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When Cassadines Fall
Home Sweet Home
Nikolas studies the barely visible lights below him. At cruising altitude and with a part cloud cover the lights of the cities below the plane are a blur of pinpricks in the night sky.
"Penny for them." Jerry breaks into his thoughts.
"Not worth it." Nikolas mutters. "But I do appreciate your handling of the trip back to Port Charles."
"You mean not riding the currents like a wildwest cowboy on a green horse; the way I did on the way down?"
"Yes, like that-- I think."
Jerry examines his instruments. "Well there is no hurry now is there? I'd like to get back to my wife but she'd like me with all parts intact I'm sure."
"Where did you go this afternoon after dropping Ms Jensen at the airport?"
"Had a little shopping to do. Stuff to pick up for Bobbie and the kids. Lucas might as well start a collection of starter jackets. Carly picked him up a Knicks jacket after her trip to New York, then the 49ers jacket in San Francisco...."
"And what professional sports team does New Orleans have?" Nik asks absently.
Jerry looks at him and grins. "And I thought I was out of it. The Saints. The New Orleans Saints. Picked up a nice box of pralines over in the quarter for Bobbie among other things."
"Why did you go all the way over there? Maddy picked up some for Mr Quartermaine at the corner store."
"Well dang." Jerry frowns. "I missed a new source." He changes the subject. "What are you doing up here with two lovies in the back?"
"Emily and Maddy are both asleep. And sleep is something that Maddy didn't do while she was in New Orleans. And Benny, Edward and Stefan are all acting like strangers on an elevator each in their own briefcases."
Jerry gives a lopsided grin. "Things are getting back to normal already. Wouldn't surprise me if the old man picked a fight with your uncle before the trip is over."
"You should flinch when you say normal. How many people did Carly deck while you were gone?"
Jerry makes a wave with his hand shrugging off his concerns. "I'm not even going to worry about it. She was decking people before I married her mum... she'll be decking people after I'm dust I'm sure. Some things just are."
"Running into Pete again has sure made you philosophical."
"Trips like this always reminds me that somebody has it worse. Our ETA is two hours if there is anyone you need to check in with."
"Right. I should give Lucky a call."
Nik unbuckles from the copilot seat and goes to the back of the plane passing the older men and young women, pausing briefly there before continuing to the very back. Pulling out the phone he settles comfortably into the plush seats of the Cassadine Jet. "Lucky."
"Hey bro. Where are you?"
"Plane on the way back. Is everything set to rights?"
"If you mean did Elizabeth and I unpack Maddy's stuff and put it back in the basement? Yeah, and thanks to Elizabeth I pretty much could set it up the way Maddy had it before, but I don't think Maddy's going to appreciate this."
"She said she was staying until her birthday. It's not her birthday yet." Nik says calmly. He'd been working on this one. Maddy said before she was staying until her birthday... actually that there were plans she couldn't put in place until after her birthday. Well he'd hold her to it... and then Thanksgiving was just three days after that... and Christmas a month after that. How could Maddy move during her busiest season?.... talk about a hassle! Yes, he had all the reasons in place why Maddy should stay exactly where she was.
"Yeah, well it wasn't her birthday either when she ducked out of her Aunt Dara's place like...." Lucky snaps his fingers. "The girl could be part Spencer the way she moves."
"Bite your tongue. You and Lesleylu are enough Spencer for me. How is the little one?"
"Practicing ice fishing in a bucket and praying for cold weather to freeze the lake over so she can do the real thing with dad. Mom brought her back from North Carolina with Grandma Leslie. She says she is staying put for the holidays." Lucky grunts his disbelief on that one.
Nikolas adds his own snort. "Right. How about just in case we plan on Thanksgiving at my place. Liz can invite Audrey if she isn't working. Emily is going to be out of town. If Laura is home then..."
"And if she's not we've still got it covered. I like. And I think Elizabeth will go along. Audrey has been making noises like Elizabeth can't run her own life and she wants her to move back to her place. We host the holiday thing let her know...."
"That we're going as we mean to go." Nikolas nods. He hears a noise and looks up at Maddy standing next to him. "I have to go I'll be back in PC in approximately two hours." He says his goodbyes to Lucky and then hangs up. "I thought you were sleeping?" Nik looks at her in concern. As much as Maddy accomplished in New Orleans sleep had been the thing pressed to the side.
"My ears were burning. What's up, Niknik?"
"I have a new job for you."
Maddy takes the chair across from Nik. "Oh?"
"Yes. I want to host the holiday festivities this year-- Starting with Thanksgiving. Lucky indicates Elizabeth's grandmother is making her periodic rumbling about Liz moving back to her place."
"I don't cook." Maddy shakes her head.
"I'm sure you could set a table."
"Yeah, and so could you... probably with all the forks and spoons in the right places you've sat yourself at enough of them." Maddy says sarcastically.
"Come on, Maddy. This could work your way. IF you don't make plans now then you'll probably get invited to your Aunt's or maybe even the Q's for Thanksgiving. This way you have control."
"I like pizza." Maddy says absently. This could work. Niknik knew what button to push when he'd pressed the one marked control. "I'll think about it and let you know."
