Dream a Little Dream

Chapter 20

It was a glorious summer Friday evening. All around Port Charles, people were getting ready for some excitement.

Elizabeth Webber got home from her nursing shift a little after 4. She had another date with Ric Lansing tonight. They'd met for dinner once and coffee once this week, and tonight, they were going to have dinner, then go see “Citizen Kane” at the art movie theater at Port Charles University.

She quickly showered and did her hair and makeup. She put on a rosy pink sleeveless v-neck sweater, pale gray slacks, and flat black sandals, topping it off with a silver cuff bracelet and silver drop earrings.

Ric arrived right at 6. He'd changed after work, putting on a navy Lacoste polo shirt and khakis. He was carrying a small bouquet of red roses. She gave him a long, soft kiss of thanks, and put them in water before leaving, setting the vase on the coffee table.

They went to dinner at a little Greek restaurant near campus. Elizabeth had the grilled lemon and herb chicken with rice and broccoli, Ric had the souvlaki.

“So, what's been going on since Wednesday?” Ric said.

Elizabeth told him of how her brother Steven's ex-girlfriend, Rachel Adair, had shown up at General Hospital to work as a doctor.

“Steven was stunned,” Elizabeth said. “He'd honestly thought that they would get married out of med school. And I was pretty ticked at her, myself. I still am – she took his being here so coolly, like their past didn't matter. I can understand why things happened the way they did, but it doesn't make things any easier for my brother.”

“Have you spoken with him since?”

“I had lunch with him at work today,” she said. “He's gotten his equilibrium back after the initial shock. He said he'd talk to her this weekend – clear the air, maybe, and set some ground rules for dealing with each other at work. She's always been smart, and got a lot of good experience in her last job for working in the Stone Cates wing. I eavesdropped as Amy Vining was gossiping with some other nurses. Robin and Alan seem really high on her. So, looks like Steven's stuck with her.”

“That's got to be awkward,” Ric said. “But I'm sure they're both professional enough to handle it.”

“Work doesn't worry me,” Elizabeth said. “It's what this will do to him outside of work. I was hoping he was going to start dating – he hasn't had a serious relationship since Rachel. Gran often clucks about it.”

They finished dinner, then went to the movie. Ric had his arm around her the whole time, and Elizabeth rested her head on his shoulder.

* * *

Over at the Brownstone, Bobbie Spencer was also getting ready for a date. She'd ended up joining Jerry Jacks for dinner at Vagabond after they'd met there the other night. At the end of it, he'd asked her out for dinner tonight.

Lucas had already left to spend the weekend with Tony. She stood at her closet in her towel, figuring out what to wear. She decided on a light blue print wrap dress and some kitten-heeled sandals in powder blue. She was late coming home from work, so she decided to leave her hair as it was. A pair of sparkly blue topaz earrings and a simple silver chain completed the outfit. She spritzed on some Clinique Happy perfume.

Bobbie had not thought of John Durant since the other night at Vagabond. She and Jerry had lingered over supper, so had not seen him at his outside table. All that was in her mind was the giddy excitement of dating again. It had been a while. It was nice to be viewed by someone as an attractive woman rather than as simply a mom or grandmother. And Jerry was handsome, with a sexy smile that hinted at adventure, and fun to be with.

She'd just finished fluffing her hair and giving it a quick spray to hold it when the doorbell rang. After one last check in the mirror, she went downstairs.

Jerry was at the door, in khaki pants, a blue shirt open at the collar and a tweed blazer.

“Hi there,” he said with a grin. “You look amazing.”

“Thanks! You're not so bad yourself.”

Jerry walked her out to his car, a silver Aston Martin.

* * *

Jason Quartermaine dropped his books on his desk and flopped on the bed.

He had just finished another day in his first week of classes for rescue squad training. It would be an intensive four-week course, including Saturdays, followed by a period of time with a squad where he would stay in the station and learn the routine. After that, he would go on calls strictly as a stretcher-bearer. During that time, he would also be continuing classes and learning how to drive an ambulance.

While it was good to be doing something, a feeling of loss had been nagging at him the past few days. After all the excitement of the party and Emily's antics had faded, there was no buffer between himself and the issues he'd set aside to deal with that mess.

He enjoyed classes, but, looking around at his classmates, he couldn't help but think that by this point in his life, he should be a doctor taking over when they were bringing patients in. While this was good work, and he was grateful to Carly for suggesting it and Lucky for encouraging him, it felt like this was Plan B. Or Plan C. Not what he was meant to be doing with his life. He wouldn't be in this position, trying to rebuild his life and not being able to fully do so, if it wasn't for AJ.

Jason had hidden his feelings from the family so far. It was easier because they had been wrapped up in Emily's little melodrama, and weren't looking for anything else.

