Written in 69 minutes.

Listen, I know Elizabeth’s kitchen doesn’t have a table, but it’s a stupid, ugly set  anyway and she has three boys. Of course she has a damned dining room table in her house. Go with me on this.

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Penthouse: Hallway

When she turned the corner and saw Dante waiting outside the door to the penthouse he’d called home only a few days earlier, Sam stopped, and braced herself.

She’d seen the grim expression on his face, the set of his mouth. He’d heard the news, and he already had his mind made up. Just like Diane. Just like her mother.

“If you’re here to yell at me, I don’t want to hear it,” Sam said. She inserted her key in the lock, twisted, then pushed. She stalked inside, but Dante slapped a hand against the door before she could slam it shut. “I’m not going another round on this—”

“I’ve been suspended,” he said, and Sam blinked, her hand falling away from the door. She stepped backwards, and he used the space to come inside and close the door. “Anna got a call from Laura. I guess she was at court this morning, and wanted to know what the hell was going on. No one had told her anything about Aiden or Elizabeth being involved that night.”

Sam folded her arms. “So how does that get you suspended—”

“Anna thinks I put too much pressure on Dex to leave out the drugs and Aiden. That we deliberately left Elizabeth’s address off the report.”

Sam opened her mouth, then shook her head. “Never mind. It doesn’t even matter.” She tossed her keys aside, heard the clink on the desk. “I’m sorry you got suspended, but—”

“Did you even think about what would happen to me?” Dante wanted to know. “Did you even give a second thought to anyone but yourself?”

Her mother’s quick dismissal at the possibility of Sam’s innocence had cut deep, but this carved a deep gouge in what was left. Her mouth trembled, hot tears stinging her eyes. “So that’s it, huh? Accused, charged, found guilty, and now what? The sentence?” She turned away, pressed a fist against her mouth.

Behind her, Dante’s tone was a little gentler when he spoke next. “Look, I’m sure you didn’t mean for it to get this bad. You probably thought they’d scoop Elizabeth up, and you’d be back in custody court tomorrow. But this is just like you and Spinelli going after the FBI last spring. You don’t think, Sam. Not when Danny’s involved.”

“That might be true, but—”

“And you just tried to have Elizabeth arrested barely a week ago. You knew that it would put her bail at risk, and you didn’t care—”

“I didn’t think about that when I—” Sam whirled around, then scowled. “I didn’t think about that then, okay? But this is different. Okay? This is—” She pressed her lips together. “You know me, Dante. Do you really think I’d do this?”

“I don’t want to, Sam, but I’ve had a front row seat watching you act more and more reckless when it comes to Danny’s safety. You hacked into the FBI, you made Danny miserable, and then you tanked your chances at custody when you refused medical treatment and assaulted Elizabeth in front of him. An email to the feds? A chance to keep your name out of it and get Danny back? Yeah, I think you’d do this.” Dante lifted his brows. “Do you really think I’m crazy for that?”

“I—I know I haven’t been myself lately—” Sam put up her hands, palms out. “But I spent two weeks trying to get Elizabeth to put me on her case, didn’t I? I know she’s innocent—”

“Just like she was innocent of kidnapping, but you were gonna press those charges anyway. To get her away from Danny.”

“Stop bringing that up! That’s different—” Sam’s hands curled into fists, then fell to her side. “You don’t believe me. There’s nothing I can say to you that will change your mind. Nothing I said to my mother worked either.” She brushed at her cheek. “Fine. Fine. Have it your way.”

She stalked past him, pulled the door open. “You can go.”

For the first time, Dante hesitated. “Sam—”

“No. You don’t get to have your doubts now that you’ve come here like this. Just know, that when I find out who did do this, it won’t change the fact that when you could have shown just a little bit of goddamn faith in me, you chose not to. Get out.”

“If you didn’t do it, then who did?” Dante demanded. “There’s no one else who could have known about Elizabeth and Aiden—”

“Well, obviously someone did. And I’m going to make sure they spend their rest of their lives regretting it. We’re done here,” Sam said. “Get out.”

Chase’s Apartment: Living Room

The last person Spinelli had expected to see in Chase’s apartment was Assistant United States Attorney Gia Campbell. The woman looked at him with wide, surprised eyes, then looked at Chase.

“What’s going on?” she demanded. “Did you set me up?”

“No,” Chase said with a scowl. “You weren’t supposed to be here. I have every right to confer with the private investigator for the defense.”

“You can’t tell anyone that you saw me,” Gia said, panic threading through every word. “Please—”

“Well, that very much depends on how this conversation goes.” Spinelli stepped into the room, then close it behind him. “Are you friend or foe?”

“Foe? Who the hell talks like that—” Gia stopped, took a deep breath. “Neither. But I believe in the oath I took when I joined the office. I believe that the only enemy here is whoever killed John Cates. And up until a week ago, I was pretty sure Jason Morgan was involved, and Elizabeth was covering for him.” Her lips pinched. “Just like she always has. It’s not a crazy theory, you know.”

“Maybe if you don’t know either of them well, which you don’t obviously.”

“Oh, I know Elizabeth Webber very well,” Gia bit out. “But that’s not what matters here. The evidence does. It’s in my best interest for the local investigation to turn up a credible suspect so I can take it back to Noah and get him focused on a better suspect.”

“Seems a little unethical, don’t you think?”

“I’ve done everything by the book,” Gia said. “Or almost. The only thing I’ve told Chase that maybe I shouldn’t have is a preview of the evidence we found on the property. I don’t think it matters — the locals were always going to get that report, and so was Diane. I just made sure it happened fast.”

“But talking directly to the defense investigator is over the line,” Chase said to Spinelli. “So let’s cut to the chase. Fine, forget that you didn’t tell us what Reynolds was going to pull at the bailing hearing. How did you find out?”

“I don’t—” Gia frowned, looked at Spinelli, then at Chase. “I don’t know. It was an email tip. Noah didn’t think we had to, but I requested that it be traced. I don’t like how much of our case is built on tips, especially when the first one was faked.”

“That would be an interesting point, except the knowledge about the arrest and Elizabeth’s connection to it was known only to a limited few—”

Gia’s focus sharpened. “How limited?”

Spinelli looked at Chase. “Did you know?”

“I knew Danny and Rocco had been brought in drinking, and that Molly recused herself over it. Danny’s not really an important witness for us since we’ve eliminated his Dad, but he’s an ear witness, and Molly and Dante didn’t want to take any chances. So Molly knew,” Chase answered. “She might have told Robert. But no one told us they’d been arrested on Elizabeth’s property or that Aiden was there.”

“But if you’re looking for something on Danny, you might look into it. We got told about the 911 call — we didn’t know there was two until the logs came in, and it was the second one that put the Webbers in the mix.” Gia furrowed her brow. “But—”

“But it would have to be someone who knows Elizabeth was involved. Otherwise, why bother using it against her?” Spinelli shook his head. “And that knowledge was kept very close to the chest. Diane might have known, but I didn’t. No, we’re almost sure it was Danny’s biological mother trying to make trouble in the custody case. She and Elizabeth have a troubled history.”

“Oh.” Gia wrinkled her nose. “Well, that’s disappointing. Still — I’d like to nail it down for sure.” She picked up her bag. “It’s going to bother me until I know for sure it was domestic, you know? It’s just too much of a coincidence that another tip comes in that makes us look at Elizabeth again just when we were starting to see momentum shift away with the motion to dismiss bringing up all the weaknesses in the case.” She paused. “I’ll make sure Diane Miller gets a copy of the trace, but if I were you, I’d make a list of exactly who knew what and when they knew it.”

Webber House: Kitchen

Elizabeth laid down the take out menu, and picked up her phone, then sighed, realizing the app she used to order food hadn’t been reinstalled on this phone. Just another reminder that pieces of her life would never quite be put back together after all this was over.

She looked up as Jason came in, and bit her lip. “He’s still not letting you in?”

“No.” Jason’s answer was short, almost clipped. He pulled open the fridge, then popped the top on a bottle of Rolling Rock. “I don’t know what I’d say to him even if he opened the door.”

Elizabeth crossed to him, but stopped short, a little unsure of herself. “I’m sorry. I know we’re both trying to pretend this isn’t happening, but please don’t think I don’t understand just how difficult it is for you to be doing nothing.”

“Well, it’s what I’ve been doing for most of Jake and Danny’s life, so I should be used it,” Jason bit out, then crossed over to the table on the other side of the kitchen. He set the bottle down with a thud, then winced. “I’m not mad at you.”

“I know.” She tipped her head. “It’s like you told the boys — doing the right thing doesn’t make it easy. You’re not the only one who wants blood. It was easier, I think, to be optimistic or  push down how awful this is when we weren’t home. But standing in front of those boys — seeing how upset Danny is when he’s been working so hard these last few weeks—” She shook her head. “Doing nothing feels wrong.”

“I really thought—” Jason stopped, looked out to the living room, and she realized he was listening for the tell-tale signs that they weren’t alone. But there were no creaks on the steps, no sounds from the floors above. Jake had gone to his room to draw, Cam had gone out to get dinner with Trina, and Aiden was in his room doing homework.

“I really thought,” Jason repeated, “that summer when Jake was a baby—that it was the exception.” He met her eyes, swallowed hard. “That she was just so angry at both of us, at not being able to have kids, that she resented me so much for it, for you, for Jake, that it clouded everything that made her someone I cared about. I really believed that.”

“I know you did.” She came closer to him, and this time, he let her close, pulled her against him so that she could hear his heart beating. “You made the choice to forgive her, Jason. It doesn’t make you a bad person.”

“Well, it doesn’t make me an intelligent one, either.” Jason grimaced. “I know we’re right. I know that even talking to Sam could screw up your bail hearing—”

“But you still want to do it,” Elizabeth said softly. She lifted her brows. “To find out if we’re wrong? If maybe she didn’t do it?”

“No. I don’t know who else would have done it this way. No one outside the four of us and the kids knew about you and Aiden,” Jason reminded her. “Dex Heller wouldn’t have screwed with your bail. He’s an idiot, but he’s an honest one. If he didn’t feel right about covering that up, he’d have gone to Anna. This was vindictive and spiteful.” His smile was humorless. “I don’t know many people who fit that label.”

“Not who also hate me,” Elizabeth agreed with sigh. “God I hate it, but you’re right. It has her written all over it.” She picked up the menu. “I’m going to call in the order, but their delivery time is like an hour—” She looked at him. “Unless you want to pick it up.”

He frowned, looked at her, a bit confused. “What?”

“Mama Mangione’s. It’s a few blocks from Harborview.” She looked at him expectantly. “You could pick it up, couldn’t you?”

Jason waited a moment, wondered if she was really telling him without telling him that he should do exactly what he wanted and confront Sam. When the corner of her mouth twitched up, nearly into a smirk, he knew he’d read her correctly.

“Yeah. I can pick it up. Just give me the address.”

+39

Written in 64 minutes.

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Davis & Miller: Office

Sam actually took a step back, her eyes widening. “What? What are you talking about?”

Alexis tossed her glasses on the desk, rose to her feet. “I just got off the phone with Diane. The government is filing to revoke Elizabeth’s bail, and somehow, they know that Danny and Rocco were arrested in front of her house — that her address and Aiden’s name were left off the reports.” She lifted her brows. “A fact that was known to almost no one—”

“The key word being almost,” Sam snapped, heat rushing to her cheeks. “I didn’t tell anyone, but I’m sure if someone knew where to look—”

“How did they know to look at all?” Alexis retorted. She took a deep breath, scrubbed her hands down her face. “I’m trying to look at it from your perspective, Sam. Having Elizabeth back in custody would change the situation. You were angry that her charges weren’t factoring in—”

“That is not the same thing as making sure she went back to jail! Mom, come on! This getting out doesn’t just affect her, it affects Danny and Rocco. We kept the weed off the record but if they got that much, they know everything—” Sam’s eyes glittered. “But that doesn’t matter, does it? I’m already judged guilty, aren’t I? You didn’t even hesitate to believe the worst. Well, Jason better make sure to keep my name out of it when Danny finds out—”

“He already knows.”

Sam closed her mouth, simply stared. “What? How? He’s in school.”

“He went to the hearing with Jason—don’t start,” Alexis said, holding up her hand. “Diane wanted the boys there—”

“Danny isn’t one of her boys, damn it!” Sam cut in. “He was supposed to back at school today! What the hell is Jason thinking, dragging him to federal court—”

“Is that really what you’re worried about?”

“Yes! He’s putting her first! Not what’s best for those kids! They should all be in school. Cameron’s supposed to graduate—”

“Don’t tell me you give a damn about Elizabeth’s children. Not with this stunt.” Alexis came around the desk. “Elizabeth being yanked back into federal custody would have been terrible for her boys. And no, Danny isn’t her son, but he lives in her home, and what happens to her affects him now, too.”

“This is exactly what I knew would happen—” Sam dragged a hand through her hair, turning away from her mother, her thoughts racing. “He’s always putting his sons last, always trying to save  someone—I’m so sick of him not giving a damn about what Danny needs—”

“Was that the plan? Assume Danny would be in school, and that you could keep him from knowing what you did? That everyone would be so upset about Elizabeth’s bail being revoked no one would have time to wonder how it happened?” Alexis pushed.

Sam’s throat tightened, and she looked back at her mother, realized that there was no room in Alexis’s expression for doubt. “I didn’t do this.”

“I don’t believe you. You would have done anything to get Elizabeth away from Danny. Congratulations. It’s backfired. Elizabeth is still home, and Danny is more upset than ever. Jason was going to send Danny to school today, by the way. Danny asked to go, and Jason agreed. Danny wanted to be there to support his brother. He needed to be there. You talk about Jason putting everyone in front of his sons — look in the mirror, Sam.”

