To escape a world so great
Close your eyes now we float away
Close to the brink- oh it’s so colorful
Don’t be scared, just take my hand
As I walk to tomorrow land
Touch the light before
We all fall down
– Tomorrow Land, Leon Else

---

Saturday, March 6, 2004

Zacchara Estate: Study

“I wouldn’t move if I were you,” Jason said casually.

“Morgan—what—what the fuck—” Anthony sputtered.

“You won’t get out of here alive,” Trevor threatened, but then Claudia laughed—she couldn’t help herself.

“What the fuck are you laughing at, Jezebel?” Anthony demanded, his eyes wide with a blend of fear and fury that never boded well.

But Claudia was just too amused by Trevor’s boast to take in the threat. She waved her hand as the giggles continued. John rolled his eyes, tossed his book aside.

“She’s laughing at the idea that he can’t kill us all and get out alive,” John explained as if he were talking to five-year-olds. “He got in here once, he can get back out the same way.” He put up a finger. “If it matters, I don’t care about the two of them. Go for it—”

“You worthless excuse—” Anthony’s words choked off as Jason tightened the arm around his neck. Just a simple flex of his forearm. Claudia’s giggles finally subsided as she licked her lips. She did enjoy watching a handsome man at work.

“Where’s Ric?” Jason demanded. When no one said anything, he cocked the gun once more. “I’m not asking again.”

“Dead,” John said idly. He sat back down, picked up the book, and put his feet up on the desk. “Dad killed him a few months ago—”

“I should have drowned you at birth,” Anthony sputtered.

“Isn’t that how Mama died?” Claudia asked with an arch of her brow. “You goin’ after John? Let’s not pretend you’re father of the damn year.” She looked at Jason. “Dad got into one of his moods—you might be familiar with them with your crazy ass boss—and choked Ric. We dumped his body and deactivated the ankle thing.”

She picked up her wine and sauntered back to her seat. “Next question.”

“Claudia—”

“Then it is you making up the sightings,” Jason said. “Just like my guy said.”

Trevor scowled. “Your guy?”

“The man you thought you turned.” Jason’s lips curved into what some people might call a smile. Claudia thought it was scarier than the blank expression. “Didn’t do your homework on him.”

“Funny, they were just arguing about that.” Bored again, John got to his feet. “Look, can I go? They drag me in here every few months and pretend I’m inheriting this—but, ah, I’d just as soon blow it up.”

“Morgan, we can make a deal,” Trevor said. “Just—just let Anthony go. We—we tried something, but you know, it didn’t work. No harm done.”

Jason’s eyes flashed, and Claudia raised her brows. No harm done?  Morons.

“You want to make a deal?” Jason demanded. “You want me to walk out of here and let the two of you live?”

“What do you want?” Anthony demanded, his teeth clenched. “What can I give you?”

“My wife and son are in the hospital.” Jason clicked the trigger, and Anthony started panting, his face florid. “I should take something from you.”

Claudia licked her lips. She’d let him take her anywhere.

“What do you want?” Trevor demanded.

“Your son.”

John blinked. “Uh, what? Wait. I told you—” He got to his feet, the bored tone gone from his voice, replaced by threads of panic. Claudia hissed. “I don’t want any of this—”

“Which makes you perfect.”

“Morgan—” Anthony panted. “He’s my only boy—take the girl, I don’t need her—”

Claudia scowled. Asshole. She’d known it was true, but damn it—

“I want leverage,” Jason growled. “He comes to Port Charles for six months. Anything—and I mean anything—happens to my family—I’ll make sure you never see yours again.”

John frowned. “Wait—what the hell—”

“I can’t do that,” Anthony began.

“That sounds like a good plan,” Claudia said. John swung his gaze to her, betrayed. “No, John. You hate it here. Go to Port Charles. Daddy won’t do anything if you’re under Morgan’s thumb. And Morgan probably won’t keep you under lock and key.”

Anthony glared at her, but Claudia was unbothered. She needed eyes and ears in Port Charles, and John would be a great excuse for her to drop in from time to time.

