January 10, 2006

Kelly’s: Diner

“I don’t know why you felt you couldn’t tell me,” Emily sighed, stirring her hot chocolate idly as she studied Elizabeth.

“It was my own fault,” Elizabeth sighed. “I’m just relieved Jason came back home. Even if…” she bit her lip. “No, I’m not going to dwell on why he decided to come back. He’s home, we’re okay. It’s good.” She cleared her throat. “Now, you’ve been trying to get me to come meet you for three days. What’s going on?”

“Well…it’s…” Emily hesitated. “I’m not sure how to ask this question so I’ll just go ahead and say it. Is there anyone from Jason or Sonny’s past that has shown up that might not realize Robin has nothing to do with them?”

“What?” Elizabeth demanded. “Emily, what is going on? What would make you ask a question like that?”

“Well…” Emily bit her lip. “Remember how Robin was almost hit by that car and Patrick Drake was the one that pulled her back?”

“Ah, yes, her white knight. How is that going?” Elizabeth asked, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

“Oh, they bicker back and forth–the hospital has bets on who will fold first. It’s like a form of foreplay, I think. Anyway, a few days ago, Patrick was assaulted by someone posing as a nurse. She jabbed a sedative in his neck and left him there. Now Patrick’s only been in town since the New Year, so Robin and I thought it would be weird that he’d piss off a woman so quickly. We wanted to make sure it wasn’t someone getting back at him for saving Robin’s life.”

“Well, as far I as know there’s no one turned up and I promise you, Em, if there had been, I wouldn’t be out right now. Sonny and Jason are kind of cranky right this second about security because of that note and if there had been a threat, I would be in lockdown at the penthouse along with Lanie, Carly and the boys.” She reached across the table. “I’m barely at the hospital and even I’ve heard the rumors of Dr. Drake’s flirting. It’s entirely possible he pissed off the wrong woman.”

“I know, I know. It was a long shot but it just felt so weird. Robin’s parents aren’t a factor so we knew it wasn’t that and I think Robin was just worried about him. She’s got a crush.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Oh, you are so glad she’s not here right now. She’d kick your ass.”

Emily grinned wickedly. “I know, but outside her presence, I can say it as often as I please. It’s so obvious, Elizabeth. And it’s so entertaining to watch. They work together all the time because he’s the best surgeon on staff and she’s the best pathologist, but they each think that their line of treatment is best, you know? It’s led to some entertaining moments at the nurse’s station.”

“I can only imagine. Maybe I should have gone into medicine,” Elizabeth giggled. “I’m sorry I miss moments like that.”

“Well, you’ll just have to stop by more often. Believe me, it’s an everyday occurrence.” Emily took a long sip from her mug. “Elizabeth, we’re okay, right?”

Elizabeth frowned. “Of course we’re okay. We’ve been okay for over a year, Em. What makes you think we might be anything less?”

“Because you didn’t tell me that Jason moved out,” Emily said reluctantly. “And you never told me about Faith’s note. I know I did a horrible thing, Liz, and I’m so grateful that you forgave me, but–”

“Hold on a second. Emily, you are my best friend. We had some problems and I’m still not happy about the direction you took to solve those problems,” Elizabeth said slowly. “But in the end, you did what you did to protect Jason. And that motivation I understand more than ever because I kept that note a secret to protect him and as you now know, it backfired.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me?” Emily sighed.

“Because I didn’t tell anyone other than Carly that Jason moved out and I told her because she lives across the hall and would have noticed,” Elizabeth said. “And the note…I didn’t want Jason to have another reason not to trust you. If Faith came back, if the note was discovered, I didn’t want him to have something else to point to as a reason not to trust you.”

“Plausible deniability,” Emily murmured. “I understand that you wanted to protect me and I know how much you want Jason and I to reconcile but, Elizabeth, it’s been two years. Jason is never going to forgive me. I’ve had to learn to accept that, I wish you would too.”

“I will never accept that,” Elizabeth said quietly. “He forgave Carly for worse and eventually he will forgive you, Emily.”

