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Chapter 26 – Good Riddance

*Esme holds up the positive pregnancy test*

Esme (Tearfully): How did this happen?

Nelle: Well, when Spencer spent the night, did you and he, you know…

Esme: Yes, but we used protection!

Nelle: What kind of protection?

Esme: A condom.

Nelle: I'm assuming it was Spencer who provided the condom?

Esme: Yes, he did.

Nelle: Do you happen to remember where he kept the condom?

Esme: In his wallet.

Nelle: That's…not good.

Esme: Why?

Nelle: Condoms should never be kept in a wallet. That's one of the worst ways to store them.

Esme: How come?

Nelle: They can become bent from the wallet folding, they can be squashed from being sat on, they can become punctured, they can deteriorate if they're kept in there for too long. I'm honestly surprised Spencer didn't know this! How did you not get pregnant when you two were together?

Esme: I was on the pill. I don't particularly want to think about Spence and Trina's sex life but I'm guessing she isn't.

Nelle: Still, he should've paid more attention in sex ed class! Sorry I shouldn't have said that.

Esme: No you're right! He should've been more careful. We both should have.

*Esme thinks back to the night where she ran into Spencer at the Savoy*

Esme (flashback): I still feel unwelcome in most of the establishments around Port Charles, and was going to head back to Jan's house, since I won't be going with Slade back to…nevermind.

Spencer (flashback): You were hoping to be a groupie, weren't you?

Esme (flashback): Do I detect a hint of jealousy?

Esme: *Sigh* You know, I kind of was hoping to spend that night with Slade before he headed back to Pine Valley, but in hindsight it probably would've been rather reckless of me to leave Ace here with you while I hooked up with a guy who, while I hadn't exactly just met him, I still didn't know him very well.

Nelle: I was the one who encouraged you to attend his gig though. You've trusted me to look after Ace while you're on your journey of self-discovery. You went to the Highsider to try and remember your motives for what you did to Trina, you and Slade crossed paths, you took what I still consider to be a healthy risk by going back to a place where you previously felt unwelcome in order to attend Slade's gig, you liked him and wanted to get to know him better and I was happy to watch Ace for you, and would have gladly looked after him should you have gone with Slade back to his motel. But, you felt that he and Leann would be a better fit, and it seems like you were right.

Esme: Definitely. I never would've guessed that he was originally from Pine Valley. It didn't occur to me to put him in contact with Leann until I saw the scar on his chest from his heart surgery, because she has one too. I thought it was a sign that they were meant to be together. She told me the other day that he's decided to move back to Pine Valley after spending the last several years living in a trailer park in Nixon Falls when he wasn't on the road. He's now living with her at Wildwind. The fact that he decided to do that shows how committed he is to her, as he had been enjoying his simpler life. *Sigh* I just wish Spencer had that same level of commitment to me. Especially since he now has a baby on the way.

Nelle: Another baby. He already has Ace, whom he said he was committed to being in his life even if he's not his biological father. Speaking of which, did you ever get the results of the DNA test?

Esme: Yeah.

Nelle: And?

Esme: I haven't read them. They're still sealed in the envelope. I'm not sure I even want to know, since his commitment to Ace lasted less than 24 hours. I don't think he loves or cares about Ace, and is just out to punish Nikolas.

Nelle: Well, now that he has a baby on the way that definitely is his biological child, it's essential that he commit himself. And I'm going to make sure he does so.

Esme: Thank you, Nelle.

Nelle: Anytime! It's why I'm here.

*They hug, and Esme starts crying…again.*

Nelle: Everything will be fine. Trust me.

Kevin and Laura came home to find Spencer seated at the table in their living room. He seemed to be hallucinating, as he was yelling at someone and telling them to go away even though he was the only one there. He sounded like he was drunk, even though there didn't seem to be any beverage bottles or glasses in sight.

Spencer: God you make me sick!

Laura: Spencer…

Spencer: GO AWAY!

Laura: Spencer, what is going on with you?

Spencer: I SAID GO AW-

*He leans over and appears as though he's about to vomit, but instead he almost falls over onto the floor. Kevin runs over and catches him before he does.*

Kevin: SPENCER!

*Spencer opens his eyes and looks up into Kevin's face*

Kevin: Are you okay Spencer?

*Kevin helps Spencer sit back up in his chair. Spencer sighs.*

Spencer: I can explain.

*Outside, Betty Rutherford, who has been listening in on Spencer through an eavesdropping device, is texting someone.*

Betty (text): He was flipping out just now about Esme. I'm pretty sure he's going to keep his distance from both her and Ace. What should I do?

