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Brenda's.
Jax sits on the couch alone waiting for Brenda to finish getting
ready. Robin
has already left to meet Aaron. Jax spots a box he's never seen
before standing
in the corner. It is almost three feet long and covered with
oriental
characters. Picking it up he sets it down on the coffee table.
He opens the
box just as Brenda comes down the stairs. "Brenda. What
is this?"
Brenda looks at him trying to think of what to tell him.
"It's a gift from a
friend."
"A gift?!?" Jax says in amazment. "Do you have any
idea what this is?"
"Yes. Its....." Brenda starts but Jax cuts her off.
"Its a Masramuni katana." Jax says while Brenda tries to
look as if she didn't
know. "Do you have any idea how rare these are and how much they're
worth?"
Brenda shrugs her shoulders no. "Only about a million dollars."
Brenda whistles. She knew her sword was valuable but she
had no idea. Jax
takes the sword out. Brenda flinches slightly as he touches the
blade leaving
fingerprints down it's entire length. <I'm going to have to
polish it again
tonight.> She relaxes when he puts it back in it's case.
Brenda takes it from
him and shocks Jax when she puts in the closet.
"Brenda, you aren't going to leave a million dollars in a closet
are you?"
"Yeah!" Is all she says as she walks out the door.
Jax follows her but takes another look at the closet. He's
not thinking of
where Brenda got it, he already has a good idea who gave it to her.
No the
question he's asking himself is where did Aaron Grey get it from.
Jax has spent
years trying to purchase a Masramuni, but he's never been able to find
someone
who was willing to part with theirs. But this Aaron Grey just
gave one away to
a woman he has known for a little over a month.
Mr Murty's apartment.
Murty is sitting indian style in the middle of the floor in deep
meditation,
his sword lying in front of him. Candles and incense burning
throughout the
room. It is a sparsely furnished one room apartment. There
is no television,
no radio, no telephone. He continues his deep breathing.
The walls of the apartment are covered with photographs, thousands
of them.
All pictures of girls from Port Charles High. There are pictures
of the
cheerleading squad, the swim team and all of the other sports.
There are photos
of individuals like Sarah Webber and Emily Quartermaine and their friends.
On
the wall directly in front of Murty there are over two hundred pictures
of the
same girl. Liz Webber.
Aaron and Terry's.
Terry gets up from her computer to answer the door. She
opens it being careful
to remain behind the thick wooden door and out of the sun. "Yes.
Can I help
you?" She says to the woman standing there.
"My name is Felecia Jones. I'm a friend of Robin's."
She says as Terry
motions her inside and closes the door behind her. Felecia studies
the woman
before. She's small only a few inches taller than Robin wearing
a Queen t-shirt
and jeans and no shoes. "I hope I'm not bothering you.
I just thought it was
past time for us to meet."
Terry smiled at Felecia knowing exactly why she was here (and
who probably sent
her.) Motioning for Felecia to take a seat she asked her if she
would like some
coffee. Terry walked to the kitchen and returned with two mugs
and handed
Felecia one. <I hope I didn't get them mixed up.> Terry
sat down next to
Felecia. "What can I do for you, Felecia?"
For the next several hours the women talked. Despite coming
here with ulterior
motives Felecia found herself starting to like Terry. And Terry
knowing that
Felecia came here with some hope of worming some information about
her past from
her was starting to feel the same. By the end of the conversation
Terry learned
almost everything there was to know about Felecia Jones, while Felecia
had
learned barely little more about Terry than what she already knew when
she
arrived. But one thing Felecia did get was promise to have dinner
tomorrow
evening.
Terry had just shown Felecia out when the phone rang. "Hello.....
Robin.... No
he's already gone.... No you didn't wake me up.... Guess who just paid
me a
visit.... Felecia Jones.... No.... No.... I think
she is nice.... She invited
Aaron and I to dinner at the Outback.... Yes it would help a great
deal if you
were there too.... Thanks.... Bye." Hanging up the phone
Terry walked to the
kitchen she placed the coffee mugs in the sink and took a wine glass
out of the
cabinent. Taking a bottle out of the refrigerator she fills her
glass with the
dark liquid and takes a long sip. <It's going to be an interesting
dinner.>
CHAPTER EIGHT
General Hospital.
Robin got off the elevator and walked to the nurse's stattion.
