As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you’ve followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he’ll say he’s just not the same
And you’ll begin to wonder why you came
– How to Save a Life, The Fray

---

Saturday, September 27, 2008

St. Timothy’s Church: Chapel

He never heard a gunshot.

Jason faced the back of the church, his gun in one hand, and the other on Bobbie’s shoulder, but the older woman was already shrugging him off and crawling towards the center aisle where Sonny had taken Kate into his arms, begging her to stay with him, to keep her eyes open — blood soaked the delicate fabric of her white gown, but her eyes remained open, pained and strained.

Others in the wedding were screaming—the chapel was rapidly emptying — the sounds of footsteps thundering — there was more screaming when the double doors at the back of the church were blocked — too many people trying to flee to fit at once.

Bobbie broke away from Jason’s hold and crawled towards Kate. Maxie was on her hands and knees wailing, Spinelli holding and rocking her.

Cody strode towards him, gun in his hand.

“What do we know?” Jason demanded. He grabbed Cody by the lapels of his jacket. “What happened?”

“Hard to say — no one came through the anteroom,” Cody said, “but they could have tried to blend in with the crowd—nothing causes a stampede faster than gunfire in a church.”

Jason grimaced, then holstered his gun. “Cops will be on the scene soon,” he said flatly. “Clear our guys as fast as you can. I don’t want any of them held up at the PCPD—” He turned towards the scene at the front of the chapel, concerned.

Kate was still holding on, panting, sweat breaking out on her brow. “Oh, God, it hurts—”

“Just hold on, Connie,” her cousin begged. “Hold on, baby. Help is coming. They’re coming. Hold on!”

Port Charles Airport: First Class Lounge

Elizabeth checked her watch, chewed her bottom lip. It was nearly five. The ceremony wouldn’t be long, Jason had said. Sonny was Catholic, but it wouldn’t be a full Mass because Kate didn’t practice. It should be just about done.

She pulled out her cell, checked the messages. He’d never said he’d call once he was on his way, but now she wished she’d asked him to. Despite all his promises, despite believing them, Elizabeth couldn’t shake her nerves or the conviction that something was wrong.

But she had nothing to support that feeling, and Jason wasn’t even late yet. So, Elizabeth tucked the phone in the bag, and found her dog-eared tourist guide to Italy, one she’d bought a long time ago and had highlighted nearly every line.

Only an hour from now, they’d start boarding, and Jason would be there.

Crimson Pointe: Terrace

Ric strode in from the study, the slam of the door jarring Claudia who’d been doing another sweep of the garden searching for her father.

“Where is he?”

She climbed the last few steps onto the terrace, arched one brow. “Problem, Ricky? Maybe if—”

“I don’t have time for that right now. There was a shooting at the wedding,” Ric snapped, and Claudia fell silent. “Kate Howard was shot as she walked down the aisle. And your father? Nowhere to be found.”

Claudia looked out over the garden, then back at the house. Then at Ric, knowing his thoughts were identical to hers.

“Johnny’s at the wedding,” she said, some of her characteristic arrogance gone. “He wouldn’t—he knows Johnny would be blamed. He knows—” She lifted her fingers to her lips, fought the shudder that rippled down her spine.

What the hell had her father done?

St. Timothy’s Church: Chapel

At first, Johnny hadn’t realized anything was wrong. Kate had passed by them, shining in her ethereal beauty. Lulu beamed at him, squeezing his hand. “Look how pretty,” she’d sighed. “So happy.”

Then everything had gone mad — Kate had stopped at the end of the aisle—she’d jerked—and then blood had begun to spread from her lower back, rapidly staining her elegant white gown as the music of “Ave Maria” had swelled around them, offering a stark contrast to the happiness of the moment —

Kate’s knees had buckled — and then the screaming had started. Spinelli had sprang forward, fighting through the stampede of guests rushing in the opposite direction, desperate to get to Maxie. Lulu had tried to follow. She’d fought Johnny to get past him, trying to get up the aisle, crying, screaming—

But even if Johnny had wanted to follow in Spinelli’s wake, the stampede had only thickened, and Johnny had dragged Lulu against him, his fingers digging into her upper arm, yanking her out of the way of terrified wedding guests —

She’d continued to scream, burying her face into his chest — then someone had bumped him, and he’d gone flying, sending them both sprawling to the ground, trapped between the pews. Johnny couldn’t get his legs to move, to pull himself up, to get Lulu to safety — guests crowded the double doors, banging, screaming, pushing —

And beneath him, Lulu continued to sob, shielding her face from all the sounds, from the horror—

Johnny thought it was the worst sound he’d heard in his whole life — the mixture of the wails from the guests, the yelling of security guards, and Lulu’s sobs —

But no. It wasn’t.

It was the quiet. The stillness that followed when the chapel had emptied, and he realized Lulu had stopped screaming. She’d curled up on her side, her eyes staring blankly at the wooden pew in front her, her cheek resting against the stone floor of the chapel.

Johnny sat up on his knees, reaching for Lulu — she rose with him — but the movements were sluggish, almost as if she were underwater, trying to swim.

“Lu? Lu?” He shook her shoulder lightly, then cupped her face but Lulu was just staring into nothing. She’d drifted away from him, her eyes empty, unfocused —

Johnny looked towards the front of the chapel. Only the wedding party remained — Kate laying on her back in Sonny’s arms, Jason talking intently to one of his guys — Maxie was crying, with Spinelli holding her.

Johnny took a deep breath. He needed to handle this. He had to take care of Lulu himself. “Okay. Okay. We’re going to the hospital, okay?” he told her. “They’ll bring you back to me. Come on.”

---

Jason left the chapel and headed to the front of the church, to the anteroom that separated the entrance from the chapel proper, determined to search the second floor of the church, particularly the vestibule that looked over the chapel. The shot had come from behind, but his guys had been at the entrance. Had someone slipped in with the guests just as they feared? Had they found a space to hide Jason didn’t know about?

He stopped at the double doors, furrowing his brow at the small space, considering the approach to the second floor.

The wail of the ambulance siren drew closer — mixed with the police — they couldn’t be far away. Jason needed to get upstairs, to see what was going on before he was shut out of the whole thing altogether—

But he hadn’t correctly estimated exactly where the police were — because he’d taken no more than two steps towards the stairs when the front entrance to the church was thrown open, and a collection of uniforms piled through it —

Jason grunted as David Harper, a detective with Major Crimes, grabbed him by the arm and threw him against the wall. “What the hell is going on?” Harper demanded, frisking Jason and finding the gun tucked into the holster at his back. “You got a permit for this?”

“Lawyer,” Jason said flatly.

“Yeah, yeah, I know the drill.” Harper pulled out a cell phone next, tugging it from the pocket of Jason’s tuxedo. “You’re missing a call right now,” he said with a smirk. “Oh, and you’ve got some texts.” He flashed the screen at Jason, whose heart sank. Harper wouldn’t be able to see who was calling him—the notification screen wasn’t set to show the identity, but Jason knew better. It was after five. Elizabeth was calling. He was supposed to be leaving for the airport right now — she was waiting for him in first class.

And he was about to be arrested which meant he wouldn’t be able to call her before they started boarding. She’d probably get on the flight and be in the air before he was released. His stomach twisted at the thought, and he didn’t even wince when Harper slapped a pair of cuffs on him and hauled him towards the entrance of the church.

She wouldn’t even know for hours what had happened. All she would know was that he’d broken his promise.

Again.

Port Charles Airport: First Class Lounge

Elizabeth exhaled slowly as the clock on the far side of the wall crawled towards six when boarding was scheduled to begin.  She’d known Jason would be cutting it close, but he traveled more than she did, so Elizabeth hadn’t argued with his plan. But now she thought of all the snags that could have held him up. What if he’d been caught in traffic or in security—

She checked her phone again — but there still wasn’t a reply to her last text — and she saw now from the receipt that it hadn’t even been read yet. Okay, maybe he couldn’t text her, but could he answer the phone? He hadn’t when she’d called at him at five-thirty—

She closed her eyes, bringing the phone to her ear. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Four. Five — and the automatic transfer to a voicemail. This time, she left a message. “Hey. Uh, it’s me. Just…getting nervous, I guess. And a little worried,” she continued with a wince. “Will they still let you through security if you get here after boarding starts? Just…call me, okay?”

Elizabeth put the phone back in her bag and shoved herself to her feet to pace the small width of the room, drawing the attention of a few first class passengers. She flashed a polite smile, then went to the large window that overlooked the runways.

Port Charles Police Department: Interrogation Room

Jason dragged his hands through his hands through his hair, glaring at the clock in the squad room, visible through the window next to the door. A few minutes to six. They’d be boarding soon. If Elizabeth got on the plane—

“I need to make a call,” he said to Mac Scorpio, breaking into the argument between the commissioner and his attorney. “Diane, I need—”

“Your lawyer is already here,” Mac said, blandly. “You answer some questions, maybe then—”

Jason hissed. If she got on the plane — if she flew to Italy alone — Damn it. He curled his hands in a fist by his side. “Diane, then you need to make the call—”

“I’m a little busy trying to get you released,” Diane retorted. “Or maybe you want to spend the night in lock up. Shut up, let me work, and you can do whatever you want when you’re out of here.”

“Tell me who you need to call so much,” Mac suggested. “Wanna check on your guys? They’re all here. Cody Paul. Spinelli — we scooped him up when he tried to go to the hospital with Maxie — ”

“They don’t know anything—there’s nothing to know—” Jason closed his mouth when Diane sent a fulminating glare. He just needed to close his mouth and let his lawyer do her job.

And hope like hell Elizabeth would forgive him when he didn’t show up at the airport.

Port Charles Airport: Gate

“Flight LH1068 from Port Charles, New York to Venice Italy, now boarding first class.”

Elizabeth glanced at her watch, though she knew the time inside and out after nearly an hour of staring at it. Six-ten. Jason wasn’t here. He hadn’t returned a phone call. She had a choice to make. Did she get on the flight, hoping that Jason was rushing towards her — that he was so focused on getting to the flight that he didn’t want to waste time by calling her —

She gripped the handle of her carry-on, watching the flight attendant collect boarding passes from the first class passengers, then looked down at hers.

Jason was coming, wasn’t he? If something terrible had happened, wouldn’t he have called? Or—or someone would have. Someone knew where he was supposed to be going.

She chewed her lip, took a step forward, then stopped.

There’d been another wedding day, Elizabeth thought. The first time she’d ever seen Jason Morgan.

Brenda Barrett had been so sure Sonny would show up she’d walked down the aisle first and had waited for him. The doors had opened, and she’d turned, her smile blinding, so certain she’d see Sonny walking over the threshold.

Only to come crashing down.

“Last call for Flight LH1068, Port Charles, New York to Venice, Italy, first class.”

PCPD: Lock-Up

Jason paced the confines of the small cell, ready to come out of his skin. He’d been shoved back here while Diane had gone to war with Mac, threatening all manners of lawsuits — he no longer had access to a clock, but he knew that six o’clock had come and gone — had she boarded the plane? Was she now waiting for him, trapped on the plane? Once you got on, you couldn’t get off without making a scene —

He heard the click of heels and lunged at the bars, clenching his jaw as Diane strode out of the shadows with a uniform behind her. “Am I getting out of here?” Because if he wasn’t, he’d have to tell Diane to make the call, and somehow that felt worse than doing it himself — sending his lawyer to do his dirty work —

“Yes—” Diane gestured at the officer. “Let’s go. Chop chop, little boy.”

“You know, Ms. Miller,” the uniform said with some irritation, “that’s not helping.”

He slid the jail cell door back and Jason stepped out, his hand already extended.  “Where’s my phone? Never mind,” he snapped before the redhead could answer. “Give me yours.”

