The Metro Court, Port Charles, 2018
It was the emptiness that drove her from the house. It used to be filled with laughter and conversation but now nothing but the sound of her heels on cold tile echoed throughout the cavernous walls of her empty home. She swears she can feel the beams, the painted walls and the glass windows press down on her.
Since Finn had exited- no, been pushed from her life, the high ceilings and ample bedrooms just served as a reminder that the space served just one solitary soul. Being alone in her house had never bothered her before, but that was before she had shared it with another person, unusual circumstances notwithstanding. Now the silence was deafening and Anna felt like a trapped animal despite the sizable square footage of her cage.
So she fled. And this is how she found herself at the Metro Court. She chastised herself. Why would she come here of all places? She refuses to admit the truth, that she secretly hopes that she will run into a pair of clear blue eyes. And then, when she does and she will wonder why she tortures herself in this manner. A wave of hot regret washed over her as she looked across the crowded dining room and saw him seated next to Alexis. Anna had said she didn't want him. The lies that were needed to keep the ones she cared for safe were always difficult to bear. And God knows she has plenty of practice
Finn watched as Anna walked in and took a seat at the bar. It had been quite a while since they had seen each other, not since she had told him that Alexis wouldn't be stepping on her toes by pursuing a relationship with him, the sting of which is still present. But it was true, her toes looked just fine.
She looked smart in her blue silk blouse and black pencil skirt. Finn mused on how she was always full color in a sepia-toned world. Their eyes met for a moment, she turned away first. Finn continued to look at her, he couldn't help it. He wished she would turn around one more time so he could see her face. He wondered if she could feel his eyes on her because she seemed to be doing everything in her power to avoid his gaze.
Alexis took a glance behind to follow his stare. She rolled her eyes to see what had caught his attention. She should have known. She turned back to him and decided it was best to address the impeccably chic elephant in the room straight on.
"Do you want to go say hello?" She asked.
"What? Ah...no. That's not necessary."
Alexis looked at him from the side of her eye but decided to just move on. "Ok, fine, I'll let it go at that. Will you be stopping my place later?"
"Uh, no I don't think so. I think I'm going to head to the hospital to go over some of my patient files before tomorrow. I have a heavy schedule this week."
"I also have a heavy caseload this week and court most of next. It's probably best. But can I buy you lunch tomorrow?"
"It's a date. Let me walk you out."
Anna watched Finn help Alexis into her coat and kissed her on the cheek before they walked out of the room. She sighed deeply, seated herself on a stool, and crossed her legs. She tapped a staccato on the underside of the bar with the pointed toe of her boot. The bartender took notice of her and approached to take her order.
"What can I get you?"
"Scotch on the rocks. Actually, make it a double."
Once the drink was set before her she picked up the cool glass and raised it to her lips to take a sip. Anna felt the comforting burn of the scotch in the back of her throat. She raised her glass to the light and looked at the amber liquid shining inside. She then tilted her head back drained it and set it down on the bar. The clink of the glass against marble was sharp to her ears. She signaled for another.
"Anna?"
Anna closed her eyes in knew who addressed her without needing to look. Great, she thought, as if this day wasn't already a disappointment she knew it was about to go even further downhill. She didn't turn her head to him but just stared at bottles lined up on the back wall of the bar.
"Valentin," she said cooly and took a deep gulp of her second whiskey.
"Shouldn't you slow it down a bit?"
"What are you, my mother? I'm a grown woman and I'll do as I please. Go away. I really am not in the mood for one of our tete-a-tetes."
"That may be, but I was supposed to meet Nina. She's running late. So while I wait why don't I save you the embarrassment of drinking alone."
"I've never needed saving from anything," she said haughtily turning away from him.
"Fair enough. But I don't usually see you tossing back scotch like it's last call. Is something bothering you?
"No," she said morosely, her fingers traced a pattern in the condensation of her glass.
Valentin removed his black leather gloves and laid his coat on the back of the barstool before he settled himself on it. Anna finally glanced in his direction. There he sat, tailored, elegant, aristocratic. And treacherous, she added to herself. The bartender stepped forward to attend to his new customer. "Can I get you something, sir?"
Valentin picked up the wine list and scanned it quickly.
"Yes, I 'll have a glass of the 2012 Château La Gaffelière . Thank you."
