Risk

Chapter LVII

It's All In The Details

T-16

Elton claps his hands. "Okay places, places everyone!" Elton stands up by the raised dias that is draped with greenery and spiced with red ginger. "Reverend, you're right here. And then the groom and the best man are on this side." Thaao and Jax take their spots. "And now since we're going with a best man for the bride too..." Elton tugs a freshly shorn Zander up to the front and off to the opposite side. "And Ms Davis well she likes to come up the aisle on her lonesome." and leave the same way.

"I'll be giving Alexis away." Nik says from the chairs.

"Right, right, right." Elton nods. He races to the back of the room tugging Nikolas along with him. "So it will go like this." Elton takes the place of the bride. He strings his hand thru Nikolas arm and then humming the wedding march starts strolling up the aisle. As they get to the end. Elton lets go of Nikolas and steps toward Jax. Then he twirls a fast 180 so he is facing down the aisle. "And I know it's a departure from tradition but I want you to stand right here." Elton comes over to Nikolas and places him in the middle of the Aisle. "And I want you to stand right here up until Ms Davis says her I do's and then you move over to this seat here." Elton indicates a seat in the first row on the bride's side. "Did you ever play football? Nevermind. We'll talk."
Elton looks to all the men up on the dias. "And then, Rev... you do your stuff. Kiss the bride. smooch smooch smooch but keep it tasteful please no tongues. And while the Mr and Mrs are kissing-- applause, applause, applause. The birds sing, the angels weep and a million hearts around the world break. You and you..." Elton refers to Zander and Thaao. "You come down the aisle side by side. Side by side, gentlemen." Elton indicates the movement with both hands like the ground crew at the airport urging a plane into the gate as he backs up down the aisle until both Thaao and Zander follow him. "And then both of you take a door and throw it wide." Elton makes an expansive motion with both arms. "And then the bride and groom come out here to the foyer and we can get going with the receiving line and the reception! There isn't that easy! Piece of cake!" Thaao and Zander shrug and throw wide the doors and as they do so the clatter of pots and pans hitting the floor in the kitchen can be heard throughout the house.

A white clad man pokes his head out into the foyer. "No problem! Everything is fine. It's all under control."

"OH GAWD!" Elton reaches into his pocket and takes out a tiny pill popping it dry into his mouth and swallowing hard. He sees both Zander and Thaao eyeing him. "Tictac." He lies smoothly. "Lets run thru it again. From the top."

"Mr Herbert..." The Rev entones solemnly. "Where is the bride?"

"Family emergency." Nik answers.

"Out of town business." Jax answers at the same time.

Elton combines the two answers in the long weighted silence that follows. "Out of town family business emergency. I have been assured..." Elton glares at both Nik and Jax. "... that she will be here and not miss her big day."

"Again." The Reverend adds. "This is highly unusual."

"It's Port Charles, Rev. You just have to roll with it." Elton says in a rush. "Now. One more time and everyone think happy thoughts... it's a wedding-- not a funeral."

T-15

"I found it!" Reggie carries a box into Lila's rooms.

"I knew you would." Lila says confident of Reginald's skills in all tasks. "Open it up and let me see." Reggie sets the box on the bed and takes a pocket knife out slices the ancient twine that holds box together. With care he lifts out a dress from the box holding it up so that the full effect can be seen. "It's just like I remembered. And I think it will fit Emily. My mother was slim and tall like my darling girl."

"And wild too, if I remember all the stories you told me right." Reggie grins.

"It was a wild time." Lila remembers too all the stories her mother would tell her about the roaring twenties and the days of bathtub gin and speakeasys. "Much wilder than the forties when we had the threat of Hitler hanging over our heads. Mother thought that the party would never end, we thought it would end any day."

"But you managed."

"I managed." Lila nods in agreement. "What needs to be done to the dress so Emily can wear it to the wedding?"

"Just needs a good cleaning." Reggie nods. "Mothballs. But all the beading is intact and seems to be holding." He shakes the dress gentley and is relieved when while there is the sound of the swish of the beads on the dress but not of any hitting the floor.

"Grandmother, I'm going to go check in with my friends..." Emily comes into Lila's rooms. "Ohmygosh! What is that?!"

"It's a dress that belonged to my mother. Reggie thinks he can have it ready for the wedding tomorrow if you'd like to wear it, Emily."

