Monday, December 6, 2004

Ric and Alexis’s Apartment: Living Room

Kristina Davis watched her mother as she paced back and forth across the living room. Her brown eyes were glued to the nervous woman as she began muttering to herself. Kristina giggled–her mommy was funny.

Alexis had progressed to full blown panic state by the time the door opened and Ric entered. He set a duffle bag by the door and his briefcase on the table in the entry way. “What happened?” he asked automatically, feeling the desperate need for some caffeine. He’d stayed the weekend at the office, getting caught up on paperwork and finally felt like he’d put enough away to warrant the one week vacation he would be taking after the wedding.

“Sonny called on Saturday night.” Alexis cracked her knuckles together. “He wants to talk…” she glanced at Kristina before mouthing to Ric the words custody arrangement.

Ric was too tired to comprehend that but at the frantic glances his wife kept shooting at his stepdaughter, he got the general gist. He put aside his exhaustion and checked his watch. “Okay, I have an hour in which I need to shower and go back to the office so why don’t we let Kristina get some cereal and we can talk about this for twenty minutes.”

“Twenty minutes isn’t long to decide what to do,” Alexis stopped in her tracks. “What if he wants full? What if I were wrong?”

“You’re never wrong,” Ric murmured automatically. He kneeled in front of the three-year-old girl watching her mother with obvious enjoyment. “Hey, Princess. Why don’t we go get some Lucky Charms?”

“Candy!” Kristina declared. She wrapped her arms around Ric’s neck and he lifted her in the air. “Candy, right?” she asked. “With lollies and kisses and marshmells right?”

“Well, you got the marshmell part right.” Ric carried the toddler into the kitchen and set her in her booster chair. He fixed her a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice and rejoined Alexis in the living room.

“Okay, let’s calm down. Why didn’t you call me at the office?” Ric asked. He drew Alexis down to sit next him on the couch. “He called on Saturday, you said. This is Monday morning.”

“You were busy,” Alexis said, “And then I decided maybe if I just ignored it, it wasn’t real.” At Ric’s incredulous look, she sighed. “We’ve barely been married a month, I didn’t…” she cleared her throat. “I’m new to this marriage stuff–the real marriage deal, not the fake and I just want to be sure that I’m not…” she blew out an irritated breath. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this but I don’t want to scare you off, okay?”

He was definitely too tired for this conversation. “Alexis, there is nothing you could do that would scare me off,” he said. “Can we table that for another time?”

“Yeah, sure.” Alexis checked her watch. “I have to take Kristina to daycare and go over to the hospital in about ten minutes anyway. So about Sonny–”

“We’ll call him and meet him for dinner or something somewhere where we can see what he wants and whether we can deliver it.” Ric brought her hand to his lips and kissed the palm. “It’s okay, Alexis. He’s not going to take her from us, I promise.”

She wasn’t sure if she believed that promise but since it was all she had to go on, she would believe it for now.

Cottage: Foyer

“Okay Cam, I’ve got ten minutes to get that oatmeal off the wall, get you changed and to the baby-sitters and be at work.” Elizabeth studied her son. “Which of those is actually going to happen I wonder?”

A doorbell interrupted her diatribe and Elizabeth sighed, lifted the oatmeal covered infant and went to answer it.

“Mom.” Elizabeth blinked. “I thought you weren’t going to be back until later this week. Is Dad with you?”

“Nope.” Andrea tugged three large suitcases in and closed the door before taking her grandson into her arms to coo at him. “I had to clear a few more things from my schedule before coming to Port Charles. Darling, don’t you have work this morning?”

“Yeah–but–I thought you had cleared it until after the new year?” Elizabeth asked, bewildered.

“I did, but after meeting this adorable boy and seeing you and Steven again, I decided I don’t want to go back to Spain after all.” Andrea chattered baby nonsense at Cameron for another moment.

Elizabeth blinked again. “I’m sorry…?”

“General Hospital has been trying to get your father to come back on staff for months, since Steven joined and they lost a few doctors last year. They offered a nice package to the both of us and we’re taking it. We’ll be moving here after the new year.”

