CHAPTER 13: TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES
Alexis closes her eyes and leans back in her chair. Scott strolls into her office. "Hey Beautiful, I see you got my message," he quips.
Alexis watches him as he sits in the chair opposite her desk. "What do you
want now, Scott?" she asks impatiently.
"You."
"Get real. Now, you'd better have a legitimate reason for bringing me here
tonight."
Scott nods, "Business reasons, of course. I have a proposition for you."
Alexis glares at him, "That's not business."
"It is if I can tell you how ELQ and Cassadine Inc. can work together."
Alexis sighs, "I knew there was a reason I didn't like you taking over as
ELQ legal counsel after your father died." She resigns herself to listening.
"Okay, what is it?"
It's very late when Carly walks past Tom's office at the hospital. She stops
when she notices the lights are on. She knocks softly on the door. No
answer. She opens the door slowly. Tom sits at his desk reading papers
and drinking. Drinking what, she can't tell.
Carly crosses over to him, "Tom, is everything okay?"
"Yep, just ducky," he slurs. She makes a mental note: it's not water in his
glass.
"You really shouldn't be drinking on duty." She reaches down to take the
glass from him, her mind racing.
Tom puts his hand on hers to stop her, then stands. "I'm chief of staff of
this hospital and I'll do any damn thing I want. Besides, I'm not on duty."
He staggers slightly around the room. "I just couldn't stay in my empty
house any longer. Stone went to stay with a friend and Alexis is never
home."
Tom takes Carly's hands in his. Carly is surprised, but doesn't pull back.
"Tom, I..."
He puts a finger over her mouth, silencing her. "Do you know what it's
like to be alone at night? It's lonely, but I don't have to tell you what
that's like. I'm lonely, Carly." He pulls her towards him.
Instead of pulling away, an idea strikes her. She runs her fingers through
his hair. "I won't let you be lonely tonight," she whispers seductively in his
ear, right before they start kissing passionately.
Monica Quartermaine stares through the glass window separating her from
her grandson's ICU room. She watches as Keesha holds Bradley's hand in
her own, trying to coax him to wake up. Monica sees the reflection of her
own tears running down her face.
Alan comes up from behind her and puts a hand reassuringly on her
shoulder. She jumps slightly as she wheels around to face him. "Alan,
when did you get back?"
"Just now." He looks around quickly, "Where's AJ?"
Monica shrugs, "He was released earlier with strict orders to go home and
get some rest. He stopped by here and looked in on Bradley, then left. No
one's seen him since. Reginald says that he didn't go home."
Alan thinks for a second, "Hmmm."
Monica knows exactly what he's thinking. "Alan!" she scolds, "He's been
doing so well."
Alan rolls his eyes, "Monica, you always say that. When are you going to
realize that he drinks. He's always going to."
"Do you think you could be any more supportive?" she asks sarcastically.
She throws her hands up in the air. "Nevermind. You're like a brick wall
where AJ is concerned." She turns back towards the window.
"So are you, Monica. So are you," Alan says softly as he puts his arm
gently around her shoulders and softly kisses her temple, both of them
watching Bradley through the window.
Down the hall at the hospital, Tony strolls towards Bradley's room while
reading his medical charts. He stops suddenly and notices something
troublesome. He frowns, "Damn." He quickly turns on his heel and rushes
in the opposite direction.
Lu and Dylan walk through the park slowly, hand in hand. "This place is
absolutely beautiful, Princess," Dylan says as they stop and he turns her
towards him. "Just like you."
Lu blushes, "Thanks." She changes the subject. "I love coming through
here and thinking about what it would have been like for my father to have
brought me here as a little girl."
"I would have liked to have known you then."
Lu shakes her head, "No, you wouldn't. I was a four year old basket case.
I had nightmares for years. Still do, if I get stressed. I mean, I lost my
father and aunt within days of one another." Lu can't help but shed a tear
at the memories, both of that time, and the conversation she recently had
with her mother at her father's grave. "I don't think I could've handled
dreams about losing you too."
Dylan wraps his arms protectively around her, "Don't worry, Princess, I'm
not going anywhere. I promise."
Lu rests her head on his shoulder, "How did you handle it when your father
died?"
Dylan pulls back from the embrace and shrugs, "I was away at boarding
school. Then my mother showed up." He laughs slightly, "She never
showed up at school. I soon started spending more time with my brother."
