Port Charles Chronicles: Chapter 9

              Calmar walked into the office and sat down opposite his superior.  “I’m afraid Tomas might become a loose cannon.  His obsession with Blair Cramer has caused him to lose focus.”

              “Get him back in focus.  The situation in Port Charles is still unresolved.  I want Anthony Zacchara dead.  What is the status of our unexpected guest?”

              “The protocols are all in place and she’s responding to treatment.  She no longer has any memory of you.” Calmar answered.

             “Were you able to find out how she knew about this place?”

             “Yes sir, it seems your brother told her about it a couple of years ago.  My apologies, we were unaware anyone else knew of the secret entrance.  That was how she got in.  I’m curious as to why you allowed her to live.”

             “Watch it, Monsieur Calmar, curiosity killed the cat.  You’re already on thin ice because she was able to get to me.  My reasons for keeping her alive are none of your business at this time.   Let’s get back to Tomas.  Zacchara is still walking around.  He took over territory I want back.  His grandson will give it up freely if the old man is gone. I expect to hear by week’s end that Zacchara is dead.  Do we understand one another?  If your man can’t keep his mind on business.  Remind him that I have certain information concerning the death of Victor Lord Jr. he wouldn’t want the authorities to know about.  You may go now.”

              As Calmar neared the door he was stopped.

             “Wait, did you receive any news on Lord’s widow?”

             “Yes sir, according to Tomas, she lost the baby.”  The only hint Calmar had that the man in front of him felt any emotions was the slight twitch of his lips.

             “I see.  Alright, you can go.” He watched Calmar leave the room and then walked over to look in the mirror. He tugged his black silk jacket into place and studied his reflection.   His hair was greased back the way he liked it.  It felt good to be back in the proper attire.  “Rest in peace Victor.  Too bad about the child, though.” Saluting his reflection, Walker Flynn returned to his desk.  Sitting on top were three files:  one for Irene Clayton and Victor Lord Jr., one for Todd Manning, and lastly, one for Tomas/ Lorenzo Alcazar.

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            He was sitting in the cell.  His back to her because he couldn’t stand looking at her. He had thought things couldn’t get worse when Jack had accused him of murdering Victor.  Then he found out his cell was opposite Irene’s.  To top it off, she was still asking him about “It”  

        “I didn’t succeed in my mission, but you did.” She taunted.

        “What are you talking about? What’s my mission?”  Todd was so full of anger.  The woman was unbelievable.  There wasn’t a shred of remorse from her for the things her goons had done to him.  She was nothing like the mother he had envisioned all those years ago.

       “To kill your brother.”

       “I didn’t kill my brother and I could prove it if someone hadn’t gone awol.”

       “Yes, too bad about Louie.”

        “I never said his name.  How do you know about Louie?  That’s it, isn’t it, you did something to him.  You know where the gun is?” He watched as she smiled wickedly at him, then suddenly Irene was lying at his feet, the agony for his lost family tearing at his heart.  He dropped the gun to his side and looked at her lying on the dock.

           Irene looked up, total surprise on her face that her son had shot her.“Have your fun while you can.  They’re going to lock you up for killing Victor and now me.”

          “I didn’t kill Victor and this, this is a public service.”

          “Don’t think you’re rid of me.  I am in your soul and in your hea..d “she coughed and died.

           Todd’s eyes flashed opened and for a moment the vision of his mother’s death flickered before his eyes, then it cleared and he looked around the room.  He took a deep breath.  He had been certain he was going to find her standing in front of him again.  He sat up slowly, noticing that both he and Blair were still fully clothed.   He had fallen asleep under Blair’s tender touch.  It was strange but nice to wake up with her next to him.   In the last few months, most of his nights had been long and restless.  Irene’s visits had added to his stress, with the doctors insisting it was all part of the PTSD.  Todd wasn’t as convinced as his doctors.

          Todd slipped off the bed and strolled over to the window to look at the harbor.  He had left Llanview because he couldn’t take the disappointed looks Vicki kept giving him.  Blair’s relationship with Tomas also had been hard to watch.  He glanced back over to the bed.  He kept wanting to pinch himself.  Blair was back, but he worried about his sanity.  He hugged himself as he watched a boat on the water.  Parts of his dream lingered in his mind.  His mother’s last words had come true in ways he had never imagined. Was it fair to pull Blair back into his life with Irene in the mix? Two soft arms wrapped around him and he looked back into two beautiful but concerned green eyes.

          “Are you alright?”  Blair had awakened and had lain there on the bed for a few minutes watching Todd.  Judging by his body language, he was upset about something.

          “I’m...Blair, all I’ve wanted, from the moment I escaped from my mother, was to get back to you and the kids.  I never expected to come home and find someone in my place.  Eight years of my life were gone.  For me, my days were wrapped in torture and oblivion. Do you have any idea how it felt to awaken and be told eight years had passed?  I was clinging to the only lifeline I had.  My memories of you, Starr, Jack, and Vicki.” he paused, seeing the tears forming in her eyes. “Don’t.  Don’t cry for me.  I’m still the same screw-up I’ve always been.  Look what I did.  I had finally proven to all of you that I was me, and I turned around and threw it all away by killing my brother.”

          “But Todd, you weren’t in your right mind.” Blair was afraid suddenly.  Todd’s mood was strange.

          “You believe that now, but you didn’t when it happened.  See, everyone in Llanview took one look at me and figured I was the same me that had left.  In some ways they were right.  You all thought I would fall back into my old habits and I did.   I was so desperate to connect with you and Jack, I did everything wrong.  Starr was a different story.  Once she knew I was really me, she welcomed me back with open arms.  I repaid her, by getting her into trouble right alongside me.”