Amy Vining was
standing there entering something into the comupter. "Hi Amy.
Do know where
Doctor Quatermaine is? He isn't in his office.
"Hey Robin. I'm sorry but he's at Mercy. Some emergancy
consultation. Do you
want me to give him a message."
"No. That's okay. It wasn't important." Robin
checks her watch. It was
almost 1 o'clock and she and Aaron were supposed to meet Brenda and
Jax the PC
Grill for lunch. She walked over to the payphones and called
the loft to make
sure Aaron wasn't still asleep. Robin hangs up the phone when
Aaron gets off
the elevator behind her. She squeals when his hand touches her
neck. "Dammit!
Don't do that!" She says while swating Aaron in the chest.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't resist" Aaron says barely
containing his laughter.
"But you look so cute."
In spite of herself Robin starts laughing too as they walk back
to the
elevator. Aaron groans when Robin tells him of the dinner plans
Terry made for
them with Felecia. His lightens up when Robin says she'll be
there as well to
run interference.
The elevator doors open and out walks Nikolas Cassadine.
He smiles when he
sees Robin but it fades a little when spots Aaron standing with her
with his arm
around her shoulder. He steps forward. "Hello Robin."
"Nikolas!" Robin says excited. "How are you?"
"I'm fine." He says becoming increasingly uncomfortable
in Aaron's presence.
"How are you? I haven't seen you for a while."
"I know. I'm sorry." Robin apologizes. "But
it's just been so crazy the last
few weeks with Aaro...." Robin stops. "Oh my gosh!
I haven't introduced you
yet. Aaron this is Nikolas Cassadine." Aaron reaches his
hand to Nikolas while
Robin continues. "Nikolas this is Aaron Grey. He and his
wife are friends I
met while I was in Paris."
The two men shake hands and Aaron feels the young man relax at
the mention of
his wife. <Man, this kid has got it bad.> The three
stand and talk for several
minutes before Robin and Aaron decide they had better get going.
Stefan Cassadine is walking down the hallway when he spots Nikolas
talking to
Robin Scorpio and a tall man wearing a trenchcoat. Approaching
a little closer
he gets a good look at the man's face and stops suddenly. <Why
is he here?>
Port Charles Grill.
Jax and Brenda are already seated when Robin and Aaron arrive
for lunch. They
make their orders and the waiter returns a short time later with their
food.
The four eat lunch and talk and while Robin and Brenda talk to each
other Jax
and Aaron eye each other suspiciously. After finishing desert
Brenda and Robin
excuse themselves leaving the men alone.
"So Mr Grey, what exactly is it that you do?" Jax asks
after taking a drink of
his coffee.
"A little bit of this and little bit of that Mr Jax." Aaron
answers coyly.
Jax looks across the table at Aaron. He's done background
checks on this man
on three continents and everything he's found makes him believe that
Aaron Grey
is trouble and he wants him away from Brenda. Setting his cup
down Jax's face
grows hard. "Why don't we cut the games."
"I don't know what you mean."
"You know exactly what I mean." Jax says losing his temper.
"I want to know
what you're doing here." Aaron says nothing. "I want to
know why you gave a
sword worth over a million dollars to a woman you hardly know."
Aaron is still
silent. "What does your wife think of your expensive little gift
to another
woman." Jax sees Aaron stiffen slightly. <I've got him.>
"I want to know what
you want from Brenda, and you are going to tell me."
"Is that all?" Aaron says barely containing his anger at
Jax's mention of his
wife.
"I'm not playing with you. You're going to tell me or......"
"Or what?" Aaron breaks in rising from his chair.
So focused on each other
neither man notices that Robin and Brenda have returned to the table.
Jax is
momentarily shaken by Aaron's intense gaze. Aaron turns and sees
the women.
Pulling money from his pocket he throws it on the table. Leaning
over the table
he looks directly into Jax's eyes. "Don't ever speak of my wife
again." Aaron
leaves the Grill followed by Robin.
Brenda walks to the table and shoots Jax a dirty look before
walking out
leaving Jax sitting alone. <Brilliant Jax. Real bloody
smart.>
Robin is barely keeping up with Aaron as he walks. Finally
he stops and Robin
catches up. "Aaron are you alright?"
