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"Excuse me?" Rae asked. "You know him?"
"And what the hell were you doing eavesdropping?" Skye spat.
"Rex Mitchell is the dirtiest bastard who ever lived!" Luke shouted, incensed. "I- you-.....get the hell out of here!"
"You don't need to tell me twice." Before Rae could say a word, Skye stormed out of the club and slammed the door.
Rae turned to Luke. "How do you know Rex Mitchell? Do you know where he is now? How can I reach him?"
"Even if I did," Luke growled, "that would be none of your damn business."
Rae shook her head and rubbed her temples. "I have to go after my daughter. Excuse me."
She ran out to the parking lot. Rae's car was still there, but Skye was nowhere to be found! She must have gone off on her own! Rae scanned all directions, but saw no sign of her daughter. Just then, her thoughts were interruped by an intimidating clap of thunder and ensuing crash of lightning. Rae hurried into her car and pulled out of the lot, hoping to find her daughter somewhere.
Skye, meanwhile, had been running as fast as her Stiletto-ensconced feet would carry her, with no particular destination in mind. She had no place to go; her cottage was miles and miles away, certainly not in walking distance. She had left her purse in the club, so she had no money for a cab. The only place in close range was the Q mansion but she definitely didn't want to go there, not after what she had just learned. She couldn't face them, knowing what she now knew. All she had straight was that she had to be away from Rae.
Another clap of thuner boomed overhead, and suddenly the sky erupted in a fit of rain, pouring down mercilessly. After only a block more, Skye was totally and completely drenched. Her mascara was running and her shins were throbbing; continuing to run would not do her any good. She began to walk hopelessly down the sidewalk, fantasizing that a mysterious stranger would stop and whisk her away to some romantic island in his limo, help her escape from all her misery.
Two blocks later, a black sports car approached and slowed to a stop where Skye was standing. My God, now that's just scary, she thought. The window began to unroll, and Skye crossed her fingers in hopes of some debonair-looking prince.
"Oh, it's just you."
"Hey, if you don't need a ride..." Ned said in mock hurt.
Skye stared at Ned for a moment. Ned was no longer her cousin. She wasn't related to him, she wasn't related to any of them. She was now on the outside looking in on a wonderfully dysfunctional but strangely loving family. She had been hoping to avoid the Quartermaines for a while upon her painful revelation, but she and Ned had been forming some semblance of friendship, and he was looking at her with genuine concern. And her dress was dry clean only.
"All right. Thanks, Ned."
"No problem. I was just driving to L&B to pick up some documents before heading back home. What are you doing out here out in the rain? And where's Rae?"
Skye snapped her seatbelt in place and put her head in her left hand, using the other to wipe some of the dark streaks off her cheeks as she looked in the mirror. "It's uh....it's a really long, horribly convoluted story."
"I've got time. Try me."
****
Frustrated, Dillon pulled over in the parking lot adjacent to the park behind the community centre. He hadn't been able to find Georgie in all his hours of searching, and Ned was probably going to flip out at him for having his Porsche out for so long. Granted, he had another car, the Acura, but the Porsche was really Ned's prized possession. Dillon put the car in park and exited, hoping a short walk in the rain would help to clear his head.
He trudged through the muddy park, hands in his pockets. He couldn't believe his mother. He had finally gotten Georgie to look at him the way she looked at Lucas, and Tracy had gone and ruined it. She had made Georgie feel so awful that she probably wouldn't go near him ever again! In his time in Port Charles, Georgie was the only one who had made him feel welcome, made him feel as if he was worth something. And now that was probably gone forever.
He flopped down on the tire swing and sulked miserably. The rain was pouring down on him, drenching him, and he didn't even care. He looked around at the dreary scene, and suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw something move in the large patch of trees. He hopped off the swing and wandered over to check it out. He pushed aside two pines and peered inside.
"Georgie?"
Georgie looked up from her book. "Dillon? What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here? I've been looking for you all day!"
"Why, so you could go and throw some more insults in my face? Go ahead, I'm used to it anyway."
"Georgie, you have to know I don't agree with a word of what my mom was saying. Not one."
"Well, why shouldn't you? You heard her. I'm not good enough for a rich boy like you. And I'm not good enough for a popular boy like Lucas. I'm not good enough for anyone." She buried her face once more in her book.
Dillon entered through the parted trees and crawled into where Georgie was sitting. Once you went through the two shorter trees, you could sit under the much taller ones, and their bottom branches served as a roof; it was completely dry there. He pulled her book down. "Georgie, for someone as intelligent as you are, you are so completely wrong."
Georgie looked away. "I don't know."
"Hey, listen to me," he said, putting his hand on her chin and turning her head so she would face him.
"Listen, I don't care about how much money someone has, or what table they sit at in the cafeteria. Money and popularity mean nothing to me. When I like a person, it's for who they are. Someone who is intelligent, thinks for themself, has a sense of humour, makes you feel good when you're around them. You're all those things Georgie. That's why....that's why I like you."
Georgie looked up at him, a look of part confusion, part happiness washing over her.
"You really mean that?"
"Yeah, I do. You're amazing, Georgie."
"But....but you're so wordly, and experienced, and I'm so...not."
"So I've been on a few airplanes. Big deal."
"But....going to all those places, you must have dated and made out with lots and lots of girls. You're.....well, you're the first guy I ever really went out with."
Dillon's cheeks reddened. "Umm....can I...can I let you in on a little secret?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Promise not to laugh?"
"Of course."