         “She loved you.”

         “I know, and because she loved me she lost her daughter and Cole.  She wouldn’t have been on that road if it hadn’t been because of me.  I’m as much to blame for Hope’s death as Connie might be.” He walked away from Blair, the pity in her eyes more than he could bear.  “Maybe you should leave and go back to Llanview before I do something stupid again.  I’m sure I will, it’s only a matter of time.”  He dropped down into a chair his legs stretched out in front of him.  As he had so many times in the past, he began to fidget with his fingers then stared bleakly at Blair.

           Blair moved to him. “Stop that.  Where is all this coming from?  Why are you giving up on us now that we just got back together?” She sank to the floor in front of him and put her hands on his, stilling the movement as her fingers intertwined with his.

          “I’m no good for you.  You said it on New Year's Eve.  Every time we get to a happy place I ruin it.  Face it.  I’m broken inside.  Look what happened right after Hope died.  I went after Sonny and then Starr followed suit.  Now she could go to jail.  She wouldn’t have done that if I hadn’t given her the idea.”  He could see the hurt in her eyes but if he was going to save her from himself, he needed to push her away while he still had the strength.  Something was wrong with him, he was certain of it.  He hadn’t meant to kill Victor, but somehow he had done it anyway.  What if he did something unthinkingly to hurt Blair?

         “It won’t work.”

          He looked at her sharply. “What won’t work?”

          “You’re not going to push me away again.  You did it to me when you came back from Ireland.  You thought you had a reason then and you were wrong.  That time circumstances happened to keep us apart.  This time, your excuse won’t work.  I broke things off with Tomas and I‘m not pregnant with any children.  I told you yesterday I came here for you and I meant it.” She looked at his face trying to see if she was making headway.  The moment he had said she should go back to Llanview was the moment she knew he was afraid of something.  “You can’t hurt me, you love me.  You say you’re broken.  If you are, then we’re going to find a way to fix the problem. I’m not giving up on you anymore.  I’m here.  You need me, and more importantly, I need you.”

           He stared into her eyes. She wasn’t going to budge.  He had heard the resolve in her voice.  “Blair...”

          “No.  Don’t say anything else, the matter's closed.  I need a shower.  I didn’t mean to fall asleep in my clothes.  Why don’t you call and order us some breakfast?  I’ll make it quick, then you can have your turn.”  She leaned forward, gave him a quick kiss, and rose to her feet, shedding her blouse before she even entered the bathroom.

           Todd stared at her for a minute then got up and went to the phone.  He ordered coffee and danish for himself and coffee, juice, fruit, and chocolate chip pancakes for her.  He knew Blair’s mind was made up, there was nothing more to be said.   He walked back over to the window, but this time, his mind was on what Blair had said. “I’m not giving up on you anymore. You need me, and more importantly, I need you.”  Had she really said that? She needed him?  It seemed like forever since she needed him for real.  Oh sure, he had been there for her when Tomas had disappeared, courtesy of him.  He had made sure she would need him then, he had orchestrated it.  But nothing was going on now and yet she still said she needed him.  It felt good.

          He had the table all set and the food out when Blair exited the bathroom.  She looked flushed and happy as she made her way to the table.

          “Wow, I feel like a new woman, what did you get me?  I’m starved.” She sat down and her smile got bigger when he lifted the top off the pancakes.  “Your memory still works, I see.”

         “My memories of you have never been clearer.  Enjoy, I’ll be out shortly.” He took a moment to kiss the nape of her neck, then headed for the shower.  She was determined to stay so he would have to make sure nothing happened to her. He needed to get in touch with that psychiatrist before Nora Buchanan talked Bo into sending his officers to get him.  Hallie was right, he didn’t want a stay at St. Anns.

           Blair was reading the Port Charles Press when he rejoined her at the breakfast table.

           “Anything worth reading in that?”

           “Looks like the Commissioner of Police might be in trouble with the mayor.  Seems she wants to give him his walking papers.  She wasn’t too happy that Sonny Corinthos was acquitted.”

            “No kidding.  You don’t have to tell me how inept this police department is.  They let Corinthos skate and Starr’s in prison.”

            “Hallie Mitchell called while you were in the shower.  I didn’t realize you got her to represent Starr.  I have to admit, I was surprised that she was your lawyer for the trial.  I remember her from before.  She did a good job for you, Todd.  I trust her with Starr.”

             “I do too.  She’s no-nonsense and she knows the score.  What did she say?”

             “We might have a fight on our hands.  Thanks to the mayor, the DA is being hard-nosed about Starr.  I wish there was some way to get young Michael to change his mind about her.   I thought he kind of liked her and understood what she was going through.”

             Todd appeared to be thinking as he drank some more coffee.  “I think I have an idea that might help us.”

             Blair looked at him.  He had that tone in his voice. “Todd, don’t do anything stupid.”

             “Who me?  I wouldn’t think of it.  I just thought I might go have a chat with the kid’s father.  Maybe we could come to an understanding.”  Seeing Blair’s concern, he quickly calmed her fears.  “I’m not going to do anything illegal.  I  promise.”

              Although she had some qualms, she knew it was essential at that moment to trust Todd.  If he thought for one moment she had stopped trusting him, he’d be gone.  He had been ready to let her go that morning because he was afraid of something and she was determined to get to the bottom of that fear.  There was no way she was letting go this time.


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