Comments back:
Megan: Yea Brazen is having serious issues in this fic. I totally just tacked on the end because you said that. Haha the good news is if the end sucks I am putting all the blame on trying to make you happy.
Tanilc: Haha. How about an illness that confines Brenda and Charlie to Jason's PH for a bit?
Some basics:
Brenda's job: will be mentioned later on, she's a partial owner of a business.
(For those not watching in the late 80's-early 90's): The Nikki and David mentions that we get from Monica…She was in love with him before Alan, he went off to war, she was pregnant, he was supposedly killed. Her daughter, Dawn comes looking for her birth mom years later, she gets involved with Ned, finds out on her wedding day that Monica and Ned slept together prior (he was her tennis instructor), she eventually is killed. David turns up later, alive, with his daughter, Nikki. He dies, AJ falls in love with Nikki, Alan pays her off to leave, AJ nearly kills himself accidentally because of his anguish. –Seriously, no one judge me. My dad didn't believe in cable when I was growing up. I was 7 and watching soaps.-
AN: I'm still not pleased with this chapter, the majority of it has been written for ages, but there's something wrong/missing. It's Brazen, I know it is. How to get them together before the plot calls for it though…
Eh. On with the story. Btw thanks for the reviews guys, I read each one at least a dozen times.
Part Six
The Q's:
"Stop looking so smug," Brenda informed Edward across the dining room table.
"I hardly know what you're talking about my dear," Edward said as he lifted his soup spoon.
"Oh honestly Edward, give it up," Monica sighed, "you won."
Brenda nodded her thanks at Monica.
"I would hardly call it winning. I am however glad you've finally come to your senses."
Brenda turned with her mouth open to Monica.
"I know," she commiserated.
"Now that yours and Charlie's immediate future it settled, I think it's time we start talking about long term plans."
"He isn't already picking out a college right?" Brenda asked Monica.
"Know-"
"Of course not, I have full faith in Charlie to be able to select his own undergraduate and graduate education. I'm talking about the things that will ensure his place at any school of his choosing, now Vincent has made a list of," he turned looking for Alice.
"Sorry Brenda," she said as she handed off the papers to Edward.
Brenda waved away her concerns, not at all surprised by him.
"Obviously a tutor in Mandarin because the primary language Breton Woods teaches is French."
Brenda nodded since she had promised Charlie that herself.
"Piano-"
"Piano?" Brenda and Monica repeated in unison.
"Yes," Edward nodded, "I don't understand it, but apparently there is some relation between musical education and intelligence."
"He has no interest in music," aside from random sing alongs with her.
"I'm just telling you what the studies say, if anything hopefully it will instill a love of classical music-"
"Or he'll want to become a musician," Brenda quickly cut him off.
That stopped Edward, as images of Ned in leather pants flashed through his mind. "Fair enough," he nodded, "we'll wait until Charlie's older to address that aspect of his education. Now I was thinking soccer and private lessons in tennis."
Monica and Brenda both waited for his explanation.
"Group dynamic and individual competition."
"Did he just use the word compete with my child?" Brenda asked Monica.
"Edward," Monica once more sighed.
"Teaching Charlie to always be his best possible self-"
"How about we ask Charlie if he wants to play any sports?" Brenda countered.
"Fine," Edward acquiesced, "it might be a good idea if you brush up on your tennis skills if you'll be accompanying Charlie to the club this year."
She glared.
Monica couldn't help, but snort.
"I trust you'll use better judgment with your tennis instructors than Monica."
Monica switched to a glare as Brenda bit back a laugh as she was grossed out by the thought of Monica and Ned.
"Now Vincent put down a list of tutors."
"Why would Charlie need tutors?" Brenda wondered aloud.
"Charlie is an incredibly intelligent and gifted child Brenda in a class with twenty other students, it would be gross negligence on our behalf if we didn't-"
Both women were staring at him in shock until finally Brenda shook her head, "He is five Edward. He still hasn't mastered tying his shoes."
"That is hardly-"
"No," she declared.
"Fine, we'll shelve this discussion for later."
-o-o-o-
Jason's:
"You're staying?" Jason repeated her words as they both continued to stand inside of his apartment; she had delivered her news without any preface.
She nodded; then shook her head, "He lost it Jason. I mean he just lost it and there was nothing I could say, he just-" she shook her head again, still in shock over it.
"What about Rome? Your job?"
"Keep working the same way I was?" She shrugged. "Sell my shares?" She shook her head. "I don't know. I just know that if he feels so strongly about being here-"
"Are you sure?"
"This is where he wants to be. If this is his home then," she stopped looking elsewhere and once more looked Jason in the eye. "Who am I to take him away from it? A real home was the only thing I wanted when I was his age, if he's found it here who am I to take it away from him," she repeated the only thought she had been having since it happened.
