GreyStone. The Grounds.
Claudia did not say a word. She needed to find out what she was dealing with.
Finally, Michael spoke.
"You visited once a week," he said.
"I did," she said.
"I wasn't sure about that until I checked with the clinic. You said the same things every time you came."
"Yes."
"Why? Did you think I'd forgive you?"
"I meant what I said, Michael. I'm sorry for what happened. More than you can know. That's why I visited."
He threw something at her. She caught it. Her mother's rosary.
"You brought that the first time," he said.
"I did." Her fingers traced over the beads.
"Why?"
"It was my mother's. It was the only thing I had to give that meant something to me."
So far, Michael had been low energy, speaking at a normal volume. Sonny said Michael would want revenge. Her instincts said one thing; everything she had learned about her subject said another.
"I would give anything if I could take back what happened to you, Michael." She spoke in measured tones.
Michael came into the light. "It's hard to know what to believe with you," he said. "You said you were my friend. And then this whole time you've been keeping something from me. You've been keeping the biggest thing in my life from me."
"I have."
"So how do I know you're not lying?"
"Look at me, Michael. I'm telling you I'm sorry. I came every week. Do you know what that's like, to see the damage you've inflicted every week?"
"I know what it's like to lose a year. To lose control of who you are and what you do."
"We've been alone. Together. And I knew that this day might come. And I never tried to do anything to you. What does that tell you?"
"You tried to kill my father."
No way out of this one. "Yes."
"You should have known that that wouldn't go away. That's something you're going to have to pay for."
Looks like Sonny was right, she thought. "And I will," she said. "After the baby is born."
"What does that mean?"
"It means your father knows what I've done. He's made plans. But he wants the baby. So he's waiting."
Michael reached into his jacket and took out a revolver. He held it in the palm of his hand and stared at it.
"Michael?"
"The last time I shot one of these, it was an accident. Just like me getting shot was an accident."
"Michael, listen to me." Claudia thought about Nikolas and Johnny, and about the Will, and about all of the things hidden upstairs in the nursery. "I know you don't want to hear anything from me right now, but if this is something you're going to do, please don't let the baby die. Aim high, and get help for the baby right away."
"I don't even know if my dad really knows about you. How can I believe anything you say?"
"Michael. This baby didn't do anything. He's your brother."
"I didn't do anything and I got hurt. I don't want to hurt the baby. But something has to be done. You can't just do these things."
"You felt him kick. I know you did. He's just a baby."
"How old do you have to be before it's okay to get shot, Claudia?" Michael looked into her eyes. His eyes were filled with tears, and he was slowly losing control.
He raised the gun and aimed it at her.
And Sonny stepped out of the shadows.
"Michael," he said. "Give me the gun."
**************************************
Wyndemere. Living Room.
"You want to help," Nikolas said. A little preparation from Johnny would have been appreciated. How much did Lulu know?
"I don't know why Sonny wants to kill Claudia. I still hate her. And I still get nauseous at the thought of you with that --"
"Lulu."
"I'm not going to apologize."
"Then I suggest that you don't say anything I'd expect an apology for."
"I owe Claudia."
"For what?"
"For what happened on the witness stand. At Johnny's trial."
"She didn't do that for you," Nikolas said.
"I know," Lulu said. "But I got something out of it, didn't I? And it saved Johnny's life when I couldn't. I was Johnny's third choice, you know. To help. To go to Claudia's locker. But he doesn't trust Olivia, and he can't ask Maxie to do something that might hurt Spinelli."
"This is a very dangerous situation, Lulu. None of us were supposed to bring anyone else into it without checking with the others first."
"He couldn't check with you two. Claudia would be a knee-jerk no, and you were out of town."
"It's dangerous for you, too. If anyone ever found out that you had anything to do with this --"
"They won't."
"After this is all over, the three of us will be safe. Anyone else who played a part won't be, if they're found out. I can't take the risk."
"Okay, well, first of all, I can keep a secret. As well as anyone else can. And second of all, I'm pretty good at getting out of trouble."
"And what if you find out what Claudia did, and you wished you hadn't helped?"
**************************************
GreyStone. The Grounds.
"Give me the gun, Michael."
"Why should I?"
Claudia held her breath. This was not going to end well. But if Sonny got the gun, the baby would live. She was sure of that.
Sonny maneuvered himself between the gun and Claudia.
"Because this is taken care of," Sonny answered Michael.
"You don't know what she did," Michael said, as he tried unsuccessfully to aim the gun around his father.
"I know exactly what she did."
"And you're letting her get away with it?"
"Michael, if you do this, I'm the one who's going to pay. You don't know what it's like to kill someone. You don't know what it does to your soul. This would destroy your mother, and your brother, and me."
Michael didn't moved. There was a struggle going on inside him, and it was tearing him apart.
"I promise you, Michael, this is taken care of. Let's help your baby brother make it into this world now."
Sonny reached for the gun. Michael let him take it away.
"Claudia," Sonny said. "Go to your room. And stay there."
Claudia managed to push herself to her feet, and she made her way to the house, weaving a little, and moving her fingers across her mother's rosary beads.
When she reached the house, Sonny clapped his hand on Michael's shoulder. He put the gun safely away in his own pocket.
"I'm going to keep this, Michael," he said. "You let me handle this. You don't tell your mother until she's out of danger with her pregnancy. You don't tell anybody. Leave it to me."
**************************************
Wyndemere. Living Room.
Lulu's mind was racing. What could Claudia have done?
"It's late," Nikolas said. "You should get back to Port Charles before the piers become dangerous."
"Claudia knew what I did. When I killed Logan. And she helped."
"She helped Johnny. And she didn't care about Logan."
"I'm helping you. You and Johnny. Why does everyone think of me as someone who can't handle anything?"