“Thank you, Diane, my only hope—” Diane began, but something in his face must have finally communicated just how furious Jason really was. “All right, fine.” She slapped it in his hand. “Just looking for a little gratitude, you know—”

Jason had stopped listening, his stomach dropping when he realized how much time had passed since he’d last seen the time. Seven-ten. The flight had been scheduled to leave ten minutes ago. Damn it.

He punched in her number anyway and listened to it ring.

Port Charles Airport: Gate

Elizabeth watched as the Lufthansa plane backed away from the gate, the flight tunnel already tucked away. It slowly taxied towards a runway and out of sight. There went her trip to Italy.

And her luggage.

Her phone rang, and she glanced down — found Diane’s number on the identification screen. Elizabeth frowned, answered. “Diane?”

“Elizabeth.” Jason’s voice sounded relieved. “You didn’t board?”

“No.” She sighed again, looked towards the runway though the flight had long since departed. “No.” Not once she’d remembered that terrible day when Brenda had pinned all her hopes and dreams on Sonny showing up and been humiliated.

Elizabeth had been humiliated enough for a lifetime. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah. I’m sorry. There—there was a shooting—”

Elizabeth listened as he told her about Kate Howard and how he’d been brought in for questioning. It was a tragedy, of course, and she thought she said all the right things. Sure, she understood. Things happened. Life was unpredictable—

But if she’d been there with him — if she’d been at the church, she wouldn’t be standing here alone at the gate, a boarding pass for Italy in her hands, and the sympathetic eyes of a flight attendant still at the desk.

She promised to talk to him later, though who knew when he’d find time for that. At least he’d remembered to call her at all, Elizabeth thought, sliding the phone back in her pocket. She forced a smile on her face and approached the desk.

“Hey. Hi. What’s the process for getting my luggage back from Italy?”

I look ahead to all the plans that we made
And the dreams that we had
I’m in a world that tries to take ’em away
Oh, but I’m taking ’em back
All this time I’ve just been to blind to understand
What should matter to me
My friend, this life we live
Is not what we have, it’s what we believe
– It’s Not My Time, 3 Doors Down

---

Saturday, September 27, 2008

St. Timothy’s Church: Anteroom

Sonny, clad in a black tuxedo and gray vest, shook his head. “I don’t need another security check,” he said. “We need to get to our seats before Maxie over there—” he gestured towards the blonde who held a clipboard and wore a headset. “Sets us on fire—

Jason nodded. “I know, but—” he began. “There’s nothing wrong with taking another five minutes—”

“Jase.” Sonny turned to him. “Do you have any doubts that your guys are up to the job?”

“No—”

“Then let’s get this show on the road.” Sonny clapped a hand on Jason’s shoulder. “And hey, don’t you have a plane to catch? Every minute we spend out here is another minute you’re in traffic.”

Jason nodded, reluctantly. They were still on schedule, even a few minutes early, but Sonny had a point. There hadn’t been a single hint of trouble. “All right. I’ll see you in there.” He left Sonny in the anteroom and went through the double doors leading into the chapel proper.

Jason took his seat in the front pew, next to Bobbie. She smiled at him, the expression tinged with a touch of sadness that he felt himself. Another moment that Michael should be here for — and instead he was lying in a coma from which he would never wake.

The tightness in his chest only increased as Jason remembered where he’d been when he’d received the call. Standing in his penthouse, looking into Elizabeth’s eyes, filled with happiness that he was finally going to have her with him — that the whole world would know that he loved her and the boys—he’d get to have his son and Cameron—

He’d promised her he wouldn’t take it back. How many promises had he broken to her over the years? How many more opportunities would she give him to be part of her life before she walked away for good? No, Sonny was right. The sooner they got the wedding started, the sooner he’d be with her.

He glanced at the clock on his phone, saw the notification from Elizabeth. She’d checked in her luggage and was heading to security. She’d see him at the gate.

Jason glanced at Bobbie again who squeezed his hand, then he faced forward, looked at the altar. Sonny was the one getting married. He’d lost Michael, but his life was still moving forward. He still had his son, his daughter. He would have a wife, soon.

Jason had been prepared to only have those things in secret, until Michael. Until he’d realized what he’d given up. Only when he’d truly accepted that the only way he’d ever have a life of his own, be a father again, was if he made changes — he just wished he could have done it years ago. Maybe Michael would still be here. Maybe his son would know him—

He glanced at his phone again, wishing it was over so he could be on his way to the airport, so he could be with Elizabeth and not worry about who was watching.

St. Timothy’s Church: Bridal Suite

“You can’t really be serious!”

Maxie grimaced when she slipped inside the room just as Olivia Falconieri’s thick Brooklyn accent hit her ears. “We have three minutes before we need to start the processional,” she warned the cousins. “Or we’ll be off schedule—”

“I’m not having this argument with you again,” Kate said, heading towards the table where their flowers had been set up. She snatched up her bouquet. “I told you, I legally changed my name. Did you think I’d get married as Constanza Louise? Really?”

“I thought you’d have some decency—”

“I am Katherine Hardwicke Howard. That is my legal name, and it’s a name I’ve worked very hard to establish,” Kate snapped. “And if you don’t like it, I’m sure Maxie will step in as my maid of honor.”

Olivia sent Maxie a dirty look, then scowled back at Kate. “Still turning your back on your whole family. I can’t believe Sonny is okay with this—”

“Time out—” Maxie said, her heart pounding as she slid between the furious women. “You can have this argument later, okay? Please. I’m begging you. We spent a lot of time setting this up,” she reminded Kate, who nodded. Maxie picked up Olivia’s bouquet and held it out. “Please. I don’t want to be the maid of honor, okay? That’s you. You’re family. I—I had a sister a-and I lost her, and I would do anything to argue with her one more time. So just take these, walk down the aisle, and be grateful that you’re both still alive to yell at each other.”

Olivia took the flowers, some of the fury fading from her dark eyes. “I’m sorry about your sister. Let’s get this show on the road.” She headed for the door.

Thank God. Maxie breathed a sigh of relief, sent a silent apology to Georgie that she’d used her that way, and turned to Kate. “Time to get married. You ready?”

Kate lifted her bouquet. “Lead the way.”

General Hospital: Emergency Room

Nadine stepped behind the counter and started to dig through the charts of patients waiting to be seen. Since the clinic had burned down earlier that month, the ER was seeing all minor illnesses and injuries again, and with Nikolas heading to California, she had a feeling that wasn’t going to change any time soon.

Unless Nikolas wanted to fund a memorial clinic in the city he was running from.

“What’s up next?” Patrick asked, winding his stethoscope around his neck. “I just cleared two stitches, a broken ankle, and our first hypochondriac of the night.”

“The tuberculosis patient?” Nadine asked, absently, glancing through the patients who’d been checked in. “The one with a light cough?”

“No, the one who thought she had smallpox. It was a rash,” Patrick said blandly. “So I guess we already have two.”

“The internet was a mistake. Everyone comes in with a diagnosis ready, and they think they’re dying.” Nadine stopped, then looked at him. “Wait. Why are you here? You’re—”

“A doctor who, despite hating people, needs to remember why I’m doing this in the first place. I picked up a shift. One of the benefits of being chief is being able to do whatever the hell I want.” He exhaled on a rush of air. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bite your head off.”

“No, it’s fine. I just meant—you didn’t look to see who else was working tonight, did you?”

Patrick closed his eyes, bowed his head for a moment, then lifted his gaze back to hers. “I’d like one thing to go right tonight. Just one.”

“If it makes you feel better, he hates me more than he hates you,” Nadine offered. “I broke into his room and accused him of stealing drugs from the clinic.”

“I don’t care if he hates me,” Patrick muttered, yanking a chart from the pile. “I don’t think about him at all.” He whirled around only to come face to face with the man in question. “Dr. Hunter.”

“Dr. Drake,” Matt Hunter bit out. “Coming down from your lofty office to mix with the peasants?”

“That’s right,” Patrick snarled. “So get out of my way and let me work.”

“No problem.” Matt stepped to one side and Patrick stormed off in the other direction. “Asshole.”

“I don’t understand why you guys hate each other,” Nadine remarked when Matt approached to switch out charts. “Neither of you knew the other existed. It’s your dad who sucks—”

“That man isn’t my father,” Matt cut in sharply, his eyes flashing. “And no one asked you.”

“Well, if I wait to be asked, no one ever gets to hear what I have to say,” Nadine said, but Matt just stomped off. “This is going to be a fun night.”

Port Charles Airport: Security Line

Elizabeth looked at her phone — Jason hadn’t replied to her last text which made sense, she thought. The ceremony was due to begin any minute now. In less than a half hour, Jason would be on his way to the airport, and then they’d be boarding. He wanted this trip as much as she did, Elizabeth could believe that now.

And once they were in the air, she’d have the time to tell him about that awful conversation with Lucky — the threats she’d made about what she’d do if Sam was involved with the boys at all once they were in California. She’d meant every word, too. If Sam was in the picture, Elizabeth would never put her boys on a plane or let Lucky take them.

Which meant the boys would probably never see Lucky again. It hurt, but not as much as it might have before. If she and Jason were on the road to being together in public — and Elizabeth really thought they might be — then Jason would be there. And Cameron and Jake wouldn’t even have the chance to miss Lucky—they’d barely notice anything had changed—they’d finally be a family.

She took a deep breath, moved forward as the line did. She just had to have a little patience. They’d meet in secret again for a while. And maybe around the holidays, when things were quiet, Jason would change his mind.

And if he didn’t—

Well, she was going to Italy. He’d offered her Italy once before, holding out his hand to her, and she’d rejected it. She’d had chance after chance to have all of Jason, and she’d pushed him away. She’d asked him to keep quiet about Jake’s paternity. She’d made all the wrong choices two years ago. From now on, she was going to focus on making sure Jason knew that he was the only choice she wanted to make.

St. Timothy’s Church: Chapel

The music swelled, and Jason—along with everyone else in attendance—rose to their feet as the wedding march began to play. Kate, standing at the end of the long aisle in her pristine white gown, radiating joy and happiness as she slowly walked towards Sonny.

If he hadn’t backed out of their engagement six months ago, that could have been Elizabeth, Jason thought. Or they would have been married already. He wouldn’t have wanted a long engagement. They’d waited long enough. She’d wear a dress that made her happy, even though she always looked beautiful to him. And she’d have walked towards him—

He shook himself out of the thought — it did no good to think about things that hadn’t happened. He watched as Kate walked down the aisle, drawing closer. She passed the front pew and stopped at the altar — Sonny was supposed to take her hand, and then they’d walk up a few steps to Father Coates at the top.

Sonny took a step—and then Kate gasped, the sound barely registering above the music—but Jason saw her jerk—and then—

A bright red stain appeared on the back of her dress, spreading quickly, soaking the fabric. The flowers dropped as Kate crumpled to the ground. The screams started, and Jason was on his feet, shoving Bobbie down with one hand and twisting to face the back of the chapel—

People began to flee, the screams grew louder, and someone fell—there was trampling — the church had exploded into chaos.

Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking
When you fall, everyone stands
Another day, and you’ve had your fill of sinking
With the life held in your
Hands are shaking cold
These hands are meant to hold  
– Move Along, All-American Rejects

---

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Kelly’s: Dining Room

Johnny flipped the coffee cup right side up and plucked the plastic menu from beneath the white ceramic saucer to consider the brunch specials. He had some time to kill before heading back to the hotel, getting dressed, and picking up Lulu.

Should he do the waffles or the omelet? Still considering, he didn’t notice the blonde taking the next stool over, but he recognized the voice. He lifted his gaze from the menu to offer Nadine Crowell a grin. “Hey, I haven’t seen you since you were hauled off in cuffs.”

