Note: This chapter, particularly the final scenes, is written in the style of the old-school GH montages.

Song; Family Tree by Matthew West

January 13, 2005

Haunted Star

You didn’t ask for this
Nobody ever would

Emily stepped into the main room of the casino, and couldn’t help the broad smile spreading across her face at the elaborate decorations her family had put together for her twenty-fifth birthday.

She saw her parents across the room, glasses of champagne in their hand. Monica raised her glass to her and then tipped her head to her grandparents, near one of the dinner tables.

Edward looked at her, his eyes unreadable, but his smile was warm. And then he nodded his head, as if to indicate she ought to look behind her. Emily turned, and she simply stopped.

“Nikolas.”

Caught in the middle of this dysfunction
It’s your sad reality

“Oh, good.” Elizabeth leaned into Jason’s side. “I hope he’s going to convince her to put the ring back on.”

Her boyfriend scowled. “I told her not to let the old man tell her what to do.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Yes, well, Emily felt differently.” She watched one of her best friends just stare at her estranged fiancé. “She was so happy when he proposed. I want her to light up like that again.”

And then Jason looked down at her, with a frown. “Do you want to get married?”

Elizabeth laughed. “Maybe one day, but certainly not now.” When he just kept staring at her, she flushed and sipped her champagne. That was the blessing and the curse of dating someone without a filter. One never knew what Jason would say next.

It’s your messed up family tree
And all you’re left with all these questions

Lulu hesitantly stepped in behind Emily and Nikolas and skirted around the edge of their staring at one another. She saw her parents across the room, and then Dillon by the appetizers. She checked the time on her phone, and sighed. Will was stopping by the house first to talk to his mother. He said that her family inspired him to do better with her.

Well, her lips curved into a grin at the thought. The Spencers were nothing if not inspirational. She saw Dillon motioning towards her and she nodded. With a finger touching the pearl necklace at her throat, she started for her best friend and partner in crime. Will might be the father of her child, but Dillon was her platonic life partner and they were going to have fun tonight.

Are you gonna be like your father was and his father was?
Do you have to carry what they’ve handed down?

Patrick eyed the drink in his hand and then looked across the room, where his sister and her boyfriend were talking quietly. She was smiling brightly, and even he looked less like a stone statue.

And he saw Robin with her father, sipping wine and laughing. He loved her so much—he’d never stopped. And with the news of her illness, of his father’s accident, he’d quite simply blocked out the fact that she’d moved on, had planned on marrying someone else.

He didn’t know who he was if he wasn’t Patrick Drake, Robin Scorpio’s childhood sweetheart. And he wasn’t sure he was interested in finding out.

Leaving his barely touched drink on the bar, he started across the room towards the Scorpios.

No, this is not your legacy
This is not your destiny
Yesterday does not define you

Robin turned from her father who was deep in conversation with her uncle Mac about the Yankees’ prospects for the next season as she saw Patrick approaching her. “I love Quartermaine parties,” she said to him as he joined her. “They go all out every year.”

“Yeah.” He slid his hands in his pockets. “Were you happy with him?” he asked quietly.

Robin hesitated and her heart aching for this boy, for this man who had always been in her heart. “I was, Patrick. But maybe…” She hesitated. “Maybe it was easy because it was just us in Paris. Our own little world. I don’t know what would have happened if he didn’t get sick.” Robin felt almost guilty for admitting what she’d only thought in her bed, alone at night. “But I won’t pretend that I didn’t love him.”

Patrick nodded, dipping his head towards the ground. “Fair enough.” Then he looked at her, his dark eyes burning into hers. “Do you think you could love me again?” He cleared his throat. “Never mind, don’t answer that.”

No, this is not your legacy
This is not your meant to be
I can break the chains that bind you

Will stepped into the casino, his eyes searching the room for a familiar face. He saw the Spencers by the blackjack table, and grinned because he could tell Lu’s mom was trying to discourage her husband from placing another bet. He saw Patrick winding away from a sad-looking Robin towards his sister and Jason.

And he saw Lulu laughing by the appetizers with Dillon.

He sighed, because he really did love her. He was just afraid it wasn’t the right kind of love, the kind that could keep a family together through the hard times. But it was a good, steady love that might end up fading into friendship.

And there were worst things in life than parents who were friends. He lifted his chin and started towards some friends from school, leaving Lulu to enjoy her time with her best friend. He was going to be okay, whether he lived with his mother (which seemed unlikely given her unhappiness at Lulu’s pregnancy), or he stayed with the Spencers.

He was going to be a better man than his father, and he was going to be a better father than the Drake men before him.

I have a dream for you
It’s better than where you’ve been
It’s bigger than your imagination

Jason had excused himself to grudgingly say hello to Monica who had been casting sad looks in their direction all night, as Patrick approached them. “Hey,” he nodded to his sister. “You look nice, tonight.”

“Thanks.” She hesitated. “Did…you argue with Robin?”

He shook his head and glanced back towards his ex-girlfriend standing with her father, her uncle and one of her younger cousins. “No. I’m just…trying to come to terms with the fact that she’s not the one.”

“Patrick…” She reached out to touch his forearm. “You don’t know what. You can’t know that. You guys are friends, and you can’t see what’s in the future.” Elizabeth hesitated. “But maybe she’s not. You’ll never know if you don’t open yourself back up to love.”

He nodded. “I know, I get that, Ellie. It’s the one thing Robin has beat into me in…” He let out a sound that was almost a huff mixed with a chuckle. “Has she only been home a month?”

“See?” Elizabeth arched an eyebrow. “Four measly weeks, you don’t know what could happen. Just…give yourself a chance. I love you, you annoying bastard.” She glanced down. “You, me and Will, we’re it. We have to stick together.”

“Don’t worry.” Patrick brushed a kiss across her forehead. “You’re stuck with me.”

You’re gonna find real love
And you’re gonna hold your kids
You’ll change the course of generations

“I can’t believe my grandfather invited you,” Emily murmured as Nikolas passed her a glass of champagne. “Are you positive he meant it?”

Edward approached them as he heard Emily’s statement. He cleared his throat. “I did.” He looked at his granddaughter, his beloved little girl all grown up. “I’m a stubborn old man who likes to believe he can control the people in his life. That being said, Emily…my dear, you are my granddaughter no matter whom you may marry. You can’t change that.” He scowled. “You’re a Quartermaine now, and you can’t just walk away from that.”

Nikolas just muttered something under his breath and rolled his eyes.

“Grandfather, I love you so much,” Emily began, but her tears slid down her face as her grandfather fished something from his tuxedo pocket. “That’s my ring.”