“I didn’t do this,” Sam repeated. “I didn’t—”

“I don’t believe you,” Alexis repeated, but her tone had shifted to weariness, and she returned to her desk, gently lowering herself back into the seat. “I’ve tried to talk some sense into you. I’ve stood by you even when I knew you were making mistakes. I trusted that you loved Danny, that somewhere beneath that resentment and anger, you’d remember that.” She looked at Sam. “I’m done with that now. You’ll need to find another attorney to take over your custody case. I can no longer stand in a court of law and argue that Danny is better off with you.”

Sam curled her shaky hand in a fist, pressed it against her middle. “I didn’t do this,” she said for the third time. “I didn’t. I wouldn’t.” Hot tears spilled down her cheeks. If her own mother didn’t believe her —

No one else would either.

Chase’s Apartment: Living Room

Chase paced from the window to the door, then back again, muttering under his breath. “Not even a warning or hint—”

“I didn’t have a choice.” Gia dropped her bag on the coffee table. “I’m risking my career, do you get that? Having conversations with the local cops without Noah’s knowledge, giving you some ideas what will be in reports and test results — that’s one thing. But there was no way to warn you about this without making it damn clear that I’m your source—”

“Yeah, well—” Chase scowled down at his phone with three missed calls. “Now the commissioner is on us, demanding to know what I knew—”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. Neither did your partner. Not about this case. He immediately recused himself and so did Danny’s aunt, right?” Gia glanced at her phone, at her own messages. “I’m running out of time. I’m supposed to be meeting with the FBI—”

“All you had to do was tell us this was coming — Diane Miller could have covered in court—”

“I’m telling you that warning would have made this worse! Diane thought on her feet, and Elizabeth’s family had a credible, surprised reaction. Those boys —” Gia paused, closing her eyes. It was so strange to see her old foe as a mother. As someone more than the selfish girl who’d stood in the way of Gia’s dreams once. “Bail revocation isn’t something that’s done lightly. It was already going to be an uphill battle. A real reaction—”

“‘Those boys’ aren’t pawns on a chessboard you should be allowed to play this—”

“Everyone is a pawn in this game, including you and me—” Gia stopped, and they both turned to find that the door to Chase’s apartment was open.

Damien Spinelli stood in the space, his brows lifted. “Well, this is interesting.”

Webber House: Living Room

The time he and Elizabeth had taken in Syracuse, to just sit and take a minute, had helped cool the anger that had begun to simmer the moment he’d realized someone was actively working to screw with Elizabeth’s bail.

The anger that the most likely suspect was Sam.

By the time they’d arrived back at the house, Jason had managed to quell his temper, and he and Elizabeth could turn their attention to the next problem — keeping the boys under wraps.

“Look, I get that we have to be careful about this,” Jake said, pacing in front of the fireplace, “but it’s still bullshit that you’re telling us to keep quiet and just…” He trailed off, pressed his lips together.

“You want us to just go back to our normal lives,” Aiden finished. He’d stripped off his suit jacket and removed the tie when they’d returned home, his sleeves rolled up. “It’s stupid.”

“I know this is hard,” Elizabeth began, then she stopped, lifted her eyes to the ceiling as if her next words could be found there.

“Impossible,” Cameron said. “I’m supposed to get on the plane tomorrow morning while someone in this damn town is trying to get you put in jail?”

Elizabeth’s head snapped back down, and she fixed her eyes on Cameron. “We have a deal,” she said flatly. “You’re getting on that plane if I have to tie you up and ship you as cargo. You’re not pulling that on me again, Cameron, do you hear me?” And somehow, she’d found the words, surveying the boys in front of her, the angry man at her side.

“I know you’re all angry. I am, too, believe me. You can’t even begin to understand—” She paused, her voice threatening to crack. “But this isn’t a game. This isn’t a vendetta or some threat we can fight on our own. We have to do this by the book. Or it will never go away. I will never be free. And if you destroy your own lives to try to help me, it will just keep going. It will never end.”

Cameron dropped his gaze, looked away, but his jaw was tense. “I know I promised, Mom, but—”

“But nothing. You’re going back to California tomorrow.” She gentled her tone, taking in the miserable faces of the boys, Jason’s stone-faced expression. “We’re going back to our lives. The worst didn’t happen today. I thought they’d take me away and that I might never stand in this room again. That I wouldn’t be free tonight.” She rubbed her arms, remembering that terrible first night in custody, when she’d been stripped searched, fingerprinted, and thrown into a cell. “Someone didn’t want that, remember?”

“Not just someone,” Danny muttered, his eyes red, puffy, tears staining his cheeks.

“We don’t know who told them about that night, Danny,” Elizabeth reminded him, and he lifted his eyes to hers. “Whoever they are, they didn’t win, did they? That’s what matters. Someone keeps trying to screw with us, but it’s not working. The PCPD knows I didn’t kill anyone, and they’re looking for the real killer just like Diane and Spinelli. Whoever actually killed John Cates didn’t count on that. They thought they’d frame me or you,” she said, looking at Jason, “and that somehow, it would keep the world from looking for them. They’ve made a mistake.” She looked back at the boys. “Planting the gun in my trunk was only their first mistake. They’ve made others. They must have. It’s just a matter of time until those mistakes are discovered.”

“We don’t know who told the government about that night,” Jason repeated to his son. “If it was your mother, we’ll handle it. But it might not have been—”

“You don’t believe that, do you?” Jake wanted to know. “Tell the truth, Dad. That bitch—”

“What I believe isn’t the point,” Jason interrupted sharply, flashing Jake a warning glance. “What we can prove is something else. But whoever it is, we’ll find out. It could have been Sam,” he admitted, reluctantly.

“It had to be,” Danny said, getting to his feet. “It’s bad enough someone’s trying to frame Elizabeth for murder, okay? But no one knew about Aiden, okay? No one. Just you guys, Mom, Dante—”

“And the PCPD. Those 911 dispatch logs exist, Danny,” Elizabeth said gently. “Yes. This looks bad. And if she did this, it’s terrible. But it didn’t work. It didn’t work,” she repeated. “There’s going to be a hearing and a full investigation, okay? So it’s important that none of us do anything that makes the judge think we’re tampering with that.”

“I didn’t think about that,” Cameron said grimly. “If one of us confronts her, it would look like we’re messing with it.”

“Exactly. So, yes, what I’m asking is difficult. For all of us. But tomorrow, we go back to our lives. Cameron, Jason and I will take you to the airport tomorrow, and the three of you—” Elizabeth looked at the boys. “You’re going back to school.”

“But—” Jake said.

“That’s the last I want to hear about it,” Jason interrupted, and Jake fell silent. “I don’t like it anymore than the rest of you, but doing what makes us feel better and doing what’s smart aren’t the same thing. Not with this. Your mother’s freedom is all that matters.”

“Okay. Okay. I hate it, but okay.” Cameron straightened, looked at his brothers, Danny, Jason, and finally his mother. “Jason’s right. Confronting Sam ourselves would be stupid and screw with Mom’s case. We’re not stupid, are we?” he asked, looking back at his brothers.

“No, we’re not,” Aiden answered. Danny shook his head, and finally Jake did the same.

“Thank you.” Elizabeth reached for Cameron’s hand and he pulled her into a hug. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Mom.”

PCPD: Commissioner’s Office

Anna slapped the report down on her desk. “Why the hell wasn’t I informed about this?’ she demanded.

Dante sighed, closed the office door behind him. “Informed about what?”

“You browbeat Dex Heller and his partner into falsifying police records to cover up for your son—”

“I—” Dante stared at her, dumbfounded. “I did what?”

“You heard me. I just got off the phone with Laura Collins.  She wants to know how the hell an Assistant United States Attorney knew to check our 911 dispatch logs, and she seemed surprised that I didn’t already know.”

“Assistant—” Dante stopped. “Someone told them about Danny and Rocco’s arrest? Why?”

“Because Elizabeth Webber was left out of the report—”

“She was never in the report. The boys were picked up in front of her  house, but she was never outside—”

“Her son was reported as being intoxicated—”

“Damn it, Anna. No he wasn’t! Aiden was clean and sober. Danny and Rocco showed up at—” He stopped. “Did you even read the reports? Listen to the calls? Or are you just looking to cover your ass?”

“My ass isn’t in question,” Anna said, coolly. “I warned you, I warned all of you that going against the FBI was going to  cost this department, and now we’re being accused of corruption—”

“Laura is hardly going to make this an issue—”

“Well, I am.” Anna met his gaze, lifted her chin. “Until the investigation is complete, until I am satisfied you didn’t misuse your authority, you’re suspended. Immediately.”

+38

Written in 84 minutes. I had just started the Liason scene when the timer hit, and I was like, screw it. Let me just do this scene right.

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

General Hospital: Fletcher’s Office

Sam dragged her hands through her hair, turned to face the doctor. “Can we please just move on to you telling me what I have to do to fix this? To help Danny? I scared him. I won’t do that again—”

“Danny told me he was scared in that moment,” Fletcher interrupted, and she closed her mouth, pressing her lips together. “Not of you as a person. But of what you might do. There’s a difference.”

“Doesn’t feel that way on this side of things,” Sam muttered, but his response settled her enough that she returned to her seat. “Okay. So then what next?”

“What do you think he saw when that happened? Put yourself in Danny’s shoes. What was he going through?”

She opened her mouth to respond, but then stopped, took a moment, and closed her eyes. What had Danny felt? Had she even stopped that day to consider what he’d wanted? She had — but—

“He didn’t tell Elizabeth had driven him to the building,” Sam admitted. “He obviously knew that would upset me, and he didn’t want me to get on the elevator. And I took his phone—” She folded her arms, her fingers digging into her biceps. “I didn’t want him to warn her. Not because I wanted to hurt her. I didn’t. I just—I didn’t want her to have time to think of a story.”

“You wanted her to react in the moment,” Fletcher prompted. “Why? Why would it matter if she knew you were coming? Do you think she would have left?”

Sam’s lips twitched. “No. She doesn’t usually back down. I don’t know. I guess I thought if she didn’t have time to think, she might admit why she’s doing all of this. That she’d be honest that she’s just trying to get Danny on her side to look better to Jason.” She pursed her lips. “I suppose you don’t agree with that.”

“I don’t know the answer. I’m not sure it matters at the end of the day,” the doctor replied, and she wrinkled her nose. “Whatever Elizabeth’s motives are, ultimately — it’s Danny who matters, isn’t it? What he thinks. What he feels.”

“I know.”

“It’s interesting that your instinct was to confront Elizabeth without giving her warning. To think that the element of surprise would push her to honesty. Danny shares that approach — did you know that he believes making you angry is the only way you’ll be honest with him?”

“I—” Sam huffed, straightened. “That’s ridiculous. I’m always honest with him—”

“Maybe that’s true. But he doesn’t think that. Why?”

“I think he’s just playing with you,” Sam returned with a roll of her eyes. “He wants you to let him off the hook for always being a smart ass. He’s a teenager—”

“Are you telling me that some of your more recent confrontations with Danny haven’t been the result of Danny deliberately pushing you?”

She squinted at him, thrown slightly. “I mean, yes, but—” Sam bit her lip, let her hands drop in her lap. “So what I’ve been thinking is Danny having a bad attitude or just wanting to make me crazy — you’re telling me he thinks it’s the only way to have any kind of conversation?”

“The only way to have a productive conversation,” Fletcher responded. “It doesn’t have to be true, Sam, for Danny to believe it.”

Sam exhaled. There was something about that statement that slid inside her brain and took root. It doesn’t have to be true…

“How do I—” She licked her lips. “I keep asking you — how do I fix that? But I don’t know even know if that’s the right question. Because it’s a question about me. And that’s the problem, isn’t it? I keep centering myself when Danny’s the one that matters.”

Fletcher leaned back. “It’s natural for a parent to have that question. To — borrowing your words — center themselves because you, as Danny’s primary parent for most of his life, are at the center of his world. At his understanding of his place in that world. Fixing the situation isn’t just making it better for you, it would make it better for Danny. The problem is — it’s not on you to fix it. Not alone.”

Sam bit her lip, looked away. “Jason and I can’t seem to talk to each other without anger. I can’t stop seeing the way he left Danny. Even if I accept that he chose to be an informant for reasons that made sense —” She stopped. “He still made the choices that put himself in the position for the FBI to ask that of him. To demand it. He might have his reasons for always leaving Danny — and Jake, even if that’s none of my business — but it doesn’t change the fact that he does it. He’s barely been present in either of their lives, do you know that? He comes in and out, and I guess Elizabeth handles it by accepting it, and going with it. Maybe it works for her. Maybe it’s not settling in her eyes, but it is for me. And I don’t want it for Danny. I don’t. He deserves better than that. He deserves what I didn’t have. What I still can’t give him. Two parents who love him and support him.”

“I can’t comment on the history of the situation or on the choices Danny’s father has made. All I have in front of me is this situation,” Fletcher told her. “Right now, Danny does have two parents who love and support him. They just don’t love or support each other.”

“Well, that’s putting it bluntly.” Sam waited a moment, then nodded. “Okay. Danny thinks the only way to make me be honest is to poke at me until I explode. He believes I’m not honest with him. What—what do we do? What can I do to help him?”

“What do you want Danny to believe about you?”

Sam frowned. “Is that a trick question?”

“No. No tricks here, Sam.”

Sam considered the question. Thought about all her recent confrontations with Danny — and the conversation she’d had a few days ago with Jake.

“You love the idea of him. The miracle baby you always called him, right? The one you weren’t supposed to have, your chance to be a mother. Because that’s all that matters to you.”

“I want him to believe that I love him,” Sam said finally. “That he doesn’t have to do, or be anything, for that love to exist. And that no matter what he does, that love isn’t going anywhere. I made a lot of mistakes. I’ll probably make more,” she admitted. “I’m not perfect. But that I can promise to do better.”

“All right. I want you to remember this when you speak with him next,” Fletcher told her. “The way you respond to his anger has to reflect those words. When Danny say something painful, when he tries to hurt you, to take a deep breath, and remember why he’s doing it. And that all you can do is try to respond in a way that’s productive. If he believes that you can hear him without attacking or trying to be right, things will get better. It won’t happen overnight. But it will happen.”

