The Story of Us ~* June*~    Part I     1825 Falling Waters Drive: "So all I need to do is get the plant working on producing the new fragrance and make it through the Nurse's Ball without killing Lucy and Deception will be good as new." "The plant sounds easy - the second part not so easy." Jason racked the balls. "Haven't people tried killing Lucy at the ball before? People with less reason than you?" "Funny." Carly leaned against the pool table gripping her cue lightly and watching Jason line up his next shot. The more time they spent in the grown up play room the better Carly liked it. The pool table was never taken, the beer was always cold, and only her favorite songs in the jukebox, not to mention the lack of suspicious sticky stuff on the floors. "I told Lucy we'd buy three tables." Missing the six ball, Jason moved aside to allow Carly enough room to make her shot. "Three?" "Call it pre-emptive seating. One is for the Quartermaines one is for ELQ execs and one is for us." "The Quartermaines can buy their own tables." "Yes but if we buy it we can decide where it goes." Seeing the response on Jason's lips, Carly held up her hand. "Come on. They've actually been on amazingly good behavior lately." "You're kidding right?" "They have! Even Justus mentioned it. Of course that just means Edward's up to something big." "Or Tracy. Or Ned." Jason added. "I think, you might have to accept the possibility that they're just happy to have you around." Carly patted Jason on the shoulder. "I know it's hard to believe, but some of us just like knowing you're there." "But I'm not! I'm at ELQ and I'm here." "ELQ and here is a lot closer to them than the Penthouse and the coffee business." Carly pointed out. "If you're trying to make me lose the game you're doing a good job." "Poor baby. I won't say anything more about it." Carly walked around the table and lined up her shot. "Just one thing though - I've seen the pictures in the mansion. If you go back to wearing your hair that way and those sweater vests? I'm going to leave you." "Carly. . .." Jason growled. "I mean it! I am not going to sleep with a guy who looks like he could be an Abercrombie and Fitch model." "Carly!" "Or I know! You, Justus, Ned, Skye and Emily can all line up in matching sweater vests for the Christmas card! It'll be like The United Colors of Bennetton!" Jason deliberately put down his pool cue. "Caroline." "Yes Jason?" "You've got a thirty second head start." Jason's lips curled into a smile. "One. . .Five. . .Ten. . ." "Catch me if you can Abercrombie!" Turning on her heel Carly took off running. Wyndham's Department Store: "Mrs. Corinthos!" A petite woman in her late fifties greeted Carly as soon as she stepped off the escalator on the third floor. "Hi Cynthia." "I was beginning to think you'd abandoned us in favor of on-line shopping!" Cynthia held out her hand. "The usual sitting room Mrs. Corinthos?" "Please. Call me Carly. I think I've spent enough time here we should be on a first name basis." Carly ran one hand over the rack nearest her. "I'll bet you know what I'm looking for." "Of course. A gown for the Nurse's Ball. We've had several shipments in the last two weeks. I'm sure you'll find something to your liking. If not we can of course order from one of our stores in New York City." The saleswoman ushered Carly through a heavy polished door and into a luxurious sitting room. "Now, if you'll just make yourself comfortable I'll bring in a selection to start with. Will there be anything else?" "Could you call over to the men's department and have Henry come over? I need to arrange a fitting for Jason's tux and Henry is the only tailor Jason hasn't scared into early retirement." Cynthia smothered a small smile, Mr. Morgan's 'outbursts' as well as Mrs. Corinthos' legendary spending habits were just two reasons they were both infamous around the department store. "I'll tell Henry you're here." She moved to the small bar. "Tea? Soda?" Sinking down into the cushy chair, Carly enjoyed the peace and quiet. It seemed like the house was constantly buzzing lately and the only time she had a chance to get out was during Sonny's visits with the boys. In fact, a more suspicious person might think Mrs. Landsbury and Jason were working together to make sure that she was never in the house at the same time as Sonny. Thankfully Carly didn't have a suspicious bone in her body. Since the incident in her office she'd asked for and received a restraining order and Sonny was convicted of malicious mischief. It was a misdemeanor and he'd only gotten a slap on the wrist for it but it was a conviction and he'd been on his best behavior since. Not having to think about the escalating tensions between her and Sonny was very strange. Before when they separated or divorced Carly's thoughts were consumed with Sonny. He was the one constant goal and desire. But now she felt detached - the same kind of detachment from her old life she'd felt ever since waking up from the coma. It looked like her life. It sounded like her life. But standing on the fringes now, it didn't FEEL like her life. The penthouse, Sonny, their marriage, even after months following the shooting it wasn't real to her. Real was the new house. Real was Michael and Morgan growing up safer and more secure than ever. Real was whatever she and Jason had. Everything before that seemed to pale in comparison. But the more she thought about it it was easy to see the difference. With Sonny she always felt like he was a part of *his* life and *his* world. Ever since leaving Port Charles though she was living her *own* life. After dealing with the tailor and narrowing down the dress choices to a half dozen, Carly had Cynthia bring in a double bacon blue cheese cheeseburger from the dive down the street and paused for a quick lunch. It wasn't as if Mrs. Landsbury needed to know. Fueled by her lunch, Carly went on to make arrangements for Jason's tux fitting, get new soccer shoes for Michael and new shorts. He was growing so fast that hardly anything she bought him in Hilton Head fit him now. She was just getting into the back of the limo when her cell phone rang. "Hello." "Hi honey!" "Mama! It's about time! I was starting to think Luke finally drove you insane." Carly settled into her seat. "I know I haven't had a chance to talk to you lately but things have been hectic." "Is the old fart on his feet yet?" "Yes. And no. Luke's got more feeling in his left leg and he can move both his legs pretty well but he has a hard time standing up unassisted. He had a bit of a relapse last week and that's why I missed your call." "What happened?" "Another infection. He was laid up all of last week while they tried to get it under control. He's better now and back to being his ornery self. Anyway, I'm calling because I have good news for once." "Some cute young nurse dumped Luke's bedpan over his head?" Bobbie chuckled. "No, but that's not for lack of trying! The good news is that we're coming home." "That's great! When?" "The doctors just want to be sure that your uncle's infection is all cleared up which should be by next week and we can leave any time after that. Do you think Jason could send the ELQ jet? It's going to be the four of us coming home." "Four?" "Me, Luke, Lucky and Lesley Lu. Luke's going to be staying at the Brownstone for a while." "Oh joy of joys. Mama are you sure you're not taking on too much? You've already got Lucas and isn't one sullen brat enough?" "Lu's not sullen she's the sweetest child I've ever met!" "I was talking about Luke." "Hardy har har. I'll call you next week to let you know about the jet. Now, tell me about you. How are you doing?" "I'm good." When Bobbie didn't say anything Carly tried a different approach. "Really Bobbie I'm fine. We're just getting to the homestretch with the Nurse's Ball." "And Lucy's driving you crazy?" "Well yeah. But I've got to admit it's going to be incredible. And you should see Lucas he looks so cute in his costume." "Carly. . ." "What?" "Stop teasing your brother." "What? He's not even here with me! How can I be teasing him?!" "Because I know you. Leave him alone about the tights." "You're no fun." "So the new nanny is working out?" "She's good." Carly admitted. "I mean she's not Leticia but Leticia was a saint. The boys both seem to like her a lot and she doesn't act like we're all insane so that's a big plus." "I'd say that's a huge plus. Have you had any more problems with Sonny?" "No. I guess a 24 stay in a jail cell does wonders for his personality." Carly kicked off her shoes and curled her feet beneath her. "He's been the poster child for good behavior ever since. He even went to all of his anger management classes." "You don't sound convinced." "That's because I'm not Mama. Sonny might have the courts fooled but not me. He's just playing them for all he's worth. There aren't enough anger management classes in the world to make him less pissed off at me." "So what now?" "Now we just wait for the other shoe to drop." Carly sighed. "It sucks but I don't want to push him any further over the edge. Our court date is for the end of July. Sometime before that we have to go through psychological evaluation. All of us. Me, Sonny even Michael. Fun for the whole family." "I know this is next to impossible, but please Carly. Try not to worry. You and the boys are going to be just fine. I know it." Mall: "Remind me again why I'm here?" Lucas grumbled again. "Because your sister said, and I quote 'if you don't find something suitable to wear to the Nurse's Ball she'll make sure you don't have any balls to worry about.'" Guy said as he continued to look through the racks of clothes. "Right. Carly. Why does she think she gets to boss me around? And why do I let her?" "Uh-well. For one thing she's