“Ahhh…” Elizabeth shook her head. “You and Dad…and me and Steven in the same city?”

“Yes.” Andrea hoisted Cameron higher in her arms. “Now, get to work and leave Cameron all to me. I’ve got presents for him anyway.”

“But the oatmeal in the kitchen and the on the walls–” Elizabeth gestured, her head still spinning.

“I’ll take care of it. Go,” Andrea urged. “You don’t want to be late.”

Port Charles Hotel: Administrative Wing

“We’ll begin training on Monday, December 13,” Lea Murphy told Sam as she led the new hire out of her office. “It’ll be a two day thing–just get you introduced to the software and familiar with the switchboard.”

“It sounds fine,” Sam said–of course she was lying through her teeth. It sounded boring, but boring equaled stable in her mind so it would be just fine for her master plan. “I’ll probably be moving out of my current residence after the new year. It’s a friend’s place and I was just staying there after I…” she shrugged a little. “That won’t be a problem right?”

“None at all,” Lea said warmly. “We’ll file the paperwork when the time comes.” Her eyes lit up and she gestured to someone behind Sam. “Mr. Jacks! Come meet our new receptionist!”

Sam grimaced. Dear God, she had to deal with him today, too? She took a deep breath and turned to smile at her ex-boyfriend, whose interested look faded into irritation and confusion at the sight of her.

“Samantha McCall, this is the hotel’s owner, Jasper Jacks,” Lea introduced.

“We’ve actually met,” Jax offered with a thin smile. “Sam, I had no idea you were interested in a job.”

Sam clasped her hands behind her back, counted to ten. “I can’t sit around forever and wait for my life, right? You’ve got a nice hotel here, Jax. Good improvement over the old one.”

“Yeah, the old one was a little outdated–a lot of things happened there that I think everyone would rather forget,” Jax remarked with a charming smile for his assistant manager, who looked rather confused by the entire exchange. “I have a meeting–it’s nice to have you on board, Sam.”

He passed by them and disappeared around a corner. Sam exhaled slowly and met Lea’s curious gaze. “He’s, ah, an old friend,” Sam said lamely. “So, December 13, right?”

PCPD: Commissioner’s Office

“You’re telling me that you now have more evidence against Diego than you did before he was let out on bail?” Lorenzo lowered himself into the chair across from Mac’s desk. “How is that possible?”

“He sent threatening notes to her, a piece of her skirt. The notes had his finger prints on them. He also called the Quartermaine mansion and hung up a few times, left some dead flowers on their doorstep–also with some fingerprints on the box. ADA Joyce says she probably won’t use this in court unless she’s forced.” Mac smiled thinly. “She’s got a good case, Lorenzo. I’d recommend talking your son into some sort of deal.”

“He won’t listen to me, he refuses to accept my visitation and I won’t pay for a lawyer that will get him acquitted.” Lorenzo rubbed the side of his head. “You’re just going to have to go through with a trial.”

“Probably better for Brooke if it did go to trial, I think it would be good for her to get on stand and testify against him. It’s helped other girls in other cases.” Mac shifted some paperwork around. “I ask you to come in because ADA Joyce wants to interview Maria.”

“No,” Lorenzo said immediately. “She’s gone through enough. She can’t add anything helpful.”

“Be that as it may, it’s not your job to decide what is or is not helpful. Brianne doesn’t want any holes, any cracks.”

“This Joyce woman is good then?” Lorenzo asked. “I haven’t been able to find much on her.”

“She’s done a lot of low-profile work, this is her first chair actually but she’s got a knack for this kind of work. I think Lansing will transfer her to the SVU unit before long.”

“But I did find some information about her that I find troubling,” Lorenzo said. “That shed some curious light on her motives–information that Diego’s lawyer does not need to find out or he could use it against her.”

Mac exhaled slowly. “You’re talking about the East Side case–it has nothing to do with this, Alcazar and I won’t have Brianne badgered about it.”