Franklin Street: Federal Parking Lot

Jake and Cameron had fallen behind the younger boys, and found them waiting at the back door of the car they’d driven in, Danny with his phone in his, arguing hotly with Aiden.

Jake swiped the phone from Danny before either of boy realized they’d arrived, and scowled he saw Sam’s contact name at the top of the text screen. “You’re not talking to your mother, are you?”

“Give that back—” Danny grabbed for hit but Jake held it over Danny’s head. “It’s mine—”

“Diane told us not to do anything—”

“I can’t do whatever—” Danny grunted, grappling with Jake until they both fell against the call. “Give me the phone—”

“Knock it off, idiots—” Cameron stepped between them both, snagged Danny’s phone and slid it into his pockets. “Stop. This isn’t going to help anyone—” He sent Jake a glare before turning to focus on Danny. “Your mom might not have done anything—”

Danny’s eyes were glittering with angry tears, his cheeks red. “Don’t be stupid! Who else wants to hurt your mom? She already tried to have Elizabeth arrested!”

“That was in the heat of moment—stop—” Cameron planted a hand against Danny’s chest when the younger boy tried to make a grab for his phone. “Damn it, dumbass. You want to be just like her, huh? Doing something stupid because you’re too angry to see straight?”

“Shut up—”

“Your mom slugged mine because she was pissed at her and my mom was, like, within slugging distance. She didn’t think, right? She was angry and she just reacted. This isn’t that, okay?”

Some of the red faded from Danny’s face and he swallowed. “No, it’s worse.”

“Yeah. It is. If she did it.” Cameron stopped. “I think you’re probably right. I think Sam’s the only one with a motive who knew Mom was at the station that night. Or that Aiden was part of it. But maybe she wasn’t. Maybe whoever did this is the one who really killed that guy. We don’t know for sure. And until we do, you can’t go off crazy, doing whatever you want. That’s not what we do here.” He sent a dirty look at his younger brother, and Jake rolled his eyes. “It’s not. We’re not impulsive assholes in this family, are we?”

“No,” Jake muttered.

Cameron looked over at Aiden, miserably standing on the other side of Danny. “Are we?” he repeated.

“No,” Aiden said, kicking at loose rocks on the ground. “But if his mom did tell —”

“Then she’s a bitch who doesn’t give a shit about anyone but herself, and I’ll be the first person to let Danny loose on her.” Cameron let his hand fall away from Danny’s chest, letting the younger boy stand up on his feet. “But it’s not just you, Danny. Right? You’re Jake’s brother, which makes you one of us. And we look out for each other.”

Danny’s mouth trembled and he looked at Jake before focusing on Cameron. “I don’t want to do anything that makes this worse. More than I already did.”

“You didn’t do anything,” Jake said roughly. “You’re an idiot, but you and Aiden — you didn’t do anything to hurt my mom. Not on purpose, okay? That matters. But you contact your mom now, you tell her what we know before Diane or my mom or Dad can figure out things, maybe we mess things up for her. Is that what you want to do?”

“No. No. Your mom’s been nice to me. Even when I was an asshole.” Danny exhaled slowly, swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. I’m just—”

“Angry. Yeah, but didn’t Dad just tell us what we’re supposed to do when someone makes us angry?” Jake said. “When you slugged Rocco, it felt good in the moment, but then it made everything worse. What did Dad say?”

“You can’t control other people,” Danny said reluctantly. “Only how you react. And not reacting sometimes is the right choice. But it sucks.”

“Yeah, it does.” Cameron stepped back, allowing Danny some space. “I’m gonna hold on to your phone until we get home. Just in case. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

Davis & Miller: Alexis’s Office

Alexis removed her reading glasses, leaned back in her chair, and pressed a hand to her forehead, absorbing the call from her partner. “When did the report come in? Were you able to find out?”

“Reynolds said he’d send more information about the tip his office received, but all we know is that he got the information yesterday.” There was some rustling of paper, sounds of cars speeding by on Diane’s end. “Alexis—I don’t want to accuse her—”

“Yes, you do. Don’t play games with me, Diane. Someone made a call that nearly got Elizabeth’s bail revoked. Sam’s the obvious suspect.”

“It would give you leave to go back to family court — Jason’s home situation changing, the turmoil. If Sam played her cards right, she’d get more visitation, or even a revisit of the custody order—”

Alexis wanted to deny it, but of course Diane was right. If Elizabeth had been put back into federal custody for the foreseeable future, it materially changed the situation. Alexis would have had an excellent argument on her daughter’s behalf. “This is no small thing you’re suggesting she did. It’s not just Elizabeth she’d be hurting—”

“And hasn’t Sam demonstrated she’ll do whatever she thinks is necessary if it gets Danny back in her custody? On her side?”

Alexis sighed. “I hate that you’re right. All right. What do you want me to do? Talk to her? Keep it quiet? What’s the move?”

“Well, I don’t imagine it’ll stay quiet even if I asked you. Danny had a meltdown in court, and he might have already ignored our advice to let me and Spinelli handle it. Someone is going to confront her — whether it’s Danny or Jason. Or Dante since she’ll have thrown him under the bus and he’ll have certainly learned about it now. You have the best shot of getting her to admit it, don’t you think?”

Another point scored for Diane, Alexis thought after they’d ended their call, and she remained in her office, trying to consider her next actions. Should she call Sam? Talk to Danny? Diane was right — Alexis needed to be involved.

“Mom?” Sam knocked lightly on her mother’s office door frame. “Hey. I just got  done with the doctor, and I wanted—” She paused. “What’s wrong?”

Alexis sighed, looked at her daughter. “Well, I suppose there’s no way to do this other than to just ask. Did you tip off Noah Reynolds about Danny’s arrest at Elizabeth’s house to get her bail revoked?”

Clinton Square

Elizabeth leaned back against the bench, her eyes trained on the small reflecting pool. “I’m sorry, I just wasn’t ready to get back in the car. Not yet.”

“It’s okay.” Jason stretched an arm along the back of the bench, slightly angled towards her. She knew he was furious, that every muscle in his body was tense and poised to react, but his expression and tone were calm, even gentle. She wondered how he did that, how he was able to control himself so carefully.

“I suppose I should be grateful that the judge didn’t seem impressed by the idea of revoking bail,” Elizabeth said with a sigh. “I’d really made up my mind that they’d take me today. I don’t think I realized how much until it didn’t happen.” She looked at him. “What about you?”

“I….yeah, I guess I keep seeing it all being connected. That whatever the lawyers went, the court will do,” Jason admitted. “But unless there’s some kind of miracle, this is going to trial. And then it’s the hands of people.”

“And you’ve never liked people.”

“No.” There was a slight twitch of his lips, almost a hint of smile. He met her eyes, his expression sober again. “If Sam tipped them off—”

“You think she didn’t?” Elizabeth lifted her brows. “Who else could have?”

“I don’t know. She’s capable of it,” he added when Elizabeth remained silent. “I’m not saying she isn’t. And she’s done worse. To you, to the boys.”

“But?” Elizabeth prompted gently.

“I’m not defending her.”

“I didn’t say you were. I didn’t,” she insisted when he didn’t continue. “I know it’s not an easy thing to accuse her of. This isn’t like when Jake was a baby, or when she pulled that stunt in the park. Yes, she did terrible things that put my children in danger. But she did them nearly twenty years ago. And I know she did things in her past, before she came to Port Charles. I agree with you. She’s capable of it. And she certainly hates me — and you— right now enough to do it.”

“If she did this,” Jason said, “then it means all of those things she swore she regretted — all the mistakes she promised were behind us — that it was always a lie. That this was always who she was. Someone who didn’t just hurt you and your children, but her own. This hurts Danny. His own mother.”

Elizabeth reached for his hand, held it between both hers, and waited for him to look at her. “I have faith that Diane and Spinelli will find the evidence we need to convince the jury I didn’t do this. And I have faith that if we find out Danny’s mother did this to us, to him, that you and I, and everyone who loves Danny, that we will find a way to help him cope with it. To make peace with it.”

“I wish I had your faith in anything,” Jason admitted, but the arm he’d stretched along the back of the bench curled around her shoulders, tugging her towards him so he could kiss her forehead. “But when you say it, I almost believe it.”

+42

Written in 71 minutes. The ending was a little awkward, but it’s good enough for now 😛

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

James M. Hanley Federal Building: Hallway

He couldn’t breathe, his fingers clutching and twisting violently at the tie around his neck, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

“Let me get it—” His aunt’s hands brushed his own aside, and Danny stood there, his hands falling to hang limply while she loosened the knot his father had tied several hours earlier, but even with it gone, he still couldn’t catch his breath.

“They’re going to put her back in jail,” Danny told Carly, and he twisted back towards the court room, Carly grabbing at him to hold him in place. “It’s my fault, it’s all my fault, and Jake’s going to hate me, and Dad’s going to—”

“Just take a deep breath. Danny,” Carly said sharply and he jolted, looked at her, his eyes wide and slightly glazed over. “Whatever happens inside that room has nothing to do with me, do you understand? You didn’t do this. You’re just the weapon those bastards are using. Your dad knows that. Jake will know that.”

“How did they know? How did they know?” Danny repeated, his voice climbing. “Dante said no one would know!”

“I have a few thoughts,” Carly muttered, and he blinked at her, the bottom dropping out of his world because he knew who would have told. He knew who didn’t give a damn about Elizabeth or Jake.

“My mother did this, didn’t she?” Danny asked, and Carly opened her mouth, but her response was cut off when the doors opened behind them and they both turned to see  the hearing had ended. Michael was the first to join them, followed by Laura and Kevin.

“They’re not holding her,” Michael said immediately and Carly released an exhale of relief. “You good, Danny?”

“She’s going home?” Danny wanted to know. He looked past the others as Jake and his brothers filed out of the courtroom, with Jason, Diane, Spinelli, and finally Elizabeth. “They’re not arresting you again?”

“No, they’re not,” Jason told him, coming to his son’s side, drawing him away slightly from Carly. “Are you okay?”

“Mom did this,” Danny told him and Jason grimaced, shook his head slightly. “No one else could have. Or would have. Mom—”

“We’ll talk about all of this later,” Diane declared, with her brows raised. Danny clamped his mouth shut, realizing that the federal attorneys were making their way out.

Elizabeth edged away, careful to keep her eyes from even meeting Gia’s, but Carly couldn’t quite manage it.

“Is this what you wanted?” Carly called, and Gia turned, seemingly startled. “Terrorizing an innocent teenage boy?”

Reynolds furrowed his brow, looked between Gia and the irate blonde before answering, “From what I read, he’s not much better than his father.” He smirked. “Or his mother. Never had a chance, did you, Danny?”

Jason wound his arm around Danny’s chest, holding him in place.

“What kind of adult uses women and children as weapons?” Diane said, angling herself in front of the group. “The judge wasn’t impressed by your presentation. Your little house of cards built on lies.” She sniffed. “Easily constructed, easily torn away.”

“We’ll see about that.”

General Hospital: Fletcher’s Office

Sam restlessly tapped her fingers against her thighs. “Don’t you have questions or something? How does this work?”

Fletcher leaned back in his chair, a notebook in his lap, looking relaxed and completely unbothered.

She already hated him.

“I’m glad you decided to come in today,” he replied. “I know you were nervous about participating.”

She smiled thinly. “I’m sure you’ve heard all about me, right? Between Jason and Danny, you know everything.”

“Well—” Fletcher tipped his head. “I’ve heard their experience. That’s not the same thing as hearing from you.”

She hesitated, unsure what to do with that response. She folded her arms. “Okay. So what do you want to hear?”

“How have the last few weeks been for you?”

“That’s a stupid question,” Sam retorted, and snorted. “How do you think they’ve been? What am I supposed to say? Oh, it was great except for losing  custody of my kids, my boyfriend moving out, and the entire world deciding I’m the problem. But hey, the rain’s supposed to stop this week, so there’s something to look forward to.”

Fletcher set aside the notebook and sat forward. “I understand that you feel defensive. But I promise you — asking a question like that is just to see where you’re at — what do you say first, the tone, the words — it gives me a place to begin. It’s not to attack you or make light of what’s happened.”

Sam made a face. “I’m not defensive. Everything I just said is exactly what happened. The judge took away my kids, Dante can’t decide what he wants because he wants to make everyone happy, and the only person who’s on my side seems to be my sister who hasn’t exactly been the most mentally stable.” Her voice faltered slightly, and Sam looked away, blinking at tears. “I want to say the right thing so you’ll tell Danny he should stop being mad at me, and I don’t know what that is. And that’s—I don’t know how to fix this. I don’t know to make Danny see things the way I want him to.”

“What’s stopping him?”

Sam opened her mouth, then closed it abruptly, nearly biting down on her tongue to stop herself from answering it impulsively. “I don’t know,” she forced herself to say. “I know—I know it’s not Elizabeth. But you ask me that question, and that’s all I can say. I don’t think she’s doing it on purpose. But it doesn’t change the fact that Danny sees her as this perfect angel who can do no wrong, and I’m the wicked witch.” Tears clung to her lashes. “Just like his father, you know? I lost Jason the second she came into our lives, and now I’m losing Danny.”

James M. Hanley Federal Building: Hallway

When Reynolds and Gia had disappeared around the corner, Diane turned back to the unhappy crowd. “I know we all have a lot of thoughts and opinions and complaints,” she added. “But we can’t discuss them in the hallway.”

“I think we should stick with our original plan,” Elizabeth suggested, touching Cameron’s shoulder. “Cam, you drive your brothers and Danny back home — pick up something to eat? Jason and I will follow later.”

“But—” Danny began, but Jake cut in.

“We’re going. You’ve done enough,” he told his brother when Danny looked like he might protest. “Stop thinking about yourself for five damn minutes.”

“Jake,” Jason said, and Jake just shook his head.