Reply: I figured this would happen. Don't worry, I've got a plan.

Laura: Spencer, have you been drinking?

Spencer: No, Grandmother, I haven't.

Kevin: Have you taken any drugs?

Spencer: Yes.

*Kevin and Laura look at each other, then back to Spencer.*

Kevin: What did you take?

Laura: It's okay Spencer, you can tell us.

*Spencer suddenly gets up from the chair and wipes his mouth with the back of his sleeve.*

Spencer: See what you just made me do, Esme?!

*Kevin and Laura look at each other again with horrified expressions.*

Esme (Spencer's memory): I didn't make you do a damn thing, Spence! You chose to have sex with your ex-girlfriend, who's moved on!

Spencer (Spencer's memory): YEAH BUT OUT OF EVERYONE, YOU MOVED ON TO MY FATHER!

Esme (Spencer's memory): You moved on to Trina first, SPENCE! I was jealous when I heard you talking to her, and how happy you sounded! You sounded like the Spence I fell in love with in France! And yes, I screwed your father! I had to make you jealous and clearly it worked!

Spencer (Spencer's memory): I don't believe that for a second!

*He walks over to Laura (whom he thinks is Esme), who backs away from him. She has never seen him like this and is terrified. His speech is so slurred to the point where she can barely understand what he's saying.*

Spencer (memory): I know my father has more experience than I do but I don't wanna hear how much better he is at pleasing you than I am, okay? But I know that's not why you screwed him. You don't wanna make me jealous, nor do you wanna be back with me. You just wanna get your hands on the Cassadine fortune! Well lemme tell you something. It's not gonna happen! Even if you were trying to make me jealous it isn't gonna work, okay? God you make me sick!

Esme (memory): I'm not making you sick at all! You're making yourself sick! And get to the bathroom before you throw up on me!

Spencer (memory): Oh I wanna do that Esme but yeah let's go to the bathroom. Where's the bathroom?

Esme (memory): Oh, so you've forgotten where the bathroom is in your own house? Even though this house has like a hundred bathrooms?

Spencer (memory): It's not my house it's my father's house! You said that earlier! Just get me to the bathroom okay?

*Spencer walks over to what he thinks is the doorway that leads into the hall from the living room at Wyndemere but is actually a wall with a bookshelf at Laura and Kevin's penthouse.*

Spencer: Come on Esme don't play games! Get me to the bath…room.

*He snaps back to reality as he runs into the wall*

Spencer: Oh my god! What happened?

Kevin: You tell me!

Spencer: *Sigh* I took a Pensieve Pill.

Laura: Oh my god!

Spencer: Before you freak out, no, Cyrus did not give it to me, even though I went to the pharmacy knowing he was there for the purpose of asking him for one. He made it very clear he was doing God's work and was taking the pills to his mother. Nor was I wanting it in order to get high. I needed to remember something very important which I had forgotten about because I was blackout drunk, and now I remember it.

Laura: Clearly you have! Who gave it to you, if it wasn't Cyrus?

Kevin: Hold on Laura. Let's get him somewhere comfortable before we ask him any questions.

*They help Spencer move over to the sofa and lie down.*

Kevin: Now Spencer, it is very important that you remain still, and try to keep your eyes open. Closing your eyes for more than just a brief blink will cause you to hallucinate again.

Spencer: I'll try.

Kevin: What's happening is your brain is overstimulated. This is why the drug is prescribed to elderly dementia patients, and as a silver lining of what happened to Esme, the drug is now being researched as a possible treatment for memory loss as a result of traumatic brain injuries. But you have most of your memories and therefore your brain is trying to remember ones that you forgotten because you were intoxicated, while keeping your body functioning normally. And it appears that's what is happening.

Spencer: Yes.

Kevin: Now, do you remember how many pills you took?

Spencer: Just one.

Kevin: What did you do with the rest of them?

Spencer: Nothing. There was only one pill in the bottle.

Kevin: Did you take anything else with it?

Spencer: Just water, and one of those mints on the table because it was very bitter.

Laura: Do you know who gave it to you, if it wasn't Cyrus?

*Outside, Betty panics.*

Spencer: It was some random girl who was sitting nearby listening in. After Cyrus left, she came up to me and said she was picking up a prescription for her grandfather who had advance-stage Alzheimer's, but the drugs weren't helping as he only recently began taking him, so she was giving them to people who needed them.