"No." He turns to Robin. "That ara...." He
stops when Brenda walks up.
"Aaron, I'm sorry about Jax. He had no right to put you
on the spot like
that." She says trying to find an excuse when she knows there
isn't one. "He
can be a little over-protective sometimes."
"Brenda. I know how feel about this guy. But he's
a pompus ass."
CHAPTER NINE
Nightshade
That evening.
Emily walked into the club and headed for her usual stool and
the end of the
bar, the one next to Mariah's. But Mariah wasn't there tonight.
Taking her
club soda from the bartender she looked around the club for her.
She sees the
man she met the other night sitting alone in one of the back booths.
Getting
off her stool she walks over to him. "Hello again."
Derek looks up at the angel before him. "Hello Miss Quartermaine."
"Please call me Emily."
"Derek. Please sit." He motions her to the other
seat.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you Derek." He shakes his no.
"I was just
wondering where Mariah was. I mean...." Emily starts to
laugh. "...she's
always here."
Derek laughs too. "It does seem thay way doesn't it.
She had a personel
errand to run but she should be back soon." Derek stares at the
young woman
sitting across from him. "You're welcome to sit here and wait.....with
me."
"I'd like that."
Mariah heads to her office but stops when she sees Derek sitting
with Emily
Quartermaine. A half smile reaches her lips. <Oh, Derek.
I hope you know what
you're doing.>
Aris' place.
Aris sits in the chair staring at the painting of Terry.
His work is almost
complete. Everything he has ever dreamed of is on the verge coming
true. <Soon
my love. Just a little longer and we will be together again.
Forever.>
The practice hall.
Brenda wanted to talk to Aaron again, to apologize again, about
this afternoon.
She was flattered that Jax was worried about her but he was way out
of line to
confront Aaron the way he did. She entered the hall and heard
the sounds of
clashing swords. For a moment she thought Aaron was sparring
with V. She was
surprised to see that it was Terry.
Brenda watched in amazment as the two almost danced around the
hall. Terry was
giving her husband a run for his money. <Where did she learn
to fight like
that?> She watched as Terry skillfully blocked and countered
Aaron's moves. But
then something happened that sent Brenda into shock.
Terry was making a countering move when she somehow mistimed
her step and Aaron
accidentally stabbed her in the stomach. Brenda watched in horror
as she saw
the tip of Aaron's sword come out of Terry's back.
Aaron immediately pulled his sword back and Terry cried out and
fell to her
knees. Aaron dropped his sword and knelt next to her. "Love?
Oh God, I'm
sorry."
Brenda ran up to them and surprised Aaron. "Aaron!
Don't worry she'll be
okay! We've got to call an ambulance and get her to a hospi......."
The word
stuck in Brenda's throat as Terry looked up at her. She backed
away slowly when
she saw Terry's eyes glowing red. "Oh my god."
CHAPTER TEN
Aaron and Terry's.
Brenda sat on the couch. Next to her sat Robin who Aaron had called
earlier
thinking Brenda might need a little support. Aaron handed her a cup
of coffee as
she listened and tried to absorb everything Terry was telling her about
her
past. When she had finished Brenda just sat there staring at
the mug in her
hand. Finally she spoke. "Vampire. You're a vampire."
"Yes I am." Terry says not quite believing Brenda's reaction.
"You know this actually explains a lot."
"Like what?" Aaron asks intrested while handing Terry a
wine glass.
"Like Terry not being able to go outside during the day."
Brenda looks at
Robin. "I never did believe that skin disease thing."
Terry starts laughing. "I know it's a lame story but a
lot of people do
believe it."
Brenda takes a drink from her cup. "How long have you two
been married."
"976 years." Aaron replied without thinking.
Brenda's eyes widened at the answer. "How did you meet?"
Aaron sits down next to Terry and takes her hand. "I was
walking through the
countryside on evening and saw four ruffians bothering a beautiful
young lady
and me being the studly hero type..." Terry covers her mouth
to keep from
laughing. "...I decided to jump in to rescue the fair maiden.
What I didn't
know at the time was that she was sizing those lads up for dinner."
Terry hits her husband in the stomach with a pillow from the
couch. "That is
not how it happened." She turns to Brenda. "Don't listen
to him he's full of
crap."
"Well tell me what really happened." Brenda listened as
Terry told her tale.
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