“Alice filched it from your jewelry box after you finished getting ready tonight.” He held it out to Nikolas. “So you know that I accept it, young man. But if you ever hurt her…”

Nikolas took the ring and cleared his throat. “Mr. Quartermaine, I know that your approval and blessing means the world to Emily, and as she means the same to me, I hope we can find some common ground.”

“We already have, my boy.” Edward kissed Emily on the cheek. “We both love this woman.” He returned to his wife, who beamed at him.

Emily took a deep breath and held out her hand. “I know you didn’t think I made the right decision—”

“You did right by you,” Nikolas said, softly. He slid the diamond ring back on her finger. “So let me do right by me. I love you, and we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together. All the rest? Doesn’t matter now.”

No, this is not your legacy
This is not your destiny
Yesterday does not define you

“I think my mother is trying to scheme my brother out of the CEO position at ELQ,” Dillon sighed as he perused the shrimp platter. “She’s just never satisfied.”

Lulu shrugged. “So we’ll just have to outscheme her. I’ll talk to Nikolas, he’s in business, and he’ll have some ideas to protect Ned.”

Dillon frowned. “You’re pregnant. We can’t be doing our old stuff anymore, Lu—”

She planted her hands on her hips. “Watch it, buddy. Don’t let me hear you say that being pregnant means I can’t wreak havoc on this unsuspecting world. I’ve always been the brains behind this operation, you’re just the brawn.”

“And that,” Dillon mused as he pooped a shrimp in his mouth, “is how we ended up sitting next to an albino you thought was Kristen Bell on a bus to Minneapolis in the middle of winter.”

“I really do love you, you know.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Chicks and guys come and go, but you and me, Dillon, this is forever. I love my family, they’re amazing, and Will’s been stand-up about this. I don’t know if we’ll get back together, but you’re my best friend in the whole world and I just don’t work without you.”

Dillon grinned. “Well, I will say, Lesley Lu Spencer, with you, there’s never a dull moment.” He tweaked one of his curls. “You really think we can outscheme Tracy Quartermaine?”

Her grin broadened. “We’re sure as hell going to try.”

No, this is not your legacy
This is not your meant to be
I can break the chains that bind you

Robin found Patrick as he was leaving his sister in the capable hands of friends from the hospital. “Hey…you just walked away earlier—”

“I’m sorry.” He took a champagne glass from a passing waiter. “It wasn’t a fair thing to ask you—”

“Patrick.” Her dark eyes were soft. “I don’t know if we’re going to be together again. It seems ridiculous to rule it out because at the end of the day, I still love you and you still love me. And it’s insane to think that it won’t matter down the road. But I just got home. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, much less next month.”

He nodded. “I can live with that. I know I told you I wouldn’t be around waiting, but I don’t know…” He offered her that dimpled grin that had kept him out of trouble with her for years. “I’ve already waited three years for you to come home. We can be friends. For now.”

And she laughed, because though she had moved on while she was gone, she had never closed her heart to Patrick Drake, and she knew she never would.

Cause you’re my child
You’re my chosen
You are loved
You are loved

On the dance floor, Emily looked at her ring over Nikolas’s shoulder. “I missed this ring,” she murmured. “My hand felt empty without it.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t take your concerns seriously.” He drew back to brush his lips against her cheek. “I didn’t want to see how our families could threaten us, but it’s different for me. I’m all Stefan really has. I knew he’d relent eventually. I…” he hesitated. “I forget sometimes you were adopted.”

“I think…” Emily’s eyes found her parents and she smiled. “I think sometimes, Nikolas, I’m the only one who does remember. I always felt like I had to be something more to deserve their love, to justify their choice.”

“And it’s just not true. They love you regardless of whose blood is in your veins.” He grinned. “I can understand that. I find it simply impossible not to love you, so how can they not feel the same way?”

“We are going to have the best life,” Emily said, her eyes bright with dreams of future happiness.

And I will restore
All that was broken
You are loved
You are loved

“It wasn’t so bad talking to the Quartermaines was it?” Elizabeth asked as Jason finally escaped that side of the room and rejoined her side. “Monica loves you.”

“She’s not really as bad as…” He grimaced. “All the rest of them. I can live with Monica and Emily. And the kid, Dillon, he’s a little goofy, but he’s all right.” He slid his arm around her waist. “I saw you talking to your brother earlier. Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” She leaned her cheek against his shoulder. “Yeah, I really believe that this time.” She looked up at him. “I…want to say something to you, and you don’t have to say it back, except if you want to, but I know—”

He gently covered her mouth with his hand. “Elizabeth, I love you, too.”

She laughed, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You know me better than anyone. And I do love you.”

And just like the seasons change
Winter into spring

//Edward taps his champagne glass in order to make a toast to his granddaughter. Emily blushes as he lavishes praise on her, and begins to cry when he formally announces her engagement.//

You’re bringing new life to your family tree now
Yes you are
You are

//Laura comes up behind Lulu and wraps an arm around her shoulders. She touches the pearls around her neck and the two share a smile. Luke looks both proud and worried.//

No, this will be your legacy
This will be your destiny
Yesterday did not define you

//Patrick and Robin are dancing, and he dips her almost too low. She bursts into laughter, and as Patrick twirls her back around, she catches her dad’s resigned smile.//

No, this will be your legacy
This will be your meant to be
I can break the chains that bind you

//Elizabeth whispers something into Jason’s ear and he grins. She’ll keep that promise later, he tells her. It’s the least she can do after he got into a tuxedo for this.//

And just like the seasons change
Winter into spring

//Robin pulls Lulu away from her family over to Elizabeth and Emily and surprises the younger woman with a teddy bear, promising to stick by her. They’ve known Lulu since she was a little girl, and she’s always been like a little sister to them. Lulu starts to cry and throws her arms around them. How did a girl get so lucky to know so many wonderful people? Her baby is going to have the best family. //

You’re bringing new life to your family tree now

THE END

Author’s Note

In December 2005, I was introduced to the gorgeous dimples of Patrick Drake, and shortly after his first scene with Elizabeth, I began to write the first scene in this story. It wasn’t until I reached the end of the first chapter that I even knew what I was going to do with this story — but I wrote Robin, Lulu, Emily and Elizabeth commiserating about the fathers and suddenly knew.

I thought about stringing this out until I figured out if Lulu and Will should be back together, to reunite Patrick and Robin, but it was never about those specific things. It was about four women, their love for their family and friends, and getting them past the struggle.

I grew up on GH in the 90s when it was this amazing mixture of action and adventure, family, love, friendship, secrets and drama. People were honestly friends who loved one another, not plot points on the way to the next story, so Daughters is kind of my nod to that old history. These relationships and friendships still exist under the muck on GH, because you can’t kill history. It’s probably the reason I keep going back.

