GH2011.6 - LIES, OR THE TRUTH?

 

After half an hour of arguing futilely with his headstrong wife, Stefan

finally loses his patience. Crossing his arms, he looks at her

arrogantly. "I see no logical reason for you to risk your safety this

way. There are a dozen safer scenarios for rescuing Lisa Smith's

child. You are not going on this ridiculous mission, Lasha. I forbid

it."

 

Laura looks at her husband in astonishment, "Excuse me? Since when did I

become your child? Since when can you forbid me to go anywhere?!"

 

Stefan's chin juts out stubbornly, "Since you are so foolishly

considering putting yourself in danger. You refuse to let me accompany

you or go in your stead, you refuse to allow any Cassadine guards to

escort you, and you refuse to delay departure until your safety can be

confirmed."

 

Laura glares at him angrily, "Lisa risked her life for our grandchild!

We have an obligation to help rescue her child and do whatever's

necessary to help them both."

 

Stefan shakes his head impatiently. "I do not dispute that fact, Lasha,

and you know it. I have offered numerous options to this... ridiculous

rescue mission that Lucky has concocted. I have already set up a trust

fund for Lisa's child and I am fully prepared to adopt the child and

raise it as my own should the need arise. Why do you insist on putting

yourself at unnecessary risk?"

 

"Jason's providing more than ample security for Lucky and me. Cassadine

guards would stand out like sore thumbs and cause unnecessary hard

feelings. And you know why I need to do this without you. Lucky and I

NEED this time alone, we have precious little private time as it

stands." Laura walks up to Stefan and puts a hand on his crossed arms

and pleads with him, "Stefan, I know you're terrified something's going

to happen to me. I love you for your protectiveness but sometimes we

have to be willing to risk a little. Let me do this.. for Lucky. I get

to do so little for him."

 

Stefan's face softens and he cups her face lovingly, anguish written on

his face. "I cannot lose you, Lasha. Are you aware that the only way I

was able to survive these long months while Anastacia was missing was

because you were by my side?"

 

Laura's eyes fill with tears, "I know, it was like Richard's kidnapping

was happening all over again for both of us. I wouldn't have survived it

without you either. But nothing's going to happen to me, I promise. "

She leans up and kisses him deeply until they are both slightly

breathless, "I'll only be gone a few hours."

 

Lucky comes in, "Hey guys." He turns to his mother, "Ready, Mom?"

 

Laura looks at Stefan beseechingly until he nods in resignation, "All

set."

 

As she turns and heads out the door, Lucky smiles and follows her. Stefan

just shakes his head unhappily.

 

Lu comes in slowly, rubbing her eyes like she just woke up. "Tired, Angel?"

Stefan asks, reaching out to hug her as she kisses him on the cheek.

 

She nods, "Yeah, I didn't sleep much last night."

 

Concerned, Stefan asks, "Is there something bothering you?"

 

She shrugs, "Don't know, worried about everything, I guess. Anyway, Daddy, I

have a favor to ask of you."

 

He cups her face in his hands, smiling at the possibility of pleasing her,

something that's become more of a challenge since she became a teenager.

"Anything, Angel, you know that."

 

"I really need to get out of the house for a while. I'm feeling cooped up,

being either here or at the hospital all the time. I was wondering if I could

go over to Georgie's for a while? Felicia already said it was okay."

 

Stefan strokes his goatee, pondering, "If you take a guard, I suppose it would

be acceptable."

 

Lu frowns, but supposes that it'll have to do. "Can I pick my guard?"

 

"Why do you ask that?"

 

Lu laughs, wondering why he should even ask. "Cause if I have to have a

guard, I don't want him to look like a guard. He's got to look like a 'normal'

human being. Would Alexander be okay?"

 

Stefan nods, "That would be fine. I'll will call him now."

 

Lu beams, then kisses Stefan again, "Thanks, Daddy. You're the best!"

 

He kisses her forehead indulgently, then watches as she heads off to get

something to eat. He makes the call and smiles secretly as an idea strikes

him.

 

*****

Tracy Quartermaine frowns as her phone rings in her New York penthouse.

"Hello."

 

"Hello, Mother," Ned's voice says evenly.

