An Autumn Dream
Chapter One: The Shot Heard Around the World… or at Least Port Charles
Halloween Night…
Feel it comin' in the air
Hear the screams from everywhere
I'm addicted to the thrill
It's a dangerous love affair
Can't be scared when it goes down
Got a problem, tell me now
Only thing that's on my mind
Is who's gonna run this town tonight...
He wasn’t a stupid man. He never had been. Sure perhaps he had once been naïve and allowed the ways of a woman to influence him in his younger days but he learned quickly that life was hard. It was harsh and sometimes completely unforgiving. It was the reason why he had lasted as long as he did in his position of power. Life had made him who he was. If the world around him was going to beat up on him then he in turn would learn to fight. He would become worst than what existed around him. A pity that once he started he couldn’t stop. He ruled everything the way he ruled his business… with an iron fist and without compromise. He held onto everything as tight as he could, kept it under his thumb, refused any allowances. Perhaps that was the reason for his current predicament…
Is who's gonna run this town tonight...
We gonna run this town
The thought brought a ghost of a smile to his face. Even as he lay in a pool of his own blood, he smiled up into the face of his killer. His grin was as maniacal as it was haunting. He gasped as his lungs began to fill up with his own blood. He coughed and it came out as a gurgled laugh. “You think you’ve won… but you haven’t! Oh… this is… this is just the beginning.” If it had been anyone else the words would have come across as an empty threat. A dying man’s words filled with nothing… but this was Anthony Zaccahara and as his accuser raised their hand, pointing the pistol straight at his chest he only laughed harder. His breaths rasped against his chest seeing the fear in the eyes of his murderer. “Oh there it is… there’s the fear… you’re as dead… as I am. You just… just… wait. You’re time is coming… when you least expect it.” The pistol went off cutting him off. The gun was dropped by his dead body and his killer walked away not understanding the events that they just set in motion.
Life's a game but it's not fair
I break the rules so I don't care
So I keep doin' my own thing
Walkin' tall against the rain
Victory's within the mile
Almost there, don't give up now
24 hours later…
Jason sat handcuffed to the Police Commissioner’s desk awaiting his turn to be questioned. He looked up and watched Alexis grill Sonny in the interrogation room. His face remained expressionless and as passive as ever.
He didn’t even flinch when Mac slammed the cup of coffee on the desk beneath his nose. “I thought you could use this.” He stated roughly.
Jason barely looked at the cup before settling further down in his seat and staring down at his chipped fingernails. He heard Mac snort in righteous indignation.
“That’s fine! You can give us the silent treatment if you want to. It’s not going to change anything! Anthony Zaccahara is dead and you and Sonny are the number one suspects! You know perhaps you might want to do yourself a favor and cut a deal with us and salvage what’s left of your life!” He suggested.
There was something in his voice that made Jason look up. It almost sounded like concern… and perhaps a soft plea. “There are a lot of people in this town that wanted Anthony dead.” He shrugged with an air on nonchalance.
“And you and Sonny are the only ones we have in for questioning.”
“That’s because you don’t know how to do your jobs! Whenever there is something foul in the air the first thing you do is call in Sonny and Jason, never mind that they’re innocent!” Carly corrected as she slammed into the police station. Her stomach barely hidden beneath her dark red sweater and black coat.
Exhaling deeply Jason looked over his shoulder as his friend came to stand by his side. “Carly… what are you doing here?” He asked already exasperated. “You should be at home resting.”
“Right; I’m going to be at home with my feet propped up while you and Sonny are down here being railroaded by the likes of Alexis Davis?! I don’t think so!” She remarked matter-of-factly. Coming to stand in front of him he could see the concern shining in her eyes. “What do you need me to do? Has anyone called Diane? Why isn’t she here?”
Sighing heavily he shook his head putting up his cuffed hands to put a halt to her questioning. “Stop… just stop. Diane is stuck in Jamaica because of the impending hurricane”
“What? So what are you supposed to do?! What about Sonny?”
