Prologue

It will have blood, they say: blood will have blood

William Shakespeare, “Macbeth”

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December 16, 2007

General Hospital: Nurse’s Station

“I feel like Thai food tonight,” Robin Scorpio announced. Her significant other (Patrick Drake disliked labels of any kind, especially boyfriend) grimaced.

“I still haven’t recovered from the last time,” he said. He reached for a chart and after studying it for a moment, scrawled his name at the bottom. “What about Chinese?”

“We had that last night.” She sighed. “I think one of us is going to have to learn to cook.”

“And when are we supposed to find time for this?” he asked, completing another chart. “Between your drug trials and my surgery schedule, we should be glad we know what each other looks like.”

“This is a good point.” Robin pursed her lips. “We need to make friends with people who cook.”

“Now that is an idea I can get behind.” He filed the last chart. “Who can cook?”

Robin opened her mouth and then closed it. “I have no idea.” She was distracted by seeing one of her friends step out of the elevator with one of her favorite former patients.

Elizabeth Morgan had brought her two-year-old daughter Laura Ann in with a bad case of pneumonia a few years ago. Robin had been working an extra shift in the emergency room to help out and had been assigned the case. She and Elizabeth had immediately bonded and Robin had become one of the little girl’s aunts.

“Aunt Rob!” Laura Ann – Lanie – proclaimed. Her godfather, Luke Spencer had long ago decided that two Lauras in the family was asking for trouble and had begun calling her Lanie shortly after her birth. The name had stuck almost immediately.

“Hey, baby girl.” Robin stepped out from the nurse’s station and crouched on the floor to receive a big hug. “We look very pretty today. Did Mommy do these curls?” she asked, tugging on one of Lanie’s brown spirals. Normally, her hair hung in a straight line to the middle of her back. Today, it was curled, with spirals springing all over. It was tied back with a pale pink headband with a pretty bow on top.

“Of course,” Lanie replied cheerfully. “Daddy’s not allowed to go near my hair anymore.”

“Yes, not since Jason cut it a little uneven,” Elizabeth laughed. “I’m here for an appointment.” She glanced around. “Emily was supposed to meet us here to keep an eye on Lanie but I guess she got held up.”

“I can watch her,” Robin offered. She jerked a thumb back at Patrick. “We’re just finishing up some charts so we can head home for the night.”

“What do you say?” Elizabeth glanced down at her daughter. “You want to hang out with Aunt Rob and Mr. Patrick?”

Lanie nodded eagerly. “Do I get to tell them our secret?” she asked in a loud whisper. “Or do I have to wait for them too?”

“You can tell them, sweetheart.” Elizabeth leaned down to kiss Lanie’s cheek. “Thanks, Robin, I shouldn’t be too long but Emily should show up soon.”

“Not a problem.” She held out her hand. “Come on, Lanie. We can go check out what Mr. Patrick’s up to.”

Once they were back in the nurse’s station, Robin lifted Lanie to sit up on the counter. “Lanie has a secret for us.”

“A secret?” Patrick raised his eyebrows and set his pen down. “Is it a good one?”

“It’s a great one,” Lanie said. “Mommy says that I can’t tell Daddy yet because it’s a big surprise but I’m going to be a big sister this summer.”

“Wow!” Robin responded. “I bet you’re very excited.”

“Extremely.” Lanie grinned. “Mr. Patrick? Are you coming to my party?”

Patrick frowned and glanced at Robin. “What party?” he asked. “I wasn’t invited to any party.”

“Oh…right.” Robin smiled sheepishly. “I forgot to tell you. Lanie is having her fourth birthday in January. Elizabeth and Jason are throwing a party on January 5 and we were invited.” She shrugged. “I figured you’d have other plans.”

She actually figured Patrick wouldn’t want to go to the party at all. They’d been dating on and off for almost two years but the year before, they’d been off so he hadn’t been invited. This year, she hadn’t asked him simply because Patrick wasn’t entirely fond of children. He got along well enough with Lanie in small doses but a birthday party where several small children would be in attendance might be asking too much.

“Mr. Patrick, I would like you to come to my party,” Lanie said. “It will be lots of fun. And for my present, you can buy me a pony. Mommy and Daddy say I’m not old enough but I think they’re wrong.”

“I’ll have to consult on a present with Aunt Robin,” Patrick said after a moment, “but of course I’ll come to your party. How could I miss my favorite kid’s big day?”

“Yay!” Lanie clapped her hands.

“Robin?” a student nurse called from the other side of the station. “There’s a phone call for you.”

“Stay right here, Lanie,” Robin cautioned before leaving to take the call. Patrick frowned after his girlfriend. It was one thing to talk to the kid with Robin here but alone? What if he said something completely inappropriate and scarred for her life?

“Mr. Patrick, are you sure I can’t have a pony?” Lanie asked. “I’d take real good care of it.”

“I’m sure you would,” Patrick remarked, stalling. Robin knew how to relate to kids and he wasn’t about to answer this without her input. He heard the phone clatter behind him and turned.

Robin hurtled past him, grabbing the purse she’d stashed under the counter in an effort to make a quick getaway after their shift ended. “I have to go. I have to get a plane to Rome.”