Laura: Do you remember what she looked like?

Spencer: I wasn't really paying attention, so no.

*Betty sighs with relief*

Betty (texting): He doesn't seem to remember what I look like. But what should I do now.

Reply: Keep listening and report back to me, and meet me at the pier later tonight.

Laura: Do you still have the bottle?

Spencer: Yeah, it's on the coffee table. Why?

Laura: Because a crime has been committed and the bottle is evidence.

Spencer: There's no label on it though.

Laura: But it has fingerprints on it which hopefully will tell us who gave it to you, and perhaps who gave it to them, which is why I'm going to put it in a plastic bag and take it to the PCPD. I'll be right back.

Laura leaves the room, then returns with a pair of rubber gloves and a bag. She puts on the gloves and puts the pill bottle in the bag.*

Spencer: Am I going to have to go to the hospital?

*Laura looks at Kevin*

Laura: I think that would be a good idea.

Kevin: I don't think there would be much point in doing that. Spencer hasn't overdosed, though the pill he took was most likely the max dosage, and, while what we witnessed just now was pretty frightening, it's likely mostly psychological. Spencer from the looks of it seemed to be recalling a moment when he was drunk, which I'm assuming is why you took the pill in the first place-

Spencer: Grandmother, I'm really sorry you had to see that. He's right, I was trying to recall something that I had completely blocked out because I was drunk, and I thought you were Esme and at the time I was extremely angry at her because-

Laura: It's okay sweetie I understand. So you don't think he should go to the hospital?

Kevin: Like I was saying, the hospital isn't going to be able to do much for him as he hasn't overdosed, and being there is only going to cause him further distress in which he is likely to hallucinate again. He should stay here, and he should stay lying down on the couch, and make as much conscious effort as possible to remain awake and aware of his surroundings for the next several hours, which unfortunately involves avoiding closing his eyes even for a few seconds, and drink plenty of water. One of us should stay in the room with him, and we should periodically ask him if he knows where he is and who's in the room with him, as well as what today's date is.

Spencer: I'm supposed to leave for France in two days with Trina so we can say goodbye before she heads off to the Sorbonne. Will I still be able to go? I've arranged for us to go on an overnight cruise down the Seine.

Kevin: At this point I don't see why you can't, but I will warn you that once the pill wears off, you're likely to have severe headache that will take a couple of days to fully go away, and unfortunately most painkillers aren't safe to take in conjunction with this drug, nor will they help much. And after what happened with Esme, I would avoid drinking alcohol until you're sure it's out of your system. And unfortunately you might also have some short-term memory loss as that's a result of stopping the medication so suddenly, even with just the one pill. But it's only temporary and will be back to normal in a few days.

Spencer: Esme didn't have memory loss.

Kevin: I was told that Esme was in a coma for several days at Pine Valley Hospital, so there's no way of knowing what her short-term memory was like once it was out of her system. By the time she woke up, she was almost fully recovered. Plus the drug ultimately helped her recover from her amnesia even though it was prescribed for her migraines. Dr. Santos-Grey informed me that the silver lining for what happened to Esme was that the drug is now being considered as an option to treat amnesia, though she still overdosed as well as combined the drug with alcohol when she had a glass of wine at that banquet. You took a much lower dosage and didn't have any alcohol with it, but you also have all your memories, so your brain is overstimulated. Had you overdosed, there's a good chance that it would have either killed you or left you with permanent-

Laura: Why don't we talk more about the effects of the drug once Spencer recovers.

Spencer: But I've already bought Trina a bottle of wine for our cruise!

Kevin: Have you given it to her yet?

Spencer: No. I planned to surprise her with it.

Kevin: I don't think she'll be all that disappointed. I'm sure she'll be happy just to spend time with you before her classes begin.

*Spencer sighs*

Spencer: Okay.

That evening, Betty made her way down to Pier 55, where Jack Brennan was waiting.

Brennan: There you are! I was starting to worry that I'd been stood up!

Betty: I-I wouldn't dream of doing that to you…sir.

Brennan: Of course you wouldn't. Especially since the instructions I am about to give you are of the utmost importance.

Betty: I'm listening.

Brennan: You told me earlier that Spencer Cassadine is going to Paris with Trina Robinson.

Betty: That is correct sir.

Brennan: And from what I understand, they're going on a cruise down the Seine, and Spencer got Trina a bottle of wine.

Betty: Yes sir.

Brennan: It sounds like the ideal romantic getaway for two young lovers. Unfortunately, it isn't meant to be. For them, anyway.