“It’s nice that you’re sure of that.” Emily checked her watch. “Okay, I have to get to the hospital for another round of How Much Longer Will We Torture The Hospital Staff Before We Just Hit A Supply Closet?” She tossed a ten on the table. “You should come by, it’s usually a riot.”

“Thanks, but I think I’ll just wait until tomorrow night’s dinner to tease Robin.” Elizabeth grinned. “Don’t forget–we’ve got a date at Jake’s.”

“See ya then.” Emily waved as she left the courtyard.

Corinthos Penthouse: Living Room

“Who’s the prettiest princess in all the land?” Carly was reading from a book to their daughter Morgan on the couch as Sonny sat at his desk, going over invoice reports.

“Me!” Morgan clapped her hands and giggled.

“No, silly, Princess Samantha,” Carly teased.

“Daddy,” Morgan pouted. “Mommy says I’m not a pretty princess!”

“Mommy’s smoking something,” Sonny said absently. He reached for the latest report on Courtney’s activities on the island. They’d exiled her there after the Ric debacle though Sonny had been tempted to do away with her like he had his half-brother. Unfortunately, Mike was attached to his daughter and Sonny hadn’t had the heart to tell his father that Courtney was a lying, traitorous bitch.

“Sonny!” Carly scolded. “You can’t tell our daughter that I’m high!”

“Sure I can,” Sonny replied easily. He grinned at his wife over his shoulder. “She doesn’t understand.”

“Yes, I do!” Morgan proclaimed proudly. “Smoke is what comes from the fireplace. So Mommy’s a fireplace.”

“Right,” Carly drawled. She closed the book. “You know what time it is, Morgan?”

“Uh uh.” Morgan started to crawl off her mother’s lap. “No nap!”

“Yes, nap.” Carly stood and lifted the giggling girl high in the air. “You will nap because otherwise you will sleep too late tomorrow and miss Dora.”

Morgan gasped. “Dora! No miss Dora!”

“Exactly, so we will nap.” Carly took the toddler up stairs and left Sonny in precious silence finally.

He was perusing the report when his phone rang. “Corinthos,” he said automatically and frowned when he saw that Courtney had been permitted to go to the local village by herself. He would have to speak to Emmanuel about that.

“Senor Corinthos, it is Pedro.”

Sonny’s frown deepened. Pedro was the lead guard on Courtney’s detail–and he never called. “Pedro, it’s funny that you called. I was just reading the latest report–”

“Ah, yes, Senor but I called for a very specific reason. Senorita Matthews, she is missing.”

Sonny’s back straightened and his attention was now firmly on the conversation at hand. “Missing,” he repeated slowly.

“Yes, Senor. We check the cottage this morning and she is not there. No one has any knowledge of her leaving.”

“Search the entire island and the surrounding chain,” Sonny ordered. “I want hourly reports of your progress. Find her, damn it.” He slammed the phone down and took a deep breath. The last thing he needed right now was his insane sister on the loose.

Carly meandered down the steps. “Morgan went right down,” she murmured. She hesitated when she saw Sonny’s combative stance. “Sonny, is everything okay?”

“It’s fine.” Sonny schooled his features into a smile before turning to kiss his wife’s cheek. “So Morgan’s asleep?”

“Yeah,” Carly replied, clearly not believing him. She framed his face in her hands. “I won’t ask anymore questions so that you don’t have to lie to me.”

“I appreciate that.”

She pulled away and started for the door. “I’m going to go over and check in with Jason. You stay here and pretend that nothing is bugging you.”

Morgan Penthouse: Living Room

When Carly entered the penthouse, Jason glanced up from where he was seated on the couch reading the newspaper. He frowned. “We’re still working on that knocking thing then, I guess.”

“You have been avoiding me,” Carly announced. She planted her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Since the second you moved back in here, you have been conveniently out when I stop by and you kept making excuses while you were at the hotel not to see me.”

