GH: Daughters - Chapter Two
Title: Daughters - Chapter Two
Author: Mellissa/LissieLove
Word Count:
Notes: I'm done up to chapter four for this story so I'm hoping to get it caught up at LJ before I post more.
Chapter Two
December 21, 2005
General Hospital: Parking Lot
Elizabeth emerged from the building, rubbing the side of her face and tugging her jacket tight over her scrubs. She had been too tired to head to the locker room after her shift and change.
From beginning to end, it had been an extraordinarily hellish shift. She'd lost two patients on her floor and had had to inform each of the families. And then she'd found Robin and Patrick arguing bitterly over one of Noah's cases--Robin was advocating drug therapy and Patrick, of course, surgery. Elizabeth had attempted to mediate but Patrick had told her to go away and too annoyed with him, she'd obeyed.
Lulu had tried to plead with her to step in Epiphany and get her off bedpan duty and had been irritated when Elizabeth was unable to help and to make matters worse, Emily's grandfather had shown up for a meeting of the board of directors and had started an argument with Nikolas Cassadine in the lobby.
She just wanted to go to her tiny apartment, draw a bath and soak in it for the rest of her life. And maybe find a new family and set of friends that were less stressful.
She started towards the parking spot where her beaten up Volvo was situated and stopped dead in her tracks. All her exhaustion, her misery and her plans for the evening evaporated in an instant.
Jason was there, and he had his motorcycle. Elizabeth couldn't help the smile that stretched from ear to ear.
He held out a helmet. "Cliff road or home?" he asked.
Not caring that they'd planned on going on the ride later, that she'd wanted to go home and shower first or that she had briefly entertained thoughts of cancelling altogether, Elizabeth grabbed the helmet and shoved it over hair, fixing the strap. "Cliff road," she said immediately.
She'd figure out how to get to work the next morning later.
General Hospital: Lobby
Emily collapsed on the couch and buried her face in her hands as she listed to Edward Quartermaine berate Nikolas Cassadine for his latest decision in how funding for the hospital would be distributed. Too much free care, Edward had barked. Too much charity.
Nikolas calmly took all that Edward had to offer before reminding the board member that the Cassadine family had bailed General Hospital out of an embarrassing bankruptcy and now Nikolas had the final say in all financial decisions. That had been the agreement Stefan Cassadine and Steve Hardy had brokered a decade before.
Nothing angered Edward more than being reminded he had no real control and that set off another tirade about the untrustworthiness of the Cassadine family in general. Emily managed tune most of the specifics out but when Edward had blustered that it'd be a cold day in hell before Nikolas married into their family, Emily leapt up.
"Grandfather, that's enough. Really." She planted her hands on her hips. "You don't have any say in the matter. I'm twenty-five years old--"
"You deserve better than this pack of loons," Edward cut in. "My dear--"
"If you don't knock it off, Grandfather, I'm going to tell Grandmother you're harping on Nikolas again," Emily threatened. "You know how she hates that."
Edward shut his mouth and glared at his youngest granddaughter. "Emily Paige Bowen-Quartermaine--"
"Oh, shut it, Grandfather," Emily rolled her eyes. "I have had it up to here with the way you treat Nikolas. He has been nothing but perfectly respectful to you and you continue--"
"Emily," Nikolas interrupted calmly, placing a hand on his fiancée's forearm. "This isn't necessary."
"I'll see you at home, young lady," Edward said gruffly. "Nikolas--"
"Yes, I know--I'm a spendthrift and I'm far too generous with everyone's money," Nikolas nodded. "Message received, Mr. Quartermaine."
Edward walked away and when he was on the elevators, Emily let out a sigh of relief. "I'll talk to Grandmother about reining him--"
"It isn't necessary," Nikolas repeated. He framed her face in his hands and kissed the tip of her nose. "The Quartermaines have just as bad a history with my family as the Scorpios and the Spencers. Your grandfather will never forgive my family for what happened to his sister."
"It's so unfair," Emily protested. "We weren't even born yet!"