Emily comes over and runs her hand over what had been the cutting fashion of the time. "I'd be afraid I'd ruin it. It's so beautiful. And I don't know with this thing..." Emily knocks on her brace.

"That's what made me think of it." Lila tells her. "The style back then were very much up and down. A straight silloutte. It should work perfectly with your brace. Go... go try it on. That way Reggie will know if any changes need to made to it. I think you're taller than my mother was but that could be just time marching on. Go, go try it on."

"Are you sure?"

"We have to know. Otherwise you'll be meeting your friends at Wyndams trying to find a dress for the wedding tomorrow." Lila threatens.

Emily puts the dress over her arm and goes into the bathroom that has been modified for Lila's use. It's doorway wider with a roll in shower and the lower counters. Quickly she strips out of her outter garments and eases the dress on, zipping up the ancient concealed zipper under the arm, and smoothing it down over her hips. Grandmother had been right. The style works perfectly with the brace. Emily turns one way and then the next to check out the back in the mirror. Coming back into Lila's sitting room, She walks gracefully across the room and then does a quick turn and stops with a hand on one hip. "Well?!"

Lila applauds and Reggie nods. "Perfect."

"Let me get the dress cleaned." Reggie suggests. "I know someone in town that owes me a favor and specializes in this kind of thing." Emily nods and goes back into the bathroom to change. "How much did you tell her?"

Lila sighs. "So much has happened while she has been gone but she's heard some of it... maybe most of it from keeping in contact. The situation with Zander and AJ..."

Reggie winces. "Poorly done on both of their parts."

"And our darling girl the one hurt by it." Lila agrees. "If only..."

"Don't go there, Mrs Q." Reggie says softly. "Junior and Carly had chances for as long as Michael has been alive to grow up and try to deal with each other. They didn't do it."

"It's so much history repeating itself but only to a point. Carly is not Monica. And AJ is not Alan. And now with Carly... hooking up with Stavros Cassadine. She did it out of fear, Reginald. Fear of us. And her worst fears have only been realized. So much damage."

"They wouldn't listen."

"I should have made them." Lila regrets-- accepting her share of the blame. "I should have said something sooner, louder, until they heard me. But it was so unpleasant."

"You know they try to protect you."

"Don't whitewash it, Reggie. There has been enough of that. They were protecting themselves. The only time they consult me is when they want me to side with them. As if I am the moral authority." Lila snorts.

"The closest thing this bunch has to one." Reggie replies wryly.

"Edward is so wrong. Michael isn't the hope for the future of this family. Our hope is right in that room." Lila indicates the bathroom. "She can do what I never quite accomplished. She can make the family be the best they can be. We need Emily here... in Port Charles."

"If she's smart she'll run like hell."

"I know." Lila sighs. Then puts on a well practiced calm smile as Emily comes back out of the bathroom dressed back in her jeans and oversized sweater. She hands the dress over to Reginald. "Where are you off to, my dear?"

"I thought I'd go over to Kelly's and see if I can run into Liz or Lucky. I wonder if Liz is working?"

"Well be back in time for dinner. I want to surprise everyone. A lovely surprise."

"I love you, Grandmother."

"Emily... I love you too." Lila tilts her head to accept Emily's kiss on the cheek. "Let Reggie drop you off at Kelly's on his way to having the dress cleaned. You have your cell phone? Do you need any money?"

Emily laughs. The sound brightens the room. "I'm fine. I'll call you before I come back so you can be in position to see everyone's face when they realize--- I'm back!"

"Let's roll, kid. Last bus to Kelly's is leaving in five."

"I'll go get my jacket." Emily leaves.

"She has to stay." Lila says flatly. "The family depends on it."

"Lotta pressure, Mrs Q."

"Then we will support her. Reggie..."

Reginald nods. "I'll keep an eye on things."

T-14

The dinner plates have been removed and the dessert plates passed out to the members of the rehearsal dinner at the Port Charles grille. In addition to the principals the parents of the groom have joined the party as well as Bobbie and Stefan representing the bride's family. The conversation has been general-- touchy subjects avoided at all cost as everyone put a bright face on. The touchiest of all subjects obvious to all and glossed over-- the absence of the bride.