“Carly you need to go home and relax.”
Leaning down so that she was close enough she whispered. “Anthony is dead and from what I’ve heard on the news neither one of you have alibis. How do you expect me to stay calm and not do something?” She asked
“Because I’m asking you to. I need you to trust me and to believe that I’ve got this under control.”
“How Jason; come on… you have to tell me something. You can’t just expect me to…”
He could see her getting worked up and sighed. “I’ve made a call… and someone is coming… someone to represent me and Sonny until Diane can get back.”
“Okay so you have a lawyer. Well where the hell are they?” She asked annoyed.
“I’m right here.” Evangeline stated seeming to appear from nowhere at all. She felt the blond give her the once over before turning her eyes on her newest client. “Jason Morgan I presume?” She reached for his hand seeing that they were cuffed and sighed. “I hear that you’re in need of a lawyer… and I’m in need of a few new clients.”
“Thanks for getting here so quickly. I wasn’t sure that you would come.” He remarked meaningfully.
Looking over her shoulder her eyes locked with Lainey’s who remained hovering in the archway of the police station. So many questions… so many secrets!
“Let’s just say that you have some extremely persuasive friends Mr. Morgan.” She remarked before turning back to him. “Now first things first…”
“I’ll tell you anything that you need to know.”
“Hold that thought. Let’s get your boss out of that interrogation room.”
“Good luck with that! Alexis is like a dog with a bone when it comes to raking Sonny and Jason over the coals!”
Looking at the blond again she smiled. “Yeah… well I’m pretty damn good… and I don’t like to lose!” She stated and was off leaving a slightly impressed Carly in awe.
Only thing that's on my mindIs who's gonna run this town tonight...
Chapter Two: Miracles aren’t Just for Christmas…
There were butterflies in her stomach when she entered the interrogation room even if her stride spoke differently.
Alexis Davis turned her eyes on her. Lowering her glasses slightly on her face she quirked an eyebrow. “Can I help you?”
She took in the woman before her, who was undoubtedly going to be her opponent. Auburn red hair, pale flawless skin, and an immaculate pair of pumps spoke volumes to her. She didn’t know much about Alexis but what she did know was enough for her to know that she would need to bring her ‘A’ game to the table from the very beginning. So that’s what she did.
“Not unless you can tell me why you thought it would be alright to question my client without his attorney present.” She replied placing her briefcase on the table in between the woman and Sonny Corinthos.
Alexis stood there her brow rising further into her bangs. “Where’s Diane… I mean Ms. Miller?” She asked only slightly flustered.
“At the moment indisposed; now if you would be so kind as to give me a moment with my client I would greatly appreciate it.” It was a dismissal thinly disguised as a request and both women knew it.
Alexis sighed. “I’ll be back in five.” She remarked before exiting.
Turning to Sonny she sighed. “Now…let’s get down to business.”
Wow… I’m impressed.”
She shook her head. “Don’t be… you and Jason Morgan are in real deep… and it’s going to take a miracle to get you out of this. Lucky for you… I specialize in those.” She smiled slightly crossing her arms over her chest.
“Lucky for me,” he remarked with that trademark grin.
She exhaled a deep breath grabbing the seat across from him. Reaching into her briefcase she pulled out a sheet of paper. “However miracles don’t come cheap. Here is my retainer’s fee… that’s for each of you, I don’t do group rates. This is what I bill per hour and what I expect as compensation.” She rattled off.
Sitting back in his chair he smiled unable to help himself. “What… where did you say Jason found you?” He asked.
“I didn’t.” She remarked. “It seems that you and Mr. Morgan are acquainted with someone that I owe a great deal to.” She stated and then changed tactics. “Now normally I expect payment upfront but since I’m more than certain you can afford me I’ll give you 24 hours to pay my retainer fee.” She pointed to the bottom of the page.
“I appreciate that…” he remarked off handedly. “This friend… I’m not certain who that is.” He prompted.
“And I’m not at liberty to say.” She watched him lean back in the chair and smile creating a perfect set of dimples.