He picked up a textbook from the pile, and studied until dinnertime.

* * *

“I don't know, Diego,” Lorenzo Alcazar said.

Diego had just asked him about hosting a pool party at the house in a few weeks. He was hoping to use the party to introduce TJ Hardy to some fellow students, and hopefully keep the path to Maxie Jones clear.

“Why not, Dad?” Diego asked.

“I'm not just a father, I'm a professor and a representative of the university,” Lorenzo said. “After my brother's antics here in town, I can't afford another black eye. If this party is to be held, I have to lay down some strict rules that you and your guests have to follow to the letter.”

“What rules?”

“First, it has to be invitation only,” Lorenzo said. “No crashers, no friends of friends. Just people you know and trust.”

“Fine by me,” Diego said. “What's next?”

“No drugs, no booze,” Lorenzo said. “Some of the people you're talking about inviting – Maxie's sister, Dillon Quartermaine – are underage. So it's just soda. Choose who you invite carefully. If you know someone who likes to smoke pot or do other things, don't invite them. I can't have drugs in my house after Luis.”

“Okay,” Diego said. “What else?”

“You have to accept that Skye and I will be chaperoning the party,” Lorenzo replied. “There may be other adults there, too. But this party won't be unsupervised. If I so much as get a hint that something wrong is going on, I'm shutting things down immediately. No couples going upstairs, either.”

Diego nodded. “Sure, Dad,” he said. “Everything's fine so far. Everyone knows and likes you, and wouldn't do anything to mess things up for you.”

“Then ... okay,” Lorenzo said.

“Yessssss!” Diego cried with a fist-pump. “Thanks, Dad!”

* * *

Another merry Girls' Night Out. With Elizabeth absent, the gang decided to go to Vagabond for supper. Sam was working, so she couldn't make it, either.

Gia, Karen, Robin and Mary were joined by Carly Quartermaine and Brenda Jacks. Lucky greeted them warmly, and gave them a table inside, where it was cooler.

“It's good to get out,” Carly said.

“How are things at home?” Robin asked.

“Calming down a lot,” Carly said. “Alan and Monica took Emily's departure pretty hard, but they're recovering. I think we're all kind of relieved not to have to deal with them and their twoo wuv for a while.”

Robin giggled.

“I'm tellin' ya, Gia, you made a narrow escape,” Carly said, referring to Nikolas. “And, from what I've heard, you've landed in a pretty nice place. Linc Murphy sure brings the goods.”

Laughter rang out around the table.

“Yeah,” Gia said. “I've done pretty well. No gloom and doom with Linc except what my brother provides.”

“Ouch,” Brenda said. “Sorry to hear that. Any chance of a thaw?”

Gia shrugged her shoulders.

“I don't know,” she said. “So far, Marcus and Linc have been able to deal with each other at work by staying away from each other. But I can't help but hope Marcus will come around someday.”

“So do we all,” Karen said.

“Karen, I heard about what you did for Zander that night,” Carly said. “I have to thank you. If something had happened to him ... it would have crushed Alan and Monica. And Morgan – he's always been crazy about Zander. He's still asking for him every day.”

“Thanks, Carly,” Karen said. “Your parents, Stefan and Cameron have already heaped gratitude on me. I was glad to do it. Zander's a great guy. I hope he can get over this.”

“I hope so, too,” Robin said. “His face ... it was so hard to watch. I still can't believe I saw what I saw.”

“Heartbreak like that takes time to recover from,” Mary said.

“How was the retreat?” Karen asked.

“It was the best thing I could have done,” Mary said. “It was a place where I could be quiet, inside and out, and take stock. The nuns helped, too. They helped me see that just because I go on with my life, it doesn't mean that I didn't really love Connor. Time is God's gift, a way for turning the memories that once tore me up inside into happy ones. I prayed a lot on Sunday, and I just felt this amazing peace. Connor was still with me, he always will be, but I felt free in a way.”

“I know,” Robin said softly, thinking of Stone. She wondered what her mother thought when she remembered Robert.

* * *

Anna sat at the breakfast bar in Stefan's loft, watching him make supper. He was snipping the ends off green beans – he'd cook them in boiling water for a few minutes, blanch them in ice water, then saute them with chopped red pepper, onion and olive oil. He also was stirring the risotto every few minutes, adding chicken stock each time in addition to the white wine and truffles he'd added at the beginning. He'd stir in fresh chopped parsley and grated Parmagiano Reggiano just before serving. The pinot grigio was chilling in the fridge.

Then he opened the oven.

“What on earth?!” Anna said.

A chicken was in the oven, standing upright in a shallow pan.

