Chapter Two

Audrey was disappointed to see on the evening news that Helena was dead as she tried to find another way to match make for her granddaughter. Hearing Elizabeth singing to Cam, she went on to bed, making plans to get some help with this Elizabeth/Lucky mess.

Lying awake, she was a tossing and turning, when it hit her. Deciding to head out of town, maybe without her help, Elizabeth would realize that she needed a husband, to help raise her son. That no one can do it alone.

She would speak to Emily, have her be aware of her absence, Lucky was a given but maybe just maybe if her best friend were to give her blessing, well it might, just might do the trick and they could have a wedding around Christmas... no, Valentines Day. That would be perfect.

In Crimson Point, the old man crossed yet another name off his list as he began to dance around. "You know Trevor and Helena, Claudia and Tom, You know …. dang, I need more names."

With that he scrambled to sit behind his desk, never noticing his son coming into the house, listening to his father humming a familiar sounding song as he snuck up to his room.

He didn't know what was going on, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Trevor was dead, his father seemed rather happy in fact he had given him free reign when it came to the business and coming and going for the first time in his life.

Johnny was worried, because for a man who loathed music, every time he saw him, his father was humming songs, tunes that he didn't know but that were just there, just outside of his knowledge. Then there was the latest folly, large deers with antlers in the stables that had been empty since his mother's death.

Elizabeth waited until her grams had left on her sudden trip to Europe, well aware that she was in for multiple visits from Lucky, from Emily and from Nik all telling her the virtues of her old friend, all wanting to play matchmaker.

Walking into Epiphany's office she said "I need to request time off so that I can move into my new house."

"When would you like to do this, Ms. Webber?" she asked. Her son had asked her as a special favor to let him know when she wanted to move and to not give her a hard time about it.

"This weekend, if you don't mind." she said with a weak smile at her boss.

"Fine, just fine. You already have off Saturday and Sunday with your grandmother gone, I will arrange for you to have Friday and Monday as well." she said smoothly. "Anything else, Ms. Webber?"

"No, thank you." she said then quickly left as she went to pick up Cam. They were driving over to take a look at her house. Pulling up in front of the house, she had to admit she had seen it several times over the years but had never expected to live there.

Seeing the Scorpio house across the yard, she hesitated then walked to the back door of her car and took out Cam as she carried him up the steps and to the main door. Letting herself in, she was a bit surprised to find that the heat was already on.

Turning right as she entered, she opened the first door then then looked at her paper and saw it was labeled as the study. A nice dark green room full of bookshelves and a lovely window seat, she wasn't so sure of the color but moved on to check out the rest of the house.

Returning to the hallway, then entering straight ahead then going left, she saw what was labeled the parlor and found it had a door that went straight to the steps she had just used. "Well that would be convenient."

"Nice fireplace." she said about the room that was another odd color, a soft gray but it seemed to match the nice stone hearth and the heavy dark blue furniture in the room. Entering back into the dining room, with yet another fireplace and a huge table set up for eight, she continued on into the family room and gave a sigh as she felt a sense of belonging.

The well lit room was done in shades of the blues and greens she had already seen in the house but with lighter shades and more casual materials. "Now this can be a playroom for us, Cam."

Her young son just babbled and grinned at his mommy. Retuning to the kitchen with its built in table, then the bar stools and she said"Hopefully I can learn to cook well enough to do this room justice."

Ducking into the other hallway, she said "Perfect a laundry room and the garage is attached, what do you say, Cam. Should we go upstairs and look at the bedrooms, maybe pick one out for you."

Heading up the lovely spiral staircase, she stopped when she saw the small area set up with some furniture. "Okay, I guess this is what is labeled the loft."

Opening the farthest door first, she said "A guest bedroom, maybe for Miss Georgie when she babysits, what do you think Cam? Think she would like this peaches and cream coloring?"

