AN: Thanks for the great reviews on this one too guys! Woohoo there are no more episodes without Brenda being part of the cast. I say we give them a month and then someone organizes some type of petition. Hmm we probably should be taking an active role from them running our soap into the ground anyway. :-P
Great reviews for WWFO too, you guys have proved your point, I'm back to writing it. That being said voting is returning for next chapter update.
We Were Friends Once
Slippery Slope
Discovering Who You Become
The Adventures of Charlie Sawyer
(Haha, seriously it's a little sad that I need you guys to focus me, otherwise I just pop around from story to story)
Part Five
"How's it going?" Robin asked her friend as she gratefully took a sip of the coffee Brenda had brought over to the hospital for her.
Brenda simply gave her a look as she settled into a chair.
"That good?" Robin laughed.
"Alvin managed to take out a table, 3 vases, or 2 vases and 1 was Charlie chasing after him, 1 picture frame, in about 2 hours."
"How exactly did a puppy take out a table?"
"He used a leg as a teething ring."
"Oh my god," Robin said covering her mouth with her hand.
"Yea so obviously then Edward realized he needed one of those pens, so we spent the rest of the night getting Charlie in and out of the pen. And then once we got Charlie to sleep, the dog proceeded to cry in its crate the entire night."
"I repeat. Oh my god."
"Yea," Brenda nodded, "my thoughts exactly."
"Dr. Scorpio?"
Robin turned to the nurse trying to stop laughing.
"Mrs. Demarco's son has a few questions about her medication."
"Thanks, I'll be right there," she nodded. "This shouldn't take long. Can you wait?"
"Go do your thing Doc," Brenda smiled at her.
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"Oh brother," Epiphany sighed as she saw Matt striding over towards Brenda, "here we go."
"What's going on?" Liz wondered.
"You didn't hear about New Year's Eve?"
"What about it?"
"Those two disappeared pretty much as soon as the clock struck twelve and that one walked around with a smile his entire shift."
"Brenda and Matt?" Elizabeth questioned with wide eyes.
"That's certainly what it looked like."
"But she's," Liz frowned and then realized what she was about to say and realized Brenda was the exact same age as Jason.
"As long as she doesn't have to talk with him or work with him, I say more power to her."
Liz laughed and felt her shoulders lighten.
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"This is an unexpected surprise," Matt said failing to keep the smile off his face, cool and nonchalant were failing him with this girl.
She smiled back as she looked up. "I stopped by to see Robin."
"And bring her coffee I see?" he nodded at the cup. "None for me?"
"If I brought you coffee, I would have to bring Patrick coffee and then I would have had to bring Monica coffee, then Bobbie and Liz and well Mike doesn't have boxed coffee."
"I'll make you a deal, you bring me coffee, I'll meet you in the stairwell and pour it into one of the cafeteria cups, no one will be the wiser."
She laughed
"Or you could just meet me in the stairwell," he smirked.
She laughed again.
"Or the supply closet," he whispered leaning in closer.
She barked out a laugh this time; then looked around worried.
"I wasn't joking," he said still leaning forward.
She leaned in herself, "I'm a parent."
"That doesn't stop Patrick and Robin."
Her head tilted to the side as she let out a small laugh, she turned back, "Too much information."
"Have dinner with me tonight."
"Once more I'm a parent."
"And where exactly is that child now?"
"That's my point I at least need to see him for dinner," she let out a chuckle.
"On call room?" he tried again.
She once more laughed, her head bobbing as they were inches away from each other.
"Come on, a late dinner. Charlie's five. How late can he be up?"
"You're aware the entire town will talk if they see us out together?"
"The entire town is already talking," he informed her, "you're leaving. Why do you care?"
"This means-"
"Nothing," he finished for her. "So what do you say?"
"9 o'clock. Robin said Fresca is good."
"The soda?"
"Like the Peruvian place on Main Street?"
"I knew that," he nodded.
"What are you two up to?" Robin asked approaching her two friends in worry. Those two heads together could never result in anything good.
"Nothing," Brenda replied innocently looking up with a smile, "get up Matt. I need little sister time."
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"Dr. Hunter are you whistling?" Epiphany asked with one hand on her hip, the next morning.
The smile quickly fell off his face. "No. What? Of course not," he quickly defended. He'd been humming the tune that had been playing as she walked in to the restaurant, smiled and told him she'd ordered food to go. He was sleep deprived from being up, on and off the entire night and the wakeup he had once more received at 6 when she'd pried herself out of his grasp, but he couldn't remember the last time he felt so damn good.
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"Alvin!" Charlie exclaimed as he opened the front door and his mother was walking towards him holding the puppy.
"What am I chopped liver?"
"Hi Mom," he said off handedly as he went to scoop away his dog.
She rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile.
"I missed you too!" Charlie exclaimed while laughing, his eyes shut as Alvin vigorously licked his face. "You've got to be starving, it's lunch time."
"Good afternoon Brenda," Edward said walking in with a smile.
"At least someone still greets me, how was your morning?" she asked as the smile returned to her face and she turned to fall into step with him towards the kitchen.
"Good," he nodded.
"So what did you guys decide on? The science center or the kid's museum?"
"Actually Charlie and I decided it would be nice for him to spend some time with children his own age."
"They're kid's museums," she said frowning. "You didn't," she frowned further one it hit her.
"Now Brenda, socialization is an important part of Charlie's education."
"Who are you and what did you do with Edward?" she stopped as they entered the kitchen where Cook was helping Charlie measure out the ingredients for Alvin's lunch.
