UNDERSTANDING

Part Thirty-Two

Sonny walked into the penthouse, still holding Carly close. He placed her on the couch, and sat across from her on the ottoman, as was their custom for heart to hearts. He reached up and wiped the tears from her face with his hands, and pulled back to look at her.

"Carly..........what's wrong? You can tell me. Please tell me so I can make it better."

She looked up at him, her face full of emotion. "Sonny.....am I a horrible person? If you had me for a daughter, would you be ashamed of me?"

"What is this about? Did you have a fight with Bobbie?" He demanded to know. She nodded her head yes. "What about? Did she say she was ashamed of you, or something?"

"Well, it's so more complicated than that Sonny."

"Tell me." He leaned back and waited for her to start.

"Remember when I was kidnapped? Well, Helena Cassadine came to see me Sonny................she told me I was her grand-daughter. She told me Stefan Cassadine was my father." She waited to see Sonny's reaction.

"Stefan Cassadine is your father? Did you ask Bobbie about it?"

"Yes..................she said it was true." Tears began to flow down her face.

Sonny realized now what she was thinking. The man who was her father, and knew about her, had been living in the same town as her and he'd never said anything. He reached out and cupped her face in his hands.

"Sonny................he is ashamed of me. He never wanted me. Am I that horrible? I just want to know." She broke down and sobbed right there.

"Carly................look at me. Look at me........." He pulled her eyes to meet his. "Do you trust me Carly?" She nodded at him. "Then believe me when I tell you, you are not horrible..........far from it actually." He smiled at her, to let her know he meant it.

She smiled slightly, "Yeah, but you're biased."

He reached up and smoothed her hair back from her face. "Yeah well, it still doesn't mean it's not true." He leaned in and kissed her lips tenderly. She kissed him back, and soon their tenderness turned to passion. She needed this, he knew. She needed to feel loved for a little while. He picked her up and carried her to their room.

***********************************************

Johnny had just dropped Joanna off back to Sorel. He'd given her a warning, and she'd assured him she would do as she was told. Now he was hungry, so he decided to stop off at Kelly's. As he walked in the door, his thoughts were on the tasks at hand. How was AJ going to get in good with Helena, and would Joanna do as she was told? Was she double crossing them? He was so deep in thought, he did not notice the woman walking toward the door with her head down, rummaging through her purse. They ran smack dab into one another.

"Oh Sorry........" Johnny's apology trailed off as he looked up in to the face of Chloe Morgan.

"Hello Johnny." She smiled up at him, "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Oh, that's alright, Ms. Morgan."

"Call me Chloe, please."

Johnny smiled sheepishly, and felt his face flush, "Alright, Chloe.............how are you this evening?"

"Oh, I'm fine..........how are you?"

"Oh, just fine.......just got done with some work. Did you and Carly have a good day?"

"Oh yes! It was so much fun. I really like Carly." She smiled sincerely at him.

"Yeah, she's the greatest. She's like family to me............" Johnny looked at her, and decided he didn't want her to go just yet. "Have you eaten dinner yet, Ms..........I mean Chloe?"

"No, I haven't. Is that an invitation?"

"Yeah, I thought you might like to join me in a burger."

"I'd love to do just that, Johnny."

Johnny smiled broadly at her acceptance of his invitation, and led her over to a table.

They talked about their lives as they ate, and got acquainted with one another. Chloe found herself laughing as Johnny made corny jokes, and Johnny found himself having more fun than he had in a long time. When their meal was over, Johnny paid the check, much to the protest of his companion, and walked with her outside. Now they stood outside of Kelly's looking at each other..................both waiting for the other to say goodnight first.

Johnny decided he better get the ball rolling, or he would be standing there for the rest of the night just looking into her eyes..........not that he would mind too much. "Well, Chloe Morgan.........I had a wonderful time."

"Yes, Johnny...........What is your last name?" She laughed, realizing she still didn't know.

"Oh, it's Martin......." He said.........hardly anyone knew that. Most everyone just called him Johnny.