“I certainly don’t intend to use the information,” Lorenzo assured him. “But if Hartman got a hold of it, it could be damaging. I’m only suggesting you and ADA Joyce think about the possible outcomes.”

Wyndemere: Nikolas’s Study

“I have to say that I was surprised to hear from you,” Nikolas said. He leaned forward and set a pile of papers to the side. “Is this a business meeting or is it about Elizabeth?”

Carly sighed. “It’s not about Elizabeth, I would never traipse all the way over to speak about her; I do have a life, Nikolas. This is a business meeting.”

“Okay, then what can I do for you?” Nikolas asked.

“Well, it’s simple really. I’ve heard you’ve bought a lot of property up in downtown Port Charles,” Carly began, “and the word is that you’re going to be doing a lot of development work in the next year or so.”

Nikolas nodded. “That’s my intention anyway. What does that have to do you with you?”

“I run The Cellar and it’s doing good brisk business,” Carly began, “but I want to open a second club–an under 21 club and I thought that you being both interested in development in Port Charles and having a sister under that age, you might want to invest.”

“Why not get Sonny to invest?” Nikolas asked. “He’s done so before.”

“Yes, but I want to make a life separate from Sonny.” Carly sighed. “Look, if you’re going to say no, then just say it but–”

“Nikolas,” Emily poked her head in the door. “I’m sorry to interrupt but I need to make sure you’re making time for dinner tonight or I’ll just head into town and grab something with Elizabeth.”

“Emily–come in for a second,” Nikolas waved her in. “Carly was just asking me to invest in an under 21 club in Port Charles.”

Emily joined Nikolas and leaned against his side. “Sounds like a good idea–if we’d had one of those, maybe we wouldn’t gone to the rave,” she said. “And that whole…thing wouldn’t have happened.”

“What thing?” Carly asked curiously.

“Never mind,” Nikolas said hastily. “I was just thinking that you said you were feeling bored–”

“Not bored,” Emily argued, “restless. Jason, Lucky and Elizabeth won’t let me meddle and I don’t go back to med school until late January. I suppose I could spend more time at the mansion but then they just get into the whole I shouldn’t marry you spiel so I’m back to hanging around here redecorating.” She wrinkled her nose. “Maybe I should volunteer at the hospital, I can’t do too much damage there.”

“Okay, well how about this for a suggestion,” Nikolas said. “I’ll put up half of the money, Carly, if you and Emily will go in as partners.”

Carly squared her shoulders. “Over my dead body.”

“I’d rather eat dirt,” Emily agreed. “Sorry, Nikolas, I don’t love you that much.”

“No, it’s perfect–you’re just looking for a way to meddle in Jason’s life and I’m sure…” Nikolas grinned at Carly, “Carly’s always looking for a way to meddle.”

“I don’t meddle,” Carly said haughtily, “I help.”

“Exactly,” Emily replied. “That’s what I keep telling Nikolas but he doesn’t get it. It’s not meddling when you want the best for the people you love.” She perched on the edge of the desk. “And if you ask me, Jason and Elizabeth are begging to be helped. And Lucky too–you know he’s never going to act on this thing with Brianne if we don’t give him a nudge–”

“And since you and Carly have that in common, I thought you could help each other,” Nikolas said. “And once you go back to school, it would only be in name only really.”

Emily hesitated and looked suspiciously at Carly. “You agree they belong together right? Because there’s no point in helping if we don’t have the same goal.”

“She’s not who I would have picked but she’s not Sam or the Saint or, God,” Carly shuddered, “the Bitch, so I can live with it.” She looked at Nikolas. “And why would you put the two of us together? I thought you were one of those goody goody types.”

“I am,” Nikolas smirked. “But if anyone deserves the pair of you, it’s Jason.”

Emily frowned. “I bet that’s insult but I’m going to choose to think of it as a compliment.” She hopped off the desk and crossed to Carly. “What do you say? Partners for six weeks?”

“Sure, why not?” Carly stood and smiled at Nikolas. “You’re going to give me my independence from Sonny, the least I can do is give your little princess something to occupy her time with.”