Then retreating, she saw the room already set up as a nursery and felt her misgivings return until she saw the wooden red train bookshelf on the wall and knew that this was the perfect room for her son. "Lets go look at Mommy's room, okay?"

Entering the last bedroom, Elizabeth stopped stunned at how gorgeous it was. Well lit with soft greens and moving closer she saw subtle pinks and browns giving it a woodland feel she sat down on the bench in her closet and said "Wow."

Stopping at the last door in the hallway, finding that it was filled with linens, she thought about it then hurried downstairs to peak into her pantry. Finding it empty, she let go of the last of her suspicions and just accepted the house.

She drove to her grams empty house and sat down to make some notes then looked at the money she had saved up for the various things she had been expecting to pay for. So tomorrow, after work, she made plans to head to the storage unit, then made a call to Georgie.

"Sure, I can babysit, Cam." she said then listened to what Elizabeth said."Really, dad has been wondering who owns that house."

Agreeing to Elizabeth's request to keep her ownership and her moving quiet for now, Georgie hung up and went back to filling out her college applications while her phone didn't ring once.

Across the harbor, Nik almost told Lucky what was going on, that he suspected that there was another Cassadine out there. Until his brother began to whine yet again about how hard his job was, how everyone was so mean to him at the station.

Gritting his teeth, he suggested that all work was hard only for Emily to turn on his once Lucky had left and tell him that she couldn't take it too much longer. "I love him, I truly do, but when is Lucky going to grow up?"

"I don't know but I had been hoping getting back with Elizabeth would help but if he is complaining to her as much as he is to us, I can understand her not wanting to do it." he said sitting down and moping for a bit.

"I barely see her anymore, she is always so busy." said Emily pouting a bit. "When I do see her, I keep bringing up Lucky so of course she gets upset and then I say stupid things... I wish I hadn't promised to help him win her back."

Taking a deep breath, Nik said "What do you say, how about we stay out of it. NO mentioning Lucky to Elizabeth, no speaking to her about any of that. Why don't you see if you can hang out with her tomorrow, just be there and I will try and deal with Lucky."

Emily agreed but wished, truly wished she hadn't made that promise to her oldest friend. Getting ready for bed, she was soon tucked in, missing Nik as he told her he was waiting for a call on the Asian markets.

Instead Nik was on the phone with an investigator. "Did you find anything?"

"No sir. Nothing regarding your father or uncle." with that the man hung up while Nik tried to go through the Cassadine family tree yet again hoping to find or rather not to find another family member whose name began with an S.

Elizabeth was done at the storage unit the next afternoon, when she tried to pay the man who had happened to be checking on his own unit after he had helped her load her car, he had refused then called his boss."Sir, she is on her way to the house."

"Thank you." he said then Jason made a call and arranged for the guard to arrive at the same time Elizabeth did. Hearing his name being called, he turned and said "Courtney."

"Jason, I just wanted to stop and see how you are." she said with trembling lips and tears in her eyes. "I mean, after we lost our child, for you to be taking care of Sonny's with Sam, I am sure that it brings back memories."

It didn't but Jason didn't tell her that as he said "Sam hasn't given birth yet."

Grimacing as he took her words literally, she gave up, annoyed to recall why they had ended in the first place. Sometimes she couldn't help thinking he was being deliberately obtuse as she tried again to bring up their lost child.

Jason looked at her, saw her yet again as who she was, Carly lite and said"Courtney, I am sorry for your loss, but thanks to my accident, I don't have an imagination and therefor don't have those type of thoughts or regrets."

Not true as he had discovered but he had once heard Carly telling Courtney that and he would use that to his advantage to get rid of her. When she pouted and left, he shook his head and wished that poor bastard Jasper Jacks well before heading to the warehouse to meet with Sonny.

"What is going on with Max and you?" he was asked as soon as he was in the door.

"Nothing, I need him on Sam and he has been rather reluctant to protect her. Considering she is carrying your child, I am rather unhappy with him over it." Jason saw the moment that Sonny got angry then pressed in his advantage. "I have seen him talking to Carly and am concerned that he might let out something he shouldn't to her, you never know when Lorenzo might be eavesdropping."