Betty: What makes you say that sir?

Brennan: Well, as you know, they ended their relationship a few weeks ago and, while they still are on friendly terms and no doubt have some lingering feelings for each other, they will not be rekindling their romance. But that doesn't mean they can't enjoy one last night together.

*He reaches into a bag and pulls out an elegantly-wrapped bottle of wine, with a tag reading "For Trina, From Spencer"*

Betty: But sir, Dr. Collins advised Spencer not to drink alcohol after what happened with the Pensieve Pill.

Brennan: Well, lucky for him, there is no alcohol in that bottle.

Betty: Okay. What's in the bottle?

Brennan: A night that neither of them will remember!

*He puts the bottle back in the bag and hands it to a confused-looking Betty*

Brennan: I believe you know what to do.

Betty: I'm on it…sir.

*Betty takes the bag and walks away, while Brennan looks out onto the water.*

Brennan (to himself): Now, if it were me and Carly Spencer on that cruise, I'd be sure it would be a night for us both to remember for the rest of our lives!

THE NEXT DAY

The various Trusted Members of All Our Children made their way through the front entrance of Wyndemere to the living room for their first meeting since coming back from Pine Valley. Esme, still feeling tired, achy, nauseous, as well as super stressed over finding out she was pregnant and not knowing when, or if, Spencer was coming back, as well as anxious about starting her classes the next day, nonetheless came downstairs to attend the meeting. She made herself comfortable in her favorite chair in the living room before anyone else could claim it. This was the first meeting she would be attending without Leora, and she really missed her, and hoped she was happy with Ian, and making progress with her family research. This was also her first Trusted Members Exclusive meeting, where the members could share openly about the things that they had been struggling with that led them to seeking the services of All Our Children. She made a note to herself to mingle more with the other members afterwards so she wouldn't feel so alone now that Leora wasn't there.

Nelle was waiting for them, standing in front of the ornate fireplace mantle.

Nelle: Welcome back to Port Charles everyone, and welcome to our new home!

*Everyone applauds*

Nelle: I know those of us who have lived in Port Charles for many years know all about this place even if you've never been here before, but for those who haven't, this is Wyndemere Castle, located on Spoon Island. Both the castle and the island on which it sits have a long, rich, and, at times, dark history. The island was leased to the city by the Mohawk Nation. It was later purchased by Washington Wyndham, who built the castle and named it after himself. It has had many occupants over the years, most notably the Cassadine family, whose youngest descendant, Prince Ace Cassadine, continues to reside here along with his mother, Esme, who, as you may recall, I personally welcomed into our growing family as a Trusted Member last month. The young Prince unfortunately can't join us right now as he is upstairs taking a nap.

*Everyone including Esme laughs.*

Nelle: However, this is the dawn of not only a new day, but of a new era, as this historic place now belongs to All Our Children. And when I say "belongs", I mean that we are the owners of this place, which is not an easy feat for an organization like ours. There are enough rooms here so anyone who needs a place to stay is welcome here for as long as they need, and in addition, there is room for their sponsors to live here with them, so they can better fulfill their role as a guide on our members' journeys. There is ample room in this house and throughout the grounds for the children to play together the way they couldn't at our old facility. And, we finally once again have a place of our own to host our various events at, which we haven't had for a very long time.

Even though I'm happy to see how our family continues to grow, it is nice to once again all fit under one roof, and we no longer must scout for venues big enough to host us. Now that doesn't mean that we won't still travel. I am hopeful that we can at some point return to Pine Valley, as the ceremony we had there last month was unlike any before it, and it would be nice for us to gaze once again upon the Tree of Humanity as we offer donations to noble causes. And I'm hopeful that at some point we can travel to other parts of the country and perhaps the world and welcome people from all walks of life into our family, and extend to them the invitation to make themselves at home at Wyndemere as well. So again, welcome to all of you!

*Everyone applauds again.*

Nelle: So, let's get on with our first seminar at our new home, shall we? Each seminar has a unique theme, and the theme for our seminar today is karma. I don't think there's a single person in this room who hasn't heard the term "karma" used in various contexts before, whether you're a deeply spiritual individual, or simply someone who spends most of the day browsing Reddit.

