Chapter Fifty-Three:
Skeletons

Hannah's Apartment

Hannah stares at Emily, who is just having an impossible time putting a halt to her giggling.

Hannah: You're kidding.

Em: Oh, it was completely one-sided, but.... (she lowers her head, cracking up again) I'm sorry. It's not that funny.

Hannah: Go ahead, laugh. Someone has to. (She leans back against the couch, sitting at Emily's feet). Nikolas's age was another thing Lucky had to enlightening me to. He never told me how old he was.

Em: (calming down a little) No, he wouldn't. I honestly don't think he THINKS about his age. It's not a concern. I mean, what's twenty years out of a lineage that goes back centuries? He just doesn't care.

Hannah: That's pretty much what he said when I pointed out the age difference. (she bites her lip) He's kind of stubborn, isn't he? (Emily stares at her a moment, then cracks up again) I guess that would be yes.

Em: Oh, he's impossible.

Hannah: Ok. So we might as well get this over with. What happened with you guys?

Em: (sighing) Oh... Well, first of all, it was when I was doing drugs. And -- OH! Don't tell him this -- I tried heroin for the first time that night, because I just shouldn't have kissed him, and.... Well, at that point, any excuse--

Hannah: I know what you mean. Oh! Another reason to self-destruct.

Em: Basically. It just totally wasn't about him. It was like... I had absolutely NO control over anything in my life, but when I was stoned, I didn't care. Plus... Well, Matt, the guy who I got everything from, he was my only friend at that point.

Hannah: Lucky was out of town.

Em: No, he was back by then. But he was being a jerk, I didn't care.

Hannah: Right. So did you stop after you overdosed?

Em: Yeah, basically. That was the last time I did it. I think maybe if Matt had still been alive, that it would have been a lot harder to stay sober, but ... (she smiles) Oh, you'll love this. My brother is an alcoholic, and while I was being rushed to the hospital, AJ was getting drunk. So when I woke up, he said we were going to get sober together -- you know, a family thing. (she frowns) We should have gotten Alan involved too.

Hannah: Alan?

Em: My father.

Hannah: You call your father Alan?

Em: (darkly) I do now. (Hannah decides not to press the issue)

Hannah: So... Do you just have the one brother, or --

Em: I have two. AJ -- that's the alcoholic with the son -- and Jason. But he's not a Quartermaine anymore. He's called Jason Morgan now.

Hannah: (incredulous) The mobster?

Em: You've met him.

Hannah: I hear I work for him!

Em: Yeah... I guess they explained that to you.

Hannah: Are you kidding? No. Luke didn't mention that anymore than he mentioned that people tend to get shot in the parking lot. (she sighs heavily) No, I just recognized the guys in dark suits. Oliver WAS a guy in a dark suit.

Em: Oh. (dawning) Oh! Jacob.

Hannah: Yeah. He was one too. That's how I knew him. And he knows me. He pretended he didn't, but he didn't buy the whole "you have me mistaken for someone else" thing.

Em: Yeah..... Well, neither did Lucky.

Hannah: That was it, huh? What gave me up? He never tells me anything.

Em: He wouldn't. (she frowns) Do you think that's going to be a problem? I mean, is Oliver out there looking for you or something?

Hannah: I don't think so. I mean, if he ever saw me again, I think it would be... tense. But I wasn't worth tracking down -- or even worth a trip to Port Charles. I pilfered about three thousand dollars from him -- which I doubt he even noticed -- and I left the country. Seven years ago!

Em: He didn't notice three thousand dollars?

Hannah: You know how some people leave change on their dressers? And if you pick up a few quarters every day, at the end of the week you have four bucks? That's kind of what Oliver was like with all his money. If I'd been able to stand him a bit longer I probably could have gotten away with a small fortune -- by my standards. But I didn't push it, I just left.

Em: To Europe.

Hannah: Yeah. And I became someone else. Who didn't have Sophie's problems, or Corrine's... Who just read books and went to museums. And waited tables.