“It's beer-can chicken,” Stefan said. “It's a trick I learned when I was traveling. You open a can of beer, drain – or drink – half of it, put it in the stand. Then you put the chicken on it, the can going inside the cavity. You close the neck hole with a small onion, and let it cook. Best way there is to roast a chicken – it even beats what I've had in Paris.”

“You are a man of many talents, Stefan,” Anna said with a wink.

“And tonight's only just begun,” he replied, grinning.

* * *

Jason was quiet through much of dinner, answering shortly when asked about his classes. The family assumed he was just tired. Monica worried it might be too much for him so soon after coming home, but didn't want to throw cold water on his efforts.

AJ and Michael were giddy all through dinner. With Carly out for the evening, they planned a Boys' Night In – some video games, followed by a movie and ice cream – strawberry cheesecake for AJ, rocky road for Michael. Their joking back and forth across the table was grating on Jason's nerves. In his dream, Michael had been like that with him, and hated AJ. Now, Jason was just the nice uncle and AJ was his best buddy. He felt, illogically, like he'd lost something else since his dream wasn't real, and counted that against AJ.

Alan was talking about how the last of the patients from the school bus crash had been sent home that day. He praised the work of the rescue squads, saying how their quick, effective work had saved a lot of lives that day.

“And, soon, Jason will be making a difference like that,” AJ said. “That should be pretty rewarding.”

For some reason, AJ's comments were a spark to gunpowder for Jason.

“Well, I guess it's the best I can do, thanks to you!” Jason flung at him. AJ turned pale. Michael gaped. Monica gasped.

“I should have been there that day as a surgeon!” Jason stood up and shouted. “But that'll never happen! Instead, I'm stuck taking classes with guys I should be supervising! All because of you and your drunken poor-little-rich-boy routine!”

“Jason ...” AJ began.

“Go to Hell!” Jason shouted. He flung down his napkin and stormed out of the house.

Alan stared blankly at Jason's empty seat. Monica fought back tears and failed. AJ put his head in his hands. Michael sat there awkwardly, not sure whether he should hug his dad or say anything.

“He didn't mean it, Son,” Alan said to AJ. “He's just tired.”

“No, he meant it, Dad,” AJ said, tears on his face. “And he's right. I ruined his life ...”

AJ jumped up and left the room.

“Grandma, should I go to him?” Michael asked.

“Not yet, Michael,” Monica said. “We'll let him be for a few minutes, then I'll go up. I think he needs his mom, just like you do sometimes.”

She got up and left the table, going to her own room to dry her eyes and gather her composure before going to comfort AJ.

“Why was Uncle Jason so mean, Grandpa?” Michael asked Alan.

“He's angry, Michael,” Alan said. “You know how your dad caused the accident that left your uncle in the coma for so long. Jason was studying medicine before the accident – he was going to be a surgeon. But he has some damage from the accident – his fine motor skills, like what you'd use for precise work like your models, were injured and can't be fixed. So he can't be a doctor anymore. And he's obviously mad about it.”

“When will he stop being mad?”

“I don't know. I think he's just started getting mad, and it's going to be a long time before he stops.”

“Why can't he just forgive, like how I have to forgive Morgan when he breaks one of my toys?” Michael asked.

“He's got a long way to go before he can forgive, Michael,” Alan said. “As I said, he's just starting with being mad about things. He'll have to work through that on his own, and hopefully, he'll forgive your father in time.”

* * *

Jeremy and Audrey sat together on Audrey's couch. They had just finished Jeremy's requested supper – leg of lamb with onions roasted in the pan, mashed potatoes and gravy, and peas. They were eating their Jell-O and whipped cream on the couch as Jeremy watched “The McNeill-Lehrer News Hour.”

“It's been nice having two of my favorite boys here,” Audrey said with her radiant smile.

“I'll still be your boy even when I'm 60, right?” Jeremy teasingly asked.

“Of course,” Audrey replied with a laugh. “The world may see a powerful genius, but I still see the little boy who entered our lives and stole our hearts all those years ago.”

Jeremy smiled.

“That's why I love coming back here,” he said. “I can feel a little bit like that boy again, and still look around believing my mom is just upstairs and will be coming down any minute.”

Audrey blinked back the tears in her eyes. Oh, how she missed Anne! It was the pathos of the aged. She had lost so many friends – Jessie Brewer, Ruby Anderson, Dan Rooney, Lila and Edward Quartermaine – over the years. And her niece, Anne. And Steve. Steve ... her greatest love, her best friend, her rock.

But she also had a younger generation now to love and nurture. Elizabeth, Sarah, Steven, Tommy and Jeremy. They were a gift from Time to comfort her in her losses.

Jeremy saw the look in her eyes and changed the subject.

“Where's Tommy ... I mean, TJ ... tonight?” he asked.

