Note: I want to keep this story very short. This chapter is set three months after the last one.
They Came Back
Part Two
December 2014
"My name is Emily and I'm an addict."
"Hello, Emily," the rest of the people at Narcotics Anonymous meeting said.
"I have three days clean," she said. "And they've been hard days. I want to use so bad. Even though I know it could cost me my medical license, the respect of my family and friends and every penny I have. I could use today and the next time I look up I'm a junkie living in a pay by the hour hotel doing whatever it takes to get my next fix. That might sound ridiculous, you all know the family I come from, but I've seen it happen before...and I'm not special. I'm an addict and I'm afraid I'm going to use again. Thank you for listening."
"Thank you for sharing, Emily."
XXXXXXXXXX
"Drop him off by ten tomorrow morning." Liz told Lucky when she left Aidan at his apartment for a visit. "We're having brunch with Gram and then Cameron has a basketball game. And I need to get the boys new shoes. They grew out of them again."
Lucky pulled out his wallet. "Let me help-"
"Keep your money. It was never your money that the boys and I needed most from you."
She still hadn't forgiven him for all the years he spent chasing Emily around instead of being there to help her with the boys and maybe she never would. Cameron hadn't either- which hurt more. Lucky didn't blame them though. He would be the last person to ask for forgiveness or expect to receive it after abandoning his kids. He hated himself for that.
He would have hated himself even more if he had gone on with his life, as if there was nothing he could have done to save Emily. He had made a choice- the only one he could with any hope of still being able to live with himself afterwards.
No one had promised him that the living would be easy, though.
XXXXXXXXXX
Seven years. She lost seven years of her life.
No, they were not lost, she corrected her thinking as bitterness rose up in her body right on schedule, the way it did each and every time she thought about it. Her life had not been lost, like some misplaced piece of luggage.
Her life had been stolen. Seven years stolen. One moment she was nineteen, the next twenty-six, with nothing to show for it but lost time. And lost drive. Motivation.
She was supposed to start school again in January. She should be studying right now, refreshing her skills, reviving her sluggish brain, but instead she was spending all day on the internet: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr.
There were many ways to waste a day away.
Some well meaning people had told her to really live it up now, since she had this second chance at life, and she appreciated the sentiment but what did they know, really? Did they understand what it felt like to walk in Kelly's Diner and have every eye fall on you, hear their whispered conversations, as they point and stare at the living dead girl?
Could they even fathom what it felt like to be her? If not then she didn't need their advice. Only six people had been in that lab. Only six people knew what it felt like to wake up alive after years of being not quite alive and not quite dead.
Only they knew. Only they could help her.
She clicked off of Facebook and pulled up the video she watched at least once every day, cuing up the part she watched the most.
It was an interrogation tape from when Helena was interviewed by the WSB in the Port Charles Police Station. Spinelli had hacked into their security system there and gotten it for her.
She had to know why this happened to her. The real reason. Not the whitewashed official story for the papers.
Helena said "I may as well enlighten you since I fear no prosecution-"
"You're finished, you psychotic, old bitch," Lucky Spencer told her, before another officer placed a hand on his shoulder, silently warning him to quiet down and let the suspect speak.
" I assure you that is far from the truth. I will be dining on my yacht this evening with my manservant-"
Georgie fast forwarded until she got to the part where Helena said "Leverage. They were simply leverage. To own Nikolas' simpering fiance, was to own him. To own the commisoner's daughter the same. And the nanny girl, she was more of a mother to Sonny Corinthos children than Carly could ever have hoped to be. Though I did almost acquire Carly also before deciding she was not worth the trouble. It was never personal, so, dear Lucky, don't make this into another round in our family's tiresome blood feud."
Georgie slammed her hand down on her desk, shaking the dusty books that she had unpacked from the attic. Quickly getting to her feet, she grabbed her winter coat and headed downstairs.
The house was decorated for the holidays. Her mother had done that. Georgie remembered the days when Felicia was no where to be found and decorating- along with cooking, cleaning, walking the dog and keeping track of Maxie- had all fallen on her.
But now someone else did all the things she used to do. They managed without her. It was almost like she wasn't really needed in her own life anymore.
Her life didn't really exist anymore. She needed to see someone who knew what that felt like- and she needed it right now, before she went out of her mind.
XXXXXXX
"Boss," the guard at the door said "It's Miss Jones for you."
"Let her in."
Jason sat back in his chair, rolling his neck on his shoulders. His body always seemed stiff now. He worked out, did his physical therapy for hours on end and he had regained all the muscle mass he lost while...out...but still he didn't feel like the man he used to be.
Older. Stiffer. Not as quick. He tried to not let it show. What else could he do? Sonny was locked up. Johnny Zacharra went down for a bid too. The territory was Jason's to do with as he saw fit.
Sometimes he just wanted to walk away from it all. Move to an island. Change his name again. But he couldn't. He had a son now- Danny. And even if he wasn't married to Sam anymore, he had to stay and raise his son. Stay in this life that fit like a shrunken coat. Or a straight jacket.
His life didn't feel like the same one he was snatched out of two years ago. He hadn't been kept as long as the rest of them- but the damage was just as complete.
Georgie came through the door, looking frazzled. "I'm sorry to keep showing up like this-"
He stood. "It's fine. Want to go on a walk? I could use the air."
"Sure."
They left the restaurant and walked down the tree lined street, hugging their jackets tight to themselves against the frigid temps. It was cold but nice to be outside. Free.
His guards were nearby, just in case. But he didn't think either him or Georgie were scared of catching a stray bullet in a drive by.
They had faced down death. It didn't frighten either of them anymore. They had talked often about the feelings they were going through now. He appreciated that she came to him because he wasn't the type who would have ever sought out her to confide in.
He wouldn't want to lay his burden on her young shoulders. But it felt good to talk to it all. Good to know someone understood.
"It's almost Christmas," Georgie said, looking at the festive decorations surrounding them. "I just can't feel it though."
"I'm working through Christmas."
"Maybe I'll bring you cookies."
"I'd like that."