"I know," Nikolas nodded. "But this isn't something we can change." His hands slid from her face down her arms until he grasped her hands. "But it is something we're going to have to live with. Are you ready for that?"
"Well..." Emily pursed her lips. "Are our families magically going to get along if we break off our engagement and spend the rest of our lives miserable?" she asked.
Nikolas grinned and shook his head. "Probably not."
"Well, then we should probably stick to Plan A," Emily decided. "At least, then we get to be happy."
"Marginally happy," Nikolas corrected. "Cassadines don't do happy."
"Bowens do," Emily nodded firmly. "And since you're also marrying into that family, then you have a responsibility to live up to that."
"You know how seriously I take responsibility," Nikolas remarked soberly. He leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. "Too tired for dinner?"
"Too tired for dinner anywhere more fancy than Kelly's."
General Hospital: Lab
Robin rubbed her eyes and slid another slide under her microscope. The door to the lab swung open. "Are those my results for Ren Lewis?" she called out, not glancing up.
"Ren Lewis needs surgery, but no," Patrick remarked, sitting at the stool across from her work station.
Robin looked up now and sighed. She was too tired to think about going another round with him today. "I thought you were done for the day after that last surgery?"
"I like to stick around," Patrick remarked. "You never know when they'll need a surgical intern." He reached for the file she was working on. "This guy's liver is almost non existent."
"Yeah," Robin sighed. "I have to let Monica know that in the morning when she comes on shift." She coughed. "This guy basically drank himself to death." She watched him as she said it, hoping he might mention his own father's problems.
"Hmm..." Patrick tossed the folder aside. "Takes all kinds. I like a good beer now and then but..." he shrugged. "Some people just don't know any better."
"When you sees something like this..." Robin shook her head. "It makes you wonder what would make a person--" she closed her eyes and stopped. "I heard about Noah. And what he went through."
"That's over with," Patrick shook his head. "He's sober and it doesn't matter anymore."
Robin didn't believe that but she didn't want to push. "Be that as it may," she said slowly, "I do want to apologize. I--I didn't know things were so bad here. I wouldn't have been able to come back but--"
"You chose to leave, Robin," Patrick said shortly. "And you chose not to talk to anyone here except your parents. So don't blame Ellie for not confiding about our dad."
Stung, Robin could only shake her head. "No--I didn't--I know I cut myself off--" she sighed, frustrated. "I just wanted say that I was sorry, okay?"
"Why pretend you give a damn?" Patrick responded. "You didn't care enough to stick around after my mother died. You just took off to Paris with no warning and never bothered to keep in touch--"
"Why stick around?" Robin cut in sharply. "You wouldn't talk to me. You didn't want to deal with anything. And--" she shut up abruptly, remembering that she'd never told anyone about that night. "It was a long time ago, Patrick. I'm sorry I brought it up."
"Why you'd even come back?" he demanded. He stood and shoved the stool in roughly. "You abandoned me, you left Ellie high and dry and you waltzed around Paris for three years while our lives fell apart around us and now you come back like nothing's changed? Go to hell."
"You don't know a damn thing about my life in Paris," Robin snarled. She shoved her files aside and stood as well. She stalked around the workstation and jabbed a finger at his chest. "You think I was high on life and living it up? Well, screw you, Patrick!"
She whirled around and started putting her materials away. She had to take deep breaths to keep the sobs from bursting through her chest. She'd locked it away all day, she'd thought being home, being away from it all would change things.
But it was still nearly midnight and on December 22, 2005, it would be exactly one year since her entire life had shattered.
Patrick frowned and watched her hands shake as she put away her slides and her research. "What the hell is the matter with you?"
"Just go away," Robin said shortly. She reached for a folder and in her haste, she knocked over a box of glass beakers. It careened to the floor and all the little tubes flew out, shattering into shards.
Robin sank to knees and started to clean them up, not even realizing that she'd started to cry. Stunned, Patrick joined her and reached for her hand. "Robin, we can call maintenance--"
A particularly jagged shard pieced through her skin and Robin hissed in pain. "Damn it--"
Patrick reached for her hand and that's when Robin really lost it. She scrambled back on her knees and nearly fell over trying to get away from him. "No, no, don't touch me!"