“He's over at Felicia's with Maxie and Georgie,” she said. “I'm glad he has friends here. With his father overseas and his mother so busy ...”

“How is Simone doing with her mother?”

“As well as can be expected,” Audrey said. “She'll be taking a leave of absence from her practice soon, probably within the next few months. Mrs. Ravelle's Alzheimer's is getting rapidly worse. Simone is managing all right so far with daytime care from the Visiting Nurses, but she also has to have a nurse at night so she can sleep. Mrs. Ravelle is still fairly mobile, and would try to sneak out if she wasn't supervised. Even if she didn't manage to get out, she could fall, or cut herself on something. If things keep going downhill, Simone will take her leave when the doctor says it's time to bring in Hospice.”

“I'm glad for Simone's sake that TJ is nearby,” Jeremy said. “She's going to need a lot of love in the coming months. It's such a cruel thing. Patti Davis was right when she called it 'the long goodbye.'”

“As horrible as losing Steve so suddenly was, I am glad he went that way and not the way of Mrs. Ravelle,” Audrey said. “When she reached the point where she didn't recognize Tommy, but somehow saw his father in his place and started swearing and shrieking at him, it was heartbreaking.”

They sat in silence for a while.

“So, tell me, young man, what besides my cooking is keeping you in town?” Audrey asked. “You finished your work with Stefan and Courtney. I thought you'd be talking about going back home.”

“I'm not sure, Aunt Audrey,” he said. “Work is pretty quiet right now. My latest idea is plodding through Research and Development right now. I'm not needed except to answer questions, and that can be done by phone or e-mail. And, home? I have to be honest. Seattle hasn't felt like home since Mom died. I didn't have much of a life as I was working so much, and, then, when she got sick, so much of my time was spent caring for her. Now that she's gone, and my work schedule has eased ... I'm feeling restless. There's nothing there for me outside of work anymore.”

“Are you thinking about making some changes?” Audrey asked, hoping against hope.

Jeremy smiled.

“Yes, I am,” he said. “I'm coming home to Port Charles. For good. I'll just go back next week to settle things at work, set up telecommuting and travel, put the house on the market and arrange to have my things packed up. After that, you're stuck with me.”

“Yipeeeeee!” Audrey jumped up and cried, sending her Jell-O flying.

* * *

Monica crept into AJ and Carly's suite. It had once belonged to Edward and Lila. But several months after Edward's death, Monica decided to give it to Carly and AJ. It was larger than the suite they had next to the nursery, and it was quieter being down the hall from the boys instead of right next door. Leticia had been moved upstairs to Carly and AJ's old suite.

Tracy had been furious at Monica over it. But Monica pointed out that, after all, it is her house. Also, Edward and Lila would want it this way. Life goes on. Tracy sulked all through the remodeling process. AJ had decided, as a surprise to Carly, he would give up the small study off the bedroom and combine it with the bathroom. That gave them room for not only his-and-hers walk-in closets, but a Jacuzzi tub for two in the bathroom and a massive, multi-jet shower stall. The creamy marble bathroom floors had radiant heating under them, so they were never cold to walk on in the mornings. The shower stall was tiled in 1-by-1-inch bronze glass tiles. There was a private water closet for the toilet.

The bedroom had been updated, too. Carly and AJ decided they couldn't sleep on Edward's and Lila's old bed, so they brought down a massive, carved antique bedroom set in walnut from the attic instead. After refinishing, it gleamed. Carly decorated the room simply, in soothing tones of pale sage green.

AJ was laying face-down on the bed as Monica entered. She sat down next to him and began stroking his hair.

“It'll be all right, AJ,” Monica said.

AJ turned his face – red and puffy from crying – to her.

“How can you say that, Mom?!” AJ cried. “You heard him! He hates me!”

Monica stifled a sigh of exasperation. AJ sounded like he was eight years old.

“He doesn't hate you, AJ,” she said. “There's a difference between anger and hatred. I thought you'd have learned that growing up in this house.”

“There's not much difference here,” he said with a sniffle. “Since he came home, it had been going so well, I let myself believe everything would be all right. But I should have known better.”

“We all should have, AJ,” Monica said. “We got lulled into thinking that, too. But we knew deep down all along that we would have to deal with this. Kevin was right – Jason was holding a lot in, trying to adjust to everything. And Emily's stunt provided another distraction. But now, it looks like we're going to have to deal with this.”

“I don't know how, Mom,” AJ said in despair.

“Yes, you do,” Monica said, gently but firmly. “Just like you've been doing it all along – one day at a time. Jason's not going to adjust to his new life overnight. And he's not going to forgive overnight. All you can do is the best you can, right now. And right now, the best you can do is go spend some time with Michael. He'll need help with this, too. I'll sit with you until you feel ready, and then you can go wash your face and go see Michael.”

