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The Spencer house,
late evening.
"Why didn't you wake me? I would have come down with you."
Lucky awoke a few
minutes ago to find that Liz was gone from their bed again. He
found her down
in the kitchen sitting alone in the dark.
"Leave it off please." Liz said to him as he reached for the light switch.
Lucky sat down across from her. "Are you okay? This has
been goin' on for more
than a week now. Maybe you should talk to somebody."
"I don't need to talk to anyone. I already know what the problem is."
"Well would you mind filling me in, I'm worried about you." Lucky
gently took
her hand. "What's wrong?"
"It's this." She answered waving her arm around. "All of
this. It's you and
me, this house, Lesley Lu." Lucky had a puzzled look on his face.
"Don't
misunderstand, I love being here and taking care of Lulu. It's
almost like we
were a real family and that's the problem. It's just a reminder
that this is
something you and I will never have. A family of our own."
Metro police station, Toronto.
"He actually agreed to help?" Natalie was perched on the corner
of Nick's desk,
a rapidly cooling cup of coffee in her hand. "No arm twisting
or anything?"
Nick shook his head no. "Now I'm worried."
Nick laughed out loud. "I'll admit I'm concerned that he didn't
put up much of
a fight, but as long as he can help rush things with Aristotle I'm
willing to
overlook it."
Natalie hopped off his desk. "Let's get out of here I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry." Nick started to file away some reports.
"Just give me
a minute and we'll stop somewhere for you to grab a bite to eat."
Natalie bent down and a lock of curly brown hair fell down in front
of her face.
"I didn't say anything about wanting food." She gave him a quick
kiss and a
wicked grin.
As she pulled away Nick winked. "Like I said, you're always hungry."
Nick quickly finished clearing his desk. As he was leaving Tracy walked
into the
squad room. "Hey Nick, we've got something....." She stopped
when she saw him
walk out the other door arm in arm with Natalie. "Nevermind."
"I think we should tell her." Terry layed curled up next to Aaron
in bed, her
head resting on his shoulder. "You don't think Robin has a right
to know?" She
asked questioning his silence.
"Love, she has every right know. But it's not our place, it has
to come from
Anna."
"Do you think we've convinced her?"
"I don't know."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Earlier that evening.
Anna was sitting on the comfortable sofa drinking a glass of wine.
Every so
often she could feel Terry eyes on her. "Natalie said you've
become quite close
with my daughter Robin, how is she?"
Terry answered. "She's good. She's getting married."
Aaron almost groaned at his wife less than tactful announcement. "Love...."
"Robin is getting married?"
"Yes. It might be nice if you were there."
Anna suddenly picked up on Terry's not too subtle contempt. "If
you have
something to say to me, why don't you just come out and say it."
Terry rose to face Anna. "Alright, I want to know how you justify
abandoning
you daughter."
Anna's face grew hard. "I didn't abandon her, I was protecting
her. I lost her
father and as long as I stayed away she was safe from Faison."
"Safe is a four letter word for people like us."
"Like us? And just what would you know of our life? Just
because you're
married to one of us doesn't give you some kind of special insight
into our
lives and what it means to be hunted."
"You'd be surprised what I know."
"Ladies!" Aaron thankfully interrupted.
"No, let your wife finish."
"I've come to care a great deal for that girl and I know what she's
been through
these last few years and how much her knowing that you were still alive
would've
helped."
"Look, I'm not going to debate with you about what I did. I did
what I thought
was best and if it turns out I was wrong and she hates me, well at
least she's
still alive to hate me."
Aaron had finally had enough. "Alright enough, from both of you."
He sat his
wife back down on the couch and turned to Anna. "I agree with
Terry, what you
did wasn't the smartest move, but considering your options at the time,
it might
have been the best."
"Aaron..." Terry tried to interrupt.
"Let me finish." He silenced her. "But I think you would
agree it didn't
lessen the danger around her. Faison is still a threat.
A threat that needs to
be delt with once and for all. It's time to stop running Anna.
It's time to go
home."
