A hawk hovers in air.
Two white gulls float on the stream
Soaring with the wind, it is easy
To drop and seize
Birds who foolishly drift with the current.
Where the dew sparkles with grass,
The spider's web waits for its prey.
The processes of nature resemble the business of men.
I stand alone with ten thousand sorrows.
~Tu Fu

It was nearing midnight. The clock on the mantle above shifted its hand to the ten. On the coffee table, the leftovers sat amongst the crumbs, and the wineglasses remained untouched. Silence filled the room as outside a cloud slipped quietly in front of the moon. The rain had stopped, but fallen leaves were matted to the ground and raindrops dotted the window. A fire had been started some time ago, but beneath the chimney, the flames were low. The four friends studied each other without saying a word.

The flickering light cast a glow on Elizabeth's face. She bit her lip unconsciously, her eyes shifting from her companions, to the floor, and back again. Her brows furrowed and her forehead creased with pain as she thought about that phone call, about the string of events afterwards. How hard it was...

How hard it was, indeed, the man thought, to suddenly be left without a mother. He remembered it all so vividly - his anger, his jealousy, his sadness...The events that followed that day at Kelly's diner had proved to be shocking to all as the final piece of the puzzle was put back into place...and a new puzzle began.

It took so long to figure out, the dark haired man recalled. It took so long to see the truth; it was so hard to believe, so hard to trust afterwards. He felt so alone, that no one could understand. Except for my friends, he thought as he looked at each of them. His eyes finally rested on the woman in the chair across from him - except for her.

She often wondered why the change took place; wondered why everything happened for them all at once. Good follows the bad, she had once been told. Before the rainbow comes the storm. It's a never-ending cycle and "you can only learn to live with that, dear." Emily smiled as she remembered Lila's words. How true, she thought as she thought about the funeral, how true. If only she knew then what she understood now, if only...

The night had been so hard, but even as the morning broke, it was harder still. The rain had stopped long ago and with caring words of assurance, Emily and Nikolas parted. She watched as he disappeared over the hill to the gates of the Quartermaine property before looking up at the mansion. Dark and silent it stood, and she knew that not even the help had awakened yet. Knowing that she had a few hours before she had to face them brought some comfort.

A decision had been in the back of her mind since she first saw Nikolas and now as she rose from the bench, she started down the path before she backed out. Passing the garden and coming upon the front step, Emily knocked on the Gatehouse door. Minutes later, a familiar face answered the door.

"Emily!" The woman exclaimed in obvious surprise, "What are you doing here? And look at you, you're soaking!" She quickly hurried the girl inside.

"Is Ned here?"

The woman shook her head. "His flight from New York was delayed. He should be back in a few hours."

The girl's face filled with disappointment, and she turned towards the door.

"Emily, please stay. You can take a hot shower and change your clothes." The woman's brown eyes softened. "And you can always tell me whatever it is that's bothering you."

Knowing fully well that she had nowhere else to go, Emily nodded gratefully and started up the stairs, her mind filled with thoughts about how wonderful a hot shower can be.

The hot water washed over her body, almost burning her skin. But even still she shook with cold. No matter how hot the water or how many layers of clothes one had on, loneliness could keep the chill alive.

There is a difference, she had once been told, between being alone and loneliness. Emily sadly realized that now she was both. And she didn't know which was worse.

Walking back into the bedroom, Emily found a sweater waiting for her on the bed, along with her clothes fresh from the dryer. She quickly changed and went downstairs to find the woman sitting at the kitchen table, reading the morning paper. As Emily walked in, she took off her glasses and gestured towards the stove.

"Hot chocolate." She smiled gently. "It may warm you up."

Emily nodded in thanks, and as she went to pour herself a cup, the woman studied her, trying to understand what was bothering the girl. As Emily turned around, however, her eyes quickly shifted down to the paper.

"You want to know what happened, don't you?"

She looked up. "No, not at all. What makes you say that?"

Emily gestured towards the table and tried to suppress a smile. "You're reading the paper without your reading glasses."

The woman laughed and nodded. "Being an attorney, I suppose I'm naturally curious. But you don't have to tell me anything, Emily."

The girl shook her head and pulled out a chair. "I need to speak with someone, Alexis. And I hope you don't mind if it's you." As the woman nodded for her to go on, Emily sighed. "I guess I should start with the lesson I learned. What starts out perfectly can't possibly end as good..."

And so, as dawn arrived, Alexis listened to the teenager with patience and understanding while Emily told her of the events that had happened. As she came upon mention of Nikolas, she paused, but the woman urged her on.

"Katherine?" Alexis exclaimed incredulously.

Emily nodded. "He said that she blurted it out to him and Lucky at the diner...and then he went to see Stefan."

Alexis shook her head. "I have to see him today, this has to be sorted out. Emily, thank you for being there."

Emily nodded. "I'd do anything for him."

Her eyes shifted to the clock and she tried to stifle a yawn. Noting this, Alexis smiled.