AJ sat up and silently hugged Monica.

“I couldn't even begin to face this without you, Mom,” he whispered.

* * *

Stefan was right. The chicken was outstanding. They ended up picking the bones.

“So much for my chicken salad tomorrow,” Stefan joked.

Anna helped him clear the table. After they were done, Stefan poured them some brandy. They curled up on the couch together, looking out over the water. Stefan looked once at the lights from Wyndemere, then looked away.

“What would you normally be doing on a Friday night?” Anna asked, nuzzling his neck.

“If I wasn't ... out there visiting,” Stefan gestured out to Wyndemere, “or over at Alexis', I'd be here at home, most likely. Either reading a dry report from work, or a book, or watching a baseball game. This is much better.”

He reached over to the coffee table and opened a tin of caramels covered in dark chocolate and dusted in cocoa powder. He popped one in Anna's mouth.

“Mmmmmmm,” she purred. He let her chew and swallow, then moved in for a kiss. After the kiss, Anna pushed him down on his back. She began slowly unbuttoning his shirt, kissing his skin as it became exposed. Stefan sat up for a moment to let her remove his shirt, then lay back down. He reached up to undo her blouse, stopping every few buttons to caress first her collarbone, then downward. He pulled it off her, then untucked the silk camisole underneath it. His hands teasingly roamed her bare back, then moved around to her front. Anna leaned down for another kiss, pressing into him. They began writhing against each other. Finally, they broke the kiss, panting.

Anna stood up and unzipped her skirt, letting it drop to the floor. All she had on were a pair of black lace panties. In one swift move, Stefan stood up and caught her in his arms, lifting her off the floor. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her into the bedroom.

Stefan laid her on the bed, and slowly removed her panties. She reached for his belt and unbuckled it, then undid his pants. He shucked them quickly and lay down next to her. They kissed over and over, their hands roaming at will. Anna then laid Stefan on his back and slowly kissed her way down his torso. She began her slow teasing that drove him wild. Finally, he reached his limit.

“Now, Anna,” he moaned. “Please ...”

Anna obliged.

An hour later, they were snuggled under his crisp linen sheets.

“How soon do you have to be home?” he asked. Anna looked at the clock.

“Not for a few more hours,” she said. “So recover fast.”

Stefan laughed, then turned sober.

“I don't mean to pressure you,” he said. “But have you told Robin yet? The only reason I ask is that I need to know when you do, so I'm prepared at work. I understand that she may not take it well.”

Anna was silent for a minute.

“No, I haven't told her,” she said. “She's had that look in her eyes this week, the one where I know she's thinking about Robert. She even brought him up once or twice. If I tell her now, she'd be totally against this. I have to wait until she's over this spell. Then I think she'll be more open to it.”

“That's fine,” Stefan said, with a few kisses on Anna's forehead. “As I said before, however you want to handle it is all right with me.”

“Thank you for that, Stefan,” she said. “You're being so understanding. I wish I could help you through your troubles.”

“You have,” Stefan said. “And you are. You have made me see that the world doesn't end because Nikolas disappoints me, or rejects me. Your support and company have meant a great deal. But it's not why I want you here. I want you here because of what we have.”

“Which is?”

“Something really, really good,” he replied, leaning down to kiss her.

* * *

It was Rachel Adair's first Friday night in Port Charles. She'd come to town last Saturday to move into her new apartment. Sunday was spent unpacking, then Monday was her first day of work at General Hospital.

Rachel didn't have much to unpack. She'd lived in a furnished boardinghouse in San Francisco, applying every cent she could towards paying off her student loans. The boardinghouse was within walking distance of the hospital, so several young doctors lived there and walked to and from work together. She didn't own a car – insurance and parking bills would have been out of sight – but took the Bay Area Rapid Transit system wherever she needed to go. Her frugal living paid off – between the credit working at the hospital, and making double payments every month, she was almost done paying off her student loans. With the increase in pay from GH, she could afford an actual apartment, buy a few things for herself, and still make the double payments.

General Hospital had flown Rachel out to Port Charles once after hiring her, so she could find an apartment. She'd chosen a one-bedroom apartment near the Waterfront District – it was on the bus line to the hospital, there were coin-operated washers and dryers in the basement, and there was a small Wegmans grocery store nearby. It felt spacious and roomy after the boardinghouse years. Robin Scorpio had already advised her to get a car – buses stopped running on that line after midnight, so if she got stuck at the hospital late because of an emergency, she'd have to take a cab home.

Rachel was sleeping on an air mattress until the weekend, when she would do some furniture shopping. After that, she'd begin scouring the car ads for a nice little car. She'd packed and shipped most of her clothes and personal stuff the day before flying to Port Charles. GH had picked up the tab for both as her moving expenses.