Nikolas hesitated. The combination of Carly and Emily…”Maybe this isn’t such a good idea–”

“Oh, no,” Emily said, shaking her head. “The more I think about it, the more I like it. I can’t possibly be bored around Carly. If she’s not destroying one life, she’s destroying another. I’ve always wanted to see how she worked.”

Carly frowned. “I don’t destroy. Not intentionally. It just seems to happen on its own.”

PCPD: Squad Room

Brianne put her coat over her arm and waded through the various desks before reaching an older man in the corner. He was seated at his desk, scribbling something. “Sergeant Beaudry?” Brianne asked.

Ryan Beaudry set his pen down and looked at the ADA. His lips curled into a smile that made Brianne wish there were at least another six feet of space between them. “What can I do for you, honey?”

Brianne cleared her throat. “The commissioner tells me that you took over the bulk of work on the Sanchez case from Detective Spencer.”

“Well, once Spencer decided do the guard detail twenty-four seven, someone had to do the grunt work.” Beaudry’s eyes stayed level on hers but she felt the weight of his gaze slide up and down her body. Nausea pooled in her stomach and she swallowed hard. “So he’s staying at your place?”

“On the couch,” Brianne confirmed primly. She sat in the wooden chair adjacent to Beaudry’s desk. “It says in your file that you’ve been on the force for twenty-five years, the last six of which were served in Atlanta. Why’d you transfer back?”

“My son–” Beaudry nodded towards a cluster of patrolmen near the door. “He was assigned to Port Charles, I thought it would be a good time to revisit my old stomping grounds.” He licked the corner of his mouth and Brianne tensed. “What does this have to do with Sanchez?”

“I just like to have complete notes,” Brianne fumbled with the clasp of her briefcase and removed the file. “There’s not much left to do regarding Sanchez. A few depositions and making sure that someone’s keeping an eye on his sister, Maria. I made a list of people who still need to be followed up with and next to each, I have a list of questions I need more information with–”

“Why bother with the middle man?” Beaudry asked. He sat back in his chair. “Why not just take care of this yourself?”

Brianne frowned. “Because it’s…” she looked towards the doorway, hoping Lucky would reappear to take her to dinner at his family’s house. She wanted to be away from this man, from his eyes, from his voice, she wanted this over.

She took a deep breath. “Because the commissioner has promised me all the help I can get on this case. I don’t have to remind you that Brooke Lynn Ashton has ties to certain high-ranking members of the community that could make life a living hell for us all if we fumble on an portion of this case.”

“Fine,” Beaudry shrugged. He reached for the list and made sure to let his fingers brush hers as they passed it between them. His fingertip slid down her ring finger and Brianne actually felt bile in her throat.

Lucky appeared in the doorway and Brianne almost leapt from the seat in her haste to get away from Sergeant Ryan Beaudry. Had she backslid so far since this had began that she was getting panicked by an old man making a pass?

Kelly’s: Courtyard

She should have seen this coming, Carly decided as she stepped out of Kelly’s Diner and saw Robin Scorpio entering the courtyard. Her day had been going too well.

“I’m going to ignore you,” Carly told her. “Today is a good day and good days do not include you. You’ll go back to Paris eventually and–”

“Oh, I’m so glad that I get to be the one to tell you this,” Robin interrupted with a bright smile. She clasped her hands together and tilted her head to the side. “Brenda’s going back later this week but I was offered a staff position at General Hospital.”

Carly stared at her. “You’re staying in Port Charles.”

“I’m having my things shipped from Paris so I won’t have to leave at all,” Robin continued in a cheerful tone. “In fact–I think the apartment I’m looking at is just down the street from your house or so my uncle tells me.”

“I feel nauseous.” Carly touched her stomach. “I think my life is flashing before my eyes.”

“Don’t worry, Carly, I can’t imagine that we’ll have any reason to be near each other’s lives,” Robin told her. “You’re not sleeping with my boyfriend, any of my friends or currently destroying their lives, so we should be able to keep our respective distances.”

Carly tossed her hands up in air, disgusted. “I was right about that apocalypse.” She stalked out of the courtyard, muttering under her breath.

