"Morning beautiful."
Keesha grumbled slightly as A.J. opened the blinds to their room slightly, allowing the early morning sun to stream through. Keesha immediately turned her head, burying herself under the mound of pillows and covers.
"What time is it?" she protested, her voice muffled as A.J. sauntered over to the bed and sat next to the lump, gently pulling the sheets back.
"Just after eight, we're the last ones up."
"Even Mary?" Keesha's left eye snapped open curiously. A.J. nodded, "She headed over to Andrea's. Grandfather went with Grandmother to some charity breakfast. Mom and Dad just left for the weekend and even Reginald is out," A.J. ticked off before grinning at Keesha.
"Goodness, what on earth will we do with an empty house?" Keesha said wryly, sitting up and noticing the breakfast tray, sitting on the main dresser near the window. "What's this?" she asked innocently as she swung her legs over the bed and rose to greet the tray. "My, my, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and some melon too," she announced taking a slice and popping it into her mouth before turning back to her husband. A.J. simply smiled before heading over to the stereo, slipping in the 'Greatest Hits of 95' CD. Moments later, Janet Jackson's 'That's the way love goes' filled the room. A.J. wandered over to Keesha, his black silk robe open, revealing only his black pajama bottoms along with the well built chest and washboard stomach Keesha had always admired. Keesha slipped her arms around A.J. and pulling him close before engaging in a long, passionate kiss. Keesha pulled back and sighed happily as the two rocked slowly to the music, after sixteen years of marriage, they still had it and like always, Keesha felt a strong tingling sensation in her feet.
A.J. closed his eyes briefly as Keesha gently pushed his robe off his shoulders, allowing it to silently hit the floor. Keesha ran her fingers gently up his back causing him to suck in his breath as she started a deliberately slow trail of kisses down his neck, along his shoulder and back to the other before gently heading down his chest. A.J. gently took her arms and pulled her up as his gaze met hers. His hands rose and his fingers gently caressed the sides of her jaw before he leaned forward, kissing her fully on the lips as his fingers expertly undid the buttons to her nightgown. Keesha closed her eyes and tilted her head back as A.J. eagerly re-explored her neck as he gently tugged her gown off her shoulders, letting it slip to the floor. A.J. slowly stepped back allowing his eyes to rove over Keesha's body. He knew her curves with his eyes closed but he never stopped marveling at her beauty.
"Come on Quartermaine, you've got yourself a fine woman standing in front of you, are you just gonna stare?" Keesha teased as she inched backwards towards the bed, taking his hand in hers. Keesha laid back on the soft covers, allowing A.J.'s frame to cover hers. A.J. gazed at Keesha, his eyes, full of love and devotion as he stroked her cheek gently.
"For me, the sun rises and sets with you," he whispered softly. "Always."
Keesha's heart swelled with joy, her eyes filled with tears as she kissed him fiercely. A.J. smiled tenderly at her as he brushed her tears away.
"You know, Aristotle called friendship the union of one soul," Keesha said quietly, as her arms found their way around his waist.
"Smart guy," A.J. observed as he continued to stroke her cheek.
"Wanna know what he called love?" she asked.
"What?"
"Not regular love, but jaw dropping, heart breaking, intense, passion filled, needing, never ending love?"
"What?" A.J. laughed gently.
Keesha smiled fondly at the man she loved.
"Us."
*********************************************
Collins resident
"I'm glad you came so early," Michael said as he hugged Mary warmly as she and Dominic entered the house.
"Where are your parents?" Mary asked Andrea as her eyes wandered around the room.
"They took Darric for a walk, to give us some privacy," Andrea explained, relieved they'd agreed so readily to it.
"So, how are you?" Mary asked tentatively as the four sat around the living room. Michael squeezed Mary's hand.
"Better than yesterday," he said truthfully, "it's still hard but, I'm calmer, that's for sure."
