AJ pulled up in front of Harbor View Towers. He had been on his way home, but had decided against that and ended up here instead. Getting out of his car, he walked in through the glass doors to the lobby, pressing the elevator button for up. He had a message for Sonny…and Jason, and he intended to have it sent. Tonight. Clearly.Stepping into the elevator car when it arrived, AJ pushed the button for the Penthouse floor. Riding up, he thought of what he would say…how he would say it. Really, it should be simple. He would just tell Sonny that him and Carly were pregnant…and that Jason should stay away from his family. Forever.
The elevator arrived on the designated floor, the doors opening up to reveal two of Sonny’s henchmen. “Well, good evening boys. I’m here to see your boss. I’m sure he’s in.” AJ made a step towards the doors, but Johnny quickly intercepted him, holding his hand out to prevent AJ from coming any further. “You have to be announced first.” With those simple words, the other guard, Francis, opened the door to do just that.
Francis returned. “He doesn’t want to see you. Beat it.”
AJ started laughing. He figured there would be a problem. “Tell him I have some very ecstatic news to share. That my wife, Carly, is pregnant. With my child.”
Johnny almost smirked. He’d already told Francis the events of his day, so the other guard also knew what had transpired. But nonetheless, he waved Francis over to hold AJ back while he went in to tell Sonny this ‘new’ bit of information.
When he returned, a tired and worn looking Sonny followed him.
“What do you want Quartermaine? I don’t have time for this.” Sonny’s eyes were red, but he would never admit it was because of tears. It was all he had done since returning home.
“Didn’t your muscle man tell you? Carly’s pregnant.”
Sonny just looked at the man, not really sure where he was going with the conversation.
“Well?” AJ asked, disbelieving that Sonny would have nothing to say.
“Well what AJ?”
“Aren’t you going to run and tell Jason about it. That his girlfriend is carrying his child?”
Sonny’s ears perked up at this. Jason’s child?
“What? Did you not think I would figure it out? I just have one favor to ask of you – Tell him not to come back. I’ve already decided I will be a father to Carly’s bastard child. I will raise him…or her as my very own. Free of charge to my brother of course. So really, there is no need for him to return. And there is no need for you to be hanging around Carly anymore. From this point on, she will be very well taken care of. Guards that will make your own look like little girls. So in fact, I shouldn’t even worry about you interfering with with her…”
The door slammed on AJ’s face, interrupting his tirade. Blinking at the door, he turned to glare at the two men standing guard, who were now chuckling. “I don’t think that was funny.” He said to them.
They didn’t care. They thought it was funny. “You know where the elevators are Mr. Quartermaine.” Johnny said through his laughing.
AJ turned and stormed back towards the elevators. Pressing the button hard, he turned back towards the two men. “Just don’t forget – Stay away from Carly!” And upon one of the elevators opening, he stepped in and was gone.
“I would love to take care of him.” Johnny voiced to Francis.
Jason’s girlfriend is carrying his child …I will be a father to Carly’s bastard child. I will raise him or her as my own…Sonny shook his hand as he sank further into the cushions of his couch. So AJ thought the child was Jason’s. And now, he had a personal mission to keep both him and Jason away from Carly…and the child. His child.
Well, Jason would not be a problem since he was gone. But what about him? How would he ever see his son…or his daughter? Would Carly even allow it?
“She has to! I’m the father.” He spoke to no one in particular, since no one was present.
Realistically looking at it, he would have to agree that his track record wasn’t all that smiley faced and hearts. He had ruined so many lives in the past. He’d made Karen Wexler a drug addict hooker. He’d gotten Stone hooked on drugs also, causing him to contract HIV and pass it on to Robin. It had been his fault that Lily and his child had died. He had driven Brenda into the arms of Jax, causing her demise. He had almost caused the death of another woman and child, a child that was his own. Maybe he would be better off not knowing his child…not being a part of their life. What good could it bring him or her to be the son or daughter of him…a mob boss.
Falling deeper into a depression, Sonny barely heard the door open and Francis enter again. “Miss Scott here to see you.”
Sonny rolled his head back onto the cushion. He really didn’t need this right now. But seemingly unable to resist, he waved his approval to Francis.