She was so close to everything she wanted. Tonight was just a minor setback. She could make this work.

“Fine,” Anthony spat. “I’ll send the boy. Six months. I won’t lift a finger.”

“Doesn’t anyone care that I don’t agree?” John demanded.

“I’ll expect him within a week. Otherwise, I’ll be back, and this time,” Jason said coldly, “I won’t give you a warning.”

Jason shoved Anthony into Trevor, and the two of them went sprawling. By the time they got up and ran to the terrace, he was gone.

Anthony started barking demands to the guards to search the grounds, while Trevor called down to the entrance gate to run a security check.

But he was gone

Jason Morgan had managed to slip in and out of the estate without triggering even one of their alarms.

Kelly’s: Dante’s Room

Lulu leaned against the closed door and arched a brow at Dante as he stripped off his t-shirt he’d worn during his shift. “Should I put on some music?” she quipped. “You could do a little dance.”

Dante’s smile was thin, but it seemed genuine. “You don’t have to check in on me every day, Lu.”

“No, not every day. But definitely at least today.” She sat on the edge of the bed, watching with some disappointment when he replaced his jeans and t-shirt with a pair of sweats. “You haven’t said anything about Capelli resigning.”

“What’s the point?” Dante turned, then leaned against the dresser. “He’s gone, but that doesn’t change how the PCPD feels about me—”

“Yeah, but—”

“I’m glad for Lucky and Cruz. It’s one less piece of shit making their jobs harder.” He exhaled slowly. “I don’t know. Maybe I’d feel differently if we hadn’t found out about Sonny and Ferncliffe right after.”

“I guess.” Lulu waited a long moment. “I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could do or say that would make any of this better.”

“There’s nothing.” He sat next to her, drew her hand into his lap. “But thanks for trying.” He brushed his lips against her forehead. “We’ll try the movies another day. You should get going.”

“I could stay—”

“Not tonight.” Dante softened the rejection with a squeeze of her hand. “I just kind of want to be alone.”

“All right. But I’ll be back to bother you tomorrow,” Lulu said.

“I’m counting on it.”

Sunday, March 7, 2004

Corinthos & Morgan Coffee House: Office

Jason cleared his throat, and Justus looked up at him, blinked. He tossed aside the pen and stood up from the desk. “Jason—I thought you’d go right to the hospital—”

“I’m on my way there,” Jason said. He stepped in and closed the door behind him. “But I wanted you to know what happened in Crimson Pointe.”

“Okay.” Justus hesitated. “I…drew up my resignation.” He slid it across the desk. Jason didn’t pick it up.

“The Zaccharas claim Ric has been dead all along, and I made it clear I could get to Anthony at any point if I wanted to. They’re sending the son up here for leverage. If they come at me again, I’ll take it out on him.”

They both knew Jason was bluffing, but Anthony and Trevor wouldn’t.

“Okay, then—”

“I know who it was.”

Justus watched him for a long moment. “Are you sure?”

“I am. As soon as you refused to tell me who it was and why he’d done it.” Jason pressed his lips together, waited a minute. “You and Bernie knew how sick Elizabeth was and wouldn’t have taken that risk. Cody probably thought he’d be there to protect her from Sonny. I don’t think we ever made him aware of how sick she was.”

At the mention of Cody’s name, Justus’s shoulders slumped. “What are you going to do?” he asked.

“I don’t know.” Jason sat, dragged his hands through his hair. “It would have been easier if it had been anyone else. Even Max. Anyone but Cody.”

“He did it for the right reasons, Jase—”

“Does that matter?” Jason demanded. He lifted angry eyes to look at Justus. “Anything could have happened—” He shook his head. “I should dump him in the lake,” he muttered.

Justus took a seat, picked up his pencil again. “He’s loyal to your wife. You told him that his first priority should always be Elizabeth. Maybe he didn’t know how sick she was—but he did know that Sonny was a threat to her.”