"I assigned him to Sam, he will stay there so that he can't do just that."

"I agree." said Sonny. Then asked ""Do we have anything on this SC?"

"No, but I think that it was something Helena did, the notes have stopped since her death and she sent one to Emily that day." he said dismissing not knowing that the words had stuck with Sonny and were repeating over and over again in his head.

"Fine, now do you know what is going on with Alexis. I had a visit from her yesterday." said Sonny. "I mean, I know that Ned is going around asking for the various members of the Quartermaine family to take a blood test, did he ask you yet?"

Deciding to use it as an excuse to go see Elizabeth at the hospital he said"No, but I am going to be tested."

Grimacing because he didn't want his enforcer laid up right then, not when Sam needed him, Sonny asked about a business issue, not noticing that Jason looked tense as he answered him.

Getting a call later, told that he had helped the young woman carry everything in, Jason thanked him then asked about visitors. "None, sir. Well that isn't true, there was an odd car but it was parked near the police commissioner's house and left a package for the Jones girl."

Elizabeth worked her shift on Thursday, seeing Lucky coming her way she ducked into the locker room and quickly changed out of her scrubs. Emily who had come around the other side of the lockers asked "Do you have time for some dinner?"

"Can't. I have plans." Elizabeth said then grabbed her purse planning on making a fast getaway only to be foiled by Lucky who was pacing back and forth when they both walked out.

"Okay, uh, how about we make it a foursome?" asked Emily grinning brightly at having not to break a promise to Lucky when she mistakenly assumed they were having dinner together.

"Sounds great, where are you two going?" he asked only for Elizabeth to feel trapped. Seeing Georgie coming on to work her candy striping shift, she was trying to find a way out of things when she heard her name being called.

"Yes?"she asked her boss who said "Did you forget your plans to meet with me this evening?"

"No, I am sorry, Nurse Johnson." Turning to her friends she said "Maybe another time?"

"I am sure your boss can wait to speak to you when you are actually working." said Lucky scowling at the woman who just looked steadily at him. "Can't you?"

"No, it can't wait. Now if you are still interested in that assignment we need to speak tonight, Nurse Webber." said Epiphany with a wink at her nurse who agreed.

Emily watched as Elizabeth gathered her things, then saw the annoyed look on her face as she was once again badgered by Lucky and got that this was her fault for assuming that Lucky and she had plans. Deciding to help, she managed to divert Lucky long enough for the other two to escape.

Elizabeth quickly went to the day care and picked up her son, while her boss waited with her. Hating that Epiphany even felt it was necessary, Elizabeth was beginning to realize that something had to be done regarding Lucky.

Once outside, putting Cam into his car seat, she thanked her boss. "Don't thank me, all I did was buy you some time. At some point girl, you are going to have to stand up for yourself and tell those two that you aren't going back to that young man."

With that, Epiphany got into her Toyota Camry and drove off. Elizabeth made a call then drove to her home and saw the guard she had seen earlier was still behind her.

By the middle of October, things were slowly coming to a head. Jason had gotten a very clear picture of just how far Sonny would go to keep him under his thumb.

Sam in her vulnerable state was beginning to transfer her feelings from Sonny to Jason and he was finding it a problem. He would have avoided the penthouse, but Sam's medical issues were getting worse.

Adding to that was Carly kept stopping over, pressing matters, clearly trying to create even more drama. His only relief came from knowing that he had dealt with Max who seemed to be doing what he had been ordered.

Coming back to the penthouse early after an annoying visit from Carly at the warehouse, he overheard Max talking on the phone to the woman."Certainly, Mrs C. I will keep a close eye on Ms. McCall and keep her from chasing after Mr. Morgan. What about Ms. Webber?"