"That's a good year." Anna acknowledged.
"I know it's a good year. It's Nina's favorite so I make sure that the MetroCourt has it available."
Anna picked up the cardboard coaster from under her drink and turned it over in her hands.
"The 2012 Château Margaux is better. The La Gaffeliere has too many fig notes, making it heavy. The Margaux is bright with a raspberry undertone that is the right balance of tart and sweet."
"That's your opinion." he retorted
"That's the opinion of people who have taste."
A muscle worked in Valentin's jaw and he gripped the stem of his glass tightly. He looked at her nonplussed but he couldn't fault her assessment. The Margaux was the better choice but he would never admit that to her...or to Nina.
Anna sat back and eyed him critically. Valentin always found that look unnerving. Her ability to cold read him was uncanny. Valentin felt exposed and vulnerable under her cool gaze. On one hand, he was fascinated by her insight, on the other he resented her for it and he felt his anger rising. He worked to control his temper. Why her inscrutable gaze could be so infuriating he couldn't say. His vexation was always cold as marble, filling the air with palpable tension. Valentin made people feel threatened or apprehensive, but Anna merely continued to look at him unconcerned and uncowed.
"You must have nothing better to do if you are going to sit here and let me insult your palate." Anna could see the daggers in his eyes and it amused her.
"Well, one thing we learned at the Academy is that there is lots of intelligence that can be gathered over the course of an alcohol-soaked evening." His tone was curt but he had centered himself.
Suddenly, Anna smiled and set her glass down. She clapped her hands together with glee. The abruptness of her change in demeanor took Valentin by surprise and he almost sent his wineglass hurling to the floor. He was able to recover in time and set it down.
"YES!, she exclaimed. "WSB Rule # 24: Never give up an opportunity to get information meant for someone else's eyes or ears. Oh! That was one of Sean's favorites. He used to drill me on those, you know. For hours on train rides and flights on the way to a mission. I bet I could recite all 156 if I thought hard enough." She looked at the ceiling as if beginning the recitation in her head. Valentin raised his hands to stop her.
"Well please spare me the performance," he said dryly. "What brought you here tonight? I doubt it's nostalgia for the WSB days. Something else has you drowning yourself in a bottle of scotch. What could it be? Perhaps I saw the answer to that question as I was walking in. I see that Dr. Finn and Alexis are now an item. What happened? I thought you and Finn were...close."
He looked at her with a smirk. He could read her too.
"Well, that shows you what you know." Anna slumped back into her seat and proceeded to swallow another mouthful of scotch, then another.
"So who decided to end it?"
"End it?" She said with a bitter edge to her voice. "We never even began. It was better that way. The farther away he is from me the better for his well-being."
Valentin looked at her critically. "If I'm going to be honest-"
"But your not honest." Anna looked at him pointedly. She could practically see the steam rise from him at her words. "Anyway, continue." She waved her hand to prompt him to resume his sentence.
Valentin's eyes narrowed at her interruption. His bruised feelings rose to the surface, a churning dark tide he could not control.
"I see the game you are playing- leave him and make him want you even more. Ever the predator playing with your prey."
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Finn has moved on. I'm sure I'm barely a footnote in the course of his life."
"Stop. It's unbecoming." He was in no mood for her games.
"What?" She asked insistently. He looked at her and read genuine non-comprehension in her eyes. That took him by surprise. All he saw was pure curiosity at his words. This fascinated Valentin.
"Is it possible that you really don't know? I thought it was just false modesty at best or insincerity at worst, but maybe you really don't know."
"What are you going on about?" Anna's temper was beginning to be roused from its slumber. She had no patience for these sphinx-like exchanges that Valentin was so fond of.
"You. The way you are. The effect you have on men. Whether it's by design or not you make an impression wherever you go."
She narrowed her eyes and shot him a withering look. She dismissed his words with a wave of her hand. Valentin forged ahead.
"Let's examine things for a moment. Robert Scorpio, a career agent, and notorious womanizer married you three days after your first introduction and planned to leave the WSB behind to run away with you. Question. How does that happen?"
The inquiry took her unawares and Anna started. A voice in the back of her mind was reminding her that loose lips sink ships, but the scotch in her system was making her feel warm and comfortable despite the company. The image of a sandy-haired Australian standing in the warm Italian sun filled her mind. Anna smiled to herself at the memory.