“It’s good to be back,” Robin decided.

Sonny’s Penthouse: Living Room

Justus put the divorce papers in his brief case. “I’ll just file these at the courthouse and it should be final.”

Sonny sipped his water. “Has Carly filed hers?” he asked quietly.

“Lainey and I are going to file together before we head out to dinner,” Justus answered. He snapped his brief case shut. “One of the benefits of dating your opposing counsel.”

Sonny frowned. “What’re you doing dating her?”

Justus shrugged. “She’s a beautiful lady, Sonny. I’m sure I don’t have to give you my reasons.” He hesitated. “It’s not going to effect the job I do for you, Sonny. Not as your divorce attorney or as your…” he cleared his throat. “Lainey’s a good woman and I’ve been seeing her almost since that first meeting in your office. I didn’t realize it would be an issue.”

“It’s not–I just hope you’re being up front with her about what you do for a living.” Sonny refilled his water glass, wishing like hell it was bourbon. “Better to find out sooner rather than later if she can handle it.”

“There’s nothing to handle,” Justus said quietly, “I handle your legal problems, I do some research. There’s nothing illegal in it, Sonny.”

“And there wasn’t when Alexis did it either,” Sonny told him. “But she left because she couldn’t handle it. You did that once, too. It takes a strong person to come to terms with the fact that you might not be breaking the law, but you’re aware that your client is. All I’m sayin’ is–it’s better to know now.”

“I’ll take that into consideration.” Justus buttoned his long overcoat over his suit. “Have a good night, Sonny.”

Adair Suites: Lorenzo’s Penthouse

“It’s time we talked.”

Maria looked up nervously from her place on the sofa and watched her father cross from the fireplace to the spot in front of her. “Talk about what?” she asked innocently.

“Where your foster parents think you are, what you’re doing in Port Charles and what you’re going to do now.”

Maria twisted her hands. “Well, my last set of fosters were in Chicago,” she said. “But we didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things so when I got the letter from Diego, I sort of took off and came right here, so my fosters don’t know where I am. I came to Port Charles so that I could help Diego and I don’t know what I’m going to do now.”

Lorenzo exhaled slowly. “Well, that’s putting it succinctly. I’ll call your foster parents and I’ll get in touch with the social service agency. My name is on your birth certificate, I’ll tell them you’ll be staying with me.”

“But–” Maria bit her lip. “Diego said that we shouldn’t–that we should make you pay for leaving us and for leaving Mama.”

“Maria,” Lorenzo kneeled in front of her. “I didn’t know about you and by the time I did….I thought you didn’t want me. I did what I could to make your lives comfortable but I would have rather you both came to live with me years ago.”

“But Diego…” Maria shrugged. “Why would you want me around after what he did? Papa Rocco didn’t like him, said that he was sneaky and wouldn’t turn out good. He said I was the same way.”

“He was wrong.” Lorenzo took her hands in his. “If you don’t want to live with me, Maria, that’s fine. I’ll make other arrangements for you. But I wish that you would.”

“We could try it,” Maria said hesitantly. “For a little while and if you get tired of me, you can just send me away like the other fosters did.”

“I can make you a promise right now,” Lorenzo said. “I will never be the one to send you away.”

Gardena Suites: Brianne’s Apartment

“Thanks for coming over for dinner,” Lucky said as he helped Brianne out of her coat. He smiled a little when she didn’t tense at the light brushing of his fingers against her shoulder blades. Progress.

“Thanks for inviting me,” Brianne said, smiling faintly. “Your dad’s a trip, was he really the mayor?”

Lucky sighed dramatically. “He’ll never live that down.” He hung their coats in Brianne’s hall closet. “Yeah, he and my mom had quite the number of adventures.”

“He wasn’t looking at me weird tonight like he did when I was at the first family meeting.” Brianne picked her bag up and walked into the living room. “What did you say to him?”