your big sister so it's her duty. And let's not forget the real reason. She'll kick your ass." "I hate shopping. There's a reason why all my clothes come from on-line." Lucas reached out and grabbed a suit off the rack. "What about this?" Guy gently took the hanger from Lucas' desperate grip and put it back. "No." "Why no? It's my size." "Because, you're not gay enough for a shiny suit. Elton John, George Michael and all the Queer Eye guys combined aren't gay enough for that suit. Keep looking. For something NOT shiny." After striking out with the first three stores Lucas dragged Guy to the food court for refueling and a new strategy. "I think we should split up. That way we can cover more stores. If we see anything good we can use our cells." Guy shook his head. "Nice try. No." "No? Why no?" "Because I know you. The minute my back was turned you'd be at the nearest FYE looking at CDs." "Come on! Where's the trust?" "On the back of the turnip truck you think I fell off of." Thwarted, Lucas scanned the food court for possible escape routes and spotted two familiar blondes looking for seats. "Maxie! Georgie! Over here!" "Hey!" Georgie weaved her way through the crowd and appeared with a tray in her hands. "Are these seats taken?" "For you fair lady? Never!" Guy rose and pulled out a white plastic chair for Georgie with a flourish. Maxie swatted Lucas. "Why can't you be more like Guy?" "Ow! Maybe because you HIT ME!" He kicked a chair out from under the table. "Take a load off." Peering speculatively at Maxie's tray, Lucas is repulsed. "Salad? Who eats a salad at a food court?" "Girls who have their hearts set on an overpriced gown in a size too small for anyone but a fetus to fit into." "Shut up Georgie it's not that small!" Georgie unwrapped her burger and took a giant bite out of it, chewing and swallowing with great relish before continuing. "Come on Maxie - it's a napkin." She looked at Guy and Lucas. "You two are so lucky! All you need are tuxes." At the guilty expressions on their faces she rolled her eyes. "You haven't got your tuxes yet?" Maxie snorted. "Man- Carly's gonna kill you." She stole a french fry off of Lucas' tray. "I mean between prom and June weddings and the Nurse's Ball, every tux in town is probably rented by now." Georgie shook her head. "You're dead. So very dead." "Thanks. You two are a bundle of joy." Lucas declared glumly. "It's not like we didn't TRY. Doesn't that count for something?" "No." The sisters chorused. "Face it Lucas. You better fill out a last will. . ." Maxie stole more fries. "Hey! Unless you're part of the solution keep your mitts off my food." Lucas slapped her hand. "But I *am* part of the solution. I know where you guys *might* still be able to get a couple of tuxes." Maxie held out her hand. "But it'll cost you the rest of your fries." "What about the fetus dress? Five more fries and you'll fall right out of it. And you know Lucy's the only one allowed to come out of her clothes during the talent show." "Keep yukking it up Lucas and I won't tell you." Maxie taunted. "I'm just glad I'm not the one that has to face the wrath of Carly. . ." Guy reached over and deposited Lucas' fries on Maxie's tray. "Alright. Your demands have been met. Now spill." "There's a great vintage shop on Charles Street. Georgie and I were just there a couple of days ago. They've got some really nice formal wear. It's called Second Hand Rose." Lucas' eyes narrowed. "This isn't like the time I was six and we were here looking for presents to get Betty and you told me Victoria's Secret was a candy store is it?" Maxie laughed. "No, but you've got to admit it was pretty funny when all you could find were some edible underwear and you got them for Betty." "I hate you." Versailles Room: The scene in the Port Charles Hotel was barely controlled chaos. The catering crews were busy arranging the large round tables while the hotel crews followed around behind them and put the tables back in their original positions. Six florists commandeered a long work bench from the stage construction and were assembling centerpieces by the dozen making sure that each and every one were individual works of art. With the stage and backdrop only partially constructed talent show recruits were rehearsing in every available nook and cranny. The orchestra staunchly defended their small parcel of floor space with threats of bodily harm from the broad side of a cello. A few dozen volunteers scurried from group to group - project to project putting out minor fires from short tempers and conflicting personalities. Forty-eight hours until the Nurse's Ball and everyone invariably turned into a diva. And in the middle of it all, in a high backed office chair with wheels sat The Diva (capital 'D') Lucy Coe-Collins. Obviously very pregnant Lucy was taking her doctor's orders to heart and staying off her feet. Whenever someone called out to her