From twenty feet away Jason could hear Carly shrieking and grimaced as he heard Max stuttering and saying he was sorry for even bringing her up. "I believe you, Mrs. C. Yes, I get that Ms. Webber isn't going to be a problem."

When he had hung up, Max saw Jason standing there and began to stutter."Max, I gave you an order."

"But I didn't tell Mr. C, I swear." he said beginning to sweat as Jason moved closer. "You never said anything about Mrs. C."

Mere inches away from the guard, Jason said harshly "You know better, you are going to stay on Sam, because I don't want her left alone but let me just say if you so much as tell anyone and I mean ANYONE anything else, I will kill you. No trip to the Island."

Max started to speak only for Jason to raise his eyebrow and say"Anything to anyone."

Entering the penthouse on to hear from Sam how she had been making plans for their future as parents and he knew he had to speak to her. "Sam, why don't you sit down."

Once she had, he knew he had to make at least part of this clear to her, in spite of Dr. Lee's warning about keeping her blood pressure down."We need to speak about Sonny and this baby."

"I know, I know, but I have been thinking and I have come up with a plan." she said not telling him that Sonny had been the one to suggest it. "We should get married, that way, you are the father of record."

"No."he said as gently as he could. "Sam, I won't get married for anything but love, ever again. There is no way that Sonny will walk away from this child. No matter what he says now. You need to face that he will always be the father."

"No, no, he promised..." she then grimaced as she got that this plan wouldn't work. She had long ago made up her mind, if she couldn't have the boss, she would gladly take the rich second in command.

Jason saw she was scheming, after years of dealing with Carly, he knew that look and quickly said "I have to go, if you need anything, Max is outside."

Once he had left, Sam walked up the stairs and sat down in the rocker. 'I promise you, you will have Jason as a daddy. No one but no one will stop that from happening."

Lucky was not a happy camper as he was ordered to direct traffic near the high school for the football game that evening. Grumbling as he canceled on his brother and Emily, he saw Carly coming into the diner.

"Lucky."Hearing her calling out his name, wondering what the hell she could possibly want, he turned reluctantly towards her. "Where is Elizabeth? I thought you two were planning happy families with Zander's bastard."

Scoffing, he said "Why do you care? You can't stand Elizabeth and you only speak to me if there is something in it for you."

"I just was curious, I have seen her speaking to Jason a lot." she said then saw his eyes narrowing, then added "That was why I was curious, I know how you feel about him."

"It is at the hospital, Carly." he said with a smirk then added "You are not the only one paying attention and the only conversations were about Sam McCall. Wait, that is it, isn't it Carly. You are worried about Sam, so you can use Elizabeth to take care of your own problem. That won't be happening, Elizabeth is mine."

With that he left, leaving Carly with the impression they were dating unknowingly helping Jason. Carly took a deep breath, then went home. To her husband. "Where have you been?"

"At the diner, I saw Lucky and couldn't get away." Carly never saw that Lorenzo had relaxed at her words, for once his wife was not lying to him. Hearing the sound of his doorbell, he opened it and saw Micheal standing there.

"I want to speak to my mother." he said pushing his way in.

Lorenzo was beginning to see the other side of his wife, the one he had heard about but had dismissed as jealousy. Hiding his annoyance, he soon left the house and went to find some peace and quiet.

Georgie was changing coats, annoyed with her sister who was sneaking out to see her boyfriend a rookie detective working for their father. Seeing the box at the top of the closet, she called out. "Maxie, what is this?"

"Oh that came for you last week." she said as she walked out the door while glaring at her now entering father. Mac wanted to tell her to come back, but he was well aware of who she was spending time with, Jesse had spoken to him about his wayward daughter.

Looking at the return address, Georgie asked "Crimson Point, dad isn't that the small town just west of here."

Nodding, he looked at her package and asked "What is that?"

"I don't know." she said as she carried the box into the kitchen and cut it open along the seams. "What the heck?"

Lifting out the laptop computer, then the outfit underneath she said "What on earth?"