*Everyone laughs again.*

Nelle: I'm sure if you haven't heard the term "karma", you still most likely have heard the phrase "What goes around comes around," and that is most definitely true. This can be both a positive and a negative thing. As everyone knows, in literature, there are protagonists, who are often referred to as the "heroes" of the story, and antagonist, or "villains." There really are no rules about how a hero or a villain is supposed to look or even behave, but for a lot of people, when they hear the word "hero," the first image that comes to mind is the classic knight in shining armor, and when they hear the word villain, the first image that comes to mind is a vicious dragon. The ideal, and often predictable end to a lot of stories is for the hero to defeat the villain. For the knight to slay the dragon. Yet in some of the best literature, the hero really doesn't have to do a whole lot, as the villain will either set themselves up to be defeated, or flat out be the one to defeat themselves, as a consequence of their actions.

I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with Harry Potter-

*There is a large showing of hands*

Nelle: Why am I not surprised! *Laughs* Well then you all know of course that Harry, the protagonist, the "hero," is a seemingly-ordinary kid who happens to be a wizard, while Voldemort, the antagonist, the "villain," is supposedly the most evil wizard of all time. Voldemort's villainy is driven by a lust for power and immortality and has it in his head that his greatest threat to achieving all of this is a random boy. Throughout the story, Voldemort tries time and time again to kill Harry while putting various defenses in place to insure he won't die himself. However, while Harry, along with his friends, takes steps to weaken Voldemort's defenses, Voldemort's biggest weakness is his inability to understand the power of love, and this ultimately is how he is defeated in the end. Harry, even though he is the hero of the story, really does little more than point out all of Voldemort's failings including his inability to understand love before Voldemort tries one last time to kill Harry, but the spell rebounds and kills Voldemort instead. In short, Voldemort defeated himself.

Now there are plenty of real-life examples of this. A person will antagonize another person, or multiple people, who will take steps to figure out the best way to stop them, only for the person to ultimately be their own undoing. We have some examples of this in our group, and in fact there are two people here in particular whose stories I'd like you to hear.

*She indicates a young man seated at one end of one of the sofas next to his girlfriend*

Nelle: Lennon why don't we start with you.

Lennon: Thank you Jan. Hello everyone, my name is Lennon. I came to All Our Children with my girlfriend, Chelsea, here, so we could have some support with raising our son Dalton. As I'm sure a lot of you can relate to, we both came from troubled families. My family situation wasn't always troubled. At least, it didn't appear that way. I thought we had it pretty good. It was just me and my parents. My dad had a great career and worked hard to give me and my mom the best life possible. Unfortunately, this wasn't good enough for Mom.

One day, when I was around 10, my mom had just picked me up from school and we were on our way to the grocery store, and we got into a fender bender. Now we were both fine, but as you can imagine, it was very upsetting for me. To make matters worse, we were driving the new car that Dad had picked out for us only a few months earlier so it was still pretty new…at least it was before we got hit. The guy who hit us was driving this really beat-up pickup truck that looked like he had been in at least a few fender-benders prior to this one. It was an old truck, and not old in a cool, retro way. Just an old, ugly piece of junk.

Now one would think that Mom would've simply exchanged insurance info, filed the claim, and that would have been the end of it. But Mom apparently had been unhappy in her marriage to my dad for a while and had been looking for a way out. Dad was understandably very upset that the new car he had just gotten for us was damaged. It was still driveable, but neither of the doors on the passenger side were able to open. Mom took it as "a sign" that she and Dad were not meant to be, since he wasn't able to ride along with her in the car. So she decided to move on, and not just with anyone, but with the very guy who hit our car!

I don't know what it was she saw in him as I hated him, and the feeling was mutual. Mom cheated, my parents divorced, and while Dad got the house and the car, Mom got me. Dad of course had to pay child support, but very little of the child support payments were used to take care of me. Mom ended up marrying our homewrecker not long afterwards and popped out two more kids.

I don't know how I managed to get through it, but I put up with four years of hell before I successfully made my case to go live with my dad when I was 14. It was around then that I met Chelsea and our son Dalton was born two years later when we were both 16. Now we love our son but having a kid at 16 is very hard as you can expect, and it's even harder if your parents won't support you. And in the case of my dad, while he's a wonderful loving grandpa, nonetheless felt that me having a kid at 16 meant that I was ready to leave home. I of course wasn't ready, and meanwhile Chelsea's parents had decided to kick her out as well. But my mom wanted us both to come live with her and her husband, who, by that point, were living with their kids in two adjoining rooms at a motel. It was at that point that Chelsea and I came to All Our Children, and Jan very generously paid for us to get an apartment together.