“Oh… that sounds like lawyer language for ‘I don’t want to’.” He shot back.
She exhaled deeply. “Look, I’m here to help you, not regale you with my personal history, Mr. Corinthos.” Removing a notepad from her briefcase she snapped the cap off the ballpoint pen and quirked an eyebrow. “Now once you sign these… we can get down to business.” She moved the papers across the table with her fingertips and pointed to the ‘x’ at the bottom.
His smile deepened as he retrieved it. “Let’s do that… Ms….” He trailed off waiting.
“How rude of me,” furrowing her brow because her statement was sincere she reached across the table with an outstretched hand. “Evangeline Williamson,”
Reaching out he grabbed her hand within his own and she took a mental note of the smoothness of his palm. His grip was a mixture between a caress and something else… something almost vice-like. Looking up she found his eyes on her, as though trying to read her… figure out what she was about.
“Evangeline… Williamson…” He smiled as he tried her name out. It was as if he was testing it… trying to determine what he would call her. “I don’t want your personal history yet… a list of your credentials though… that might be nice.” He remarked.
“I’ll have them sent over first thing in the morning.” Her voice sounded breathy even to her own ears and she realized that this man… this Sonny Corinthos was dangerous… in more ways than one.
Pulling back he scanned the fine print before signing his name. “So… now what?”
“First thing’s first…we get bail posted for you and Mr. Morgan and then first thing in the morning we go over what happened tonight.” She eyed him for a moment before speaking. “I can only assume that you don’t have a reliable alibi for your whereabouts this evening…”
He gave her that disarming smile that he reserved for most women and shrugged slightly. “I was with Jason going over paperwork for the next coffee shipment.” He answered watching as she put the paperwork away and closed the briefcase with a definitive snap.
She smirked hearing the way his words sounded rehearsed almost scripted and she sighed and then smiled… “Yeah… I bet.” She muttered and heard the slight chuckle from her client. “Well let’s get started on that miracle shall we?”
“By all means… Evangeline.” Her name rolled off his tongue like water over a rock… smooth and yet somehow chilling and it gave her a slight pause. Somehow she felt as if she just stepped out of the shadows and right into the line of fire.
An Autumn Dream
Chapter Three: Ghosts & Tornados…
General Hospital…
It only took a few hours to get their bail posted and released. She had fought the mob of cameramen at the front of the PCPD, denying any accusations on what either of her clients may be charged with until further proceedings were dealt with. It was easier to say no comment then to try and explain exactly what was about to go down. So she had muttered a few legal words, jumped into her rental and went off in search of answers.
She found her at the office… seated behind her desk seemingly immersed in paperwork. She closed the door behind her with a soft click placing her briefcase on the nearby armchair. Lainey looked up, offering a strained smile.
“I saw the news… that bail was pretty steep.”
She sighed. “Yeah well… homicide charges aren’t cheap… especially for a mobster. You know… not to throw gasoline on the fire but I didn’t expect you to be alone when I got here.”
Lainey smirked at the not-so-subtle hint. Raising her cell phone she sighed. “He called as soon as he left the PCPD.”
Evangeline frowned. “You know that having contact with him right now is a bad idea.”
“I know… I know… it’s just… it’s hard.” Combing her fingers through her hair she rested her chin in her upturned palms and sighed. “Thank you… for coming… for doing this.”
“Well when my best friend from college calls me and tells me that she needs my help because it’s a matter of life and death I have to admit I hoped you were being melodramatic.” She quipped perching herself on the corner of Lainey’s desk and toying with the pens and pencils neatly contained in the misshapen clay canister. It stood out amidst all the upscale gadgets on her desk. “I cannot believe you still have this.”
Lainey furrowed her brow snatching up the badly constructed artwork. “Of course I still have it… you made it for me.”
“It’s a piece of crap.”
“It’s art!” She shot back.
“It’s ugly!”
