averting his gaze. Ava bit her bottom lip, leaning back in her chair. She took a few sips of the mimosa, silence taking over once more.
"...I'm just glad she's free," Spencer muttered, "and I'm glad Esme is gone for good."
"That we can agree," Ava smirked, "See, Spencer? There can be a silver lining in our feud."
"Hmph," Spencer hummed, ducking his head down, "Trina's worth putting up with you."
"Likewise."
"Look at you two," Nikolas came out from around the corner, hands on his hips, "getting along."
Spencer and Ava were quiet, glaring at Nikolas in response.
"...So you're both still mad."
"I am," Spencer responded hastily.
"What do you want, Nikolas?" Ava asked.
"I can't say hello to the members of my family?"
"We're not family," Spencer rolled his eyes.
"I heard about Trina being acquitted. I'm happy for her."
"Really," Ava cleared her throat, "You mean that?"
"I know how much she means to the both of you."
"Oh God get me out of here…" Spencer said under his breath, ducking away from his father.
"You can't keep behaving like this forever, Spencer."
"Watch me."
"Alright, that's enough," Ava sighed, "Today is a day to celebrate. An innocent woman was cleared of the heinous charges against her, and the real culprit is in Hell, where she belongs."
"Thank God for that," Spencer replied before getting to his feet, "I'm glad she was found."
"We have Dex to thank for that."
"You mean Sonny," Nikolas said.
"Well, yes, but Dex actually found her."
"Dex did as he was told. Let's not give this random vagrant more praise than he really earned."
"Vagrant?" Ava raised an eyebrow, "He's your cousin, your aunt's son-"
"I'm aware; I read the birth certificate. For all I know, though, it could be fake."
"I don't think Victor would go out of his way to corner a stranger."
"Doesn't matter."
"Oh come on," Spencer rolled his eyes, "If not for Dex, we'd all still be in trouble."
"Esme being caught on the rocks was lucky. For all we know, she could've been lost at sea and we'd still be fine."
"Yes, because we'd all rather live with the fear that maybe, just maybe, Esme would still be out there instead of, oh, I don't know, finding her body?"
"We didn't need the mob involved. The people who willingly work in that environment…they're not good people."
"And you are?" Spencer snorts, "Please, Father, at this rate he's a better man than you, and we barely know him."
"Spencer-"
"Dex may work in the mob, but last I checked, he's not the one sleeping with barely-legal adults. You are."
"Things weren't that black and white!"
"...Unbelievable," Spencer rolled his eyes in response, getting to his feet, "I'm out of here."
Ava's eyes followed the young man as he exited the great room. She glanced back at her husband before drinking the last of her mimosa.
"You really should be grateful for that young man," she said, standing up.
"I'm always grateful for Spencer."
"I meant Dex."
"I'll give Sonny my gratitude."
"Hate the young man all you want, but give him the credit he's due. He found Esme and saved us all from a world of problems," Ava walked towards the front door, her back to her husband, "And for the record, I think Spencer's right."
Nikolas stood in silence as Ava left, the echo of the door closing filling the room. He remained still for a few minutes, pinching the bridge of his own and sighing before going back to the kitchen, hoping that the first bottle of alcohol he found was strong enough to numb his temper.
Sonny was shorter than Wallace thought he'd be.
They stared each other down as Wallace walked into Pozzulo's. Each man's gaze was sharp, unwavering in their fixations. Frank stood by the office door, his hands behind his back. A part of Wallace wanted a hand behind his own, but resisted the impulse to do so.
"Can I help you?" Sonny asked.
"Sonny Corinthos, right?" Wallace asked back, "You run this establishment?"
"I do. What do you want?"
"I'm here to pick something up."
"Not sure if you, uh, read the sign out front, but it says 'Closed.'"
"Oh, don't be so coy. I know a front when I see one," Wallace gave Sonny a look, "Like I said, you have something of mine, and I'm here to retrieve it."
"Which is what?"
"My son."
Sonny stared directly at Wallace, hands in his pockets. He allowed his mind to sit on the comment, the answer coming to him after a bit of silence.
"...You're Wallace Heller, aren't you?"
"Guilty as charged," Wallace smirked, "I'd offer my hand, but you're not worthy of that nicety."
"Dex isn't here," Sonny said, "Haven't seen him recently."
"That's a lie; I know he's here."
"As you can see," Sonny gestured around him, "it's just you, me, and my bodyguard. And since you're here, I have something to say."
"Which is?"
"Planting your son in my organization was a big mistake."
"Oh, was it?"
"I've dealt with your type before. The arrogant, cocky guy who thinks they can pull a fast one. Here's the thing: they all fail. Their pride gets in the way or they underestimate me, and they take a pretty hard fall. You have to be quite…naïve to think that you'll be the one who finally does me in. If there's anything you should feel when it comes to me, it's fear."