Em: Why did you come back? (Hannah stares off into the distance, the hair on the back of her neck standing up on end. She's not sure she can do this)

Hannah: (hoarsely) It was time.

Em: But... Why here? Why Port Charles? I mean, if you didn't even know I was here?

Hannah: Uh... I don't... It was a place. It was quiet, I thought. It didn't seem like it would be any different form any of that other places I'd been at that point.

Em: Port Charles and London... Yeah, I can see the similarity.

Hannah: (unable to look at her) I think it was time to come home. That's all.

Em: So... It really just is a coincidence.

Hannah: Do you believe in fate?

Em: I... I don't know. Maybe.

Hannah: Well... Maybe we should start. Some things are better left unquestioned.

Luke's Club, office.

Luke is sitting at the desk, flipping through the books. There's a knock on the open door and he looks up to see Jason.

Luke: Hey, partner. Here to check the books?

Jason: That's an idea. (Luke slides the ledger across the desk, as Jason sinks into the chair across from him) Things still look good.

Luke: Yeah, the business is doing great. No worries there. (Jason glances up at him.)

Jason: You got worries somewhere else?

Luke: Ah, nothing I can't handle.

Jason: (nodding) Lucky's not in tonight.

Luke: No. No, God knows what he's up to tonight..... (He gazes off into the distant a moment) Kids grow up, you know.

Jason: I've noticed.

Luke: Nothing in my life ever brought as much terror as Lucky. Not even his sister. (he leans back) Though I'm sure she'll give him a run for his money once she's out of her preschool years.

Jason: Terror?

Luke: You had this happen with Michael. You have your life, you have to look out for yourself, and, if you're lucky, other people, and you think you've got it all under control. No matter what life throws at you, you can handle it. THEN you have a kid.

Jason: Can't control them

Luke: No. And I wouldn't want to. But I'm his father. I gotta make sure he's Ok.

Jason: I understand. He will be.

Luke: (shaking his head) He's got a mind of his own. And I encouraged that..... I should have known I'd pay for it. (she looks up at Jason) We have a situation. (Jason sits up) I want to keep this quiet, but is there anyway... You can look into our illustrious singer out there? (Jason blinks, realizing this hasn't been about what he thought it was about).

Jason: Hannah.

Luke: Yeah.... That's not her real name.

Jason: She's Emily's aunt.

Luke: Ah, so you know.

Jason: Emily is my sister.

Luke: Right. Well, then you'll have an interest here, too. I'm not sure everything's on the level with her. Anyway you can check that out?

Jason: Uh... I have a guy who does stuff like that for me. I could let him know.

Luke: I'd appreciate it.

Wyndermere, Living room.

Stefan sits at the table, his laptop in front of him. Nikolas appears silently from behind the staircase, and pauses to watch his uncle, seated stiffly, his hand placed elegantly on the table top, tapping rapidly, as if impatient. This action catches Nikolas's eye. Impatient? Certainly a quality his uncle possesses... But he has not cared about anything in so long, that it is strange to see this action now. Nikolas knows he should find it reassuring, but is unnerved all the same. He enters the room, clearing his throat. Stefan turns to face him, and Nikolas sense very clearly that his uncle is suppressing a smile. Suddenly his suspicions are roused. He looks at him warily, and descends the stairs.

Nik: Uncle.

Stefan: Nikolas! My apologies, I was just checking my correspondence.

Nik: You wanted to see me?

Stefan: I did. (Nikolas folds his hands in front of him, and stands in front of his uncle, awaiting whatever news it is his uncle has for him) This may be difficult for you to hear.

Nik: I see.

Stefan: It concerns your Grandmother.

Nik: Helena?

Stefan: I'm afraid so. (he clears his throat) It is possible that she is, once again, attempting to work her way back into our lives.

Nik: That's not possible.

Stefan: No, I hoped it was not as well.

Nik: You said that she was powerless. That you'd ensured that she wouldn't be able to touch us. (Stefan nods)

Stefan: I hoped that was true.