Thanks for reading. If you’ve enjoyed it all the way through, please think about dropping me even a brief line to let me know.

+2

And lately, it’s yellow lights and you’re braking
Say you just want to wait and see it all unfold
But baby when you find what you’re seeking
Something you can believe in you just got to go
– Slow, Andy Grammer

January 10, 2006

General Hospital: Noah’s Room

Elizabeth and Patrick stood side by side at the end of Noah’s hospital bed, facing their father and his lawyer. It had been a week since their conversation in their apartment where they had finally come to some sort of agreement on how to handle their father. They would not bail him out, would not participate in his defense. As far as Patrick was concerned, Elizabeth had already gone above and beyond in order to get him a lawyer.

And now Noah and Diane wanted to meet with them, and the only reason Patrick was in this room was his promise to Elizabeth to see this through—to at least hear him out. But he hadn’t promised to stay.

“Thank you both for coming to see me,” Noah said, wincing in pain as he shifted his leg. “I know…that you didn’t want to.”

“Well, now that you know that, maybe we can speed this up,” Patrick bit out. Elizabeth nudged him, but he just nudged her back. She’d also forgotten to secure his agreement to be nice.

“I wish I could…” Noah hesitated. “I want to say I’m sorry, but I’m aware that for the both of you, that word means next to nothing, especially from me.”

“Not next to,” Patrick clarified, “but nothing. At all. Because you only mean it for five seconds.”

“Patrick,” Elizabeth hissed, but Noah held his hand.

“Your brother has a right to be angry, and I don’t blame him.” Noah nodded. “You’re right, Patrick. It means nothing. But I’ll say it anyway, because it’s true. I…never stopped drinking last year. I wanted to. I tried to, but after I came home from rehab and realized that in addition to destroying our family, I had helped destroy my brothers.”

“I just…” Elizabeth sighed. “I don’t understand, Dad, how you hid it. We saw you practically every day. Did…” She lifted a shoulder. “Did you just get better at it?”

“No. I didn’t drink as often and I didn’t drink on days when I was having a meal with either of you, or an operation to perform.” Noah closed his eyes. “But I still broke my promises, and the longer I did, the worse I felt, so the more I drank.”

“Typical,” Patrick muttered.

“I thought about fighting the charges,” Noah said after a moment. “Because it was an accident and I never meant to hurt anyone, except…maybe myself.” He looked at Patrick. “But I hurt more than the two of you. I…killed a young child, whose life was just beginning. I’m a doctor, I’m supposed to save lives…”

“Is there a point to this pity show?” Patrick said when Noah just trailed off, and he waited for his sister to hit him again. She didn’t.

“The point is,” Diane huffed, “is that we’ve spent the last week working out a deal with the DA’s office so that your father can avoid a trial and get help.”

“He’s done rehab before,” Elizabeth said softly. Patrick looked down at her and saw the anguish, the anger, and the betrayal reflected back. “What makes anyone think they can trust him to do it again and have it stick?”

“I don’t…blame you for thinking that.” Noah swallowed. “So that’s why I made the deal that I did. Diane, you understand the terms better than I do.”

“He’ll spend thirty days in a detox center, and then one more month in court-ordered rehab. After which point, he will be plead guilty to vehicular manslaughter in the first degree and will be sentenced to the maximum of fifteen years.”

Patrick blinked. He opened his mouth and looked at his father, confused. Because… “Aren’t deals supposed to…be give and take? That’s…the opposite of give and take.” He cleared his throat. “Not that I think…you don’t deserve it.”

“I wanted you two to know that I was serious,” Noah said quietly. “Diane says I’d be eligible for parole in four years, but it’s not good enough for me. So I’m also going to have lifetime probation. If I get pulled over even once for drinking and driving, I get taken right back to finish my sentence. It doesn’t matter if I do it ten minutes after I walk out of prison or ten years.”

“Dad…” Elizabeth’s hand found its way into Patrick’s, and she clung to him. “Dad…I know I wanted you to take responsibility, that I didn’t want you to be set free, but I didn’t mean…for you go…” Her voice broke. “You’re…fifty-five. You could be seventy before you can home. You’ll…”

And when she couldn’t continue, Patrick did it for her. “You’ll miss everything,” he said thickly. “Elizabeth is going to get married and have children, and they’ll be grown before you come home. Or almost grown.” He looked down at her. “Because we both know she’s already met the guy. It’s just a matter of when.” Focusing on his father, he said, “I…get that you’re serious about this…but don’t…don’t do it.”

Noah exhaled. “That’s why I have to do it. Because I want you look at me, Patrick. I want you and Will to look at what happens when you let the pain and devastation of loss take over your life. I climbed into a hole and I never climbed out. My brother is heading my way, if he hasn’t already gotten there. My father’s marriage was a disaster because he cared more about his brandy and his career than my mother. I want more for you. For Will. For Ellie.”

“And I want my father in my life,” Elizabeth whispered. “Dad…please…”

“It’s not as though he’d serve the fifteen years outright,” Diane reminded them. “He’d be home in four. Any grandkids wouldn’t even know he was gone.” She lifted her hands. “These are arguments I made before I made…the arrangement, because it sure as hell ain’t a deal.” Her eyes cast darts at her client.

“I’ve promised them too often that I’ll change,” Noah said simply. “I wanted them to know I meant it this time. If I come home in four years, I’ll count myself blessed, but I’ve been useless to them for years. What’s four more?”

“I get that you think you’re doing the right thing,” Patrick said tightly. He wrapped an arm around his sister’s shaking shoulders. “And I don’t disagree you should go to prison. But this is just selfish. So what if you get out in four? At any time, you could go back to jail for eleven years. We would just have to trust you to keep your nose clean for the rest of your life.” His voice was pained, but he forced himself to finish. “You think you’re proving something to me? To Ellie and Will? You’re just proving that you can’t keep your word. You need the threat of jail to keep you sober. Ellie and I aren’t enough. That’s what you’re saying.”

“No…” Noah shook his head. “It’s not what I’m saying, or doing. Patrick, you just don’t understand—”

“I understand perfectly.” Patrick nodded. “The day our mother died, we became orphans. Sure, you paid lip service to it this last year, pretending everything was fine. But you knew you were living a lie. I never bought it, not really, but Ellie did. And that’s what I’ll never forgive you for. Me, you can hurt me. But not her.” His arm tightened. “I’m through.”

“Is it too late to stop this?” Elizabeth asked, wiping her tears.

Diane hesitated, but nodded. “He’s being officially sentenced tomorrow, but the agreement is in place, so his statements to the police on the subject would be admissible. I suggested he talk this over with the two of you, but—”

“I thought you’d see this as me taking responsibility,” Noah said, his voice almost angry now. “But as usual, Patrick, you’re making it all about you—”

“I come by it honestly,” Patrick shot back. “You abandoned us three years ago, why should this be any different?” He looked down at his sister. “You ready to go?”