"I don't know if I can face him alone Aaron."
"You won't be alone." He took one of her hands and clasped it
tightly. "You
have friends with you now."
Anna got up looking concerned. "No. I can't ask you or anyone
to get involved
in this."
"You don't have to ask. We're doing it for Robin." Terry added.
"But you don't know what you're saying. Faison is dangerous, you
don't know him
like I do. You don't know what he's capable of."
Aaron smiled. "That makes us even. He doesn't know what I'm capable of."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I don't know Love." He kissed the top of her head. "She's
been running for
long time, it may be too hard for her to take a chance at stopping
now."
Terry lifted her head off his shoulder. "And if she decides not
to come back
with us."
"Then we tell Robin and let the chips fall where they may."
Robin and Jason's loft.
"Are you coming to bed?"
Robin looked up from the pile of magazines on the dining room table.
"In a
little bit."
"What are you doing?" Jason said sitting down next to her.
"It looks like
you've got about every wedding and bridal magazine made."
Robin laughed. "I'm going a little overboard I know, but I've
been dreaming
about this for a long time and I just want to do it right."
Jason started to laugh too. "Robin all we need is each other,
everything else
is optional."
"I don't think our friends would consider themselves optional."
Jason picked her up out of her chair and led her to their bedroom.
"Our friends
just want us to be happy. They wouldn't care if we ran out and
eloped like Jax
and V."
Robin smiled. "Don't you even think about it."
"Think what?" Jason tried to act innocent.
"We are going to have the wedding I've always wanted and the Quartermaines
aren't going to screw it up."
Jason sat on the bed and pulled Robin onto his lap. "You can't
guarantee that
they won't ruin this like they tried to ruin Michael's christening."
"Trust me. With some of the *special* guests that'll be there,
they won't get
anywhere near the front door."
Jason stared at her. "You are bad."
"You want bad." Robin kissed him passionately. "I'll show
you bad." Robin
ripped off his shirt and shoved him down onto the bed. "I hope
you don't have
plans tomorrow." She said as her eyes shifted to gold.
Lucky held Liz close to him as they sat together in the dark.
"Babe, don't
think like that."
"Why not? It's the truth." Liz pulled away. "Lucky how long
will it be before
we have to move on. Leave Port Charles before someone notices
I'm not getting
older, what kind of life would that be for a child."
"Liz I don't know what to say to you that'll make you believe that everything
will be alright."
"Maybe there's nothing you can say."
"I think there is." Lucky knelt down on the floor in front of
her. "I love
you. And I can think of nothing greater than raising a child
with you."
"But it won't be ours. I can't have children Lucky you know that."
"We can adopt like Aaron and Terry, and raise a bunch of little Immortals."
Liz laughed. "Be serious. This is something we never really talked about."
"It's never really come up till now."
"How do you feel about it though, having children I mean?"
"I feel that we're getting ahead of ourselves with this discussion."
He held
her in his arms. "Liz we're barely out of high school and you're
talking about
starting a family." He tightened his hold. "If you're asking
just for the sake
of knowing, then yes I would like to have a family with you, someday.
And we'll
both know when we're ready for that someday."
Liz kissed him. "I love you."
"I love you too. Now can we go back to bed." He said making
her smile. The
young lovers kissed as they walked up the stairs to their bedroom.
The Raven,
a couple of hourse before sunrise.
LaCroix sat alone in his darkened office talking into the telephone.
"I have
some information for you."
"Yes?" The voice on the end said.
"That person you asked to keep a discreet eye out for has come here.
She asked
for some travel documents from a friend, my guess is she's planning
a return
home."
"Excellant. I knew I could count on you."
"Yes well you can stop now. This little bit of information settles
our debt I
believe."
"Of course, Lucius."
"Good. Don't call me again. Oh, one more thing Ceasar, the
child is not to be
harmed."
"The child?"
"Let me just say that there are certain *associates* of mine who would
take
offense and leave it at that."
"Thank you for the warning Lucius. It's been a pleasure, as always."
"I'm sure it has, goodbye Ceasar."
