When sorrow comes, they come not single spies, But in battalions.
-William Shakespeare, Hamlet
The house with the funny gate. If he remembered anything, it was the funny looking gate. Weird, googly shapes that seemed to mean something but didn’t. At least, not to him. He glanced at one as he scurried along the sidewalk, his anxiety growing with each passing minute. Had he come the wrong way? His brow furrowed in a panic and he stopped, standing awkwardly on the sidewalk. No, this had to be the way.
It had to be.
Swallowing back sudden tears, he pushed along, his eyes wide until he finally found what he’d been searching for.
The funny looking gate. With cold, clenched fingers, he managed to climb a lower portion of the wrought iron fencing that surrounded the mammoth property.
Almost there.
Even though he’d been running since that horrible moment nearly an hour earlier, he sprinted up the vast lawns ignoring any twinges his body made, the moonlight guiding his path, to the rose garden his Aunt had shown him many times before.
The man. The man with sad eyes. Would he be here? Would he help him?
The man had made promises to him once before, maybe he’d make another.
The light from the home was inviting and he blinked uncertainly as he pulled the door open. Warmth enveloped him almost immediately.
Then came the voices. Excited, confused, scared. All going at once, some quiet, some loud. People who he’d been told were his family rushed to him. He only wanted one of them.
AJ.
“Michael.”
Hearing his name, Michael spotted AJ near the fireplace, folder in hand. AJ stared at him, mouth parted slightly, stunned at the sight before him. Dark brown eyes.
Just like his. Just like Mommy too.
Sad eyes.
Aunt Emily reached him first. A warm embrace. She asked him questions but he stared blankly at her. She didn’t make him promises as big as the one AJ had. He needed big promises. They would keep him safe.
Emily noticed the stiffness in Michael’s response and grew more alarmed as she drew back and regarded his lifeless expression. “Michael,” she whispered, stroking his cheek gently. The room became quiet and AJ blinked once before snapping from his shock. He strode across the room and bent before his son.
“Michael.”
Michael turned to AJ. Promise me.
“Michael, where is Mommy?”
Sad brown eyes stared back at AJ and instantly, his blood ran cold. Something terrible had happened. Tentatively, he reached out and touched Michael’s forearm. “Where’s Mommy, Michael?”
Promise me.
Barely opening his mouth, his words came out in a hushed tone.
“She fell.”
“She fell?” AJ replied softly.
Michael nodded slowly. His eyes slowly filled with tears. “She won’t get up,” he said hoarsely.
With that, Michael fell into AJ’s arms, clinging to him for dear life.
Promise me.
AJ clutched the trembling boy tightly to him. “Okay, okay,” he managed in a shaky voice, unsure of who he was attempting to reassure more. Standing, he hoisted Michael securely to him, and his son buried his face into his shoulder.
AJ turned, noticing for the first time, the stunned silence of his family. His gaze wavered over the faces briefly before settling on one.
“Ned.”
His cousin took a step forward, ready to do whatever AJ asked of him.
“Find Jason.”
Michael trembled more violently at the mention of Jason’s name. Jason had a gun. Michael had seen it many times, even when Jason didn’t know. The bad men had guns just like Jason’s. They made noises that screamed in his ears and made him cry.
Mommy had cried. The image and sound was burned into his memory.
Alan finally spoke. “Should we-should we call the police?” he asked to no one in particular.
“No,” Emily replied instantly. “Jason will know what to do.”
Michael whimpered and AJ moved towards the crackling fireplace. “You must be cold,” he said, his voice light and calm, betraying the immense fear building within him. He gently rubbed Michael’s sweater clad back. He regarded the sea of faces in the photographs before him. His family. Not one picture of Michael, his only child. The one true thing in his life and he’d given him up, fooling himself that it was for the best.
For the best.
AJ barely suppressed the bile that rose up suddenly from the back of his throat.
No. He wouldn’t go there right now.
Movement at the door caught his eye.
Jason. Looking more wild that he had ever seen, his crystal clear blue eyes zeroing in on the young boy nestled in AJ’s arms. Wordlessly, Jason stalked toward them, his arms outstretched.
“Give Michael to me,” he commanded in a low voice.
No. No more men with guns. The noise, the smell, the scream. Mommy had screamed so loud. He wanted to go to her, but her screaming, it had stopped him. Michael grabbed AJ’s shirt tightly and let out a terrified shriek. Monica covered her mouth to muffle her own horrified reaction to her grandson’s cry. Jason drew back, thunderstruck by Michael’s response. He could not mask his crestfallen expression nor his devastation as he lowered his arms to his side.