Nadine wrinkled her nose at the reminder at being held in contempt at his trial a few weeks earlier. “Glad one of us can laugh about it. I’m the one who ended up with a record.” She held out her cup when the waitress came over with the carafe of coffee, filling both their cups. She took both their orders. “Actually, I’m kind of glad I ran into you because I’ve been sitting with this for, like, over a day, and I hate it, but I didn’t know who to tell, and here you are, so—”

“Do you ever take a breath?” Johnny stirred sugar into his coffee, then slid the canister towards her.

“Oh, you’re in a good mood.” She sighed. “Man, I really know how to ruin someone’s day, you know?”

“I don’t, but I have a bad feeling I’m about to find out.”

“It’s what Nikolas told me the other day. I would have already done something, but he blocked me from going to see Lulu, and Maxie is, like, stupid busy with all of this wedding stuff. Plus, she really doesn’t like me because she found me hiding in Matt’s room—”

“I lost track of the conversation again. What does this have to do with Matt Hunter?”

“Nothing. Nothing.” Nadine blew out a breath. “Sorry, I tend to ramble and go off on tangents when I’m nervous or I have bad news — it’s always on all of my performance reviews—” She stopped. “I’m doing it again, I know, I know. Nikolas is negotiating with the DA’s office so Lu can make a deal.”

“Yeah, I know that—”

“The deal is putting Lu in a treatment facility in California,” Nadine interrupted, and Johnny closed his mouth. “He just told me, and, like, he’s planning to make it a permanent move. He’s going with her. They’re going to relocate their mother — it’s a whole thing.”

“What? No. No. She doesn’t need all of that — and as soon as Lu is better, she’s going to be able to tell her side of the story. She’s going to tell them what happened and how it was self-defense. That was the plan.” Johnny’s mouth was a thin, mutinous line. “He’s doing it to get her away from me.”

“I think so, yeah. That’s definitely an element in play. I told him that Lu was going to hate him when she got better, but Nikolas doesn’t care. He blocked me from visiting and telling her myself, but he forgets how determined I can be. I was going to track Elizabeth down before my shift, or I don’t know, tell Spinelli. But I needed to do something. Someone has to know that can stop this.”

Johnny dragged a hand down his face. “I hate this, I hate it. I can’t tell her this today. She’s been so happy, looking forward to the wedding. Being around her friends. I’m supposed to pick her up at Kate’s. They’re getting ready together. She’s going to be pissed that Nikolas is doing this. But I’m going to tell her tomorrow. Or after the reception. Something. I don’t know if we can stop it, but she deserves to know.”

“That’s what I thought, and you’ve got a direct line to Lu, so I’m glad I ran into you.”

“Yeah, that’s lucky—” Johnny paused, dug out the cell phone vibrating in his pocket and saw his sister’s name on the screen. “My sister,” he told Nadine before sending it to voicemail. “She’s a pain in the ass when I’m up here. Why couldn’t I have a normal sister?”

“Yeah, you might be the one person in the world who can actually win the competition for worst sister, or at least give mine a run for their money. Who do you think is worse, Claudia or Jolene, the Angel Without Mercy?”

Johnny winced. “I forgot—I forgot about your sister—”

“Then you’d be different from, like, ninety percent of Port Charles.” She smiled when the waitress returned with her bagged order, then took the last sip of her coffee. “That last name, you know. Infamous.”

“Yeah, I know all about that. Thanks for passing on the information about Lu. I’ll take care of it.”

“I hope you do. Have a good time at the wedding.”

Kelly’s: Courtyard

Elizabeth pulled into the parking lot just as Nadine slid into her car. They exchanged a wave, then Elizabeth headed towards the diner. She stopped short when she saw Carly coming from the opposite direction. “Carly,” Elizabeth said hesitantly, remembering Jason’s words from the other day.

“Surprised to see you here.” Carly lifted her brows. “I thought you had travel plans.” She smirked. “Oh, wait, I’m not supposed to know anything, right? Isn’t that how this works?”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and decided not to engage. She reached for the diner’s door, stopping when Carly’s next barb was launched. “I guess you weren’t invited to the wedding either, huh?”

Elizabeth turned to face the blonde. “”Did I do something to you? We just saw each other last week, and everything was fine. I mean, you literally walked in on me with Jason, and you were apologetic, offering to leave—”

“I was upset,” Carly snapped. “Obviously not in my right mind.”

“Not even going to touch that. I have things to do—” Once again, turning back to the door, Elizabeth pulled it open.

“Why are you acting like he’s your dirty little secret? Where do you get off making Jason beg for scraps with his son?”

Elizabeth let the door close, took a deep breath, counting to five, then turned back around. “He says the word, this all changes. You know that, don’t you?”

Carly pursed her lips. “You don’t really think you’re getting away with this, do you? You and Jason both disappearing for a week? I mean, how dumb do you think people are?”

“I think the people who are closest to us likely know everything. You do. Sonny does. People in my life do. The guards. I think maybe the only person who doesn’t know this isn’t a secret is Jason,” Elizabeth said, and Carly dropped her gaze to the ground. “I’m going to ask you again, Carly, what’s changed this week? You hate me again, and I just want to know if there’s a specific reason. If there’s something I actually have to apologize for.”

The other woman avoided the question again. “If everyone knows then what’s the point—”

“It took me time to get to this point again. I was scared. You know that, Carly. We were both in agreement on this very subject a few months ago.” Elizabeth sighed. “But Jason is the point. This is where he’s comfortable, and I think I owe him the time and space to work through it, too. You’ve both been through hell, Carly, and I don’t pretend to know what that’s like. All I’m doing is trying to be what Jason needs me to be. He’s lost so many people—”

“Michael’s not dead, okay? Don’t act like he is—” Carly closed her mouth, her voice trembling on the final words. She folded her arms. “It’s none of your business why you bother me,” she finally muttered. “But you do. And that’s just how it is.”

Elizabeth figured that was the best she was going to be able to get and nodded. “All right, then. Have it your way.”

General Hospital: Nurse’s Station

Patrick put the phone in the crook of his shoulder and rubbed his brow with his free hand. “They’re denying the maintenance request again? Damn it. No, no, it’s not—it’s not your fault. Just put that with all the others, and I’ll be by later.” He caught Epiphany’s eye as the nurse passed the counter, gestured for her to wait. “Yeah, thanks.”

“Do you need something?” she asked. “Because I’m busy—”

“The board—”

“Anytime you start with those words, it always ends in misery for me,” the nurse interrupted. “Let me guess. We have to make do with the equipment we got—”

“Apparently, whatever measures you put in place to minimize mistakes—” Patrick grimaced, glared at the phone. “You did it too well. They think there’s no point in spending money when we can make the adjustments for free.”

“Oh, so my nurses have to keep putting in the orders three times until that machine gives them what they asked for? What’s gonna happen when one of our overworked, exhausted employees gets a pill that looks exactly like the one they requested—and it’s OxyContin, not acetaminophen?” Epiphany demanded. “You know a lot of our older veterans took the retirement buyout. I don’t have the time or money to train my staff, and it’s not like I’ve got student nurses filling in the gaps since they closed the damn program—”

“I know, I told them that in the request — but they’re just interested in the bottom line. Look, I’ll get together some information on the most common mix-ups. I’ll hold the training myself—”

“And when are you going to find time to do that?” Epiphany wanted to know, fisting a hand on her hip. “You got meetings, paperwork, that baby will be here before you know it—”

“Damn it.” Patrick winced. “I’m supposed to meet Robin down at Kelly’s office in five minutes for another check-up.” He dragged his hands down his face. “I’m doing everything I can, Epiphany. But short of finding about three million dollars a year in permanent funding that is earmarked for staff and equipment, I don’t know what you want me to do.”

“Even if we got that money, that board would just find a way to pocket it. Bunch of crooks no better than the last. Sooner or later, someone is going to get seriously hurt.” But her expression softened. “I know you’re doing your best. This isn’t on you. You’re just—you’re the guy who has to deliver the message, and it sucks.”

“If I quit and go back to my patients—” Patrick looked away, sighed. “They’d just bring in another Ford to do it. I can’t do that again, you know? I’m picking up a shift in the ER tonight just so I can feel like a doctor again. To remember why I’m dealing with this crap at all.”

“I’ll put together some notes, get an informal survey from my people — what’s the most common problem we’re having with the machines,” Epiphany said. “Neither one of us has the time to do this separately, but we’ll figure it out. You’re not on your own in this, Drake Junior. Don’t forget that.”

Coffee House: Office

“I talked to Frankie down on the Rochester docks,” Cody said, closing the door and crossing the room to set some paperwork in front of Jason. “You were right. After that little meeting last week, Karpov contacted him. He’s their problem now.”

“Maybe,” Jason said, scribbling his name at the bottom of another contract. “But I think he went away too quietly.”

“I don’t know if three months of constant harassment is quiet, but you made it clear. You weren’t going to do business with him, and Sonny wasn’t interested in getting involved. ”

“Maybe I’m too used to the warehouse being blown up to make the point.”

“Maybe. Or maybe the word is finally getting out that you’re not in the business for new clients.” Cody lifted his brows. “Isn’t that what we’ve been working towards the last few months? We only have a few more shipments, and then—”

“Yeah. Yeah.” Jason leaned back, exhaled slowly. “But if it was common knowledge, don’t you think Karpov would have said something to Sonny?”

“You mean when he was trying to get Sonny back in the business? Maybe Karpov doesn’t realize why you turned him down, but your regular guys do.” Cody paused. “You planning on telling Sonny?”

“I was waiting until it was done. Until after the wedding.” Jason got to his feet. “He worked hard to get to this level— he’s going to be pissed that I’m closing it down.”

“It’s not like you’ll be out of the business all the way,” Cody pointed out. “You’ve got the clubs, the gambling—”

“That won’t matter to him. He never could understand how someone wouldn’t want the power. But it’s never brought us anything but headaches. As soon as Sonny got into the South American trade—” Jason grimaced. “It never ended. Someone always wanted these routes and didn’t care how much damage they had to do to get it.” He turned back to Cody. “I’m not having second thoughts. Another couple of months, this will be done.” And just maybe he could finally have a life with Elizabeth and the boys.

As if she knew he was thinking about her, his phone on the desk lit up, her name on the screen.

“Hey. Everything okay?” Jason turned away from Cody, lowering his voice slightly.

“It’s fine,” she said. “I was just wondering if you had maybe twenty minutes. I grabbed some lunch at Kelly’s, and I thought—I just wanted to see you before the airport. Maybe you haven’t eaten yet?”

Even if he didn’t have the time, he would have said yes. “Yeah, come by the coffee house. I’m in the back.”

“Great. I’m already in the parking lot.” He could hear the smile in her voice, and his own lips curved. “I’ll be right in.”

When Jason ended the call and turned back to Cody, he said, “Elizabeth is on her way here—”

“I figured,” his enforcer said, dryly. “You tell her what you’re planning?”

“Not yet. I wanted to—” He hesitated. “I wanted to be sure.” He’d already broken so many promises to her — if he couldn’t get it done, then he wouldn’t have to let her down. They were so close now — just a few more weeks, maybe months, and he’d be partially free. It was part of the reason he’d stopped pushing her away, why he wanted to take her to Italy. Jason needed her to know how much he loved her, how much he wanted to be with her.

“All right. I’ll leave you guys alone, but we need to head over to the church in about an hour—” Cody stopped at the knock on the door and tugged it open. “Hey, Miss Webber.”

“Hey, Cody.” Elizabeth came in, a brown bag in her hands. “I’m not interrupting anything?”

“Wouldn’t matter if you were,” Cody said, slipping past her. “But I was on my way out. I’ll see you at the church,” he told Jason.

