Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Brenda sat at the bar of the MetroCourt restaurant letting the bubbles from the champagne dance in her mouth. She looked down at her silver dress that hugged her curves and wondered for the hundredth time if it was too much. Noah claimed to be tired of eating in and wanted to take her out on a proper date. She had demurred, preferring the cover his apartment offered but he would not be deterred. She nervously ran her hand through her hair. They had barely spent a night apart since that first night in Australia but they had done nothing public. Noah had offered on several occasions but it had been Brenda who had been unwilling to do so. Though he had never said so, she knew there was a small part of him that was worried that she was embarrassed to be seen with a man so much older than her. He couldn't have been further from the truth. With one exception, Jax, she had dated a series of men who treated her badly and whom she had become too dependant on. Moving to Italy, she reinvented herself. She was never without a date but refused to enter into anything remotely serious. She had accepted she would never be in a significant relationship again - she was too damaged, too fragile and didn't feel she anything to offer. And then she met Noah Drake.

She had flirted with him the way she did with almost any man she met. It was her way of communicating but there was no intent behind it but as she got to Noah better she found she flirted less with him, a sure sign that she was attracted. She had kept a vigil at Robin's bedside following her car accident and then after her brain surgery and Noah had been incredibly kind with her. There was a definite attraction between them, Brenda sensed it early on but she knew, given what Robin had told her about him, that he would never act upon it. Without thinking, she had made a move and now found herself being loved on a nightly basis by a man who was so emotionally gentle with her that she knew it would come to a crashing end. She looked at her diamond watch and sighed. He had called from the hospital to say he would be running late but would be there as soon as he could. She wanted to leave, she felt completely exposed. There was something about being alone in Port Charles that made her feel like prey.
"Brenda" came the soft voice.

And the vultures were circling.

"Sonny" she smiled.

"All alone?"

She shook her head. "Just waiting for a friend."

Her former lover took in her dress and matching shoes. "Not a friend - you don't dress like that for friends."

She shrugged and took another sip of her champagne. "Meeting Carly for dinner?"

"No. Just dropping some of Michael's things to her." He couldn't resist touching her hair, the silkiness of it was aching familiar. "Dance with me" he demanded quietly.

"I don't think so" she said quietly.

"You like dancing with me" he said softly, moving closer to her. "You miss dancing with me." He took her hand in his and slowly pulled her from her chair. Brenda cursed herself for her inability to resist him. She looked hopefully to the door, wishing Noah would appear. Sonny snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her tightly into him. Holding her hand in his, he pressed his cheek against hers. It was all painfully familiar - the scent, the feel of his body against hers, the way her hand fit in hers. Sonny was her kryptonite and she was powerless in his presence. He nuzzled her ear and when she couldn't move away, he moved his mouth to hers, just hovering above hers. "I miss you Brenda" he whispered, before crashing his mouth over hers. She wanted it to stop but couldn't - he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.

"Brenda." She felt Noah's hand on her shoulder.

Ripping away from Sonny, she lowered her head and turned towards him. "No...Noah" she stammered, not making eye contact.

"Brenda - are you okay?"

Shaking free of Sonny's hold, she placed her hand on Noah's chest. "I'm so sorry" she whispered, not looking at him before running out the door.

Noah glared at Sonny. "Have you not damaged her enough?" he hissed. "Or is this just for kicks?"

"Dr. Drake.." Sonny started.

He raised his hands. "I don't actually care - just leave Brenda alone." He turned on his heel and started after Brenda.

Raising his hand, he knocked on her door. When she first arrived in Port Charles, she had been staying in Robin's old apartment but as the lease ran out, she moved into the MetroCourt. "Brenda" he called through the door. Though he heard her moving around inside, there was no answer. "Brenda, I have nowhere else to be tonight so I'm just going to sit outside your door until you let me in."

Several beats later, he heard the chain being pulled from the door. Opening it a crack, Brenda kept her head down. "Go away Noah" she pleaded quietly.

"Can't do that" he said, gently pushing the door open. He walked inside the room and closed the door behind him. Brenda walked to the other side of the room as quickly as she could, her shame emanating from her. Crossing the room, he moved towards her and wrapped his arms around her. She tried to shake him free.

"Don't" she begged. "Don't be kind."

He leaned his face beside hers. "You deserve some kindness Brenda" he said quietly.

"I didn't want to kiss him" she said hoarsely as tears tumbled down her face. "I didn't want to do it" she said.

"I know." He turned her around to face him. He wiped at her tears. "Brenda - I'm an alcoholic - I know a few things about addiction and falling off the wagon." Tilting her chin up so that she had no choice but to look at him, he tenderly pulled at her lips. "It's okay" he whispered. Her body trembled as she pushed herself as closely into him as she could. He kissed the top of her head. "It's okay."

xxxxxx

"Any questions?" Alexis asked, closing the file folder.

"No. We're as ready as we're ever going to be" she replied.

Leaning forward on the couch, Alexis looked at her over her glasses. "Nathalie, I promise you that I'm going to fight like hell in that courtroom - I need you to do the same." It had not gone unnoticed by her attorney that her once fiery client was flat and somewhat listless.

Nathalie looked up in surprise. "I will"

"Nathalie - what your parents did was unconscionable and I can't truly conceive of all that you're going through but I need you to get off the mat. I can't win this without you."