"Fine." Patrick stood and glared at her. "I'm sorry I disgust you, Robin. I'll go find a janitor to clean this mess up." He turned and stalked out of the lab, the sound of Robin's soft sobs ringing in his ears.
Spencer House: Living Room
Lulu stumbled into the house and winced when the floorboards on the landing squeaked. She started for the stairs but then a light snapped on to reveal Laura Spencer sitting calmly on the couch.
Waiting for her.
Lulu sighed. "I know what you're going to say but Dillon was helping me with--"
"Dillon called at six o'clock," Laura interrupted. "You left your history book at the Quartermaines."
Damn it. Why did Dillon have to be so damn responsible and reliable all the time? Lulu let out an impatient huff. "Okay, so I wasn't with Dillon. What's the big deal?"
"The big deal, Lesley Lu, is that you have a curfew," Laura responded. "And each time you break it, we move it back fifteen minutes. Pretty soon, you won't be seeing the light of day."
"Lucky never had a curfew," Lulu grumbled, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at her mother. "It's not fair."
"Lucky didn't need a curfew," Laura replied. "We trusted Lucky to be home and to tell us where he was going, what he was doing, who he was with." Laura cast a look over Lulu's rumpled clothing and messy hair and sighed softly. Her little girl had been so sweet and loving and somehow, she'd morphed into this angry girl. "Lu--"
"If you think for one second that Lucky and Elizabeth weren't out doing the same exact thing I was tonight, then you're more naïve than I figured you'd be," Lulu said shortly. "I'm seventeen years old, Mom. I'm not a child."
"No, I don't suppose you are." Laura felt a thousand years old all of sudden. She stood and snapped off the light, sending the room into shadows and darkness again. "Go to bed, Lesley Lu. We'll discuss this in morning."
Lulu watched her mother go up the stairs and sighed again. She was forever disappointing her family. She wasn't cool enough for her father, wasn't obedient enough for her mother and wasn't old enough to really be involved in her brothers' lives. When would be who she was already enough?
Vista Point
Elizabeth tugged off the helmet and sighed happily. "When you picked me up a few hours ago," she began, "I was so tired and all I wanted to do was sleep for like the rest of my life."
"You should have said something," Jason said immediately. "I would have taken you home."
Elizabeth hopped off the bike and leaned out over the railing. Vista Point over looked the entire town of Port Charles and she could even see clear out to Spoon Island, the night was so clear. "I'm going hate the snow," she sighed. "We won't be able to take the cliff roads until winter's over."
"Price you pay for living in upstate New York," Jason replied. He set the kickstand on the bike and joined her at the railing. "So rough day then?"
Elizabeth turned and leaned against the railing, her back to the view. "Well, we started with a round of Patrick vs. Robin and then kind of spiraled from there." She glanced at him. "Have I ever told you the history between my brother and Robin?"
"Only that there is one," Jason replied. "You never liked to talk about her much."
"Hmm...well, that's because she left town like three months after my mother died," Elizabeth admitted. "I was angry about it for a long time but I know Patrick took Mom's death really hard. I mean, you know what happened with my dad but Patrick..." she looked away and shook her head. "Patrick and Jason Quartermaine were best friends," she said after a long moment. "I don't think I told you that before. They were pre-med together and were almost as close as brothers. And they had a lot in common."
Jason liked the way Elizabeth spoke about Jason Quartermaine, liked that she referred to him as a separate person, as someone who didn't exist anymore. She understood that he was a different person now and reminders that he'd once been someone else were uncomfortable. "So I guess he took the accident pretty badly."
"Yeah...it was one thing after another for a while. Mom got sick and then she died," Elizabeth said softly. "My father started drinking and then Robin left for Paris. Then Patrick lost his best friend and Dad's drinking just got worse..." she exhaled softly. "But he was once a very sweet,funny and open person. I know you might not believe that but he resents you for not being Jason Quartermaine. He resents that you didn't wake up and remember everything that came before." She shook her head again.