"Charlie, tell your mother you had fun today," Edward requested.
"It was awesome. Miss Tori said I could bring Alvin before school starts," Charlie smiled.
Brenda turned to Edward.
"The principal said he wouldn't mind having an addition to the class for part or the rest of your visit, he even suggested Charlie could just do half days."
"You do not mean Breton Woods Academy like a half hour away."
"You've heard of it?"
"Mac heard about it," she said crossing her arms.
"It's the only school in the area that offers Mandarin," Edward nodded, "it's crucial if he's to learn the language that he begin young."
"We're not going to be here for that long," she reminded him.
"I'm aware of that Brenda, but I hardly see the harm in letting the boy learn and make friends while you're here."
She gave him another dirty look.
"Charlie, did you have fun today?" Edward asked as Charlie was slowly mixing the dog's food.
"Yea it was cool Mom. They've got butterflies in the class, and two hamsters and a bunny," he said turning back.
"Charlie," Cook scolded as the food started to spill out.
"Sorry," he said turning back. "Is it done?"
"I don't think the dog will care if it isn't," she said looking down at the dog that had already learned when Charlie got up on the stepstool he was about to be fed.
"Do you want to go back? Just for the rest of this week?" Brenda asked as Cook kept a careful hand on him as he stepped off and handed him back the bowl.
"Yea, I promised Ashley and Tommy I'd bring Alvin with me tomorrow."
"Just for this week," she threatened Edward before turning.
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"Don't take this the wrong way," Patrick said walking up to Brenda at Kelly's, "but what are you doing with my child?"
"Edward kidnapped mine, so I kidnapped yours," she answered with a straight face.
"Ah yes," Patrick nodded, "Mandarin, Robin told me," he said going to sit.
She rolled her eyes.
"So shouldn't you be off enjoying your freedom?" he asked in between chatting to his daughter and making faces.
"Make your wife quit her job and hang out with me," she suggested. "Speaking of your wife," Brenda smiled.
"Sorry I'm late," she smiled and leaned down to kiss her daughter and babble on hellos.
"Another minute and I actually would have taken a bite out of one of these chubby cheeks," Brenda laughed and made a face at the baby as she rubbed her cheek.
"Little bit frightening Bren," Robin laughed as she picked up her menu. "So seriously, give up this whole travel thing and stay and be our nanny because seriously this is more than kind of awesome. Middle of the work day and I'm having lunch with my best friend, daughter and husband."
"Should I be offended that I came in last?" he asked with his eyes narrowing.
"Best for last honey," she said giving his arm a quick rub.
"Please that's just what they tell the people that came in last," Brenda smirked.
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"Jason!" Charlie came running out of the living room as he heard Jason's voice with Alvin on his heels.
The boy was scooped up into Jason's arms within seconds before Brenda had even made it to the living room's doorway as Alice made a silent exit.
"I missed you. Are we going to the zoo?"
"I missed you too," he said pulling the boy in tighter. "Not today. I don't think we're going to be able to do that this visit."
"We can stay longer," Charlie said pulling back so he could look at Jason, "I like it here. Alvin's too small to travel anyway."
"Still not our dog Charlie," Brenda firmly informed him as she walked towards them and scooped up the mongrel before he could do anymore damage to the house.
"You got a dog?"
"Edward got a dog," she corrected Jason.
"Sounds like Edward," he nodded.
"Everything going okay?" she asked.
"I think so." He hoped Franco was gone. He hoped the threat wasn't real. He hadn't been able to stay away though when Brenda told him Charlie kept asking when he'd be back. They had guards, Jason would abide by Franco's threat, he would follow the rule Franco had set until he could take out Franco, the boy in his arms was enough reason to take heed of the threat.
"Is business over?" Charlie asked because business had been what Jason had told the young boy he had to leave to take care of.
"I hope so."
"Cool want to come in with me for show and tell tomorrow? I was going to bring in my flute, but you're better."
"Show and tell?"
"At school," Charlie eagerly nodded realizing Jason didn't know about school. "You'll love it. It's awesome. Did you know that gow is dog in Chinese?"
"No I didn't," he nodded as he carried Charlie back into the living room following Brenda.
"Yea Miss Tori taught us because of Alvin and māo is cat."
"School," he whispered softly turning to Brenda as Charlie animatedly talked about the class.
"Edward," was her one word answer.
"Ah," he nodded.
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"But I don't want to go," her little boy sobbed against her.
Brenda's heart was struggling to remain beating even though it was shattered, she didn't know when but at some point travelling had gotten to be too much for him. "You want to go home? See your friends?" She offered.
"This is home," he cried against her.
"Our home is in Rome. Our apartment. Your room, all of your friends, your toys."
"No," he desperately wailed.
"Baby," she tried to console.
"This is home," he repeated. "I don't wanna leave! You can't make me!"
"Sweetie," she tried once more.
He looked up with his sorrowful blue eyes. "This is home," he repeated again.
She nodded slowly back at him, "This is home."
"We're s'possed to be here," he said burying himself into the crook of her shoulder, the sobs starting to ease.
Her eyes closed, almost in pain over that fact. She continued to rub his back as his sobs settled into hiccups as he cried himself to sleep and she was left with the realization that they were home.
Thanks for reading! Another short chapter because it needed to end at the home realization and geez I've had enough of fillers without Jason. :-P
Umm, okay so Charlie acted like a 5 year old because I meant for him to have this wise moment regarding Port Charles being home and instead he threw a tantrum. And yes Jason's back, we can get back to the interactions that matter. :-P