August 2039 –

As she sat in the backseat of the yellow cab in the bustling crowd of downtown New York, Georgie scrubbed the tears from her face. She didn't want to cause Dillon or Alex any concern; even though she knew she already had it.

It was odd, she thought, to have someone worry about you.

Especially when you'd spent so much time worrying about someone else.

It was a nice feeling, to leave the worry in someone else's hands. She reached into her cavernous bag, digging for her compact mirror. When she found it and was satisfied that her face was no different than when she'd left Dillon and Alex, she replaced it. As she did, her hand brushed over the wrapped package.

She frowned now, drawing it out and studying it. It was small, square, and wrapped with care. She saw Alex's precise tapping folding. Curious, she used a finger to slip open the side.

It was a jewelry box. Simple, black velvet. Her gaze fell to the brilliant diamond on her finger. It was a promise from Dillon, a promise to love her forever, to be with her forever.

But this gift was clearly from Alex. Georgie opened the box, stared at the silver locket nestled on the foam. It looked old, she thought, as she took out the locket and opened it. Her breath caught and she felt the tear gather again.

Inside the tiny antiquity was an even smaller photo. Running her finger over her daughter's face, she smiled. Leave it to Alex to think of a gift like this one. It was just one more thing she loved about her soon-to-be-stepdaughter.

She clipped the locket around her neck, repaired her face just as the cab slowed in front of the little Jewish deli where her future was waiting. Georgie fished out some money, paid the cabbie and hurried to the door of the deli.

Even as her hand touched the handle, she saw them sitting together. Her family now. She'd had another family once, briefly. And now she was given a second chance.

She was, by God, going to take it.

Without wasting another moment, she pulled open the door, stepped inside and walked over to the table. "Hey," she said, dropping into a chair opposite father and daughter.

"Hi! Did you get your errand finished?" Alex asked, slanting her father a look.

Georgie smiled. "I did. Thank you. And now I'm starved. Did you already order?" She reached for the menu, knowing that one had to order at the counter at this particular deli. She perused her options, settling on a corned beef sandwich with French fries. She looked at Dillon. "Why don't you go order for us?"

Dillon glanced at his daughter, who kept her eyes averted. Then back at his fiancé. Then nodded, "sure, I'll be right back."

When he'd disappeared around the corner, Georgie turned to Alex. She touched a hand to the locket, smiling. "Thank you."

Alex smiled, looked relieved. "I'm so happy that you like it. I wasn't sure." She kept her gaze from Georgie, fingered her napkin.

"I love it. I've never received something so special."

"I-I saw the picture on the table by your bed. I thought that you might like something so that you could keep her with you," Alex replied. She looked at Georgie, smiling now.

"Thank you." Georgie cocked her head. "You and Amelia would have gotten along well. You are very alike."

"You're not sad anymore. You can talk about—about your family—and not be sad."

Georgie nodded, seeing the same old insight in this girl as she'd seen in her own girl. "Yes, I've come to terms with it. I had a wonderful life with them, but now, my life is just as wonderful."

"I'm glad that you are with my dad. He's happy in a way that I've never seen before," Alex said.

"I'm so glad that I got a second chance. But I'm glad that you are here. Because being able to see you is a little like seeing what Amelia would have been like," Georgie replied, reaching over to clasp Alex's hand.

Alex's smile widened. "So this is the future?"

Georgie nodded, just as Dillon came back with a tray of food. "Yes, this is the future." She turned to take the tray from him and grinned back at Alex.

And what a beautiful future it was.

* * * * *

September 2039 –

Rachel Jax pulled herself into her office. While her clock read half past six, her body believed that it was well into the night. She was exhausted. Exhilarated, but exhausted.

She was a success.

She'd built her dream from the ground up, all by herself, and she had achieved everything she'd ever imagined.

But, oh God, it was tiring.

Even so, she couldn't believe how wonderful her opening day had been. Lady's Court was a success. She knew it even before the final numbers came in. A packed house in store and ten-thousand hits on the website made it easy enough to judge, she thought.

It surprised her, she admitted. She knew that she would be a success, but it was surprising to actually see it happening.

"Up for a little company?"

Rachel looked up to see her mother standing in the doorway. She smiled. "Only if it's you. Would you like anything to drink? Eat?" She rose to walk to the little refrigerator even as Carly waved her back.

"Sit. I can get it. You've been on your feet for a good sixteen hours, I'd think." She took two bottles of water out of the fridge and tossed one to Rachel, who caught it handedly.

Carly sat across from Rachel's desk, smiling at her clearly exhausted daughter. "You need to get some sleep. You have to be back here tomorrow. Opening day is one thing but reality is entirely another." She took a sip of her water.

Rachel angled her head. "How did you do it?"

"Do what, Darling?"

"Be Dad's wife, our mother, run the hotel. You're like superwoman," Rachel commented, opening her own water bottle.

Carly laughed out loud. "Far from it. I had fun. I loved being a mother and I truly enjoy being part-owner of such a gorgeous hotel. Its fun for me to see how things work, the behind the scenes."

"I'm seeing that now." She spread her arms to enunciate. "Here, in my own place, my own business. I'm really enjoying it."

"I can see that. You are much happier than you ever were at ELQ," Carly replied.

"There I was just another share-holder. Here, I'm the boss. I like being in charge. I like being my own success." She smiled at her mother. "You and Dad taught me that—how to be a success."

Carly smiled, but shook her head. "Oh no. We taught you to follow your heart, dream big and work hard. You learned how to be a success all on your own."

"Thanks for that. For believing in me," Rachel said, rising and moving to hug her mother.

Carly grinned, squeezing Rachel. "Always. Your father and I want you all to be successes in whatever you do."

Rachel pulled back and grinned. "I like to think that I am."

