Fic: I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues (GH, Lucky/Maxie, Lanaverse)
Title: I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues
Author: empressearwig
Prompt: 75 - Music
Pairing/Character(s): Lucky/Maxie, Cameron, Jake, Gia
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Any character first appearing on General Hospital does not belong to me.
Word Count: 1214
Spoilers/Warnings: Refers to character death. Part of the Lanaverse.
Summary: “I’m a cop. What do I know about running a blues club?”
Author's Notes: Written for theechochorus.
Lucky stood alone in the middle of the empty club.
The utter silence echoed off the walls. A thick layer of dust coated the bars and tables that had once been crowded with patrons. Chairs were stacked around the edge of the floor, and microphones and amplifiers were pushed to the back of the stage where musicians had once played.
He sighed, wandering over to the piano that was sitting in the center of the stage. He ran his fingers over the keys, and winced at the sound of the out of tune notes that emerged. Like everything else in the place, the piano had given way to the ravages of time.
He sat down on the dusty piano bench and looked out over the room. He could still imagine it, full of people and music. He could practically see his father standing behind the bar, schmoozing customers, and flirting with his mother.
This place took him back to a time when his parents were happy, and they’d finally found a place to call home. Before his illusions about their past had been shattered, before their marriage had fallen apart and he’d been kidnapped, before his mom had gotten sick.
Before his dad had died.
The sound of footsteps startled him back to reality, and he blinked to bring his vision back into focus.
“Daddy!” Gia cried out, racing across the floor. “Isn’t this place cool?”
She flung herself into his arms and he settled her onto his lap, looking out at his wife and sons who were following behind her. He looked down at his daughter, stroking a hand against her long, blonde hair. “It is cool,” he agreed. “I take it that means you like it?”
She nodded furiously, smiling up at him. “What is it, Daddy? It seems so sad.”
“Well,” he said slowly, not sure how to explain. “It was a place called Luke’s.”
“Like Grandpa Luke?” she asked innocently. Even after two months, Gia still didn’t completely understand that this time her grandpa wasn’t coming back. That this time he was gone for good.
He managed a nod. “Yes, sweetie, like Grandpa Luke. This was his once.”
Maxie climbed up onto the stage, the heels of her impractically high heels clicking noisily across the wood. With no concern for the effects of dust on designer whatever it was she was wearing, she settled herself next to him on the bench and reached out to take his hand, squeezing it gently. She knew how hard it was for him to talk about his father.
“You know, I don’t really remember a lot about this place,” she said in a bright voice, intent on changing the mood and subject. “Your dad had closed it before I was really old enough to enjoy it. But I remember the stories.”
“Like what?” Jake asked, trying not to sound too eager. He liked this place and was interested, but that didn’t mean he wanted to betray his carefully maintained indifference.
“Like, my sister was born under a table here, did you know that? I think there’s still a plaque up about it,” Maxie smiled, though it was tinged with sadness the way it always was when she thought about Georgie.
This time Lucky squeezed her hand.
“So what are you going do with this place, Dad?” Cameron asked, ever the practical one. “It’s really a shame that it’s closed. It’s in a great spot, not too far from PCU, not too far from the arts district they’re building on the waterfront… this type of place would fit right in.”
“You know, he’s right,” Maxie agreed. “I never did understand why your dad let this place die.”
Lucky shrugged a little, setting Gia back on her feet, sending her off to run around the room. “My dad let a lot of things die after my mom got sick.”
They all fell silent for a moment, Lucky and Maxie lost in memories of the past, Jake and Cameron wandering around the room looking at the pictures and art that still hung on the walls.
“I think you should reopen it,” Jake said suddenly, breaking the silence.
Lucky looked at his son, who was standing behind the bar in exactly the same way that he remembered his father doing. “Reopen it?” he asked blankly. “I’m a cop. What do I know about running a blues club?”
Jake shrugged. “So you hire someone to run it for you.”
Lucky raised an eyebrow. “That simple?”
“Actually,” Cameron interjected. “It is.”
Lucky narrowed his eyes at his older son. “You too?”
