Okay, I didn't get any reviews last time. Please review. I love to read other people's opinions about my writing. The next couple chapters are going to be about the ball itself. I have a few things planned for it. But no deaths like the real GH Black and White Ball of 2007. I also will revisit Bree and her friends and family in Llanview and might bring in a few new characters (well not new as in never seen before, new as in new to my story). Maybe a few characters from AMC and others from OLTL. Please review and above all, enjoy!

Mattie looked critically at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a dress that Maxie specially designed for her. It was a deep jungle green that accented her eyes—or so Maxie said. The dress was tapered down the floor. Her hair was tied back in an elegant French braid and fastened with a silver hair clip. She wore tiny silver hoops on her ears and a diamond tennis bracelet on her wrist. Mattie sighed. No matter what she wore, she somehow managed to cast this cute-little-girl-trying-to-look-grown-up look. Well, she would just have to live with it because she hadn't been blessed with any overly-spectacular looks.

A knock on the door tore her attention away from the mirror. She walked over and opened it to find Sarah standing in front of her with a look of horror. "What's wrong?"

"My dress has a spot on it." She pointed to a small corner near the hem of the champagne-colored tea-length dress. Sure enough there was a small dark speck. "I had it dry-cleaned just two days ago after Maxie gave it to me. Do you think that they could have gotten that out?"

"It's okay. We'll try to get it out. I think that Windex works as a good stain remover. Do we have any?" Mattie soothed, taking the gown from her friend and walking out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. She reached under the sink and grabbed the bottle of Windex. Spraying a little on the spot, she used a clean cloth to rub it. After a few minutes, she stopped and examined the stain.

"There, it looks better. You can dry clean it again after the ball. But it's mostly out," She handed the dress back to Sarah.

"Oh Mattie, you are a lifesaver. Thanks so much. I have to go get ready. And so do you! Morgan is going to be here soon," Sarah replied, pushing Mattie toward her bedroom.

Mattie laughed. "Okay, okay. I'm going. I'm almost ready anyway. Although I'm not sure I like the gown."

Sarah's eyes widened. "Are you kidding? You look so beautiful. Maxie really outdid herself."

Mattie shook her head. "I never look quite grown up. I mean, I'm twenty-eight years old and I still get carded when I go to bars."

"Oh please, stop Mattie. You look spectacular, but you are going to be late. Morgan is coming in—" Sarah glanced at the clock on the wall. "—exactly thirty minutes. So go, finish getting ready."

Mattie walked back into her bedroom and slipped her feet into the strappy black heels. She fluffed her hair and put more powder on her cheeks. Just as she was walking out of the room, she heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it," she called, walking to the door and pulling it open. Morgan stood on the other side.

"Hi," Mattie said timidly. She held it open as he walked through.

"Hi yourself," Morgan replied, pulling her into a kiss. He deepened the kiss and for a moment, she wanted to just stay at the house instead of go to the party.

But as he pulled away, she managed to pull herself back together. Mattie reached for her coat and her clutch and called out a goodbye to Sarah, who was coming with her on/off boyfriend Jake Spencer. Soon they were off—in a car this time—to the launch to Spoon Island.

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Molly descended the main staircase at Wyndemere just as the hall clock was striking seven O'clock. She had no doubt that guests would begin to arrive within moments. She sashayed into the main parlor where Spencer was fidgeting with his tie in the mirror.

"Here, let me," she said, coming up behind him and fixing it. She smoothed the front of his suit. "There. Wow, Spence, you look great."

"You don't look so bad yourself," he commented. She looked beautiful in fact. Molly was dressed in a Maxie Jones-Spinelli Original—a floor length gown in a deep burgundy gathered at the waist and accented with silver beading on the bodice and hem. Her brown hair was half pulled up and tied back with a silver clip. She had on minimal jewelry—only a pair of diamonds sparkled on her ears. She was very elegant—very Cassadine.

"Well thank you. Where's Miranda?" Molly reached up to fluff her hair.

"She's upstairs still, as far as I know," Spencer answered and turned as the woman in question sauntered into the room.

Miranda was dressed in a dark blue dress was tight at the bodice and flowed down toward the floor. Her dark brown hair curled down her bare back and at her ears, she wore a pair of sapphire chandelier earrings. "No, I'm right here. Are we ready?" she clapped her hands. "This is it guys!"

Molly laughed. "You guys put together a fantastic party. We are going to raise a whole lot of money."

"Oh I hope so," Miranda replied softly. Then she hooked an arm through Spencer's and Molly's. "Come on, you two. We have guests to greet and a party to attend."