Lucy went whizzing over on her chair hopefully avoiding a collision with a slower moving pedestrian. Carly almost turned tail and ran before they even crossed the threshold. "Come on. It's not so bad." Lucas propelled Carly and Guy forward with a hand on each of their backs. "It's always like this the day before and it always somehow comes together." Lucas waved at a familiar face prompting Serena Baldwin to weave through the crowd her blonde ponytail bouncing by the time she reached them. "Lucas! Hi! Welcome to the Thunder Dome." She grinned flashing all of her teeth. "And I see you brought fresh meat! Lucy's gonna love you." "Hey Serena. This is my sister Carly and my nephew Michael." Lucas lowered his voice teasingly. "And the guys you're drooling over are Guy, Stephen and Ethan." With his words Lucas felt the sting of Serena's clipboard against the back of his head. "I was just staring because they're having a hard time with the stage set up and they're dying for a few extra hands there." Serena looked down at Michael. "And you're in the talent show." She checked the clipboard and found his name. "You're in the same group as my sister Christina." Crouching down to Michael's level Serena pointed to a far corner of the ball room closest to the stage. "See the girl with all the curls? That's her. Why don't you go over and they'll get you started?" Seeing Christina Michael heaved a put upon sigh. "Yeah. Okay." "I never knew he was such a ham." Carly laughed. "As for you Lucas, Maxie, Georgie, Dillon and the rest are having a hard time with some of the scenery painting. . ." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "Back wall and whatever you do don't ask Maxie what that big orange blob is supposed to be. She's a little touchy about it." "Orange blob?" "I *said* don't ask." Lucas rolled his eyes and motioned for a wide eyed Guy to follow him. "You said something about stage building problems?" Ethan inquired after a moment. "I'm pretty handy with a hammer." Serena beamed at him. "Oh that's great! Um- you should go to the conference room through those doors there and see my grandpa Victor. He's good with the plans he just can't hammer a nail to save his life." She giggled. Looking again at her notes she dispatched the rest of Carly's people around the ballroom. "And Carly? Lucy wanted to talk to you before you get started." Watching as her mother rolled by, Serena shook her head. "That is if we can catch her." "Anyone got a butterfly net?" Versailles Room: "Jason!" Looking up from a stack of sheet music Alan noticed his son standing on the stage steps, his gaze turned outward on the crowd. "Hello. Well I'll assume you're not here for the talent show rehearsal so you must be looking for Carly and Michael. Last I saw Carly she was headed to the kitchen and Michael. . ." Turning 180 degrees Alan found his grandson. "Michael is over there with Christina Baldwin." "Incoming! Everyone look out!" Jason was about to step off the stage when something whizzed by. Much to his surprise Alan stood his ground and intercepted the flying object by slamming his hands down on the chair's armrests. "Damn it Lucy! You're going to break your neck in this thing. Either that or kill someone." "Oh pooh! Don't be silly Alan. I've almost got it entirely figured out except for the steering and slowing down. . ." "That's it." Alan motioned Jason off the stage and nodded to Lucy. "Would you bring Lucy? She needs to be relocated. . ." Scanning the ballroom Alan found an acceptable vantage point for her. Lucy squeaked in indignation as Jason easily lifted her then proceeded to carry her after Alan. "You! Alan Quartermaine you're a bully and you're not my favorite ex-husband any more!' "Put her right here." Alan motioned to a divan that had been pulled out of one of the ladies' rooms as a possible prop but was abandoned in the center o the room. "Lucy! Sit! Stay! Don't make me call Dr. Meadows on you." "Alan. . ." "I mean it Lucy. I'll have you on bed rest so fast your head'll spin." He relented enough to place a kiss on her forehead. "Try and be a benevolent dictator." Jason cringed as she began barking out orders the minute Alan turned his back. But he also noticed she stayed put. Wanting to catch Carly Jason found himself following Alan back to the stage and his abandoned sheet music. "You're in the talent show?" "Every year." Alan nodded. "But this year Lucy's got something a little more elaborate up her sleeve. Most of the family is in it - me, Emily, Skye, Ned, Dillon." He nodded in the direction of Michael and Christina. "Those two have been having the time of their lives. Michael seems to be a much happier little boy than he did living in that penthouse." "He's a good kid. Carly's done a good job raising him." Jason's answer was deliberate. Alan had helped them recently with Sonny but in the not too distant past he'd also tried to kidnap