“If you don’t reopen it, what are you going to do with it?” Cameron asked pointedly. “Leave it sit empty? Sell it?”
“I don’t know.” Lucky turned to Maxie, pleading in his eyes. “Tell my incredibly naïve sons what a bad idea this is.”
“But what if I think they’re right?” Maxie drawled, laughing a little at the expression of betrayal on his face. “Face it, you could never in a million years sell this place, and it’s just a waste sitting her like this.”
He frowned and looked back and forth between his sons and wife. “You’re all ganging up on me.”
Maxie and the boys traded amused looks.
“But it’s for your own good,” Maxie tried, laughing at his pout. She patted him on the knee. “You know, I always thought Gia got that from me. I was wrong.”
“I know nothing about running a place like this,” he said again, trying to make them understand. “Why am I the only one that sees this as a problem?”
“But you do have a recently retired father-in-law with too much time on his hands that used to own a restaurant,” Maxie pointed out. “I’m sure he’d be glad to give you some tips.”
“I forgot about that.” He looked at Maxie, contemplating what they’d all said. “Do you really think I can do this?”
She smiled, squeezing his hand. “I think you can do anything.” She lifted her other hand to his face and kissed him lingeringly.
“And on that note, we’re going to go check out the apartment upstairs again,” Jake announced, wanting to escape the parental public display of affection. “Hey, short stuff!” he called out to his sister, who was twirling in circles, amusing herself. “Want to come with?” He held out a hand to his sister.
“Okay!” She ran across the room to take Jake’s hand.
The three siblings started to walk towards the stairs to the apartment.
Cameron called back over his shoulder. “By the way, Dad? If you redo the apartment, I call first dibs.”
They disappeared from view, leaving Lucky and Maxie alone.
Lucky stood, pulling Maxie up with him. He stepped down off the stage and lifted her down, setting her on the floor.
He held out a hand. “Can I have this dance?”
Maxie laughed. “There’s no music,” she pointed out, even as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“But there will be.”
They swayed to the nonexistent music, and he looked out at the empty dance floor and could imagine it full again. The room alive with music and voices.
“There will be,” he repeated, lowering his head to rest on the top of hers.
They danced.
Author: empressearwig
Prompt: 75 - Music
Pairing/Character(s): Lucky/Maxie, Cameron, Jake, Gia
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Any character first appearing on General Hospital does not belong to me.
Word Count: 1214
Spoilers/Warnings: Refers to character death. Part of the Lanaverse.
Summary: “I’m a cop. What do I know about running a blues club?”
Author's Notes: Written for theechochorus.
Lucky stood alone in the middle of the empty club.
The utter silence echoed off the walls. A thick layer of dust coated the bars and tables that had once been crowded with patrons. Chairs were stacked around the edge of the floor, and microphones and amplifiers were pushed to the back of the stage where musicians had once played.
He sighed, wandering over to the piano that was sitting in the center of the stage. He ran his fingers over the keys, and winced at the sound of the out of tune notes that emerged. Like everything else in the place, the piano had given way to the ravages of time.
He sat down on the dusty piano bench and looked out over the room. He could still imagine it, full of people and music. He could practically see his father standing behind the bar, schmoozing customers, and flirting with his mother.
This place took him back to a time when his parents were happy, and they’d finally found a place to call home. Before his illusions about their past had been shattered, before their marriage had fallen apart and he’d been kidnapped, before his mom had gotten sick.
Before his dad had died.
The sound of footsteps startled him back to reality, and he blinked to bring his vision back into focus.
“Daddy!” Gia cried out, racing across the floor. “Isn’t this place cool?”
She flung herself into his arms and he settled her onto his lap, looking out at his wife and sons who were following behind her. He looked down at his daughter, stroking a hand against her long, blonde hair. “It is cool,” he agreed. “I take it that means you like it?”
She nodded furiously, smiling up at him. “What is it, Daddy? It seems so sad.”
“Well,” he said slowly, not sure how to explain. “It was a place called Luke’s.”
“Like Grandpa Luke?” she asked innocently. Even after two months, Gia still didn’t completely understand that this time her grandpa wasn’t coming back. That this time he was gone for good.