“Shut-up!” Her retort was swift but the smile belied her words. “It is pretty hideous though.” She admitted after a moment. “But I like it… it’s a nice reminder…”
“Of what… my brief stint as an aspiring artist before I wised up and got serious about law school,” She chuckled slightly.
“That you’re not perfect at everything that you do.” Her words were light but the deeper meaning was evident in the heavy sigh that followed. “You know I’ll be honest… I wasn’t sure that you would come.”
“If we’re being honest; neither was I.” She stated. “But it had to happen sooner or later right? I couldn’t stay hidden away for the rest of my life.” She smiled but it never quite reached her eyes. There were things that she would have to answer for... the only question that remained was when. “Besides I owe you… Lainey… you saved my life.”
“Now who’s being melodramatic?” She shot back.
Evangeline shook her head taking a stand and making her way over to the large bay window in Lainey’s office. Rain drops gleamed in the moonlight as they fell across the city. “I’m serious… I was… I was broken when I woke up from that coma. If you hadn’t been there… if you hadn’t pushed me the way that you did…” She shivered slightly remembering how helpless she had felt. Waking up after years in a sterile hospital room, her only companion had been the beeping of the monitor tracking her heartbeat. It had been a harsh reality that had greeted her in the following weeks. Her sister was newly married to her ex. Her best friend was engaged. Her life had been halted and everything else just kept on moving… and somehow she had to find a way to make a place for herself in this foreign thing that was left of her life. It hadn’t been easy. In fact there were times when she felt as if God had just been downright cruel in the hand He had dealt her. So many bitter tears had been shed and so much time had been taken from her… Reaching up she ran her fingers over her throat feeling her windpipe become clogged with emotion. “Something inside me broke that night… they took so much from me.” Her voice was a harsh whisper filled with anguish and frustration. ‘They’ was used to describe more than just those involved in putting her in that coma and Lainey understood that.
She flinched at the gentle hand on her shoulder and turned to meet Lainey’s dark brown eyes. “Hey… it’s over now.” She remarked softly.
Reaching up she put her hand over her friend’s and sighed wishing that was true. Still so many ghosts hovered right on the edges of her life… keeping her up at night… still haunting… still there. Sometimes she feared they would always be there; forever haunting her life with their presence. “Yeah… look I’m sorry. We should be focused on the present, not the distant past.” She sighed.
Lainey could see that she was deflecting but realized that it was still too soon to push. So she sighed and backed off choosing to follow her lead. Licking her lips she crossed her arms over her chest leaning into the window frame. She could feel the coolness of the night through the glass and her medical coat. “So be honest… how bad is it?” She asked.
She shrugged slightly. “I won’t lie to you… it would be a lot easier for him… for both of them if he could just tell the truth.” She offered softly.
“He won’t let me... He thinks that he’s protecting me…” She looked up at her with tired eyes and sighed.
“Protecting you could make this a lot worst for him… and for Mr. Corinthos.” She advised. She didn’t pull punches with Lainey. It had always been that way.
“He’s in deep isn’t he?” She asked.
“Well without an alibi… yes… but that’s not to say all is lost. That’s why you called me right?” She exhaled a deep breath standing opposite her friend and crossing her arms as well. She waited only a beat before finally asking the question that had been on her mind since the moment Lainey had called her. “So I have to ask you… how did this happen? How did you get yourself involved with Jason Morgan?”
Meanwhile…
It was well after eleven when she rolled out of bed and made her way downstairs.
“Nice of you to join the land of the living this morning,” Dorian greeted her niece from the dining room table, taking in her appearance of tangled blond hair and rumpled robe with a mixture of frustration and pity. “Tell me dear would you like some orange juice or should I just hand over the Vodka now?” Her tone belied her insult.
“Give it a rest Dorian.” Blair bit out dropping her body into the seat across from her. Reaching for a bagel she thought better of it and went for the coffee pot instead. Her fingers fumbled slightly with the small china as she tried to turn the cup over.
