Chapter 14- Stranger Danger
Spencer stepped inside Ace's room and saw Felicia sitting with Esme and Ace.
"Hi Esme," Spencer said. "Can I visit with Ace for a bit?" He waved to Ace. "Hi buddy."
"I'm not leaving him," Esme said.
Spencer sighed. "He's doing so much better. It'll be good for you to have a break. Clear your head."
Felicia nodded. "I agree with Spencer. We could go for a walk? Get some fresh air."
Esme looked at Felicia. "We?"
"Or if you'd like me to leave, I can."
"But with Heather still out there, I think you should take the guard with you," Spencer said.
"What about Ace?" Esme asked.
"I'll make sure Ace is safe," Spencer said. "I think Heather would go after you before Ace."
"Fine, I guess a short walk," Esme said, then turned back to Felicia. "You could come, you know if you need fresh air too."
Felicia smiled. "Fresh air sounds great."
Esme handed Ace to Spencer, ensuring he stayed connected to the IV and monitors.
Spencer watched as Felicia and Esme headed to the elevators with the guard. "It's okay, Ace. I won't let Esme hurt you.
A few minutes later, the door opened. Nikolas pulled his hood down. "Hi Ace."
"Ace, this is your dad," Spencer said.
Ace looked over at Nikolas, then held tightly to Spencer.
Nikolas touched his back. "It's so wonderful to finally meet you, Son."
"Want to hold him?"
Nikolas nodded. Ace looked at Spencer unsure as Nikolas took him in his arms. Ace began to wail.
"It's okay, son." Nikolas rubbed his back. "He looks like you. He has our ears."
"Really? I always thought he looked like Esme."
Ace extended his arms to Spencer and screamed.
"Ace, it's okay," Spencer said. "That's our father."
They turned sharply when Ace's monitors started to go off.
Spencer's eyes widened and held his arms out. "I'll take him back."
As Nikolas passed Ace back, the door opened and Laura stood there horrified.
GHGHGH
"Wow, the computer systems have changed a lot since I last worked here," Sarah commented when Carolyn showed her the nurse's station.
"You'll catch up in no time at all. So, where will you be staying?"
"The Metro Court. Mom? I didn't want to say in front of Lizzie, but there's another reason I came back to Port Charles."
"Oh? To be closer to us?"
"Well, that might have factored in a bit, but I'm actually looking for someone."
"Who are you looking for?" Carolyn asked.
"Dr. Webber?" A young brunette walked over to the desk. "My name is Margeret Evans. I am with children's services. I'd like to ask you more questions about Scarlett and her family."
Carolyn nodded.
"Has any of Trace Williams' or Lily Parker's family or friends contacted the hospital?"
Sarah scrunched her face. "Lily Parker?"
"No," Carolyn said. "Lily made a comment before she died that she and Trace grew up in the foster system."
Sarah held onto the desk to steady herself. "She—she's dead?"
"Sarah, dear, are you all right?" Carolyn held her arm. "Did you know Lily?"
Sarah nodded, her face pale. "She was my daughter."
GHGHGH
After Danny's school day finished, Sam took him, Scout, and Rocco over to TJ and Molly's place. Alexis and Kristina were already there, gushing over Scarlett.
"Oh, Mol, she's so beautiful." Kristina held her in her arms. "Scarlett, I'm Auntie Krissy and I'm going to spoil you rotten."
Sam and the kids gathered around.
Danny feigned a pout. "Hey, why don't you spoil us too?"
Kristina shook her head. "You were spoiled when you were younger. Now it's Scarlett's turn."
Sam wrapped her arm around Scout. "Hi Scarlett, I'm Auntie Sam."
Molly sighed. "I don't know if we should say Auntie or Mommy yet. We still don't know if we'll be able to adopt her. We've only been approved for a trial. They're still looking to see if she has other family out there."
"Oh, come on, Mol," Kristina said. "There's no court out there that would deny this little angel of having you be her mommy."
"I hope so."
"She's really cute," Rocco said.
Scout tugged on Sam's sleeve. "Can I hold her, Mommy?"
Sam turned to Molly. "Can Scout hold her?"
