Kellie's Penthouse

A week later

"According to the new accountant," Kellie said, "We're missing a lot of money. He can't figure out where it went. It's unmarked in the books."

"Do you want to ask Bernie about it?" Jason asked.

"We have to," Kellie said, "The money gets transferred through enough accounts and separated, it's impossible to track."

"The most obvious theory is that the money went to whoever Bernie's boss is or Bernie himself," Jason said, "Do you want to question Bernie yourself?"

"I'll get a few men to question Bernie," Kellie said, "I have something else I need to take care of before it gets out of hand."

"What could you possibly have to take care of that is more important than finding out where the profits went?" Jason asked.

"Tyler's dad has been in Miami demanding answers," Kellie said, "and threatening to come here. I promised him I'd grant him an audience in Miami if he'd wait a couple weeks. He's getting restless and wanting to know when I'm coming. I just need to know that I can leave town and come back to find things as I left them."

"You feel like you owe him," Jason said.

"And I don't him getting caught in the crossfire," Kellie said, "It's bad enough I got his son killed."

"Did you know him well when you and Tyler were together?" Jason asked.

"Charles was the attorney that I worked with to get my emancipated minor status," Kellie said, "I met Tyler through him."

"I'm guessing you're planning to tell him what you couldn't Tyler," Jason said.

"Maybe, maybe not," Kellie said.

"The timing is not the best for you to be leaving," Jason said, "But not going may cause more problems later."

"I know," Kellie said, "You think you could handle running things on my behalf. We'll just tell everyone I have some problems to take care of personally in Miami."

"I could do that," Jason said, "Sonny won't like it."

"He doesn't get a say," Kellie said, "I'm running the business at the moment and making sure Tyler's father stays away from the situation here could be pivotal."

"You need to see him as much as he needs to see you," Jason said.

"Would you stop looking beyond what I want people to see," Kellie said, "It gets irritating, mob boy."

"I'll stop for now," Jason said, "Just make sure you know the location of all Sonny's safe houses before you go."

"You can't go in," Milo's muffled voice said from out in the hall.

"Your boss is here and I demand an audience with her," another voice yelled.

"Were you expecting someone?" Jason asked.

"No," Kellie said, getting up and heading for the door.

"I'll see who it is," Jason said.

"I'm perfectly capable of," Kellie began to say.

"You've also made yourself how many enemies in the last few weeks?" Jason said, beating Kellie to the door. He opened it and Charles barged in. Charles stopped in his tracks as if he'd seen a ghost.

Kellie looked as if she'd been sucker punched. She regain her composure and said, "I thought no one could possibly out do my father when it comes to pushing my buttons, but you Scott men are beginning to prove me wrong. I didn't tell you to stay in Miami just to hear myself talk."

"K..k..ellie Ri…ley?" Charles stammered, "You're supposed to be dead."

"Unfortunately for you and your son, I'm not," Kellie said.

"Do you want me to stay?" Jason asked.

Kellie shook her head. "Go home and spend some time with that cute nephew of mine. This is a conversation that needs to stay between Tyler's father and I."

Jason left.

Charles continued to stand in shock.

"Do you want a drink?" Kellie asked. "You look like you need it."

"I just need to sit down," Charles said, dazed. Kellie helped him to the couch. She then went to the kitchen to get him some water.

When she came back, Charles said, "Tyler didn't mention you were alive. I would have thought he'd mention something like this."

"He didn't know it was me," Kellie said.

"How could he not?" Charles said, "Granted you're a few years older, but still especially once he found out your last name."

"Dirty details weren't exactly Tyler's best friends," Kellie said, "I don't think his ex being alive and involved in the things I am would make sense in his world. I don't use Riley as a last name anymore anyway."

"True," Charles said, "How did you survive the car accident? You should have never gotten out of the lake with the storm that night."

"I wasn't in the car," Kellie said.

"Why would you let us think you were dead?" Charles said.

"I was trying to get Ethan, or Gordon, as he was known then off my case," Kellie said, "I figured if everyone thought I was dead. I'd be able to have some kind of life."

"Do you have any idea what your so called death did to my son?" Charles asked, "Especially after the way things ended between the two of you."

"You think I don't know that I hurt him," Kellie said, "But the alternative was worse. What if Ethan decided that Tyler needed to be out of the way permanently? I wasn't going to risk Tyler's life. A lot of good it did anyway. I still ended up getting him killed years later."

"Sonny Corinthos killing Tyler was not your fault," Charles said, "Why are you still working for him and his daughter? How did you end up working for those lowlifes anyway?"

"Charles, I don't believe my father killed Tyler," Kellie said.