“Whatever. Let’s just go.” Without another word, he started walking towards the elevators. Aiden followed him after a beat, and Danny looked at his father miserably.

“He hates me. This is my fault—”

“We’ll talk about it later,” Jason told Danny. “But it’s not your fault. Go home.”

“All right.” Danny looked at Elizabeth. “I’m sorry.”

“I know you are, honey.” She straightened the lapels of his suit jacket. “We’ll see you in a few hours.”

“You’ll call me if you need anything?” Laura said, embracing her former daughter-in-law.

“I promise. Thank you for coming. Both of you.” Elizabeth flashed a grateful smile at Kevin.

“Of course.”

“We’re heading home, too,” Michael said, looking at his mother meaningfully. “But if I can do anything—”

“You’ll be the first call,” Jason said. “Thank you. For sitting with Danny,” he told Carly.

“Well, if anyone knows how to stop a train wreck in progress, it’s one in recovery,” Carly quipped, hugging him lightly. “We’ll find a way to fix all of this, Jase. Don’t you worry.”

When everyone had departed, leaving Jason and Elizabeth alone with Diane and Spinelli, the lawyer’s cool exterior slipped slightly. “How the hell did they find out about that police report?” Diane demanded on a low hiss.

“Another tip,” Spinelli said, grimacing. “I’m gonna find out why Chase didn’t know anything about this. His source in the federal office should have been able to warn us—” He plucked his phone from his bag.

“If Sam did this,” Jason began, but then he just stopped, unsure how to even finish the statement. The gravity of the accusation — the thought that Sam had been furious enough to throw her own son under the bus with the hopes of removing Elizabeth from the picture—

He wanted to say it was impossible. That she would never do it—

“Did anyone else know?” Elizabeth asked softly. “Could Dex or his partner have done it?”

“Maybe. But it looks bad on the cops the way this came out. I gotta think they’d have covered themselves better,” Jason said.

“Which doesn’t leave us with much of a suspect list,” Diane said. She took a deep breath. “All right. Spinelli and I will deal with this. Neither of you can talk to Sam. Do you hear me?” she said to Jason and Elizabeth.

“Understood,” Jason said. “What do we do next?”

“We aren’t doing anything,” Diane replied. “The two of you are going home and while you’re driving, think of absolutely everyone that could have known about the visit to the station that night.”

General Hospital: Fletcher’s Office

“I understand there’s a long history between you, Jason, and Jake’s mother,” Fletcher said. “But it’s important that we stay focused on you and Danny.”

“I am—” Sam huffed. “You don’t understand. No one ever does—”

“I understand that you’re linking Danny’s rejection of you to a similar rejection you suffered from his father two decades ago,” Fletcher interrupted, and she felt her cheeks heat. Was that really what it sounded like? “Danny told me that for a long time, you and Elizabeth were able to stay civil, even friendly for the sake of Danny and his brother. Why do you think that’s changed?”

“I don’t—” Sam pressed her lips together, tried to consider the question honestly. “I don’t know. It was easier when they were younger. When Danny didn’t push back at me all the time. I—When I didn’t feel like every word I said to him was wrong. Every choice, every interaction — I could feel him moving away from me. And it just got worse when Jason came home. Because now Danny could spin a fantasy in his head about how it would be better if he lived with his dad. It just made me so mad because I’m the one who’s been there. I’ve been with Danny every second of his life, and Jason just hasn’t. I’m not wrong to resent Jason for that. And I hate Elizabeth for making Danny think it’s okay that his father just comes and goes and it’s all fine and happy. He watched Jake and Jason do that for Jake’s whole life, and Danny thinks that’s fine. Because Elizabeth let it happen. She wasn’t even angry at him, do you know that? She always settled for his crumbs, and she’s making it okay for Danny to do the same—” Sam pushed herself up out of her chair, paced over to the window. “Elizabeth raised her sons to expect less from their fathers, and now she’s teaching Danny the same lesson—”

“Is that why you were angry with her that day in the lobby? When you had your confrontation?”

Sam stopped, looked at him with confusion. “What?”

“Can you walk me through what was happening for you the day of the confrontation with Elizabeth?”

“You already know that story, okay? We don’t need to go over it. I’m sure you got everything you needed from Danny and Jason.” She looked back out over the city skyline, towards the lake in the horizon. “It’s not a happy memory, and I’d just as soon not revisit it.”

“It’s not happy for you or for Danny?”

Tears choked her throat. “He told you, why do you need to hear it from me?”

“Because you need to say it, don’t you?”

“I scared him. He’s terrified of me, is that what you want to hear?”

Franklin Street: Federal Parking Lot

 Cameron and Jake trailed behind Aiden and Danny as they approached the line of cars where they’d parked. “I know you’re pissed at him—”

“Pissed isn’t the right word,” Jake muttered, tugging at his tie. “Just when I think he’s not going to turn into his bitch mother—”

“Jake—”

“Mom’s sitting there, we’re all terrified for her life and freedom, and what does everyone have to do now? We have to take care of him,” Jake spat. “Because he got himself in trouble—” He stopped on the street, balling his fists in his pockets. “He got drunk and high, he dragged Aiden into trouble, and now Mom might go to jail because that bitch wants to pay Mom back for whatever bullshit went on a lifetime ago—and you want me to play nice?”

“Jake—” Cam let out a breath, looked back at the younger boys, neither of him seemed to realize they weren’t following anymore. “Yeah, I’m pissed that he lost it in front of the judge, too, and that maybe it could have made things worse. But it didn’t. Mom’s coming home—”

“For now. But they might have another hearing, and this time they might take her away again, and—” Jake looked towards the sky, took another deep breath, tried to find the calm. “And they don’t know who’s doing this, do they? Diane and Spinelli don’t know anymore than they did a goddamn month ago.”

“I don’t know.”

“At least with Mom at home, we could pretend it wasn’t happening, okay? But we’re back in court, and we’ll probably be here again in a week, and what if they take her this time? What if it doesn’t work? What if Diane doesn’t win, Cam? What if—”

“What if an asteroid hits the planet—” Cam put his hands on Jake’s shoulders. “It’s not easy being the older brother, you know. You and Aiden kept me on my toes—”

“Did not—”

“How many times did you get kidnapped and hit by cars?” Cam wanted to know, and Jake rolled his eyes. “Having a moron for a younger brother is something I know all about. You can’t just punch them when they’re being stupid.”

“No, sometimes you gotta slap them,” Jake muttered. He shook his head. “I don’t know how to do this.”

“That makes two of us,” Cam admitted. He slung an arm around Jake’s shoulder. “But we’ll figure it out.”

+37

Written in 56 minutes.

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Webber House: Living Room

“You’re really not making me go to school?” Danny asked skeptically. He winced when Jason tightened the knot on his tie, and tugged on it when Jason stepped back. “Man, these suck.”

“There’s no point in using Mom’s kids as a sympathy point if we leave the worst one at home,” Jake said, and earned himself a whack on the arm from his mother and a dark look. “It was just a joke.”

“I don’t particularly like the idea of any of you there,” Elizabeth said with a sigh. She watched Cameron toss a coat to Aiden and rummage for an umbrella. “But Jake’s not entirely wrong.  The fact that I have three minor boys living in my home, even if Danny isn’t my son, is a point against revoking my bail. We’re not hiding you,” she told Danny.

“But maybe don’t tell your mom you’re missing your first day back because of it,” Aiden suggested, and Jason winced, watching Danny’s reaction. His son didn’t even seem to flinch at the insinuation, which didn’t really give him much to work with.

“The actual hearing won’t be that long, I don’t think.” Elizabeth took the coat Cameron offered her, hung it over her arm. “Diane is bringing the motion, so she’ll talk first. Then the U.S. Attorney, and then the judge will rule.”

“And then we’ll all come home,” Cameron said. He held out an umbrella to his mother. “Don’t let your hair get wet. You know what happens if it does.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, then accepted it. “You boys better get going if you want to make sure you have seats.” She kissed Cameron’s cheek. “Drive carefully. I know it’s only drizzle—”

“Yeah, yeah, I got you. And we’ll wait for Michael and his mom in the parking garage before we go in. You’ll be right behind us?” Cameron asked.

“We’re leaving now,” Jason said, taking Elizabeth’s coat from her arm and holding it out so she could slid her arms through. “We’ll be right behind you on the road.”

“At least until Dad gets on the open high way. Speed limits are just a suggestion, he told me once,” Danny said, shrugging into his coat as he followed the other boys out the door.

Jason held the umbrella out, opening it when he and Elizabeth stepped outside. The rain had been coming down steadily since early that morning, a light drizzle that turned the whole sky a dreary gray. Matching the mood, no matter how much Elizabeth’s boys tried to keep the mood light.

The boys were driving the car Elizabeth had been using since her own had been seized in the arrest, the sedan waiting at the curb in front of the house. There was a brief argument between Jake and Aiden over the passenger seat, but Jake won the day on seniority and slid next to Cameron, with Danny and Aiden heading for the back.

Elizabeth stood by the passenger side of Jason’s SUV, Jason just behind her with the umbrella held over both of them. The four boys could have fit into their vehicle, but it would have been cramped — the only way to fit them comfortably would be to leave two of them at home. And how would Elizabeth even choose?

Would this be the last time she’d be in her home for months? The last time she’d see her boys outside a court room?

The sound of the door opening jolted Elizabeth, and she looked at Jason, took a deep breath. “I can’t help it. I’m worried about him driving in the rain.”

“We can call them, and you can follow them on your phone,” Jason told her, and she was grateful he didn’t tell her that they could just get on the road and keep the boys car in sight the whole way.

Once they were in the car, it would become real. It wasn’t a weekly trip for her check-in with pre-trial services — it was a hearing that Diane was almost guaranteed to lose. Elizabeth knew that they hadn’t been able to find enough to get the indictment dismissed. But would the government try to put her back in jail?

“Let’s go,” Elizabeth said, finally, and accepted Jason’s help to step up into the SUV and avoid tripping on her high heels. “I want to get this over with.”

Highway 481 South, Mile Marker 13

Diane flicked through some paperwork, squinting at the small print, then glanced over at Spinelli, his fingers wrapped tightly around the wheel, eyes on the road. Since they’d left Port Charles, the car had been relatively silent with only the rustling of papers and whooshing of the windshield wipers.

“It would have to rain today,” Diane muttered, flicking on the defrosters to clear the windshield. “What did Chase tell you when you passed the information about the phone?”

“The same thing you did,” the younger man said. “He can get the records, but it’ll be pretty limited right now, especially if she replaced her phone. We won’t be able to get anything off the cloud — but I wouldn’t expect it anyway.”

“No, not with the security Sonny would have put on the phone. Paranoid man,” Diane muttered with a huff. “But if we can get the location data and id of her phone, I can get information from cell towers in the area. We might be able to triangulate where her phone was located.”

“I know.”

“It won’t be a smoking gun,” Diane continued. “None of it really is,” she admitted. “It’s useless in front of a judge, but a jury would eat Kristina up as an alternative suspect. I’d never work for Sonny again,” she added, “but I think Alexis would understand.”

“I don’t want this to go to jury,” Spinelli said with a scowl. “I want to find Kristina on the footage planting the gun—”

“Spinelli—”

“Stone Cold asked me again if he could do anything, and I had to tell him no. Again. And that we didn’t have anything to tell him,” Spinelli added. Diane pressed her lips together, looked straight ahead. “He’d keep it quiet if we told him about Kristina—”

“I know that we’re convinced, Spinelli, but we might be wrong.”

“Diane.” If he could take his eyes off the road, Diane knew the pitying glance he’d give her.

“She’s the daughter of my best friend, Spinelli. And Jason’s been looking after her most of her life. When I think of what he and Sam went through to get her out of that damn cult. What Kristina’s put her parents through over the years—” Diane shook her head, dropping her eyes to the papers in her lap. “Six months ago, I wouldn’t have considered this, you know. But when I found out Kristina was planning to sue for custody of that baby, when I watched her at that funeral, making herself the center of attention—” she pursed her lips. “The little girl I knew couldn’t have done this. The callous woman I’ve seen lately could.”

Bobbie’s Diner: Dining Room

Sam shook out her umbrella, then tucked into the wrapper that would keep the rest of her bag dry. “I know you’re busy this morning, so thanks for meeting me.”

Alexis picked up her coffee. “I’m not due in court for an hour, and you have your appointment at noon, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” Sam gave her order to the waitress, waited for her to go. “I wanted to talk to you about it. About what to expect. And how to answer the questions.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been to anything like this, but you don’t need a game plan, Sam.” Alexis lifted her brows. “You just go in, and you answer the questions.”

“But this guy—he’s heard from Danny, and by now, Jason. He probably knows all about the custody issues, and that—that day in the lobby.” Sam picked up a straw, stripped off the wrapper. “He already has an idea in his head of who I am, and I just want to make sure he gets the right one by the end of it.”

“Sam—”

“Kristina was over last night, and she was telling me that I need to stand up for myself, you know? That I need to talk to the doctor about how things really were—” Sam stopped, saw her mother grimace. “Is that for me or Kristina’s advice?”

“Both. Your sister—” Alexis set down the cup, sat back, and didn’t speak again for a moment, collecting her thoughts. “I understand that she’s been through a very difficult situation, and that we’re barely two months out from the loss of the baby—”

“Irene,” Sam said softly, and Alexis closed her eyes. “I know, Mom. I catch myself doing it, too. I don’t use either name. But are we really helping her? Or are we choosing sides this way?”

“I don’t want it to be like that—”

“But it is like that. Kristina’s been—she’s been great,” Sam said. “You know? Checking in on me, making sure I eat. Keeping me from just being lonely—but Molly told me she’s not around as much as she’d want to be because she’s avoiding Kristina. I hate that, Mom. I let it happen.”