Jason cleared his throat. “Yeah.”

“He did what he thought was right, Jase.”

He leaned back, studied Justus. “What if Cody decides Elizabeth is threatened by me? You okay with him getting rid of me next?” He shook his head. “I can’t have it—”

“Don’t say it like Cody didn’t have a goddamn point, Jason,” Justus snapped. “He was on the door. He was with Elizabeth every damned day since Carly was kidnapped. He saw Sonny getting more and more violent—he saw that night in December when Sonny locked Carly up and shoved Elizabeth— Everyone knew this was out of control—you think Elizabeth wasn’t next? You think if Sonny had a few more chances—”

“Don’t—” Jason got to his feet. “I don’t need someone who doesn’t follow orders—”

“He did follow orders. You didn’t act. You didn’t protect your family. What was Cody gonna do?” Justus demanded. “No one was standing up to Sonny. You were letting him get away with all of it. No one believes you were actually going to put him on a damn plane! Cody took the chance to get rid of him. Be glad it didn’t end with Sonny in the ground.”

Jason picked up the resignation, stared down at it. Then looked at Justus. “I should have forced Sonny to get help last year. Or years ago—the first time he had a breakdown. But that doesn’t make what Cody did right—”

“No, it doesn’t.” Justus lifted his chin. “But it doesn’t make it wrong, either. So I’ll ask you again. What are you gonna do?”

Jason looked out the window, out towards the waterfront. “There are worse things in the world than a guard willing to go against me to protect my family,” he admitted. “And—he was there when she nearly died last year.”

“He never forgave himself for going downstairs the day Vinnie Esposito came to the Towers—for thinking they were right behind her—he let Vinnie send him away. He blamed himself, Jason. The same way you did. He took the chance to make it up to her. Don’t throw that loyalty away.”

“I don’t know what I’m gonna do,” Jason said finally. “But Cody isn’t ending up at the bottom of the lake. At worst, I’ll fire him.”

“And at best?” Justus asked.

“He and I will come to an arrangement I can live with.” Jason shook his head. “Not to mention, I’m not sure Elizabeth wouldn’t agree with you about waiting too long for Sonny to be dealt with,” he admitted.

“She might surprise you.” Justus nodded at the resignation letter in his hand. “You still want that?”

“Not unless you want to give it to me.”

Justus stared down at the letter, then slowly ripped it in half. Jason exhaled slowly, then nodded.

“I have to get to the hospital. I—Carly is meeting me there. She and Elizabeth deserve to know the truth about Ric.”

General Hospital: ICU

Not only was Elizabeth going up to meet her son for the first time, but Epiphany informed her that she was being moved from the ICU to her own room. She couldn’t contain her excitement.

“Your visits will be short at first,” Epiphany warned her as she and Patrick helped Elizabeth into the wheelchair. “But you’ll get to hold him for a few minutes.”

“That’s—even ten seconds will be something.” Elizabeth winced as she arranged herself in the chair. “Oh, man—”

“Yeah, you just had a baby, and your lungs were on fire for a while. Things are gonna hurt,” Patrick told her. “But I’m officially discharging you from my service.” He wagged a finger at her. “I don’t want to see you back here, got it? I mean it this time.”

“Got it.”

It was strange to think how much had changed—and humbling to remember just how far she still had to go before she could honestly put all of this behind her.

But today—today, she was going to hold her son for the first time.

“Hey,” she said to Emily as her best friend wheeled her into the NICU to get washed up and ready to hold Cameron. “How is he today?”

“Actually, his nurse has some good news for you,” Emily said. “But first—” She set the chair at the entrance to the room, and Elizabeth saw her son for the first time.

Cameron was lying on his side in the incubator, his eyes closed and covered with a protective shield, his mouth slightly open. His tiny chest was rising and falling—

“He looks…” Elizabeth pressed her fingers to her lips. “He looks good.” Her voice broke.