Bobbie excuses herself to go to the ladies room. Lady Jane also rises to accompany her. Bobbie hides her wince. She adores Lady Jane, had hoped at one time to be a part of the Jacks family but she knows what is coming. As soon as they enter the lady's room, Bobbie doesn't bother with the facilities or checking her make up but just takes a seat on the couch. "Go ahead and ask."

"What the hell is going on?!"

Bobbie laughs and shakes her head. "I knew you were going to say that."

"Jasper has been so tight lipped about the whole thing. Don't get me wrong. Alexis is charming and I love her dearly. She and Jax are my fondest wish. He is always so centered, so grounded, with her. No drama no running off to the ends of the earth to rescue some damsel or another. Yes, yes I know that whole thing with her father's will and the adventure in Libya. But still, all in all..."

"Adventure in Libya. They crash landed a helicopter in the desert!"

"That wasn't Jax's fault. Helena Cassadine tampered with the helicoptor." Lady Jane defends her golden boy automatically.

Bobbie nods. "Yeah, the real fly in the chardonay." Bobbie sighs and pats the seat next to her. "I figure the guys know what's going on in here so we'll have longer than a few minutes before they send a rescue party to figure out if we've fallen in." Bobbie falls silent to get her thoughts together before beginning. "How much do you know about the Cassadines? Really? Their family history, dyanamic?"

Meanwhile out in the dining room, Zander glances down at his watch. This had been an adventure in living on the other side but he is so over it. A beer, a game of pool, something real was long overdue. Nikolas catches the glance. "We're almost done here. The last major hurdle before the wedding. If Elton weren't such a traditionalist we could have given this a pass too."

"Sorry, that obvious? I could really use a beer but I don't believe in paying five bucks for a draft even if someone else is picking up the tab."

Thaao comes up and slaps Zander on the back. "Well my co-best man, I have just the thing for you! And I'm afraid that young Cassadine here is in error. There is one more major hurdle before the dreaded nuptials. The Bachelor party! As soon as the ladies are escorted home, we shall gather at a local blues club for Jax's last journey on the wild side as a single man before being shackled for an eternity."

Zander winces. "Layoff the shackle references 'kay?"

Thaao doesn't get the reference since he doesn't know Zander's history but goes with the alternate meaning. "No offense intended to the absent bride merely a commentary on the dreaded state of matrimony." Thaao shudders dramatically. "Why when life offers a banquet would anyone settle for a single course?"

John comes up behind Thaao and hears the last. "Because Life's banquet is enhanced by sharing it with someone you love. And if all you're getting is a same course with the woman you love then you're doing it wrong." Zander's eyes go wide and he smothers a choking laugh. Thaao looks at his best friend's father in some surprise. "I'm old, Thaao... not dead and never naive. Jax is embarking on the grandest adventure known to man. And you're next."

Thaao shakes his head emphatically. "You prove yet again that Jax is a better man than I. I prefer my adventures on the intense and short side."

"Guess you're going to have to find him someone short and intense, Mr Jacks." Zander offers happy for once that someone else is bearing the brunt of attention.

"Excellent suggestion. I'll inform his parents they have been looking in the wrong direction." John laughs and makes his way over to Stefan and Jax who have their heads together. He was going to get answers damn it.

"Oh wait a minute." Thaao is breaking out in a cold sweat. "Excuse me. I have to make sure he is just joking." He hurries after John.

"Blues club." Zander frowns. "He doesn't mean..."

"Luke's. And considering recent run ins. I'm really hoping Luke is taking the night off or the Bachelor party is going to be very interesting. Lucky is meeting us there."

"Great."

T-11

Luke's-- the joint is jumping, the party always pumping. The members of the of the small Bachelor party arrive. Nik, Zander, Jax and Thaao arrive together. Stefan and John having begged off. Lucky is already there setting things up in the back room: the pool table, the card table. Thaao does a head count. "Ashton. Where is Ned? He should be here!"

"Um.. he's out of town." Zander replies shifting uncomfortabley

"Business." Nik says at the same time. They look at each other consideringly. Nik shakes his head. "We're going to talk." More guys come into the party-- associates who'd flown in for the wedding. Zander and Nik get separated. Lucky comes up behind Nik.

"Guess who I found in my room today?"

Nik turns around and sees the surprise. "EM!"

"Hey Nikolas." Emily gives him a hug. Not surprised when the hug she gets back is barely there. Ever since she broke her back every hug with the exception of those from her physical therapists all treat her like spun glass.