"Thank God for brothers," Lu says confidently. "I never would have made
it through without mine."
"Lucky, right?"
Lu nods quickly, "Yep. What was your brother's name again?"
"Eddie."
"Right. I had forgotten." Lu rests her head against Dylan's shoulder again
and they both breathe a sigh of relief.
| CHAPTER 13: TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES
Alexis closes her eyes and leans back in her chair. Scott strolls into her office. "Hey Beautiful, I see you got my message," he quips. It's very late when Carly walks past Tom's office at the hospital. She stops when she notices the lights are on. She knocks softly on the door. No answer. She opens the door slowly. Tom sits at his desk reading papers and drinking. Drinking what, she can't tell. Carly crosses over to him, "Tom, is everything okay?" "Yep, just ducky," he slurs. She makes a mental note: it's not water in his glass. "You really shouldn't be drinking on duty." She reaches down to take the glass from him, her mind racing. Tom puts his hand on hers to stop her, then stands. "I'm chief of staff of this hospital and I'll do any damn thing I want. Besides, I'm not on duty." He staggers slightly around the room. "I just couldn't stay in my empty house any longer. Stone went to stay with a friend and Alexis is never home." Tom takes Carly's hands in his. Carly is surprised, but doesn't pull back. "Tom, I..." He puts a finger over her mouth, silencing her. "Do you know what it's like to be alone at night? It's lonely, but I don't have to tell you what that's like. I'm lonely, Carly." He pulls her towards him. Instead of pulling away, an idea strikes her. She runs her fingers through his hair. "I won't let you be lonely tonight," she whispers seductively in his ear, right before they start kissing passionately. Monica Quartermaine stares through the glass window separating her from her grandson's ICU room. She watches as Keesha holds Bradley's hand in her own, trying to coax him to wake up. Monica sees the reflection of her own tears running down her face. Alan comes up from behind her and puts a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. She jumps slightly as she wheels around to face him. "Alan, when did you get back?" "Just now." He looks around quickly, "Where's AJ?" Monica shrugs, "He was released earlier with strict orders to go home and get some rest. He stopped by here and looked in on Bradley, then left. No one's seen him since. Reginald says that he didn't go home." Alan thinks for a second, "Hmmm." Monica knows exactly what he's thinking. "Alan!" she scolds, "He's been doing so well." Alan rolls his eyes, "Monica, you always say that. When are you going to realize that he drinks. He's always going to." "Do you think you could be any more supportive?" she asks sarcastically. She throws her hands up in the air. "Nevermind. You're like a brick wall where AJ is concerned." She turns back towards the window. "So are you, Monica. So are you," Alan says softly as he puts his arm gently around her shoulders and softly kisses her temple, both of them watching Bradley through the window. Down the hall at the hospital, Tony strolls towards Bradley's room while reading his medical charts. He stops suddenly and notices something troublesome. He frowns, "Damn." He quickly turns on his heel and rushes in the opposite direction. Lu and Dylan walk through the park slowly, hand in hand. "This place is absolutely beautiful, Princess," Dylan says as they stop and he turns her towards him. "Just like you." Lu blushes, "Thanks." She changes the subject. "I love coming through here and thinking about what it would have been like for my father to have brought me here as a little girl." "I would have liked to have known you then." Lu shakes her head, "No, you wouldn't. I was a four year old basket case. I had nightmares for years. Still do, if I get stressed. I mean, I lost my father and aunt within days of one another." Lu can't help but shed a tear at the memories, both of that time, and the conversation she recently had with her mother at her father's grave. "I don't think I could've handled dreams about losing you too." Dylan wraps his arms protectively around her, "Don't worry, Princess, I'm not going anywhere. I promise." Lu rests her head on his shoulder, "How did you handle it when your father died?" Dylan pulls back from the embrace and shrugs, "I was away at boarding school. Then my mother showed up." He laughs slightly, "She never showed up at school. I soon started spending more time with my brother." "Thank God for brothers," Lu says confidently. "I never would have made it through without mine." "Lucky, right?" Lu nods quickly, "Yep. What was your brother's name again?" "Eddie." "Right. I had forgotten." Lu rests her head against Dylan's shoulder again and they both breathe a sigh of relief.
|