LaCroix hung up the phone, then got up and poured himself real drink.
The
bourbon burned his throat as it slid down. He hated drinking
alcohol, but
talking with THAT man always made him want a stiff drink afterward.
He returned to his desk and picked up the phone once again. After
several rings
it was answered. "Good evening. I do hope I'm not disturbing
you, but there is
something I think you should know."
CHAPTER 4
The Spencer's,
early morning.
"Are you and Lucky getting married?"
"Excuse me?" Liz practically choked on her coffee as Lulu continued
to happily
eat breakfast at the kitchen table.
"Are you and Lucky going to get married?" She asked again.
"Why do you want to know?"
Lulu's face was the picture of innocence. "You love him don't you?"
"Yes."
"And he loves you?"
"Yeah."
"So why don't you get married?"
Liz couldn't help but smile. It seemed so simple to Lesley Lu,
she and Lucky
love each other so they should get married. Liz silently wished
it could be
that simple, but unfortunately her life isn't anymore, and never will
be again.
She was about to try and answer her when Lucky came through the kitchen
door.
"Well if it isn't the two prettiest ladies in Port Charles." Lucky
kissed the
top of Lu's head and she giggled, he then kissed Liz on the lips.
"Good morning
beautiful."
Lulu smiled to herself as her brother and Liz continued to kiss.
The practice hall.
Methos backpeddled as Brenda came at him with a complex series of swiping
motions. It was becoming clear to him that Brenda was in the
zone. It that
kind of state a simple practice session could get dangerous.
As she moved in again, Methos used a counter that Brenda never saw before
and
almost before she knew it her sword was lying at her feet.
"Thus endeth the lesson." Methos said proudly as he wiped his
blade with a silk
cloth. Brenda looked at him not quite sure what just happened.
"Sorry, but you
did seem to be somewhere else for a moment. Want to talk about
it?"
Methos led her to one of the couches and Brenda told him everything.
"Now we're
stuck. If we can't prove Taggert framed him, Sonny could be convicted
and I
know for a fact that if that happens he's going to be forced to run."
"From what you said he may not have any other choice."
"Who won't have any choice?" Both Methos and Brenda turned at
the sound of Eve
Lambert's voice. "I'm not interrupting am I?"
Methos rose and greeted her with a kiss. "No, of course not.
Have you two
met?"
Brenda extended her hand to Eve. "I think we met at the last Nurse's
Ball.
It's nice to see you again Doctor Lambert."
"Please call me Eve." She replied squeezing Brenda's hand.
"Are you ready?"
She asked looking at Methos.
He looked at Brenda. "It's okay. I'll deal with it."
She told him. Methos
grasped her hand tightly then walked out with Eve. "I'll deal
with it. I have
to." She whispered to herself.
PCPD, Mac Scorpio's office.
Lieutenant Alex Garcia sat in a chair as Mac paced around him.
"I don't believe
this. Are you actually telling me that with Sonny Corinthos under
indictment
and about to stand trial, you can't find anything to hold Jason Morgan
for."
Garcia shifted uncomfortablely in his seat. "It's just like it
was when he was
running things for Corinthos, nothing leads back to him. And
somehow I don't
think we're going to get lucky again."
Mac stopped pacing and sat behind his desk. "That's not the answer
I want to
hear Alex. I want Jason Morgan behind bars, do you understand.
I don't care
how you do it. Just do it."
Garcia left Mac's office not wanting to believe what he thought Mac
wanted him
to do.
Mac sat back in his chair and held a picture in his hand. "I won't
let it
happen Robert. I swear to you, I'll keep Robin safe."
Carly paced around her apartment as Nikolas sat and read the legal document.
She should have expected something like this, Edward Quartermaine had
found
another judge to grant him temporary custody of her son, and without
Jason with
her she had no way to fight him. So she called the only person
with enough
money to help her.
"Well?" She asked him.
"Well what?" Nikolas handed the paper back to her. "I still
don't understand
what you want me to do."
"I want you to help me stop the Quartermaines from stealing my son."