“I have as well,” Alexis said. “I looked at it like it was a triage situation. Kristina was more fragile, and Molly’s always seemed so capable—so…sturdy. I think that’s still largely true, but that Kristina’s taken that fragility—that inability to handle the reality of…Irene’s existence, and her…” Alexis’s voice faltered. “Her absence,” she said finally. “And she’s become brittle.”

“She wants me to stand up for myself,” Sam repeated. “And tell the doctor all the ways Elizabeth has done me wrong for the last twenty years.” Her lips were curved in a faint smile. “I’ve got that list ready to go, you know.” She tapped her temple. “It’s never far away. It’d be really easy to do it.”

“My question to you would be,” Alexis said, “is why do you need to make Elizabeth the villain in your story? She’s not, sweetheart.”

Her mother’s kind tone had Sam dropping her eyes, tears rising. She cleared her throat. “Someone else has to be the bad guy, Mom. Come on, you know how this works. Because if she’s just another character in the story—” She tapped her chest. “That makes me the problem. And I don’t know how to fix that. I thought I had. I thought—” She looked away, her eyes a bit distant, then focused, looking back at her mother. “I don’t want Jason back. I don’t want the life we had together. We didn’t love each other the way we should have, you know? Not anymore. And not for a very long time. Danny — he’s a miracle and I will never regret that he was born — but he probably shouldn’t have been.” Sam’s final words were released on a shuddering sigh, and she sat back in her chair, folding her arms. “It was easier with Elizabeth when she and Jason were just friends. When Jake was Danny’s brother, and I could forget why that link existed. I wouldn’t have to remember the person I was, and all the terrible things I did to break that link. The horrible things I thought about that boy. He never deserved any of it.”

“No, he didn’t.” Alexis tipped her head to the side. “But that boy is Danny’s brother, and they love each other very much. You have to make peace with all of that Sam. You have to. And you have to make peace with the person you were then.” She leaned forward. “Or you will never have a relationship with your son again. Can you live with yourself if that’s how this ends?”

“I just know I can’t keep doing things the way I have. I almost—I was lying in Scout’s room last night, and I started to think Kristina was right, you know? That I deserved to have my side of it known. That if this doctor understood why Elizabeth was the problem—I started planning it in my head, what would I say, how would I phrase it—and I just—” Sam sighed. “I don’t know. I just don’t.”

“Don’t go into this appointment with a game plan, Sam. Or a prepared speech, a rehearsed diatribe. Just go in with this thought — Danny. He’s all that’s left of your relationship with Jason. And he’s all that matters now.”

Franklin Street: Federal Parking Lot

Elizabeth stepped down from the car, her heels scratching lightly across the concrete floor. She moved out of the way so that Jason could close the door and looped her purse over her shoulder. “Cameron said he and the boys are inside with Michael and Carly—” Her phone buzzed again. “Spinelli and Diane just got there, too,” she said, reading the text. She lifted her eyes to him. “That just leaves us, I guess.”

“I know.”

And yet still neither of them moved. She shivered lightly, listening to the drops of rain outside, and the way water dripped inside, echoing off the walls. “Parent teacher conferences are in two weeks. I usually go back and forth between Jake and Aiden. They’re both good students, so I don’t feel like I have to talk to everyone. I like to see Jake’s art teacher, and Aiden’s math teacher. Aiden doesn’t like math—”

“Hey,” Jason touched her arm. “You’ll be there to do that. Okay?”

“I know. I know,” she repeated. “But…I just wanted you to know. In case. You’ll be there for Danny, and he has that shop class with Jake. I wanted to talk to the teacher, to see how that’s going because it’s such a strange choice for him, but he took it to be with Danny—”

He cut off her rambling with a brush of his mouth against hers, and she sighed, sliding her hand up to his neck. “If you don’t come home today,” he said, his breath against her lips, “then I won’t stop fighting until you do.”

“Without switching places with me,” she said, a little wryly, feeling rewarded when he smiled faintly.

“Without switching places,” he admitted. He took her hand, brought it to his mouth and kissed the inside of her palm. “Let’s try something new, okay? We’re in this together. No matter what happens.”

“No bailing,” she said, and his smile widened. “I said that to you once, remember? A lifetime ago. We…we broke that promise,” she admitted. “But not this time.”

“Not this time.” He kissed her forehead, lingering. “And not ever again.”

+45

Written in 69 minutes. I needed a little bit of time to finish the last scene — I wanted this to feel like a middle-of-the-night chapter, so I didn’t want to leave anything for the next part.

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Webber House: Jake’s Bedroom

The house had fallen quiet hours earlier, but Jake didn’t think anyone had actually managed to fall asleep. He laid on his back, staring at the ceiling, dimly making out the long faded stars he’d painted when they’d moved in eight years ago.

Beside him, he could hear Cameron’s breathing — but it wasn’t slow and even, signaling his older brother hadn’t been able to rest either.

“Are you really going back to California on Wednesday?”

Cameron shifted, the sheets rustling. “Yeah. I promised Mom I would. As soon as I sign the guardianship agreement.”

Jake sat up, drawing his knees towards his chest. “You think my dad’s going to leave again?”

Cameron sat up, too, but neither of them turned on a light, their outlines dimly visible through the streaks of moonlight filtering through the windows. “He made a good point tonight. The Feds want him more than Mom. He’s just as likely to be arrested tomorrow as she is to lose her bail. And then where are we? Danny gets shipped back to his mom,  you and Aiden with Grandma Laura?”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t notice that,” Cameron muttered. He was quiet for a moment. “I think something is different about him. I believe him when he says he’s staying. I believe that he wants it to be the truth.”

“That’s still not a no.”

“I’m not going to lie to you, Jake. Jason’s made a career of dipping in and out of Mom’s life. I remember a lot more than you do. He comes around, Mom’s happy, and then he goes. And they do this every few years. But this is the first time I can remember them being…” Cameron hesitated. “Romantic, I guess. The last time was before he got snatched the Cassadines. When you were…”

“Still dead,” Jake answered. He wrapped his arms around his legs. “You’re right. I know that. I said the same thing when he came home, and I avoided him as much I as could, you know? Wasn’t going to depend on him again. And now…”

“Now we don’t have a choice. Because Mom’s right, you know. As much as I want to be here, to be with you guys — whoever is doing this to her doesn’t get to destroy our lives, too. Because then this asshole wins. So I got what I wanted — I know you and Aiden will have a backup if something changes with your dad. I get to be here tomorrow. And Mom will get to have a little victory, too. I’ll go back to Stanford with more frequent visits.” Cameron leaned towards Jake, their shoulders bumping. “And you’re applying to that school in Spain.”

“You can barely be three thousand miles away, and I’m supposed to go six thousand?” Jake demanded. “No. There are programs closer—”

“You’re living the dream Mom gave up for me. For us,” Cameron clarified. “She wanted to be an artist. She’s made it possible for both us to do what we’ve already dreamed about. We’re going to do it.”

There was a light knock on the door, and then it opened. A head peeked around the edge, and Jake could make out the form of his younger brother. He sighed. “You can’t sleep either?”

“No, and—” Aiden came in, gestured towards the hallway with Danny following him in. “Neither can he. I found him in the hallway.”

“I was getting a drink of water,” Danny muttered.

“I’ll get the sleeping bags,” Cameron said, sliding off the bed.

Penthouse: Hallway

Sam’s fingers drifted along the wall as she walked from her bedroom towards the stairs, lingering on Danny’s room, then Scout’s. Both doors were closed — and had been since they’d last been home.

Had it really been two weeks since that awful night at the police station? Sam closed her eyes, trying to bring back the memory of that night, before the call in the middle of the night. Curled up on the sofa next to Dante, trying to cheer up Kristina. Scout in her room, Danny at his brother’s — or so she’d thought.

There hadn’t been a moment’s peace since that night, Sam thought. She opened her eyes, twisted the knob and stepped inside Scout’s room. It was neat — Scout always liked to clean it before she left for her father’s. She should have been home over a week ago,  and instead neither of her kids were coming home for months.

Sam sat on Scout’s bed, her fingertips  tracing a pattern in the lace. Tomorrow, she’d get to talk to Danny’s doctor for the first time, and she didn’t know what she was supposed to do. Kristina wanted Sam to stand up for herself, and there was a part of Sam that thought Kristina was right. That Sam deserved a chance to tell her side—

But then she’d remembered her mother’s harsh words and the look on Danny’s face. Every time Sam had tried to do that lately, it had been a mistake. She’d thought she finally make Danny understand how furious she was by walking out of the police station — only Jason had seized that opportunity to be the good father.

How was the fair? He’d always been the good guy who got to come in for special occasions, overnight visits, and holidays. She’d had the brunt of the work, hadn’t she? The good and the bad. She’d had to be play the cop, the executioner — and Danny treated her like she was the enemy.

But this doctor might end up testifying in the next hearing. And Sam needed him to be on her side. She should have done more research, should have looked him up. She could have figured out the right thing to do say if she treated him like a mark, like the idea old days.

Sam laid down on Scout’s bed, pulling the pink, lacy pillow towards her. She just had to find the right angle to make the doctor understand that Sam wasn’t the bad guy — that she was just trying to make sure Danny knew who Elizabeth really was — someone who couldn’t be trusted. That was her job, wasn’t it? To protect her son from people who would hurt him.

Somehow she’d make him understand. She’d make him see what she did.

Webber House: Elizabeth’s Bedroom

Elizabeth carefully closed the door, then slid back into bed next to Jason. “I heard a door close upstairs,” she told him, pulling the blanket up to her waist. “I think Aiden went up there.”

“Probably can’t sleep.” Jason sat up, then pulled Elizabeth against him, tucking her into his embrace so his arm was securely around her. “They’ll want to go tomorrow.”

“I know.” She closed her eyes for a moment, though sleep was no closer for her now than it had been when they’d heard Aiden’s door open just down the hall. “I won’t fight them on it. I don’t want them there, but if that prosecutor wants to put me back in jail, the judge should get to see how that hurts my family.”

He stroked her arm, his finger tips dancing lightly from her shoulder towards her elbow, then back again. “I thought about calling Spinelli again, just to see  there was anything he could tell us. Anything I could do. Even if it was just answering questions again. It’s hard to believe he doesn’t know anything yet. That Sonny doesn’t know anything.”

“Well, you were usually the one who found things out for Sonny,” Elizabeth reminded him, and he sighed. “He’s never been able to replace you. No one he trusts nearly as much. As for Spinelli —” she furrowed her  brow. “I got the feeling there are leads he just doesn’t want to share. Which I hate, but I respect that he and Diane are doing everything they can to make the evidence admissible. I just miss the days when you could punch someone and wrap it up in a few days.”

“So do I,” he said dryly, and she laughed lightly, surprising herself. Then she sighed and sat up, the sheeting pooling back to her waist.

“It’s so frustrating to not know anything,” she complained. “At least if one of us were involved, we could have some…I don’t know…” She waved her hand. “Something to do. We could argue about how we’re going to get away with it or where we’re going to run, or I don’t know—you not doing something stupid like you did with Michael—” She saw Jason wince and she furrowed her brow. “Jason?”

“I—” He sighed, then sat up a little more straight. “I did talk to Sonny. I can’t confess to Cates, but—”

“But you were going to confess to something?” she interrupted. “Jason—”

“It’s—” Jason slid out of bed, went towards the window by the night stand, then looked back at her. “The Feds hate me for Pikeman going wrong—”

“That’s their problem. They’re the idiots who can’t find Valentine, not you—”

“If I had turned over the name when I found out, if I hadn’t let Anna talk me into waiting—” He grimaced, looked out the window. “I thought about confessing to that. To letting him escape. They could charge me as an accessory. They’d get some blood for that—”

“Jason.”

“I thought about it,” he repeated. “But I’m not going to do it.”

“Why did you even—” She shoved back the sheets and got to her feet. “How could you even consider it? After already being gone—”

“They’re going after you because of me,” Jason told her. “What you and the boys are going through—”

“People have been going after me because of you for more than twenty years, Jason. I’m used to it. Why do you think your absence would make this better? Why do you always think the people who love you are better off when you’re not there?”

Jason opened his mouth, then closed it. “Everyone’s got questions today,” he muttered, looking back towards the window. “Danny’s doctor. He thinks Danny resents me because I waited so long to go to court. That trying to be fair to everyone made it worse. What does that do for Danny, being fair to his mother when she’s being unfair to both of us?” he bit out. He scrubbed a hand down his face. “I don’t know if any of you are better when I’m around. But I’ve tried it the other  way for years, and it hasn’t worked.”

She folded her arms, not mollified by his answer at all. “Oh. Well in that case, I guess that makes everything better—” Elizabeth turned away, irritated beyond measure, but he reached out, snagging her by the elbow and tugging until she was facing him.

“I’m sorry,” he told her. He stroked both hands down her arms, from shoulder to elbow to her wrists, bring her hands to his mouth. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want you to be sorry, Jason. I just want you to be here. I want you to want to be here.” Her throat tightened, but she forced the words out. “And now you’re telling me that you were thinking of a way to leave us again. To leave me and your sons. We just got you back. You were—I thought you were dead.”

Jason didn’t have an answer for that. He just leaned his forehead against hers.

“And I know it’s not because you don’t love us. I know how much you love Jake and Danny. I know that. But I’m tired of pleading with you to see how much we need you. I’ve spent my life doing that, Jason. For longer than I can remember, I’ve been standing in front of you, begging you to stay. It’s exhausting, and I don’t want to do it again. I don’t wake Jake and Danny to spend their lives doing it either.”

“I don’t want it either,” he managed.

“Then look at me — I mean it —” She touched his jaw, gently pushing until he raised his head so their eyes met. “You cannot solve our problems by removing yourself from the equation. You cannot make me, or Jake or Danny, or any one you love better by not being here.  We are not better without you. You need to believe me. I need you to believe me.”

“I’m—I do believe you—” He stopped, took a deep breath. “I know that’s true. You’ve told me that, over and over. But it’s hard to accept that I can bring you anything but pain.”