And for the first time in her life, she felt that her own dream had paid off in spades.

GH*GH*GH*GH*GH

October 2039 –

"I think that this house suits us," Mattie commented as she creamed off her makeup. She'd had a late night at the hospital and was getting ready for bed at nearly ten o'clock.

Morgan stood in the bathroom doorway, watching her. He grinned when she lifted her eyes to meet his in the mirror. "You have a little—" he touched his own cheek to demonstrate the cream that was still on her face.

She rolled her eyes, grabbing a washcloth to wipe her face. "But, really. You do like the house, don't you?"

Morgan sobered, crossing to her. He lifted her chin up with his hand. "I love it. It was the right decision. We can't be living in my old little apartment forever." He dropped a kiss lightly on her lips. "Especially if we are thinking of the future."

She turned, finished wiping her eyes and face. Reaching for her toothbrush, she stilled. Her eyes once again met his in the mirror. "The future?"

Morgan shrugged. "You know, kids, the dog on the porch, the white picket fence, the whole enchilada."

She turned fully this time. "Kids?" her voice squeaked at the end.

Morgan frowned. "Yeah. I thought that you wanted kids. I know that we didn't really talk about it before the—"

She cut him off with a shake of her head. "Of course I want kids. I just wasn't sure when, or how to bring up the topic with you."

Morgan frowned, moving to brush a hand down her hair. "You can talk about anything with me. You know that."

She side-stepped him, and squeezed toothpaste on her toothbrush. The room was silent for several minutes as she brushed her teeth. She kept her eyes down; not wanting to see what was in Morgan's.

When she was finished, and had tidied up the room, he took her hand, pulled her into the bedroom. "Mattie, sit down. Tell me what's wrong."

She shook her head. "Nothing, nothing's wrong." She rose, paced the room.

Morgan watched her, mystified. She didn't usually act evasive. "Mattie. Are you all right?"

She stopped, took a breath. "Yes, I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting to talk about kids."

"Do you have anything against them?"

"No, no. I like kids," she replied quickly.

"Good. Because I've been thinking about them a lot lately. Ever since Lila had Megan. It made me want one of my own. I know we said that we would wait until we'd been married for a while, but I have just been thinking," Morgan said, still watching her.

She smiled, thinking about how good he'd been with her friend's little girl. "That's good…because I've been thinking too. About kids."

"And…" he grabbed her hand, tugged her down on the bed with him.

She sat, stared at her hands until Morgan caught her chin to draw her eyes to his. "I've been thinking about kids for the last few weeks actually. I just didn't know how to tell you."

He frowned. "Tell me what? That—" It was as if a light switched on in his face. "You—are you trying to tell me that you're pregnant?"

She sucked in a breath, smiled slightly. And nodded. "Yes, that is what I'm trying to tell you."

He grinned now, wider than she'd ever seen it. Jumping up and pulling her with him, he crushed her in a hug, turning in a circle that had her feet coming off the ground. Then he stopped, looked at her. "Are you okay?"

She smiled, patted his cheek. "I'm fine. The baby's fine. Everything's as it should be. I've already seen Kelly to be sure."

"How long have you known?"

She looked down again, not wanting to tell him the truth, but knowing that he had the right. "A month."

"And you didn't think that I'd like to know?"

His tone had her berating herself. "I'm sorry. It's just we hadn't really talked about kids in detail and the baby wasn't planned. I-I—"

He took her hands, hating the guilt he'd put in her eyes. "Mattie, I love you. Yes, I want kids, only if they are yours. It's the right time." He put a hand on her stomach, used his other to motion to the room. "Look at us. We have a house, a picket fence. And as soon as possible, I think we should look about getting a dog. All we need is a baby. And we're half-way there."

She smiled now, closing her eyes. She was glad that the truth was out.

Morgan pulled her against him, kissed the top of her head. "You've been beating yourself up about this, haven't you? Worrying about what I would say."

"You know me so well," she murmured, rubbing her eyes. It was way past her bedtime and fact that she had to be back at the hospital at nine made her think even more about going to sleep.

"Of course I do. I love you Dr. Corinthos. More than life itself. Our baby just makes it better."

"I'm glad to hear you say that. It's a relief," she yawned now.

Morgan turned her so that he could kiss her properly. "I love you Mattie and because I love you and our baby, I'm thinking that I should tuck the both of you in bed. You've had a busy day." He lifted her into his arms, laid her down as he pulled back the covers.

"So have you," she pulled him down on the bed, scooted over to allow him room. "I heard about your big case today. The hospital was filled with gun-shot wounds. I was, however, relieved to not find you among them."

"That I did." He kissed her again, pulling her to him, flipping off the light with his free hand. When they were in the dark room, he spoke again, "you made the the happiest man on earth the day you walked down that aisle. But now, I'd say today rivals it. I love you Mattie. And I promise that I will be a good father to our baby."

"I know that you will. You had many great mentors," she whispered, closing her eyes as sleep claimed her.

He smiled again, kissing her lightly as he too fell toward sleep.

She was happy that Morgan was glad about the baby. She knew that it had been stupid to doubt for a second that he would be anything less than thrilled. She also knew that it was a sort of new beginnings for her, for her life with Morgan, for her family. A baby was just what they needed to move into a new phase of life. A life without sadness and heartache. Without the sorrow of loss.

She knew that her life was full where it had once lacked a crucial part. The loss of her mother had burned her, but she'd moved past it to a life and family of her own.

And this new life was proving to be brighter and clearer than ever before.

Okay, this is the end of an era for this version of the future of General Hospital. I can say that there will be others unrelated to this one. I hope that you enjoyed the saga and I thank all of my faithful readers—especially those who reviewed so religiously. I am happy where this story ended and I hope that you are too. Thanks again!