“I just…I don’t understand why you had to make it like this. Why…you had to make this decision without us.” And Patrick hated his father in that moment, for making his sister look like that—shattered and uncertain. “Didn’t….you care what we thought?”

“I didn’t think you’d see it this way, Ellie.” Noah shifted. “I killed a girl. I should go to jail—”

“You’re right. You should. It’s time that we were free of you and your guilt trips. Don’t make her feel like crap because she still loves you.” He nudged her towards the door. “Let’s go, El. You don’t have to justify yourself to him anymore.”

He steered her out of the room and was unsurprised to find Jason and Robin waiting for them by elevators. He saw the way Jason tensed and pushed away from the wall when he realized Elizabeth was crying, and he saw the concern in Robin’s face.

“What happened?” she asked softly. “He’s fighting it?”

Patrick released Elizabeth and felt not an ounce of annoyance or frustration that she went into Jason’s arms. He wasn’t Jay Quartermaine, and Robin had been right all those weeks ago. He had to let go of that, and just accept that whoever Jason was inside his own brain, he made Ellie happy.

He huffed and looked at Robin. “He tried to be self-sacrificing. He’s going to court-ordered rehab and then he’s pleading guilty to the maximum of fifteen years, eligible for parole in four years with lifetime probation.”

“I…” Robin stepped forward. “You mean if at any point for the rest of his life, he drinks and drives, he goes back to jail and finishes his term.”

“Yep,” Patrick said flatly. “So he needed the threat of prison to keep him on the straight and narrow. His kids aren’t enough. But I guess I already knew that.” He looked at Elizabeth. “Hey, El?”

She looked at him, not moving an inch from the circle of Jason’s arms. “Yeah?” she asked.

“You should…get out of here. Go…clear your head or something. I’ll stick around, make sure Dad gets transferred to the PCPD later without issue.” He hesitated. “Maybe Jason can take you out on the bike—I know you like to do that when you’re…upset.”

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and he sighed, because he knew she was searching his statement for the hidden meaning, for the catch. When she couldn’t find it, she offered a smile and then tilted her head up to the man in question. “Can I drive?”

“Absolutely not,” he replied, but he smiled as he said it, and Patrick realized it was almost a routine for them. He wondered how he had missed this between them, insisting until the bitter end that Jason Morgan was nothing more than Elizabeth’s rebellious middle finger to her father and brother for all the crap they’d given her.

“I’ll see you at home, Patrick,” Elizabeth called over her shoulder as she and Jason headed towards the elevator.

“Probably not though,” Patrick muttered to himself after they were out of earshot. He wiggled his shoulders to chase away that thought and turned to find Robin studying him. “What?”

“That was a very nice thing you did for your sister.”

“You act so surprised,” he muttered. “She’s been dealing with Dad since the accident. It was my turn to get inconvenienced.” He slid his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I told him in there that Elizabeth would be getting married in the next four years, because she’d already met the guy. Which meant he would miss that.”

“It’s probably true,” Robin agreed. “They just started dating rather than just being friends, but I think…they just took the long way around. Maybe they don’t see it right now, but they’re already in love.” She stepped next to him. “What makes you the angriest? That Noah is going to prison at all, that he wants the security of lifetime probation to keep him sober…”

“That he’s in this mess at all,” Patrick bit out. “I want him to pay for what he did to Jennie Young’s family, for putting the mother in a hospital bed as well, so they had wait on the funeral until after she could be discharged. So the four years….that’s fine. And I wouldn’t even care about probation, but…” He dipped his head and closed his eyes. “If he had just been telling the truth last year…about not drinking…he wouldn’t be facing this. So, yeah, bully for him to taking responsibility, but you know what? Too little, too late.”

“Fair enough.” Robin nodded. “So when Elizabeth gets married, you’ll just have to walk her down the aisle.” She smiled up at him. “And it’s appropriate. You always wanted her to end up with Jason Quartermaine, but Jay sat around and waited. He waited for her to break up with Lucky, waited for her to have a little time to enjoy being single. He never reached out for her.”

“Yeah.” Patrick rocked back on his heels. “And Jason Morgan did. So I guess it’s fair that he ends up with her.” He looked down at his ex-girlfriend. “We’re okay, aren’t we? We’re friends.”

“Always.” Robin slid her arm around his waist, he slid his around her shoulders and for a brief moment, Patrick felt the weight lift from his shoulders.

Spencer House: Kitchen

Lulu reached for the bowl of mashed potatoes with one hand as she passed the green beans to Will on her side. “Hey, Lucky, what did you get Emily for her birthday?”

Her brother glanced up and shook his head. “Uh uh, Lulu. I’m not telling you so you can go steal it and then pass it off as your own. You buy your own gifts.” He dumped carrots onto his plate and set the platter on the table.

Lulu rolled her eyes and looked at Will.. “Any ideas for Emily’s birthday? I think I’m still paying off the St. Paul trip she got me out of, so it’s gotta be good.”

“Why you thought it was a good idea to drag poor Dillon on a bus because you thought you saw Kristen Bell,” Laura sighed, sipping a glass of a wine. “Thank God for Emily and Nikolas. I don’t know what your father and I would have done if we’d had to fly out to get you.”

Luke frowned and looked at his wife. “You think I would have been disappointed in her? She’s a Spencer—” he gestured with a fork full of chicken. “She was following her God-given intellectual curiosity.”

“Is that what we’re calling it this week?” Lucky asked. “Because I remember when Liz and I ditched school for a week to go to New York for a music festival in high school, I was tossed in my room for a week.”

“Yours was deliberate,” Luke waved away Lucky’s objections. “And you know that was your mother. I don’t hold with punishments. I turned out just fine without parents controlling me.”

“Right,” Lulu drawled. “You and Aunt Bobbie are the poster children for well-adjusted adults.” She mimed the universal okay sign with her hand. “Okay, Dad.”

“So, Will, did Ellie or Patrick call you today?” Lucky asked, before Luke could offer a retort. “Their dad was supposed to be transferred to the PCPD today.”

Will swallowed his mouthful of carrots and nodded. He’d been content to just watch the Spencer byplay until that point. Their family dinners were full of warmth and laughter, good-natured mocking and reminiscing of past adventures. He had been used to frozen dinners standing over the kitchen while his mother was passed out upstairs. Or before his father had left, it had been silence and the occasional question about classes.

He preferred this.

“Yeah, Patrick called after Uncle Noah was all set up at the station.” Will sighed, and briefly related the deal that his cousin had told him over the phone. “So he’ll be in jail for four years, and then a lifetime probation.”