"Well, Johnny Martin..........I had a marvelous time myself. I better get home.............but I'll see you around, right?"

"Yeah." He answered, and she turned to leave. When she walked out of sight, Johnny sighed, and said to himself, "You can be sure of that." He walked away, a smile on his face.

**************************************************

Sonny and Carly lay in their bed, pressed close together. Carly caught a chill and snuggled closer to Sonny's body, putting her face in his neck, and pressing a kiss there. Sonny's arms tightened around her, and he held her protectively in his embrace.

"Sonny.........." she murmured. "I love you." She loved the way he knew exactly what she needed.

"I love you too baby." He loved the way she needed him. "Can I tell you something Carly?"

"Yeah."

"I think Stefan Cassadine is an idiot. He doesn't know what he's missing."

She hugged him tighter, and said, "Do you really think so Sonny?"

"Baby, you're the most special person I've ever known. You make my life so much better. I don't know if I could breathe if you weren't here." He felt her tears wet on his neck, and he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Carly did not think it was possible to love this man anymore than she did at that very moment, but with his next words she found out she was wrong.

"You sleep on it Carly.............whatever you want to do, however you want to handle this..........I'll be right there. You and me together...............forever." He rolled her over to her other side so that he could curl up behind her, and she snuggled herself as close as she could come. She felt his arm drape around her middle and she grabbed it and placed it under hers over her stomach. He kissed her on the cheek, and they drifted off to sleep..................together.

UNDERSTANDING

Part Thirty-Three

Joanna walked up to the house she'd called home all her life. She took a deep breath and told herself to calm down. She knew what she had to do. She opened the door and stepped inside, calling, "Father?" She looked around the house, remembering her life there. It had been far from perfect, but her Father had taken care of her. But, he didn't love her. Taking care of someone and loving them were two totally different things. She looked around the living room, her eyes landing on the chair behind her Father's desk. It was the chair from which he did all his business. She remembered the one time she had dared to sit in it, thinking him out of town as usual. He'd found her sitting there, and lighted into her. She could hear his words echoing in her head..........."You will never be good enough to sit in this chair. You go upstairs and play, and don't ever come over here again." Shuddering, she'd remembered how he'd smacked her, and when she'd fallen to the floor, he'd stood there and laughed. There were many times like that she could recall. Shaking her head, she walked on calling his name out. She had a job to do, and she could do it. Maybe she'd just consider this payback for all he'd done to her. It wasn't like she was going to kill him, she was just going to help put him in jail. And why not, she thought, he deserved it for some of the things he'd done. "Father?"

"Who is there?"

"It's me Father...........Joanna." She walked into his room, and went to him.

"Joanna! How did you get away?" He hugged her awkwardly, and walked away from her. "I'm so glad you are home."

"Mr. Corinthos let me go Father, he told me to tell you this was an act of kindness toward you." She waited expectantly for him to give any sign that he was glad to see her.

"Well.........Corinthos thinks he can use you to make me soften toward him, huh? Well, it isn't going to work."

"Weren't you even going to come for me Father?" She felt the tears well in her eyes.

"I'm glad you got out Joanna, but I am also very aware that is is your stupidity that got you in that mess to begin with. It's time you took responsibility for your own actions. I shouldn't have let you have so much power in that situation. You clearly weren't the right person for the job."

"I'm sorry." She said weakly, beginning to feel like the frightened little girl she'd thought was gone.

"Well, there's nothing we can do to fix it now Joanna. Yet another attempt to bring Corinthos down, and you were the one to ruin it. I hope you see now that you can never be in charge of this business. Now go out, I must make some phone calls." He turned and picked up his phone, completely ignoring her.

Joanna's head dropped down, and she walked out of the room. Why did she always let him get to her? Why was it so important that he be proud of her when all he ever did was hurt her? Sure, he took care of her.......like the time Carly had beaten her up, but it was always about the business. He didn't really love her. Something snapped in her then. Her fists clenched at her side, and she raised her head in anger. "That is the last time he will hurt me," she vowed, and walked back to the living room. She walked to the desk, and tried to open the drawers, finding them locked. She had to find the key. She went through the papers on the top of his desk, but found nothing of any use. Just as she was putting everything back how it was, she heard a noise behind her.