Elizabeth winced when the door was closed. “I’m interrupting—”

“Never,” Jason said. He tugged her towards him, tipping her head back for a kiss. “We were done.”

“I really didn’t want to bother you—”

“You’re not,” he interrupted, almost impatiently, and she looked away. He hated that — hated that he’d made her feel like every minute he spent with her was one stolen from something else more important. “I’m sorry. I just—I would tell you if I didn’t have the time.”

“Okay. I just…I guess I wanted to see you before the airport. I’m going home to finish packing.” The smile bloomed on her face now. “Five more hours and we’ll be boarding our flight to Italy, and then I’ll have you all to myself.”

“Nowhere else I’d rather be.” He cupped her jaw, kissed her again. “The ceremony is supposed to be over a quarter after five. Sonny knows I’m leaving as soon as it is. Twenty minutes to the airport. Ten minutes through security—I know I’m cutting it close.”

“It’s okay. I’m jealous of you getting to skip that long line,” Elizabeth said with a wrinkle. She slid her fingers down his chest. “No frisking, searching your bag.”

“Sorry I didn’t know anyone at the TSA to bribe to get you on the list, too,” he said, and she grinned. “I’ll work on that.”

“Or, like you said…we’ll travel more, and I’ll get pre-clearance legitimately.”

“Sonny—” Jason hesitated. “He told me I didn’t have to go. To the wedding. He knows we’re leaving tonight, but—”

“But if something happened and you weren’t there, you’d never forgive yourself. It’s okay. I know.” She kissed him one more time. “And he’s your best friend. You should be there.”

And she should be sitting next to him, Jason thought, but that couldn’t happen. Not yet. “As soon as they say their vows, I’m out the side door,” he promised. “Cody will take over from there.”

“See? You’ve thought of everything. Tomorrow, we’ll wake up in Venice, and everything will be perfect.” Elizabeth bit her lip, her eyes sparkling. “Just like we always dreamed it would be.”

Crimson Pointe: Study

“This cheap son of a bitch—he thinks he’s going to cut off my credit cards—” Claudia shoved the door open, her heels clicking against the hard wood. “You’ve got a lot of nerve—”

She stopped, then scanned the empty room. “Daddy?” she called. She walked over to the terrace, scanned the view of the garden from her perspective. Nothing.

She left the room, went down the hallway towards the kitchen, then went in the other direction towards the living room.

No Anthony Zacchara in sight.

Claudia stopped, pursed her lips. “Well, that can’t be good.”

So, when will this end? It goes on and on
Over and over and over again
Keeps spinning around, I know that it won’t stop
‘Til I step down from this for good
I never thought I’d end up here
Never thought I’d be standing where I am
I guess I kind of thought that it would be easier than this
I guess I was wrong now one more time
– Sick Cycle Carousel, Lifehouse

---

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Webber House: Living Room

“Are there any other toys you want to take to Daddy’s house?” Elizabeth asked Cameron, crouching down to find Jake’s sneakers.

“No. I gots my trucks and Legos.” Cameron dragged the bag full of toys next to his Spiderman suitcase. “Where you go again?”

“Italy. To see the gondolas. The long skinny boats.” Elizabeth tugged one sneaker on Jake’s foot, then the other, leaving him to play with the Velcro straps. “And the light.”

“The light?” Cameron looked up at the light fixture in the ceiling. “We gots light here.”

“The sunlight reflecting from the canals,” Elizabeth said, but she was smiling. She heard a car in the driveway and got to her feet. “I’ll take lots of pictures to show you when I get home. That’s Daddy now.” She headed for the door, grimacing when she pulled it open and realized Lucky wasn’t alone.

He’d brought Sam.

Her mouth settled in a thin line. Why did he constantly have to push— “We talked about this.”

“You talked, and I ignored you.” Lucky slid past her and caught Cameron as he ran towards his father. “Hey, buddy. You ready for a whole week with me and Sam?”

Cameron peered over Lucky’s shoulder, his tiny dark brows drawn together. “Who you?”

“I’m a friend of your dad’s. Sam—” Sam stepped up behind Lucky, and lifted her hand to shake Cameron’s, but Elizabeth pulled Cameron out of Lucky’s arms, angled him away from Sam whose hand fell back to her side. The smile faded from her face.

“We talked about this, and you agreed. I told you if you pushed me on this, we’d go to court and make it official,” Elizabeth said.

“You really want to get into this in front of them?” Lucky asked, nodding to the boys. Jake was standing on the sofa, hanging back. Unlike Cameron, the toddler hadn’t run towards Lucky — in the year since their divorce, Lucky’s visits with the boys were infrequent and short. Never more than one night, and even that was rare these days.

“We could. But I don’t know why I have to in front of a police officer,” Elizabeth said, smiling sweetly at Sam who just rolled her eyes. “Considering one call to Amelia Joffe would lead to some very difficult questions for you.”

“And I’m not the only one who knows about that—” Lucky began.

“You’re the only one who knows and still wants her around. She’s not staying at the house with them. I’ll cancel my entire trip right now and go straight to Mac.”

“Mommy?” Cameron asked. “You wanna see the lights.”

“I do, honey. Go sit next to your brother.” Elizabeth set Cameron on his feet, then looked to her ex-husband with his sour expression. “And don’t think you can get around me by waiting for me to be gone. I’ll find out and I’ll go straight to the courthouse when I get back.”

“It’s fine, Lucky. I’ll just stay at my place this week,” Sam said. “Let’s not waste time on something that doesn’t matter.” She shot Elizabeth a nasty look. “And you won’t be in control of this situation forever.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t bet on that.” Elizabeth curled her hand around the edge. “Agree, Lucky, or I’m closing the door.”

Lucky muttered under his breath. “Fine. Fine. Sam won’t come near them. But I need to talk to you and unlike you, I don’t want to do it in front of the boys. So can we compromise? She’ll take the kids to the car, put them in their seats. You can watch her the entire time. Or I’ll be the one to walk and you can find another babysitter—”

“You’re not a babysitter, Lucky. You’re their father. At least, that’s what you keep telling me. Fine. She can take them to the car. But she stays outside. I don’t want her talking to them, either.”

Elizabeth went to the sofa, knelt down. “Hey, you’re going to go with Daddy’s friend, Sam. She’ll put you in the car,” she told Cameron. “I need you to make sure Jake is belted in nice and tight. You know just how I showed you.”

“I got you, Mommy. Me ‘n Spiderman.” He held up his plastic figurine. “We go to the rescue.”

“That’s right.” Elizabeth hugged and kissed them both, then reluctantly handed them over to Sam. She stood in the doorway, watching like a hawk as the other woman put them into car seats in the back of Lucky’s SUV. “Damn you for this, Lucky. I don’t ask for much—”

“Since I’m currently playing daddy to two kids who aren’t biologically mine—”

She snapped her head back around, her eyes flashing. “Say the word, Lucky, and we’ll end it now. No more child support. No more visits. No more Daddy. Go ahead. Keep using that against me.”

“You figure you got Jason in the wings, you don’t need me anymore?” Lucky demanded. “You think I don’t know who you’re going with? Spinelli let it spill to Sam Jason’s going out of town, too—”

“I think that I get to do whatever I want in my free time because I’m not dating someone who put my kids in danger. You said you wanted to talk, Lucky. Talk.”

“Fine. I didn’t come here to argue.” And now his tone shifted, softened. ” I know you’ve gone to see Lulu. Thank you. For doing that. For bringing pictures of the boys. It’s—it’s helped keep her thinking about the good that’s out here.”

“Lulu doesn’t have to be another casualty in all of this,” Elizabeth said. “I love her, too. I hate that she’s going through this, but she’s getting better, isn’t she?”

“No. No—” He dragged a hand through his hair. “She’s not. She keeps slipping away just like Mom. Nikolas is working on a deal for her with the DA, no charges if she gets treatment. But Shadybrooke isn’t the answer. We’re moving her. And my mother. As soon as Nikolas gets the go ahead.”

“Back to London?” Elizabeth asked. “I thought you said you wanted to keep Laura close—”

“We do. That’s the deal we’re making. There’s a doctor in California. Berkeley. They’re familiar with Mom’s condition, so we’re moving there. Nikolas and me. Sam, too. She’s coming out there with me.”

Elizabeth stared at him for a long moment. “You’re—you’re moving to California. That’s just—it’s a done deal? Is that what you’re telling me?”

“Yeah. I know it seems sudden, but it’s not. We’ve been talking about this since it all went down. But he heard back about the open spots, and he thinks with Baldwin out of town, we might get some movement on this.”

“But—” She exhaled slowly. “The boys. You don’t even see them regularly as it is, Lucky. And now you’re going three thousand miles away?”

“We’ll work something out. Maybe a month in the summer. Holidays. Cam’s in school now, right? So he’ll have breaks. You can bring them out, and I’ll bring them home. We can iron all of that out—”

“We’re not even going to talk about it? They’re one and four, Lucky. I can’t just—” Her eyes burned as she stared at the car with Sam standing next to the back seat, looking through the windows. “Sam’s going with you, so you’re telling me she’d be living with my boys when they’re there.”

“It’s no different than you taking them to see Jason—”

“Jason didn’t stand by and watch someone walk away with Jake,” Elizabeth cut in sharply. “Jason didn’t keep quiet and refuse to help find him—”

“She did that because of Jason—now they’re not together—”

“You think I care why she did it? I didn’t press charges, but I should have. God, I should have. And I swear I will. If you let her anywhere near my children, that’s the first thing I’ll do. I’ll go right to the PCPD—”

“What do you want me to do? My family needs this. Okay? I wasn’t there for my mother, and I haven’t been there for Lulu. I’m not going to be like my father—I’m not going to let my sister down—”

“Your family needs this.” Elizabeth waited a moment, then nodded. She stepped back inside the house. “All right. Fine. Go take care of your family. Thanks for looking after the kids this week.”

“You’re not going to fight about Sam anymore?” Lucky asked, almost warily. He looped the strap of the toy bag across his chest and picked up the suitcases. “Why?”

“Because I’m not taking a single day off from my life to fly the boys out to see you if she’s with you. You’ll have to come get them. And we both know how likely that’ll be.” She held the storm door open for him. “Call Patrick if you need me this week. He has my contact information.”

“I have to do this—”

“I know you believe that, but you’re the one choosing that woman over the boys you say that you love as your own. And if you think I’m out of line, we’ll just take it to court, Lucky. Have a good time with the boys this week.”

Then she closed the door.

Morgan Penthouse: Living Room

Jason set his suitcase at the bottom of the stairs and went to the desk where Spinelli had left the plans for the church. “Did Cody or Francis check in?” he asked, looking through one of the drawers for his passport.

“Loyal Second Sir of Security called ten minutes ago. The Godly One will allow your security entrance an hour earlier than Mister Sir indicated. He and —” Spinelli frowned. “The Jackal cannot think of a nickname for Sir Francis, so, uh—”

“Spinelli, I have a thousand things to do before I leave for the church, and I’m not coming back here.” Jason arched a brow. “What did I tell you about nicknames?”

“Go simple or ditch altogether,” Spinelli muttered darkly. “Stone Cold should be in a better mood. Mister Sir is marrying the Glacial One, and my Yoda embarks on a voyage of love with his lady—”

“Spinelli.”

“Cody and Francis will be at the church starting at two. Guests start coming in at four, and the ceremony begins at four-thirty.” The younger man made a face. “Stone Cold sucks all the fun out of life.”

“Trying to care. Can’t.” Jason tucked the passport into the outer pocket of his suitcase, glancing up as the door opened. Maxie came in, two huge garment bags over one arm. “Aren’t you supposed to be with Kate?”