“He looks great, Mama,” Nadine told them. She helped Elizabeth sit in the chair that reclined back and arranged a screen in front of the door so that Elizabeth would be able to remove the top part of her gown so that Cameron was against her skin.

“He lost a little weight,” Nadine told them. “He was four pounds, two ounces at birth, and he dipped just below four—but that’s normal.”

“Right, I remember,” Elizabeth murmured as she watched Nadine gently open the incubator. Within thirty seconds, the nurse had laid Cameron against Elizabeth’s chest, then covered them both with a blanket. “What about breathing? Jason said there was a problem with his lungs—”

“We were able to take him off the ventilator today,” Nadine reported. “We replaced it with the nasal prongs—” She smiled at Emily. “He’s a tough guy. The latest imaging shows the leaks in his lungs are healing nicely.”

“I was so scared,” Elizabeth murmured. She touched the top of his fuzzy head, the hair thin and blond. “You know? I just kept thinking about all the bad that could happen. But he’s here.”

“He is. And he’s stronger today than he was yesterday. That’s a great sign. We’ll keep monitoring him, and of course, the family care he’s been receiving—he’s got a lot going for him, Mrs. Morgan.” Nadine smiled at her again. “Now, he’s up to five minutes out of the incubator, so I’ll give you some time.”

“It’s crazy,” Elizabeth said. She looked at Emily. “I loved him from the moment Monica told me I was pregnant. I knew that I would love him. Every day he grew inside of me, kicking and rolling—I couldn’t imagine loving him more—”

His heart fluttered against her skin, and Elizabeth closed her eyes. “And somehow I do. He’s beautiful, isn’t he?”

“He really is,” Emily said. “I’m just—” She pressed two fingers to her lips, then took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how scared I was that you’d never get to see him until right now.”

“Em—” Elizabeth looked at her. “If you hadn’t smacked some sense into me—I don’t know what I would have done.”

“That’s what I’m there for.” Emily smiled down at them. “And just imagine how much fun we’re going to have when you’re recovered from your surgery, and this little guy is running around.”

“I can’t wait. We’re going to have the best life, baby.” Elizabeth gently kissed the top of his head and then sighed when she saw Nadine returning through the glass windows. “It’s hard to give him up.”

“I know,” Emily said. “But Nadine said the time will increase—

“As soon as he can regulate his own temperature,” Nadine promised as she gently lifted Cameron from Elizabeth and returned him to his bed. Emily came forward to help Elizabeth put her gown to rights. “You’ll see, Mama. Time will fly, and he’ll be home before you know it.”

Kelly’s: Dining Room

AJ set down a twenty, picked up his to-go cup of coffee, and turned only to nearly run straight into Bobbie. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you—”

“That’s all right.” Bobbie smiled and gestured at the waitress behind the counter. “Picking up an order, Penny.”

“Be right out, Ms. Spencer.”

Bobbie turned to AJ. “Picking up some food to take over to the hospital. I thought you were only in town overnight.”

“I was, but Grandfather wanted me to stay a few more days.” AJ rocked back and forth on his heels. “I’ll be heading back next week, I think. There’s a lot to do before I can come back permanently.”

Bobbie nodded, opened her mouth, then closed it. He sighed.  “Bobbie, is there something you want to ask me?” She pursed her lips and didn’t answer, so he continued. “Because you can. You’re Michael’s grandmother, and any hope I ever have of being in his life has a lot to do with you. I’m an open book.”

“I—” She sighed. “When I saw you just now, and you said you were staying a few more days, I was worried that you’re only staying in Port Charles to find out if Sonny will be held at Ferncliffe longer. We find out tomorrow if they’re holding him.”

“It’s in the back of my head, but it wasn’t the reason, Bobbie. I promise. I want to spend some time with my family.” He paused. “And I wanted to be sure I could be at the mansion again. It’s a lot of pressure. The old expectations. I didn’t manage to hold up before, and there’s more at stake now. If I screw up, I don’t just lose Michael. It’s the last chance I’ll get at ELQ, too.”