She chewed on her bottom lip and pushed her hair from her face. "I'm doing the best I can Alexis"

The lawyer patted her hand. "I know you are. I'll meet you in the anteroom at 8:30 tomorrow - try and get some sleep."

Nathalie walked her to the door and closed it behind her. Walking to the kitchen, Nathalie sank to the ground and pulled her legs to her chest. She had insisted to everyone that she wanted to be alone the night before the trial. She had spent the day with Oliver and had hugged him closely before leaving. She had hugged Gracie too but the little girl squirmed to break free and Nathalie reluctantly let her go.

She thought of the moment that the nurse placed Grace on her chest. Nathalie's childhood and adolescence had been strict and formal, love was never spoken of and rarely shown. She had been a loving child who was prone to spontaneous displays of affection. Her mother had spanked her and admonished her, stating her behaviour was inappropriate. When her father had been posted to London, she was sent to an English boarding school and it was there that she went in search of affection from anyone who would give it to her. Starting at 14 and continuing well into her 20s, Nathalie led what could be defined as a sexually adventurous life. Meeting Drew changed her life. He gave her more love than she had ever experienced which made his death all the more painful. She had been unsure about having children, terrified she would do to them what her parents had done to her. He had convinced her she could be a good mother and the moment she felt Grace's tiny body squirming on hers, she knew that she would do anything to keep her safe.

The house was eerily quiet without the constant noise of the children but her head was so loud she didn't hear the key turn in the lock and she barely registered the lights in the kitchen being turned on. She jumped as she felt the hand on her leg. "Nikolas" she said, looking up. "I thought we agreed ..."

He cut her off. "We haven't slept in apart in more than three months and I won't be able to sleep if I'm not with you so here I am."

She smiled. "You know, it's not too late to run as far as you can in the other direction."

He sat down opposite her, their knees touching. "Don't want to" he said. "I want to be where you are."

"This is going to get very ugly" she said softly. "There are things I need to tell you about my life before you hear about them in court" her voice was barely above a whisper.

"So you'll tell me. But I don't want to make tonight about the past or the future or the kids - it's just you and me."

Kneeling up, Nathalie moved into Nikolas' lap. She put her arms around his waist and her head on his shoulder. He closed his arms around her, holding her to the heat from his body. "Tell me you love me" she asked in a small voice.

Normally so confident and never one to seek reassurance, her simple request gave him an enormous insight into how much pain she was carrying. It nearly moved him to tears. "I love you" he said. He kissed her forehead. "I love you Nathalie" he repeated. She sighed and held onto him as tightly as she could.

xxxxx

Patrick ran his hands through his hair as he made his way to the family room. Ellie Matthew's surgery had been more complicated than expected. Her tumor was deeper than the imaging had shown and he spent much longer removing it than he had anticipated. He was confident that he got it all and with the right follow up treatment, Ellie stood a very good chance at making a full recovery.

He pushed the door open to room and her parents looked up expectantly. He remembered all the moments he had spent waiting for news on Robin or Rian and it had significantly changed how he dealt with families in a post-op environment. Whereas he used to stand in the doorway and give only the facts, always in a rush to get out as soon as he could, he now would come in and sit down with the family, ensuring they had the time to ask all their questions before he left.

He smiled as he sat down. "Mr. and Mrs. Matthews - Ellie has come through the surgery just fine. The tumor was was more invasive than we had originally thought but I did manage to get it all."

Mrs. Matthews wiped at her tears as she blew out a breath. "Will, will she be okay?"
Patrick nodded reassuringly. "She'll be sore for a few days but we'll have her up and walking later today and then into physio later in the week. Her oncologist, Dr. Richards will be by later to discuss her chemo treatment but I expect them to start her as soon as the swelling goes down."

Ellie's mother threw her arms around Patrick. "Thank you Dr. Drake - thank you for giving us our daughter back."

He swallowed thickly and patted her shoulder. "My pleasure Mrs. Matthews. Ellie is a special girl." Getting up, he gave the parents one last reassuring smile before heading to his office to complete his charts. Having reviewed all of his notes, he called Robin and was disappointed to get the machine.

"Hey babe" his voice rumbled. "Just checking in to say hi. I'm out of the OR and just finished two hours of charts - tell me why I don't have a team of Keebler elves to do my charts for me? Hope you and Rian are having a good day. I can't wait for you to come back to work - I'm in serious need of some consults. Love you tons, kiss my little man for me."

Hanging up, he looked at his watch and decided to make a post-op visit to Ellie. He opened his bottom drawer and pulled out one of the small beenie babies he had taken to keeping in his office. Slipping it in his pocket he left for her room.

"Hey Miss Thing - look at you lying down on the job" he teased "You think you just had brain surgery or something."

Ellie pried open her eyes and tried to smile. "Dr. Patrick."

He pulled a stool up to her bedside. "I have something for you for being such a champion in there." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the little rainbow coloured bear and held it out to her. "I didn't know what your favourite colour was so I thought I'd hit a homerun with this one." He held it further out to her. "Here, take it."

She looked at him wide-eyed. "Dr. Patrick?"

"Yes" he said making the bear dance.

"I can't feel my arms or my legs."