“On my way, but you were my first stop.” Maxie shoved one bag at Spinelli and the other at Jason’s. “You need to put these on right now to make sure the final fittings are perfect—”

“We’re sitting in the pew, it doesn’t matter—”

“Okay, look, pal—” Maxie blew a piece of white-blonde hair out of her eyes. “Kate hasn’t turned into Bridezilla yet because it’s my job to nag everyone. So when she asks me if you tried these on, I get to tell her yes and not lie. So hop to it and strip. Don’t be a prude, I barely notice you’re a man—” She frowned at the suitcase. “Who’s going somewhere?”

“The tuxes are fine, Maxie.” Jason took her by the arm and steered her towards the door. “Go bother someone else—” He opened the door and shoved her out of it.

“How rude—” But he closed the door, cutting off her retort.

“Maximista is going to make me pay for that later,” Spinelli said with a wince.

“Trying to care about that, too. Still a no.” Jason took the garment bag, lifted the suitcase. “I’m going to the coffee house, then the warehouse. I have to stop in with Sonny, too. But this is the last time I’ll see you until the church. Tell Cody and Francis to call if they need me.”

“Aye, aye, Stone Cold, sir.” Spinelli saluted him. “And if we do not have a moment to speak before you must flee to airport, have a marvelous time and tell Fair Elizabeth the Jackal sends his most felicitous—”

But Jason had closed the door on that, too, and Spinelli broke off with a scowl. “Methinks my sensei could stand to loosen up. Party pooper.”

Howard Estate: Foyer

Maxie hustled through the door, marking off another item in her list and heading straight for the voices in the living room. She stopped short when she saw a woman she didn’t recognize standing near Kate. “Uh, did I miss something somewhere?”

“No, Maxie. This is Olivia.” Kate’s smile was warm, but her eyes seemed a bit panicked. She traded a look with the dark-haired woman. “My cousin from New York.”

“From Bensonhurst,” Olivia said, the hint of Brooklyn in her voice hitting Maxie’s ears and making her wince. “And if you think I’m calling you Kate, you’re freaking out of your mind—”

“So glad Sonny brought you all the way here,” Kate said tightly. “Really, we ought to get together more often.” Her face clean of cosmetics and clad in a silk robe that matched the wrap around her hair, Kate focused on Maxie. “Did you go to the Towers?”

“Delivered the tuxes, and just left Sonny’s. All systems are a go. We just have to get you ready, get Lulu—”

Behind Maxie, the front door opened again, and Maxie hurried out to the foyer, squealing when she saw Lulu. “You made it! You’re going to love the dresses I picked out!”

“Johnny said you’d take care of everything,” Lulu said, some of the usual sparkle in her eyes, but she moved a bit slower than normal. As if she were a step behind everything else.

“Lulu.” Kate’s eyes glistened. “I’m so glad you could join us.” She came across the room, squeezed the blonde’s hands. “Thank you for being here with me on this day.”

“Thank you for inviting me. I’m so glad to see you.”

Nikolas stepped up to Maxie, touched the side of his mouth with his index finger. “Stick to her like glue,” he warned the other woman. “And only let her out of your sight when Johnny gets here.”

“You’re actually trusting him with Lu?” Maxie asked. She lifted her brows. “Are you sure they got all of that tumor or are you crazy again?”

“Funny. Johnny has his marching orders. He screws up today, he’s cut off and he knows that. Same to you, Maxie. Anything happens to my sister today, I’m holding you both responsible.”

Maxie made a face. “But no pressure,” she called out to his disappearing back. “Good riddance,” she muttered when the door closed behind him. She pasted a bright smile on her face. “Okay, where do we start?”

Greystone: Living Room

It was just before noon when Jason finally made it out to Sonny’s. After a few minutes spent in the foyer with Max going over the schedule for the rest of the day, he headed into the living room where he was relieved to find Sonny drinking nothing harder than a glass of water, which was a bit of a relief.

“Hey. I didn’t expect to see you until the church,” Sonny said, setting the water on the desk. “Maxie come by to harass you, too?”

“Yeah, but you know, I don’t really pay attention to her.” Jason set down the folder with the floor plans for the church. “Father Coates agreed to the extra hour, so I thought I’d try to change your mind about checking in the invitations at the door—”

His friend shook his head. “I know all the reasons you’re worried about it, but the guest list is small. We’re doing a bigger party for Kate’s side in New York next month.” Sonny came forward, closed the folder. “Put it away. You’ve gone over everything a thousand times. You got your extra hour. You know, why don’t you go find Elizabeth? Spend a few hours with her—”

“She’s got her own list before we leave—”

“Yeah, but you could do that together. I mean, you don’t have to come to this, you know. I know you’re cutting it close with the boarding time.”

Jason squinted, looked at him. “What?”

“The wedding. You don’t have to come. It wouldn’t bother me. You don’t take a lot of time for yourself. Especially—” Sonny’s mouth tightened, and he picked up the water again. “Especially this year. When I dumped the business on you.”

“I agreed to it—”

“Because you thought I’d lost my edge. That I was reckless. Maybe you were right,” Sonny said when Jason didn’t deny it. “Maybe I just didn’t want it the same way I used to. The power, you know? I needed it. Needed to always be the one in charge, to run the room. It’s kind of nice, you know, not feeling that way anymore. Kate—you know—she reminds me of who I was before all that. Before my mother—” He looked away. “Before I got in too deep.”

“You ever regret it?” Jason asked. “Going to work for Joe Scully? Ending up here, going against Frank Smith?”

“Regret’s an interesting word. Do I ever wish I’d taken a different road? Finished school, learned a trade?” He considered it. “Could have gone into cooking. My mother wanted to get me a job in the kitchens at Carmine Cerullo’s restaurant.” Sonny sipped the water. “I think about that sometimes. Maybe I should have done that. But you know, my mother died. And I wanted to make sure Deke couldn’t get away with it. No, once I got into it, I didn’t regret it. I still don’t. That surprise you?”

“Maybe. After Michael—” Jason shook his head. “I don’t know. Sometimes I wish I’d never said yes when you wanted to do the coffee warehouse, take the territory back from Moreno.”

Sonny looked at him for a long moment. “You’re good at this. Clear-headed. Focused. It’s why I wanted you back. But now and again, I think about you not having your kid with you—and I feel the weight.” Sonny rolled his shoulders. “Anyway, all I meant was that I’m okay if you decide to skip out on this today. Go to the airport with Elizabeth. Go to Italy.” He paused. “Why Italy anyway?”

“I’ve wanted to take her there for a long time.” Jason picked up the folder. “I’ve made her a lot of promises I haven’t kept, but I’m keeping this one. I need to. But you’re still my best friend, and I want to be there today. Elizabeth—she understands. And as long as I’m at the gate on time, it’ll be fine. But thanks. I—I appreciate it.”

Crimson Pointe: Foyer

Claudia sauntered down the steps, trailing her fingers along the banister, then made her way into the main living room where she found her father perusing a newspaper and sipping his coffee.

“Good morning, Daddy,” she said, plucking a croissant from a basket on the table. She ripped off a piece. “How are the legs?”

“Still dead,” Anthony Zacchara muttered. “You gonna ask me that every day, Jezebel?”

“Oh, well, if you’re going to call me a whore every day, then—” she shrugged, tearing off another piece of the croissant. “Let me have my fun.”

“Shows how much you know. Jezebel was a traitor,” Anthony sneered. “You being a whore is just an added mark against your character.”

“You know, Daddy Dearest—” Claudia leaned forward, resting an elbow on the table. “I’m not sure you want to have a discussion about character. Aren’t you the one that drove one wife insane and murdered the other—”

Anthony hissed. “Don’t tempt me—”

“What are you gonna do, Daddy? Wheel really fast after me?” She just smiled when his scowl deepened in her direction. “You find a way to drag Johnny home by his hair or are we letting him off the hook?”

Anthony picked up his coffee. “And keep him away from the wedding of the century? Where’s the fun in that?”

“Please. That stick wouldn’t know how to plan anything worth attending. Johnny’s just going to spend his time trailing after that lunatic. You know, in hindsight, the first sign of mental instability should have been a grown woman using the name Lulu.”

Her father’s lips twitched, but he refused to let any sign of true amusement show. Claudia sighed. “Well, this is boring. I’m going to go find a small child to steal candy from.”

When she was gone, Anthony tossed the newspaper on the table, then rolled back.

He rose to his feet, stretched out his legs, wiggled his toes, then grinned. He danced a few steps.

Then he sat back in his chair and wheeled himself out of the room.

I can’t escape myself
(I can’t escape myself)
So many times I’ve lied
(So many times I’ve lied)
But there’s still rage inside
Somebody get me through this nightmare
I can’t control myself
– Animal I Have Become, Three Days Grace

---

Friday, September 26, 2008

Crimson Pointe: Living Room

“Johnny?”

The name echoed as Anthony Zacchara rolled himself from the hallway into the living room, his eyes scanning the area. “Where the hell is that boy?” he muttered, rolling towards the back of the room and the door that led to his study.

Seated behind the desk, Trevor Lansing’s salt and pepper head was bent over something, a pen in his head. Anthony rolled to the entrance, his mouth pinched. Bastard sitting at his desk like it was Trevor’s—as if the power Anthony commanded belonged to him. Since Anthony had fallen ill a few years earlier, the once trusted counselor had been nothing more than a vulture scavenging the remains of the Zacchara empire.

“Where’s Johnny?” he bit out. Trevor lifted his head, squinted. “My son,” Anthony added as if it required clarification. “You have one job—”

“I have many jobs, Anthony.” Trevor set down the pen, focused on him. “The primary of which is to keep you out of jail. If you want someone to chase after your worthless kid—” he lifted his brows when his own son edged around Anthony’s wheelchair and entered the room. “Why not tell my useless son to do it?”

“Always a pleasure, Dad,” Ric Lansing murmured, flipping through a stack of mail. “If you’re looking for Johnny, he left for Port Charles yesterday with a bag. He’s staying until Sunday. Maybe Monday. The wedding,” he added when Anthony just scowled. “Easier to stick close if Lulu needs him and not be two hours away.”

“He shoulda thought of that before he took up with that LooLoo,” Anthony retorted, resting his elbows on the arms of the chair. “He didn’t say nothing to me—”

“Because you’d turn it into a situation. He’s an adult, Anthony. As much as you hate it, he’s over eighteen. At least he’s closer than he was when he went to graduate school,” Ric pointed out. “What’s the difference between Port Charles and Oxford?”

“Anthony was a little bit more of sound mind during that period. Less paranoid,” Trevor said with a smirk, and Anthony shot him a dark look. “Just stating facts. As long as we had one of our guys on him, you didn’t care where he went. It’s only since your more recent illness that you’ve needed to have your own eyes on him.”

“Can’t trust any of you vipers. You’re just waiting for me to die, the harlot my useless first wife abandoned is probably plotting it as we speak, and—” Anthony squinted at Ric. “I don’t know. You probably don’t care who’s in charge as long as you get to be part of the inner circle.”

“Bullseye.” Ric tossed the stack on the desk. “I’ll call Alexis and ask her to keep an eye out. Kristina is the flower girl, so she’s taking both girls. I doubt that’s enough for you, but—”

“Wasn’t your ex trying to keep her kids away from Sonny after the oldest got a bullet in the brain?” Trevor asked. “If you’re lying—”

“Alexis wasn’t successful in family court,” Ric said dryly. “It’s Sonny’s week. Any other custodial issues you want updated, Dad, or—”

“So it’ll be a full house. All members of the family.” Anthony considered this. “Johnny with the lunatic, Sonny and his kids. How many ex-wives?”

“Just the one. He hasn’t been married nearly as many times as you’d think.”

“That’s right. The first one went—” Anthony spread his hands out. “Kablooey!”