"Well....I've never....I've never had a girlfriend before, either, never 'made out' with anyone..." his voiced trailed off and he let out an embarrassed chuckle, then composed himself. "You're the first girl I've ever kissed." Now it was his turn to look away. "And now I'm all embarrassed. Isn't that dumb?"
Georgie put her hand on his shoulder. "No, I don't think it's dumb....I...I think it's kinda cute, actually."
Dillon turned back to face her. "So, are we cool?"
Georgie nodded. "Yeah, we're cool."
"Good."
"Yeah."
"So...."
"So...."
Just then, Georgie felt a surge of bravery, and she leaned close and planted one on him.
A few moments later, they parted, both in a half giddy, half embarrassed glow.
"Wow," was all Dillon could manage to say. Georgie giggled.
"So, uh...so, this is like your hideout, type of thing?" Dillon asked.
"Yeah. I found it one time when Maxie left me here, as usual. It's so secluded. Nice and quiet. I come here to read a lot when I need to clear my head."
"It's really cool," Dillon replied, "But, um....I was just thinking, it's probably not the best thing to be out here during a huge thunderstorm."
"Oh yeah," Georgie said, shaking her head. "I don't know what I was thinking. Guess I got lost in my book and didn't even know it started raining. She peered through the trees out at the storm. "Wow. That's a really bad one."
"Come on," Dillon said, holding out his hand. Georgie took it. "I'll take you home."
*****
"And that's the whole story," Skye said between sobs. She was sprawled on Ned's couch, bawling her eyes out, wearing a pair of his sweats as her soaked dress lay on the back a chair, dripping on the floor. She couldn't believe she had just told him the whole sordid story, but he was just so easy to talk to.
"My God," Ned responded at last. "Skye, I'm so sorry." He went over to the couch and gave her a warm hug. "I can't imagine how you must be feeling."
"I don't even know what to feel," she replied. "Hate, sadness, anger, relief- what? I'm nothing now. Not a Chandler, not a Quartermaine. Just some unwanted spawn of Rae Cummings and Rex Mitchell, whomever that is."
"Well, you're still the same fiery, driven woman we all know and love, right? You still have that."
"Love, hah," she snorted sarcastically. "The Quartermaines never loved me. They hardly even liked me. And now that I'm not a part of this family, they'll think even less of me."
"Are you going to tell them?"
Skye sighed. "I don't know. I mean, I might as well. I don't need any more lies building up. But I just don't know if I can bring myself to actually say the words to them."
Ned sipped his coffee thoughtfully. "Would it...would it help if I told them for you?"
Skye sat up and looked at him. "Really? You would do that for me?"
"Sure. You've been through enough hell already. You don't need their scrutiny. I'll fill them in tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay."
Just then, a cry was heard on the baby monitor.
"Oh, that's Kristina," Ned said. "I better go check on her."
"Oh, please, Ned, can I? Please?"
Ned smiled. "Sure."
"Ohh, thanks Ned!" She hugged him and bounded off the couch.
Ned watched her incredulously as she hurried up the stairs. It was amazing at the transformation. She just radiated pure happiness at the mere mention of his little girl.
"Hello, there, Princess Brat," Skye whispered, peering down at the precious little thing in the crib. "Did you just wake up, and decide to demand some attention?"
Baby Kristina peered back up at her blankly.
Skye grinned. "Ooh, a diva after my own heart. I love it. Come here, honey." She scooped Kristina up in her arms and cradled her lovingly.
"Listen, little angel, I may not be your aunt anymore, but I'll always be a part of your life. No DNA can change that. I love you so very much, and I'll always be here for you. You know why? Because you're the only thing that makes sense to me right now in this topsy turvy life. You're everything I've always wanted, you know that?"
She sat down on the rocking chair and gently moved back and forth, still cradling Kristina as the little girl gazed adoringly into her eyes.
She began to sing a little lullabye as they happily rocked together, and Kristina quickly fell asleep. Unbeknownst to Skye, Ned was peering in the doorway, watching Skye become a whole other person with the little girl. She's amazing, Ned thought, and I've never even noticed it before. Look at her...so good with Kristina. And so beautiful. He smiled to himself. Now that things were different, and his eyes were opened, he was viewing Skye in a new light, and he definitely liked what he saw.
Skye stroked the little bit of hair that Kristina had, and dreamily closed her eyes. This girl filled her with such hope. Maybe things didn't have to be so gloomy after all. So she wasn't really a Q. So what? She still had all the skills and smarts to make a name for herself in the world. She'd get her groove back. She could start a business, perhaps to rival ELQ. She could sell the cottage and get a luxurious penthouse. And a new man...that would do just fine. The image of Stefan Cassadine kneeling beside her at the funeral came to her mind. Yes, Stefan Cassadine, he was just the man she wanted.
*****
I wake up in the morning
Put on my face
The one's that's going to get me
Through another day
Doesn't really matter how I feel inside
This life is like a game sometimes
Then you came around me
The walls just disappeared
Nothing to surround me
And keep me from my fears
I'm unprotected
See how I've opened up
Oh you made me trust
Cuz I never felt like this before
I'm naked around you
Does it show
You've seen right through me
And I can't hide
I'm naked around you
And it feels so right
I'm trying to remember
Why I was afraid
To be myself and let the
Covers fall away
Guess I never had someone like you
To help me fit in my skin
I never felt like this before
I'm naked around you
Does it show
You've seen right through me
And I can't hide
I'm naked around you
And it feels so right
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