"Anyway. Patrick and Robin dated for like, ever. They got together junior year in high school and for six years, it was Patrick and Robin, Robin and Patrick, you know? But after Mom died, he just...he shut down. And whatever happened between him and Robin happened because of that, I can tell you that much. I used to blame Robin for leaving me at that moment. I mean, I still had Emily and for a while, I still had Jason. But Robin was like my sister." She paused. "She was my sister."
"But she's back now," Jason said.
"Yeah. And things are different. Patrick's never going to be that guy again but it's just so hard seeing him and Robin go at it because it used to be so different." Elizabeth sighed wistfully. "It all used to be so different. When my mother was alive and when we were just kids..." she laughed. "When the worst thing in my life was breaking up with Lucky at Senior Prom. I miss that, sometimes."
Elizabeth coughed and smiled at him, a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry to whine like that. You must think I'm so pathetic."
"You sound like you had a bad day and you wanted to vent a little," Jason corrected. "Nothing wrong with that."
Elizabeth's smile deepened. "I didn't let myself admit that I was angry at Robin before. So...thank you."
"All I did was listen," Jason shrug.
"Sometimes..." Elizabeth glanced up at him, her cheeks flushing a little, "Sometimes that's all you need to do. You're a good listener, Jason. You just let me ramble until I come to my own conclusions and that's nice." She straightened. "So what did you do today?"
Jason shrugged. "I went to the club, did the books for the warehouse and the club. Met with Sonny. Did some work. And then picked you up."
Elizabeth nodded. "How's Sonny?" she inquired.
"Fine, fine." Jason hesitated. "Brenda came in as I was leaving. She, ah, wanted to know if you wanted to come over for dinner before the party at the Haunted Star. She and Sonny are going."
Dinner with Jason's best friend and his wife. Elizabeth pursed her lips. With anyone else, she could have assumed it was a date. But with Jason...one could never assume. "Sure, it sounds like fun."
Author: Mellissa/LissieLove
Word Count:
Notes: I'm done up to chapter four for this story so I'm hoping to get it caught up at LJ before I post more.
Chapter Two
December 21, 2005
General Hospital: Parking Lot
Elizabeth emerged from the building, rubbing the side of her face and tugging her jacket tight over her scrubs. She had been too tired to head to the locker room after her shift and change.
From beginning to end, it had been an extraordinarily hellish shift. She'd lost two patients on her floor and had had to inform each of the families. And then she'd found Robin and Patrick arguing bitterly over one of Noah's cases--Robin was advocating drug therapy and Patrick, of course, surgery. Elizabeth had attempted to mediate but Patrick had told her to go away and too annoyed with him, she'd obeyed.
Lulu had tried to plead with her to step in Epiphany and get her off bedpan duty and had been irritated when Elizabeth was unable to help and to make matters worse, Emily's grandfather had shown up for a meeting of the board of directors and had started an argument with Nikolas Cassadine in the lobby.
She just wanted to go to her tiny apartment, draw a bath and soak in it for the rest of her life. And maybe find a new family and set of friends that were less stressful.
She started towards the parking spot where her beaten up Volvo was situated and stopped dead in her tracks. All her exhaustion, her misery and her plans for the evening evaporated in an instant.
Jason was there, and he had his motorcycle. Elizabeth couldn't help the smile that stretched from ear to ear.
He held out a helmet. "Cliff road or home?" he asked.
Not caring that they'd planned on going on the ride later, that she'd wanted to go home and shower first or that she had briefly entertained thoughts of cancelling altogether, Elizabeth grabbed the helmet and shoved it over hair, fixing the strap. "Cliff road," she said immediately.
She'd figure out how to get to work the next morning later.
General Hospital: Lobby
Emily collapsed on the couch and buried her face in her hands as she listed to Edward Quartermaine berate Nikolas Cassadine for his latest decision in how funding for the hospital would be distributed. Too much free care, Edward had barked. Too much charity.
