Chapter Twenty Five
Georgie was at the hospital working her shift as a candy stripper when it came on the news about the various military families and seniors at the local nursing homes having received Christmas packages with notes telling them not to open until December 25. As the talking bobble head on the screen went on and on, she hid her smile as she asked Courtney Matthews if she wanted a book.
"Do I look like I read?" sneered the blond as she glared at the Jones girl. "Why are you bothering me?"
"I am just doing my job." she said with a nod as she left the room muttering to herself. "Thank god she goes home tomorrow."
"You have no idea, truer words were never spoken." said Emily as she sat the chart she had just marked in it's correct spot. "Georgie, how did you restrain from saying something rude when she asked if she looked like she read?"
"Oh, there were comments, floating around in my head, but I feel sorry for her." she said with a shrug. "She miscarried and rumors say Mr. Alcazar didn't even come to see her before he left town, that is just cold. Then there is how she is blindly believing that Carly and she are still friends, I mean hello, she caused her to lose her baby."
"With Carly who knows." Emily said with a shrug. "I uh, I heard from Brook what happened between the two of you. I get it, by the way how badly they hurt you. I honestly think it was more they were thoughtless than being deliberately mean."
Georgie looked up feeling a bit bad but then said "I get that Emily, I do. I am no longer mad but when I look at Brook, I don't think, gee she is my friend, not anymore. Same with Dillon, all I see is a boy who is so tied to his mother's apron strings he repeatedly hurt me. I wish them both well, but all I ever felt was confusion, anger and jealousy when dating him and I don't like who I was."
"Georgie, you weren't a bad person." she said insistently. "Don't ever think you were."
"Em, strangely enough, I know that, but I guess I am explaining this wrong. I- I guess... its just... when I was with Dillon, I had no self confidence in part because of my own issues but also because Dillon didn't treat me with respect nor did he ever listen to me when I tried to warn him about Sage want to date him. He brushed me off and acted like I was wrong even after he had slept with her. There was never a moment when he said he was sorry."
"Oh." said Emily not sure what else to say.
"And I am not sure he should have had to." she confessed. "That is what I mean when I say I don't like who I was. With Johnny, when I say I want to wait, when I say I am not ready to move things forward, he respects me, respects my decision. Dillon just went out and slept with the first girl who was willing."
Emily thought about it, then got what the younger Jones girl was saying. Then about Juan and how she had felt when he had cheated on her. "I can get that. So, this Johnny, how is Mac taking you dating him? I heard he isn't too thrilled Maxie is dating one of his officers."
Elizabeth was setting the table when she heard the door bell. Opening it to see her sister standing there, she was hugged then asked "My god were you trying to saint hood?"
"Hello Sarah, I gather grams finally got on your last nerve?" she asked dryly as she said "I am setting the table, you are going to have to come into the kitchen if you want to talk to me."
Following her, Sarah said "You can cook? Wow, I tried, but it didn't work. I kept turning perfectly good food into something that looked like a dog wouldn't eat it."
"I have a child, he is eventually going to want to eat something other than strained peas and ham." she said as she handed Sarah the silverware. "Do you want to stay, I can add another place setting. Emily and Steven are coming over along with AJ. They need to plot how to keep Edward away."
"Quartermaine?" she asked while taking the napkins and silverware from the counter. "Why is that an issue?"
"Edward had Steven's car trashed so that he would have to go to a meeting with Emily, then arranged for Emily's car to run out of gas midway to Watertown. He has decided that the family needs another marriage between Webber and Quartermaine."
"Oh god." said Sarah as she looked at her sister then took the plate. "Steven hates stuff like that. You know how he feels after what Heather put him through. I am surprised he hasn't had words with the old man."
"He did, gave him the bill for the damage to his car too. I am afraid if he keeps it up, Steven might flee town." she said as she looked at the clock. Hearing the front door open, she said "Excuse me."
With that, she hurried to the front door and greeted her husband with a kiss then did the same for her son. "Ma ma?"
"Da da da da da da da." said Cam with a watery grin on his face. Reaching for his mommy's nose, he just looked at her and said "ba ba."
Jason's low chuckle made Elizabeth glare at him then she carried the little boy to the kitchen. "Sarah, I would like you to finally meet Cameron Steven Morgan, Cam this is your aunt, feel free to drool all over her."
Sarah took the little boy, then was startled to feel his hands reaching for her hair. "So you are the little boy that has gram's all in a tizzy are you? You don't look like you could create an earthquake. So what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Da da da da." he said with a grin then reached for his daddy. Sarah shook her head as she laughed at the way Cam clung to Jason then hearing footsteps from behind her greeted her brother.