All in all, Rachel was satisfied with the new life she was making for herself. Although she loved San Francisco, she'd missed the East Coast. Her parents had paid for her to fly home to Connecticut once a year. Now, she was an easy day's drive from them, as soon as she got a car.

She had a few pots and pans, so she cooked herself a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs, covering it in lots of cheese. She had to sit on the bed to eat, as there was nowhere else to sit. She looked at the furniture ads during dinner – a good mattress set and bed to start, then a little dinette set, and a TV. That would do for now. She could move the air mattress into the living room for TV-watching. After she got a car, she could hit thrift stores and tag sales for the rest.

Rachel looked at her clothes in the closet with a sigh. She'd worn her good interview suit on Monday, and had gone through most of her other good clothes during the week. Her parents sent her a little money to get started in her new place. Maybe she'd take some of it and go clothes shopping. She'd have to ask Robin where she shopped – Robin was pretty stylish.

After she finished dinner and washed the dishes, Rachel flopped back on the bed, thankful the apartment had central air. But she was soon bored. Her books were still boxed up, and she didn't want to have half-opened boxes and things strewn about until she had someplace to put everything. There was no TV, no radio, nothing to do. She found herself thinking of Steven.

Steven was different than the other students in their med school class. He was driven, but had a purpose. He didn't talk private practice, but instead about working among the poor. His father and uncle had both done the same. His father, Jeff Webber, was working in war-torn Bosnia. His uncle, Tom Hardy, was serving in Africa. Rachel had chosen to go into immunology, hoping to help fight AIDS, after a friend's brother had died of the disease. That shared dedication to a cause beyond money in their career was their first bond. Love followed from it. He was generous, kind and funny.

They were inseparable through med school, then into their internship at a nearby hospital. But the inevitable time came when they had to choose where to go from there. Steven was strangely silent after Rachel got her offer in San Francisco. Then, his traditional Webber side flared up. He felt embarrassed by following her, like he couldn't get something on his own. Then his Bosnia offer came, and, thrilled at the thought of working side-by-side with his father, he naturally thought Rachel would follow him. He was hurt and angry by her resistance, and finally told her to either follow him, or they were through. It was meant to be a nudge in the right direction, but instead, it turned out to be a nudge out the door.

Rachel angrily shoved him out of her mind when she got to San Francisco, throwing herself into her work. She didn't socialize a whole lot, mostly because she couldn't afford to go out more than once or twice a month. In time, she got over Steven. But now, they'd have to deal with each other.

She didn't want to think about it. So she got up and went out. Might as well check out the town. She got on a bus and headed towards the Waterfront District.

* * *

“So, Carly, how are Nurses' Ball plans going?” Brenda asked.

“Well, Emily and Nikolas caused a snag with that, too,” Carly said. “Emily and Zander were supposed to be a part of a number. So we're having to juggle things a bit. We put Zander in another number – no way were we going to cut him out of the show altogether. That would have hurt too much, and he's been through enough. Fortunately, the ball is still a month away, so we have time to re-arrange things.”

“How's Lucy doing with her clothes?” Gia asked. “I'm surprised she hasn't gone to metal gowns to keep them from falling off.”

Everyone laughed.

“Luke was asking me about that at the party,” Carly said. “He was joking about getting a betting pool going for which dress would be The One. But things look good. She's determined to end that streak, so to speak.”

“I'm sure Kevin would be glad if it ended,” Karen said. “But the rest of the guys there would feel cheated.”

“So many new people are involved this year,” Robin said. “Like you, Mary. And we got Sam in for two numbers!”

“I'm still a little nervous,” Mary said. “I was never big into school plays or anything like that. I'm glad I'll be up there with you guys. It'll keep me from getting stage fright.”

“Speaking of which,” Gia said. “You've laid in a supply of paper bags for Alexis, Carly?”

“Already went to Costco,” Carly said. “She'll be fine once she's onstage. She can't look worse than my dad. He's got less rhythm than Whitney Houston after a three-day bender in Tijuana.”

* * *

Ric kept the top down for the ride back to Elizabeth's, enjoying glancing over and seeing her hair flying in the wind.

He pulled up in front of her apartment.

“Want to come in for a bit?” she asked.

“Sure,” he said, feeling his heart pounding.

She let him in. He looked around in admiration. “This place is great,” he said. “You have a real eye for color and making things work together.”

“Thanks,” Elizabeth said. “Want some coffee?”

“That'd be great,” he said. She went into the kitchen to fix it, and came out with two mugs, cream and sugar, and spoons on a tray. She set it on the coffee table, and they sat down on the couch together.