"Zander's here." Nik blurts out.

"Lucky warned me." Emily says wryly. "It was the first thing out of his mouth after Hey Babe! and the hug. You two should go out on the road. Let me say hi/bye to Jax and then you guys can get all debauched."

"Emily?! Emily, is it really you?"

"Hey Zander."

"Gawd Emily-- There's so much I wanna, I need to..."

Em holds up a hand in a stop motion. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm moving back to PC. But I am going to get going now. This is a bachelor party after all."

"I'll go with you." Zander says eagerly.

Em shakes her head. "Nah. I'm tired. I'm just going to head home. I'll see you tomorrow at the wedding. I hear you're standing up for Alexis. We'll have plenty of time to talk."

"Em... please..."

"Tomorrow, Zander. Or better the day after. Nobody will interrupt us." Emily smiles sadly and then turns around and walks out.

Zander goes to follow her but Nik and Lucky block his path. "Let me go."

"Let her go." Nik tells him softly.

"You don't understand."

"I understand, believe me I understand. I also know that if you press her now you are not going to get what you want. Go slow, Zander." Nik counsels.

"But it's been so long." Zander complains. "And there have been too many misunderstandings already."

"All the more reason to wait." Lucky sides with Nik. "Em's right; you need uninterrupted. And it ain't going to happen today or tomorrow. At least not until after the wedding." Nik starts swearing. And runs a hand thru his hair. Zander looks at Alexis' nephew with a bewildered gaze. Nik has gone from defensive to worried in nothing flat. Lucky groans. "Oh man. Oh man."

"She can't be here." Nik declares flatly.

"What do you mean she can't be here! She just got back. I'm not going to lose her now!" Zander protests.

Nik and Lucky look at each other. Lucky finally nods and says. "Tell him."

"How much do you know about the Quartermaines, specifically AJ, filing for custody of Michael?"

"Sonny didn't seem to worried about it." Zander shrugs. "He didn't do anything, neither did Alexis. Carly and Michael were already in the clear."

"Yeah, in the clear... if they don't come back to The States." Which is probably what Alexis intended all along. Lucky realizes. Shame about the whole Carly hooking up with Stavros had come back to bite her in the butt.

"Oh shit." Zander pales. "They're back. They got back yesterday. This means that the Q's are going to get into it with Carly. Damn it! where is Sonny?!"

"How did you know they were back yesterday?" Lucky looks from Zander to Nikolas. "And it doesn't matter if Sonny isn't around. Carly's brought in a designated heavy hitter."

"Your Dad." Zander realizes pointing at Nik.

"How do you know that my father and Carly are back?" Nik hisses.

Zander shrugs. "I picked them up at the border. Jason sent me to pick up a package. They were the package."

"We've got to get Em out of the mansion." Lucky says flatly. "She needs some distance when your dad goes nuclear on their asses... not at ground zero."

"If she stays any place other than the mansion it would probably be at Liz's." Zander suggests.

Lucky winces. Nik shakes his head. "That doesn't work for me... for us."

"I'm not going to lose Em again. She has to stay in Port Charles. I have to have a chance." Zander pleads. "Kelly's then. Come on there has to be a way to protect her from your dad but keep her here"

"Gia?" Lucky suggests.

"Yeah." Zander grabs onto that with both hands. "Gia lives in Jason's building. Em'd be protected. That'll work!"

"Are both of you forgetting that Em and Gia do not get along?" Nik asks with some exasperation. He looks at both guys looking at him. "Fine. I'll call Gia. I'll ask. But half the time she doesn't take my calls. And I'm in no position to call in any favors." Nik walks off to try to find quiet place to make a phone call. Not wanting to leave the back room though since that would put him on Luke's turf.

"Nik is right. Gia is just as likely to tell him to go spit." Zander tells Lucky. "She was real emphatic about me not telling when Gia moved into the Harborview."

"How much pull you got with Jason?"

"None." Zander says flatly.

Lucky winces. "Kay. I'll call him. See if he can talk to Gia too. Or maybe talk to Em. Zander, hold down the fort here, man. Do not go after Em. Not until we have an idea of what the hell is going on."

Zander grimaces. He was really going to have to work on his poker face.

Meanwhile, Jax and Thaao have taken up two spots at the card table ready to play some poker. One of their poker buddies from abroad pulls up a seat and rolls up his sleeves. "Excuse me? Is this seat taken." The dry voice has a hint of joke's on you in it.