“The only pain you’ve ever caused me is when you leave,” Elizabeth said. Her eyes searched his. “So don’t do it.”

“I’m not going to.” He turned his head slightly in her grasp, kissed the inside of her palm, then drew it around her neck, pulling her against him. “I’m not going anywhere. Not this time. Not ever again.”

Pozzulo’s Restaurant: Office

Sonny flipped on the switch, casting off the shadows and illuminating his office. He hadn’t been able to sleep, and something had kept nagging at him, keeping him from slumber.

He’d come to the restaurant, thinking he’d find something he’d left unsigned or paperwork that needed to be destroyed, but looking around the room — it wasn’t that. So what had been nagging at him?

This is the second time she’s left her phone somewhere this month

The exchange with Spinelli flitted across his consciousness, and Sonny looked at the desk, saw Kristina’s phone. He’d put it in pocket at the diner, then he’d forgotten about it by the time he got back to the restaurant.

He walked over, picked it up, turning it over in his hands. She’d lost her phone a few weeks ago, Sonny thought. She’d been annoyed and complaining about it after their family breakfast — and she’d already been irritated that day, remarking on how little anyone seemed to care about her charges. When Michael had taken Donna and Avery home afterwards, Kristina had remained and pulled out her new phone. It had just been replaced because she’d left her old one somewhere, she didn’t remember where.

Sonny lifted his eyes to the painting that hid his safe. Where he knew one of his guns had gone missing. Few people had the combination, but he hadn’t really cared — it wasn’t where he kept the most important documents. He’d wondered if someone from his organization had taken out Cates with the missing gun —

But he remembered now that there’d been a tip delivered by phone that had triggered the search of Elizabeth’s car. And then Kristina had replaced her phone. After complaining everyone cared too much about Elizabeth’s charges.

No. No. It was just what he’d thought all along. Someone had stolen the gun from his office, someone trying to look good in the organization. Or maybe his gun wasn’t the murder weapon at all. It was a coincidence.

Stupid to think Kristina had done this — that she’d framed Elizabeth like this. Kristina didn’t have a reason to hurt Elizabeth or try to force Jason into anything. Jason had spent his life taking care of Sonny’s kids. They wouldn’t turn on him like this.

He’d call Spinelli, though, and tell him about the gun. That was the right thing to do.

Sonny exhaled slowly, set Kristina’s phone back on his desk, then switched off the light and left.

+40

Written in 73 minutes. Had to go over because it was 12:52 when I had one scene left, and I didn’t want to leave it out or leave it hanging.

Monday, September 30, 2024

 General Hospital: Fletcher’s Office

Jason reluctantly sat in the chair that the doctor gestured toward, perching towards the edge and leaning forward — almost as if, given half the chance, he could be up and gone within seconds.

Dr. Fletcher picked up a notebook from his desk, then came over to the chair across from Jason. “I know these sessions can be uncomfortable. I appreciate you coming in and participating in Danny’s therapy.”

“If this helps him, that’s what I want to do,” Jason said, and the doctor nodded, making a note.

“How are you  holding up after the hearing and Danny’s first visit with his mother?”

Jason furrowed his brow. “We’re not here about me.”

“You’re not my patient, no,” Fletcher said, “but you’re my patient’s father. His world is built around the adults in it. Everything you do affects him. Even if you think it doesn’t. I can’t help him if I don’t understand the people around him.”

Jason exhaled slowly. “I know that’s true,” he said after a moment. “I…I raised my nephew for the first year of his life, and I saw how he reacted to me, to others. He knew when I was angry, when I was upset, when I was—” he stopped. “I’m fine. About all of that. I didn’t want it to happen, but it did. And now we just have to deal with what’s left.”

“You told me during our first visit that you were avoiding court. That you didn’t want Danny in this position. Do you think Danny is worse off because you waited?”

“I—” Jason leaned back now, just slightly, surprised by the question. “I don’t know.”

“Danny told me something important about his visit with his mother,” Fletcher continued. “I won’t tell you exactly what he said, but he indicated that he intentionally introduced the subject of Elizabeth because he knew it would trigger his mother’s anger — and that it was the only way she might be honest with him.”

Jason grimaced, and not being able to stand it anymore, got to his feet, and paced towards the window. “I hate that he feels that way.”

“Does he do that with you?”

Jason hesitated, then squinted, looked back at the doctor. “I don’t think so. When he was arrested, he was angry when I brought him back to Elizabeth’s house. We were both angry,” he corrected. “I didn’t like the position he’d put himself in, the way he was speaking to his mother, to his brother, to Elizabeth. And the fact that he and Aiden were drinking or smoking at all — addiction— both our families have a history. And the way Danny talks about drinking…my brother, AJ, used to drink to get away from the pressure he felt from our family. So we were angry with each other. But I don’t think Danny intentionally pushes me to be angry.”

“Does he ask you difficult questions?”

“Like what?”

“Why you were gone for two years?” Fletcher prompted. “Why you and his mother divorced?”

“He’s asked those questions. I tell him the truth, the best I can. He doesn’t need to know everything about his mother and I.”

“Danny described you as someone who tries to be fair to everyone — even when someone is clearly wrong.”

“Did he?” Jason asked, surprised, then folded his arms. “I guess that’s true.” He frowned. “Is that a bad thing?”

“What’s the cost of that approach do you think?” Fletcher said instead. “You described the last few months as trying to approach Danny’s custody arrangement with Sam’s perspective in mind. She was right to be worried, you told me. You tried to be fair to her.”

Jason opened his mouth, then closed it, squinting. What was the cost to that approach? “I don’t know.”

“What does Danny learn from watching you avoid escalating? How do you think it helped Danny to delay the use of the court to force his mother to give you equal rights in Danny’s guardianship?”

That was a hell of a question, and Jason didn’t really have a good answer. “It didn’t, I guess. Sam just thought she could keep pushing because I wouldn’t push back. I tried to keep Danny from being put in the middle, but that’s all it did.”

“Do you think he resents that you didn’t act faster?”

“Does he?” Jason asked instead. “I don’t—” He stopped. “I don’t know. Maybe. He doesn’t like that he wasn’t in court. That he couldn’t speak for himself. Maybe that made his visit with his mother worse. I don’t want that. I don’t want him to feel like he has to attack Sam to get honesty. How do I fix that?”

“How often do you tell him he doesn’t have to choose?” Fletcher asked, and Jason scowled. “How often do you say something neutral in front of him about her? Do you ever defend her?”

“What’s to defend?” Jason asked before thinking, then grimaced. “I try to be careful what I say.     He already has a difficult relationship with her. I’m not interested in making it worse.”

“You were in a similar situation with your other son, Jake. Danny says until recently, you and Jake’s mother were not involved. I didn’t get any indication there were any conversations or problems around custody.”

Confused by the change in topic, Jason furrowed his brows again. “There weren’t. It’s different with Jake. Elizabeth and I haven’t been together for most of his life, and for a time…” he hesitated. “There was a time when Jake was young that I wasn’t involved in his life. Jake wouldn’t remember any of that. Danny wouldn’t know about it. But once I was in Jake’s life, Elizabeth made it easy to stay there. I’ve never had to fight to be with Jake.”

“So Danny sees a different example of how it could be,” Fletcher pointed out, and Jason winced. “Do you think that’s influencing his relationship with his mother? Why he’s bringing up Elizabeth with Sam?”

“Probably,” Jason admitted. He returned to the chair, perched on the edge. “I know it’s troubled him, the way Sam talks about his brother. About Elizabeth. I could see Danny wishing his situation with his mother was more like what Jake and Elizabeth have. I don’t know how to handle that. How to help him manage it. If I even should.”

“Danny’s at a crossroads,” Fletcher told him. “Up until this year, Sam was the primary parent in his life, you were more a visitor. It’s a statement of fact, not a judgment,” he added when Jason winced. “Right now, that situation has reversed. You’re not just the primary parent in his life, you’re also the stable one. If he’s not pushing you for honesty through anger or manipulation, that means there’s a level of trust. It’s important that you protect that. He feels safe with you. And he doesn’t feel safe with his mother.”

“I want him to be safe with both of us.”

“Danny wants that, too. It’s why he’s pushing his mother. He wants her to reveal harsh truths because maybe she can change. Because he’s changing. His truth was revealed — his substance abuse, and he feels guilty because he’s been rewarded for it. He’s living with his brother and father full-time with few restrictions despite his behavior. He feels guilty because he has a maternal relationship with Elizabeth, a woman his mother has made it clear she dislikes for that exact reasons. He’s enjoying the life he’s experienced, and there’s a part of him that thinks — if Sam could hit the rock bottom the way he did, maybe she might get better.”

“How do I help him? That’s all I care about.”

“A lot of what you’re already doing. Continued honesty, even if it’s difficult. Danny tests you less because he feels safe with you. But that might change. The safer he feels, the more comfortable he might feel to start pushing the boundaries of that freedom. He pushed and pushed until his mother walked out on him. You’ve already left him once. What does it take for someone to stay?”

Jason exhaled slowly, leaned back. “He needs me to stay. To not give up on him.”

“Exactly. Continue staying neutral as best you can about his mother in front of him. Don’t analyze her behavior. Make it clear that these visits with his mother aren’t about fixing anything and he doesn’t have to report to anyone when he’s done. He doesn’t need perform loyalty with you. So far he hasn’t indicated he wants to return to drinking or smoking weed. These are good signs. But he might relapse. What’s your plan if that happens?”

Jason paused, considering the question. “I know that he does it to numb himself, to make things go away. If he does, then it means something’s happened. And that’s more important to find out than punishing him.”

“That’s a good instinct. Conversation, identification of the cause. Punishment can come later. It’s important that Danny has limits and consequences, but they won’t resolve anything.” Fletcher made some notes. “I’m having my first session with his mother tomorrow, and I’d like to talk to Jake and Elizabeth if that’s possible. Jake, especially. He’s important in Danny’s social structure.”

“I’m sure they’d both agree.” Jason paused. “Am I allowed to ask what you’ll say to Sam?”

“You can ask. But until the two of you are in a room, I can’t answer.” Fletcher put down his pen. “Is there anything you’d like her to know? That’s something I’ll ask her as well. And share the answers.”

Jason considered the question carefully. “I want her to know that Danny is all that matters to me. I want him to be okay, to be happy, and that I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. That for all the things we’ve done and said to each other, none it should matter more than our son.”

Penthouse: Living Room

“I’m so glad you’re getting to finally  talk to that doctor tomorrow,” Kristina said, curling up on the sofa next to Sam. “You’ll get to tell your side of things, and he’ll be able to make Danny understand the truth.”

Sam smiled weakly, picking the sofa cushion. “The truth, huh? Which one?”

“That Elizabeth is deliberately trying to make things worse for you and Danny so she can replace you. I don’t care what Mom says,” Kristin added. “Elizabeth is the one that brought Danny here, knowing how you feel about her being around Danny. It’s bad enough Jason’s living there. Elizabeth rubbed your face in it.”

“That might be true,” Sam said, sitting up and folding her legs. “But it doesn’t change the mistakes I’ve made. I grabbed her. I slapped her.”

“And then she got to look like the benevolent victim by not filing charges. She pushed you into that, Sam. You need to stand up for yourself tomorrow,” Kristina said. “Make sure that doctor knows everything Elizabeth did to steal Jason from you, right? Getting pregnant to trap him, coming between the two of you back then, trying to use Jake to keep him away from you, then lying about Jake Doe—”

Sam made a face. “If I start listing all of that—” she trailed off, looked away.

“Then what?” Kristina demanded. “What? What’s going to happen?”

“Krissy, it wasn’t all Elizabeth back then. I did…” Her sister’s expression tensed, and Sam dropped her eyes. “I did some terrible things.”

“Jason worked for the mob, Sam. What’s worse than that? He’s killed people.”

“He worked for your father, Kristina. And my history isn’t much better. I—I’ve used the danger to criticize Jason, but I don’t use his actions — that’s not fair.” Sam sighed. “I don’t know. I just don’t want to walk into another room where someone blames me for everything. I’ve made mistakes, but so has everyone else. It just doesn’t seem fair that I’m the only one paying for it.”

“For now,” Kristina said, and Sam frowned at her. “After tomorrow, you’ll see. Everything will be better. I can almost guarantee it. But you—” She jabbed a finger at Sam. “You have to promise to stand up for yourself with that doctor. Promise me.”

“I promise I’ll do my best tomorrow,” Sam said, “but I wish I felt as optimistic as you do.”

Kristina smiled. “You’ll see. I just have a good feeling.”

Bobbie’s Diner: Dining Room

Spinelli opened the door, and nearly turned all the way around when he realized a familiar face was at the counter.

But it was too late — Sonny had already seen him and was lifting a hand in acknowledgment. Spinelli forced himself to smile, then strode forward. “Mr. Sir,” he said. “Always a pleasure to see you.”

“I thought you’d retired all those old nicknames,” Sonny said with a wrinkle of his nose. “You’re not a kid anymore.”

“No, I’m not,” Spinelli said, a bit wistfully. “But I find it makes Stone Cold feel more like his old self when I throw in some of the old stuff.” He nodded to the waitress. “Picking up for Maxie Jones.”

“It does bring me back to a different time when I hear it,” Sonny admitted. “How’s he doing? I know you can’t tell me anything about the case, but you see Jason and Elizabeth more than I do. They holding up?”

“As best as one can imagine,” Spinelli said carefully. “The Jackal hasn’t been successful yet, but I have every hope that before trial, I’ll have some answers.”

“Good. That’s good—”

“Mr. Corinthos—” Another waitress came out of the kitchen, a little breathless. “Margie said you were out here. I was gonna wait until Ms. Spencer came in because she’d have the number, but—” She leaned under the counter and came up with a cell phone. “Kristina was in earlier and left this on the counter.”

Sonny sighed, retrieved the phone, turning it over in his hands. “You’d think she was a teenager the way she loses phones,” he muttered. He looked at Spinelli. “You’ve got a daughter. How many phones does she lose?”

