Chapter Five

Helping Blake into his coat, Georgie carefully knelt down to zip it up. Overnight Port Charles had been blanketed in two inches of snow. The little boy was excited to get the chance to make a snowman after lunch. Ruffling his dark hair, she laughed at his impatience as he bounced in place. "Make sure to listen to Shane. No running off," she warned.

"You come too," he pouted slightly.

"Not today, buddy. I'm sorry, Blake."

Blake gave her a sad look. "Oktay."

Hating the disappointment in his voice and the way that he hung his head, Georgie sighed. "Tell ya what, buddy, when you are done playing, we can have some hot chocolate and cookies."

Happiness filtered across his young face at the mention of his beloved drink. Tumbling into her arms, he kissed her cheek before clasping Shane's hand and pulling him out the door. Slowly straightening back up, Georgie picked up her mug of coffee from the counter and headed toward the den. There were several things she had to take care of today before the scheduled meeting later tonight.

She was almost to the double doors that led into what Lorenzo had used for his home office when she heard the steady click of heels on the hardwood floor. Knowing that determined tread, she turned and gave her friend a small, strained smile. "I'm surprised that it took you this long to show up."

Claudia carefully looked at the younger woman. If she hadn't known that she had been injured last night, she would have never guessed anything had happened. Georgie was dressed in low riding jeans and a heavy sweater. Her long hair was falling freely down her back and she looked perfectly healthy. The only indication of her being in pain was the smudges under her eyes. "My brother is lucky that I didn't kick his ass for not calling me last night. I feel better after seeing you up and about for myself."

"Calm down, Claudia. I think you are overreacting. I'm fine." Shoving the doors open, she motioned her into the room. "Come on in here. I need to make some arrangements for Micah and touch bases with Lucca."

Hearing the way that her voice cracked on Micah's name, Claudia understood the guilt and loss that she was experiencing. Micah had joined Georgie's security detail two months after she had arrived in Milan. And since he was the closest to her age, they had developed a close bond. He had been the one that had trained Georgie in self-defense and had provided an impartial ear when she had needed someone to vent to.

"Did Johnny and Francis already notify his family?"

Easing into the chair, Georgie shook her head. "Micah has no family left. His parents were killed in a house fire right before he took the assignment in Milan. I'm gonna have him buried here." Georgie ran a hand through her hair. "Are you still able to stay with Blake tonight?"

"Yes. I'm looking forward to it. How is he adjusting to the changes?"

"He's so quiet, Claudia," she admitted with a sigh. "It's hard to get a good read on him. I'm concerned though. First we leave the only place he has ever lived, and now Micah is gone. He needs stability."

Claudia stayed silent and mulled over all the information that she had heard in the wee hours of the morning. Tuning out Georgie's voice as she made funeral arrangements, her thoughts drifted. She was worried about her best friend, both emotionally and physically. When Johnny had mentioned that Francis had sworn that Manny was behind the ambush last night, she had been enraged. She also knew that in her ranting and anger, she had let things slip that Georgie would pissed if she learned of it. Unfortunately Johnny had caught the slips and had questioned her for more information. And when she had refused to divulge any more than she already had, she had heard him on the phone with O'Brien.

"Do you want to talk about what has you so pensive?" Georgie asked after hanging up the phone. Claudia had been lost in her own little world. When she caught the expression in her eyes, Georgie groaned. "Forget I asked."

"Let's not. Why don't we try actually talking about a big problem that you have. One that is not going to just go away because it is inconvenient for you to think about. Damn it, Georgie! You were freaking shot last night! You could have died!"

"I know that!" she snapped back. "Do you think that I don't know that? Cut me slack, Claudia! I lost Micah last night. Lorenzo, Skye, and Lilarae are gone. Two of the estates have been firebombed and we are losing men faster than I even want to think about. I'm doing my best here, Claudia! Coming here and dealing with all this shit is the last thing that I want to be doing. Then you add in that I still have to deal with my family and go to this meeting tonight and all I want to do is say screw it all. I never signed up for this shit."

Claudia leaned forward and looked directly into her eyes. "I am not referring to any of that and you know it. You are going to have to deal with Manny showing back up, Georgie. You can't avoid it. He's unstable and unpredictable."

Jumping to her feet, Georgie moaned as the stitches in her side pulled. She ended up leaning on the desk as waves of pain stole her breath.

"Oh! You okay?" Claudia rushed forward to help her, but Georgie waved her back.

"I'm just peachy."

"Sarcasm won't work on me. I'm a Zacchara after all. I think it is one of the things that we tend to excel at."

Some of her anger faded as a smile tugged at her lips, but it quickly dissipated. "I don't think that I can do this," she admitted in a whisper. "Even with giving OB most of the control, I'm still going to be right in the midst of it all. I just want to go back to my calm life that I had built for Blake. Instead I am dragging you and your brother into my messes."