“That must be hard for Patrick and Ellie,” Lucky said, his face sober. “But they’ll get through it.” He leaned back in his chair. “Ellie’s got Jason, and Patrick…well he’s still kind of got Robin.” He shrugged a shoulder. “And it goes without saying, they’ve got us. You. And Emily. They’ll get through this.”

Will nodded, because it was true. Their father was going to be in jail, but he knew his cousins would be just fine. They had great friends who would stand up for them, the way family should.

“But I’m sorry for them all the same,” Laura murmured. She reached over and covered her husband’s hand with her own. “Noah and Mattie were so wonderful. We raised all our kids together, and when we lost her, it was like the light went out in his eyes.”

Luke nodded. “Can’t say I blame him for taking it so hard. Not that anything is ever going to happen to my Angel here,” he sent his wife a smile that told him exactly how much he loved her, “but I can’t say I’d handle it better than Noah.”

“You’d be surprised what you can handle when you have to.” Will looked at Lulu, who smiled at him hesitantly. They might not ever date again—they might always be co-parents, but he thought they’d be all right. Somehow.

Family would make the difference.

Quartermaine Estate: Parlor

Monica stepped into the parlor, knowing that Edward liked to spend time after dinner, sipping tea and reading the newspaper. After nearly two weeks of watching her daughter’s unhappy face, Monica Quartermaine had had enough.

“Edward, it’s time you and I had a frank discussion.”

Edward scowled as his daughter-in-law sat next to him on the sofa. “Monica, I don’t want to hear it—”

“How is what you’re doing to Emily any different than what the Cassadines did to Sofia?” she demanded. At that, his mouth closed. “Mikkos Cassadine wanted something better for his sister—some European royal probably. And instead, she fell in love with a playboy Quartermaine like your brother. You want something better for Emily, but instead she’s fallen in love with someone you don’t approve of. And you have browbeat her into believing that her family’s wishes ought to come first.”

Edward pressed his lips together and looked away. “I hadn’t…Monica, I know that family—they’ll break her spirit.”

Because she honestly knew that Edward loved her daughter, that he idolized her beyond sense, her heart softened. “I know that’s what you believe Nikolas will do. But have you seen her since New Year’s, Edward? She left him so that she wouldn’t resent him later for giving up her family. She did what you wanted her to do. Are you satisfied?”

“Of course I’m not satisfied,” Edward bit out. “I thought…” He waved his hand. “I thought she’d realize he was a reprobate and when she asked me if I…I meant for her to choose between this family and Nikolas, I-I suppose…” He looked away. “I didn’t mean it. I didn’t know…I didn’t realize she…”

“You and I, Alan and Lila, everyone in this family looks at Emily as one of our own,” Monica said. “But she still remembers when she wasn’t. She believes we chose to love her, which means we might choose to stop.”

Edward scowled. “I don’t care who she marries, Monica. That girl is a Quartermaine. She may not have our blood, but she is Lila through and through, and I will not have—” He closed his mouth and dipped his head. After a long moment, he folded his paper and set it on the coffee table. “But I suppose that’s exactly what she believes. That I will withdraw my love and affection if she marries Nikolas Cassadine.”

“And we both know that’s not true. You may grumble, you may pout, but you will still love her.” Monica reached out and touched his hand. “I remember when Alan and I decided to adopt Emily after her mother died. I was…nervous because, of course, we had the boys and you loved them so much, but I know how proud you are of the Quartermaine name. But you and Lila never once looked at Emily as if she weren’t ours.”

“She is ours,” Edward said, fiercely. He rose to his feet and pointed at her. “You and Alan…you were busy, but I was…I was here for the rebellions. When she tried to run away, Robert Scorpio brought her back to me. I thought she might follow me into ELQ, so I talked to her about the company. She’s mine every bit as much as she’s yours.” He cleared his throat. “I…don’t want her thinking she has to be anything different to keep my love, Monica. She simply…” He gestured with his hands, as if not knowing exactly what to do with them. “She simply has it. And it’s not going to change.”

“So you should probably tell her that.” Monica nodded, wishing she had had this conversation months ago with the morons in her family. Alan would follow his father’s lead, and peace would reign again. “You could make this up to Emily, you know. We’re throwing her a birthday party this Friday at the Haunted Star. Perhaps you might invite Nikolas for her.”

Edward frowned. “Now, Monica, you’re pushing things. I will tolerate him, but—”

“You will accept him with open arms.” Monica got to her feet and leveled a glare at her father-in-law. “You will invite him and tell Emily yourself that you not only accept the engagement, but that you’re willing to pay for the wedding—without making any of the decisions. You have made Emily miserable from the moment she fell in love with him. She thought she was breaking your heart, Edward. So she broke her own instead. You need to make it up to her, otherwise she will never believe that you mean it.”

He looked away, but offered a small nod, which she knew considering his pride, would be all that she would receive.

Vista Point

Elizabeth leaned over the railing, staring out over the city, her breaths little puffs of air. “I’ll be glad when it starts to get warmer.”

“Yeah.” Jason leaned his back against the railing. “We can’t go as fast when there’s ice on the road.”

She grinned and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “I’m not saying that because of your bike. Not everything is about how much I like it.” She tilted her head up to the stars. “Is it wrong to be angry that he’s taking himself out of our lives like this?”

“You get to feel how you want to feel,” Jason said after a moment. “Did…you want him not to go to jail?”

“No, I didn’t,” Elizabeth admitted, “but I…knew he probably would.” She focused on the lights of the harbor, on the island in the distance, and the hulking structure of Wyndemere. “I just…didn’t think he’d do it willingly. And fifteen years, Jason…”

“That’s only if he breaks the terms of his probation.”

She closed her eyes. “And he will, you know. I can’t…believe that he won’t take a drink the second he’s out of prison. I simply…I don’t trust him.” She felt his arm draw her closer, and she burrowed herself in the opening of his leather jacket. “Isn’t that horrible?”

“He hasn’t given you much of a reason to trust him, has he?” he replied. “You thought he was sober all this last year, and he was lying to you.”

“It’s just…” She closed her eyes, and concentrated on the scent of him, of the warmth of his arms, the steadiness his embrace offered her. “He was so wonderful once. He and my mother….the four of us were so happy. How…could that be gone like this? I know nothing will bring her back, but I wanted that sense of family. I think Patrick and I will be okay, but…”

“But what?”

“I just…wish I knew what happens next.” Elizabeth drew back, her hands holding the edges of his jacket. She met his eyes. “He’ll be gone for four years, maybe longer. He’s going to miss so much of what happens in our lives. I mean, I guess I’d go visit him, but Patrick probably won’t. We’re never going to be a family again. The three of us.”