Nikolas sat down on the couch. "We don't think you can't handle anything. We don't want you to get your hands dirty. We don't want to put you in any danger. Because we love you."
Lulu came and sat on the arm of the couch. "And I want to help you because I love you."
Nikolas ran his hand through his hair. "Aren't you still working for Kate Howard?"
"Yes."
"Can you leave work at a moment's notice?"
"I'll find a way."
"You work next to Maxie, don't you? You'd have to make sure she can't put two and two together."
"Please. That girl is so vacant, she couldn't put a --"
"Lulu. You need to treat Maxie like she's Albert Einstein. Because whatever happens, she's going to tell Sonny, Jason and Spinelli about. And she won't leave out any details. So even if you think she is inadequate to the task of figuring out what we're up to, those three will see it coming from a mile away."
Lulu begrudgingly thought over what Nikolas was saying. There was good logic to it. "How long until Claudia gives birth?"
"Officially, one month and three weeks. Unoffically, three weeks. Which means she's out of the danger zone. It could happen any day."
"If I helped, how would that work?"
"I'd text you. Let you know it was time. You'd go to my office at Cassadine Industries and wait for me to come from the hospital. And we'd start making copies."
"That's it?"
"Sometimes the most important details are pretty mundane."
"I can do mundane."
Nikolas smiled. "I doubt that. But it will be amusing to see you try. Welcome aboard."
**************************************
Metro Court Bar.
Alexis sat at the bar, playing with her olive.
Mac sidled up from behind.
"Waiting for Ned?," he asked.
She swiveled her stool to look at him. "Diane Miller."
"Ah," said Mac. "Can't help the pull of the mob, can you?"
"Diane is an excellent lawyer. Mob or no mob."
"Diane's turning into an ambulance chaser with the Brianna Hughes case."
"Did you come over for a reason? Or do you just like to needle me about my friends? You could be dealing with Scott Baldwin, you know. Or Ric."
"I know," he said. He gestured to the seat next to her. "May I?"
"If we keep my friends off-limits, absolutely."
Mac sat down next to Alexis and ordered a Rusty Nail.
"Can I ask you something?," Alexis said.
"Only if it doesn't involve your friends," Mac said.
Alexis gave a sardonic smile and then continued. "You and I have both been around the block romantically in Port Charles."
"I would agree with that." The bartender delivered Mac's drink.
"Nothing's ever worked out. For either of us. Robin and Maxie are out of the house. So you should be free to get out of this Eastern Seaboard waterloo of romance and ambition. As of right now, aside from Sonny being Kristina's father, I have no real reason to stay here. Why are we here?"
"Family. History."
"Look at Ned," she said.
"Oh, we're back to Ned, are we?"
"He has family here. He's a Quartermaine, for the love of all that is unholy. And he left. Went to New York. With his child. And he's happy."
"That's an illusion."
"You're no help."
"I don't know what to tell you, Alexis. Maybe we're here so that everyone who leaves can all find their way back when they're in trouble and need us. Like a lighthouse or something of that nature."
"Is that a reason to stay?," she asked.
"Until we find a better reason to leave," he answered.
"What have we here? Collusion?" Diane had somehow appeared out of nowhere and was standing behind them.
"Commiseration," Alexis corrected.
Mac finished his drink. "And now, I leave you both. Alexis, Diane, I'm sure I'll see you at the station at some point."
"Surely," said Diane.
"Thanks for the talk," Alexis said.
"Any time."
Mac left.
"Plotting another arrest?"
"No. We really were commiserating. I love your shoes."
"Steve Madden. Aren't they divine?"
**************************************
GreyStone. Living Room.
"I don't want Michael around Claudia ever again. No matter what," Sonny said. "That goes for Carly too. No Carly and Claudia. Understood?"
"Yes, boss," Max said.
"Yes," Milo echoed.
"Good. Now go home and have a good night. Send the guards for the next shift in to me."
Max and Milo left.
Sonny was worried. Michael was his mother's son. That was exactly like Carly going after A.J. during the Nurses Ball all those years ago. It was too close.
**************************************
GreyStone. Claudia's Bedroom.
Claudia paced the floor. Looked like anyone could get a gun around here but her. New rules in place. From now on, she didn't enter any room that didn't have good witnesses. And tomorrow morning, she was --
She jumped when there was a sudden knock at her door.
"Who is it?," she asked.
"Sonny." Sonny tried the door. It was locked. "Can I come in?"
"Not tonight. I don't think so."
"Come on, Claudia. We need to talk about Michael. Open up."
Claudia went to the door, but reconsidered. "I can't. I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow."
She listened for a moment, and thought she heard him leave. Then she heard the door to his room shut.
She sat down on the bed and rubbed her belly. "Okay. Mommy's had enough of the peace, and the love, and the 'justice will prevail.' I'm going to make things right. No one's going to hurt you."
*****************************************
GreyStone. Early Morning.
Sonny was asleep on his bed, when someone knocked insistently on his door.
"What?," he said, waking.
The knocking continued.
He got out of bed and opened the door.
"Sorry to bother you, Mr. C. But I think this is important," Max said.
"What?"
The guard Sonny had put on Viktor stepped forward. "She ditched her guard, Mr. Corinthos."
"What are you talking about?"
"You wanted me to follow the guard. I did. He went over to Spoon Island last night. Then he went home. And when he got here this morning, your wife was gone."
******************************************
Pawn Shop. Elm Street.
The store owner was bleary eyed. This was the earliest he'd been up since... This was the earliest he'd been up. Ever.
He led Mrs. Corinthos into a back room, and took down a set of cases from a high shelf.
He opened up the cases.
"If you want something with less of a --"
"I'll take that one," Claudia said, pointing to the semi-automatic. "How much?"