I could never forgive my mom's husband for what he did to our car and to my parents' marriage, and throughout all that time he never got rid of that truck. Every time I saw it, I could see where the paint from my dad's car rubbed off where he hit it. I hated that truck just as much as I hated the guy who drove it. He got into at least three more fender-benders since then, but it wasn't enough to total the damn thing. And unlike my dad, this guy did not have a steady job. That's probably why my mom liked him, because he spent all his time with her, all the while she was getting rich off the money Dad was forced to pay her.

Now this guy also had a huge ego. He was one of those "jacks-of-all-trades" who claimed to have the knowledge on how to fix anything, including the non-cosmetic work on his truck. But then one day, my mom's husband was in the truck, on his way home from somewhere, and the brakes failed! He crashed into a wall and died instantly. Mom was devastated and so were my half-siblings. But all I had to say was "Good riddance." Mom and I are slowly trying to rebuild our relationship, but I don't think I can ever forgive her. But I'd be lying if I said that I was sad that he's dead.

Thank you.

Nelle: Thank you Lennon. That is a classic real-life example of what goes around comes around. This guy prided himself on being able to "fix" anything, but at the end of the day, he couldn't fix the brakes on his truck, and that's what lead to his demise. And as much as you hated him and wanted something like that to happen, you had no role in it. Therefore, you're free to feel good about the fact that he can't hurt you or your mom again, without having to carry the weight of guilt, which you would if you had taken matters into your own hands. So well done!

Lennon: Thank you Jan.

*Nelle indicates a young woman sitting at one of the seats at the table near what used to be the liquor cabinet but is now a bookshelf*

Nelle: Sydney, why don't you tell us your story.

Sydney: Thank you Jan. My name is Sydney, and like Lennon, Chelsea, and Dalton, my boyfriend Corey and I came to All Our Children shortly after our daughter Serena was born. We were both 16 at the time, we're 18 now. I will admit that Serena is an affair baby. I became pregnant after I cheated on my abusive boyfriend Justin. I wasn't sure who Serena's father was when she was born, so we did a DNA paternity test which showed Corey is Serena's father.

We came here not only to have support as young parents, but also to escape Justin, who was continuing to insist the test was rigged and that he was the father. He had been obsessed with me throughout high school and, while we were boyfriend and girlfriend for a while, I was not happy because of his friends, and the fact that he was doing drugs. Had the test come back that Justin was the father, I would still have wanted to get away from him.

We've been here for two years and Jan has graciously offered to pay for us to get an apartment together. I was so worried that Justin was going to find out where we lived, kidnap Serena, and try to claim he's the father and making Corey out to be the bad guy. I suppose technically Corey is a homewrecker, but I had to go to him because in addition to being Serena's father, he keeps me safe. I am so blessed to have him.

But anyways, I was prepared to deal with Justin if he showed up trying to kidnap Serena, but then I got the news that he had overdosed on heroin. Like Lennon, I was like "Good riddance!" when I heard the news. No sadness, no sympathy, nothing. Only relief.

Nelle: Thank you, Sydney, for sharing your story. Once again, this is an example of someone who was a danger to an entire family whose lifestyle eventually caught up with him before you had to resort to taking matters into your own hands. I too have an experience where a dangerous person in my life met their demise due to their lifestyle choices. This person was the man whom I was raised believing was my father.

I know I've told the story numerous times about him having one of my kidneys removed and sold on the black market, and it was a very traumatic experience for me. But I haven't talked very much about what happened to him a few years later. This man, Frank, in addition to being a deadbeat "dad," also had a gambling problem, and was constantly making shady deals that nearly always fell through. And to top it all off, prior to adopting me, he had adopted another daughter only to abandon her and her adoptive mother when she was a young child, and I didn't meet her until she was a teenager when she came to our apartment demanding the money he owed her and her adoptive mom in child support.

Frank was so desperate for money to pay his debts that he was constantly selling stuff, and we kept having to downsize, until the only place we could afford that wasn't a trailer was an extremely run-down apartment with only one bedroom. If you guessed that it was me who was forced to sleep on the beat-up sofa in the living room, you'd be correct.

One day I came home from school to find a bunch of emergency workers outside the apartment. They told me that the furnace sprung a leak and had flooded our apartment unit with carbon monoxide. They were carrying the body of the man that so greatly took advantage of me into the coroner's van.

*Esme is reminded of how David Hayward was found dead and the autopsy had revealed that he died from carbon monoxide poisoning*

Nelle: Just like with Lennon's stepfather and Sydney's abusive ex, I was not sad when Frank died. I didn't have to do much, as this man's toxic lifestyle was his undoing. I was free! Good riddance!