"Good to hear," Dominic said easily. "You wanted us both here, what's up?"
Michael took a deep breath, "the unthinkable happened yesterday. I found out that my parents had known already that A.J. was my biological father."
Mary paled, despite her gnawing suspicions, "how long?"
Michael smiled briefly, "always, they were never involved at the time I was conceived. Friends, but that was it."
"You were supposed to be Tony Jones's child right? Mary asked and Michael nodded slowly, suddenly curious as to what life would have been like if he had been Tony Jones's son.
"But you weren't and that seemed to trigger him and it was all downhill from then for him, I mean, the guy died four years ago," Mary said, a hint of sympathy entering her tone.
"Yeah, car crash on route 10, went right over the cliff," Andrea noted, "remember what happened to his son?"
"That's not really important," Michael said quickly, interrupting the thread of conversation, "anyway, after my Mom broke up with him she went to my Dad and he promised that the Quartermaines wouldn't take me from her and neither would Tony Jones. That meant making him my Father, nobody questioned him since everyone knew that my Dad never lied, everyone was surprised," Michael paused thoughtfully, "or maybe they weren't. They had their ideas about my Mom and what kind of person she was. People were really surprised with my Dad though. He was dating another woman at the time."
"Dr. Robin Scorpio," Andrea supplied.
"Well, I guess their relationship fizzled and my parents fell in love,"Michael said, "a little too late I guess," he sighed.
"I don't get it," Mary said numbly after a few moments, "my Dad isn't a tyrant, he never was. I don't get why they did it to him."
Michael shook his head, "she was scared she'd lose me, she wasn't thinking."
Mary shook her head angrily, "so she made everyone lose out instead!"
"Mary listen to me, I know how you feel. BELIEVE ME, but she IS my Mother, she must have thought she was doing the right thing!"
"Yeah, for who, you? Or her?" Mary responded bitterly.
"I am not going to argue with you about this, I don't have the time or energy okay?" Michael snapped.
Mary drew back, slightly stung by his outburst. "Sorry, I'm just really angry," she said quietly.
Michael let out a bitter laugh, "you're not the only one."
After a few awkward moments, Andrea cleared her throat, "I know this isn't easy. Not for anyone and it's going to get a lot harder before it gets any easier. We need to get on the level about everything right now. Michael?" she prodded.
"Later tonight, I'm going to tell the Quartermaines. First A.J. and then the rest. Andrea and her parents are coming and I want you both to be there. You especially," Michael said as he took Mary's hand gently.
"You got it," Mary said quickly.
Dominic nodded silently in agreement. Michael sighed, relieved as Mary stood up. "We should go," she said, averting her eyes from Michael's.
Dominic immediately turned to Andrea, sensing the necessary privacy, "Andrea, might I have a glass of water, if it's not too much please?"
Andrea smiled knowingly, "of course, follow me."
"Mary, sit down for a sec', please," Michael urged. Mary reluctantly sat back down as Michael looked at her intently for a moment, before his eyes relaxed.
"Remember what your Mom used to call us? When we were younger and I came over every weekend?"
Mary smiled as the memory flashed through her mind, "M&M, just like the candy," she said, a soft groan emerging from her as she rolled her eyes playfully.
"We spent so much time together, especially during the summer, it was just easier than calling for Michael and Mary."
"We stuck like glue, had to pry us apart most of the time. That was after the huge nightly manhunt on the family grounds," Mary said as her eyes met Michael's. Her eyes twinkled as the memories of years before flooded her mind. Mary closed her eyes for a moment as the common image of family members and staff hunted the large forested property on the Quartermaine estate, shouting for the two young children who giggled excitedly in the bushes near the poolhouse as they observed Edward bellowing from the rose garden only ending their game when Keesha's voice rang with growing annoyance, Mary being all too familiar with her Mother's admonishing lectures. Mary opened her eyes, somewhat reluctant to let go of the past.