“Rome?” Patrick repeated. “What’s in Rome?”

Robin didn’t answer him. She rushed to the elevator and started pressing the down button. Not wanting to leave the child perched on a counter from which she could fall, Patrick grabbed Lanie and hurried to catch Robin before she got away. “Robin, what’s going on?”

“Aunt Rob?” Lanie asked, confused.

“Brenda—” Robin shook her head. “I have to get to her.”

Patrick saw Emily coming towards them and all but shoved Lanie at her. “Here. Take her.” He turned back to Robin and grabbed her arm to keep her from getting on the elevator. “Robin, you can’t just take off to Rome and not tell me what’s going on!”

“Brenda, someone threw acid on her,” Robin managed to say. “I have to go be with her. Can you cover for me?” she asked him. “Arrange to have my patients looked after? I just—I have to go.”

“Right.” He squeezed her hand. “I’ll take care of everything. Call me when you get there, let me know what’s going on.”

“I will.” The elevator doors slide closed and Patrick turned to a bewildered Emily.

“What’s going on?” the resident asked, setting Lanie on her feet.

“You know,” Patrick said. “I really don’t know.”

Note: This is unfinished and literally cuts off in the middle of a sentence. Ha. Sorry about that 😛

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December 16, 2007

 Morgan Penthouse: Living Room

 “When are we telling Daddy?” Lanie asked. She reached for her favorite doll and handed it to her mother. Elizabeth set it up on a shelf.

“When he gets home from work.” Elizabeth smiled and touched her lower abdomen. She’d suspected for a few weeks that she was pregnant and her visit to Kelly Lee today had confirmed it. Two months along and due in mid July. She was so thrilled to be having another child. Hopefully, this pregnancy would be smooth sailing.

“When is he getting home?” Lanie asked impatiently. She gathered a bunch of her Legos and dropped them into the toy box her mother was propping open.

“In another hour.”

Lanie pursed her lips. “Mommy, what’s acid?”

“What?” Elizabeth let the top of the toy box slam shut. “Where did you hear that word?”

“Aunt Rob said someone threw acid on Brenda’s face.” Lanie paused. “Who’s Brenda? And why would someone throw something at her? What’s acid? And where’s Rome?”

“That’s a lot of questions at once, baby.” Elizabeth lowered herself onto the sofa and patted the seat next to her. “Hop up and we’ll see if we can answer some of them.” She waited until Lanie was situated. “Rome is in Italy, which is a country across the ocean. You’ve been there – Daddy took us when you were just a baby for our first anniversary.”

“Oh.” Lanie nodded. “And Brenda lives there? Who’s she?”

“You know how Aunt Emily is like my sister, even though we’re not really related?” Elizabeth said. “Well, that’s who Brenda is to Aunt Robin. She loves Brenda very much. Brenda is friends with Daddy and Uncle Sonny and Uncle Jax.”

“What about Aunt Carly?”

“Definitely not Aunt Carly,” Elizabeth replied with a smile. “Brenda lives in Rome. As for acid and throwing it on her, I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Is this what Aunt Emily was upset about when I picked you up?”

“Yes,” Lanie nodded. “Aunt Rob and Mr. Patrick were talking at the elevator. Aunt Rob was going to Rome and Mr. Patrick kept asking her why.”

“Well, you know how there’s bottles that Daddy and I told you never ever to touch?” Elizabeth prompted. “The ones we keep locked in the closet?”

“For cleaning and stuff,” Lanie nodded. “Is that what acid is?”

“Sort of,” Elizabeth said hesitantly. “It’s very dangerous and if someone threw it in Brenda’s face, she’s probably been hurt very badly. I don’t know why people would do something like that. You know how we talked about bad things happening that we don’t understand? Like when Grandpa Alan died last year?”

“Yeah.” Lanie frowned. “I want Grandpa Alan back. He was very good at telling stories.”

“I know, sweetheart.” Elizabeth leaned forward and kissed Lanie’s head. “Grandpa Alan is looking out for us from Heaven and he’s taking care of us. You know how Daddy told you about guardian angels? Great-Grandma Lila, even though you don’t remember her and Grandpa Alan are making sure that we’re safe and happy the best they can. But they can’t fix everything.”

Lanie sighed. “It would be a really nice world if everyone liked everyone else.”

Jacks Home: Living Room

The marriage between Sonny and Carly Corinthos had crumbled when their son Morgan was barely a year old. Sonny hadn’t seen it coming to be honest. After one of their usual knock out, drag down fights, he had stormed out and spent the night in his office at the warehouse. The next morning, he had returned and found his penthouse empty. Carly had taken the boys to her mother’s and a few days later she’d filed for divorce.

Sonny still didn’t quite understand her reasons, even now. He’d fought her on custody, he’d fought her on alimony, he’d fought her on every single detail, hoping she’d change her mind. Carly had stood firm and eventually, the divorce had been granted.

They’d been divorced a year before Carly sold The Cellar and used the proceeds to buy into the Metrocourt, the hotel Jax had built to replace The Port Charles Hotel when it had caught on fire. Their partnership had led to sex, which led to love somehow and now here, they were–six months into marriage.