"Dear Robert, he always thought himself so clever. I'll never forget the look on his face when he realized I had rescued the hostage and completed our mission on my own while he was asleep. And his surprise when I detonated an explosive I'd set on the DVX car that was pursuing us..." She chuckled softly to herself at the memory
"I'd say that is not a conventional boy-meets-girl scenario."
"Maybe not. But Duke was different. We met at the Policeman's Ball. That's a conventional enough setting."
Valentin folded his are and looked at her. "Why were you there?"
"I was Police Chief at the time and receiving a commendation for solving a string of murders. Duke asked me to dance." Anna knitted her brows together in thought. "Actually I had his close friend arrested and threatened to have him arrested too."
Valentin raised his eyebrows at her and was satisfied when she looked away, her cheeks flaming.
"And weren't you married to someone else at some point that wasn't named Lavery or Scorpio? How did that start out?"
"Been memorizing my dossier have you. Should I be flattered? Let's see...David. I held a gun on him and uh, he caught me breaking and entering his hotel room. I thought he was heading up a drug ring. I bugged his medical bag so I could track him.
Valentin shook his head at her sarcastically. "And they say romance is dead." he deadpanned. "And what about Dr. Finn."
"Maybe I blackmailed him...a little bit"
"Well you're not forgettable, I'll give you that. Scorpio even went after you a second time."
"I might have tied him to a post with my stockings." She said under her breath, but not low enough to escape his notice. Valentin sputtered into his wine glass
"But to be fair he was into it." She looked at him directly and unapologetically. Valentin felt a tightness at his collar that made him want to loosen his tie.
Valentin regarded her for a moment, debating whether or not to share a memory that still haunted his dreams. Perhaps the Château La Gaffelière had made him nostalgic as the scotch had done for her. His features softened as he recalled a time long past when he was a different man altogether, a different name, a different face, and a different temperament.
"I remember the first time I really noticed of you. When we were at the WSB Academy I found you the common room with a first aid kit and a very nasty cut on your hip. You had a thread and needle and were trying to stitch it up yourself."
Anna grinned. Her smile dazzled "I forgot about that. I was trying to find the location of a DVX safehouse. I found it and got a knife slash for my trouble."
"You were out past curfew on an unsanctioned mission, and you refused to go to the infirmary because you didn't want to be punished. You asked me to help you. So I sewed the sutures. If anyone knew you would have been suspended at the minimum. And you begged me to keep your secret. We became friends after that."
Valentin doesn't tell her how her shape silhouetted against the fire is burned in his memory. How the iron-rich smell of her blood, mingled with the smell of antiseptic is imprinted in on his senses. As is the sound of her sharp gasp as the needle weaved through her skin and how she took a swig from the bottle of whiskey she had pilfered from God-knows-where. She had told him of her adventure with the flair of a gifted storyteller. He had never seen anyone more alive than her at that moment.
Anna's voice broke into his memories. "It didn't matter. Agent Scheider found out anyway. I thought I was in the clear, but I got hauled in and dressed down anyway. I never did figure out who turned me in."
Valentin paused a moment, debating his next words. But he looked at her out of the corner of his eye to gauge her response, then forged ahead.
"It was me."
"You? Why?" He registered genuine shock on her face. She had never suspected him, just as he had intended. The sincerity of her response made him feel like he owed her some sort of explanation.
"I thought it would ground you for a little while. Keep you around the Academy more."
She considered this for a moment, looking at the ice in her glass as she swirled it around and around. She set it on the bar and caught the bartender's eye and signaled for another.
"You know I should be angry with you, but actually I think I should thank you. Sean was there when received my "court-marshall" so to speak and by the end of it, I was fast-tracked into fieldwork. He personally oversaw my training regimen from that point on. That's how I ended up meeting Robert. So in some way, I have you to thank for all the best moments in my life and in equal measure some of my worst."
"Well, we're even then. You are responsible for some of my worst moments." Valentin's eyes gleamed grimly.
Her eyes glittered back at his words and she was more amused than insulted by them.
"Oh, I don't think you'll ever let us even. Your too competitive." She reached out and poked him solidly in the chest with her finger.
"Ouch." he couldn't help saying and rubbed the tender area briskly.