“Hi Sonny!” Hannah’s voice was small, unsure. She had decided to try again to reach out to Sonny. Even through everyone’s approval that the relationship had soured, she could not let it could. She loved him. And deep down, she knew he loved her. If she was just honest with him…100% honest, then maybe, just maybe…
“What do you want?” Sonny asked, his eyes closed now because a headache was swiftly approaching.
“I just…I just wanted to see how you were.”
“I’m fine. Get out.”
“Sonny, please. Just listen to me for once.”
Sonny opened his eyes and looked to the woman pleading with him now. “Hannah. I always listen to you. Always. And really, you might think that I don’t hear what you say. But I do. And, honestly, it has no effect on the way I feel. I still hate you. Do you understand that Hannah? Hate is one of the strongest emotions known to man – I’m sure you know what it is. So if you could possibly leave me to my misery, I would very much appreciate.” Sonny closed his eyes again, returning to his previous thoughts.
Hannah just stood there, unsure of what to do now. “Fine Sonny. Since you don’t really want to listen to me…”
Sonny rocketed off the couch, his eyes glaring at Hannah. “Take a hint Agent Scott. I don’t want you anymore. We had fun while it lasted, but now its over. Over! You mean nothing to me! If I ever really cared about you, you would probably be dead by now. Take it as a gift and get out!” Sonny walked around the couch and stormed up the stairs to his room. He had some important decisions to make. And he needed to make them fast.
Staring after him, tears came to Hannah’ s eyes. I love you Sonny. And one day…one day, I know you will love me again too.
Turning around, Hannah left the Penthouse.
“Knock knock.” A familiar voice sounded from a crack in Carly’s door. She knew it was her mother, but didn’t really care. She had important decisions to make. And fast. AJ would be back in the morning to get her and then her life would be over. She needed a plan.“Carly? Are you awake sweetheart?” Bobbie asked quietly. If her daughter was asleep, she didn’t’ want to disturb her. Both she and her baby needed rest.
“Yeah. I am. Go away.”
“Carly!” Bobbie warned.
“Bobbie!” Carly mimicked.
“What’s gotten you in such a fool mood?”
“Everything and nothing at the same time” Carly tried to keep the tears at bay, but let a few slip. Her mother couldn’t see her anyway.
Bobbie walked around to other side of the bed, so she could see Carly’s face.
“Thank you mother for heeding my wishes.” Carly wiped at her face, trying to compose herself.
Bobbie frowned at her daughter. “What happened? What could you have possible done in the past 3 hours to make you so upset?”
“AJ knows mama. He knows I’m pregnant.”
“Well of course he knows Carly. The doctor told him.”
“Aren’t they supposed to ask the patient first? What about that confidentiality crap, huh? I should sue someone.”
Bobbie pulled up a chair and sat down. “I don’t think that would help you any right now Carly.”
“Yes it would. Then, I would have money and I could pay my lawyer to sue for custody of Michael. AND I would have money when we disappeared from this God forsaken town”
“You have a lawyer?” Bobbie asked, surprised. She really shouldn’t be though. It was Carly she was talking to.
“I don’t know. I just met her today. I was on my way to the Abortion….” Carly stopped. She looked into her mother’s eyes, noting her words had just registered.
“Abortion? You were going to abort this baby?” Bobbie’s voice rose in anger. Of all the stupid things to do!
“I didn’t really have a choice mother. I was scared if AJ found out I was pregnant with another man’s child, he would freak. He would take Michael from me and send me back to Ferncliffe. And Sonny… Well, that speaks for itself, right? I mean…the guy hates me! It’s his fault I’m in this crappy bed right now.” Bobbie’s eyes glared at Carly, not really understanding what her daughter was talking about.
“I was on my way to the clinic. I didn’t really want to do it mama, but…I didn’t really have any other choices. And I met this woman in the lobby. She talked me out of it…she’s the lawyer I was talking about. She said she could help me… I don’t know. She said…she said this baby was a gift and that I shouldn’t just throw it away. It’s really a long story mama. I left her office and down in the lobby Sonny just jumped at me. He said he followed me…and that he couldn’t believe I had killed his baby. He said I would be sorry… I think…I think he was gonna hurt me. So, I kneed him and ran. I ran…right into the street.” Carly laughed. “And here I am.”