"Go on upstairs and get some sleep. There is no doubt that you will need it if you want to face the Quartermaine's."

Grateful for all that this woman had done for her, Emily finally let out a smile. "Thank you for letting me in, Alexis."

Alexis smiled warmly and shook her head. "No, Em. Thank you."

She half-listened to the minister's words, not truly seeing the crowds of people surrounding her. Tears blurred her vision, and she avoided the sympathetic glances from friends and family. She had never been to a funeral before. When her grandfather died, she had remained back in Colorado with her family. Colorado. She would have to go back now. There was nothing left for her in Port Charles, no reason for her to stay.

Drying her eyes, she finally studied the faces of those who had attended. Next to her, Steven held Sarah's hand reassuringly and attempted a comforting smile as he caught her gaze. On the other side of him, the Drs. Quartermaine and their family bowed their heads. Around the small circle, nurses openly wept.

And then there were her friends. The sight of them brought a smile to her lips. How glad she was that they were here for her today. Nikolas in his black suit bowed his head in respect; Lucky met her eye and smiled lightly; and Emily, in the middle of the two, held flowers in her hands. She was so grateful...

"Elizabeth-"

She looked up as a gentle hand was placed on her shoulder and realized that the service was over. Following as her mom led her to the car, she looked back at the mass of people departing, sighed sadly at the flowers on the casket, and wiped at her tears, not wanting to say goodbye.

The house was already crowded with people when she arrived. In the dining room, the table was filled with platters of food and people passing by offered their condolences. She knew that it was customary for them to be there, but she wished more than anything for them to go home. They didn't.

Finally, she grabbed her coat and slipped out the door unnoticed. The day was beautiful - not fitting for her mood. She wanted to cry; she wanted to be angry. But the spring-like weather just wouldn't let her. She walked away from the house, away from the neighborhood. As she approached her destination, she sighed heavily. The ruins of the old church were in a nearly desolate part of town, and she was grateful for this solace. Climbing over boulders and blocks of granite, she halted.

"Sarah - what are you doing here, I thought you were back at the house..."

Her sister turned around. "I needed to get out for awhile."

Elizabeth nodded and climbed down to join her. "I don't understand it, Sarah. I had just seen her that morning..."

Sarah shook her head sadly and looked around. "This place was always so special. Gramps would take us here whenever we came to visit and Grams would pack us a picnic for the way. Do you remember that? No, you were younger. I almost forgot that you stayed back with Grams. You baked. Whenever we got back, there were cookies waiting for us and Grams made sure to tell us that you made them without her help.

"And do you remember the movies? They took us to see the Wizard of Oz and you were so frightened of the Munchkins that Gramps waited outside with you until the movie was finished."

Memories swirled around her head, memories that were dangerously happy and comforting. Elizabeth wanted to stop her sister, she wanted to remind her that they were no longer there to create those memories, but soon Elizabeth found herself smiling as well as tears slid down her cheeks.

Elizabeth looked around as Sarah spoke and finally said, "I like it here- here in Port Charles. Sarah, I don't want to leave. There are memories now, and people and places that I'm just not ready to let go of."

Sarah looked down as she sifted her foot through the broken granite. "They're selling the house. We're staying long enough to pack everything up and then...There's school, and Steven has college, and mom and dad have work at the hospital, you know. There's no reason to stay anymore." Even as she said this, her voice broke.

Her sister didn't answer, nor did Sarah expect her too. Her blue eyes filled with tears as she glanced around the ruins. "I miss her, Lizzie. I miss both of them. They were so healthy, so loved. It's just not right..."

An arm went around her and within an instant the two were embracing each other, quietly sobbing, silently saying their final good-byes to one of the most important women in their lives - to their grandmother.

The young man stood at the edge of the docks, staring at the elaborate house on the island. In a boat below him, the older man was beginning to grow impatient.

"Are you going to the island, sir?" He chose his words carefully, but didn't fail to leave out the note of annoyance.

Nikolas' eyes dropped and he shook his head.

"Not today."

With only a shrug, the man started the launch and went about his job. Nikolas sighed and walked away from the roaring motor. He was so close to home, and yet suddenly he didn't know where or what that was anymore. Anger surged through him as he thought about his confrontation. He had lied! His own father had refused to acknowledge the fact that Nikolas even knew the truth.

His jaw twitched in fury, and he sped up his pace as he walked through the park. It was all falling apart. Everything around them - everything that included family was getting torn apart. Emily, Elizabeth, his brother...

He had seen Emily and Lucky at Audrey Hardy's funeral and had stood with both of them that afternoon. Neither Lucky nor Nikolas had said a word. What could they say to each other? Nikolas knew that Lucky hadn't heard about Stefan, nor was he about to tell him...

He circled the park and found himself once again at the docks. The man in the launch looked up at him quizzically.

"Are you going to the island, sir?"

Nikolas glanced at the house and sighed.

"Yes. Yes I am."