AJ fought to beat back the panic that threatened to overwhelm him. Information. He needed to know what the hell had happened. Grabbing a pen and pad of paper, he scrawled out his questions.
What happened? He handed the pad to Jason, who still seemed dazed by Michael’s response. Waving it jerkily to catch his attention, AJ waited as Jason slowly replied.
A hit at the PH.
Carly? Sonny?
Jason shook his head, his watery gaze allowing everyone in the room to sense the utter devastation that had happened a short time earlier. Monica spoke first, her voice shaking, “I’ll-I’ll phone Bobbie,” she announced, checking Jason for approval. He nodded and she rushed from the room.
The baby?
“I can’t find him. He’s missing,”he replied and Emily began to cry softly, crumpling into Edward’s arms.
Dillon looked on, the sickness and dread in the pit of his stomach growing with each new horror that was revealed. He wanted to walk out, like it was a terrible film that no person should ever be subjected to. He couldn’t and instead stood near Skye and Ned, feeling as helpless as they appeared.
AJ only had one more question. Was Michael there?
Jason nodded, swallowing hard. Sonny was gone. Carly was gone. Morgan was missing. Courtney was in a panic. Michael was alone. Calm down. They would find Morgan and leave as soon as possible. It would be what Carly wanted.
He held out his hands once more. “Michael is coming with me.”
Michael dug his nails into AJ’s neck and AJ rubbed his back soothingly. “No, Michael will stay with me.”
“And Morgan,” Michael added, his muffled voice still trembling. AJ looked sharply at Jason, seeing that the younger man was thinking the same thing. AJ took care as he sat down in a nearby chair and slowly eased Michael’s death grip to allow him to look directly into the small boy’s wide dark eyes.
His eyes. Carly’s eyes. Sad brown eyes.
“Michael, do you know where Morgan is?”
Michael studied AJ’s face with intent caution. He needed a promise. He needed one badly. AJ saw the swirling emotions behind the eyes that stared back at him. “I promise, you can stay with me as long as you want. Morgan too. Do you know where he is?”
Michael nodded, calmed that AJ had given his word. The room sighed with relief and Jason stepped forward, eager to question his nephew on the whereabouts of the newborn. Unseen by Michael, AJ quickly held out his hand, indicating to Jason to stop. Jason’s jaw twitched with anger at being directed by AJ, but he relented and remained a distance away. The knowledge that Michael was thoroughly terrified of him gnawed at his confidence. He’d never known a moment of Michael’s life where the spirited child didn’t look at him with complete trust.
“Where is Morgan?”
“Safe.”
AJ nodded. “That’s good. You’re a good big brother to him,” he said with approval. He hesitated, unsure of how to prod Michael further. Michael watched him expectantly. “Is he warm?”
Michael nodded confidently. “Laticia fed him and washed him and I played with him. Then Mommy and I put him to bed when Laticia went home. I sang him my favorite song and Mommy gave him his bottle.” His expression darkened and his confident chatter faltered. “Then bad men came and Mommy told me to run to my room.” His hands flew up to his ears as he remembered the event, as if reliving them once more. “The bad noises didn’t wake up Morgan. I took him out of the crib and held him the right way, like Laticia showed me. I hid him with his blanket and baby elephant.”
AJ ignored the frozen looks that surrounded him. He held back his own panic. “Did you hide him in the house?”
Michael shook his head. “It’s not safe there. I took him to a safe place.”
AJ finally looked back up at Jason. The man held the gaze for a moment before leaving the room, dialing numbers on his cell phone. Obviously, the search for Morgan was well underway.
Moments later, Bobbie burst into the room, her eyes red, her face showing clear signs that she had been crying not too long ago. Monica hovered near her and a sullen Lucas brought up the rear. Dillon nodded quickly to Lucas and quietly moved towards his friend.
“Hey,” he greeted quietly. Lucas nodded but said nothing. The two young men stood in silence and watched Bobbie race towards her grandson. “Michael!” she said, her voice urgent. Michael turned and looked at Bobbie blankly. “Hi Grandma,” he said softly, accepting her hug, but quickly returning to the safety of AJ’s arms when she released him. Bobbie looked at the scene, startled by his behaviour.