"Then you had to go home, your Dad wouldn't let you spend the night. No matter how much we begged and pleaded, not even with guards, we couldn't camp out under the stars or tell ghost stories. We never did that stuff."
Michael smiled sadly, "I know, his rules not mine."
"Weren't my Dad's either," Mary said, pausing for effect, "bro'."
Michael's eyes snapped up as a gentle chuckle escaped him, "bro'? If I'm bro' then you must be sis'."
"No, I'm Mary," Mary responded, "but I am your sister," she giggled as Michael rolled his eyes.
"Nobody likes a smart ass," he said dryly before returning her smile. For the first time in a very long time, things were looking up for Michael. Impulsively, he leaned over and hugged Mary. Although surprised, she returned the warm hug, feeling as though a new bond had been formed between them. One that is formed only between siblings. It felt different to Mary.
Different, she decided, but good.
*********************************************
The Penthouse
Carly shifted restlessly in her seat as she picked at her salad. Resigning to the fact that she couldn't eat, she placed her fork down and rose from the dining room table, wandering over to the balcony windows. It had been a beautiful morning, one she would have enjoyed with Michael and Spencer. Carly bit her lower lip as fresh tears began to rise. She blinked, allowing them to fall down her cheeks, as she remembered that the four members in her family had planned to have a picnic in the park this afternoon weeks earlier, considering Jason's suddenly busy schedule. Now, it seemed as though a reunion for the four was only a fading dream, becoming weaker with every passing moment. Carly grimaced slightly, she was tired and angry but mostly she felt incredible guilt. It hung heavily in her chest, tightening when Michael's name was mentioned or memories of him came to her. She had been unable to even enter his room, for fear of breaking down completely at the situation, the crisis, her family was facing.
"Carly?" Jason's voice rang out with concern as he descended the stairs. Carly remained rigid, staring out the window and Jason walked towards her slowly, stopping just inches from her. Carly had been unusually quiet since Michael had left, keeping face for Spencer who had grown clearly confused and upset over the recent departure of Michael. Jason eased his arms around her, clasping his hands in front as she sagged gently against him, trembling slightly at his touch.
"Am I a bad Mother Jason?" she asked as she placed her hands gently over his.
Jason shook his head, "no, you did what you thought was best at the time. I would have stopped you if I didn't think it was right," he said firmly.
"You had a bad experience with the Quartermaines, how could you not think that they were bad people who might try and suffocate Michael in their world? I think so much about the choices I made then, and I shake my head. I was so quick to decide, I don't even think I was planning two minutes ahead of me. Just rushing with my feelings at the time and making big choices for someone else in those moments. I can't help but wonder if I'd stopped for a moment and allowed myself to cool down, things would be different and not what they're at now."
Carly turned around to face Jason, "I don't regret a moment of letting you into his life at all. I love you Jason, I love our life and I love our sons." Carly cast her eyes downwards, "I just wish I'd handled this properly from the start."
"I don't blame you for where we're at right now Carly, it's not fair and it's not true, so donít think, even for a second, that I'm angry with you. I came into this believing in my heart, it was what was best for you and Michael." Jason slowed his words as he measure their meaning, "it was at the time, but I guess things change over time."
"Like you and me and Spencer," Carly said, her gaze meeting Jason's again, "I guess Michael should have changed with us, but keeping Michael's paternity a secret seemed to get lost as time went by and eventually, for us, lost its meaning. It didn't even feel like a secret anymore, just a bother. So we let it go and moved on, but we shouldn't have."
Carly became silent as Jason pulled her close. The memory of Michael's grief stricken face as he learned the truth flooded into his head and Jason closed his eyes. He forced the image from his mind, he needed to keep it together for Carly but it was hard to let go of his own pain.
Jason pulled Carly tightly to his chest, "it's going to get worse, you know that right?"
Carly nodded slowly as she wrapped her arms around Jason.
"Just hold me Jason, hold me tight."