Nikolas calmly took all that Edward had to offer before reminding the board member that the Cassadine family had bailed General Hospital out of an embarrassing bankruptcy and now Nikolas had the final say in all financial decisions. That had been the agreement Stefan Cassadine and Steve Hardy had brokered a decade before.
Nothing angered Edward more than being reminded he had no real control and that set off another tirade about the untrustworthiness of the Cassadine family in general. Emily managed tune most of the specifics out but when Edward had blustered that it'd be a cold day in hell before Nikolas married into their family, Emily leapt up.
"Grandfather, that's enough. Really." She planted her hands on her hips. "You don't have any say in the matter. I'm twenty-five years old--"
"You deserve better than this pack of loons," Edward cut in. "My dear--"
"If you don't knock it off, Grandfather, I'm going to tell Grandmother you're harping on Nikolas again," Emily threatened. "You know how she hates that."
Edward shut his mouth and glared at his youngest granddaughter. "Emily Paige Bowen-Quartermaine--"
"Oh, shut it, Grandfather," Emily rolled her eyes. "I have had it up to here with the way you treat Nikolas. He has been nothing but perfectly respectful to you and you continue--"
"Emily," Nikolas interrupted calmly, placing a hand on his fiancée's forearm. "This isn't necessary."
"I'll see you at home, young lady," Edward said gruffly. "Nikolas--"
"Yes, I know--I'm a spendthrift and I'm far too generous with everyone's money," Nikolas nodded. "Message received, Mr. Quartermaine."
Edward walked away and when he was on the elevators, Emily let out a sigh of relief. "I'll talk to Grandmother about reining him--"
"It isn't necessary," Nikolas repeated. He framed her face in his hands and kissed the tip of her nose. "The Quartermaines have just as bad a history with my family as the Scorpios and the Spencers. Your grandfather will never forgive my family for what happened to his sister."
"It's so unfair," Emily protested. "We weren't even born yet!"
"I know," Nikolas nodded. "But this isn't something we can change." His hands slid from her face down her arms until he grasped her hands. "But it is something we're going to have to live with. Are you ready for that?"
"Well..." Emily pursed her lips. "Are our families magically going to get along if we break off our engagement and spend the rest of our lives miserable?" she asked.
Nikolas grinned and shook his head. "Probably not."
"Well, then we should probably stick to Plan A," Emily decided. "At least, then we get to be happy."
"Marginally happy," Nikolas corrected. "Cassadines don't do happy."
"Bowens do," Emily nodded firmly. "And since you're also marrying into that family, then you have a responsibility to live up to that."
"You know how seriously I take responsibility," Nikolas remarked soberly. He leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. "Too tired for dinner?"
"Too tired for dinner anywhere more fancy than Kelly's."
General Hospital: Lab
Robin rubbed her eyes and slid another slide under her microscope. The door to the lab swung open. "Are those my results for Ren Lewis?" she called out, not glancing up.
"Ren Lewis needs surgery, but no," Patrick remarked, sitting at the stool across from her work station.
Robin looked up now and sighed. She was too tired to think about going another round with him today. "I thought you were done for the day after that last surgery?"
"I like to stick around," Patrick remarked. "You never know when they'll need a surgical intern." He reached for the file she was working on. "This guy's liver is almost non existent."
"Yeah," Robin sighed. "I have to let Monica know that in the morning when she comes on shift." She coughed. "This guy basically drank himself to death." She watched him as she said it, hoping he might mention his own father's problems.
"Hmm..." Patrick tossed the folder aside. "Takes all kinds. I like a good beer now and then but..." he shrugged. "Some people just don't know any better."
"When you sees something like this..." Robin shook her head. "It makes you wonder what would make a person--" she closed her eyes and stopped. "I heard about Noah. And what he went through."
"That's over with," Patrick shook his head. "He's sober and it doesn't matter anymore."