"Oh, come on that can't have hurt. You're growing soft." Anna's eyes lit up as an idea broke over her like the sun after a storm.
"Do you want to arm wrestle? I bet I could beat you." She said loudly.
She placed her elbow on the bar and Valentin spied the bartender looking at her with interest. One hard look from Valentin sent him scurrying away to make himself busy among the glassware. Valentin scanned the room to see how many heads were looking in their direction.
"No, Anna I don't want to arm wrestle." Valentin took a moment to mentally add up how many drinks he had watched her consume over the course of their conversation.
"You're no fun." She huffed and crossed her arms.
"Well sorry if I disappointed you, but the last thing I'm going to do is arm wrestle you in the middle of the Metro Court."
"It's because you know I'd win." She took another drink and then leaned in closer to him. Her chin resting on her hand. Her eyes were half-lidded and she lowered her voice to a gentle tone.
"You know what? It's too bad you are so despicable because we could make really good friends you know. There are very few people that have sacrificed the way we have or can understand what it was like to operate in a world of lies and deceit. You made a Faustian bargain. You traded a crooked body for a crooked soul. It's a shame."
"What a compliment." He said dryly.
"I mean it, Valentin. I might not agree with you- let's be clear I never agree with you, but I do think I understand you. Does anyone else really understand you?" Her eyes glowed softly and all he can do is look into their depths.
Like grotesque inversion of Dante's Divine Comedy, she is Beatrice but rather than leading him to Heaven, all she is doing is leading him to his Seventh Level of Hell and he knows if he continues to follow she'll leave him there with no guide to help him back.
Anna stood up and the world swam and she sat back down. She stood up more slowly steadying herself with her hand on the bar. Instinctively, Valentin reached to steady her, grasping her by the wrists.
"Whoa easy there. Ok, I think you have officially had enough. Bartender, put Ms. Devane's drinks on my tab and I'll take care of the bill."
"Can I tell you a secret? Anna laid her hand on his lapel and angled her lips near his ear. He could feel the warmth of her breath on his neck. Valentin swallowed and his mouth went dry."
"What?"
"I think you could be a really good man, you know. It's in you. You just have to know when it's the right time, to tell the truth. Lies need to be told sometimes, I know that, but a good man knows when to be honest. Please. Be good, Valentin."
Valentin grimaced and gripped her wrists tighter. Her words rankled and he looked at her ready to lash out at her taunting. But when he viewed her, he saw no malice or mocking in her dark brown eyes. Valentin looked at her in surprise and she smiled slightly. For a moment he saw the woman who had been his friend looking at him. She appeared vulnerable, tired…and sad.
He could smell her perfume and the warmth of her palms almost scalded him through the fabric of his shirt. He felt a sharp pain as if something was piercing his heart, which is soon replaced by a dull ache. Here she is, and here he is. And she's telling him how to be the man she wants him to be. It enraged him and humbled him and a part of him wishes he could be better for her, but, dammit, she made him this way. He wondered if she could unmake him just as easily.
All of a sudden, he felt her stagger ever so slightly. He was about to ask if she was alright when Anna's hand gripped his shoulder and her other hand came to rest on his forearm. Valentin reached an arm around her waist to keep her upright. Why after all this time could he not shake her hold on him. She was a vortex and he always let himself get too close even though he knew the danger. For years the image of her had possessed him. She was Demeter the Lawbringer and he, Erysichthon, cursed by her with an insatiable hunger. The craving for both validation and vengeance consumed him and could never be sated. Desire like that swallowed the soul and left a man starving.
He heard a soft buzzing noise and realized it was his phone. He looked at it. It was Nina. He knew he should answer it, but here he was holding Anna in his arms. She was an enigma that he will always want to unravel. A puzzle he will always want to solve.
"Merde." he cursed under his breath.
"Language, Valentin." Anna giggled.
He looked at her in surprise giggling is not something he heard very often from Anna Devane and by not often he meant not since their academy days. Oh dammit, all to hell!
He released her wrist and with an impatient jab of his finger, he sent the call to voicemail. He then put both his arms around Anna's waist to support her. Damn her. Bless her. He didn't know which to do, but this was his lot in life. Anna Devane would always command and piece of his soul he just would have to make sure it was not the lion's share.
"Alright Anna, I think you have had more than enough tonight. I'm going to help you get home.