Jax snaps his head up. "Will you look what the cat drug in!" He leaps to his feet and grabs Jerry in the full manly hug followed by him holding Jerry at arms length and coming across with a full on right to the jaw. "That's for the wedding present! Do you know how much I had to bribe customs?! What the hell are you doing here! Isn't there like..." Jax stops talking.

Jerry rubs his jaw. "Missed you too, bro." Then he shrugs. "I was minding m'own business sipping a warm beer in Macao and checking out the local lovelys when a sweaty bloke in a black suit dropped a note in my lap."

"Do you still have it?"

Jerry pats pockets. "Somewhere. Ah. Here."

"Are we going to play or talk?" The third at the table asks.

Jax moves away from the table. His seat is quickly filled. He reads the note. "Your troubles in the United States have been erased. Please extend my warm wishes to your brother on his nuptials. Stavros Cassadine." He hands the note back to Jerry. "And you believe it?"

"Did some checking of m'own." Jerry nods and makes a little poof motion with both hands. "Nada. It's all gone. But on the down side there were only suppose to be three people in the world who knew where I was. And Stavy wasn't one of them."

T-10

Gia exhales. Then inhales and exhales again. Calls from Nik are so... weighted. Every word every pause had a meaning. And how bizarre that he'd be calling to ask her to have Emily Bowen Quartermaine room with her. Emily Bowen Quartermaine. Had hell frozen over and they were just getting word now? Inhale. Exhale. Gia reaches for the bottle of nail polish she'd left sitting on the coffee table. Making sure the lid is tight she shakes it automatically and then putting her right foot up on the table goes back to doing what she'd been doing before Nikolas called. Before she can put on the first stroke of the second coat there is a knock on the door. Gia glances over to the clock on the mantel. That had better not be Nik. Gia goes over to the door and whips it open. "Jason."

"Can I come in." Jason says grimly.

"Sure. I might even have a beer around here..." Jason nods at Gia's invitation. Gia goes into the kitchen and pulls out a beer that Taggart had left there on his last visit knowing that Gia didn't normally keep a supply. For a guy who believed in treating his body like a temple it didn't stop Taggart from letting his hair down, so to speak, on occasion around family. Gia twists the top and brings it back to Jason. "You want a glass?"

"Nah this is fine." Jason takes a quick drink. "This is a two bedroom suite isn't it."

Gia starts snickering and shaking her head. Grabbing the polish defiantly she puts her bare foot back up on the coffee table daring Jason to say anything. "I don't believe this. I thought you and Nik weren't on speaking terms. It's one of the things I appreciate about living here."

Jason leans back in the comfortable chair. Gia's actions had probably been intended to make him feel awkward but it actually had a reverse effect. He'd seen Carly do the exact same thing a million times when they'd been living together. It was kinda fascinating all that focus and attention and the stupid little brush. "Actually Lucky called me."

"Oh boy." Gia looks up and frowns. "How serious is this. Nik, you, now Lucky. Is Zander going to be on my door next?"

"Nah. He'll probably be crawling in Emily's window at the mansion." Jason says wryly.

Gia nods. "Sounds about his speed. What the hell is going on?"

"Carly and Stavros are in town." Gia's brows go up at Jason's flat statement. "Emily came back to town too. She didn't let me know ahead of time. She doesn't have to. It's her own choice, her life. But if she had called..."

"You would have told her that things were going to WWIII between Carly and the Quartermaines." Gia sighs. "Look. I get it. Everyone is running to Em's rescue again to save her from the big bad Carly. And I'm suppose to ignore that she hates my guts and ask her to come live with me. Why don't you have her come live with you? That makes more sense. Or Kelly's how about Kelly's she's lived there before. I hear they have a vacancy."

"Carly knows my sister is off limits. Sonny knew my sister was off limits."

"Ah." Gia falls silent. "You'd be better off asking me to talk to Stavros for ya. Em is not going to go for it."

"Then do both."

Gia winces. "And how much are you going to hate me when I kick her ass to the curb the first time she gets in my shit?"

"Then set the ground rules from the start." Jason shrugs. Gia has finished one foot and the other during the course of the conversation and has recapped the polish. "Aren't you suppose to blow on those now?"

Gia looks over at him and frowns. "Are you getting off on this?"