Michael. No matter how much time passed between them there was always something just below the surface that put Jason on edge. Either it was distrust or unfulfilled expectations from his father or something else entirely. They could never just be easy with one another. But that didn't mean things weren't a little better. Actually when Jason let himself think about it, which wasn't very often, the Quartermaines in very small doses weren't so horrible. The old man still annoyed him. Edward was rude and bossy and never let anyone else talk. Tracy - Tracy was actually worse than the old man. But he didn't dread going in to ELQ every day and dealing with Ned or Justus even Skye once in a while. But the thought of them all in one room was enough to make him run screaming in the other direction. "Jason! Hi! I've been painting some scenery." Looking down at Michael's paint splattered clothes, Jason smiled. "Yeah? That's great. Did you get any paint on the scenery?" Michael groaned and rolled his eyes. "Funny. Are you here to help?" "No I'm here to steal your Mom away for a little bit. We've got some stuff to go over with Justus." "Stuff about me and Morgan?" Michael asked in a serious voice. "Michael your mom and I told you. You don't have to worry about any of this. Your mom's looking out for you. You need to let her." "I know." Looking down Michael concentrated intently on his shoe laces. "I'm sorry." "Come on." Jason put his hand on Michael's shoulder and steered him to the lobby. "Listen Michael nobody's mad about you calling your dad. It's okay you love him and you want to talk to him. And you know you can call him whenever you want. But if you're going to see him you have to talk to your mom or me first. You don't have to be sorry anymore. You told us what you did and you were grounded for two days. It's over." "But it's not." Michael protested. "Dad's just madder at Mom and it's my fault." Crouching down to eye level Jason placed his hands on either side of Michael's face. "No. It's not your fault. Please, listen to me. Nothing you did started this. Your mom and dad are going to work it out and everything will be okay. Just try not to worry." "Hey there's my favorite guys." Carly emerged from the ballroom carrying two lavishly decorated cupcakes. "Look what I found in the kitchen." Carly waved it in Michael's direction. "I don't suppose you'd want to have one and give the other one to Christina?" Michael smiled at his mother. "I guess I could." He reached for the sweets with greedy fingers. "Eh eh eh. Those hands are covered in paint. Go wash 'em and I'll fork over the cupcakes." Carly held them just out of reach. She turned to Jason when Michael went off to the men's room. "What's up? You change your mind about the talent show?" Reaching over Jason tucked a piece of blonde hair behind Carly's ear. "You just want to see me in tights." "Pretty much." "Keep dreaming. Justus has some free time right now and he wants to go over some things for the custody case." Seeing Carly stiffen up, Jason squeezed her shoulders. "It's nothing bad. How about after we're done you skip out of here and I play hooky from ELQ and we take Michael and pick up Morgan and go to the park?" "Oh that sounds good. I'll call Mrs. Landsbury and have her pack us some goodies and have Mary meet us with Morgan in the lobby." Holding her hands out at her sides Carly stood on tiptoe and kissed Jason. "You're genius." "God! There are something like 500 rooms in this hotel. Can't the two of you get one?" Courtney stood behind Jason with her hands on her hips. "Jason I went to your office." She walked up to him and threw papers at his chest. "There's your precious divorce. You should be happy. Justus finally got me to sign. Do you want to know HOW?" Jason pocketed the papers. "No." "You can be such a bastard sometimes Jason. I thought I knew you. I thought I knew you better than anyone else. But I never knew you at all. Justus got me to sign the divorce papers by threatening to send pictures of me with another man to the tabloids." Courtney snapped. "That's right Jason. There's someone else. I was with Brian before we were separated. I'd forgotten what it was like making love to someone that's not already dead inside. Brian laughs and he cries and he feels things. You're not a man you're just some sort of machine. Cold. Lifeless. Soulless. You're one step above an icemaker." "You know what your problem is Courtney? You don't know anything. And you're not quite smart enough to know that you don't know anything. You signed the papers. You said your peace. Now run along." Carly enunciated each word carefully. "I'm not going to do it Carly. I won't let you bait me into a fight the way you did with Sonny. Start a fight and call the police. Sonny told me everything you said to him. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You're sick and I just feel horrible thinking of you raising my nephews. They deserve so much better than you." Jason could see the writing on the wall, and touched Carly's back. "Don't. Michael will be back in a minute." "And you can't even let Sonny have this." Courtney gestured to the poster for the Nurse's Ball. "You know this is very personal and very important to him but you have to take it and make it about you just like you make *everything* about you." Carly ground her teeth. She was just itching to stuff Michael's cupcakes up Courtney's nose. "Sonny's got his tickets. No one said he couldn't come. Actually it should be interesting for him. His table is right between Commissioner Scorpio's table and District Attorney Baldwin's table. Fun. Fun. Fun." "Hi Aunt Courtney!" Michael came out of the bathroom and walked up to his mother showing her his spotless hands for inspection. "Did you come to help?" Michael accepted the two cupcakes. "Come on. I'll introduce you to Lucy and she'll tell you what to do." He offered. "Thanks Mom." He clutched the two cupcakes in his hands and waited for Courtney to follow him into the ballroom. Jason nodded to the Benton, Michael's new guard who followed Michael and Courtney back into the Versailles Room. That was another result of the situation with Sonny going downhill, they'd had to put Ethan on a different detail instead of watching Michael. He was too indulgent with Michael and they just couldn't risk it. Michael had thrown a screaming fit over the change but Carly had been adamant. Personally Jason was just counting the minutes until Francis got back. He was still controlling things from a distance but his presence always made security run more smoothly. The guards liked Jason and the listened to him but he was essentially another job. Not that different from the one before. Francis was the one they were loyal to. The one who'd earned their respect over years. "Come on, let's go see Justus." Carly pulled Jason toward the elevators. Once inside she borrowed Jason's cell phone and called the house. By the time she was finished making arrangements with Mrs. Landsbury they were just inside the Grille being waved over by Justus. "Did Courtney find you?" Justus asked as they joined him at his table. Jason nodded. "Yes." "Good. Now that that's cleared up. . ." "That's not cleared up. You knew Courtney was fooling around on Jason and you didn't say anything?" Carly started. "To you? No. I was acting as Jason's lawyer. I don't share privileged information with you. The only reason I share information with Jason about your divorce is because you told me to. And your divorce is what we're here to talk about." Carly slumped back in her seat. "Okay. What do we need to talk about?" "Mediation." At Jason's expression, Justus held up his hand. "I know it's a long shot. But if we can try and settle this thing out of court then it's in everyone's best interests." "Do you really think after what's happened that Sonny's going to sit down and talk about sharing custody of our kids?" "No." Justus answered honestly. "I think Sonny will lose his temper and have a meltdown if we push him hard enough. I intend to push him." Justus eyes Carly intensely. "How do you feel about Lorenzo Alcazar?" He asked without warning. "What's that got to do with anything?" Carly looked at Jason. "It's going to come up if we wind up in court. Dara Jensen is going to get you on that stand and she's going to ask you about Alcazar. How you feel about him. How long you've felt that way. If you've had an affair with him. If you're having one now. All of this is going to be fair game." He raised his brows and looked at her expectantly. "If you can't even talk about this here - in front of a friendly audience then we can just forget the hearing and everyone can break out their rosaries and pray for mediation." "There's nothing to talk about! I never had an affair with Alcazar and I don't have feelings for him!" "Vehement denial duly noted." Justus' expression never wavered. "Want to try that once more with less feeling?" Carly wilted a little. "Fine. I never had an affair with him..." "And your feelings?" "It's stupid. They're not real." Carly's fingers picked at the tablecloth. "They're not. It's like I'm 15 and in love with Duran Duran. I don't love Lorenzo Alcazar. I have these leftover feelings for the man he was in my dreams when I was in a coma. If I'd never been shot in the head, if I'd never slipped into a coma you and I would never be having this conversation." Carly looked at Jason trying to read his expression. A tiny niggle of worry worked its way into her brain. "That's all I need to hear. I just don't want Dara pulling anything out that you're not prepared for." Justus nodded towards the doorway where Mary stood holding Morgan. "And I think your date for the afternoon has arrived." He grinned as Skye appeared in the doorway behind them. "And so has mine."