He sighed and his hands slid up from her ands to her elbows. “I don’t know what to say to you, because that’s true, I guess. It’ll never be the same.”

She pursed her lips and was quiet for a few moments, listening to the sounds of the night around them, the far off horns of the ships in the harbor, the cars on the highway below then. The leaves rustling in the trees. “I remember thinking that things would never be the same after Lucky and I broke up in high school. It was senior year, and I thought…” Elizabeth laughed a little. “I thought my life was over. We didn’t love each other the way we had, but I didn’t know who I was if I wasn’t Lucky’s girlfriend.”

She tilted her head to the side and met his eyes. “And you know what? They weren’t the same. Lucky and I are friends now. Patrick and Robin may never be the couple we all thought they’d be forever, my father will never be a part of my life the way he used to be…but you know what? It’s okay. Because at the end of the day, things can’t stay the same.” When he just frowned at her, she continued to smile. “What if Lucky and I had just decided to stay together? You know, we were laughing about a few weeks ago. We could have been happy together, maybe. Comfortable, at least. But we would have settled. Somewhere out there, there’s the perfect woman for him.”

Feeling nervous now because he hadn’t said anything, Elizabeth continued, “But if we had stayed together, we both would have missed out. He’ll find that person one day, but I needed to be free.” She leaned up on the tips of her toes to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “So that I could find you.”

“Well, I’m not sorry you broke up with him,” Jason finally said, his hand sliding up to her nape of her neck. “After my accident, after I left the Quartermaines, you were the only person in my life that didn’t seem to care I wasn’t Jason Quartermaine anymore. You made me feel…” he hesitated. “Normal. When everyone said I couldn’t be.”

“Well, normal’s relative,” Elizabeth murmured. “I hated the way Tony Jones talked about you, as if the brain damage had…made you less human.” She slid her hands inside his jacket, wrapping them around his waist. “I’d like to see him be half as well-adjusted as you are if he woke up with a blank slate.”

“So, maybe things aren’t going to be the same with your dad,” Jason said, brushing his lips across the tip of her nose. “Maybe he’ll drink when he gets out, and maybe he won’t. And maybe your brother will figure out how not be angry all the time. But you and me, Elizabeth, I don’t think that’s going to change.”

She grinned and leaned up to accept his kiss. “Oh, I don’t know about that, Jason. I think it might just get better.”

0

If you love somebody
Better tell them while they’re here ’cause
They just may run away from you
You’ll never know quite when, well
Then again it just depends on
How long of time is left for you
– On Top of the World, Imagine Dragons

January 5, 2006

Elizabeth & Patrick’s Apartment: Living Room

Elizabeth sipped her coffee and leaned back against the couch cushions, relaxing for the first time in days. Will had packed and left for the Spencer house the day before, moving into the empty room vacated by Lucky.

It would be good for Will to be around the Spencers, to get some of the unconditional support that Lucky had benefited from all his life. She knew her aunt wasn’t in favor of the idea, but Cheryl was just going to have to get over it. This was what was best for Will.

She heard rustling from Patrick’s bedroom and steeled herself for a confrontation. She’d been avoiding him for the past two days, but she knew this couldn’t continue. They would have to come to some sort of agreement.

Patrick’s door opened and he stepped out. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Elizabeth sat up and set her mug on the table. “Ah…I guess you should know that Dad’s being transferred to lockup in the next day or so.”

“You’re not bailing him out?” Patrick asked his tone even and calm.

“I can’t.” Elizabeth sighed and rubbed her eyes. “Sonny’s paying for Diane’s services. I tried to argue with him, but he just…he said that money should never be an obstacle. He offered to pay the bail, but I told him that I absolutely couldn’t accept that.” She chewed her lip. “We don’t have anything for collateral.”

“Ellie…” Patrick crossed the room and perched in the armchair adjacent to the couch. “I know…I know I haven’t always been as supportive as I could have been. Especially in the last week. Or since Mom died.”

“We all lost her,” Elizabeth responded softly. “We all have to deal with it in our own ways. Dad drinks, I try to manage everyone’s lives and you…step back.”

“It leaves you holding the bag and it’s not fair.” He hesitated. “I can’t…I don’t know how to fix this for you. Or to help you fix it. I don’t know that I want to fix it.”

“I understand. I really do.” She bit her lip. “I told Diane that I wasn’t necessarily interested in getting him acquitted. That she would have to discuss that with Dad. I don’t…” Elizabeth paused. “I don’t know what I want to happen. I don’t want Dad to go to jail, but I can’t see…I don’t understand how he could go anywhere else. How he could deserve anything less.” Her voice broke. “That little girl…deserves so much more from us. I can’t keep pretending.”

“Robin told me that I had to talk to you, to find out what it is you really wanted and not just assume,” Patrick said with a small smile. “As usual, she knows better than me.”

“She always was the better half of the two of you,” Elizabeth replied softly. She cleared her throat. “I don’t know what Robin told you about her time in Paris–”

“She told me she’s sick,” Patrick responded. “That she’s healthy right now, but you and I both know that’s…not necessarily always going to be the case.” He shoved himself off the chair and crossed to the window. Outside, the park across the street was covered in thick, white snow. He hated winter.

“No,” Elizabeth agreed. “Her cocktail could stop working at any moment.” She stood and walked over to stand beside him. “How cliché of us to fall for people like our parents.” When Patrick threw her a questioning look, she continued, “Jason is wonderful when he’s here, but he can be….inaccessible sometimes. Like Dad when he’s drunk. When he’s sober, he’s the best dad. When he’s had the alcohol…” Elizabeth shrugged.

For once, Patrick didn’t rise to the bait regarding Jason. “And I’m doomed to love a woman who will leave me first.” He paused. “She told me on New Year’s. Just before you told me about the accident. Double whammy.”

“Oh Patrick–”

“And for the first time, I could understand how Dad did this to himself,” Patrick continued. “Because Mom was his entire world and with her gone, he didn’t know how to go on without her. That’s why I can’t face him. Because I’m condemning him for not being strong enough. Ellie, I don’t care that Robin and I are not together. I wish that we could be, but I’ll deal with that. But if something happens to her, if she gets sick and or is in an accident…I realized that night that I don’t have to be with her to be okay, but I do need her to be okay. I need her to be out there, somewhere in this world, living and breathing.” His voice caught and Elizabeth realized he was as close to losing it as she had ever seen him. “And I’m more than a little worried if something happened to her…maybe I would end up exactly where Dad is.”

Quartermaine Estate: Dillon’s Room

“So Drake officially moved in yesterday?” Dillon asked. He frowned and ran some more footage through his computer. He needed a better angle on this shot and made a note to reshoot it the next day.