Helping Georgie over to the couch after seeing how badly she was hurting, Claudia sat beside her and turned so that they were facing one another. "You and Blake are my family, Georgie. It may not be by blood, buy I love you both like it was. As for Johnny, he sees more than you give him credit for. He's concerned about the situation that you are in."

"Probably because I almost got him shot last night," she muttered with a snort.

"More like the bullet that was meant to hit him hit you," Claudia argued. "We both know that Ruiz would never shoot you. He had to have thought that Francis and Morgan were too far away to give him much of a hassle. Micah and Johnny were all that was in the way of getting ahold of you."

"And in the middle of the mess, Micah was killed. Claudia, all that hard earned peace that I worked so hard to achieve after Diego died, it's gone. The sad part is that we haven't even dealt with announcing OB will be running things."

Amusement sparkled in Claudia's eyes. "I heard that he and Morgan almost came to blows last night, and that Francis had to physically separate them. I would've paid good money to see that. Nothing is hotter than when OB gets worked up."

Georgie laughed and shrugged. "Maybe for you. OB is like an older brother, I can't quiet see him the same way that you do. Thank God," she added with a wink.

*****Break*****

Georgie was sitting in the rocking chair and smoothing back Blake's thick dark colored hair off his forehead. After having dinner and the promised hot chocolate, they had spent a good hour playing together in his room. Now he was exhausted and ready for bed.

His breathing had just evened out and she was trying to figure the best way of moving him without hurting her side when she heard the footsteps in the hall. Glancing at the open doorway, she motioned Johnny in when he stopped hesitantly. Seeing him already dressed in a black suit, she looked at her watch and saw that they only had a couple hours before they would need to leave.

"He zonked out easily."

"Shane wore him out building their snowman. Do you care to put him in his bed?"

Johnny slipped the little boy into his own arms and transferred him to the small twin bed. He watched as Georgie covered him with a light blanket before following her into the hallway and pulling the door closed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked once they had descended the stairs and she was settled on the couch in the living room.

"I'm perfectly fine, same as I was when Frannie asked."

Green eyes met and stubborn brown ones as he thought about shaking her. The avoidance skills that she had perfected for not dealing with anything that she didn't want to face drove him crazy. Claudia had warned him she hadn't been able to get her talk. "We need to talk about Francis seeing Manny…."

Georgie held up a hand. "We will, but first I want to get today over with. One problem at a time, OB."

"Considering that you were hurt last night, Georgie, I don't think that we can delay dealing with him."

"Why? I have seen all the men patrolling the property. Nothing is going to happen why you have this place locked up like Fort Knox. Please tell me that they aren't Morgan's guards," she added with a questioning look.

"Not hardly." He scowled. He still was pissed that Francis had brought him back to the house last night. "Zacchara and Begotti both sent over some extra men. I know that you trust Vincent's judgment on who to send and Zacchara saved your life last night, so don't even argue."

"I don't want guards all over the property, OB. This is getting ridiculous."

"And we aren't in Italy anymore, Georgianna. You knew that things would change once we came back here. Security has to be tightened, especially since after today Blake's existence will be common knowledge. There is no denying whose child he is, Georgie. He is a miniature version of Diego."

"He's two, O'Brien."

"Not everyone follows the code of leaving women and children alone," he countered.

She could tell that he was not going to let the topic go. "Whatever. I trust you to keep us safe. I always have. I just hate that all this necessary."

Johnny patted her shoulder before moving to pour himself a drink. "Georgie, this is exactly what Lorenzo and Diego were trying to protect you from." He handed her the note that had been delivered to the gate earlier this afternoon. "Your sister left this for you when she was turned away at the gate. You are gonna have to talk to her sooner or later, kid."

Playing with the edges of the envelope, Georgie could still hear her sister's hateful words spewing from her after she had confided to her that she was pregnant. "I planned on meeting with her and Mac tomorrow. I left them both voicemails with details. If I am going to be staying in Port Charles, then I have to find a way to co-exist peacefully with them."

"Francis and I have meetings set up with Corinthos, Morgan, and a couple others tomorrow. They were more than likely take all afternoon. Can you put it off until the next day? The other men are okay to guard the grounds, but with your safety, especially out in public, I want one of us there. Shane will stay strictly on Blake's detail."

"I'd rather get it over with, OB. Maxie isn't going to let up. It's not in her nature."

"We can go with her," Claudia offered from where she and Johnny were entering. "You were planning on taking Blake anyway, right?"

"No. Maxie might handle meeting him okay with no warning, but Mac is going to have some major issues. Shane is keeping him here at the house. I would prefer that he not hear what I am sure that Mac will have to say."