"Are you sure that's for the best? You swore you'd never-"
"You don't remember what it was like not having a home. Not having a real family. I thought I was enough for him, but-" her voice cracked.
"He loves you-"
She nodded, "I know, but it was," her eyes briefly closed, "selfish of me, I think, to keep him to myself."
"Bren-" he stopped and frowned as he heard someone at the door.
"Ah, eeh," Spinelli stumbled over his words, "it is Titania in the Jackal's-"
"Spinelli," Jason stopped him.
It restarted his brain, "Good evening," he nodded.
"Hi Spinelli," she smiled.
"What brings you by?"
"I just wanted to tell Jason that we've decided to stay in Port Charles."
Spinelli brightened, "The Model Mother and Little Socrates will not be continuing on their world adventure?"
She smiled again, "Not right now."
"That is most excellent news," he termed his words for her; she and Robin hadn't been able to stop with the Bill and Ted quotes when he had nicknamed Charlie.
"Well I just wanted to stop by and tell you, I should be getting back to the house," she nodded.
"I'll see you later," Jason nodded back.
"Still coming by tomorrow?"
"Yea, I'll give you a call when I'm on my way over."
"Sounds good, bye Spinelli."
"Titania?" Jason questioned as the door shut.
"Queen of the Fairies?" Spinelli supplied, "the Jackal did strongly consider Helen, for Helen of Troy, but Good Doctor Robin suggested that would be upsetting. Titania, is strong, maternal and creates chaos with her love potion. She has been quite potent in making the males of this town look like asses."
Jason couldn't help but laugh.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
The next morning at Robin's:
"So it turns out I am looking for a job, that nanny position still available?" Brenda nonchalantly asked over Robin's kitchen table where they were having coffee the next morning.
Confusion passed over Robin's face and then utter joy right before she launched herself at her best friend.
-o-o-o-
Evening (Matt's place):
"So let me get this straight," Matt said propped up his forearm in bed. "You're ending things because you're going to be living in Port Charles."
She was facing him in a matching position with just the sheet over her, "We agreed this was just a fling."
"You had sex with me to break up with me?" his brow narrowed.
"Breakup would imply that we were together, we're just not going to sleep with each other anymore."
"Because…"
"Because this can't be a holiday fling if I live here."
"And you can't date me because-"
She gave him a look.
"You know you're going to give me a complex pretty soon, since apparently I'm not good enough to be seen out in public with."
"We're at different stages in our life Matt," she reminded him. "I have a kid."
"I get your reputation is important to you, but seriously hasn't the damage already been done. Come on, we keep this casual, no expectations, no obligations. Just fun. Before you self implode trying to be good."
"This means nothing," she informed him yet again as she straddled him.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
The next afternoon (the Qs):
"Nikki?"
Monica looked up from the journal article she was engaged in, the back of her mind as always realizing how comforting it was to once again be Nikki to someone, when her time with David and his time on Earth had been so limited. It wasn't a do-over for Dawn, but hearing that name, she knew it was a try again, to try to be the woman her daughter had hoped to find. "Need help Charlie?"
They were in the small sitting room off her bedroom; she and Alan had redesigned it just before his death. The small breakfast nook, so they could eat in peace, the seating area with the flat screen hidden by panels above the fireplace. The retreat they had designed, but had barely gotten to use.
She looked over from her spot at the table where she had been enjoying a cup of tea as she did her homework while Charlie did his at the coffee table.
"Where's this?" He was pointing at a photo album pulled from underneath the coffee table and now resting on his homework.
She walked over, ready to tell him and then get him back on track with his assignment. She expected to see herself and Alan on a trip, but instead she saw her boys in a stream, cupping lizards in their hands. She had seen the photos before just a few shots of the boys in a stream, showing off and chasing each other with the small creatures, but she knew the only detail on the back of the photo was a date. "I don't know."
He looked up at her confused.
"I wasn't there, they were with their nanny."
"Like Alice?" He had figured out Alice was his nanny from the kids at school because she took him to school just like theirs and they played together a lot, he was pretty sure she was Pop's too.
"Yea," Monica nodded, "like Alice."
"But not Alice?"
"Not Alice, this was a long time ago, Jason wasn't much bigger than you."
"Oh," he nodded and put that thought aside, he'd ask Jason when he saw him and then ask if they could go. He bet Alvin would like a lizard. "I want a brother," he said as he briefly looked at the album again.
"I thought you hated babies."
"Not a baby, a brother. A little brother, but not too little. He has to be able to do everything I tell him to."
Monica snorted; then was awash in uncontrollable pain. "When they were little, Jason followed AJ's every word like it was law."
"Exactly! I need one of those."
"What you need, is to do your homework and then we'll go rescue Alvin from Alice and go for another walk. Sound good?"
He nodded, "Yup."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
The next afternoon:
"Where's that?" Charlie pointed at the book he had open on his bed waiting for Jason's arrival and to which he had forcibly pulled Jason up the stairs, down the hallway and into his room to look at it.