Lulu sighed heavily from her position on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. “The last of his things are in the room, yeah.”

Dillon glanced over at her. “You don’t sound particularly thrilled.”

Lulu propped herself up on her elbows and shook her head. “No, it’s not that. It’s just–it’s like life is happening so fast. If you blink, it’s like a year goes by, you know?”

“Well, when you get knocked up in your teens, life does start to go very fast,” Dillon murmured, making some dialogue notes.

“Ha,” she responded dryly. “I just want everything to be okay. I don’t want Will to be sorry that he took this on–”

“Lu, it’s not like you did this by yourself,” he interjected. “You and Will are equally responsible for this situation, so if he regrets that he stepped up to take responsibility, he’s a weak-willed, little boy that doesn’t deserve your time.”

Lulu blinked and frowned at him. “That’s kind of pessimistic, don’t you think?”

“Not at all,” her best friend replied. “You know, I’m so tired of the attitudes in this town towards family and doing the right thing. Grandfather browbeat Emily and guilted her into choosing him over Nikolas. Will’s parents just suck. And every time I see Elizabeth Drake or her brother, they’re arguing about their father again. It’s all just crap.”

Dillon threw his pencil down. “I’ve met my father once and I only know that because I happen to have a picture of it. My mother forced him into marriage and got pregnant on purpose. That’s we do in this family. We have an agenda and we go after it whether it’s ethical or not.”

Lulu sat up and tucked her feet under her. “I’m surprised Emily gave in,” she said, tackling the only part of Dillon’s tirade she felt she could. Dillon was usually more laid back and content to go with the flow. This was unexpected to say the least.

“She still thinks she needs to earn her place here,” Dillon replied. He shoved off his chair and paced his room. “Like she’s less because she’s not blood-related. She’s freaking lucky she doesn’t have this blood running through her veins. Jesus, Lu, you know who my mother is. Who’s to say I won’t wake up like her tomorrow?”

“Dillon…” Lulu tilted her head to the side. “You’ve already inherited the stuff you’re going to take from your mother. Don’t you think if you were going to be as ruthless as Tracy, some signs would start to show?”

“I’m as self-absorbed as she is,” Dillon muttered. “For years Emily has been trying to keep it all balanced and she could have used some support, but did I help? No, I just holed up with my camera and my movies and ignored it–”

“Dillon–”

“I just stay in my room or I tune everyone out. Maybe Ned would have liked some support against Grandfather–”

“Dillon–”

“And what about AJ? Grandfather and Alan just go after him like he’s meat on a bone all the time. No wonder he’s an alcoholic. And I could have been nicer to Jason after the accident–”

“Were you mean?” Lulu asked curiously. “I thought you just avoided the whole situation because your family was insane.”

“Exactly!” Dillon threw up his hands. “I’m self-absorbed. I don’t care about anyone other than myself and–”

“Okay, seriously, you’ve lost it.” Lulu got off the bed and waved her hands in front of time. “Time out.”

“Lulu–”

“Who’s the guy who tackled Maxie Jones when she pulled my hair in the third grade?” Lulu asked. “And who’s the guy who let me cry on his shoulder when I thought Ellie wasn’t going to like me anymore because she wasn’t dating my brother? Who’s the guy who got on the bus to St. Paul just because I thought I saw a celebrity and never once held it against me that we got stranded there?”

“That stuff doesn’t count,” Dillon grumbled.

“It counts to me.” Lulu put her hands on his shoulders. “You’re the Wallace to my Veronica. The Xander to my Buffy, the Sonny to my Cher. The Jack to my Jen–”

“You know I hate that one,” Dillon sighed.

“You are my best friend and I never would have been able to get this far in life without you.” Lulu hugged him fiercely. “You could never be your mother and don’t blame yourself because you figured out how to be a sweet, compassionate, awesome guy without your family ruining all the good stuff.” She pulled back. “You are the best friend a girl could have and I want you to know how important that is to me.”

“All right, all right,” Dillon sighed. “I guess you have a point. No one who worries about numero uno would have tackled Maxie Jones. She bites.”

Lulu laughed. “Listen, if you really feel badly about what happened to Emily, then you can start standing up for her now. Make her understand that she’s got a comrade in arms in this loony bin.”

General Hospital: Noah’s Room

Noah heard the door to his room creak opened and wondered if it was Patrick again–opening and then closing the door without bothering to actually come in. He hadn’t seen Ellie in days. He wasn’t sure what to make of anything — he could barely stand to be awake and asked for sedatives to keep him sleeping.

“Uncle Noah?”

Noah turned and frowned as his nephew Will stepped out of the shadows. “Will?”

“Hey.” Will shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and rocked back on his heels. “Sorry I haven’t been by…I don’t know if Ellie or Patrick mentioned it, but I’m…well…things are happening in my life that are little surprising.”

“That’s okay.” Noah struggled to sit up. “The kids haven’t mentioned anything, is everything okay?”

“They’re not bad,” Will said slowly. “Bad would be an unfair term.” He paused. “I moved out of my house at Christmas and I moved into the Spencers yesterday.”

“The Spencers?” Noah searched his beleaguered mind. “I thought I heard you and Lulu had parted ways.”

“We did,” Will confirmed. “We’re not really back together. Not yet. I don’t know if we will be. I was drinking too much and she didn’t want to be around that.”

“Sounds familiar,” Noah murmured in reply.

“But she found out that she was pregnant,” Will continued. “And everything had to change.”

Noah just blinked in response. His nephew, to become a father? His seventeen-year-old nephew? “Will…”

“I know it’s a big responsibility,” Will continued, “but Lulu and I think if we stay realistic and stick together, we’ll be okay. Her parents wanted me to come live with them so they could support Lulu through everything. They’re going to help with the medical bills and make it so Lu and I can graduate from high school and go to college. I just…I wanted to ask you something.”

“What’s that?” Noah asked.

“The Drake curse,” Will said. “The thing that makes all Drake men drink like fish and ruin their lives.” He shrugged uncomfortably. “I was just wondering if it could be avoided.”

“There’s no such thing as a curse,” Noah replied. “It’s a matter of willpower. I don’t have it. Your father doesn’t. My father didn’t. Patrick…he has it.” Noah stared at his hands. “He had every reason to drown himself in alcohol these last few years and he kept himself going. You want advice about staying out of the bar and keeping your life together, your cousin is the best person to ask.”

Will nodded. “I just…I don’t want to screw this up. I don’t want to be my father, I don’t want to be–” he cut himself off and shrugged again. “I just want to be okay at it. It’s too important to mess with.”

“I agree,” Noah replied. “Don’t make the same mistakes that I did. You can be better than that.”