“Carly, do we have to have this conversation?” Jason sighed. He folded his paper and set it on the coffee table. “It’s not like it’s really–”

“Any of my business?” Carly finished wryly. She perched on the arm chair and rested her elbows on her knees. “And this has stopped me when?” Before Jason could answer, she continued speaking. “I’m just here to say that I’m pleased that my help was not needed in reuniting the two of you.”

“You’re not the only one,” Jason remarked idly. “If your help had been required, I imagine someone would be in jail by now.” He returned his attention to the newspaper.

Carly scowled. “When did you get so snarky?”

“Elizabeth’s influence,” Jason murmured. He closed the paper and set it on the coffee table. “Since you’re here, maybe we need to have a discussion about keeping things from me and Sonny and why you’re not supposed to do that.”

“We do not need to have any discussion at all on that subject,” Carly assured him. “I have learned my lesson whole-heartedly.”

“Uh huh,” Jason nodded. “How many times do you think you’re going to have to learn this particular lesson before it sinks in?”

“Three or four times more, I think,” Carly replied. “Hey, so Sonny got a phone call that’s bugging him. He won’t tell me what it is, so I figure you should go find out.” She stood and patted him on the shoulder. “I have to go meet my mother for lunch.”

“Take your guard,” Jason called out as the blonde exited.

January 11, 2006

Jake’s

Elizabeth tapped her finger against her glass of soda, restlessly and watched Emily down another shot of vodka. She could use a drink right now, she really could. Jason, not subscribing to Sonny’s theory that no one needed to know, had informed her that morning that Courtney Matthews, Faith and Sonny’s ex-partner in crime had disappeared from the island and no one had seen or heard from her since.

Jason and Sonny weren’t in panic mode quite yet. Courtney never would been able to make it back to the States without alerting someone somewhere so beyond the two guards who were pretending to shoot pool in the back of the bark, security had not changed overly much.

“I wonder where Robin is,” Elizabeth said, checking the time on her cell. “She’s usually at these meetings before either of us.”

“Oh…” Emily rolled her eyes and signaled Coleman for a refill. “She’s probably standing at the nurse’s station pretending she doesn’t want to rip Patrick’s clothes off. It’s disgusting.”

“On the contrary,” Robin slid into the third empty seat their table and sent a stern glare in Emily’s direction. “She was picking up the invitations from the printer. We need to approve them so they can be sent out on Friday.” She pulled her folder from her bag.

“Okay, but what were you doing before you left the hospital?” Emily asked pointedly.

“It is not my fault that he deems it necessary to argue with every word that comes out of my mouth,” Robin grumbled. She set the invitation down on the table. “Any spelling errors? Glaring omissions?”

Emily peered at it, “Nope. But I’ve had a few shots. Sooo…” she slid it across the table. “Let the sober one check it out.”

“Sure, make fun of me.” But Elizabeth smiled and reached for it. “It looks good to me, Robin.”

“Great,” Robin replied. She tucked the invite away. “So, how are you feeling? The morning sickness still being a bitch?”

“It’s a lot better than it was my first pregnancy,” Elizabeth remarked. “And Dr. Meadows said that my blood pressure has stabilized and it’s actually in the normal range for once.”

“See, this is why I believe in karma and kismet,” Emily said. Robin and Elizabeth frowned and turned their attention to the slightly inebriated med student. Emily waved at someone behind them. “Hey, come and join us!”

“Oh, God,” Robin groaned after peering over her shoulder. “Yeah, bad karma and bad kismet. I knew I was going to pay for stealing Uncle Mac’s car one day.”

A tall, lanky dark haired guy started towards them at Emily’s invitation and Elizabeth’s eyes shot in the air. “That’s Patrick Drake? Good lord, Robin, no wonder Emily thinks you want to rip his clothes off–”

“If you finish that sentence, I swear to God, Liz–” Robin began hotly.

“Well, hello, ladies,” Patrick grinned, sidling up the table. “I was wondering where all the gorgeous women went in Port Charles.” He flicked his eyes at Robin. “And where Dr. Scorpio spent her time outside the hospital.”