"What are you doing?"

****************************************************

Carly came bounding down the stairs the next morning, smelling coffee. Too bad she couldn't have any. Sonny was already up fixing breakfast for them. She sat in her seat at the table, deep in thought. She had to sort all of this out. So, she was a Cassadine. The illegitimate daughter of Stefan Cassadine, and the hooker Barbara Spencer. Oh yeah, that was something to be proud of. Maybe she should've given Bobbie a chance to explain last night. Maybe then some of this would make sense to her. Why would her father live in the same town as her all this time, and never see her, or tell her that she was his. She felt a surge of anger shoot through her. She was angry about this, and didn't she have a right to be? I mean, her mother and Stefan had even been married, and still.........nothing. She didn't think she wanted to know her father. Sonny walked out of the kitchen, and came up behind her.

"Good morning......." he whispered in her ear, and kissed her on the cheek.

She smiled, and said, "Good morning to you, handsome." She loved the morning times. They were almost as precious to her as the times they spent talking after they made love. They didn't have long conversations at breakfast. They just sat there. Waking up, and being together.

He sat her food in front of her, and commanded her to eat. She gave him an indignant look, and said, "What if I'm not hungry?"

"Oh............" he pretended to ponder the question, then turned a dimpled smile to her. "Eat anyway." She laughed and picked up her fork. She did need to eat, even if she wasn't in the mood to eat right then. She had too much on her mind, but she was going to take care of this baby no matter what.

"Sonny..."

"Yeah?" He took another sip of coffee, and waited for her to continue.

"Would you mind if we didn't really tell anyone about the baby yet? I mean.............I'm happy and everything, but........" She trailed off. How could she tell him she was scared they might lose this baby, too?

"I was thinking the same thing." He said, and reached out and took her hand. She breathed a sigh of relief that he knew what she was talking about and wasn't upset. "Okay." She turned back to her food, thinking of how wonderful a Dad Sonny was. Her mind drifted to Stefan Cassadine, and she wondered if he would've been a good dad.

"Are you okay Carly?" Sonny asked, seeing her face in a frown.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking about this whole Stefan Cassadine thing. I don't think I want him in my life Sonny. He obviously doesn't want me in his. But, won't it be difficult knowing now, and having him in the same town as me? I mean, I'm sure Bobbie told him that I knew."

Just as Sonny was about to speak, a knock came on the door, and Francis stuck his head in the door. "A Mr. Stefan Cassadine to see Carly, boss."

Carly cast a shocked and scared glance at the door, but nodded to Sonny to let him in. Carly gasped as the man she'd just learned was her father stepped in the door.

"Hello Caroline," he said.

****************************************************

AJ Quartermaine walked up the driveway to the Quartermaine Mansion, worrying the whole time about what he would say when he got there. He knew he had to get back in their good graces, and it would be a whole lot easier now that he was sober. He'd gone through the drying out phases while he was held prisoner, and last night when he was released, he'd headed straight for a meeting, knowing that was what it would take to keep him from drinking again. That, and Sonny Corinthos' warning. He'd worked it all out in his mind what he would tell his family, but the hard part was making them believe it. Somehow, he had to win his Grandfather over, and he knew it would be one of the biggest challenges in his life. That man hated him. He walked in the front door, and called, "Anybody home?"

Monica and Alan came running out of the den. "AJ, are you alright?" Alan asked, hugging his son, and Monica doing the same.

"I'm fine, Mom and Dad. I've got something to tell you."

"What is it AJ? We were so worried about you." Monica put her hand on his cheek.

"I'd rather tell the whole family at once. Is everyone here?"

"Yes, they are all waiting in the den AJ." They headed in, and AJ prepared himself for the Oscar worthy performance he was about to have to give.

UNDERSTANDING

Part Thirty-Four

"Well, if it isn't my favorite alcoholic grandson. Where have you been........or should I even ask?" AJ heard his grandfather bellow as he walked through the door.