“I'd seen 'Citizen Kane' on TV,” Elizabeth said. “But seeing it on the big screen, you could really appreciate Orson Welles' vision.”

“It was one of the great tragedies,” Ric said. “He gained the world and lost his soul. I knew some budding Charles Foster Kanes in prep school. Their mothers looked like Agnes Moorhead in a Chanel suit. They're all richer than Croesus now, but ... completely empty inside. They try to fill it with houses on the Hamptons, and parties with celebrities, but have no idea what really counts.”

“How did you avoid that fate?”

“My parents truly cared about me,” Ric said. “When I came home, I wasn't left with the governess while they went out and partied. When they traveled, they took me with them, unless it was their anniversary trip or I was in school. Sure, my dad would have loved it if I went into a more money-oriented line of work. And he's still holding out hope that I'll get into politics beyond DA. But I just don't see myself doing that. I love being a lawyer. I love upholding the right, and the rights of the people. Every day, I feel like I'm making a difference.”

“That's how I feel about nursing,” Elizabeth said. “When I was in high school, no way would I have considered becoming a nurse. I was all about my art. But, now, I love the satisfaction. I'm a part of people's lives. I hand new mothers their babies. I help someone facing a scary operation. And I'm there at the end, giving them comfort. There are days when it's unbelievably hard – like the day of the bus accident. But it's worth it.”

Ric felt his heart doing flip-flops in his chest. Elizabeth was so terrific, even better than he'd thought when it was just a crush. He turned to her with a soft smile. She looked up at him. Their lips came together like magnet and iron.

Elizabeth's hands went around his neck and stroked his hair. He caressed her hair and back. They pressed together tightly, kissing over and over. Ric kissed her lips, her cheeks, her cute little nose, and moved down to her ears and neck. He could hear her breathing hard...

Ric pulled away gently, catching his breath.

“I think I better go,” he panted.

“Oh ...”

“If I don't go now, I hope you have Froot Loops in the kitchen,” he said with a faint grin. “I don't want to push this on you, Elizabeth. If it's too soon ...”

Elizabeth looked down, then back up at him with a sweet smile.

“I guess ... you better go,” she said. “I don't want to rush things, either.”

Ric's hand caressed her cheek.

“Can I see you this weekend?”

“I have to work tomorrow, an afternoon shift,” she said. “Maybe brunch on Sunday?”

“Sounds great,” he said, getting up. “I'll call you tomorrow night.”

Elizabeth got up and walked him to the door.

“Good night,” she said.

Ric pulled her to him for one more long, beautiful kiss.

“Good night.”

* * *

Rachel wandered around the Waterfront District. She stopped in a dessert shop – Heather Webber's place – and got a piece of chocolate mousse cake and coffee. I'll have to remember this place, she thought.

She saw a place right on the water that looked fun. The sign said, “Vagabond.” She walked towards the entrance.

Carly, Robin, Karen, Gia, Mary and Brenda were walking out.

“Rachel! Hi!” Robin said.

“Hi, Robin!” Rachel said. “How are you tonight?”

“Doing well. Settling in all right? Everyone, this is Rachel Adair. She's our new doctor in immunology. You met Karen, of course. This is Carly Quartermaine, Alan and Monica's daughter-in-law.”

“Hi,” Rachel said, shaking Carly's hand.

“Welcome to GH,” Carly said.

Robin continued the introductions.

“I'm sorry, we're just heading out,” Robin said. “But this is a great place.”

“Thanks for the recommendation,” Rachel said. “It's been fun exploring.”

“Let us know when you want to do it again,” Karen said. “What are your plans for the weekend?”

“The main thing is getting a bed and some other furniture,” Rachel said. “I want off the air mattress ASAP. Also, Robin, I wanted to ask you where I should get some clothes. I realized when I was packing I was pretty short in that regard. And I don't have much for winter.”

Robin pointed her towards the thrift shops and discount stores of the Asian Quarter. “But go during the day,” she warned. “It's not the best area in the evening, especially closer to downtown.”

“Thanks,” Rachel said. “Well, nice meeting you all. See you Monday, Karen and Robin. Good night.”

Rachel went in. The others walked towards their cars.

“Is she the one that's Steven's ex?” Karen asked. “Elizabeth told me about her.”

“Yes,” Robin said. “Apparently his being here was quite the surprise. I hope it doesn't scare her away. She's too good to lose.”

Rachel looked around Vagabond. Bright colors, eclectic art on the wall. Lots of pretty people. Especially those two behind the bar.

She grabbed a vacant barstool.

“Good evening,” Lucky said with a smile. “Welcome to Vagabond. I don't think I've seen you here before.”

“You haven't,” Rachel said. “I'm new in town.”

“Saw you talking with the girls outside,” Lucky said. “You know them?”