Spinelli lifted his brow. “Georgie? She’s still got the one we gave her last year on her birthday.” He cleared his throat. “Kristina’s been a little distracted lately, I’m sure.”

“Distracted, yeah, I guess that’s fair. I just—you know every time she has to replace a phone, we have to put security on the damn thing so it can’t just be hacked by that—” Sonny gestured. “AirPlay? Is that what it is? This is the second time she’s left her phone somewhere this month.”

“This month?” Spinelli echoed, his heartbeat picking up. “That does seem like a lot. Even my Maximista doesn’t lose phones at that rate. Good luck with that.”

“Thanks. It was good seeing you, Spinelli.” Sonny slid the phone into his pocket, and reached for his order. “Do good work, okay?”

“Will do, Mr. Sir.” Spinelli watched him go, his head already racing. Kristina had a phone replaced this month? When? Why? Had she tried to erase evidence after making a false tip? Could they legally find out without her picking up the scent?

He tugged his phone out of his pocket and began to fire off a text to Diane.

What does it take to get a subpoena for someone’s phone records?

Webber House: Living Room

“I don’t understand,” Jake said, leaning forward with his brow creased. “They let you out on bail. They can’t just take it back.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Aiden chimed in. “How is that fair?”

Elizabeth, standing across the coffee table and sofa, blocking the television, exchanged a look with Jason, then took a deep breath. “It’s not fair—”

“But sometimes they don’t care about what’s right or fair,” Danny said, and all eyes swung to him, squeezed into the corner of the sofa with Jake between him and Aiden. “I mean, my mom went to jail over that Shiloh guy. He was awful. He did bad things to Kristina, to Willow, he was gonna hurt Cameron—but no one cared about any of that. Fair doesn’t matter.”

“No, that wasn’t fair, and neither is this,” Elizabeth said. She bit her lip. “I’m not saying it’s going to happen for sure. But Diane usually has a good nose for this kind of thing, and we’re pretty confident it’s going to, at least, come up tomorrow.”

“And  they could take you right then?” Aiden wanted to know. “Like—that would be it?”

“Yes. If the judge decides to revoke bail immediately. But he might ask the government to formally file a bail revocation, which means we’d have more time. Spinelli said he was close to answers the last time I talked to him,” Elizabeth said. “It might come to nothing.”

“But it might be something,” Cameron said, standing behind the sofa, his arms folded.

“It—” Elizabeth pressed her lips together, took a deep breath. “It might,” she managed. Jason squeezed her hand.

“If it does,” Jason said, “then the most important thing we can do is focus on the truth. Your mother is innocent, and there’s a lot of evidence that will prove it. Even before Spinelli finds something definitive. I believe in him, in Diane.”

“Would it be like last time?” Aiden asked, staring down at the floor, his voice sounding younger than his fourteen years. “Could…could we see you, talk to you?”

“I don’t know. I hope it would be different. I can’t imagine they could restrict visitors permanently,” Elizabeth said.

“But I’ll be here,” Cameron said, and Elizabeth furrowed her brow. “If they send you to the same place, the weekends are visiting times. I’ll be here on the weekends. I’ll be going back to California on Wednesday,” he added when Jake turned to look at him. “Mom and I agreed. Diane will have the guardianship agreement updated by then so that I can be there for Aiden and Jake if I need to.”

“You don’t trust my dad?” Danny said, swinging his eyes back to his father. “Are you going somewhere?”

“No,” Jason said firmly, and Elizabeth looked at him now, because there was something different in his voice when he said it this time. “I’m staying right here, but it’s always a good idea to have back up in case something happens to me. They—they think I’m part of this. That your mother is covering for me,” he told the boys. “There needs to be another layer of guardianship if something goes wrong.”

“Oh.” Danny settled, mollified.

“We’re both innocent,” Jason continued. “And we’re going to keep fighting this. I know it’s hard — especially because I haven’t given anyone in this room a reason to trust me,” he added. “But I’m not going anywhere, and we’ll fight as long as we have to make sure your mother doesn’t either.”

+39

Written in 58 minutes.

Monday, September 30, 2024

Bobbie’s Diner: Courtyard

Molly’s hand froze, hovering over the handle of the diner’s front door. Behind the panes of glass she could see the dark hair of her older sister swinging over her shoulder as Kristina picked up an order and turned back towards the door.

A run in with Kristina was the last thing Molly needed. She could pick up something closer to the court house.

She was halfway across the courtyard before Kristina’s irritated voice stopped her. “You can’t even say hello to me?”

Molly closed her eyes, counted to five, then turned to face her sister. “I find when I say hello to someone, they think it opens a conversation. I try to avoid that with people I don’t want to talk to.”

Kristina scowled. “You don’t want to face me because you know I’ll call you out on your bullshit—”

“My—” Molly couldn’t even complete her thought, she was so genuinely baffled. “My bullshit? Have you lost what little sense you had left?”

“Do you know what Sam’s been going through since you started your little war?” Kristina demanded. “Thanks to you, Sam’s life is destroyed—”

“Thanks—” Molly held up a hand. “I can’t—I’m sorry. How exactly is Sam’s situation my fault? I just saw her—”

“If you’d just kept your nose out of all of this, Dante wouldn’t have been assigned to the case,” Kristina retorted. “He was so busy focusing on that instead of his own kid. Rocco dragged Danny into trouble, and now Sam’s lost custody of both her children. Why couldn’t you just let the real lawyers handle it, huh? Why do you always have to go after glory?”

“That is a wild chain of events you’ve linked to me. Dante was barely involved in the case before he had to recuse himself, and Rocco and Danny were drinking for months, long before—why am I even justifying myself to you?” Molly shook her head, and turned, heading for the parking lot, then turned back. “You know what, Kristina? The reason I’ve been avoiding Sam is because you’re always there. The last thing Sam needs is someone who blames everyone else for her problems.”

“I’m helping her,” Kristina shot back.

“Yeah, the way you helped me and TJ? You want to try to help yourself to one of Sam’s kids?  Your kind of help, Kristina, is poison. I just wish I’d seen it sooner. Stay away from me.”

Webber House: Living Room

Elizabeth exhaled slowly, then turned to face Cameron. Her baby. The first child she’d brought into this world. The little boy with messy curls and a sweet smile who had made her a mother and day after day, had given her the strength to keep going when the world had seemed against her.

How did he get so tall? When had he turned into a person with his own thoughts and feeling and dreams? With his own moral compass and direction?

“I’m not going to apologize for trying to protect you and your brothers from all of this. For not wanting any of this to touch you. This is my problem, and I’m going to fix it. I won’t make my problems yours. I’ve done that enough, Cameron. You already delayed Stanford for a whole year—”

“Willingly,” Cameron said. “I have zero regrets about waiting to go, or coming home. Mom.” He stepped towards her. “I know you have guilt about how much time I spent with Jake and Aiden. How much babysitting I did, especially for Aiden. You think you took pieces of my childhood because it was just us, and it’s not true, okay? It’s not.”

“Cam—”

“Aiden doesn’t remember the way things were without Jake. Those years when we thought he was gone.” Cameron gestured to her, then to himself. “But we do, right? We know. And I can’t forget it. You’re not the only one who blames themselves for Jake running out the door that day.”

“You were just a little boy, Cameron,” Elizabeth managed. “It was my job to keep you safe—”

“Being there for my brothers, being part of raising them, making them into they are? That was a privilege, Mom. I don’t regret a single moment I spent with either of them. And I don’t regret standing here with you instead of being in some lecture in California. I’m not a kid anymore.”

“No, you’re not.” She sighed, then nodded. “All right. You’re not the only one, Cam, who thought two weeks ago that things would be different today. That somehow, the real killer would have been found. Or that the Feds would realize it’s not me. And it’s not Jason. The motion to dismiss tomorrow— it was always a long shot that this nightmare would be over.”

“So it’s just the fact there’s been no movement on the actual case?” Cameron furrowed his brow. “Joss said that the FBI did another search—”

“They did. And we got the preliminary results.” Elizabeth hesitated, weighing her words carefully. “Whoever put that gun in my car — we always knew it was almost certainly the real murder weapon. Otherwise, why go to the trouble? But they couldn’t match it definitely to the scene. That gave Diane the wiggle room she needed to make an argument for bail. I’m not a risk for flight without a match to the murder weapon.”

Cameron stared at her for a long moment. “But they found something that matches it. Another bullet?”

“One that’s not too damaged. The report isn’t back yet, but yes. I expect it to be a match. Which means evidence that links me to the murder weapon.” Elizabeth leaned back against the sofa. “What I’m accused of — with my links to people who know how to disappear — I never should have made bail. But the Feds didn’t fight bail that hard. They wanted me out.”

“They wanted to watch you and Jason. Because they think he’s involved.” Cameron made a face. “I figured—”

“He’s not involved. Not even a little. We’re completely innocent. Believe me, if Jason had any evidence, he’d have turned it over. He wouldn’t have let me spend a single night in jail if he knew something. We have nothing to offer the FBI about this case.” Elizabeth looked out the window, towards the road where her car had once sat. One that was now somewhere in federal custody. “For two weeks, they’ve got nothing out of us. So the reason they let me go isn’t working. And now—this new evidence increases my flight risk—”

“They might try to revoke your bail.”

“That’s a real fear.” Elizabeth rubbed her mouth. “And maybe they think I’m better leverage behind bars. Maybe I’ll turn on Jason, maybe he’ll confess to protect me. Either way, tomorrow — we find out what the Feds are thinking. And I don’t know what happens next. I don’t know if the judge would revoke it immediately. I don’t—” Her lips trembled. “I don’t know if I’m coming home from the court house tomorrow.”

The words lingered between them, and Cameron just watched her for a long moment, then took a deep breath. “Okay.  You need to tell Jake and Aiden. And Danny.”

“Cameron—”

“Mom. This isn’t about protecting them. They need to know that there’s a real chance they might not be able to see you after tomorrow. If you let them leave for school tomorrow and then you’re just not here — ” Cameron shook his head. “No. I’m telling you right now they’re old enough to handle this information, but they’re still young enough that it’ll hurt like hell. And they’ll be angry at themselves for going to school when they should be with you in court tomorrow.”

“I don’t want—”

“Jake’s been through worse in his life, so he can handle it. And we can help Aiden deal. Danny’s part of the family now.  If they were, like, eight, Mom, maybe I can see hiding this. But they’re not. We’re going with you. If they try to take your bail, I think the judge should see who they’re hurting.”

“I never wanted any of this to touch you, to come near you. Promise me you’re going back to school after tomorrow—”

Cameron shook his head. “I’m not promising anything. Not anymore. We take it day by day, Mom, okay? Right now, I’m good through this week. We’ll see what happens.”

Elizabeth lifted her eyes to the ceiling, tried to find the words, the patience, something she could use to put things back the way they’d been only weeks ago. “I can’t stand this. I can’t—”

Cameron came to her, and pulled her into a tight hug. Oh, and how his hugs had changed — from the little arms that could barely wrap around both her legs—she pressed her forehead to his shoulder. “When did you grow up? And who let that happen?”

“I’m going to be here for you and my brothers, Mom. And I won’t regret a single thing I have to give up. Because I know what you gave up for us—”

“I didn’t—”

“You think I don’t know why you became a nurse?” Cameron asked, pulling back so he could look at her. “You wanted a steady paycheck, health insurance, a life for me. But it wasn’t your dream. You made it your dream, and it’s worked out. But you did that for me—”

“I don’t regret it, Cam. Not a single second—” Horrified, Elizabeth shook her head. “You were always worth it, and I don’t even miss the life I thought I’d have—I don’t even think about that anymore—” It wasn’t like her mother and the fellowship she’d given up for Elizabeth’s birth, it wasn’t.

“I know. So trust me when I say the same thing. I’m not giving up anything I’m going to miss. Not when it means I’m right here with my family.”

FBI Temporary Offices: Conference Room

Caldwell squinted, and straightened when he saw Gia striding through the door of the conference room. “Did you drive all the way up here to get a paper copy of the report or something? Because I could have brought it tomorrow—”

“I wanted to see it in person. Today.” Gia reached out a hand, and he set a folder in it, still bewildered. She flipped through it, skimming. “Walk me through how you got this information.”

“An anonymous tip told us to look at the PCPD logs for September 14.” Caldwell picked up his notepad, flipped through the pages. “We found that two officers had been dispatched to the 400 block of Elm Street for a drunk and disorderly. That came from the report — there was no address. Just a block. The report was sparse. Two juveniles—Rocco Falconieri and Daniel Morgan—were brought in, found to be under the influence, and released to their parents, Samantha McCall and Dante Falconieri. Seemed to pretty cut and dry, except the tip told us it involved Webber.”

“Did it?”

“We pulled 911 calls from the time of the report,” Caldwell continued. “Two came in, within about ten minutes of each other. The first was to report the two teenagers walking around Elm Street — she’d nearly hit them with her car. And the second was from 46 Elm Street. Three teenagers arguing on the sidewalk, making a lot of noise and one of them was on the ground like they’d passed out. Neighbor overheard them arguing about vape pen and being high.”

“Three teenagers.” Gia exhaled slowly. “That’s Elizabeth Webber’s neighbor. 46? She lives at 44 doesn’t she?”

“She does. Which explains why those kids were picked up on the 400 block, doesn’t it? They’re in her neighborhood—”

“Two drunk teenagers heading to her house.” Gia closed the folder. “If the third teen had been under the influence, they’d have brought him in.”

“According to our tip, they did. Only Dante Falconieri wanted the drugs to be hushed up and to make the third teen disappear from the files. The second 911 call isn’t in the report. And since the kids were released—”

“No further paper trail.” Gia pressed her lips together. “It’s not much,” she said finally. “No evidence that any drug use happened in the house or under Elizabeth’s influence or with her knowledge. If anything, this Dante has something to answer for.” She looked at him. “But Reynolds is going to use it anyway to revoke her bail.”