“When’s the last time anyone ever heard from Domenica?” Trevor wanted to know. “I always wondered what happened to her. You sure she’s not in the same place as Johnny’s mother?”

Anthony exhaled slowly, sent Trevor another cold look. “You got a lot of attitude for a man I could kill in his sleep with just one word. You wanna say something else smart?”

Trevor just smirked, then rose to his feet. “Go ahead, Anthony. Do your worst. Otherwise, let me do my job and give the babysitting gigs to my son. I have a meeting.”

“One of these days,” Anthony murmured, his eyes following the man out of the room. “One of these days, he’s going to go too far.” He focused on Ric, leaning against the desk. “That bother you?”

“Should it? Does my lack of loyalty to my father bother you?” Ric wanted to know.

“No. It makes me curious. You even able to be loyal to anyone else but yourself?”

“My daughter. That’s about it.” Ric paused. “I have concerns for other people. But loyalty is too often blind and ignorant. I have no interest in that. You need me, and for now, it serves my interest to toe the line and be useful to you. If that changes, you’ll be the first to know. Probably.”

Anthony wanted to argue with that answer, but honesty was a value all its own. “Fair enough. If I tell you to go fetch my boy, what do you say to that?”

“I say—” Ric straightened. “You should give him a little rope. He wouldn’t fight so hard if you gave a little. It’s a few days in Port Charles. The odds are that Lulu Spencer will be in treatment for six months, maybe a year. I heard through some old sources at the DA’s office that her brother is offering to relocate her as part of a deal. Maybe this all comes to a natural end. But you keep your fist around his neck, and he’s going to keep fighting to breathe. Leave him alone. That’s what I say.”

“Now where’s the fun in that?” Anthony wanted to know, then smiled. “But maybe you’re right. Maybe I let Johnny off the hook this weekend. Might be entertaining.”

Crimson Offices: Fitting Room

Kate Howard sighed, then turned to the side so that the full profile of her gown was visible in the three-sided mirror. “I think it needs to be taken in a bit—”

“I think you look amazing,” Maxie Jones gushed. She gave the seamstress a meaningful look and the woman stepped back. “The dress fits you like a glove.”

Kate sighed, smoothed her hands down the skirt. “Perhaps. But—”

“I talked to the coordinator at the church,” Maxie interrupted, holding out her hand so that Kate could step down. “Everything is exactly as you asked, and Sonny is going to talk to Jason about the security changes you wanted to make.”

Kate had the feeling she was being managed but allowed it. Even if she wanted the dress taken in another few centimeters, there wouldn’t be enough time before tomorrow. She stepped behind a partition and Maxie efficiently unbuttoned the dress, then returned it to the garment bag.

“What about—”

“I’m dropping off the tuxedos to Spinelli and Jason tomorrow,” Maxie interjected, “and Max is picking up Sonny’s today. I’ll be stopping by Greystone on my way to your house to be sure it looks exactly right. Kristina’s dress is perfect. Alexis has that in hand as well.”

Kate wrapped the edges of her robe around her slim body, then arched a perfectly plucked brow at her assistant. “Have you thought of everything?”

“Very nearly. I have three dresses for Lulu, all of which have been tailored to her exact size—I used the measurements from the Bennington party in June, and double checked them when I visited earlier this week. I wanted—” Maxie hesitated, some of her coolness fading. “I wanted her to be able to pick. Like I did. I hope that’s okay.”

“It’s more than okay. She’ll be all right,” Kate assured Maxie. “You’ll be fighting for my attention again by Christmas.”

“I hope so.” Maxie chewed her bottom lip. “It seems unfair,” she said. “That she’s going through this when she just tried to help me. I should have made her go to the police. I should have—” She cleared her throat. “Anyway. Like I said, everything is ready at the church. The clothing arrangements are on point, and the stylist has been confirmed for the morning. I can’t think of anything I’ve missed.”

“Neither can I. And believe me,” Kate said, dryly, “you would know if there was.”

After she’d changed back into her work clothes, she returned to her office, smiling hesitantly when she found Jax waiting for her. “This is a surprise.”

The tall, blond Australian rose from the chair, turning his sober blue eyes on her. “I wanted to talk about a new investor for the magazine if you could take time in your busy schedule,” he said, almost a little caustically.

Some of Kate’s good mood faded, and she sighed. She went behind her desk. “You’re still angry with me.”

“Frustrated. Annoyed. Confused. We both learned something devastating last week, and it feels like I’m the only one who’s angry about it. How can you be marrying that man tomorrow?” Jax demanded.

“Because,” Kate said, a bit delicately, “I am not you, and Sonny is not Carly. I chose to listen to Sonny, to believe in his remorse, and accept his apology. To look towards the future. I can understand why you haven’t. But that choice does not make me less.”

Jax exhaled slowly, then sat back down, some of his ire fading. “It’s not supposed to be this way,” he muttered. “Carly—she’d be due in a month. Did you know that?”

“The miscarriage from the warehouse last winter.” Kate sat in the chair next to him. “I imagine that’s weighing on you both. I’m sorry. That loss, with what happened to Michael, it must be soul-crushing. But are you really angry at me?” she asked.

“I’m angry at Sonny,” Jax retorted, straightening. “Carly was almost away from him. You know that? The last few years, we had our life. Separate. We were building something that was just ours. Michael and Morgan—they were mine, too.” He wiped his hand over his mouth. “And he dragged us all back into his world. Michael finding that gun, running away—Carly losing the baby when she went looking, then Michael being shot by a bullet meant for Sonny—and if that wasn’t enough—if he hadn’t taken enough from me, he slept with my wife.”

“Carly isn’t exactly innocent—”

“And that’s why I’m not at home right now. That’s why I left. Because I can’t look at her. I can’t breathe and then I come here, and—” Jax shook his head. “Sonny gets exactly what he wants. He walks away from the business, dumping it on Jason, and gets to keep both his children. Gets to have the girl. And the rest of us? What do we get?”

Kate just looked at him, her heart aching. “I’m sorry. I can’t cancel the wedding because you think Sonny doesn’t deserve this. I can’t make myself miserable because it would feel like justice to you. Maybe I’m a fool for believing in him, for thinking we can be happy, but it’s the choice I’ve made. I love Sonny. If you love Carly, you’ll do what I’ve done and find a way to get past this.”

“It’s not that simple.” Jax tossed the folder he’d held in his hand on the desk. “Take a look at the paperwork when you get a chance. I’ll see you after the honeymoon.”

“Jax, wait—”

But by the time Kate had risen and made it to the door, he was already gone.

Kelly’s: Dining Room

Elizabeth cut Jake’s grilled cheese into smaller pieces that the toddler could eat, then did the same for Cameron’s burger, though he only needed it to be cut in half.  A shadow fell over their table, and Elizabeth smiled. “Hey, Bobbie.”

“Hello, sweetheart.” Bobbie took the fourth empty chair and grinned at the boys. “And look at my Webber boys. Growing like weeds. How old are you now, Cameron? Twelve?”

“I this many. Miss Michael say so.” Cameron held up hand, his fingers spread out and his thumb tucked in. “One, two, free, four. Four. Jake is one. Not as many fingers. I have more.”

“So big, the both of you!” She turned her attention back to Elizabeth. “Feels like just yesterday you came home from California with him,” Bobbie said, setting her purse on the table. “How are you?” she asked. “How’s work?”

“Busy. I haven’t seen you a lot since…” she made a face. “Since the nursing program was shut down last winter.” It had been the first cut when the new board of directors had taken over, and Bobbie had been without a job at General Hospital for the first time in thirty years. She’d opted for early retirement rather than finding somewhere else to work. “We miss you.”

“I miss all of you, too. And the hospital. But I’m spending more time with—” Her face tightened. “With Morgan,” she said softly. “And I spent most of the summer in Seattle with Lucas. So I’m keeping busy.” She tipped her head. “But I hear you’re on your way out of Port Charles. A trip?”

Elizabeth adjusted Cameron’s straw. “That’s right,” she said. “Ten days all by myself. Lucky say something?”

“No, no. I don’t see him as much as I should, though I’ve been at Shadybrooke with Lulu. Checking in with Laura. I suppose he’ll have the boys?”

“That’s the plan—” Elizabeth frowned, then sighed. “Carly. She said something, didn’t she?”

“Was she not supposed to?” Bobbie asked, tipping her head. “Does it bother you that I know?”

Elizabeth looked around them, but there was no one at the next table and she didn’t recognize any of the other diners. “No, it doesn’t bother me, but I’m sure Jason won’t appreciate Carly telling anyone. Even if it is you. It’s not supposed to be common knowledge.”

“Well, I don’t think it is, but I also—” Bobbie folded her arms on the table, leaned in. “I also don’t think most people would be surprised. I certainly wasn’t. I sort of—” She looked at Jake who grinned at her. “I think I knew the first time I saw him.”

“Which means if Monica or Edward get good look at him, we’re screwed, right?” Elizabeth said, leaning back. “I think sometimes Jason doesn’t realize it’s not much of a secret. Lucky knows. Sam knows. Carly and Sonny. You. Gram will probably figure it out eventually, and Jake—he looks so much like him,” she murmured. “From the eyes to the smile — and sometimes he holds his head the same way. And that’s when they don’t even spend a lot of time together.”

“Some things are just genetic, I suppose. So…they do spend time together?” Bobbie asked. “Does Jake know—I mean—”

“No. He just knows him as Jason. Which I hate. I started it,” she told Bobbie. “I started it for a lot of stupid reasons, and then we kept it going because we were worried about Jason’s job. And of course…after Michael…”

“Of course.” Bobbie took a deep breath, pressed a fist against her heart. “Of course. Well, you have to do what’s right for you.” She looked at Elizabeth. “Is this right for you? Keeping it all a secret?”

“No. No, it wasn’t right for me from the start. But I didn’t have the courage to say so, and now—now I can’t. Jason—” Elizabeth picked up the remains of straw wrapper. “He’s just lost so many people—and he blames himself for all of them. Alan? He tells himself that happened because of Lorenzo Alcazar, so even though it had nothing to do with him or Sonny personally, that’s on him. And what Diego Alcazar did in revenge—” Her throat tightened. “Losing Emily six months after he never really got over losing his father—and then as if he needed one more hit, the world took the little boy he still thinks of as his son. I’m sorry—I know that’s your loss, too. And I hate it. I hate all of it.”

Bobbie brushed at her tears, accepted the tissue Elizabeth handed her. “I know, honey, you don’t have to apologize. Michael belonged to us all. And I know he’s not dead, but he’ll never be alive again in any meaningful way.”

“You sad, Mommy?” Cameron’s face scrunched up. “I eat my veggies. That make you happy.” He shoved some carrots at Jake. “You eat too. Make Mommy happy.”

Jake seemed suspicious, but picked up one with his index finger, put it in his mouth, then made a face. “Ugh. Bad.”

Bobbie laughed, and Elizabeth pressed her hands to her face, drying her own tears. “Yes, that makes me very happy. How lucky am I to have such amazing sons?”

Cameron beamed, looked at Bobbie. “Mommy okay. You okay?”

“Yes, sweetheart, I’m okay.” Bobbie looked at Elizabeth. “I suppose I should be more torn on the subject since Lucky is my nephew. But I think we both know he hasn’t really been the father we thought he would. When I realized Jake wasn’t his, well, it answered a few questions for me. Spencer men—they talk a good game. But they don’t live up to their promises well, do they?”