"Wait a second; Sonny Corinthos is your father?" Charles said, "That means you're."

"Kellie Corinthos," Kellie said.

"Please tell me you're joking," Charles said.

"I wish," Kellie said, "You have no idea what it's like to have a father with the ultimate god complex."

Charles sat in shock once more. He finally said, "How did you find out who your father was?"

"The letter my mother left for me in the event of her death named him and explained everything," Kellie said, "By that time, as far as I was concerned he was dead. Eventually Ethan found me after my death. I went on the run. He chased me right here to Port Charles. To top it all off he made sure my father's identity came out."

"What happened to Gor..Ethan?" Charles asked.

"He died in a shoot out after a bust went bad," Kellie said, "I left town with no intention of ever coming back and no desire to get to know my father."

"Why bother coming back?" Charles asked.

"After I left, I did some work for organizations that don't exist," Kellie said, "I heard rumors of a threat. I came back because I had to make sure my siblings and cousin didn't get caught in the crossfire. I've seen enough to know that innocents have a way of being targets even when they shouldn't be."

"Why not just get the cops involved?" Charles asked, "Get rid of a few mob families in the process."

"We both know it's not that simple," Kellie said.

"I'm trying to reconcile the girl I knew you to be with the girl who can take over a crime organization," Charles said, "I can't make that fit."

"I have Ethan to thank for that," Kellie said, "I've done things to survive that you can't even imagine. I had to learn to think like him, like my father and his colleagues to escape him. Unless you've lived that, you probably won't understand that. Even my father has hard time accepting that."

"If your father didn't kill my son, can you explain to me who did?" Charles asked.

"I don't know yet," Kellie said.

"Then can you explain to me how my son ended up in the middle of a mob war?" Charles asked.

"He had vacation coming to him and he decided Port Charles would be a good place to spend it," Kellie said, "My father cut it short when I pressed assault charges against one of his guards for being rough when he was supposed to escort me out of the hospital. Tyler was to represent the guard in court."

"Why didn't you convince him to leave town?" Charles asked.

"We didn't exactly get along with each other in Miami and he refused to listen to me," Kellie said, "He couldn't get his mind around what he had gotten himself into. He came to Alcazar and I for advice and decided we were certifiably crazy when we brought up the idea of faking his death. He went ahead and represented the guard."

"How many incidents involving my son were there before his death?" Charles asked, "There was a hit man in Miami."

"And his hotel room was broken into once," Kellie said, "I was with him both times."

"It seems to me that Tyler got himself into this," Charles said, "Why would you blame yourself?"

"The chances of him being killed because of his connection to me are pretty high," Kellie said, trying not cry, "I knew that and I didn't protect him like I should have. I pulled Alcazar's guards off him, thinking that he had to make his own choices. Maybe if I hadn't he'd still be alive. I have to live with that for the rest of my life. I was supposed to protect innocent bystanders and I screwed up every way possible with Tyler."

"Maybe there would be a couple dead guards as well," Charles said.

"The guards know what they signed up for," Kellie said, "The attorneys aren't supposed to be targets."

Milo opened the door, interrupting, "Your uncle is here."

"Tell Ric, I'll call him back," Kellie said.

"No, Alcazar," Milo said.

Kellie glared at him, "Tell Lorenzo, I'll call him back. And Milo, from now on just announce people by their names, not their blood relationship to me."

"Would that include your father?" Milo asked.

"What is it with people today? Do I have a sign on my back that says I issue orders just hear myself talk?" Kellie said.

"Careful, Kellie, or you'll be well on your way to developing your father's god complex," Lorenzo said, coming in, "Charles Scott, I presume."

"Why are you here, Lorenzo?" Kellie said.

"I'd heard Tyler's father was on his way here," Lorenzo said, "I figured we'd make sure he didn't get himself into the same mess his son did."

"I got what I came for," Charles said, "And then some."

"I wish I hadn't had to have ripped your world apart," Kellie said.

"When you find out who killed Tyler, will you let me know?" Charles said, getting up to leave.

"I can do that," Kellie said.

"And, Kellie," Charles said, "I don't blame you for Tyler's death. From what I can tell you were in a situation where you had some tough calls to make. Who's to say he still wouldn't have died? Focus on finding out who did this and bring them to justice."

"You're a lot more forgiving of me than I am," Kellie said.

"I can't judge you when I can't put myself in your place for the last seven years," Charles said, "Thank you for helping me understand sort of. I know you could have just sent someone else to gloss over the truth."

"You're welcome," Kellie said, "I figured you deserved the truth after I botched it with Tyler."

"Take care of your self," Charles said, leaving.