“He’s going for revocation?” Caldwell pursed his lips. “I guess that makes sense. Webber’s kept herself clean other than some custody dispute with Morgan’s ex, but she comes out smelling like a rose in that case. I guess the match makes the flight risk question come up again, and this report—”

“Would suggest she can’t stay out of trouble.” Gia closed the folder, then pulled out a chair and sat down, considering her thoughts, and pulling together how she wanted to approach this. “I can’t stop him from going into court tomorrow and telling the judge Elizabeth Webber is a flight risk and that there’s a strong enough case to justify the charges. Because that—well, that part is true.”

“I sense a ‘but’ coming,” Caldwell said, pulling out his own chair to take a seat. “What are you thinking?”

“Reynolds can’t see it because Pikeman was his, and he’s still pissed at Morgan for how it went down. And I always understood how your investigation focused on him with the evidence we had at the beginning,” Gia said. “Maybe we can argue about how hard you went at his kids—”

“Had no choice—”

“But you didn’t break them.”

“No. And I really thought we would. Considering he’s been walking in and out of their lives. Plus, the youngest has a chip on his shoulder about his mom. Thought we’d piss him off enough he’d let the truth spill.” Caldwell grimaced. “Teenagers don’t hold up under that kind of pressure.”

“Not unless they’re telling the truth.” Gia leaned back in her chair. “I came onto this case thinking the same as Reynolds, you know. I had real doubts Elizabeth Webber was the shooter, but there’s enough in her case file to suggest she’d cover for Jason Morgan.  But I kept an open mind, and I’ve talked to the locals. They’ve put together some really compelling evidence that really makes it clear neither of them are the shooter. Which leaves us with two options. Either they’re innocent — or Jason Morgan set up a hit on an FBI agent with his teenager children, nephew, girlfriend, and a dozen other young witnesses in earshot who easily could have ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. And I’m sorry, but I just don’t buy it.”

“I…thought at the beginning one or both of them had to be involved. Especially after we found the gun. But the time frame for this shooting — it’s such a small window — ” Caldwell stroked his chin. “I can’t believe he doesn’t know anything. But did he set it up? I don’t know anymore.”

“Neither do I. Because here’s my real question — ” Gia leaned forward. “Every piece of evidence we have that paints Elizabeth in a bad light? It’s coming from an anonymous tip. We’d never go near her trunk without that call. And now we have a police report falling into our lap right before the hearing? Someone else is directing this investigation, and I think if we find that person, we find our killer.”

+34

Was hoping to get one more scene in, but couldn’t manage it. I gotta tell you, I almost want to try to get back to updating more because I feel like I’m finally back into the story groove. I need to find time in the schedule. Or we need to add more hours in the day. SOMETHING.

Monday, September 30, 2024

Hanley Federal Building: U.S Attorney’s Offices

“I think it’s a mistake,” Gia said, with a quick shake of her head. “I don’t think she’s a flight risk, and you’ll just piss everyone off asking for a bail revocation we can’t win.”

“First, she only got bail because I didn’t argue that hard.” Reynolds leaned forward, tapped his pen on the folder in front of him. “And having her out for the last few weeks hasn’t helped us one goddamn—and don’t start with me about her not being guilty. We’ve been over this—”

“And we’re going to keep going over this.” Gia lifted her chin. “Look, you and I work well together because we both push each other to face reality. To talk about the hard facts. And the fact is that Elizabeth Webber has a rock solid alibi with evidence that corroborates her statements. She ran towards the gunshots. She absolutely broke her shoe doing that —” She flipped through her folder and slapped down the still frames. “Caldwell’s interrogation of Jake Webber. Elizabeth comes in, and she’s wearing sneakers—”

“Maybe she has bad fashion sense—”

Gia slapped down another printout. “Brook Lyn Quartermaine posted a family shot from the barbecue. Elizabeth, wearing the sandals an hour before the shooting. You think Diane Miller isn’t reading the report and pulling the same information?”

Reynolds exhaled slowly. “Gia—”

“I know. I know. You don’t think she’s the shooter, you think Morgan did this. You think he set himself up with an alibi from his mother or the kids, and arranged for someone else to take out Cates. But you’re walking into court with a theory of the crime that you know didn’t happen—”

“Elizabeth has a short window to make the shot,” Reynolds interrupted coldly. “She knows it. She loses track of time with the kids, and has to run down to the boat house. Breaks her shoe. There you go. Done.”

“And the kids who saw her going off with Michael before the shooting? Not enough time for her to walk to the garden, then run to the boathouse and shoot John Cates.” Gia scowled. “Look, I’m not saying Jason Morgan isn’t guilty. I’m just—I’m not comfortable going into court tomorrow to argue before a federal judge a theory of the crime that I don’t think happened. I don’t think she’s involved, Noah. I think Morgan or someone else planted the gun or left it in her trunk afterward.”

“Then she should tell us what she knows—”

“You’re not listening—” She huffed when the phone rang and Reynolds held up a finger to cut her off while he lifted the receiver to his ear.

“Yeah? What do you have? Really? Wait—” Reynolds swiveled to his desktop monitor. “Yes, I see the email. All right. I’ll check it out and get back to you.” He hung up, then scanned the email, clicking an attachment.

“What is it?” Gia asked.

He grinned, then turned to look at her. “A police report connecting Webber and her kids to drug use in the home.”

She went still.  “What?”

Webber House: Kitchen

Cameron found his mother loading the dishwasher and remained at the threshold between the kitchen and living room. “Uh, everyone gone?”

Elizabeth flicked him a glance, then returned to rinsing out a coffee cup and setting it in the top rack. “Yes. Your brothers are at school, and Jason and Danny had an appointment at the hospital.”

“Oh.” Cameron came into the room, slid onto one of the stools. “I thought he was going back to school this morning.”

“He’s going tomorrow. Jason wanted him to see the doctor first.”

“Oh,” he said again, then folded his hands on the counter, staring at them. “I know you’re mad at me.”

“Mad? I’m not mad.”

Now he lifted his eyes to find his mother staring back at him coolly. “Mom. Can we talk about this?”

“I wasn’t aware there was anything to talk about.” She folded her arms. “You sounded like you had it all figured out yesterday. What do you need me to say?”

Cameron opened his mouth, then closed it. He hated when his mother did this — when she was all frosty and sarcastic. It was like building a brick wall of ice — chipping away would just give you frostbite. “I should have talked to you, okay? Before just…deciding.”

“I’m sorry, I thought we did the last time you came home. Made a decision to handle this. Was I confused, Cameron?” Elizabeth asked. “Did I imagine you making a deal with Jason that he’d take care of airfare for you to come home every other week?”

“No—”

“And the return ticket you had yesterday—wasted money. I raised you better than that.”

“You raised me to take care of my brothers,” Cameron argued. “I’m doing that. Circumstances changed—” When his mother just shook his head, he scowled. “No, don’t do that. Mom. Come on. Stop acting like this is something stupid I did, okay? I made arrangements to skip a few in person lectures. I’ll get the notes, and I’m going to miss one lab. That’s it. I can handle the rest of it. I didn’t do this lightly—”

“You did this without speaking to me—”

“You’re my mother, and I love you, but I’m not a kid anymore. I don’t actually have to get your permission.” He got to his feet. “And you’re going to stop treating me like I’m twelve.”

“You deliberately waited until the last minute to tell me you weren’t going — so that I wouldn’t have time to change your mind — if you want to be treated like an adult, then act like one.”

“You mean like you do?” Cameron demanded. “How about nearly getting thrown in jail for kidnapping, Mom? How about helping Uncle Nikolas keep a pregnant woman hostage? Is that an adult thing or—”

Elizabeth pressed her lips together, took a deep breath. “I made a mistake—”

“That’s not a mistake, Mom. You made a decision, and then you threw Uncle Nikolas under the bus to get out of it. I’m not saying I wanted you to go jail, and you know I don’t give a damn about Esme Prince. Not after what she did to Spencer. But she should have been in jail all those months. She never would have able to get amnesia and wiggle out of trouble—” He took a deep breath. “I don’t want to fight with you. I should have talked to you before  yesterday and I’m sorry. But I knew you’d do this. I knew you’d be angry about it, and you wouldn’t agree, and we’d go round after round like this. Because I fight like you do. We both go for the jugular because it’s quicker.”

She closed her eyes, then combed her hands through her hair. “Cameron.”

“Because  yeah, we had an agreement. Two weeks ago. When I thought this whole thing was stupid. I thought the next time I came home, they’d have, you know, found the real killer.” Cameron laid his hands on the counter. “But it’s worse now. Right? I’m not imagining that.”

“I don’t want what’s happening here to stop you or Jake—”

“I agreed to go back to California because I didn’t want you to cry. Not again. I was on the phone, Mom. When you got home after making bail.”

Elizabeth looked at him, her eyes shimmering. “I’m fine now—”

“You’re doing what you’ve done my whole life. You put on the mask, and you pretend for us. When Lucky walked out, when we lost Jake, when the truth about Jake Doe blew up — when Franco pulled his stunts and then when he died—” Cameron shook his head. “You put on the mask, you pretend to smile and hold it together, and for my entire life, I believed it was the real you. I just thought that my mother was like concrete. That nothing could break you.” His voice changed, thickened. “And then I was in California, on a stupid phone, watching you break down. Listening to you cry. And that was after five days in jail.”

She started to speak, then shook her head, folding her arms around her torso.

“I would have promised anything if I thought it would keep you together. Because that scared the shit out of me, Mom. I came home, I tried to keep everything light. I tried to focus on the good. But I’m not going to forget that night. Or the way you and Jason sounded when you didn’t know I was listening. What’s happening that made you scared again?”

She shook her head again and walked past him, heading for the living room and he followed. “Talk to me, Mom. I can handle it.”

“It’s not—” Elizabeth turned, lifting her hands. “It’s not about you. Okay? It’s me. I’m not putting any of this on you. I’m your mother. It is my job to protect you. You are going back to Stanford, you’re going to graduate, and go to medical school and have everything you ever dreamed about—”

“Mom—”

“So if you need me to sign some paper that says you can be Aiden’s guardian if something happens to Jason, okay, fine. I’ll sign it. But you are going back to school—”

“You can’t make me go anywhere,” Cameron said gently. “Not anymore. I’m not a kid. You raised me to stand up for what’s important. And I’m doing that. I’m not going to be three thousand miles away when my family needs me.”

The tears spilled down now and she turned away, holding her fingers against her mouth.

“Answer my question, Mom. What’s happening? What’s changed?”

General Hospital: Fletcher’s Office

Danny picked at a piece of his sweater. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

Dr. Fletcher, sitting across from him with that stupid same patient expression on his face, balanced the notebook on his knee. “I don’t want you to do anything, Danny. I ask the questions. You answer them however you want. Or not.”

“You’ll just think I’m avoiding the whole thing.” Danny made a face. “I don’t know is an answer, okay.”

“We don’t have to talk about the hearing anymore—”

“We can’t talk about something I didn’t go to,” Danny retorted. “I told you. They wouldn’t let me. I know Dad said I wouldn’t want to go, and that it wasn’t even up to him, which, okay, fine. But I’m not a stupid kid, right? I should get a say in what happens to me. And not through some lawyer. She got to go and speak for me, but I should have been there.”

“What do you think would have been different?”

Danny frowned, looked at him. “What?”

“If you’d gone,” Fletcher clarified. “What would you have said? How would you like the outcome to have been different?”

“I—” Danny stopped. “I don’t know,” he answered, but the question was an interesting one. “I wanted to see my mother. And I got to see her the next day, but it just ended up in a fight like it always does. She has an idea in her head of how things are and she doesn’t listen when I talk. Maybe in a court, when she has to be quiet, it’d be different, you know?”

“We can do that, you know,” Fletcher said, and Danny furrowed his brow. “We can do a session with your mother where she has to listen to you. I can’t punish her with a fine if she doesn’t follow the rules,” he added, “so it won’t be the same.”

“The last time I asked her to come see you, she acted like it was a great idea until she remembered Elizabeth found you, and then she started that whole fight, and it ruined everything.” Danny shook his head. “It wouldn’t make anything better. No matter what I do, Mom feels attacked. And everything gets worse. Dad tried, you know. He didn’t want her to feel like a bad mother, so he didn’t choose the real supervised visits like Drew did with Scout. He said I could see her however much I want with my grandma or aunts around. He thought that would be better or maybe he didn’t want me to blame him.”

“And you think that was a mistake?”

“I don’t know. It’s not his fault, I guess,” Danny said begrudgingly. “But he’s always doing that, I guess. Trying to be fair to everyone, but you can’t do that, right? Sometimes people are just wrong. Like Mom was wrong to keep me from seeing Dad, and he just wanted to avoid the court thing so much he let her get away with it. But we ended up here anyway, and made it would have been better if we’d done it months ago.”

“Let’s talk about the visit with your mother.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. Mom was acting weird and being too nice—and then Grandma told I’d come back from seeing you, and she asked me questions but I didn’t really want to talk to her about it.”

“Why?”

“That’s a stupid question,” Danny retorted. “Mom didn’t want me to come here in the first place. She’ll tell you it’s because it was Elizabeth’s idea, and okay, sure, but it’s because she thinks you’re going to tell me she’s a terrible mother, and that’s, like, her worst fear. So she doesn’t actually want to talk about it. She doesn’t care what I say here as long as it’s not blaming her. She started to apologize about the fight with Elizabeth again, but it was like she was blaming me so I knew I could piss her off and make her say what she really feels.” He looked away, stared hard at the bookcase against the wall. “So I brought up Elizabeth—” His throat tightened. “I brought her up first,” he said, swinging his gaze back to the doctors. “I brought up the fight, not my mother. Because the only time my mother’s ever honest and tells me what she really thinks is when I piss her off, and it’s a shortcut when I talk about Elizabeth. So I did it. And it worked. My mom doesn’t care about anyone but herself. And that includes me.”

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