I want everyone here who is struggling to escape someone toxic to remember that what goes around comes around, and trust me in knowing that you and your children are safe here, and that the people who have hurt you will eventually get what's coming to them!

Laura and Kevin went to General Hospital together. While Kevin went to his office to begin his shift, Laura went to the office of Dr. Terry Randolph, one of the co-chiefs of staff.

Dr. Randolph: Mayor Collins!

Laura: Hi Terry.

Dr. Randolph: Is everything okay?

Laura: Not really. Yesterday, Spencer somehow got someone to give him a Pensive Pill, and he took it.

Dr. Randolph: Oh no! Is he okay?

Laura: Well, aside from him having a severe headache and not being able to do anything except lie in bed with a mask over his eyes, he's alright. When Kevin and I came home yesterday, he was hallucinating, and initially we thought he was drunk, but once the hallucinations stopped, he admitted to having taken one of those pills. Kevin didn't feel it was necessary to have him go to the hospital.

Dr. Randolph: Well, Kevin is correct. Unless he had overdosed, there wouldn't have been much we'd have been able to do for him, and being in an unfamiliar environment would likely have made his hallucinations worse. And unfortunately, not only are most painkillers unsafe to take in conjunction with the drug, they wouldn't be very effective.

Laura: Yes, Kevin said the same.

Dr. Randolph: Was he hallucinating about anything in particular?

Laura: It seemed to be an argument he had with his ex-girlfriend. I don't want to share the details out of respect for his privacy but suffice it to say he wasn't able to remember initially because he had been extremely drunk, and he took the pills so he could remember.

Dr. Randolph: And was he able to remember?

Laura: He says he was.

Dr. Randolph: I'm surprised Spencer didn't go to Kevin. I'm sure he would've been able to help him remember.

Laura: Well, Spencer told us that he didn't want to ask Kevin because Esme Prince is Kevin's niece, even though Kevin and Esme don't have much of a relationship, and Esme in fact feels uncomfortable around Kevin because he reminds her too much of…nevermind.

Dr. Randolph: It's alright, I understand.

Laura: I came to ask if I could have a look at the CCTV footage from yesterday afternoon, specifically the pharmacy and the outdoor café.

Dr. Randolph: Um, sure. Is there anything in particular you're looking for? Or anyone, I should say?

Laura: I want to see if I can figure out who gave Spencer the pill.

*Dr. Randolph pulls up the footage on her computer. They first look at the café area. They see Cyrus walking past the tables and entering the hospital. Spencer arrives a few minutes later, orders himself an espresso, then sits down at the table closest to the door. A few minutes later, a young woman sits down at the table behind Spencer, with her back towards him. Cyrus eventually comes out of the hospital with a paper bag in his hand. They see him and Spencer talking, while the young woman is hastily texting someone on her phone. Though they can't hear what they're saying as the footage didn't have sound, it's clear that Spencer was urging Cyrus to give him a pill, but Cyrus refuses. They talk for a few minutes, then Cyrus leaves. Once Cyrus is out of sight, the young woman then gets up from the table, talks to Spencer, then goes inside the hospital. A few minutes later, she comes back out with a pill bottle in hand and shakes it in front of Spencer's face. Spencer hesitates, then takes it from her. She then walks away.*

*Laura and Dr. Randolph then check the footage from the pharmacy. They see Cyrus walk in and show the pharmacy worker his ID. The worker searches through the prescriptions that are waiting to be picked up. He finds the prescription and hands it to Cyrus, who pays for it with his credit card, then exits the pharmacy. A little while later, they see the young woman enter the pharmacy and ask the worker for something. They can tell by her body language that she's trying to flirt with him, before reaching into her purse, taking out an extremely large wad of cash, and handing it to the worker. The worker proceeds to take a single pill, put it in an unlabeled bottle, and hand it to the woman. They then see the woman writing something down on a slip of paper and hand it to the worker.*

Dr. Randolph: Well, at least Cyrus seems to be telling the truth for once.

Laura: He might be telling the truth, but I have a feeling I've seen that woman before, and not all that long ago.

Later that day, Kevin came home to find a worried-looking Laura sitting at the table in the living room.

Kevin: Laura, are you alright?

Laura: Yes…well I don't know.

Kevin: Is Spencer alright?

Laura: He's the same. He's very worried that he's not going to be able to go to Paris with Trina.

Kevin: As long as he's staying hydrated, he should start feeling better tomorrow.