“No, they really don’t. But—” Elizabeth sighed. “I was scared, too, after we lost Emily and Georgie. Then Michael—I thought Jason was right. But I also want my boys to have the best life I can give them. Jason’s so wonderful with them, and they adore him. I don’t know if Jason’s going to be able to stay away forever. So now that I know what I want, what I need, I can live with giving him more time to see it, too. This trip was his idea, Bobbie. I know he wants a life with us. I’m sorry if that upset Carly enough to tell you—”

“Carly is Carly and will make anything a problem. I’ve always loved you, you know. And your boys—maybe I haven’t been good at showing that either,” Bobbie said, squeezing Elizabeth’s hand. “But I’m glad to see you happy. After the year you’ve had, you deserve it.”

“I hope you—and Carly—I hope you get to have it, too. I mean that. Carly’s lost a lot this year. I’m glad you’re home and you’ll be here for her.”

“And she’ll be a little less in Jason’s face,” Bobbie added, and Elizabeth grinned.

“Silver lining.”

Coffee House: Office

Jason caught sight of something soft and blue sticking out beneath the sofa. He crouched down and found a stuffed bear. Jake had been playing with it, he thought, thinking of his son playing in his office. Of this evidence that he’d been able to see Jake today, to share time with him.

Jason sat on the sofa, the bear in his hands, his fingers smoothing out the soft fur. Elizabeth had reluctantly left a little while ago. They needed dinner, she’d told him, almost apologetically, and he’d had a few meetings scheduled. He didn’t want any of them still here when someone else could show up and see them. He’d helped her clean up the toys, then had carried Jake out to the car, belted him in.

He’d be going home to a — well, not an empty penthouse, but one only inhabited by a computer hacker who mostly lived on barbecue chips and orange soda. There’d be no kids laughing or chasing each other. No messy dinners or quiet bedtimes. Or having Elizabeth in his bed tonight.

But maybe, just maybe, if everything went the way Jason planned over the next few months, if he got away with it, maybe that could change.

There was a knock at the door, and Jason looked up. “Yeah?”

“Sonny’s here,” Cody said, but he’d barely managed to get the words out before Sonny strolled past him.

“What’s that?” Sonny asked, nodding at the toy in Jason’s hand. Jason went to the desk, slid the bear into the drawer next to the photo he kept of Elizabeth and the boys.

“Nothing. Security for tomorrow—”

“Looks like a toy. You have Morgan here earlier or something?”

“No.” Jason sighed. “No, Elizabeth came by with the boys to sign papers we needed for the trip. Jake left something behind. I need to get into the church about three hours before the ceremony—”

“Two hours is all Father Coates could guarantee,” Sonny said. He sat in the chair, relaxed. “And your guy talked to you about the door, right? He said he would.”

“Yeah, Cody told me. We need to check the door, Sonny. Just to make sure people are on the invite list. That’s standard,” Jason said. “Kate’s a high profile person, too—”

“She and I talked about that, and we both feel like checking invitations at the door just reminds all her people who I used to be.” Sonny tipped his head. “Do a visual confirmation. You got the invitation list. You know the people from my side. Not a lot of people from Kate’s side are coming up. I don’t think it needs to be that tight.”

Jason just stared at him, then shook his head. “It’s standard,” he repeated. “We’ve always done that. I don’t understand why you’re refusing—”

“And I don’t know why you’re pushing this.” Now Sonny’s voice had a bit of an edge to it. “I told you. I’m out. That was the point of all of this, of you taking over. You didn’t like the way I was doing things. Now I let you take security on this so you and Carly would feel better—”

“The Zaccharas—”

“Aren’t worth my attention. Johnny’s an idiot. I obviously gave him too much credit — look at what he did to Lulu. And Anthony’s in a wheelchair. Claudia’s too busy sniffing after you.” Sonny sneered. “And you said you dealt with Karpov.”

“I did. He moved on to Rochester, and the last I heard he was bothering the Jankowskis down there. But—”

“But nothing. Look, I get it. You’re worried after everything has happened.” Now Sonny’s tone softened. “But that’s over. We got the guy who went after Michael. The Zaccharas are neutralized. Karpov is gone. I’m getting married tomorrow, and you’re leaving on a trip with the woman you love. We deserve this break, Jason. You take Elizabeth to Italy, and you show her a good time. Don’t worry about me and mine. I got it handled. Thanks for handling security, but what we’ve got now is fine. We don’t need more.” He got to his feet. “Elizabeth excited about leaving tomorrow?”

“Yeah. Yeah, she is.” Jason exhaled slowly. “I just feel like I’ve missed something.”

“You haven’t. We haven’t. So let’s just enjoy the moment while we have it. Tomorrow is going to go exactly the way we both planned.” Sonny headed for the door, turning back to grin at Jason. “I really think this marriage is going to be the right one. You know? Third wife is the charm and all that. Don’t worry about me. Focus on your family. That’s what you wanted to do, isn’t it?”

Sonny left before Jason could answer. He sighed, sat down and pulled open the drawer to find the bear and photo. He took them both out, traced the lines of Elizabeth’s smile, then the boys. “Yeah,” he said to the empty room. “That’s what I wanted.”

Sonny was right. Other than the guys at the door, Jason had everything else he needed for security. The ceremony would go off without a hitch, and he’d be out the door, heading for the airport.

And then he’d finally show Elizabeth the light in Italy.

And why do you lie
When you want to die
When you hurt inside?
Don’t know what you lie for anyway
Now there’s nothing left to say
– Nothing in My Way, Keane

---

Friday, September 26, 2008

General Hospital: Hallway

This was not a conversation Patrick wanted to have in public, but unfortunately the only way he could catch Epiphany these days was on the run. He tracked her down in a hallway in the ICU, and from the expression on her face — she knew what he was coming to say.

“If you’re coming near me with another refusal from that damn board,” she began, slapping a chart back into the slot in the closed door. “You can just turn right back around and tell them you’re going to need a new head nurse.”

“I’m sorry. I really thought with the new fiscal year, but—”

“What am I going to do? Five more nurses were barely going to cover what we needed,” she muttered heading for the next door, whipping out the chart and skimming it. “But I can’t even get one?”

“I fought it. I promise. But the board—”

“Bunch of stingy-ass men in suits who think medicine should turn a profit. You know what—” She turned back to him, one of her fingers stabbing at him, then she sighed. “I’m taking it out on the wrong person, I know that. But you’re the fool standing in front of me, so I don’t know what choice I have.”

Patrick grimaced, shoved his hands in the pocket of his lab coat. “I’m sorry. I knew we were running thin with nurses before I took over, but I had no idea how bad it was.”

“You know what happens with a nursing shortage?” Epiphany demanded. “The ones I have get run ragged. I float my best nurses from department to department trying to stem the tide. They’re getting sicker and burnt out. They’re calling out and taking vacation days at higher rates, which just makes the problem worse. Did you tell the board any of this?”

“It was in the proposal I sent.” And Patrick was not going to tell her that the recommendation had been for the head nurse to be a bit more efficient with her assignments. Not if he didn’t want to be bailing Epiphany out of jail for assault. “I’m not going to stop trying, I promise. But—”

“Even the best nurses screw up when they’re tired and overworked. The board wants to save money, but they’re just going to cause more malpractice cases,” she muttered. The nurse’s eyes narrowed when she caught sight of something just over Patrick’s shoulder. “Speaking of vacations at the absolute worst time.”

Elizabeth appeared at Patrick’s side. “Hey, everything okay?”

“No, the board shut down the funding again,” Epiphany bit out. “Did you have to take two weeks’ vacation right now? I expected better from a member of your family.” And with that, she stalked off, turning the corner towards the nurse’s station.

---

Elizabeth watched Epiphany walk away, grimacing. “I’m sorry. I know it was last minute—”

“You know she really doesn’t mean it. She’s just angry—”

“She should be. I’ve been floated to six different departments in the last six months,” Elizabeth said with a wrinkle of her nose. “I’ve been pulling so many doubles, I nearly forgot what my boys looked like.”

“What are you doing here anyway? Your vacation started yesterday, didn’t it?” Patrick wanted to know. He started for the elevators, and Elizabeth followed.

“No—one of the reasons Epiphany is angry is I scheduled my vacation days to fall after my usual three days off. I know, I know, that’s how it’s supposed to work, but I could have done her a favor, worked these days. I just—there’s a lot to do before I leave the boys for a week.”

Patrick pressed the button for the first floor. “They’re not going with you? I figured you were taking them to Disney or something.”

“No, I’m doing that next summer. Cam just started preschool, so they’re with Lucky.”

“About time he did his part,” Patrick grumbled. He waited for the elevator doors to close before frowning. “I don’t understand — are you going alone?”

“That’s why I wanted to come by,” Elizabeth said. “I need a few things from my locker, but I wanted to give you my travel information. So that someone has it. I’m not telling Lucky where I’m going either.”

Patrick gave her a look but kept the questions to himself until they were in his office. He flicked through the messages the secretary had given him. “So why all the secrecy?”

“Because I’m going to Italy with Jason.”

His dark head stayed down for a minute, as if he were still reading the yellow notes in his hand, but his body had stilled. Finally, he raised his eyes to hers. “Italy. With Jason Morgan. That’s—I’m going to need more information.”

Elizabeth dug in her bag for the information she’d brought. “There — my flight information, numbers of the hotel. I don’t expect Lucky to need anything, but if he does, you’ll be the only one who can get in touch with me. I don’t want him to know where I am. Or who I’m with.”

“Goes without saying this is in the vault—” He shoved the paper into a folder, then scowled. “But you have a lot of explaining to do. I know you testified at the trial last year that you two were, uh, that there was something there a few years ago—”

Elizabeth sat down, staring at the mahogany desk where she’d seen her grandfather so often in her childhood. “Two summers ago. We slept together the night of the black out. I got pregnant with Jake—”

Patrick squinted. “I think I need to take a seat for this, don’t I?”

“No, no, I mean, maybe—” She sighed when he actually sat down. “It’s not that big a deal, honestly. I got pregnant, but there was a lot of miscommunication, and well, then we were worried about Jake’s safety, so we kept things the way they were, but Jason and I…we’ve been…together. Since last year. After we lost Emily, it just seemed stupid not to be together.”

“A—a year?” Patrick echoed. “How did—wait—let me just—” He held up both hands. “Let me wrap my brain around this. You—Jason is Jake’s father.”

“Yes.” She bit her lip, looked down at her hands. “The day Michael was shot—when I was called to come into the hospital — we were together. He’d just proposed.”

“Prop—” He dropped his head to the desk then shook it. “Okay, I know I tend to be a little self-absorbed, but I feel like I should have seen or noticed something. You were engaged—”

“Not for long. Um, obviously, it—Jason changed his mind. And I did, too. I mean, I understood what he was feeling, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t scare me, too. It’s been rough these last few months, but lately, Jason’s been starting to come around, and I’ve been thinking about all the people we’ve lost. Emily and—oh, God, Georgie. She was so young. It’s senseless. Lulu’s struggles. And Michael. It kills me that he’ll never wake up. Not without a medical miracle.” She exhaled slowly. “I just started to see that I was giving up so much because something might happen. I didn’t want to live in fear anymore, and I told Jason that. He…this is a compromise. He asked me to go to Italy once, a lifetime ago, and I didn’t go. I’m going this time. I just didn’t want to go without someone knowing. And I thought…maybe you’d be the only person who wouldn’t give me a hard time.”

“I see what you did there—” Patrick jabbed a finger at her. “You think you backed me into a corner, and I’m not going to have thoughts on all of this. Well, listen, I have thoughts. A lot of them. And when you get back from this trip, I’m going to be ready with an outline and a PowerPoint.”

She bit her lip again, but this time it was to stop the smile from spreading. “So you’ll keep my secret?”