Dorian rolled her eyes scathingly. “It’s almost noon, too early would have been about four hours ago! And for goodness sakes give me that!” Reaching across the table she grabbed the china from her hands and poured the coffee herself. She placed the container down with more force than she intended and the liquid sloshed over the rim staining the pristine white table cloth. She grimaced. “Really Blair how long are you going to do this?”
“What; what am I doing?” She asked petulantly. She brought the cup to her lips but the strong aroma had her stomach turning over forcing her to set the brew away.
“You’re sulking and it’s unbecoming!” She grabbed a saucer as she spoke. “I really don’t understand. This is a time for celebration. He’s getting married and you will finally be free of Todd Manning!” Dropping a few strawberries and slices of gourmet cheese on the plate she slid it across the table along with the morning paper.
Blair frowned at the picture on the front page. Tea’s arms wrapped securely around Todd’s neck in what most would describe as a loving embrace. It was their wedding announcement… on the damn front page! It was enough to make her head ache and her stomach do somersaults.
Grabbing the butter knife she ran the blade over the woman’s smiling face. “Tea is a lying bitch and she doesn’t deserve the very air we breathe let alone Todd! She flew into this town and wrecked everything for me and now she’s trying to have it all with my ex-husband! Well that wedding is going to happen over my dead body Dorian!”
“Yeah well then roll over and start digging that grave because it’s happening! I don’t even understand what you’re so upset about! You don’t even want Todd.”
She shrugged tapping the silverware absently across her wrist as she took a stand and began to pace. “That doesn’t mean that I want to see him with Tea Delgado! She doesn’t deserve him. She comes flying back into town on her high horse as if she’s entitled to something and I swear Dorian I have this feeling… she’s hiding something from him… something that she doesn’t want Todd to know and I’m going to find out what it is!”
“Why do you even care, Blair?! If Tea has a closet full of skeletons, so the hell what! She’s Todd’s problem, not yours!”
“She’s about to become stepmother to my kids… it’s my problem Dorian! I don’t want her secrets and lies touching my kids anymore than I want her touching them!” She was becoming restless; agitated in her current state because it was clear that she was running out of time. Bouncing the knife against her flesh with increasing speed she continued to move around the room.
“Well you’ve only got a few days and then she’s going to be Mrs. Todd Manning, and then what?” Dorian asked.
“Just… give me some time.” She snapped back. “I just have to think of something… something to put this stupid wedding on hold… God why can’t I think!” Running her hand through the tangled mess of her hair she flipped on the television and stopped mid-step.
The news was on… the news was on and suddenly the game had just changed, tipping in her favor. “Oh this is… this is interesting.” She smiled with interest.
Twenty minutes Later…
Emerging from the kitchen he placed the glass in front of his fiancée and smiled.
“You do realize that every time you do that I think you’ve done something, right?” Tea asked.
“Every time I do what?”
“Smile…” She answered bringing the glass to her lips, hiding her smirk.
Todd shrugged. “What can I say; there’s just something about you Delgado…”
“Oh really… and what is that?” She teased and watched as his smile transformed into a wicked smirk that had her toes curling at the very idea of what he was about to do. He didn’t disappoint as he reached out pulled her against him and moved in to cover her mouth with his.
His lips were merely centimeters from hers when the banging on the door began.
“Todd… open up! I have to talk to you.”
He rolled his eyes as Tea threw her head back and groaned in frustration.
“Maybe if we’re quiet she’ll just go away.”
“Not a chance in hell!” He sighed. “GO AWAY!” He shouted in the general direction of the door before turning back to the woman in his arms. “Now where were we?” Reaching up he palmed her cheek in his hand, caressing her flesh and tightening his hold on her waist. “Oh right…I think we were right about…” His minty breath teased her parted lips beckoning her to come closer.
“Todd open this damn door! It’s important! Look I’m not leaving here until you do and I’m more than capable of standing outside your door if that’s what you want!” Blair was practically singing with sarcasm.
“Just go… just go and get rid of her.” Tea remarked rolling her eyes.
“Ten seconds… just ten seconds.” He stated walking across the room. He swung the door open ready for a fight. “What the hell do you want Blair?!” He asked.