"Lead the way…" Molly laughed as the three of them walked out of the room and down the stairs toward the ball room.

XXXXXX

Alex stood at the bottom of the staircase at the Quartermaine Mansion. She was practically bouncing out of her strappy high heels in excitement. Her father had surprised her with an invitation to the charity ball at Wyndemere. And he'd surprised her with a new dress—better than any dress she'd ever worn—for the event.

"Daaad!" She called, impatient and annoyed that he was taking so long. And they said that women took longer than men to get ready.

Dillon jogged down the stairs just then. He looked very much at home dressed in the black tux. He grinned at his daughter. Alex had definitely inherited her mother's penchant for being intolerant to delay.

"Okay, okay. I'm ready," Dillon said, handing Alex her coat and grabbing his own. Moments later, they were out the door heading toward Spoon Island.

XXXXXX

"Maximista, are you ready to go?" Spinelli poked his head in Georgie's hospital room and whispered at his wife who was seated next to the bed wearing her own original dress.

Maxie looked up. She wore a faraway look on her face. "What?"

"It's almost seven o'clock. We need to get going if we're going to make the launch," Spinelli added, walking inside and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, of course. I'm coming…" she looked back at the unconscious Georgie. "I don't want to leave her. What if something happens when we're gone?"

"Then someone from the hospital will call us and we will come right back. You've been excited about this party for weeks. Come on, Maxie," he coaxed, drawing her to her feet.

"But all of her doctors are going to the ball, who will be here to make sure she's okay?" Maxie sounded somewhat like a small, lost child; which was something that worried Spinelli more than he'd have liked to admit.

"Maxie, there is always doctors on all. I'm sure that Mattie has already arranged for someone to examine Georgie. Now we must go," Spinelli replied, leading her out of the room and down the hallway toward the elevator.

Once they were safely inside the small metal box, he pushed the button labeled down and waited until they were safely on the ground level. Spinelli then led her to the car and made sure that she was buckled in. Maxie was acting like a child…and not in a good way. He hoped that Georgie would wake up soon because he was sure that his wife couldn't take much more of this. Maxie had always been the strong one, but now? He didn't want to think about it right now. Maybe later, he could convince her to go and talk with Lainey or someone professional.

XXXXXX

Alexis walked up the steps toward Wyndemere. She was dateless tonight. Jerry was…somewhere. Something had been off lately. She didn't know what it was, but there was something.

She lifted the hem of her dress as she climbed higher. She was getting too old for this, she thought. At nearly sixty, she considered herself in good shape, but some things were too much.

"Alexis!"

Alexis stopped and looked behind her. Diane Giambetti held up her dress as she sprinted up the stairs. When she reached her, she leaned over, half out of breath. "Whew, I'm getting too old for that."

Alexis laughed. "Where's Max tonight?" She looped an arm through Diane's and pulled her up toward the top of the steps.

"At work," Diane replied with disdain. "Jason called him moments before we were supposed to walk out of the door."

"So we're both dateless tonight," Alexis said brightly. Suddenly her night was looking up. They walked through the door and into the brightly lit ball room.

"There's Nikolas," Alexis said, leading Diane across the floor. "Nikolas!"

Nikolas turned and smiled when he saw her. "Alexis, how wonderful to see you!"

"I could say the same, my favorite jet-setting nephew," She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Where's Jerry," Nikolas asked, looking behind her.

Alexis frowned. "Don't ask. It's too long a story. Diane's my date tonight. She's dateless as well." She motioned to the woman beside her who smiled politely.

"Well, I hope that you both have a wonderful time. Alexis, you owe me a dance before the night is over."

Alexis smiled. "Of course. I'll see you later. Come on, Diane." She led the way toward the other side of the room. They were waylaid by a waiter who took their drink orders. As he walked away, Jasper Jax walked over toward them.

"Alexis!"

Alexis smiled and hugged him. "Jax, you never seem to age."

"I wish that were true," he replied wistfully. He kissed her on the cheek. "Although Carly with all her scheming keeps me young."

Alexis frowned. "I always said that Carly was all wrong for you."

"Now Alexis, you wouldn't have me so I lucked out with Carly. After all, she and I have been together for more than thirty years."

"Has it really been that long?" Alexis asked with a twinkle in her eye. She grinned and kissed his again, this time on the lips. Walking away, she glanced over her shoulder and laughed at the amused look on his face.

It was going to be an interesting evening.

XXXXXX

Mattie stepped off the launch and onto the dock. She looked up at the castle where she'd spent many long hours playing make-believe as a child. It was just like she'd imagined it.