"I don't need your help." She protested.
"No more arguments. My driver will be at the front waiting."
He helped her into her coat and Anna leaned heavily on his arm as they made their way to the entrance of the hotel. Valentin helped situate her in the back seat of his car and after a moment's hesitation slid in next to her. Classical music reverberating through the car, she leaned her head against the window, her face pressed to the cool glass. Feeling herself descend into slumber, Anna shook her head and sat up straight, letting out a sigh.
"Sleep, Anna. You'll be home soon." Valentin said calmly
She shifted herself and rested her head on his shoulder. He worked hard not to look at the chestnut locks that brushed his coat. He wondered if there was a cure for a slip of a woman who could charm, punch or shoot her way out of any situation
During the drive, he took care not to wake her. She needed sleep- he knew she was dealing with her own personal demons that night, and he knew his role in them. If only she was right, that he could be a good man, but she didn't know the extent of his sins. And with any luck, she would never know. Never know the depth of his betrayal.
When they reached her home instead of waking her from a deep slumber, he scooped her into his arms. She would reprimand him if she knew. She stirred in his arms and mumbled "...I'm sorry" and his jaw tightened as he gritted his teeth. He walked to the front door and with some careful balancing used her keys to open the front door.
Devane Manor, Port Charles
The sound of a key turning the tumblers of a lock and the sight of the handle moving brought Finn's attention to the front door. He felt a moment of relief. Anna was finally home. His sojourn at the hospital had been brief. The sight of her at the Metro Court had made him long for the opportunity to talk to her. There were so many things he missed about her. He had found himself on her doorstep and rather than wait in the cool night air for her return he had put his key to use. He didn't know why he had held onto it. Maybe because that would have seemed too final, even though he knew her decision had been final. But then again she hadn't asked for it back either.
Finn quickly made his way to the foyer but was shocked by the sight that greeted him. Valentin Cassadine was carrying Anna in his arms, her head nestled on his shoulder and her arms slung around his neck. She appeared to be unconscious and a sudden panic in his chest swelled and engulfed him as all of the scenarios of how she got into this state flashes rapidly through his head.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HER? Did you hurt her? Put her down!" Finn yelled.
Valentin bristled at the unexpected insinuations that were being hurled at him by an equally unexpected intruder. He adjusted his grip on Anna's sleeping form and turned to face his accuser.
"What did I do? I brought her home. She had overindulged on liquor tonight and was in no condition to get her here herself. She fell asleep on the way and I'm just trying to get her inside. Now excuse me!"
Valentin walked past Finn, cutting close enough to make him take a step back. Valentin laid Anna gently down on the sofa, tucked her hands under her cheek, and reached for the throw that lay on the back of her couch and placed it over her. Once his task was done he turned towards Hamilton Finn. They stood facing each other, both rigid with anger.
"You can go now. I'll take care of her." Finn gestured dismissively towards the door.
Valentin scoffed derisively "You'll take care of her? You're the reason she's in the state she is. People like Anna don't lose control very often. And why are you here? Shouldn't you be with Alexis since you relinquished your claim to Anna? You know for a doctor you think you'd be less of a fool. You had an opportunity with a person of Anna's caliber and you blew it."
Finn sought to keep his temper. "For the record, I didn't blow it. It was her idea, not mine."
Valentin's voice dripped with disdain "Well, that just shows me how weak you really are. You don't even know how to fight for a woman, just how to let them walk away from you, isn't that right Dr. Finn? Is this bad luck or is it becoming a pattern?"
Finn's hand tightened into a fist. Finn felt like he wanted to punch something and if that something was Valentin's smug face he felt it would be worth the risk to his surgeon's hands. But then again, why use firsts when words can pack just as much of a punch. Finn took a step closer, just an inch or two into Valentin's personal space, and was gratified to see him lean back away ever so slightly.
"Listen, Anna is a grown woman and she makes her own decisions and if one of those decisions is to not be with me, then I will respect it even if I don't like it. Because that is what a mature person does. They respect the decisions of others instead of treating them like a commodity. Which, you know, speaking of things you treat like commodities, shouldn't you be with your wife? Or has your obsession with Anna made you forget about her?
Valentin's lip twitched almost imperceptibly and his eyes narrowed. Finn saw a look that boarderlined on murderous in his eyes.