Nik: HOPED? That wasn't what you presented to me.

Stefan: This is merely a warning, Nikolas. Keep your eyes open. Anything out of the ordinary, report back to me. (Nikolas looks at Stefan like he's out of his mind)

Nik: Report back to... You? I thought Alexis --

Stefan: Alexis has been handling our business interests, yes. But this is not a business interest.

Nik: Uncle, are you certain you're prepared --

Stefan: Do not concern yourself, Nikolas. I thought it was prudent to keep you informed. That is all.

Nik: I see.

Stefan: Helena will, until the day you lead us, continue to make pathetic attempts to gain your loyalty. We can't be too cautious.

Nik: There is a way to put an end to that.

Stefan: Nikolas. That is not an option.

Nik: Why not?

Stefan: You know perfectly well why not. The reputation of this family rests on your shoulders. You have been raised to it. You are the one who will lead us into this century, respect intact.

Nik: (bitterly) You mean that the Cassadines would be a laughing stock to allow themselves to be led by a bastard.

Stefan: (instantly angry) You will NEVER use that word to me again! You are a Cassadine. I will not have you regretting how you came by that title.

Nik: (repentant) I don't regret it.

Stefan: (straightening his cuffs) This is what is best for all concerned. For you, Alexis and the future of the family. (Nikolas nods) We are in agreement then.

Nik: Aren't we always?

Jason's Penthouse

Lucky is let in by Renaldo. This time Jason is seated at the desk. He looks up and nods at Lucky. Lucky shrugs off his coat and tosses it on the back of the couch, as he crosses to Jason.

Lucky: Another day that the office, huh?

Jason: I was looking for you earlier.

Lucky: Where?

Jason: At the club.

Lucky: Cell phone.

Jason: You have it off.

Lucky: You're kidding. (He shakes his head) I'll try to watch that.

Jason: Not a big deal. Today, at least. (he narrows his eyes) You Ok?

Lucky: Just got something on my mind. It'll pass.

Jason: You come to any decisions. (Lucky shakes his head) I need to know soon.

Lucky: Yeah... Give me twenty-four hours, Ok?

Jason: That I can do. In the meantime, there's something else you have to know.

Lucky: Uh huh.

Jason: Your Dad's asked me to look into Hannah. (Lucky stares at him)

Lucky: He what?

Jason: He wants to make sure she's on the level.

Lucky: Why the hell would he want to know that?

Jason: Well... For starters, she's not.

Lucky: I TOLD him I had it under control.

Jason: He's worried about you. (Lucky turns away from Jason, feeling a surge of incredible anger)

Lucky: He doesn't trust me.

Jason: I think he just wants to make sure --

Lucky: He wants to know if I'm keeping something from him. OR, worse, he thinks I didn't do my homework. Either way, he doesn't trust me to take care of myself. (He frowns) This is perfect. (Jason, aware now that this is working in his favor, says nothing) What are you going to do?

Jason: I told him I'd have my man look into it. Thing is, that's you.

Lucky: Oh, yeah. He'll appreciate that irony.

Jason: It's your call. What do you want him to know?

Lucky: Tell him she changed her name and moved to Europe. Then she came back here. Nothing else.

Jason: And why she's here?

Lucky: Time to start telling the obvious lie. She wanted to see how her niece was doing. That's the only reason that makes any sense.

Jason: If that's the way you want to go.

Lucky: Does that give you a big enough loophole out of the truth, Jason?

Jason: It's your call. This has nothing to do with me.

Lucky: No, it doesn't. (he says nothing a moment)

Jason: Any other reason you stopped by?

Lucky: Uh... Yeah. Yeah, I was just trying to sort my mind around... The bug, how's that going?

Jason: Emily's there.

Lucky: She is.

Jason: Yeah. I haven't heard anything else.

Lucky: Ok.... At some point, I'm going to want to go through the tapes.

Jason: No problem.

Lucky: I'm not up to it right now.

Jason: So, I'll see you in twenty-four hours, then.

Lucky: I guess.