"Sarah, come on, I thought you were tougher than this." he chided while AJ watched silently as the blond wrinkled her nose. "Or maybe not, just how bad was it."
"I already have Mom on my case for every single thing I do during my day, I swear that woman... did you know she actually introduced me as her sister to some big mineral rights owner we meet at a party one night. Add to that Grams who is convinced she is the divine ruler on all things social and manners and you had a disaster waiting to happen. Since I didn't want to go to jail for murder or end up in Bedlam, I fled for my own sanity."
"I have to say, I agree with Steven, you are a wimp." said Elizabeth with a slight smile. "I do get it thought, what about work what are you going to do?"
"I had a job offer at Boston General and from City Hospital in Miami. It would be nice to be out of the cold weather. I also have out feelers in Baltimore." she said. "Plus do you remember Sally Tomkins, she now works on a cruise ship, now that is a job I could get used to."
"How did Grams take that news." asked Steven.
"Like I told her I wanted to open up a pill mill and sell opiates to the masses. All I heard was how I was dishonoring both the Webber and Hardy legacies. I told her to stuff it, that grandpa is rolling over in his grave after what she did."
Emily joined them soon after as Elizabeth served them meatloaf, potatoes and corn, then brought out brownies as they were getting no where with what to do about Edward short of taking ELQ away from him.
AJ looked at Sarah then asked her "I have to ask, why not Port Charles, for your future."
"Nah, I don't want to rely on my name to get me work." she said quietly then looked at Elizabeth and Jason. "I do have one question, why didn't you press charges on Grams?"
"For the sake of the hospital and Grandfather." she said quietly then looking at Jason added. "There are too many good people who were caught in this mess. I don't want GH to end up sued because of what she did. No one will believe it was a one time thing."
When Sarah had left with Steven, AJ asked to speak to Jason while Emily and Elizabeth were giggling as she loaded the dishwasher. "I saw Robin a couple of times this week. She is staying for the holidays. I heard what you said to her, about the reason she told. I never looked at that too deeply, was always just grateful she told... but I have to admit. You were right. She didn't do it out of the goodness of her heart and this apology she is demanding, don't give in."
"I don't intend to." he said. "How are things going?"
"Oh, having Taggert two doors down is awkward but with the boys, great. I meet Kristina today when Alexis brought her over. She was rather quiet after a call from some reporter asking her questions about that Sam McCall woman. Did you hear about her death?"
"Yes, Diane Miller got a call in regards to it from some reporters." Jason didn't tell him that the reporter had wanted to know about the Cassadine poison and why any member of that family would chose to kill Sam.
"I heard, I don't get it. Sam's kid saved Alexis, Alexis had no idea what they were talking about. Who is left in that family?" he asked curiously.
In the other room, Emily was quietly telling Elizabeth what she suspected. "I think that Sam was the missing S. Cassadine Nik was looking for. I think he killed her."
"Emily, why would he... wait, the inheritance?" she asked in disbelief. "Would Nik go that far?"
"Nik takes his honor and the family honor very seriously, I truly think after what happened with his attempt to free Lucky, yes he would." she said sadly.
"Speaking of Lucky, I heard he almost died. Then was charged with the death of the man he was fighting." Elizabeth said not a bit surprised.
"Bobbie was talking to Mom today, he already had a trial at the prison, he has had ten years added to his sentence." said Emily. "Laura came to see me before she left town. Asked if I had any idea just when Lucky changed. She seems to think he will wake up to his mistakes and change. I told her I had no idea but that it was while I was gone, I didn't want to tell her that it was only Lucky being the same selfish ass he had been becoming as he aged."
There was chaos at GH the next day as Elizabeth got the call all non critical surgeries were being canceled and to spend the day relaxing. "Dr. Quartermaine, what is going on?"
"We had a visit from Santa Claus." said the man in dazed shock as he entered his own hospital again to find men dressed as elves unloading box after box while heavy cranes unloaded medical equipment.
Epiphany Johnson was staring at her boss, then simply asked "Sir, where do we send the thank you note, the north pole?"
"That would have to be one hell of a thank you note." said Tony Jones as he watched the latest in laser guided surgical tools were put together in Operating room seven. "Alan, who is doing this, I mean it was like they got a hold of our dream wish list and just went down it with a pen checking things off."
This time Georgie was there when Santa paid a visit, leaning against the wall, she watched as the men she had arranged to be hired began to work their magic. Walking towards the exit as she went to drive home, she stopped and asked Nadine if she was okay.