Bobbie sat still for a moment, digesting all of this new information.
“Carly, I wish you had come to me. We could have figured something out. I would have helped you…”
“But mama its…”
Bobbie held up her hand to ward off Carly’s comments. “Let me finish Carly. I’ve already given you the speech about how I will always love you, no matter what. So I won’t repeat myself. And with the abortion, all I can really say is I would have supported you if you had gone through with it, but I’m glad…relieved that you didn’t! Whoever this woman is, I have to thank her for saving my daughter and my grandchild. Concerning Sonny, I wouldn’t be surprised at his behavior. He probably thought you had gotten an abortion and then he would have every right to be angry if you hadn’t informed him of that action.”
Carly rolled her eyes. “Who cares what he thinks?”
“He’s the father of your unborn child Carly! Of course he would have concerns.”
“This child is…Jason’s.”
Bobbie threw her hands up in the air. “I don’t know what to do with you Carly. First you tell me its Sonny’s child…now its Jason’s…”
Carly shook her head in the negative. “AJ thinks this child is Jason’s. He doesn’t know its…its Sonny’s kid. He came in here and gave me a lecture on how he’s going to raise Jason’s child as his own. And how things are going to change from tomorrow morning. He won’t let me go. Ever. I’m stuck in this farce marriage till the day I day and that really couldn’t be soon enough for me, you know. I’m miserable. Michael’s miserable. Everyone in that house is miserable! But I guess…I guess I will just have to be miserable because he’s not letting us go.” Carly stared hard into the blank wall across from her. Her decision was made, she supposed. She would raise this child in the Quartermaine house…live the limited Quartermaine existence that awaited her…be the perfect Quartermaine wife.
“What about Sonny?”
“What about mob boy?” Carly returned drolly.
“This child is really his…”
“Giving this child the Quartermaine name is the best thing I could do for it considering its true paternity. Look at the man’s record – everyone he loves ends up hurt or dead! I should only be so lucky I didn’t end up in that categorization. My baby will have a chance for a normal life with AJ as his father. All I have to do is pretend to love him…and stay out of his way…and provide my children with the love they deserve…need to grow up and do better.”
“I don’t think Sonny will feel the same way.”
“Well Sonny kind of exited the picture when he ran me into the street.”
“You know, he’s probably feeling sorry right now. He looked terrible out there.”
“Good.”
“Carly!” Bobbie used that warning voice of hers again.
“If Sonny knows what’s right for him…and this child…he’ll do it a favor and stay the hell away. Even if he does come out and claim paternity, I will deny, deny, deny. They can’t get a paternity test until this child is born and by then, I will have thought of something.”
Bobbie groaned. “Not another one of your full-proof plans Carly. I don’t think anyone in PC can handle that right now.”
“Well good, cause its months in the coming.”
“What about your lawyer?”
“I’ll have to drop that. AJ won’t let me out of his sight now. He’ll probably have gates put around the house to keep me in. He’ll probably have security bracelets for me to wear, so he knows where I am at all times. He’ll probably…”
“I get your point Carly.” Bobbie interrupted. “I think you should give second thought to that decision. If the woman said she could help you, then you shouldn’t discount her word without even meeting with her.”
“That was earlier mother! Everything’s out now. All previous plans have been shot to hell.”
“You are the most dramatic person I know Carly. But really, don’t give up so easily. Not that I need to tell you that because you’ve never given up on your dreams, no matter how far-fetched they may have seem.” Bobbie’s pager went off just then. Checking it, she stood up and moved towards the door. “I’ve got to go honey. I ‘m needed in surgery, but I’ll come back as soon. Just think about what I said, okay?” With that, she left the room.
Carly sighed. Her mother was right. She owed it to herself, to Michael, and to this baby to not give up. Carly pressed the nurse call button. When a nurse arrived a few minutes later, Carly asked for the stuff that had been on her when she had arrived. She needed to call Dani tonight.