Mac and she looked at the elf costume, a very nice dark green outfit trimmed in an even darker green velvet ribbon. Then there was the cape, the same dark green as the trim. Looking at the black gloves, the matching muff and hat, scarf and piece de resistance a pair of black boots. All were the correct size and there was also a note attached.

"There is a note." said Mac who handed it to her. Opening it, he said"What job?"

"I have no idea." she replied then read it for herself then gave a laugh. "Oh the old man at Kelly's. I thought he was joking."

"What old man?" he asked looking at the outfit then at his daughter who was opening the laptop.

"He was a bit confusing, at first I thought he was hitting on me, then he mentioned going to find flowers for his wife. Said he was looking for help." she stated. "I guess, he wasn't kidding, but I can't accept this dad. I already have a job."

Mac let it go. "Georgie, how are you doing, I know that things have been rough since Sage died."

Hearing his leading statement, she said "Its just... I didn't expect to lose Dillon then to make matters stranger... I am not upset about it, dad. I would have expected to be destroyed. I am not."

"Oh Georgie." he said reaching out and resting his head on top of hers."By the way, what about Elizabeth moving in next door. When did you intend to tell me."

Suddenly saying oops, she added "She asked me to keep it quiet that first week but I forgot I was supposed to mention it to you. She moved in about two weeks ago."

"God, the idea of Lucky living next door." he said groaning as he imagined the drama the Spencers would bring.

Pulling back, Georgie said "Why would you think that Lucky was moving in?"

"Because I overheard him telling Garcia that he planned to propose to her at Christmas time." Mac had overheard him speaking to Detective Garcia at the station, he had been trying to get the other man to take him on, train him so that he could become a detective.

"Dad, he is lying. Elizabeth and he never really got back together. Mrs. Hardy kept trying to push him on her. Its why she moved out." she explained. "She has no plans of going there with him, she says he doesn't respect her, doesn't respect her son."

Looking at the computer, then at the note she said "I guess I need to drive out to see this old man, tell him I can't do as he requested."

"Before you do, how did the applications go?" he asked. "Do you need any help filling them out."

"No."she said with grin but then said "However, you should know, I lied on them. Told each and every single one of them that they were my first choice."

Shaking his head as she rushed up stairs to get her keys, then back downstairs. "Wait, what were you plans for the day?"

"I HAD planned to to go and insist on speaking to Brook, Dillon and Lucas, but now, well I have a different plan." with that she rushed out the door and to her six year old SUV. Waving at her father, she drove off, missing the car that slowly followed her.

In Crimson Point, Johnny was working on fixing the business, cursing Trevor Lansing as he paid back taxes, arranged better shipping systems and fixed the man's multitude of mistakes on the legal side of things.

Hearing his cell ringing, he answered. "Zachara."

"Sir, you wanted to know what your father was up to. Well, he just went to a building downtown. Its an office with a sign on the door that says North Pole Enterprises." Johnny was beginning to get the feeling that his father's absences were going to come back and bite him in the ass.

Straightening from where he was lounging in the chair, Johnny asked. "Are you serious?"

Taking a picture, the man told his boss he would bring him proof only for Johnny's office phone to ring. "Wait, I have another call."

Answering the main phone, he asked "What is going on?"

"Your father has been rather quiet, but then yesterday, he ordered a sleigh." said the accountant. "A red sleigh with silver trim and a set of harnesses. Sir, they were to be made to fit reindeer."

Scoffing a minute, then thinking what the man on his other line had said he groaned and said "Damn, he really is losing his mind."

"Sir, he is accessing long dormant accounts, set up trust funds, large ones. He has been ordering things from the Internet."

"My father, are you sure it is him? Hell I didn't think he knew what the Internet was." he stated. Shaking his head, Johnny said while taking a drink of coffee "Wait what kind of stuff... no let me guess, toys?"