The blond looked at the younger woman and said "I don't know, I have heard of things like this, usually on those Hallmark movies, but I never thought I would be living in one. You are a professional shopper. You buy things for people, its your job, right? How much do you think something like this costs?"
"Exactly? I don't know." she said being careful not to lie. "Approximately, if you mean all three hospitals, about two hundred million dollars."
"I don't think anyone is that rich, not even the richest families in town. Who do you think is doing this?" she asked as she grabbed her jacket from where she had placed in. Epiphany had told her she was off work that day, maybe she would go see Jax, he might know. "Seriously, who is doing this?"
"Nadine, I know who it was." she said truthfully then when the blond looked at her she said with a straight face. "He goes by lots of names, St. Nicolas, Pere Noel, Babbo Natale, Father Christmas, around here we call him Santa Claus and you might not want to be doubting he exists, you never know when he might given you coal in your stocking."
And with a wink, Georgie walked away to her car, then pulled her out cell phone and called Johnny. "Your dad hit General Hospital today, it is complete chaos."
"Well for some reason, he is at the police station, something about needing to talk to Detective Taggert about Ric Lansing." he said with a raised eye brow. "Then he called Diane Miller, said he needed her there. Do you think you could do a little investigating?"
Jason who was down at the station with AJ for a meeting with Mac about Carly was sitting in the bull pen, possibly for the first time in his life enjoying a visit and agreeing with Marcus Taggert about something.
"What on earth? Why is my client in handcuffs?" asked the angry red head. "He came down here to volunteer to help you and you arrest him?"
Taggert leaned against the wall crossed his arms, looked at the woman and said "Talk to my boss."
"Commissioner Scorpio, my client isn't a well man, why on earth is he in those cuffs?" she said bearing down on the man standing over the short Italian. "What possible reason could there be for Mr. Zachara to be in cuffs."
"He asked-" Mac was not a happy man when she just glared at him.
"He what asked to be cuffed? Do you really expect me to believe that?" she said nose to nose with the harried man.
"Will you let me finish." he snapped.
"I don't want to hear another word until my client is out of those cuffs." she snarled back her hands on her hips.
Mac returned the gesture, he wasn't have a very good day, first Carly Corinthos had created trouble, then Taggert had gotten a call from forensics regarding the note and now he had to deal with a crazy Italian and his even crazier attorney. A man who had entered the bull pen, requested to speak to him, then had handcuffed himself with the cuffs entangled with a heavy chair that was normally only used for dangerous criminals.
Jason felt sorry for the man as Diane pulled out her phone and threatened to call a judge. When she began to count "1... 2... 3..."
"Mr. Zachara, this has gone on long enough, would you please tell your attorn..." Mac was not a happy man as he glared at everyone in the room.
"4... 5... 6..." Diane continued.
"Okay, okay, it wasn't the police who handcuffed me." said the short man with a wild grin on his face as he looked between the red head and the police officer.
"What?" asked Diane, then when she looked at Mac apologetically, she missed what everyone else witnessing the drama saw.
SNCK. Mac looked down at the slight weight now on his wrist then at the matching one of the pushy attorney's wrist. Turning to the old man he was getting ready to demand the key when he gave a wide grin then placed the key into his mouth and swallowed it.
"What the... Anthony this isn't funny." snarled Diane. "You get these cuffs off of me right this instant or so help me, I will drop you as a client."
There was a chuckle as the man said "No you won't, I keep you supplied to Manolo Blaniks."
"Don't count on it." she said with a death glare. "Scorpio, don't stand there like a lump, do something tell your people to arrest him. Make him set us free."
"Wait, what happened to he is a confused sick old man?" he asked the woman as he nodded at Taggert to get a key. When the police key didn't work, he had the forensic's team try their supply of extra keys.
AJ was now snickering as he watched the police department pretty much come to a halt as the officers seems scared to get too close to their boss or the attorney. "MORGAN!"
"Ms. Miller." Diane glared at her client, now at a slow burn as she plotted to murder Anthony. She even had planned out her acquittal as she heard her client respond to her calling out his name.
"Get over here and get these cuffs off of me." she snapped.
"Can't do that." he said as he looked at her with a grin on his face.
"WHY NOT?" she responded back.
"Its against the law and this IS a police station." he said.
As Taggert made asides to his fellow officers about being shocked at Morgan having a sense of humor, Mac glared at his own people. "Jason, get these cuffs of me, no questions will be asked."