Nikolas infuriated Carly by laughing. "You don't need my help.
Carly this is
just what you've been waiting for."
"What are you talking about?"
Nikolas explained. "We've been looking for someway for you to
get close to
Jason again, this is it."
It suddenly dawned on Carly. "Of course."
The PC Grill.
"I'm not going to listen to anymore of this."
Dara got up to leave but Justus grabbed her arm and pulled her back to her seat.
"Let me finish."
"Finish what? Insulting a good cop for the sake of your mob boss client."
Justus breathed deep. It was going to be a little harder than
he thought. "I
just want you to listen." He released Dara's arm and she remained
seated. "If
you would just ignore that animosity you fell toward me for a moment,
you'll
understand what I'm trying to tell you."
"I already understand." Dara said raising her voice. "You
just want to hurt
Marcus and get your client off."
"Don't you think that this whole thing is a little odd. Sonny
Corinthos has
never dealt drugs and the first time he does, he's caught and arrested.
Arrested by the same man who has waged a personal war against him since
arriving
in Port Charles."
"You have no proof that Taggert did anything."
"You're right, I don't. All I've got is my gut. What does
your gut tell you
Dara?"
Robin's loft.
Robin opened the loft door. "Hi, Em!"
"Hey!" Emily said as the two women embraced briefly.
"So what are you up to?"
Emily sat down at the dining room table while Robin got her a cup of
coffee.
"Not much."
"When's Derek coming back?" Robin asked as she sat down next to her."
"He called me last night to tell me that he'll be another week or so."
"You miss him?"
Emily stopped sipping her coffee. "Shows huh?"
Robin didn't answer, she just smiled. "What are you doing tonight?"
"Nothing really, I thought I might swing by the club and see Mariah.
We haven't
talked in a while."
"I haven't seen much of her either, but I do know she's been spending
a lot of
time with Alexis Davis lately."
"Nik's aunt?"
"Uh huh."
Emily raised her eyebrows. She didn't know Alexis all that well,
having only
met her a few times when she was dating Ned, but she didn't seem the
type to
frequent a place like Nightshade.
Wyndemere.
"Good afternoon Sarah." Sarah looked up from her journal as Alexis
strode in.
"Do you know where Stefan is?"
"He had leave for New York this morning on business." She noticed
Alexis'
reaction. "Is something wrong?"
"No, not really."
"Anything I can do?"
"No. I just need to talk to him."
Sarah put down her pen. "He's supposed to call tonight.
Do you want me to have
him call you?"
"That's alright. It can wait."
With that Alexis turned and left leaving a slight confused Sarah behind.
Across the water on the docks, a lone man stares at the house on the
distant
island with binoculars muttering to himself. "You've done very
well for
yourself. Now it's time to spread some of that good fortune around."
The penthouse,
that evening.
Sonny sat quietly on the sofa reading a newspaper while Brenda paced
in a circle
behind him. In the twenty minutes since the call that's all she's
done.
"Bren you're going to go wear a hole in the carpet."
She stopped to say something to him when the door opened. Jason
walked in with
Justus close behind. He had called them and told that he and
Benny had found
something very interesting during their background search of Taggert.
"What did you find?" Brenda asked excitedly. "Something
that will clear
Sonny?"
"Unfortunately no." Jason said causing Brenda's good mood to vanish.
"But we
did find something that may help." He handed Sonny some papers.
"We went
through just about everything and couldn't find anything that we could
really
use until we stumbled across this."
Sonny read over the highlighted portions, his face growing hard.
"Did you
double check this?"
"And tripled checked it?" Jason told him.
"What?" Brenda took the papers from Sonny. "What is this?"
Jason explained. "This is a bank statement. Don't ask me
how I got it. It
shows cash payments deposited on a quarterly basis to a secret account
that
Taggert has in the Cayman Islands."
"From who?" Brenda asked before seeing the second highlighted
part. "Oh no.
It can't be."
"It is. The money Taggert got came from a dummy corporation we
traced back to
J&J Jacks of Alaska."