He managed a nod. “Yes, sweetie, like Grandpa Luke. This was his once.”
Maxie climbed up onto the stage, the heels of her impractically high heels clicking noisily across the wood. With no concern for the effects of dust on designer whatever it was she was wearing, she settled herself next to him on the bench and reached out to take his hand, squeezing it gently. She knew how hard it was for him to talk about his father.
“You know, I don’t really remember a lot about this place,” she said in a bright voice, intent on changing the mood and subject. “Your dad had closed it before I was really old enough to enjoy it. But I remember the stories.”
“Like what?” Jake asked, trying not to sound too eager. He liked this place and was interested, but that didn’t mean he wanted to betray his carefully maintained indifference.
“Like, my sister was born under a table here, did you know that? I think there’s still a plaque up about it,” Maxie smiled, though it was tinged with sadness the way it always was when she thought about Georgie.
This time Lucky squeezed her hand.
“So what are you going do with this place, Dad?” Cameron asked, ever the practical one. “It’s really a shame that it’s closed. It’s in a great spot, not too far from PCU, not too far from the arts district they’re building on the waterfront… this type of place would fit right in.”
“You know, he’s right,” Maxie agreed. “I never did understand why your dad let this place die.”
Lucky shrugged a little, setting Gia back on her feet, sending her off to run around the room. “My dad let a lot of things die after my mom got sick.”
They all fell silent for a moment, Lucky and Maxie lost in memories of the past, Jake and Cameron wandering around the room looking at the pictures and art that still hung on the walls.
“I think you should reopen it,” Jake said suddenly, breaking the silence.
Lucky looked at his son, who was standing behind the bar in exactly the same way that he remembered his father doing. “Reopen it?” he asked blankly. “I’m a cop. What do I know about running a blues club?”
Jake shrugged. “So you hire someone to run it for you.”
Lucky raised an eyebrow. “That simple?”
“Actually,” Cameron interjected. “It is.”
Lucky narrowed his eyes at his older son. “You too?”
“If you don’t reopen it, what are you going to do with it?” Cameron asked pointedly. “Leave it sit empty? Sell it?”
“I don’t know.” Lucky turned to Maxie, pleading in his eyes. “Tell my incredibly naïve sons what a bad idea this is.”
“But what if I think they’re right?” Maxie drawled, laughing a little at the expression of betrayal on his face. “Face it, you could never in a million years sell this place, and it’s just a waste sitting her like this.”
He frowned and looked back and forth between his sons and wife. “You’re all ganging up on me.”
Maxie and the boys traded amused looks.
“But it’s for your own good,” Maxie tried, laughing at his pout. She patted him on the knee. “You know, I always thought Gia got that from me. I was wrong.”
“I know nothing about running a place like this,” he said again, trying to make them understand. “Why am I the only one that sees this as a problem?”
“But you do have a recently retired father-in-law with too much time on his hands that used to own a restaurant,” Maxie pointed out. “I’m sure he’d be glad to give you some tips.”
“I forgot about that.” He looked at Maxie, contemplating what they’d all said. “Do you really think I can do this?”
She smiled, squeezing his hand. “I think you can do anything.” She lifted her other hand to his face and kissed him lingeringly.
“And on that note, we’re going to go check out the apartment upstairs again,” Jake announced, wanting to escape the parental public display of affection. “Hey, short stuff!” he called out to his sister, who was twirling in circles, amusing herself. “Want to come with?” He held out a hand to his sister.
“Okay!” She ran across the room to take Jake’s hand.
The three siblings started to walk towards the stairs to the apartment.
Cameron called back over his shoulder. “By the way, Dad? If you redo the apartment, I call first dibs.”
They disappeared from view, leaving Lucky and Maxie alone.
Lucky stood, pulling Maxie up with him. He stepped down off the stage and lifted her down, setting her on the floor.
He held out a hand. “Can I have this dance?”
Maxie laughed. “There’s no music,” she pointed out, even as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“But there will be.”
They swayed to the nonexistent music, and he looked out at the empty dance floor and could imagine it full again. The room alive with music and voices.
“There will be,” he repeated, lowering his head to rest on the top of hers.
They danced.