Robin didn't believe that but she didn't want to push. "Be that as it may," she said slowly, "I do want to apologize. I--I didn't know things were so bad here. I wouldn't have been able to come back but--"
"You chose to leave, Robin," Patrick said shortly. "And you chose not to talk to anyone here except your parents. So don't blame Ellie for not confiding about our dad."
Stung, Robin could only shake her head. "No--I didn't--I know I cut myself off--" she sighed, frustrated. "I just wanted say that I was sorry, okay?"
"Why pretend you give a damn?" Patrick responded. "You didn't care enough to stick around after my mother died. You just took off to Paris with no warning and never bothered to keep in touch--"
"Why stick around?" Robin cut in sharply. "You wouldn't talk to me. You didn't want to deal with anything. And--" she shut up abruptly, remembering that she'd never told anyone about that night. "It was a long time ago, Patrick. I'm sorry I brought it up."
"Why you'd even come back?" he demanded. He stood and shoved the stool in roughly. "You abandoned me, you left Ellie high and dry and you waltzed around Paris for three years while our lives fell apart around us and now you come back like nothing's changed? Go to hell."
"You don't know a damn thing about my life in Paris," Robin snarled. She shoved her files aside and stood as well. She stalked around the workstation and jabbed a finger at his chest. "You think I was high on life and living it up? Well, screw you, Patrick!"
She whirled around and started putting her materials away. She had to take deep breaths to keep the sobs from bursting through her chest. She'd locked it away all day, she'd thought being home, being away from it all would change things.
But it was still nearly midnight and on December 22, 2005, it would be exactly one year since her entire life had shattered.
Patrick frowned and watched her hands shake as she put away her slides and her research. "What the hell is the matter with you?"
"Just go away," Robin said shortly. She reached for a folder and in her haste, she knocked over a box of glass beakers. It careened to the floor and all the little tubes flew out, shattering into shards.
Robin sank to knees and started to clean them up, not even realizing that she'd started to cry. Stunned, Patrick joined her and reached for her hand. "Robin, we can call maintenance--"
A particularly jagged shard pieced through her skin and Robin hissed in pain. "Damn it--"
Patrick reached for her hand and that's when Robin really lost it. She scrambled back on her knees and nearly fell over trying to get away from him. "No, no, don't touch me!"
"Fine." Patrick stood and glared at her. "I'm sorry I disgust you, Robin. I'll go find a janitor to clean this mess up." He turned and stalked out of the lab, the sound of Robin's soft sobs ringing in his ears.
Spencer House: Living Room
Lulu stumbled into the house and winced when the floorboards on the landing squeaked. She started for the stairs but then a light snapped on to reveal Laura Spencer sitting calmly on the couch.
Waiting for her.
Lulu sighed. "I know what you're going to say but Dillon was helping me with--"
"Dillon called at six o'clock," Laura interrupted. "You left your history book at the Quartermaines."
Damn it. Why did Dillon have to be so damn responsible and reliable all the time? Lulu let out an impatient huff. "Okay, so I wasn't with Dillon. What's the big deal?"
"The big deal, Lesley Lu, is that you have a curfew," Laura responded. "And each time you break it, we move it back fifteen minutes. Pretty soon, you won't be seeing the light of day."
"Lucky never had a curfew," Lulu grumbled, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at her mother. "It's not fair."
"Lucky didn't need a curfew," Laura replied. "We trusted Lucky to be home and to tell us where he was going, what he was doing, who he was with." Laura cast a look over Lulu's rumpled clothing and messy hair and sighed softly. Her little girl had been so sweet and loving and somehow, she'd morphed into this angry girl. "Lu--"
"If you think for one second that Lucky and Elizabeth weren't out doing the same exact thing I was tonight, then you're more naïve than I figured you'd be," Lulu said shortly. "I'm seventeen years old, Mom. I'm not a child."
"No, I don't suppose you are." Laura felt a thousand years old all of sudden. She stood and snapped off the light, sending the room into shadows and darkness again. "Go to bed, Lesley Lu. We'll discuss this in morning."