Laura: That's good, I guess.

Kevin: What's wrong?

Laura: I found out who gave Spencer the pill. It was Betty Rutherford.

Kevin: Wasn't that the young woman who was working for Mason Gatlin, who, in turn, was working for Cyrus? And Sonny later had her sent to Mexico after she stole information from Pikeman that turned out to be fake?

Laura: She was, yes. But as we know, Mason is now in prison. I asked Dr. Randolph to show me the CCTV footage from the hospital, and it showed that Cyrus and Betty were both at the hospital around the same time. Not only that, but the camera footage showed Betty walk over to Spencer and talk to him shortly after Cyrus walked away. I don't recall if Cyrus had any direct interaction with Betty, or if he did, he likely didn't notice she was there, as she was facing away from them. And I later called Cyrus and he told me that he and Martin are both visiting Florence.

Kevin: And?

Laura: I don't think it was a coincidence that Betty was there at the same time as Spencer and Cyrus, but I don't think she's working for Cyrus, or anyone affiliated with his organization.

Kevin: Okay, well, do you have an idea of who she might be working for?

Laura: See for yourself.

*She hands him a copy of the record from the pharmacy. It lists the name of the patient as Roger Hume*

Laura: I have a feeling that Betty is working for Pikeman now, as one of their enforcers was a man named Roman Hume. I'm thinking this Roger Hume is a relative of Roman Hume.

Kevin: I take it you've questioned Roman Hume? I remember he was arrested.

Laura: He was, but he's very conveniently gone missing. The PCPD are investigating, and the FBI have gotten involved as well. But that's not what concerns me most, believe it or not.

Kevin: Alright, well, what is?

Laura: Look at the name of the prescriber. I'm almost positive it's the same doctor who developed the memory transfer technology, who tried to get you and Ryan to be part of his study involving transfers between identical twins, along with Jason and Drew, and Anna and Alex.

*Kevin looks at the name, then back to Laura*

Kevin: Arthur Cabot!

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Monday, September 23, 2024 marks one year since I started writing this story, but it feels like yesterday. I can't believe how much this project has evolved. I never suddenly decided one day to write a fanfic at all, let alone one with several chapters. It initially was supposed to be a single post on the General Hospital subreddit, but as I was writing, the post was becoming one big, long wall of text, so I decided to break it up into multiple posts. It was only after the first four posts that I felt the need to have a scene with actual dialog in order to advance the story, and after that the ball started rolling, and I didn't think that I'd be able to go back to chapters without dialog. I found myself writing increasingly complex chapters with multiple scenes, and only then did I decide to move it to FanFiction.

I once again would like to thank everyone who has left feedback, as I don't think this story would become what it is without you. There are times when I have a plan of how certain things will happen, but every now and then I will read a comment with a suggestion for something and like it better than my original idea. For instance, I had a completely different idea of how it would be revealed that Nelle faked her death. At one point somebody suggested that I try and work Caleb Morley/Stephen Clay (aka the vampire from Port Charles) into the story, as he's Nelle's uncle, but couldn't envision how I was going to do that.

It wasn't until I reached the point in the story where I thought it made sense to reveal how Nelle faked her death that I decided to scrap my original idea of Nelle simply being a good swimmer, swam somewhere else after falling from the cliff and went into hiding, and a random body that happened to look like her later washed up and was misidentified as her. Instead, I remembered on the show how it was hinted that Stephen (who, when he was brought to the main General Hospital series, was retconned into a mentally ill serial killer obsessed with vampires) was still alive after disguising himself as the medical examiner who "confirmed" Stephen was dead, but was later shown walking out of the morgue wearing Stephen's ring, and the dead man was the real medical examiner whom Stephen had killed. So for my story, I decided to reveal that Stephen was indeed still alive and was now an actual coroner, and not only was he the one who helped Nelle fake her death, but he also was the one who revealed to Nelle that Frank Benson wasn't her biological father and instead was the daughter of Stephen's older brother, Silas Clay, and Kiki was her half-sister.

So not only does your feedback help me improve as a writer, but also sometimes gives me ideas that never occurred to me. This probably is going to be the only fanfic I write (for anything, not just GH) as once it's finished I plan to focus on other stuff. At the same time, I'm of the mindset to never say never, and I do enjoy creative writing. So it's possible I might write another fanfic at some point. I hope you continue to enjoy the story. I do have a pretty solid idea of how the story is going to end, but you never know what twists and turns the story may take along the way in order to get there.

Thank you once again!