“It’s not like you can’t make things better,” Will said. “You’re a still a dad. You can fix things.”

“I’m not sure this can be fixed,” Noah replied. “You know what’s happened.”

“You can’t take back the night you decided to drink and drive, no,” Will said bluntly. “And you can’t take back the lying you’ve done over the last year or the role you played in my parents’ divorce. You can’t take back the last three years, Uncle Noah, you know that. But you can help Ellie and Patrick. All they do is argue, and when they’re not arguing, they’re just silent. They don’t talk to each other. And how to deal with your…situation is why.”

Noah just stared at him and Will decided to just go for it. “You should plead guilty, Uncle Noah. You did it and it’s ridiculous to walk in that room to pretend that you don’t deserve to be punished for it. The more you screw up, the more you make Patrick and me think we don’t have a chance. And the more you lie and drag this out, the more pain you cause Ellie. It’s not fair.”

When his uncle still didn’t speak, Will just shrugged. “Anyway, that’s all I really wanted to say. See you later.”

Harborview Towers: Apartment

“Why do I have to close my eyes?” Elizabeth asked. She stumbled out of the elevator as Jason led her down a hallway.

“Just a few more seconds,” he told her. He fumbled with a key and Elizabeth heard a door open. She was led through a doorway and heard the door close behind her. “Open your eyes.”

She lifted her eyelashes and frowned when she saw a modest set of rooms in front of her; a small living room that opened into a kitchen to the left. On the right, there was a hallway that probably led to a bedroom. “What is this?”

“I’m renting it,” Jason told her. He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I can’t keep bringing you to Jake’s–”

“Jason–”

“I know it’s not much, but it’s in a better part of town, you know?” Jason continued, almost sounding nervous. “And it’s got a better bathroom. I know it’s cleaner than the one in my room.”

“The one in your room is fine…” Elizabeth smiled faintly. “Jason, I like Jake’s.”

He nodded. “I do, too. And we should still go there for pool if you want. But I’m not the same guy that moved in there, you know. And you deserve something better.”

“I don’t want you to do this for me.” Elizabeth chewed her lip. “You quit working for Sonny, didn’t you?”

He hesitated. “Not exactly.”

“You’re back to working at the warehouse,” Elizabeth qualified. “No more…side jobs.”

“I don’t like having to disappear on you,” he said, his voice taking a slightly stubborn tone. “You needed me and I wasn’t here–”

“Jason…” Elizabeth sighed and turned in a slow circle. “This is…this is all a little…fast.”

“I know you don’t want to move in with me,” Jason said. “That’s okay. I know you and Patrick still need time together, to work things out. I just wanted you to know that I’m…serious about what’s going on here.”

“I wish you wouldn’t quit working for Sonny,” Elizabeth murmured. “I don’t want you to be sorry about it–”

“I won’t,” he insisted. “I did it for me. I don’t want to be out of town or out of contact when you need me. When anyone needs me. I told Sonny that I wasn’t quitting exactly, but I couldn’t take those jobs anymore.”

“Jason, you have to want this, too.” Elizabeth stepped towards him. “The apartment, the job. You have to want this, too.”

Jason was silent for a long moment before exhaling slowly. “I told you that I was getting flashes of Jason Quartermaine–that some things were clearer than others. I talked to Tony Jones about it and he doesn’t think I’ll ever remember everything but the flashes are normal. The more I remember, Elizabeth, the more I know exactly what I want.” He took her hand in his and just looked at it. “And what I want is to make sure that you don’t have to carry it alone anymore. It’s important to me to know that I’m supporting you and taking care of you.” He held up his other hand when she opened her mouth. “I know you can do all that for yourself, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting to do it.”

She huffed and looked away for a moment. When she looked back at him, the expression in her eyes made him relax a little. “It’s hard to argue with that,” Elizabeth replied with half a smile.

PCPD: Commissioner’s Office

Robert glanced up when he saw a thermos set in front him, and then next to it, a large brown bag. “What’s this?”

“Dinner.” Robin unbelted her jacket and tossed it on the back of the chair. She sat. “Someone has to look out for you.”

“Thanks.” He opened the bag and grinned. “Corned beef on rye. You are my favorite daughter.”

“I’m your only daughter,” Robin replied with a grin. “That we know about it.” She hesitated. “You’ve been working late because of Noah Drake’s case.”

Robert paused as he unwrapped his sandwich. “You’ve always known me too well.”

“I just know how you can get with a case that you can’t leave at work,” she replied. She tilted her head to the side. “You never want to bring it home, so you just stay here.” Robin paused for a moment. “I think Ellie and Patrick are going to come out of this thing stronger, so if it’s them you’re worried about, it’s okay. They understand what’s happening and why Noah’s in trouble.”

“I could give a rat’s ass about that man,” Robert said shortly. “I had my suspicions that he was still drinking, but as long as he kept himself out of trouble and those kids seemed to be okay, I kept my mouth shut. It wouldn’t have served any purpose to do anything else. But if I had said something–”

“It wouldn’t have changed anything, Dad,” Robin said gently. “Because nothing would have kept Noah from drinking. He knew what he was doing and the only person to blame is Noah. Ellie arranged for Noah to get a lawyer, but she’s not bailing him out, and she’s not helping him in his defense.”

“I always knew she was a smart one.” Robert swallowed his food. “I know the Drake men have their problems, which is part of the reason I was glad you were out of town when all of this hit the fan. I worry about Patrick. So far he’s kept himself on the straight and narrow–”

“Patrick is going to be just fine,” Robin replied. “Liam and Noah belong to another generation. Patrick and his little cousin are going to turn things around. Patrick has lost too much to alcohol — his father and Jay. And Will lost his entire childhood.”

“You really believe that, don’t you?” Robert said.

“I do,” Robin said firmly. “Now what’s keeping you here late every night?”

“It was mostly Ellie,” her father admitted. “I just remember watching her grow up, her being in and out of the house so much. She was always around; she started to feel like my daughter too. And I guess it’s Patrick. I want to believe that this cycle in their family can be broken, Robin. Jay Quartermaine was such a bright kid with the entire world in front of him and so was Jennie Young. I’m tired of losing young people to this disease and the thought that Patrick might eventually give in under all that stress…”

“I knew you liked Patrick,” Robin replied, pleased.

“For a long time, I thought he’d be the one for you.” Robert paused. “Are you feeling all right? I mean, everything is okay?”

“Everything is fine.” Robin stood and moved around to hug her father. “You know why I loved Patrick so much?”

“Why?”

“Because he’s funny, smart, loyal and absolutely the best man I’ve ever known.” Robin leaned over and kissed her father’s cheek. “In short, Dad, I didn’t think I should ever settle for someone who didn’t measure up to my father.”

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