"How did you know?" With that, Johnny swallowed deep then listened to the man on the other end. "Toys, kids toys, books, medical equipment. There is no real pattern to what he has ordered."

Elizabeth was waiting, with the last of her packed bags in the trunk of her car as Audrey Hardy got out of the back of her taxi. Watching as she paid the driver, then walked to the door, Elizabeth knew that the next half hour was going to be rather difficult to get through.

"Elizabeth."she said then looked around for Cam but she didn't see the little boy. "Your parents send their regards, Sarah does as well. They are hoping to hear a happy announcement soon. Rumor is holiday time."

"Why? Is Sarah getting married?" she asked sweetly then ignored her Grams' grimace. "Well, I hope they remember to send me an invite. After all they do tend to forget about me."

"Elizabeth, now that isn't true." she chided. "Now, let me freshen up while you call Lucky, then we can all go out to dinner."

"If you want to go to dinner with Lucky, please refrain from inviting me along." she said. "Grams, I have something I have to tell you."

"Wait, what do you mean, why are you so upset with Lucky?" Audrey wasn't sure what was going on, when she had called Lucky, he had said everything was right on schedule to getting back with Liz.

"Grams, I am not upset, but I have moved on with my life. Lucky Spencer will not be a part of it. You need to accept that. That is why I am here tonight, to let you know that I am moving out." she finally stated.

"How can you do that, how can you possibly afford to move out? Elizabeth, you don't have that kind of money and frankly, if you move out what will you do for a baby sitter?"

"Well I certainly don't expect you to watch your grandson. We both know that you are only going to use my son to manipulate me. Grams, I love you, but you have always only given me your love when I am doing what you want."

"I know what is best for you, what you need." she said sadly.

"No, you don't. If you did, then you would know that Lucky doesn't want to be a father to my son. Why on earth would I want to be with a man like that? As for what I need, I need a man who will put me first, a man who will be there for me, not just expect me to be there for him like Lucky does."

"How can you forget what he has done for you, he slept in your room, every single night to comfort you." she pointed out.

At that point, Elizabeth saw clearly that Audrey was not going to ever see her position. "Grams, why was I in that park in the first place? Let me tell you why, because Sarah knew that Lucky was my date and when she lost Nik that night, she called him. Lucky then said YES, but never let me know. I was here, waiting for him when he showed up and left, yes, left with my sister."

"You lied to me that night, you could have stayed here, but you made that choice." she pointed out heatedly.

"Yeah, because everything is always Lizzie's fault if she doesn't do what others want. I PAID for my mistake, I paid dearly. First in the crime committed against me, then by your less than helpful caring, loving ways which led to giving my life over to Lucky Spencer who quickly needed me to prop him up when he heard what Luke did to his mother."

"How can you speak to me that way, after all I have done for you. You owe me, I gave you a home." she said coldly.

"Thanks, Grams. Yes you did, but I really doubt you every threw that in Sarah's face, have you?" When Audrey didn't answer, she said sadly."No, I didn't think so. I am moving into my house, I wish you would have just once told me that you were proud of me, but you aren't ever proud of me unless I have become the second coming of Laura Spencer. Well I won't do it. I have a son, I won't walk into a relationship with a man I know will never truly love my son."

"A son created when you were married to one man and sleeping with another. You cheated on a man who was an attorney, with a criminal, a thug who was married to your best friend." she stated while wringing her hands in distress at what her granddaughter had done.

"Grams, you are no saint and that lawyer locked a pregnant woman up in my house and held her captive and that thug was my friend. He was hurting, I was hurting and we made a mistake. But you want to know what really bothers you, not that Cam is his son, but that your friends know that he is his son. That is what bothers you, isn't it grams." Elizabeth could only imagine what she would be saying if she knew what was the truth about Cam's father.

With that, Elizabeth took the key from her pocket, sat it down on the credenza. Looking at the old woman standing, with her head bowed, she said "Well I am done trying to please people, grams. For now on I live for myself, for my family."

TBC