She smiled widely holding her purse tightly underneath her arm. “Oh I’m sorry did I interrupt?”
“No… not at all.” Tea replied dryly. “How can we help you?”
‘You can drop dead!’ Blair rolled her eyes not giving voice to her thoughts but instead crossed the threshold to the penthouse making sure to stay clear of her ex-husband. “Oh well I just came by to offer my congratulations… I saw the front page of The Sun this morning… I see you picked a date.” Placing her hands on her hips she smiled widely looking back and forth between the both of them.
“Oh just cut the crap Blair and tell me what you want and why you’re here.” Todd demanded not in the mood to go another round with her.
She shrugged. “I’m here to give you an early wedding present.” She turned to Tea her eyes flashing in the afternoon sunlight.
The look gave Tea pause and something inside her chest tightened a little bit. She smirked desperately wanting to cover her own nervousness. “Oh really… and exactly what is this present?”
Narrowing her eyes on the brunette she shook her head. “Oh it would be so much better if I showed you. Todd you still have satellite TV don’t you?” Walking to the sofa she grabbed the remote and turned on the television. Flipping through the channels she could feel their eyes on her as she clicked away.
Pinching the bridge his nose in agitation he cracked his neck from side to side ready to throw her out on her self-righteous ass. “What the hell is this…”
“Just wait for it… I promise you... I won't disappoint!” She advised stopping on the channel.
“Look Blair I don’t have time for your damn games! I just want you to…” His voice trailed off as he spotted her. Coming out of a Police Station in New York being jostled and questioned by a swarm of news crews he watched her on the screen. Her face moved from one mic to another as she tried to make her way through the crowd. Brushing the dark tendrils from her face she looked directly at the camera in front of her and for a minute it was as if she were looking right at him… her dark brown pupils were like that of a ghost from a distance past. He felt his chest tighten; his throat beginning to burn as he watched her move away and disappear into the night.
Tea looked from the television to Blair and finally resting on Todd. He seemed frozen in place. “I don’t understand… what does Sonny Corinthos and this… Jason Morgan have to do with us?” She asked looking to Blair for answers.
The blond smiled staring at Todd. “Oh... it’s not them… it’s someone else… I’d say she looks pretty damn healthy for someone who should be in a coma somewhere in Switzerland, don’t you think?” She asked folding her arms across her chest. “What I don’t understand is why she thought she could just disappear into the night without so much as a card or something… I mean I thought you guys were close.” She shrugged with an air of nonchalance as she taunted him. “Perhaps I was wrong.”
He could hear Blair talking but the words seemed to be going in one ear and the other almost something like white noise because what he was seeing just didn’t make sense. She was awake… she was awake and she looked healthy. She looked good… perhaps a little tired around the eyes but all in all she didn’t seem to be suffering from any ailments but that just didn’t make sense… none of it made sense.
“She… you mean the attorney? I didn’t even catch her name.” Tea stated looking to Todd who offered no response.
“Evangeline… Evangeline Williamson.” Blair supplied finally looking to Tea. “Trust me… before this is over… you’ll know it very well.” The warning was clear. She may have never understood the relationship Todd and his ‘do-good’ attorney had shared but she wasn’t blind to the connection that existed. It had been strong… strong enough to create more than just a passing obstacle between her and Todd once upon a time and she was counting on that connection to do what she herself failed at.
Walking towards the door she stopped beside her ex-husband. "Didn't I tell you I wouldn't disappoint?" She grinned. “Congratulations Todd.” Looking over her shoulder she winked at Tea. “Good luck!” She threw out before sauntering out of the penthouse leaving a brewing tornado in her wake…
SONNY CORINTHOS
TEA DELGADO
JASON MORGAN
LAINEY WINTERS
BLAIR CRAMER
CARLY CORINTHOS-JAX
MICHAEL CORINTHOS
MYA WINTERS {AUTHOR CREATED}
THE ZACCAHARA FAMILY