“That’s a fair point.” Bobbie put her hands in her coat pockets. “I’m rooting for you, AJ. I am. Even if it’s a bit selfish because I want my family away from Sonny for good. Not just Carly and the boys,” she added. “But Jason and Elizabeth. I don’t want Cameron to grow up like Michael has.”

“Bobbie—”

“So I know that my daughter may not deserve your patience, trust, or even your grace,” Bobbie continued, “but I’m hoping you’ll extend it anyway. For me. For Jason—”

“Jason—” AJ repeated tightly

“Who might not deserve it either after what happened with Courtney,” Bobbe cut in quickly. “But Elizabeth does. Her son does.”

“I—” AJ frowned. “Were things that bad here? With Sonny, I mean? Carly told me some things, and Grandfather’s added on to it, but everyone makes it seem like what happened to Elizabeth is Sonny’s fault.”

“I—” Bobbie hesitated. “It wasn’t,” she admitted, “but he made it worse. No matter what happens at Ferncliffe, I want him out of our lives.”

“I’ll do what I can, Bobbie, but it’s on Carly to keep pushing forward.”

Bobbie squeezed his hand. “I know. But thank you for hearing me out.”

General Hospital: Elizabeth’s Room

Carly stepped into the doorway, knocking on the open door. “Hey.”

Elizabeth smiled as she raised up the bed, her eyes tired but more alert than she’d been the day before when Carly had stopped by. “Hey.”

“Glad to be out of the ICU?” Carly asked. She sat next to the bed.

“And in real clothes,” Elizabeth continued, touching the loose shirt she wore. “I’m doing a lot better—I’m off Patrick’s service, and Kelly is releasing me on Wednesday, maybe. They just want a few more days of oxygen therapy and rest for my stitches, and then I’ll have the surgery in a few months. The final one, I mean.” She moved slightly on the bed, then winced from the pain. “Jason called. He told me he was asking you to meet him here.”

“Yeah. I figure—I mean, he told me the Zaccharas were behind the sightings, so I guess…” Carly rubbed her hands against her thighs, restless. “I guess maybe he has good news?”

“I’m not even sure what good news would look like at this point,” Elizabeth admitted. “But—I’m sorry to hear about Sonny. Jason said he’s in Ferncliffe.”

“Only for seventy-two hours. We find out tomorrow what happens next.” Carly smiled tensely. “I’m trying not to think about that.”

“I’m sorry, Carly.”

Carly sighed. “He needed the help. We all knew it. We just ignored it when it would have made a difference.” She was quiet for a moment. “I haven’t been able to go to the NICU, so how’s Cameron?”

She and Elizabeth were still talking about Cameron and his progress when Jason finally arrived. He offered a sheepish smile as he closed the door behind him. “I’m sorry I’m late,” he said. “I stopped upstairs, and—well—they let me bathe Cameron.”

“Really?” Elizabeth’s eyes lit up. She pressed her hands together with a beaming smile. “That’s great! I didn’t think we’d be allowed to do that so soon. I got to hold him for five minutes this morning. It was amazing.”

Jason brushed his lips over her forehead, lingering an extra minute, the expression on his face so intense and full of love for his wife and son that Carly had to look away.

“Nadine said you could have another five minutes in an hour,” he told her as he took a seat on the other side of her bed. “But Edward’s up there, now reading a book to him.”

“I think Cameron’s been read to more in his first two days than I was my entire life,” Elizabeth said with a laugh. “But I’m so glad he’s not alone.”

“He’s a lucky kid,” Carly said. She looked at Jason. “What happened in Crimson Pointe?”

Jason sighed and nodded. He took Elizabeth’s hand. “He’s dead,” he said simply. He looked at Carly. “Ric’s dead. Anthony killed him in a fit of rage back in November. They admitted it.”

Carly exhaled slowly, closed her eyes,  and let it sink in. Then she nodded. “Okay.”

“You’ve wondered that a few times,” Elizabeth said. She squeezed his hand. “The sightings felt wrong.”