"Sure."
Scout settled on the couch and Kristina handed her to her.
"Just make sure you support her head." Sam helped her get situated.
"Hi Scarlett," Scout said. "We finally have another girl in our family."
Alexis laughed. "Oh, Cookie, our family is mostly made up of girls. The Davis girls."
"Not our age. I'm by myself with Danny and Rocco."
"Well, now you have Scarlett," Kristina said.
Molly watched them, her chest feeling heavy with fear of losing Scarlett.
GHGHGH
"What is going on?" Laura rushed forward and Ace reached for her now. She took him in her arms and rubbed his back. "Shh, it's okay, Ace." She looked between Nikolas and Spencer. "What happened? When did you get here?"
Ace rested his head on Laura's shoulder and started to calm down.
"I had to see Ace and make sure he's okay," Nikolas said. He glanced out the window. "The nurses are coming. I have to get out of here." He looked back at Ace. "Are you going to be okay, Son?"
Laura's nostrils flared and she scream-whispered. "Where have you been? This is the moment you decide to come back? For your information, your son just had heart surgery. He can not be stressed right now. He doesn't know you. You are a stranger to him. This is not the time for an introduction."
Nikolas nodded. "I see that now. I will go."
He headed for the door.
"I'll walk you out." Spencer kissed Ace's head, then followed Nikolas.
Nikolas pulled on his hood and rushed out.
A moment later Nurse Amy and Felix came in.
"I think he's okay now," Laura said. "But can you check him over just in case?"
GHGHGH
Nikolas and Spencer entered Room 403 again.
"Do you think anyone saw me?" Nikolas asked.
"Who cares!" Spencer glared at him. "We might just have set back Ace's recovery!"
Nikolas frowned. "I feel horrible for upsetting Ace. But your grandmother seemed to be calming him down. That was a bad idea. I should've waited until he's recovered."
"You think?"
"I will leave and come back for him once he's better."
"You can't still be thinking of taking him?"
"Of course, I am," Nikolas said. "It's because of Esme that Ace doesn't know me. I should be in there with him right now. Esme can't be trusted with Ace especially since she's got her memory back."
"I agree, but not like this. I have a better plan. A way to protect Ace without taking him away from me, Grandmother, or Kevin."
"What kind of plan?" Nikolas asked.
"I'm going to get proof that Esme has her memory back. Then I'm going to get custody of Ace."
GHGHGH
"See, wasn't that a good idea?" Felicia smiled as she and Esme got off the elevator with the guard. "You have colour in your cheeks now."
Esme nodded and lifted a bag. "Thanks for the muffin."
"You're welcome."
They arrived back to Ace's room to find nurse Amy and Felix standing over him and Laura was off to the side.
"Wh-what's wrong?" Esme asked.
Laura sighed. "Ace's monitors went off. But he's seemed to calm down."
Esme hurried over to the crib where Ace was now asleep. "Well, is he okay?"
Felix nodded. "His vitals seem fine. I think it was just from stress. We need to ensure that he doesn't get stressed out right now."
Esme touched his cheek and started to cry. "It's because I left. I shouldn't have gone anywhere."
Laura and Felicia frowned at each other.
"That's not why, honey," Laura assured. "It's healthy for you to take a break once in a while."
"Then what happened?"
Laura opened her mouth to respond then saw Spencer walk in behind Felicia. He shook his head at Laura and held his finger to his lips.
"It was my fault," Spencer said. "I'm sorry, Esme. I've just been really worried about Ace. I vented to him a bit that I'm upset you won't come back home with him."
Laura chewed her bottom lip.
"I think it should be up to Esme where she and Ace live," Felicia spoke up. She's his mother."
"And I'm the closest thing he has to a father," Spencer said. "Ace belongs home with us. But we should talk about that when Ace isn't in the room, or like now when he's sleeping. So, I'm sorry for that."
"I want to be alone now with my son," Esme said.
The nurses cleared out.
"All right, Esme," Laura said. "I'll come by later to check on both of you."
Felicia rubbed her arm. "And I'll still come by tomorrow if you want me to. Bye Esme."
Esme watched them leave. "Bye."