She’d never had this kind of relationship — where she was treated as an equal and her opinion wasn’t constantly derided or overruled. Jax listened to her, and if he thought she was right, he’d even change his mind.

She’d never been this happy.

Carly kicked the front door closed behind her as she sorted through the pile of mail she’d found in their mailbox. It was amazing how many different types of junk mail a person could amass.

“I don’t know how these people get our names,” she murmured. She dumped the pile on the table next to the door, along with her keys and her purse. “Jax, are you–” she stopped when she saw her husband standing in the middle of the room, staring at his cell phone. “What happened?”

He looked up at her, his eyes unfocused. “That was Robin,” he said quietly.

Normally, that would be Carly’s cue to say something nasty about her nemesis but instead, she remained silent. Whatever her feelings were for Robin, the woman was important to Jax and he’d be devastated if something happened to her. “Is she all right?” Carly asked cautiously. She stepped closer to him.

“She’s on her way to Rome,” Jax continued. “Someone stopped Brenda on the street and threw acid on her.”

Carly gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh, my God! Who would do something like that?” Another woman she didn’t like but thankfully, never had to see. Still, all the dislike in the world couldn’t stop Carly from picturing the gorgeous ex-model having acid tossed in her face and feeling sick to her stomach. “Christ, Jax, no wonder you look like you’ve been hit by a car.”

She took the phone from him and gently pushed him until he was seated. “Do you want to go to Rome?” she asked. “I can have the boys pack up and go to Sonny’s. We can be on the jet within the hour.”

“No…” Jax shook his head. He cleared his throat. “No, Robin will be with her. She wouldn’t want me there.” His eyes finally focused on his wife. “It just threw me for a moment–”

“You don’t have to explain,” Carly shook her head. “We came into this marriage with baggage. I bring Sonny and Jason, you’ve got Robin and Brenda.” She paused. “And Skye. And Alexis.” She frowned. “How’d you end with more?”

“Sonny equals three of them.” Jax said dryly. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Thank you.”

Carly stood and shook her head. “I just can’t imagine who’d do this. I’ve got no love for Brenda, but I just…can’t see something like that happening to anyone. It’s just awful.”

“She has no enemies,” Jax murmured. “No one who could hurt her this way. This doesn’t make sense.”

Morgan Penthouse: Living Room

From the second Jason Morgan came home from work, he could tell his girls had a secret. Lanie was giggling and sending him looks and then looking at her mother. Elizabeth was smiling and asking him how his day was, and who’d he seen and he knew she was just chattering to stall for time.

He let them get away with it through dinner, calming fielding requests for Lanie’s birthday present. She wanted a pony or a dog badly and unfortunately, her parents didn’t feel she was ready for either. Jason didn’t think he’d ever be ready to put his daughter on a horse, but then again there were many things he didn’t want her to do, riding horses the least of them.

Elizabeth told him about her morning at the art gallery and how much fun she and Lanie had had. It wasn’t often Elizabeth was able to bring her daughter to work — more often, she divided Lanie’s week amongst Jason’s cousin Dillon and his friends.

Finally, after Jason had finished his dinner, he started to stand. Lanie pounded her spoon against her bowl. “No, Daddy! Mommy made dessert!”

So that was the secret? Jason frowned and sat back down, looking at his wife. Elizabeth just smiled and disappeared into the kitchen. She returned with a plate of brownies and set them in front of her husband. “We made brownies because it’s a special occasion.”

Jason furrowed his brow and looked at her curiously. “It is?”

“Absolutely.” Elizabeth lifted Lanie out of her booster seat and set her in Jason’s lap. “Lanie, why don’t you tell Daddy the secret?”

“Really?” Lanie looked positively thrilled to be able to impart such good news. “Daddy, guess what, guess what?”

Jason braced his hands around his daughter’s waist to anchor her in place. “What?”

“I’m going to be a big sister!” Lanie clapped her hands together. “Mommy’s giving me a little sister!”

“Or brother,” Elizabeth reminded her.

“I want a sister,” Lanie said stubbornly.

Jason stood and switched Lanie to one side and pulled Elizabeth to him with the other arm. “You’re pregnant? You saw the doctor?” He smoothed her hair out of her face and cupped her jaw. “And everything’s okay?”

Elizabeth nodded, with a wide smile. “I saw Kelly this morning. I’m five weeks and she said everything is perfect. I’m due in July.”

Jason couldn’t think of a single thing to say. They hadn’t really discussed having more children though he’d always known she wanted another baby. She had stopped using birth control almost a year ago so he knew it was a possibility, but for it to be a reality? He pressed his lips to hers.

“This is…” he shook his head. “This is great. I can’t even…” He kissed her again.

Lanie clapped. “My turn!” She giggled when Jason pressed a smacking kiss to her cheek. “You’re going to talk to Mommy and make sure she gives me a sister, right?”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Jason promised. He smiled at his daughter and reminded himself again just how lucky he was to have this precious little girl and how close she had come to not being born at all. She was not his biological daughter, but he could never love anyone more. Without Lanie, she might not have had