With that, Jason lifted the pen from Taggerts desk, took out the guts and quickly got the cuffs of the two people while Taggert watched as Anthony disappeared. When the two were no longer handcuffed, he asked "Do you want me to bring Zachara back here?"
"I didn't want you to let him escape in the first place." snarked Mac as he looked around his station. "If you don't have anything to do, I am sure that the criminal class has committed at least five crimes in the last twenty minutes. Go find them."
With that everyone scattered. "Ms. Miller call John Zachara, tell him I want him in my station in a half hour with an explanation for what just happened here. Morgan, I will be with AJ and you in a few minutes, Taggert if you don't want to be busted down to foot patrol on the docks, get that grin off your face."
"Sir, what about the rather Macabre Christmas Carol on the note?" he asked showing his boss the ultra violet light copy.
"Check out what is says. If it is true, what do you suggest we do? Dig up Lansing, have a trial?" he snarled. "Just find out if Lansing was behind it and get me reasons. Especially for the McCall woman, because I was beginning to suspect Cassadine for that one."
Elizabeth was at home, going through the lights and bulbs as she prepped the house to be decorated. Hearing the sound of the doorbell, she smiled at the guards who said "Where do you want the tree, Mrs. Morgan?"
"Right there, you can't miss the holder." she said pointing to the spot next to the window.
"Thank you, its lovely."
"Well you did pick it out, ma'am." said the young man flushing. "Mr. Morgan warned us to take good care of it while bringing it here."
When her tree was standing tall and straight, the guard left while at the same time there were footsteps rushing onto her stoop and inside. "Sarah, what is it?"
"My god, you were right, I just had a run in with Edward Quartermaine." she said shocked as she looked around for a place to hide. "You wouldn't believe what he said to me when I stopped in to see Steven at GH today. By the way, did you hear about the donations to the hospital. Wow!"
"Yes, its why I am off today." she said with a laugh. Then see how hunted she looked, asked "Uh, Sarah, why do I get the feeling Edward decided it was time for you to get married?"
"God yes, asked how I felt about a ready made family." she said shuddering. "I ran like the hounds of hell were chasing me. I mean, AJ seemed nice enough, but I have no intention of getting married, let alone to your brother in law."
"What?" asked Jason as he came in from the garage. "What is going on?"
Hearing the story, Jason laughed then said "There seems to be a whole lot of matchmaking going on. Turns out that was why Mac Scorpio was handcuffed to my attorney. Elizabeth, according to John, his father went so as to bring back Georgie's mother, when he saw that Mac and she weren't reconnecting like he wanted, he decided that Diane and Mac would be a good pair."
"Oh dear." she said. "That is... just... funny."
Seeing her laughter, he said "I don't think Scorpio thought it was too funny."
Sarah heard her phone ringing and looked. "Grams."
"Aren't you going to answer it?" asked Jason.
"No." she said. Ten minutes later, the phone rang again, this time it was her father. "Dad. What is going on?"
"Audrey has no idea where you are, but she is looking. She found a man she had decided is just perfect for you." he said disgusted. "An old boyfriend of yours is in Moscow this week. Nik Cassadine."
"That is the idiot that tried to free Lucky. Dad, I swear you need to get her checked out, I truly think she has mental issues." she snarled. "I am at Elizabeth's, do you want to speak to her?"
"No, not right now. Audrey is only in the next room." he said excusing himself then hanging up. His daughter had made it perfectly clear that she didn't want him or her mother in her life, that too much time had passed and he understood that. Hearing Cassadine walking down the hallway, he eavesdropped on the man's call and when he hung up said "I heard what you just said, I would prefer if you just left now. I won't go public with what you just said, mainly because it is hearsay."
Nik looked at Elizabeth's dad then said "I did it not just for what you believe but also because I owed your daughter. I heard what Sam had to say and I don't think she was going to leave Elizabeth or Jason alone. I didn't want her to team up with Lucky or Carly to create even more trouble."
"Why are you here?" he asked the other man.
"When Audrey invited me to stop in, I originally came because as a member of the hospital board, I was told what she had done. Alan Quartermaine also asked me to relinquish my seat. I did, I arranged for Morgan to get it since Elizabeth was offered Audrey's. She turned it down, Steven took it instead."
"Since she is calm, I gather you didn't tell her." he said then when the young man left, Jeff went into the kitchen and said "Audrey, I think you should consider moving to a retirement village. If not in Florida, maybe New Mexico. You will not be welcome back in Port Charles and you were stripped of your seat on the hospital board."