"It can't be that bad."

"Mac is the police commissioner, Claudia," she stated with a grin. "Trust me, he nearly had a heart attack when he heard I was pregnant. With all the crap that he doesn't know about, he's going to shit." Tossing the letter on the coffee table, she stood. "I need to go change. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Waiting until she was upstairs, Claudia dropped onto the couch cushion. "Tell him," she ground out while looking at her brother.

"Manny isn't even trying to cover his tracks. He was seen meeting with Sonny this morning in one of the warehouses that C&M no longer use. Morgan was nowhere in sight."

"As pissed as I am at him, Jason would never condone Sonny working with Ruiz. Lizzie would kick his rear." Francis tossed his suit coat onto the back of the chair and checked his gun. "Keep your men on Corinthos. He's the one that has no morals when it comes to getting what he wants."

*****Break*****

The meeting had been pure hell to sit through, but also educational. The young mother was not the pushover that most assumed that she would be. When different heads of families questioned her right to be in control of the Alcazar holdings, she had tossed her and Diego's marriage certificate in the middle of the table without a word. But the sight that had entertained Johnny was watching Corinthos pale when she had named his former enforcer as being in charge of day to day business until her son was of age and wanted to take over, if that day came. At least it was until they were all leaving.

Once most conceded that her son was the legitimate heir and that she had the right to hand the Irishman the power of the businesses, the meeting broke up. But Johnny could see that it had taken a toll on her. When Corinthos approached the four outside of the small restaurant that had been closed for the meeting, he watched her visibly tense.

"This arrangement will never work," the Cuban sneered. "Danger is all around. Do you honestly think that you can protect her and Diego's bastard from all of it? I think we need to talk without her present."

Jason stood off to the side and watched as his partner tried to scare the young woman that had babysat Elizabeth's oldest son. Wishing that he could knock some sense into him, he knew that Sonny would not be contained. The anger and displeasure on his face was plan to anyone that looked into his dark, power hungry eyes. He didn't seem to understand that he could not intimidate O'Brien. If anything, their former employee was just searching for a reason to go after either one of them.

Francis positioned himself between O'Brien and Corinthos to keep his friend from lunging at him. The air cracked with restrained violence.

"That's fine, but nothing you say will change things. But I gotta say that I've been looking forward to discussing my rumored death with you and Morgan. Strange how I ended up with what should have been a mortal gunshot. Luckily Alcazar found me. His doctor was just as good as the surgeons that GH pays thousands every year."

Knowing that there was no way that she wanted to be in the middle of this conversation, Georgie touched Francis's arm. "Stay with OB. Make sure that he won't be on trial for murder anytime soon. I'm heading out."

"No way! He's going with you."

"I'll be fine with Johnny. He's going back to the house to pick up Claudia anyway."

Sonny looked at the younger man and bit back a growl. The Zacchara family had been a pain since they had showed up in Port Charles, especially Johnny. The man was arrogant and cocky, which Sonny took as a sign of disrespect. He also didn't like the way that he seemed to be so involved with everything concerning this new problem. "First you were at the funeral and now you are playing the protector? Does she realize that you are sleeping with Lulu?" he taunted, hoping to get Georgie riled at the mention of the blond.

Before Johnny could snarl out a response, Georgie linked her arm through his and winked at the Cuban. "Why would that matter? It didn't bother her when she went after Dillon. We've already shared one guy, but at least I don't have to use lies to get a guy in bed. But honestly, I'm not stunned by her actions. After all, she started looking up to Carly after Laura finally lost it."

Stunned silence followed until Francis chuckled. It had been a long time since Georgie's sarcastic side had emerged and not that many people ever witnessed it. Most people believed that she was shy, sweet, and innocent since she hardly ever said a negative word about anyone else. And why she had all those qualities, Georgie was not as sheltered people believed.

Fluttering her lashes at Johnny and giving him a sassy grin, she pulled him toward the waiting car. Once she was in the back of the limo, she scooted away from him and blushed. "Sorry, I just couldn't resist. Sonny pushes my buttons."

Stretching his long legs out, he reached into the mini refrigerated panel and pulled out a couple bottles of water. After tossing her one, he shrugged out of his coat. "After that little scene, I think I should warn you that I ended things with Lulu last night. It's a good possibility that you could end up caught in the middle of her drama. She was already bitching about you not being as perfect as people seem to see you as."

"She needs a new hobby." Georgie rolled her eyes. "Like I could possibly have anything to do with your relationship with Lulu." When he remained silent, she glanced over at him.

"It relates to you plenty," he countered smoothly. "It was my going to the funeral services with you that brought out the side of her that she normally tried to keep hidden. So I guess I owe you my thanks."

"I'd say that we're more than even, Johnny. You saved my life last night."