Jason returned to the room and Bobbie swiveled in her spot, her eyes narrowing, her entire being bristling at the sight of the hitman. She looked ready to pounce on him and would have had Monica not placed her arm on the grieving Mother’s forearm. “Bobbie, Michael is here,” she reminded the woman gently.
Jason was momentarily speechless as Bobbie struggled to reign in her violent emotions. Shaking off whatever had stopped him, he continued on with the business at hand. “I have security on the way. You will all remain here until I say. No one is to leave the property.”
AJ stood, suddenly angry. There was no way he’d let the mob run the show again. Not after tonight. He inched towards Bobbie and Monica. “Go with Grandma, she misses you and will keep you safe.” Michael initially resisted until AJ added the all important, “promise.”
Bobbie took the small child thankfully, murmuring to him gently as Monica leaned in close to offer him as much comfort as she could. AJ nodded to his Mother and the Grandmothers took their grandson to a section of the room that would be out of Michael’s hearing range. AJ strode up to the departing Jason. “No,” he said firmly. “I’m not trusting your people. Not anymore.”
Jason sighed in irritation. “It’s not your decision AJ!”
“The hell it isn’t!” AJ shot back, his anger growing. “Michael, Lucas and Bobbie will stay as long as needed, but not under your watch.” With that he headed to the foyer phone and began dialing.
Jason watched, fuming at AJ’s dismissal. He had never been so thoroughly disregarded by AJ about anything. “Edward’s security won’t keep this place secure.”
“That’s not who I’m calling.”
*~*~*~*~*
It only took 30 minutes before the living room doors opened once more. Reginald announced him first before allowing the somber man into the room.
“Mr. Stefan Cassadine to see you AJ?”
AJ rose, passing off Michael once again to Bobbie and Monica, this time more easily than before. He ignored Jason’s death glare as he shook hands with the imposing patriarch. Edward grumbled to no one in particular but did not voice his dissent any further. Stefan did a quick survey of the room, settling on Bobbie and Michael. Bobbie glanced up and an unmistakable message passed between them.
Stefan spoke first. “The security staff has secured the perimeter. Unauthorized individuals will not pass. The ability and expertise of my sentries is indubitable. I have also provided 8 members of Cassadine personal security who will remain with the family at all times, one exclusive to Michael and upon retrieval, another to Morgan.” His voice was calm and casual, but with each declaration, it was understood that what he said would not be proven incorrect nor disputed.
AJ simply nodded and 8 men entered the room from various doors. Their expressions were guarded but their aura was impressive. One especially hulking individual stepped towards Michael and lowered himself to the child’s view.
“Mikhail,” he spoke with a noticeable Russian timbre to his deep voice, “you have a strong name. It was my Father’s name and my Grandfather’s name. They were strong men who protected their families. I know you are like them.”
Michael was mesmerized by the imposing stranger before him. “Who are you?” he asked melodiously.
The man lifted his chin proudly. “I am Levka. I am a lion.”
Michael tilted his head and for the first time, his eyes sparked. “I like lions. So does Morgan.”
Levka furrowed his brow for show. “Morgan?”
“My brother. He’s a baby. He’s safe,” Michael explained. Levka nodded sagely. “You protect him?” Michael nodded a flicker of pride passing over his face.
“Is he here?” Michael shook his head. Levka’s eyes flicked to the guard standing near the entry way to the room. “Mikhail,” he instructed, “you must show me where Morgan is. Maksim,” he indicated to the dark haired guard, “is his protector too. He must know where he is. Will you show Levka?”
“Do you have a gun?” Michael asked, trembling again. Jason shifted uncomfortably at Michael’s palpable fear. He was beginning to understand. Levka paused momentarily before speaking. “Have you ever seen a lion with a gun?”
“No,” Michael replied in all seriousness. “A lion doesn’t need one.”
Levka nodded in agreement. “Very good Mikhail. I have no use for such a weapon. Now, will you agree to show me where your brother is?”
Michael glanced at AJ uncertainly. AJ nodded and Michael slid off Bobbie’s lap and slipped his hand into Levka’s massive palm. “Okay.”
It only took moments to bundle up Michael and arrange for the armor plated vehicles to come up the driveway to meet the group that Michael would lead to the missing infant. Jason made movements to join them but Levka’s formerly warm expression with Michael instantly flattened and filled with ominous warning instead. A brief staredown resulted in Jason remaining at the Quartermaine mansion to orchestrate the retaliatory end of the operation. Bobbie and Monica huddled together in the doorway, watching their grandson be taken from them.