"My dear AJ," his grandmother said, opening her arms, "I'm so glad you're home. I was so worried for you." AJ walked over and gave her a hug, grateful to be able to see her one more time.

"Hello Grandmother, I missed you too. Grandfather." He nodded.

"Well AJ, we're waiting..........did you get so drunk you passed out, and you couldn't remember our telephone number for weeks? What will your excuse be this time? Alan, Monica.....I told you. You need to get a handle on your son and quit babying him." He guffawed at his son and daughter-in-law.

They took offense to that remark, however, and yelled right back at him. "Oh yes Father, it's much better to be cold and unfeeling like you. This is all your fault........"

"Alright ENOUGH!" AJ shouted, interrupting the fight he'd heard countless times in his life.

They all stared at him as if he'd lost his mind. Alan spoke first, "AJ, why don't you tell us what you wanted to tell us."

"Well......." he started out. I better start with the tears first thing, so they'll think I'm serious, he thought. "I've been traveling...... At first, I just wanted to get away from everyone here, have a good time." He let tears run down his face.....he hoped they bought this. "I was sick of everyone saying I was a loser. So, I thought why don't I just take off? Jason did it, and everyone loves him." He added their favorite in for good measure, trying to make them feel guilty for always putting Jason ahead of him. "I got in the car and I took off. I went from town to town, bar to bar. I had a few close calls with death, and one night I ended up at this particularly rough bar. I got plastered, and......." he paused for dramatic effect, "I passed out. They had to call an ambulance, and I was hospitalized for several days. I almost didn't make it." He stopped to let it all sink in and put his face in his hands, letting them think he could barely get this out.

"Oh AJ......." Monica gasped. "I'm so sorry."

"Oh, it's not your fault Mother," he said quickly, letting them believe he took full responsibilty for his actions. Alan would take that as a good sign. He continued with his sad tale of woe. "As I lay there in that hospital bed...............all alone.........I thought about my life, and what I had become. I had isolated myself from everyone. Shut everyone important to me out of my life. I'm just so sorry to all of you..............." and this would be the kicker, he almost smiled to himself, "but mostly to you Grandfather........" Edward's face went white as he looked at his Grandson. "You were just trying to help me get my life straight, I see that now............I'm so sorry Grandfather!" And before Edward could say a word, AJ threw his arms around his Grandfather, crying as hard as he could muster.

Edward stuttered for a few moments, looked over at Lila, who was smiling approvingly with tears in her eyes, and finally threw his arms around his grandson. "There, there now AJ...."

AJ pulled away from his Grandfather and looked up into his eyes. He never thought it would work this good, the old man was actually almost in tears. "I want you all to know that I'm sorry................and that I'm getting help. I went to an AA meeting last night, and I'm going to stay sober this time. I want to get what I lost back, and I want to prove to you Grandfather that I can be trusted with ELQ...........I know I can make it right......if I only have the chance."

Monica rushed forward, "Of course you can AJ. You can do this and we'll all be here to help you. Won't we?" She looked around the room.

Everyone nodded their agreement, and AJ looked to his Grandfather. "Yes AJ," Edward said, "You know I was only trying to help you. I'm willing to give you one last chance. But this is the only one."

"Thank you Grandfather," AJ smiled at his family. This had been a little too easy. "I won't let you down." He'd given a fine performance................now if only Helena would be this easy, he'd have it made. Somehow, he didn't quite think it would happen.

***********************************************

"What are you doing?"

Joanna stopped and looked up into the face of a man she'd never seen before. She assumed he was a new bodyguard. "Are you new?" she asked.

"I was just hired today. My name is Jared."

"Joanna............Sorel. This is my father's desk. He sent me in here to get something." She lied to him. He'd never know.

"I'm sorry Ms. Sorel, but your father gave me strict instructions that NO ONE was allowed around his desk.............not even his children. So, the question remains............what are you doing?" He raised his eyebrow at her. Mr. Corinthos had told him to look out for her, but he'd never said she was a hottie.