Lulu watched her mother go up the stairs and sighed again. She was forever disappointing her family. She wasn't cool enough for her father, wasn't obedient enough for her mother and wasn't old enough to really be involved in her brothers' lives. When would be who she was already enough?
Vista Point
Elizabeth tugged off the helmet and sighed happily. "When you picked me up a few hours ago," she began, "I was so tired and all I wanted to do was sleep for like the rest of my life."
"You should have said something," Jason said immediately. "I would have taken you home."
Elizabeth hopped off the bike and leaned out over the railing. Vista Point over looked the entire town of Port Charles and she could even see clear out to Spoon Island, the night was so clear. "I'm going hate the snow," she sighed. "We won't be able to take the cliff roads until winter's over."
"Price you pay for living in upstate New York," Jason replied. He set the kickstand on the bike and joined her at the railing. "So rough day then?"
Elizabeth turned and leaned against the railing, her back to the view. "Well, we started with a round of Patrick vs. Robin and then kind of spiraled from there." She glanced at him. "Have I ever told you the history between my brother and Robin?"
"Only that there is one," Jason replied. "You never liked to talk about her much."
"Hmm...well, that's because she left town like three months after my mother died," Elizabeth admitted. "I was angry about it for a long time but I know Patrick took Mom's death really hard. I mean, you know what happened with my dad but Patrick..." she looked away and shook her head. "Patrick and Jason Quartermaine were best friends," she said after a long moment. "I don't think I told you that before. They were pre-med together and were almost as close as brothers. And they had a lot in common."
Jason liked the way Elizabeth spoke about Jason Quartermaine, liked that she referred to him as a separate person, as someone who didn't exist anymore. She understood that he was a different person now and reminders that he'd once been someone else were uncomfortable. "So I guess he took the accident pretty badly."
"Yeah...it was one thing after another for a while. Mom got sick and then she died," Elizabeth said softly. "My father started drinking and then Robin left for Paris. Then Patrick lost his best friend and Dad's drinking just got worse..." she exhaled softly. "But he was once a very sweet,funny and open person. I know you might not believe that but he resents you for not being Jason Quartermaine. He resents that you didn't wake up and remember everything that came before." She shook her head again.
"Anyway. Patrick and Robin dated for like, ever. They got together junior year in high school and for six years, it was Patrick and Robin, Robin and Patrick, you know? But after Mom died, he just...he shut down. And whatever happened between him and Robin happened because of that, I can tell you that much. I used to blame Robin for leaving me at that moment. I mean, I still had Emily and for a while, I still had Jason. But Robin was like my sister." She paused. "She was my sister."
"But she's back now," Jason said.
"Yeah. And things are different. Patrick's never going to be that guy again but it's just so hard seeing him and Robin go at it because it used to be so different." Elizabeth sighed wistfully. "It all used to be so different. When my mother was alive and when we were just kids..." she laughed. "When the worst thing in my life was breaking up with Lucky at Senior Prom. I miss that, sometimes."
Elizabeth coughed and smiled at him, a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry to whine like that. You must think I'm so pathetic."
"You sound like you had a bad day and you wanted to vent a little," Jason corrected. "Nothing wrong with that."
Elizabeth's smile deepened. "I didn't let myself admit that I was angry at Robin before. So...thank you."
"All I did was listen," Jason shrug.
"Sometimes..." Elizabeth glanced up at him, her cheeks flushing a little, "Sometimes that's all you need to do. You're a good listener, Jason. You just let me ramble until I come to my own conclusions and that's nice." She straightened. "So what did you do today?"
Jason shrugged. "I went to the club, did the books for the warehouse and the club. Met with Sonny. Did some work. And then picked you up."
Elizabeth nodded. "How's Sonny?" she inquired.
"Fine, fine." Jason hesitated. "Brenda came in as I was leaving. She, ah, wanted to know if you wanted to come over for dinner before the party at the Haunted Star. She and Sonny are going."
Dinner with Jason's best friend and his wife. Elizabeth pursed her lips. With anyone else, she could have assumed it was a date. But with Jason...one could never assume. "Sure, it sounds like fun."