Wyndemere was swathed in candles and light. There were fairy lights leading the way up the path to the castle and little candelabras on the stone wall that surrounded the magnificent house. It was like a dream. Mattie imagined being a princess up in the highest tower. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Morgan took her hand and led her up the stone stairs. "Yeah. When I was younger, I always liked to come and play with Spencer. We'd play knights and dragons." He smiled at the memory.

"Molly, Kristina and I used to pretend that we were princesses locked away and that our prince charming would come and rescue us," Mattie replied, picking up the hem of her dress.

"Did he ever make it?" Morgan asked, amused at her childhood games.

She turned at looked at him. There was a gleam in her eyes. "I'd say he did…yes, he definitely did." She reached up and kissed him full on the mouth. "Come on. I love parties and I will not be late to this one." Despite the bulk of her dress, she jogged the rest of the way of the steps.

XXXXXX

Patrick Drake stepped off the launch and made his way up the stone steps toward the castle. He was dateless tonight, as he'd been every night since Robin's death nine years earlier. He knew that it caused some laughs, being that once upon a time, he had been a playboy, unable to commit to one woman.

But Robin had changed that, had changed him and to this day, he thanked her for it. She had been the only woman for him and now, even after all these years, he still felt that he should honor that. After all, it had taken him long enough to commit.

They'd always done things a little backwards. But in Port Charles, backwards was considered the new forwards. It hadn't mattered that Robin had not only gotten pregnant before they'd gotten the chance to get married, she'd nearly given birth at the altar. The only thing that matter now, after nine years, was that they had gotten married, eventually.

He sighed. He still missed her. Even nine years later, he sometimes thought that he would walk into a room and see her. Or he'd hear her sarcastic remarks. Or he would need a consult on a case and she would have been the first person he'd called. But that was no more. And it was high time he moved on.

Not that he'd been at a loss for offers. It seemed that his well-meaning friends were always trying to set him up with some 'nice' woman. But he was too old to try something new. Especially because he still loved Robin.

Patrick was jolted out of his musings when he reached the top step. He walked toward the door and into a room bathed with light. There was music and food and people…lots of people. He stepped off to the side of the room, trying to find someone he knew. That was when he saw her.

For one brief wonderful second, he thought it was Robin—the love of his life. But then he saw it was the second love of his life—his little girl.

Mattie. That beautiful, talented woman with her mother's sable colored hair and his own dancing green eyes was his little girl. Where had all the time gone? When had she gone and grown up?

She was standing in the middle of a group of people. Squinting he could make out Molly Davis-Lansing, Sarah Lansing and the men he presumed were their dates. Also at his daughter's side was her own love, a rugged man, the son of Port Charles' infamous mobster, Morgan Corinthos-Jax.

He didn't know what exactly she saw in the man. Only that she'd been in love with him before she actually knew what love meant. Though Morgan was a nice enough guy, Patrick couldn't help but feel a little protective of his daughter—after all, wasn't it a father's prerogative?

He watched the two of them, Morgan with his hand in hers, Mattie leaning into him slightly. He and Robin hadn't really been like that when they'd been dating. No, they hadn't really dated conventionally. They'd been too busy sniping at each other. But it had all worked out in the end.

And for Mattie's sake, he hoped that she and Morgan's love for each other worked out. Everyone deserved to find happiness and is she found hers in a cop like Morgan, than he was happy.

Glancing back to the party, he scanned the rest of room for familiar faces. He saw Elizabeth Morgan standing with Nadine Cassadine and Kelly Hunter. He saw Maxie and Spinelli and his own brother Matt. He stopped looking when he heard his name being called.

"Patrick!"

He turned and saw Maxie walking toward him. He groaned inwardly because he knew exactly why she was seeking him out. "Hi Maxie."

"How's you-know-who?" Maxie whispered.

Patrick frowned. "You know…who?"

"Patrick!" Maxie hissed. "Keep your voice down."

"Why are we whispering?" he asked.

"Because not everyone knows yet, and for the moment, I'd like it to stay that way," Maxie whispered back.

For a brief moment, he chuckled inwardly. "Maxie, half the people here are doctors at GH and already know."

She shook her head indignantly. "Well the other half—including Mac—don't know. So please don't tell anyone. Not yet…" she trailed off pleadingly.

Patrick sighed. "Fine. I won't say anything. But she's stable for now. And that's all that matters. Now, go, enjoy the party. Try not to think about reality. Because tomorrow comes soon enough," he replied, shooing her away. She smiled a thank you and walked across the dance floor toward her husband.

Patrick shook his head. It was definitely going to be an interesting night. First things first, he wanted to dance with both of his daughters. And as Mattie was the only daughter in sight, he might as well start with her.

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