"You don't question me............Jared. This is my house, and my father pays your salary," she hissed in his direction.

He walked close so that no one else could hear them, and whispered in her ear, "Not really, babe...........Mr. Corinthos pays my salary." He heard her gasp, and a look of fear came over her face.

"Did he send you here to kill me?" she asked. "I'm doing what I was told, I promise."

"No, he sent me here to help you," he said grinning at her fear. Yeah, she would do what he said. "You trying to get into Daddy's desk?"

"Yes," she whispered. She didn't like that he was so close, it made her feel a little off-balance.

"Need the key?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Well, we'll just have to get it, won't we?" Jared backed off, and said to her. "I want you to ask Daddy to let me be your personal guard. Tell him you have a crush on me or something. I don't care how, but get it done." He turned and walked out, leaving her standing in the middle of the room, a little shaken. Whew, she thought, he's kinda sexy. She smiled to herself, and went to ask her Father for a new guard.

*************************************************

"Hello Caroline." Stefan said, as he walked in the room.

Sonny came to stand protectively beside Carly and slipped his hand in hers. She clutched on, and spoke cooly, "Mr. Cassadine. What brings you here so early in the morning?"

"I think we both know why I'm here Caroline." He smiled sadly at her.

"My name is Carly," she ground out. No one called her that anymore, except for occasionally Sonny.

"Sorry...........Carly. Bobbie called me last night when you left her house. She is quite upset. Maybe you should call her or something."

"Don't come here telling me how I need to deal with my Mother. You have no right to boss me around."

Stefan winced at her cold tone, and blazing eyes. "You're right Carol............I mean Carly. I don't have any rights. I would like to try to explain, if you would let me." He looked at Sonny, but found no warmth there. His eyes were just as cold as hers, and they held onto each other.

"Explain what, Mr. Cassadine..........explain that you gave me slept with my hooker mother, and conceived a child, then gave me away to someone and forgot all about me? Explain that when I came to Port Charles and found my mother, you still didn't come forth, even though you lived in the same town and knew I was here? Explain that your mother kidnapped me and tried to bend me to her will all because I am of Cassadine blood? Well.................I'm sorry to offend, but I just don't think I wanna hear your explanations right now. Johnny......" she called. She was spitting mad now. How dare he come to her home and expect her to just run into his arms and call him Daddy.

Johnny stuck his head in the door. "Yeah?"

"Johnny, show Mr. Cassadine the door please." She looked her Father dead in the eye, "Don't come back here.......please." She croaked out the last word and turned her back to him. He knew she was crying, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He reluctantly went with Johnny out the door. The second he left Sonny turned and grabbed Carly, pulling her to his chest.

"Are you okay baby?"

She nodded against him, but he felt her tears staining his shirt, and knew that she wasn't. "I'm sorry.........I just got so mad, Sonny."

"You don't have to apologize to me Carly. I said I would support whatever decision you made." She hugged him tight.

"Maybe someday Sonny.........but just not today." She pulled back and dried her eyes, determined this was not going to upset her. She had a baby to think of and she was not going to get stressed out.

Sonny nodded and watched as she pulled away from him. "Are you going to be okay today?"

"Yeah." She put on her best smile. "I thought I might go shopping today."

"Yeah, you'll be fine then." He chuckled and went to put his jacket on. "How about you meet me for lunch at Kelly's? Sound good to you?"

"Yeah. That sounds great." She went over and gave him a kiss. Seeing the worry in his eyes, she said, "I'm fine Sonny.........I promise. Now go. I'll see you at lunch." She smiled brightly at him and playfully grabbed his butt as he turned to go. He whirled around and grinned wickedly at her, his dimples showing.

"If you NEED anything today Carly..........anything..........you just call me." She laughed and shook her head, shutting the door in his face.

She leaned against it, rubbing her tummy. "I'm so glad you never have to go through anything like this, baby. You have a good Daddy.............that loves you and is here for you. You're the luckiest baby in the world." She smiled to herself, and went upstairs to get her and her son ready for the day ahead.