Author's Note: There's was a little bit of writer's block while trying to write through the rest of this chapter. Then I thought I'd write while watching episodes of General Hospital this week, but they were showing the end to the Alzheimer Storyline with Sonny's dad, Mike, and that held my attention more than I expected. I was impressed not only with the acting, but the attention to detail the writers, producers, and other GH staff paid with the regard to the end of life process was amazing.
This did end up prompting me to think on Mike, Kellie, and Sonny's relationships in this universe. For anyone that hasn't read the older stories, Mike died in "Dark Around The Edges." But that ended up unexpectedly lending itself to help finish this chapter since Sonny and Kellie still have a rocky relationship at times, especially since she found out Sonny maintained his pattern of not having guards earlier in this story. I'm hoping the end of this chapter will lend itself to setting a better relationship for them in the next chapter. Although I'm sure they will still be prone to butting heads with each because it is the nature of their two characters to clash.
Hope you are all doing well and having a great weekend!
Kellie dropped the gift she was opening, "What do you mean Garrett's dead?"
Jason had been standing in a corner, moved across the room to stand next to Kellie.
"He died in a prison brawl," Jordan said.
"You want to question a nearly eight months pregnant woman about the death of a man in a prison brawl," Diane said, "A prison that occurred in another state."
"She is considered among his enemies," Valerie said.
"We were asked by the Feds to ask questions, make sure it really is just a prison brawl," Jordan said, "We'll need to question Sonny and Jason as well.
"Do you or the Feds have any grounds to question my clients?" Diane asked, "Any evidence that would lead you to believe my clients had any involvement in what so far sounds like a standard prison brawl?"
"Well, no," Jordan admitted.
"So the feds are grasping at straws to get something on Sonny and Jason," Diane said, "If you want to question my clients with regards to Garrett's death, you'll have to take your grounds to a judge."
"How long have you all been here?" Valerie asked.
"This started at 1 pm at the MetroCourt," Diana said, "We were all paired off for a scavenger hunt that ended here."
"So no one in this room has been alone in the last 2-3 hours," Valerie replied.
"What time did Garrett die?" Diane asked, "I assume you're trying to establish alibis."
"2 Hours ago," Jordan said.
"The feds sure wasted no time," Diane muttered, "As I said I expect you to get a judge to agree you have enough evidence to bring my clients in for questioning. Any further questions and we'll consider filing charges for harassment."
"Noted," Jordan said, "We're sorry for interrupting."
Jordan and Valerie left.
Jason knelt next to Kellie, "Are you okay?"
"I think so," Kellie said, "Can you make some calls? Find out if Garrett really is dead? I want to believe it but I'm worried that it's a trick somehow."
"Yeah," Jason said, "I'll do that."
Molly stood near by with a glass of water, "Here." Molly handed Kellie the glass to drink . Jason moved to a corner.
Kristina picked up the gift Kellie had dropped, "You can't leave without opening all the gifts."
While Kellie finished opening up the gifts, Jordan and Valerie were outside the Floating Rib.
"Why didn't you insist on asking questions?" Valerie asked.
"Because Diane Miller's right," Jordan said, "While Kellie and by extension Sonny and Jason would be at the top of the list to put a hit out on Garrett Esoterra, we have nothing that's going to get a judge to sign off on ordering them to answer questions. And considering both Kellie and Jason have a solid alibi for today."
"That is brilliant alibi," Valerie said, "The baby shower. Lots of witnesses."
"Why would Morgan go to a baby shower," Jordan said, "It doesn't seem like his thing."
"According to Lulu, Morgan's been glued to his wife's side since her last hospital visit," Valerie replied, "Lulu mentioned Kellie had been annoyed by that"
"She's had complications with her pregnancy," Jordan said, "from what I've heard. That's on top of being kidnapped and having to escape a burning cabin."
"Based on what I've heard about Kellie Corinthos around the department," Valerie said, "and her penchant for getting in the middle of the action, I can't blame Morgan for keeping an eye on her, especially if her pregnancy has been as rough as we've heard."
Jason's and Kellie's House
Kellie put on more comfortable cloths while Jason unloaded the gifts from the car. Kellie found Jason putting the last of the gifts in the nursery.
"Does she really need all this stuff?" Jason asked, "Where are we going to put it?"
"Yes, she does" Kellie said, "Believe me, I will find places for all of it. But right now I think we need to talk."
Kellie grabbed Jason's hand and led him out of the room. Jason followed Kellie downstairs.
"You want to talk about Garrett," Jason said as they sat on the couch.
"Were you able to confirm that he's really dead?" Kellie asked.
"I talked to some people I know at the prison,' Jason said, "He's dead. He won't ever bother you or the kids ever again."
"Thank god,," Kellie said, relief visibly flooding her body.
"He's really gone," Jason said, "There's no worrying or looking over your shoulder ever again. At least not where Garrett's. concerned."
"It doesn't quite seem real, Jason," Kellie said, "I guess it'll take some getting used to."
"You've been on alert for him for what a couple of years now," Jason said as Kellie curled up against Jason, "He did horrible things to you and Alyssa. It's going to take time for both of you get past that even if he can't hurt you anymore."
Kellie didn't respond. Jason just held her, not saying a word that he noticed her tears.