“Yes,” she said. “I started at General Hospital on Monday, in immunology. Rachel Adair,” she said, holding out her hand.

“Lucky Spencer,” he replied, shaking her hand. “Good to meet you.”

“Spencer ... are you related to Laura Spencer? I met her on Monday when her mom was showing me around my first day.”

“That's my mom,” he said. “Lesley's my grandmother. So how are you liking things so far?”

“So far, so good,” Rachel said. “Everyone's been really nice.”

“By the way, this is Coleman, my right-hand man here,” Lucky said.

“Nice to meet you, Coleman,” Rachel said. He is one nice piece, she thought. But this Lucky guy, I could eat him with a spoon and lick the bowl.

“So you guys run this outfit?” she asked.

“My dad owns it, along with Luke's, a bar and blues club nearby, and the Haunted Star Casino,” Lucky said. “Dad keeps an eye on things, but pretty much lets me run this place. He stays pretty focused on the Haunted Star, mostly.”

“Sounds like a pretty hopping town, thanks to your family,” Rachel said with a laugh.

“We Spencers have made things interesting in Port Charles for a long, long time,” Lucky said, grinning.

“Really?”

“Oh, you'll hear the stories I'm sure,” Lucky said. “Robin, Karen and Elizabeth will fill you in.”

Elizabeth. Damn, he knows her, too, Rachel thought. Wonder if she's talked much about me and Steven?

“Can't wait to hear what they have to say,” she said.

* * *

Sam McCall got home from work a little after 11. A late call had gotten her a little wired, and she was restless. Besides, Kelly's was packed, which meant no sleep for her anytime soon. She decided to head out and see if the girls were still around. Gia said they'd be at Vagabond.

She changed into one of her new cap-sleeved blouses, new bell-bottom jeans, and flat-heeled sandals. The night was nice, so she enjoyed the walk down to Vagabond.

Sam looked out over the dockside seating. They weren't there. So she peeped in the window, but they were gone. Then she saw Lucky at the bar. He was chatting with a slender woman with long, curly blonde hair. Something told her not to go in. She turned around and walked back to Kelly's.

Back in her room, she flopped on the bed. Suddenly, she was tired of everything and impatient. She'd been on the treadmill for so long, with work and taking care of Danny. And, making friends, she saw what else life had to offer. She wanted more. For some reason, Lucky popped into her mind.

Sam undressed, turned on the window air conditioning unit to cool the room and filter the noise. But it took a while to get to sleep.

* * *

Carly was surprised to see the parlor lights still on as the car pulled up to the house. The driver let her out.

She walked in. Maybe AJ was still up. But instead, Monica and Alan were in the parlor.

“Carly,” Alan said. “Come in. We need to talk.”

Alarm rushed to Carly's head, making her dizzy for a moment. Had something happened to the boys?

“What is it?” she asked.

“Come sit down,” Alan said. “Something happened tonight you need to know about ...”

Alan and Monica told her about Jason's blowup at the table, and how he'd stormed out. He still wasn't home yet.

Carly was furious.

“Did you say anything to him?” she demanded. “Or did you just let him beat on AJ? The good son's back, so AJ goes back to being the whipping boy?”

“It wasn't like that, Carly!” Monica snapped. “It happened so suddenly, and so fast, we couldn't say anything before he was gone! And, like it or not, Jason does have some things to be angry about. AJ and I talked after Jason left. He's better now, and realizes that this is something we have to work through. Where are you going?”

“To take care of my husband,” Carly replied. “Everyone else may put St. Jason first, but I don't.”

She marched out of the room.

Alan and Monica looked at each other.

“This is what I was afraid of,” Alan said.

“Hopefully, she'll get it out of her system before she sees Jason again,” Monica said. “Where on earth could he be?”

* * *

Jason sat on a park bench in Steve Hardy Park. He'd walked around the Waterfront District for hours, trying to get the anger out of his system.

But even though he'd cooled down some, it was still there. What would he do with it?

He remembered the look of pain and misery on AJ's face. It had felt good to see that. But he'd also seen Michael's face. In his dream, he'd never do anything to hurt Michael. And now he had.

So many feelings were jumbled up inside him. Anger, sadness, guilt, relief at getting at least some of it out. But he didn't know where to go from here.

Maybe Kevin would have some answers, he thought. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and left a message for Kevin, asking for an appointment for Monday. Then he got up and went to his car, and drove home.

* * *

Carly quietly undressed and washed up. AJ was sleeping. She could see the remnants of tears on his face. Her heart hurt.

She slipped into bed beside him, rolling over to spoon him. He flinched at her touch.

Carly quietly withdrew her arm, tears in her eyes. She rolled over on her back.

You'll pay for this, Jason, she thought viciously.