Lucky followed her and turned the television on, tuning it to the local news. “I told him most of the truth. We met through the Sanchez case, things got a little intense and Mac thought I should keep an eye on you. I told him that you had been involved in a case that was recently reactivated and until it’s closed, I’m staying with you to keep you safe.” He eyed her as she emptied her work out onto the coffee table. “I would never tell him what happened to you if you didn’t want me to.”

“I don’t…I guess I wouldn’t mind,” Brianne flipped through some of her witness statements. “It’s not like it’s a huge secret and he’s…I know you’re close to him. He deserves to know why you’re dragging a stranger around all the time.”

“Brie, you’re not exactly a stranger anymore.” He reached over and covered her hand with his. “I care about you, you have to know that.”

She licked her lips nervously and met his eyes. “I–I–” she looked away nervously and tugged her hand away under the guise of flipping through some pages. “You’re lucky to have such a large family. It was just me and my parents and my mom lives out of state now, so it’s weird being around so many people.”

Lucky sat back and let the moment pass. “It wasn’t that way for a long time but something happened to my dad on this last little adventure. I guess with my mom making real progress, he wants her to have a home to come back to.”

They fell into silence for a long while as Lucky watched the news and Brianne worked on her case files. When the credits began to roll for Jimmy Kimmel Live, Brianne cleared her throat. “I want to know how Diego knew about…about me,” she said softly.

Lucky clicked the television off. “What did he know exactly?”

“He knew…he knew details he shouldn’t have.” Brianne wouldn’t meet his eyes. “About…about my body.”

Lucky’s hands fisted. “I’ll find out, Brie. I promise.”

Cottage: Living Room

Elizabeth was just checking on Cameron when she heard the door open and shut below. Her hands froze and she listened for the footsteps.

It was Jason–home from London. He appeared in the doorway. “Is he asleep?”

“Mm-hmm,” Elizabeth murmured. She stepped aside to let Jason come in and touch his son’s forehead and smooth down the blankets.

They stepped into the hallway and stood in silence for a long moment. “How was London?” she asked finally.

“It was okay–I’m sorry I wasn’t here for the baby shower. Did it go okay?”

“I had fun,” Elizabeth answered honestly. “Especially when Carly was being nice to me and in walked Brenda and Robin. She thought it was her punishment for doing something nice.”

Jason chuckled. “Typical Carly. So Brenda and Robin?”

“Came home to see Cameron. Robin said she was happy for you,” Elizabeth stepped closer to him. “And Brenda was, too even if she hid it under her sarcasm and insults.”

“Sounds like Brenda.” Jason rubbed the back of his neck. “Elizabeth, I did a lot of thinking while I was gone. You know–it makes things clearer sometimes.”

“I know,” Elizabeth murmured. Her eyes met his. “I did some thinking, too.”

“Okay.” Jason swallowed hard. “I want–I want to have dinner. Tomorrow night or–whenever you’re free.”

“Dinner?” Elizabeth repeated. “Like…a date?”

“Sure.” Jason shifted. “A date.” He frowned. “What kind of thinking did you do?”

“I–” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “I love you, Jason. I just–I need some time. Away from this. Away from you.”

Jason hesitated. “I don’t–I don’t understand. If you love me–”

“We’re different people than we were when we fell in love and other than a few times last year and the last few months, we haven’t really…had a chance to find out if we love who we used to be or who we are now. We owe it to ourselves and to Cameron to get it right this time. So, can you give me some time?”

Jason exhaled slowly and looked away. “Yeah,” he agreed. “But it’s beginning to feel like we’re never going to be on the same page at the same time.”

“Just a few weeks,” Elizabeth said. “Maybe even less. I just–I don’t know yet, but I feel like I need this.”

“Then I can do this. I love you, Elizabeth and it’s taken me too long to admit that just to give up on us now.” He kissed her forehead. “We’re going to get this right, even if we spend the rest of our lives trying to.”

“Well I hope it’s not that long,” she teased. She brushed her fingers across his cheek. “You look exhausted–do you want to crash here tonight? Wake up with Cameron and give me him breakfast?”

“That sounds…” Jason nodded. “That sounds perfect.”

← Chapter Twenty | Chapter Twenty-Two →