Eventually Kellie spoke, "Was it just a prison brawl or…?
"Or what? As far as the cops and the feds are concerned it was just a prison brawl," Jason said, "You heard Diane and Jordan. The feds have nothing to bring us in for questioning."
"So a prison brawl that may have potentially pre-planned," Kellie said, "And no one will ever know otherwise."
"The brawl started because a few of the prisoners found out about Garrett's crimes against children," Jason said, "According to my source, Garrett didn't stand a chance."
"Not totally unexpected," Kellie said, looked at Jason questioningly, "I know there are a lot of questions, I shouldn't ask and I won't. You being you would rather gloss over that I did tell you I wanted Garrett gone. But I can't pretend that I didn't."
"I don't want you to live with anything you don't have to," Jason said.
"Except we both know you can't lie to me on this one," Kellie said, "Because I did ask, the wondering is actually worse than knowing."
"Kellie, there's no reason," Jason said.
"Jason, we both know there's a lot of things I can look the other way on," Kellie said, "And no matter how hard I try, I've never been the innocent suburban housewife. You're the most honest relationship I have. I don't want to risk screwing that up because I'm pretending not to be the person who asked for that at least with you. You've certainly never tried to pretend my hands are clean or that I'm not capable of less than savory things."
"You do have a point," Jason said, hesitating, "The most I"m going say is that information may have intentionally found its way to prisoners known to take issue with the nature of Garrett's crimes."
"Thank you," Kellie replied.
"Are you okay with this?" Jason asked.
"Jason, he did things to me, to Alyssa, that shouldn't be spoken of again," Kellie said, "He terrorized my family and who knows who many others. Maybe I should feel remorse. But the truth is I'll sleep better knowing there's one less creep in the world. Well, I'll sleep better after I am no longer our child's own personal soccer ball."
"If the nightmare's go away," Jason said, "I'd say that's a win."
They were interrupted by the sound of someone entering the house.
"Johnny let me in," Sonny said, "I wanted to see how's Kellie doing with the news that Garrett's no longer among the living."
"Relieved that it's over," Kellie said, "Finally."
"That's good," Sonny said, "Because you shouldn't waste another second thinking about that creep."
"That would be goal," Kellie said, standing up, "I am going to go upstairs put away all the baby shower gifts, Jason thinks we don't have room for."
"You don't have to leave on my account," Sonny said.
"Well, I feel compelled to get all the gifts off the floor and put away right now," Kellie said, heading towards the stairs. "It's probably that nesting thing kicking in."
Kellie disappeared upstairs.
"How'd she take the news?" Sonny asked, once he was sure Kellie was out of earshot.
"She didn't quite believe it at first," Jason said, "She was worried it might be a trick. He wasn't really dead."
"You obviously reassured her that wasn't the case," Sonny said, "Does she suspect?"
"She knows," Jason said, "She needed confirmation for her own piece of mind. But she doesn't have the need for any details."
"I guess it shouldn't surprise me," Sonny said, "That's about what we expected even if she hadn't asked. Do you think she'd talk to me if I went upstairs."
"I don't know, Sonny," Jason said, "The whole not having a guard business still bothers her."
"I failed her and she ended up in what her nightmares are made of," Sonny said, "The cabin at the hands of a monster. Sometimes I think about what if she had lost the baby. I would have been responsible for the heartbreak that would have caused both of you. All because I couldn't be bothered to take extra precautions with guards. You were right to be angry and add the guards yourself. I'm sorry for what I might have cost both of you."
"i appreciate you saying that," Jason said, "Even through it wasn't necessary…."
"It is," Sonny said.
"for me," Jason continued, "But it might be a step in the right direction towards making amends with Kellie."
"At step and not an overnight miracle," Sonny replied.
"Your relationship with Kellie is complicated," Jason said, "as complicated as your's and Mike's was."
"It's not complicated or like mine with Mike," Sonny said.
"And both of you deal with childhood abandonment issues and trauma," Jason said, "No matter how good Mike's intentions were when you found each other again…"
"I had a hard time trusting him," Sonny said, "And Kellie has the same problem with me and some part of her will wonder if I'm going to let her down again."
"And that probably won't ever completely go away," Jason said, "There's probably a good chance the two of you will find something else fight about after this."
"Because we're both stubborn and hard-headed," Sonny said.
"But your relationship has gotten better with her over the years," Jason said, "The two of you don't argue like you used to or as much. The last time she wanted to throttle you was when the families were wanted to force into marriage and you realized she and I were figuring we wanted to be more than friends."
"That was bad," Sonny said, "Even Josslyn said it lived up to everything she'd heard about our past fights. But you still think there might be hope for Kellie and I to have a better relationship."
"You just have to keep trying like Mike did with you," Jason said.
"But Mike died before we ever really got past all that," Sonny said, "By the time we knew he had cancer, he didn't have any time left."
"But all Mike really wanted was for you and Kellie to make up," Jason said, "At that time, the two of you weren't on speaking terms."
"I tried to have my guards throw her out of the hospital," Sonny grimaced.
"You might not be able to do anything about your relationship with Mike now," Jason said, "But Kellie's still here and you can still honor Mike by mending fences with her."