"My wife has nothing to do with you son of a bitch."
Finn knew he had struck a nerve and couldn't help the self-satisfied smile that crossed his face. It was probably a dangerous game he was playing but knowing that he could push Valentin's buttons was a good feeling.
"I know why I'm here. How about you? Maybe you could tell me a thing or two about having a thing for Anna."
"I don't have to explain anything to you. Listen I'm someone who knows a thing or two about addiction and whatever this fascination is you have with Anna shares a lot of the same qualities; tolerance, withdrawal cravings. It's all there. You need to let this go. There is nothing for you here! " Finn's voice grew louder
"I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS FROM YOU!"
"HEY! Can you both keep it down? I'm trying to sleep."
The sound of Anna calling groggily from the sofa interrupted their standoff. They both turned their eyes to her in surprise. They had both forgotten she was even there. She still lay on the sofa, eyes closed and a sofa pillow pulled over her head.
"You can keep fighting just do it a little more quietly, yeah."
Suddenly she sat bolt upright. It must have been too quick for her because she placed her head in her hands for a moment before remembering what she wanted to say.
"I know! You can arm wrestle! That way you can settle your disagreement." Valentin looked at her with exasperation. Finn just looked confused. What was it about imbibing too much alcohol that brought this up?
"But fair warning Valentin, Finn's arms are...just...wow." She giggled and tried to stand. Finn bolted to catch her when he saw her waver on her feet. It was just in time and she collapsed against him. "Oops!" she exclaimed.
Valentin watched as her hand curled around Finn's upper arms and she smiled at him with a look of guileless adoration. Finn, for his part, appeared to be scanning her form for any signs of distress or injury. She reached to smooth a lock of hair away from over his eye. At the sight of the caress, Valentin felt darkness descending into the far recesses of his soul. The only solace he could take was that her heart was on display and he knew she would hate herself for it in the morning.
Suddenly a loud beeping sound emanated from Finn's front pocket. He adjusted his hold on Anna as best he could as he reached to see who needed him. It was the hospital. He cursed under his breath and tried to ignore the smug look on Valentin's face.
"I have to go. But I don't want to leave you alone," he said to Anna but his eyes never left the man standing in front of him.
"I'm fine. Valentin's here so...I'm not technically...alone. Besides I'm armed" she smiled her brightest smile and wavered a bit while she tried to bring her world into focus, but she didn't seem distressed.
Finn's eyes narrowed at Valentin.
Valentin stepped up. "Don't worry I'll make sure she's alright. I know you don't trust me but you can tonight. I'm not going to let anything happen to her."
Reluctantly Finn maneuvered her to facilitate the handoff and then once she was well supported he turned and stalked towards the door.
"Grrrreat!" Anna slurred "Can you turn out the light on your way out?... It's so...bright."
Finn stopped and flicked the switch to the living room leaving only the light from the foyer to illuminate the room. The slam of the door, strong enough to shake the foundations of the house, confirmed his departure.
Valentin set about caring for Anna. He got her settled back on the couch. He felt it was best to keep her downstairs for the time being. Due to the number of times he had broken into her house, he knew his way around quite well. He retrieved a glass of water from the kitchen and set it on the coffee table within reach of her. He roused her enough to get her to swallow ibuprofen and take a sip of water. He kept encouraging her to drink until the glass was empty. When she was finished she smiled and rested her hand on his cheek.
"Remember our talk. Be good ok, we could be friends...but maybe we should keep that a secret...just between us." Then she laughed, "Although I think us being friends could cause geopolitical instability. Think how unnerrrrrrvvved all our enemies would be..." she slurred giddily.
Then she was out like a light. He brushed the hair back from her face and his fingers lingered there. Her touch was like the balm of Gilead, cleansing to his soul, but he knew that she would forget this all by the morning and they would remain in the same state they were now in, looking at each other from a distance too wide to close.. Valentin remained long enough to pull her boots from her feet. As he headed for the door he took one look back then he exited and closed the door softly on his way out.
It was time to let it and her go. He closed the door softly and He paused in her doorway for a moment to catch his breath. Her proximity and her words had made his pulse race and mind swim. No matter what he told himself deep down he knew that she was his weakness. He just hoped to God his enemies never discovered it...and that list included her.