“Until you come back, and I have all my thoughts in order because Maxie and Spinelli are in and out of that place all the time, and Jason spends time with Morgan and Carly—”

“Oh, don’t—you know that’s different, Patrick. Don’t shake your head at me. It is. Spinelli and Maxie are adults. Morgan is Sonny’s son. He doesn’t get to walk away from his name. Jake and Cam are little boys who never asked for any of this. Don’t—Jason had his doubts, too. When I was hurt during the fire, he wavered, and I held firm. This is a decision we made together.  It’s my job to give my boys the best life I can give them. For a while, it meant keeping them safe. Now? I think maybe they also deserve someone who loves them.”

“You don’t think Lucky loves them?” Patrick asked. “How out of the loop am I? When did that start?”

“When I told him about this trip, he argued with me. Said he didn’t have time to have the boys this week because of Lulu. And I realized—I make the schedule. I call him to take the boys on the weekends. I make sure they see him. He never has to lift a finger. That’s why he’s not getting my phone number. Because he’ll call me at the first sign of discomfort. If he wants to be their father…” She shook her head. “It sounds awful, like I’m forcing him into it, and maybe sometimes it feels that way. This trip — it’s a test for all of us, I think. If Lucky can’t do this, if he can’t be their father for one week when I’m their mother one hundred percent of the time, then no father would be better.” She got to her feet. “If he really needs me, he can have the number, but unless the boys are sick—”

“I got it. I’ll take care of it. You have—” Patrick winced. “Have a great time. You deserve that. Jason doesn’t, but you do.”

Coffee House: Office

Jason scribbled his name at the bottom of a contract and made a note to drop it off with Diane on his way home that night. There were a thousand things that needed to get done before he had to leave for the church the next day—

And they had to be done before the church because his window to make the flight was so small—

He looked up when there was a knock at the door, then it opened. Cody Paul, his second-in-command, and Francis Corelli, head of security stepped in. “Hey, you ready for us?”

“Uh, yeah.” Jason slid the paperwork back in the manila envelope. “Did you get a chance to check the security at the church?”

“Spoke with Father Coates,” Francis said. “Sonny wanted us to cut back on the guys at that door checking invitations — said it sent the wrong look to Kate’s people, so that’s out. Other than that—”

Jason grimaced — it had been hard enough to get Sonny to agree to let Jason’s guys handle security in the first place, but Jason had been determined. Sonny might be out of the business, but that had been true that terrible day in the warehouse—

His fist tightened at his side as he remembered the phone call. The day they’d sent Michael to live in a hospital bed hooked up to machines, knowing he’d never open his eyes again. He took a deep, bracing breath. Looked at Francis again. “Okay. And security at the Spencer house?”

“Have to be careful with that one,” Francis reminded him. “Spencer’s still a cop, so Dougie is going to take the day shift, Vinnie the night. They’ll try to stay on the kids, but—”

“But there’s not much they can do.” Another situation Jason couldn’t really control. Lucky had refused extra security — the whole point of Lucky raising Jake and Cameron, of staying in their lives, was to keep them out of Jason’s.

But there would always be the chance that someone would find out where Jason was—and who was flying with him. He’d wanted to fly private, but Sonny had the jet for the honeymoon, and Jason hadn’t been able to get a charter. Once Elizabeth had been granted the vacation days, they couldn’t change the dates. He hated leaving the country knowing the boys weren’t as safe as they could be—

“You know,” Cody said, breaking into Jason’s thoughts. “If, uh, things were more public, you could probably talk Spencer into letting a guard get a little closer—”

Jason clenched his jaw, glared at him, and the younger man fell silent. “Do what you can,” he told Francis.

“Yeah, no problem.”

“I won’t contact you unless it’s an emergency,” Cody said. “I can handle pretty much anything that comes up,” he continued.

“I’ll keep my eye on the kid,” Francis said, and Cody shot him a dark look. The “kid” was maybe five years younger than Francis and Jason, but no one ever let him hear the end of it. It was the same attitude the guys had had when Jason had started—Reinaldo hadn’t even wanted to leave Jason alone in the penthouse without a guard.

“And anyway, he’s done this longer than you, and Sonny left you holding the bag for everything when you were only here a year,” Francis reminded Jason. “We can handle a week.”

“Yeah. I know.” Still, the discomfort itched at him. Things were quiet, but they didn’t feel calm. There was a difference — quiet could just mean everyone was holding their breath before all hell broke loose—and Jason had nearly canceled this trip a dozen times since planning it—

But Elizabeth had already put up with enough, he reminded himself. He’d made her promises of forever, then taken them back. He’d been cold and angry with her, wishing she’d give up. But she hadn’t, and she was still here, six months after another child had lost his life due to the world Jason lived in. He could never say Elizabeth didn’t know and accept the risks. She did, and she still wanted him.

And if Jason played his cards right — if the deals he’d put into motion over the summer held, then maybe there was a chance he could give her more. But until then, Jason was going to do whatever he could to make her happy. To keep the promise he’d made about this trip.

She deserved this week. She deserved Italy.

“All right.” Jason got to his feet. “Let me know if anything changes.”

“Got it, Boss.”

When they’d reached the hallway, Cody stopped and looked at Francis with a bit of confusion. “Does he really think no one knows who’s going with him? Vinnie and Dougie are good guys, but people are going to notice they’re on the Spencer kids.”

“Hell, the little one already looks like him,” Francis muttered. He checked the messages on his phone. “You haven’t been around this long enough, but it’s easier to just smile and nod when Jason does dumb shit like this. The world has known about Elizabeth Webber since she was eighteen. He lives in denial. It’s our job to smile and nod and keep her and the kids safe. He wants to be a moron, that’s on him.”

Spencer House: Living Room

Nikolas closed the door behind him, frowning when he saw his brother crouching behind the sofa. “What are you doing?”

“Making sure there’s nothing that Jake and Cam can shove in their mouths—” Lucky got to his feet, set the few bits and bobs he’d located on the side table. “Did you talk to the DA’s office?”

“Yeah. We’re finally making progress. Mostly because Baldwin left for California, something about a college trip for his daughter.” Nikolas ambled over to the mantel, picked up the photo they’d taken with their mother two years earlier — the only one of Laura with all three of her children. “Maybe a week or two. I want to get the papers signed before Baldwin gets back.”

“Have you thought about how we’ll tell Lu? She’s not going to be happy.”

“I’ve limited her visitors,” Nikolas said. He turned back to Lucky. “Nadine threatened to tell her when I went to the hospital yesterday, which I anticipated. She’s, uh, not happy with me.” He paused. “We’ll tell Lu after the wedding. When it’s a done deal. She’ll understand if it’s through the DA. I’m not worried about her — have you thought about telling Liz? She’s not going to be happy with you relocating to California.”

“She’s not going to have a choice either. I figure taking the boys next week will help soften her up.” Lucky folded his arms. “I’ll talk to her before she goes so that she can cool down while she’s gone, and we can figure out a schedule. Maybe the week after Christmas, something at Easter, and summers.”

Nikolas placed the photo back on the mantel but kept his eyes on it. “That’s enough for you?”

“It’ll have to be. I told you. Lu comes first. And if there’s a chance we get Mom back, too? I can’t pass that up. Elizabeth will understand. Eventually. She’s a great mother. I’m not worried about leaving the boys with her.”

Nikolas didn’t really understand that — he couldn’t imagine taking this next step without Spencer, but then again — “What if having you gone makes Jason change his mind?” He looked at his brother now, saw Lucky’s jaw clench.

“Maybe I worried about that before. But after Michael? No way. I’m sure wherever Elizabeth’s going, he’s going, too. But she refuses to tell me a single detail. They’re keeping it all secret to keep the boys safe, obviously. If Jason were on the fence, she’d say something to me.” Lucky shook his head. “No, I don’t think there’s any danger at all Jason’s going to change his mind about the boys. Michael was the last straw.”

“Well, I’m sure you know best. I’ll keep you in the loop with the DA’s office.”

Coffee House: Office

Cody knocked on the door, stuck his head in. “Hey, Jase. Elizabeth just pulled up in the parking lot, and we don’t have any customers out front, so, uh, if you want to help her in with the kids—”

Jason was out of the chair before Cody could finish the statement. He strode quickly through the empty dining area to the parking lot where Elizabeth was cautioning Cameron to stay at her side while she unfastened Jake’s seat belt.

“Jason!” Cameron’s face lit up, and he dashed towards the sidewalk. Jason scooped up the four-year-old and hugged him.

“I’m always happy to see you,” he told Cameron as they approached an irritated Elizabeth, “but what did your mother just tell you?”

Cameron hesitated, looked at his mother, then grinned. “Hi, Mommy.”

“Don’t smile at me, sir. And don’t look at him,” Elizabeth said sternly when Cameron turned the smile on Jason. “He can’t help you. What were you supposed to do?”

“I stay in one place. Right next to you. But, Mommy, Jason. You say Jason not a stranger. He is safe. You say.”

“I’m not worried about—what’s the rule in a parking lot?”

Cameron wrinkled his nose, then sighed. “Hold hand. But you need both for Jake.” When Elizabeth lifted his brows, he smiled again. “You are very pretty, Mommy. The prettiest of mommys.”

“Very pretty,” Jake said from his car seat. Jason tilted his head to the sky so that he could hide his smile.

“Cameron,” Elizabeth said, then sighed. “Never mind.” She leaned back into the car, unbuckled Jake, then set him on her hip, before closing the door. “He’s a master of finding loopholes. I have to stay eight steps in front of him.”

“There are worse problems to have,” Jason pointed out. He reluctantly set Cameron on his feet when they reached the sidewalk, and held the door open for the trio to go inside. He gripped the door tightly for just a minute, the yearning almost too much. He wanted every day to be like this. Being part of it. Having Jake look at him and know Jason was his father—

He swallowed hard, then went inside, letting the door close behind him. “Max and Diane are on their way, I hope it’s okay they’re not here yet.”

“No, it’s okay. We just picked Cam up at school. We don’t have anywhere else to be, and getting this power of attorney paperwork done is important for Italy.” Elizabeth smiled. “Hey, Cody.”

“Hey,” the other man said, pushing open the office door. “It’s good to see you. And hey, little dude.” He held out his hand, palm side out and Cameron slapped it, giggling. Not wanting to be left out, Jake held out his hand and Cody gave him a high five. He looked to Jason. “I’ll send Max and Diane back when they get here.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Jason frowned, closing the door. “When did the boys meet Cody?”

“Oh.” Elizabeth set Jake on the ground and handed the tote of toys to Cameron who started to dig in. “A few weeks ago. I had another flat, I think I ran over a nail.” She tipped her head. “And the SUV I pretend not to notice following me stopped. Cody was in it. He changed the tire, and, you know, Jake and Cam aren’t really afraid of strangers. I try to introduce them to any of your guys when I can. So they know they’re safe and if they see them out and need something—” Elizabeth hesitated. “Was that—should I not have—”

Jason shook his head. “No. No. I just—”

“I mean, I don’t want to think about it, but…last year when Michael went missing…I guess I just thought…if Jake and Cam saw the guards as good guys who could be trusted — I mean, only the guards I’ve seen outside the house. I just—”

“Sometimes I forget,” Jason said slowly, interrupting her, “how many of the people who’ve worked for Sonny all these years would know you.” He leaned against the desk, took her hand and drew her close. “And know your kids. It’s not exactly a secret that I have guards on you. After Jake was kidnapped—” He exhaled, shook his head. “Maybe it’s not as discreet as it should be, but I couldn’t take that chance again.”

“Me either.” Elizabeth straightened the collar of his shirt. “You’re dressed up again. Not another meeting?”

“City council,” he said with a sigh. “Permits. I had to answer questions.”

“Oh, your worst nightmare. Having to talk to politicians.” Elizabeth smiled, her fingers drifting to stroke his jaw. “But in two days, we’ll be in Italy. Just you and me.”

He caught her hand, brought it to his lips. “I can’t wait.”