The tension filled drive was only interrupted by Michael’s solemn instructions, directing the driver to where Morgan had been hidden. As they reached Harborview Towers, Michael once again clutched himself in AJ’s arms. The only home he had ever known was now a symbol of death and fear. He promised himself that he and Morgan would never come back, not even for their toys. A secured path was created to the underground parking and Michael’s now whispering voice led them to the furnace room. Levka nodded to an unnamed guard, who in turn opened the door while AJ and Michael remained with Levka in the vehicle. The guard took two others in with him while they searched the small room. They emerged a moment later and nodded.
Maksim went in and came out with a small bundle in his arms. AJ let out a sigh of relief and Michael turned his head. “See? This room is warm and hardly anybody comes in here and I found a key that fit it a long time ago. It’s my secret place,” he said, his voice hushed as to not wake his sleeping brother
Maksim entered the vehicle and AJ peered at the sleeping infant. Michael reached out and his small fingers brushed gently against his brother’s forehead. “Hi Morgan,” he said. The tender gesture nearly broke AJ’s resolve to remain centered for Michael. A carseat materialized and Morgan was carefully strapped in between AJ and Maksim. Lekva murmured in Russian and the entourage left just as quickly as they came.
*~*~*~*~*
Back at the Quartermaine estate, the family had dispersed, each dealing with the evening’s tragedy in their own way. Ned and Skye headed to AJ’s room to prepare Michael’s bed. They silently went about their work of gathering blankets and bedsheets. Lucas had followed Dillon to his room, after Bobbie had spoken to her son in private. Dillon watched his friend cautiously. As far as he knew, Lucas and Carly were not close, but the sag in Lucas’s frame as he walked revealed more than Dillon was willing to ask.
“Just be his friend.”
Ned’s simple choice of words passed to him as they had gone their separate ways down the hallways of the Quartermaine home echoed in his mind. What a terrible time to just be a friend.
Alan set about informing the staff of the security changes and dealing with any problems or concerns. Edward went directly to Lila and simply sat at her bedside to watch her sleep. He treasured these quiet moments.
Nikolas had come just as AJ and Michael had left. He enveloped a tearful Emily in his warm embrace the moment he walked into the foyer and after a quick nod to his Uncle, quietly led Emily up to her room.
“I’ll get some tea,” Monica offered softly. She’d not missed the half dozen looks Bobbie and Stefan had shared since his arrival. Sensing their need for a private moment, she excused herself quietly and instructed the servants to leave the family room undisturbed.
Bobbie sat on the chesterfield, her hands tightly clasped together. When she’d learned of Carly’s death, she’d wanted to scream and throw things, hell, she’d wanted to burn the city to the ground for letting her daughter die. But Lucas was home and she knew she couldn’t terrify him like that. She’d coiled her feelings up so tightly, that she could barely breathe. Stefan ended the necessary call that had tied him up for the past few minutes and turned off his phone. Death, he could handle. The uncertainty of it, the frequency of it, the trauma in it and the emotional fallout. He had lived through it countless times, it had become tiresome routine.
Until now.
Barbara was an entirely different situation. He would not contain her even if he were so foolish to try. To handle her would be a deep insult that both would be disgusted by. He sensed the raw devastation in the fiery woman he’d once been married to and took a moment to ready himself, knowing it was futile. Barbara always left him uncertain and on shaky footing. Now would be no different.
He sat next to her and instinctively took her hands in his. They were cold and tightly laced together. Without too much resistance, he pulled them apart, taking one hand in each of his. He rhythmically rubbed the backs in slow, soothing motions.
“Barbara.”
“I want them dead.”
Stefan did not blink at Bobbie’s cold demand. “That will be arranged.”
“No. I want to be the one to do it. I want to take their lives Stefan. Nobody else. Not Jason or anyone else. Just me.”
Stefan nodded. “As you wish.”
Bobbie’s gaze finally leveled with his. Her mouth trembled and her eyes filled with tears once more. Stefan resisted the urge to pull her to him. To offer her comfort without her permission would be met with nothing less than anger. He stared back at her, waiting patiently. Sensing that he would not resist her or even attempt to dissuade her, she found the acceptance she wanted. With that, she let out a loud, shuddering breath and collapsed into his arms. Stefan closed the distance and pulled her close as she began to wail for the child she had lost. Stefan did not shush her or murmur words of comfort when he knew he could give her nothing of what she wanted. He simply held her as she grieved.
He would not dare deny her.