Elizabeth smirked. “So you’re not including Robin in the former description?” She clucked her tongue. “Smooth.” Robin kicked Elizabeth in the shins and Elizabeth smiled blandly at her, enjoying her discomfort.

“Patrick, you haven’t met my sister-in-law,” Emily waved her hand around wildly and the doctor wisely stepped to the side and avoided being whacked in the gut. “Elizabeth Morgan, Patrick Drake.”

“I have heard so much about you,” Elizabeth grinned. Robin narrowed her eyes. “From Emily.”

Emily gasped. “That’s not what she meant,” she said hastily. “She meant that I was talking about something else and your name came up and really, I never said a word about licking–”

Elizabeth clapped hand over Emily’s mouth. “Coleman, we’re going to need some black coffee over here!” she called to their bartender. “And another round of drinks for everyone but Emily.”

“Ah, the Q can never hold her liquor,” Coleman said, shaking his head in mocking sadness.

Patrick took the fourth empty seat, across from Robin. “So what brings you all here tonight?”

“We’re planning a fundraising benefit,” Robin answered primly. She accepted her shot of vodka from Coleman. “What brings you here? The lack of discriminating women?”

“Ah, Robin, let’s not insult ourselves,” Elizabeth told her.

“Well, obviously, I didn’t mean us,” Robin grumbled.

“Dr. Scorpio spends a lot of time worrying about my personal life,” Patrick remarked in a confidential tone to Elizabeth.

Aggravated, Robin scowled. “Only because you were insinuating that I didn’t have one, you bloody son of–”

“Let’s talk about the benefit,” Emily broke in. “I talked to Jax and he said he’d handle the caterers.”

“Good,” Robin took out her checklist. “And I talked to Maxie’s friend and he’s going to donate his DJ services for free.”

“What are you raising money for?” Patrick asked curiously.

“We’re on the board of directors for the Stone Cates Memorial Foundation,” Emily said proudly. “We’re trying to raise money to buy a home so we can turn it into a haven for runaway teens.” She pointed a finger at Robin. “She founded it, you know. Robin’s really ambitious and very goal-oriented.”

“I don’t think she’s had enough coffee yet,” Robin decided.

“And who was Stone Cates?” Patrick inquired. Robin hesitated and glanced at Elizabeth before answering.

“He was a friend of mine in high school,” she said. “He was a runaway and he died a long time ago.” She tossed back another shot.

Later, after Elizabeth and Robin had peeled a semi conscious Emily from the back seat and handed her over to Dillon Quartermaine and his brother Ned Ashton, Elizabeth drove a slightly tipsy Robin back to her apartment. Her guards followed in the car behind her–one of the very few concessions Jason had been willing to make regarding her security.

“So you didn’t tell Patrick about Stone,” Elizabeth said quietly. She flicked her eyes over to her friend. “I mean, it’s not like I knew him or anything but usually…you mention how he died. And that he was your first love.”

Robin sighed. “I know. But if I’d told him Stone was my boyfriend and he’d died of AIDs, he would have found out that I have HIV.” She shifted, somewhat uncomfortably. “I mean, it’s not like I’m trying to hide it, you know I would never do that.”

“I know,” Elizabeth responded.

“But Emily’s right,” Robin continued. “Patrick does flirt with me and I–I can’t pretend that I don’t like him a little bit. I guess…I’m worried if he knew, he wouldn’t do it anymore.”

“Well, I don’t think you have anything to worry about, but then again, I don’t live with what you have to so I’m going to trust your judgment, but Robin?” Elizabeth glanced at her again. “You’re going to have to tell him some time. Because you know the way things are in Port Charles. Everyone knows everything and you can’t hide things for very long.”

“Hmm…” Robin tapped her fingers against her legs. “Thanks for your help with the foundation,” she told Elizabeth, changing the subject. “I really want to this to take off and I want the benefit to be perfect.”

“It will be,” Elizabeth said confidently. “We’ve worked out every detail. What could go wrong?”

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