"I fear capybaras more than I fear you."
"...What?" Sonny raised an eyebrow as Wallace loomed over him.
"Let me make something clear: you're not the first man I've encountered whose machismo exceeds his height," Wallace's voice was low and husky, "Here you are, beating your chest about your 'invincibility,' when all I see is a whiny little man showcasing how spineless and pathetic he is."
"How dare you speak to me like that!" Sonny snapped, his face growing red.
"Oh, methinks I might've plucked a nerve," Wallace backed away coolly, his hands in his pockets, "but then again, a delicate snowflake does crumble under the slightest bit of pressure."
"Get in my face again, and you'll regret it."
"Oh, you're so tough," Wallace mocked, a hand behind his back, "Come take a swing at me then, Corinthos. Prove how much of a man you are."
"With pleasure," Sonny pulled back, his right hand balled into a fist. Just as he primed himself to launch it, he found himself staring down the bullet of a gun.
"...Dirty bastard," Sonny muttered as he stepped back, Frank approaching his side.
"No one brings a fist to a gunfight, you know that," Wallace whispered sharply.
"Y-You told me to take a swing at you, which meant that…you wanted me to use my hands. I honored that."
"Ah, honor. Dex talked about that a few times: how you saw yourself as a man of integrity. Well, here's your chance to prove it, here's your chance to be the honorable man you claim you are. Release my son."
"I told you I don't have him-"
"And I told you that's a lie."
"What makes you think I have Dex?"
"A good parent knows when something's off," Wallace's grip tightened on his weapon, "not that you'd know about that."
"Attacking my fatherhood, huh?" Sonny lightly chuckled, gesturing to Frank. The bodyguard brandished a gun of his own, pointing it at Wallace's head, "Another big mistake."
Wallace glanced between the bodyguard and Sonny, "...Tell your goon to drop the gun."
"You first."
"I will when I get my son back."
"He's not here."
"He is. I can feel it," Wallace took a step back, slowly angling the gun towards the floor. He began moving towards the hallway to the kitchen, "If it means I tear this place apart to find him, so be it."
"Do that, and you'll make Dex an orphan."
Wallace froze, his back to Sonny. The smugness on his face was replaced with an intense anger. His gun was pointed at the ground, still firmly in his grip.
"You know," Sonny began, stepping closer to the man, "you're having your son risk his life to spy on me. You're certainly one to talk about being a good parent."
"This coming from the guy who let his kids get shot or blown up because he decided to open his mouth and agitate a situation."
"I love my kids."
"And I love mine."
"If you really loved yours, you wouldn't put him in harm's way like this."
"And if you loved yours, you wouldn't value them less than whatever woman you let into your bed."
"Don't you dare-"
"I will do what I damn well please," Wallace said, getting in Sonny's face, "Hear me now, drecksau. I'm not bowing to a man who lets his second head guide his decision-making. And I certainly won't bow down to a man who puts his kids second. No wonder Michael is trying to take you down-"
A silence filled the room. Sonny stood still, stunned as Wallace backed away slowly. He rubbed his face as he took in Wallace's words, thinking of how to strike back.
The shock caused a smirk to appear on Wallace's face, "...Oops."
"...You're lying."
"No, I'm not," Wallace leaned against the booth closest to him, "How else do you think my son became so embedded in your organization?"
"Michael would never-"
"And yet he did," Wallace straightened his posture, proceeding to meander around the room, "And I have to say: I didn't know that his ego could be so…frail. To get so mad at something that has nothing to do with him, it's laughable. But I shouldn't be too surprised, I see where he gets it from."
"You've run your mouth for the last time, Wallace," Sonny spoke firmly, gesturing to Frank. The bodyguard aimed his gun at Wallace's chest, "What a shame you're going to leave your son fatherless."
"Wouldn't be the first time you've left someone fatherless," Wallace said, shrugging, "I mean, that's how you got Michael, right?"
"Don't talk about my son-"
"He's not your son-"
"Don't talk about my son!"
Just as the sentence left his lips, Frank fired his gun at Wallace. The man stumbled, bending back before lurching forward, a hand on his chest. His breathing was deep and panicked, Sonny and Frank looking on.
Sonny expected the man to fall to his knees. Instead, Wallace stood straight up, unscathed. There was a bullet hole in the wall behind him.
"How-" Sonny choked out as Wallace pointed his gun back at him.
"Nice try," the man said smoothly, "now be a dear and have your goon stand down."
"...Frank," Sonny gestured, and the man slowly put his gun away.
"Good. Now, as I see it, I've just given you some crucial information. That means you owe me, and I'd very much appreciate it if you led me to where you're holding my son. Now."
A/N: (According to online translations)
"Drecksau" - filthy swine