 

"Ned, darling, is something wrong with Dylan?"

 

"No, Dylan's perfectly fine. I am too, thanks for asking," he says dryly. "I

just called to say good bye."

 

She laughs as only she can, "Why, my dear, are you going somewhere?"

 

"No, you are. Good bye, Mother," he says with a somewhat sad note of finality

before hanging up.

 

Puzzled, Tracy asks of the air, "What the hell was that about?" Her business

phone rings, "Tracy Quartermaine."

 

"Boss, we have a big problem," the British male voice responds.

 

"What's wrong Maxwell? Are you so incompetent that you can't handle anything

independently any more?" she snarls.

 

"It's Morgan. He's sending someone to pick up the kid from the agency. We

don't have the manpower to handle his men."

 

Tracy thinks for a moment then sighs, starting to get an inkling about Ned's

cryptic phone call. She sits back in her chair and covers her eyes. "How did

I surround myself with such incompetent asses?! You should have foreseen

this, Maxwell! There's no time to fix it now, I'll deal with the Smith girl later.

She'll be sorry she allied herself with my brain damaged nephew."

 

"So what do you want me to do when Morgan's men arrive?"

 

"Let him have the little brat. I'll make a call to Morgan and smooth things

out. Just get back here, we have more pressing business to take care of."

 

She slams down the phone and reaches into her desk for her box of cheroots.

Lighting one up, she walks over to the window overlooking the streets of New

York City. "Ned's weird call and now this. They've got to be connected..."

The hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "Why, my darling half wit nephew,

I didn't think you had it in you. Putting a contract out on your own aunt?

Well, you're even more stupid than I thought if you think I'll run and leave

this lucrative territory ripe for picking."

 

Tracy throws her head back and laughs, "Come and get me, Jason. But I hope

you're ready to die." She grabs for her phone and dials quickly. "James, get

your sorry butt over here. I need to put a plan into action."

 

*****

Later that morning, Ned meets Dylan at the gate of the airport. Dylan is

carrying an overnight bag, slung casually over one shoulder. He smiles as he

sees his older brother. They embrace in a manly fashion, slapping each

other's backs heartily. "So, Ned, what was the rush? Where's Lois?"

 

Ned smiles a little sadly, "She took the girls to a movie. I wanted to see

you myself first."

 

As they walk towards the waiting car, Dylan knowingly asks, "Ned, what's

wrong?"

 

Ned sighs, telling Dylan this lie is one of the hardest things he's done.

Even

knowing that in a few hours, it will be grim reality doesn't lighten his

heart. He just hopes that his attempt to spare Dylan's feelings and keep him

safe won't blow up in his face. "I have some bad news that I need to tell you

before you hear it from someone else. Mother died this morning."

 

At the point where Ned drops that bomb, they reach the car. Dylan's eyes

widen, and he sags against the car weakly, "Oh my God, How? This morning?

You're sure?" Knowing his mother, he suspects that it might have something to

do with her 'business', "Was it because she pissed off the wrong person?"

 

Ned hedges and hopes that Dylan doesn't catch on in the difference between the

time he phoned and the time of their mother's 'death'. "I don't have a lot of

details. The police aren't releasing anything. I do know that it wasn't

unexpected. As soon as I heard, I phoned you."

 

Dylan asks harshly, "If you knew last night, why couldn't I at least see her

before she died?"

 

"Would it change anything?" Ned asks, knowing the relationship between Dylan

and Tracy wasn't the best.

 

Frustrated and heartbroken, Dylan slams his fist on the top of the car,

"Dammit Ned, that's not your decision to make! She was my MOTHER! Our mother.

No matter what a bitch she was to everyone, she still gave us life. The least

we could have done was say goodbye."

 

Ned pats his little brother comfortingly on the shoulder, "I'm sorry, Dylan,

but I did what I thought was best. I didn't want you to get caught in any

crossfire. I was doing what I could to protect you. It's what Mother would

have wanted." Ned hates the lie he's telling his brother, but he knows that it

won't be long before Tracy's really be dead. And Ned will do anything to make

sure that he's kept safely away from their mother's dangerous final hours.

 

Dylan stands up straight and looks into Ned's eyes challengingly, "I want to

see her. Now."

 

*****