Seeing her glared, Jeff said "It was nice of you to visit, but it is time to find a more permanent place to live."
In Port Charles early the next morning, another woman was being given her walking papers as Courtney was being released from General Hospital.
"Courtney, do you need a ride?" asked Nadine when she saw the blond hanging around.
"I don't need anything from you." she snapped.
"I am here to give Ms Matthews a ride." said a man in a suit. Courtney smiled at the man. "Shall we go."
Seeing the limo in the parking lot, she watched as the door was opened and the man stood there to wait until she was seated. The door on the opposite opened quickly and AJ sat down. "So, Courtney, shall we get going."
"Get out, now." she said. "What do you think you are doing?"
"This is my car, my driver and we are here to take you to the station." he said with a smirk. "Remember, you are leaving town today."
"Like hell I am." she said.
"Oh, it isn't until tonight, right now, I thought I would reunite you with your best friend, Carly." he said as he knocked on the glass partition. "Shall we go to Kelly's?"
Courtney crossed her arms and glared at AJ then smirked as they pulled into the nearby parking lot. Courtney hurried out of the limo and into the diner. Not seeing Carly seated any place, she asked "Where is Carly, dad?"
"She is in her room." he said pointing at the stairs. "Room four."
"Carly is living here? Why?" she asked shocked then decided she would get the news from Carly herself only to arrive in time to hear Carly and her mother arguing. "Well I don't think that is fair, I am your daughter, you should let me move into the Brownstone."
"Carly the deal was you could live here if you worked in the diner. You lasted a week. You have two days to come up with two hundred dollars. Otherwise you have to move out."
"She can come stay with me." said a belligerent Courtney.
Scoffing, Carly looked at the blond then said "I would rather live on the streets than live with you, you traitor. You are nothing but a whore. I saw the movie, I saw it, I saw how you enjoying sleeping with my husband."
"Carly, but you wanted me to. I still have the message on my cell phone, when you suggested I get his attention."
"You didn't have to enjoy it." she shrieked. "Then you got pregnant, how dare you, how dare you. I didn't even have a chance to fix things with Lorenzo because of you. He left town, because of you."
"Yes, because Carly had nothing to do with her husband leaving. Wait, that's right, her marriage to Lorenzo was no more legal than yours to Jason." said AJ. "Bobbie, I picked up what we discussed already, I will see you later."
"Yeah, just rub it in your asshole." snarled Carly. "I can't believe that that judge said you get to live with Michael, that isn't fair. You are nothing more than a drunk. I should be with my son, not you."
"Carly, if you would get your act together things might have changed, but don't forget you are still facing charges for what you did to Courtney." he replied then looked at Courtney who was confused. "Yeah, you might not have pressed charges but you weren't the only one who could bring them. Lorenzo did on behalf of the baby and the DA did on behalf of the citizens of Port Charles."
"I am not worried, I have a good attorney." Carly said smugly. "You just wait, Diane Miller will get them dropped."
"Uh, Carly, when did you hire Diane, because I don't think she knows she is your attorney." said Bobbie thinking on the meeting she had had with the DA.
AJ looked at Courtney then said "We should get going."
"Of course, she went running back to you." scoffed Carly while looking at Courtney repulsed. "You always chase after rich men, hell you went after Jason because he was rich."
"That isn't true, I loved Jason." she said with heartfelt gusto. "I left AJ because Jason showed me how much he adored me by being there when I was being stalked, when he was there, watching me every night."
"You have got to be kidding me? Seriously, Jason was there because Sonny ordered him to." said Carly as she glared at the stupid blond. "You got him because I helped, I worked on Elizabeth, then when she fled, worked on Jason, made him feel like she had never loved him. You were the replacement. I put you in that spot. And you didn't love Jason, not the real Jason. You loved who you wanted him to be."
"I have better things to do than listen to the two of you rehash your non relationships with a man who is now married to the woman he loved all along. Now if you will excuse me. And Carly two hundred dollars by the end of the week."
Courtney and Carly were about to keep arguing when AJ said "Courtney, I am going to be in the limo."
"Good, because I am not leaving town." she said. "You can just leave."
"Fine, but the ticket will be at the station, the bus pulls out at ten pm." he said well aware that she would be begging to leave by the time he was done with her. Making the call, he said "Zachara, can you take care of what we discussed."
"I will let my dockworkers know." he said then made a call himself.
TBC
A/N: Am reposting the first part, I made changes and forgot to warn Liz when I asked her to post. It is only two and a half pages but the wording changes a few things.