Prologue

January 1, 2006

Morgan Penthouse: Living Room

Elizabeth Morgan knelt in front of the fireplace and motioned with her hands. “Come here, baby.”

Laura Morgan toddled towards her mother and giggled when Elizabeth enveloped her in her embrace. “That’s my girl!” Lanie–the name that Luke Spencer had christened with after realizing how confusing it would be with two Lauras in the family–had been walking for almost six months but Elizabeth would never get tired of seeing her daughter coming towards her on her unsteady legs.

She picked Laura up and started towards the bottom of the stairs. “Jason! We have to go across the hall!”

She heard a door shut and a few moments later, he appeared at the top of landing. He hurried down the stairs and took Lanie from her. “You shouldn’t be lifting her,” he chastised.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “I’m six weeks pregnant, Jason. It’s okay to lift Lanie every once in a while, I won’t keel over.”

“Still.” Jason shifted. “How many times has Carly called?”

“Three, we were due over there twenty minutes ago for brunch.” She wiped a bit of shaving cream off his cheek and smiled at him. “But she said that since you were up late with Lanie last night, you would be forgiven if we went over now.”

“We’re staying for an hour and then we’re coming home so you can lie down,” Jason moved past her and pulled open the door.

“Jason, plenty of women manage to go three or four hours without lying down,” Elizabeth said as they exited the penthouse.

Corinthos Penthouse: Living Room

“So, I told Laura that if she wanted to use that girl for the new Face, she’d have to walk over my dead body,” Carly said as she took the glass of orange juice Sonny offered her. Sonny sat next to her and put his hand on her knee, keeping an eye on Michael across the room who was playing with his sister, Morgan and his cousin Lanie.

“And Laura probably told you go to screw yourself, she owns fifty one percent of the company and she’d do what she’d like,” Elizabeth laughed as she sipped her milk and then set it on the coffee table. “I can’t believe the two of you went back into the company, it’s wild.”

Carly shrugged and smiled wickedly. “Can’t let Laura get too complacent after all. I think she agrees about Isabella being a poor choice for the Face but she just doesn’t like to admit when I’m right.”

“Since that only happens once a year…” Sonny teased and ducked Carly’s half-hearted swing.

“And just think, instead of owning the gallery with me, you work with your other mortal enemy,” Elizabeth smirked.

Carly snorted. “One Corinthos-Morgan owned enterprise in this city is quite enough and I don’t want people getting the idea that I like you.”

“Can’t have that,” Elizabeth agreed. “And just for the record, it would have been Morgan-Corinthos.”

“Alphabetical order,” Carly shook her head. “It’s just the way things are done in the corporate world, Muffin.”

“Yeah, okay,” Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Oh, hey, I brought those photos you asked about from the Christmas party.” She reached for her purse as Carly strolled to the bookshelf.

“What photos?” Sonny questioned.

“Elizabeth has a great shot of Morgan that I wanted for her baby book,” Carly answered as she pulled a white book from the top shelf, missing the white envelope that slid from its pages.

“Yeah, I was pleased with how nice it came out,” Elizabeth said, handing the photos to the other woman. “There are also some nice ones of all three kids, I thought. I have doubles for Lanie’s book but I thought you might want them.”

“Thanks,” Carly said. She started to flip to an empty page.

“I’m going to get another cup of coffee,” Sonny said. He stood and looked to Jason. “You want one?”

“Sure,” Jason held out his mug.

Sonny nearly stepped on the envelope lying on the carpet. “Hey, Carly–this must have fallen from the book–”

Carly frowned and looked up. “What is it?” she asked. “I don’t remember any–” Her eyes grew wide and she met Elizabeth’s panicked ones. “Oh–right–that.” She all but tossed the book on the shelf in her hurry to stand and get to Sonny. “Here–give–”

But Sonny had already focused on the name scrawled across the front in blood-red ink that had not faded in two years. He slowly raised his eyes to Elizabeth’s pale face. “It’s addressed to you.”

“To Elizabeth?” Jason looked at his wife. “What’s this about?”

“It’s–it’s nothing–” Carly bit her lip. “Just a little note to Elizabeth that I must have forgotten to give to her–” she reached for it. “Can–”

Sonny slid the note from the envelope and read the words scrawled in the same crimson ink.

Congratulations on the baby, Princess. I’m sure you and your hubby are just thrilled. Have a drink on me and don’t worry–I’ll be sure to see you soon.

Love,
Faith

Elizabeth exhaled slowly. “Jason–”

“When did she send this?” Jason demanded. He stood and ripped the letter from Sonny’s hands. “Elizabeth?”

“Not longer after Lanie was born,” Elizabeth sighed. “I brought it to Carly and we agreed–” she bit her lip. “We agreed that there was no immediate threat–Faith wouldn’t be back any time soon and we knew what would happen if we told you–we’d just go into lockdown and our lives were just getting back to normal–we decided to keep our eyes and ears open and we’d tell you if it became necessary.”

“Right,” Carly nodded, not wanting the brunette to shoulder the blame alone. “We both agreed and as time passed, and nothing happened–we both just sort of forgot about it. It’s obvious Faith is long gone, right?”

Jason slowly folded the note and handed back to Sonny. “We’re leaving. Now.”

Elizabeth sighed and stood. “Jason, don’t do this–”

“How could you not tell me about a threat made to our family?” Jason demanded. “How could you hide this from me?”

“I didn’t–” Elizabeth shrugged. “Faith was always talk and no action. She never pulled anything off–that was all Ric. I thought she was honestly just trying to rile me, trying to make me nervous. I didn’t think that there was any danger–I still don’t.”

“It’s not your job to determine the danger,” Jason said shortly. “It’s mine.”

“We know that,” Carly said quietly, “but Faith is more than just part of the job–she came after Elizabeth because of Ric. Ric’s gone, she has nothing left here in Port Charles and she’s too smart to come back here. She lit out because things were going wrong–she’s not coming back, Jason. We never would have kept this to ourselves if we honestly believed Lanie was in danger.”

“You know I wouldn’t put Lanie in danger,” Elizabeth said. She crossed to Jason and put a hand on his tense forearm. “Faith isn’t part of the job–anything she does now is personal and you can’t blame me for protecting my family from her. You know I’m right–Faith was trying to get a rise from us and she’s succeeding–if I had told you about this two years ago, you would have locked us in the penthouse until you found her and I just–I couldn’t do that again. Please tell me you understand.”

“I don’t,” Jason said. “But it’s too late for that now.” He looked to Sonny. “It’s been two years, if Faith were going to do anything she would have done it already.”

A Room

A woman sat in front of a mirror and leaned forward to apply a coat of her signature color to her lips.

She turned to pause the tape that had been playing on her television. The image of a pleading Elizabeth amused her–and the sight of her husband trying to hide his anger was too delicious. The timing was perfect for her return–they were too smug, too sure that the danger had truly passed them.

She’d been waiting for this moment–had been observing for over two years just waiting for her opportunity.

After all, the best revenge was a dish served ice-cold.

“All talk and no action, Princess?” Faith Roscoe laughed. “We’ll see about that.”

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