“We were never able to verify any of them, but I don’t think—I’m not sure I let myself believe he was gone. I really thought he’d disappeared into South America,” Jason admitted.

Elizabeth held out her other hand until Carly took it. “Hey. What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t seem—” Carly’s voice faltered. “It doesn’t seem like it could be true. It doesn’t—but you believe them?” she asked Jason.

“Yes.” Jason looked at her, and she saw it in his eyes. “Ric went underground in November. I don’t believe he has the patience to wait this long. The sightings were a hoax to drive a wedge between me and Sonny. The Zaccharas thought it would weaken us. They didn’t realize—”

“They don’t know you very well,” Carly murmured with a tearful smile. “They underestimated you.”

“Jason—” Elizabeth waited until Jason looked at her. “Is it over? I mean, they went to all this trouble—”

“It’s over. We made a deal, and we can talk about that later, but they know I can get to them any time. If they’re stupid, then—we’ll see. But, yeah, it’s over. There’s not—Ric’s not coming back. Whatever happens next—you never have to see him again.”

“No trial,” Carly murmured. She closed her eyes. “God. After all that, Sonny gets exactly what he wanted. He wanted Ric to die quickly. Everything we went through, and this could have been over months ago.”

“No trial,” Elizabeth repeated. She bit her lip. “That’s okay,” she told Carly. “We—we’re okay. It’s over.”

“Yeah.” Carly forced a smile, nodding at her. “It’s over.” She squeezed Elizabeth’s hand again. “I’m glad to see you up and moving,” she said. “Let me know when I can see Cameron, okay? But—I need to go. I have to go.”

“All right.”

Jason followed Carly to the door. “Hey—you okay?” he asked as she went into the hallway. Carly turned back.

“I’m not sure,” Carly admitted. “I think—I just—I feel like there should be more. I never got—” She sighed. “It’s just one more thing Ric took from me. My marriage. He stole it from me, and he didn’t even have do it himself. His memory was enough. I’ll never be able to make him pay. Never look him in the eye and get justice.”

“I’m sorry,” Jason told her. “I know you and Elizabeth wanted to be part of that—to take him apart yourselves. I tried to make that happen.”

“I know. And your love and support—that’s what matters. I know how much I matter to you. And so does Elizabeth. That’s—I can let that be enough.” She hugged him fiercely. “We’re going to be okay. Whatever happens next. We’ll be okay.”

PCPD: Archives

Kelsey pulled a box off the shelf, coughing at the dislodged cloud of dust. She set it on the nearby table and reached for her bottle of water. Her father’s file wasn’t in the box listed on the inventory sheet. She’d spent hours combing through almost every single box that had been marked for 1994, thinking it had been misfiled.

She knew now, for sure, that something was wrong. Her father’s case wasn’t even in the electronic database that Mac had started after the serial rapist case blew up. The fact that files weren’t where they should be—

Just like last summer. Misplaced files just triggered all the alarm bells. If it wasn’t in this box—

Kelsey started to shift through the files — then breathed a sigh of relief when she found the file marked Joyce, Oliver. It was thin, which made sense. A single car accident wouldn’t need much. A report from the crime scene investigator, an autopsy report — that wouldn’t take up much space.

She picked up the report from the crime scene, then simply stared in confusion. Victim was declared dead on the scene. “This—this isn’t right,” she muttered. Her father had died at the hospital. Her mother had said so. She tossed it aside then looked for the investigation report from the primary.

David Case. She didn’t know who that was. He’d marked her father’s death as accidental. She could see it right there — the box marked on the form.

But how—

Underneath the report, she found the crime scene photos. Her stomach lurched.

Her mother had told her some of the truth. Her father had been found in his car, alone on Highway 41. The car had crashed into a sign for the Port Charles exit. It had been a single car accident.

But no one had ever told her that her father had been found with a gaping bullet wound in his head.

Execution style.

He’d been found slumped over the steering wheel, the passenger door still hanging open, indicating that someone else had been in the car and abandoned it.

His killer.

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