"I don't know," Jason said seeing the face he knew to be his, but had never seen anywhere, but pictures.
"But that's you."
"I-" he stumbled as Charlie looked expectantly on, "I don't remember."
"How did you forget? There are lizards!" Charlie admonished.
"I-" Jason frowned, "I hurt my head when I was younger."
Charlie's confused expression said it all.
"I don't remember my childhood."
"Because you hurt your head?" Charlie skeptically questioned.
"Yea."
"I got a huge bump when I did a summersault off my bed, it was HUGE and I didn't forget anything."
"It was a different kind of injury."
Charlie continued to frown.
"You hurt the outside of your head, I hurt the inside."
"How?"
He couldn't explain it all, he wouldn't, Charlie would learn one day, but that day wasn't today. "I was in a car accident and I wasn't wearing a seatbelt."
"You weren't bucked in?" Charlie exclaimed in shock.
"No."
"But you have to be," his blue eyes were still wide.
"I got hurt because I wasn't."
"Why not?"
"I don't remember."
"Wow," Charlie said still stunned, "so nothing?" He inquired looking down at the pictures again. He flipped a few more pages, "You don't remember any of it?"
"Nothing."
Charlie knocked his head to one side, "Looked like you had a lot of fun."
"It does," Jason agreed.
"We could figure it out," Charlie suddenly looked up excited, "like picture books!"
Jason looked down confused.
"We can figure out what happened from the pictures."
"I don't-"
"Come on," he said scooping up the book and heading to the oversized chair that he read with his mom in.
-o-o-o-
"You wanted to have s'mores, but it was too late and you had to go home for dinner," Charlie finished up the story behind the five photographs of a forgotten day. "It was okay though because you'd be back." Charlie was nestled into Jason's side leaning over the book on Jason's lap.
"Is that all?" Jason questioned with a smile on his lips, only Brenda's son could turn five photos into a half hour story.
"Well…"
"Hey," Brenda walked into the room with a smile, "what are you guys doing?"
"Did you know Jason forgot being a kid?" Charlie was quick to ask, still awed by the fact.
She momentarily paused, then Jason watched as she quickly hid her shock and replaced it with a smile, "I do because he forgot me."
"You forgot Mom?" Charlie twisted up to look at Jason.
"Everything before I was 22."
"Wow."
"Yea that was our reaction too," Brenda nodded, "photo albums?"
"We're filling in the blanks," he repeated a phrase he heard grownups say.
"Filling in the-"
"Charlie's telling me about my childhood," Jason supplied.
"It's your childhood, just because you forgot doesn't mean you can't remember," he frowned at his word choice, "know what happened."
Brenda smiled again, "Well can that wait until after dinner? I'm starving."
"You're always hungry," Charlie sighed as Jason laughed.
-o-o-o-
"That actually sounds pretty plausible," Brenda commented before taking a bite of her chicken as Charlie filled her in on Jason's lost memory.
"Yea, I bet they went back the next day for s'mores."
"Jason wasn't a big s'mores fan, he liked his marshmallows plain."
"Really?" Charlie looked appalled by that.
Brenda laughed at him.
Charlie looked to Jason, who was frowning.
"Yea actually that's probably true," it wasn't that he didn't like s'mores he just had no interested in eating more than one or two a time.
"He could eat the whole bag if you didn't stop him. He and AJ were horrible. They used to actually race to see who could get it brown fastest without burning it and who could do the most."
"No chocolate," Charlie continued to look at Jason in disgust.
"In their defense, I think they used to just really like playing with sticks…They made me eat a hot dog off one. That might just be teenage boys though."
Charlie looked confused.
"We'll have that talk later," Brenda nodded.
Jason rolled his eyes.
"You went camping?" Charlie wondered studying his mother.
Brenda snorted.
Jason's hand lifted to cover his smile.
"We used the fireplace, just like you and I do."
"You're supposed to make them camping," he pointed out.
"Not gonna happen Charlie," his mother quickly informed him.
Jason watched the banter with amusement.
"But-"
"It's winter, I don't like leaving the house during the day."
He sighed and turned to Jason.
"Not kidding, no guilting anyone into camping until summer," she ordered him.
Jason laughed, "I hate to say it Charlie, but she has a point."
"We could make them inside I guess," Charlie sighed.
His mother laughed again, "Maybe this weekend."
"But-"
"We had cookies when you came home from school."
"That was hours ago," he started to whine.
"You have school in the morning, you don't need any more sugar," Jason backed Brenda up.
Brenda smirked.
Charlie let out a groan.
Jason once more had to cover his mouth to hide the smile.
Thanks for reading everyone. I hope you enjoyed it (like I enjoyed all of reviews from the last chapter for which thank you very much). If you still want the "Is Jason is dad?" question answered (since it's still being asked) log in and post that as your review, I'll email you back the answer.