The Quartermaine Gatehouse
The cell phone on the coffee table rings insistently. Alexis doesn't even look up from her brief as she reaches for the phone planted right next to the oversized bowl of popcorn. "Hello?"
"Alexis? Yes, our ETA will be in approximately two hours according to Mr Jacks. Has there been any problems?" has my mother done anything new?
"Ned and I will pick you up at the airport. Drop everyone off." Alexis offers, sitting up on the couch. Her baby fine brown hair escapes from the pen she had anchoring it and falls around her shoulders. She impatiently shoves it back out of her face. "Everything has been quiet here but not too quiet if you know what I mean."
"Yes, it is good to know." Stefan agrees. "I will call again if there is a change in plan." He hangs up.
Ned meanders in from the kitchen. He is dressed in pajama bottoms and an untied robe. He carries two irish coffees. "Who was on the phone?"
"That was Stefan. They are on their way back tonight." Alexis takes the coffee and takes a sip and then blows out as the fire of the whiskey hits the back of her throat. "I think only one of these. We have to pick them up in two hours from the airfield."
Ned groans and collapses at the end of the couch. He pulls Alexis' feet into his lap. "How selfish would I sound if I said I haven't missed the old man at all?"
Alexis pushes the brief onto the coffee table and flexes her feet digging into her husband's thigh. "Incredibly. You know how much Lila has missed him."
"Yeah, yeah. But still it would have been nice."
"We still have a couple of hours...."
Two hours later. At the private jet access to the PC airport. Ned and Alexis are there as are Lucky and Francis. It's pushing on to midnight. Ned yawns and stretches. An employee of the hanger points out the coffee urn for the latenight guests waiting on the plane. Bobbie rushes in her coat flying behind her. "Are they here yet?"
"Nope," Lucky pours his aunt some coffee. "They are still on approach haven't even circled the air field once. Where is Lucas?"
"He's at home. Lucas knows that Jerry is coming in tonight but tomorrow is a school day. Taggert is keeping an ear on him. And I have my cell phone if there is an emergency." Bobbie sets the coffee down on the desk and starts to pace.
Lucky rests on the corner of the desk watching his aunt pace. He looks over at Francis and grins. "And they say young love is cute."
Francis notices Bobbie giving Lucky the evil eye. "Leave me out of it."
"Leave you out of what?" Johnny comes up behind Francis and startles him with a slap on the back.
"What are you doing here, man." Francis looks over his shoulder.
"Thought I'd give Em and the old man a lift home." Johnny nods in Alexis and Ned's direction. "But I think that might already be covered. What about you?"
"Sonny and Jason want to talk to Benny as soon as he gets in. The bosses in The City were less then thrilled by his attendance of the funeral. The accountant meeting with Robideau?"
Johnny snorts. "Yeah, probably giving them the sweats wondering if the boss is planning on cutting them out."
Lucky goes over to a window. "I think we have touchdown." He is crowded at the window as everyone comes over to check it out. They watch as the blinking lights on the Quartermaine jet near. The engines come to a full stop at one of the airport staff pulls up to the door of the jet and starts opening it. Benny is the first one off the plane. Francis buttons his overcoats and goes out to meet Benny. They leave in one of the Corinthos limos. Emily and Edward are next off the plane. Johnny goes out to meet them and greets Maddy who is right behind them. Johnny promises to talk to her in the morning when she checks on the kiosks. Maddy nods and walks into the hanger. Stefan follows into the hanger, going over to greet Ned and Alexis. Nikolas goes over to the luggage compartment. Lucky joins him taking boxes off as Nikolas hands them to him. "What's all this?"
"Some stuff sent back for Maddy from Miz Sophia. A few things that Maddy kept from her mother-- very few things."
"I'm surprised she's back already."
"Not if you saw the way she was getting things done." Nik grunts under one of the heavier boxes. Many of the things in the boxes were things he and Granny Sophia had rescued before Maddy could toss them out the window to the waiting dumpster. Maddy's idea of cleaning house had been a scorched earth policy with nothing left behind. "This is the last one." Nik hands it to Lucky who packs it tightly into the back of his pickup.
"Then lets get Maddy and roll." Lucky brushes his hands off. "Where is she?"
Nik looks around until he sees her. "There with Stefan."
"We don't exactly have room for the Count unless he's planning on riding in the back on the way back to the house."
"Ha. Very Funny." Lucky slides into the drivers seat.
Nikolas goes over to where Maddy is talking with Stefan and Alexis. He picks up Maddy's overnight bag that she'd carried onto the plane with her and strings if over her shoulder. "Maddy, Lucky's ready to leave."
"Right. I need to pick up my van." Maddy remembers. "I'll call you later Mr. C. for a game."
"I'll hold you to that, Madeliene." Nik slides his hand to the base of Maddy's waist and escorts her to the truck. Opening up the door he tosses the overnight bag behind the seat and then hands Maddy into the middle next to Lucky. He climbs into the truck himself and shuts the door firmly. The large bench seat of the fullsized truck accommodates the three of them easily but Nik slides his hand along the back of the bench seat anyway.
Lucky sets the truck in motion.
Knowing that Jerry would be the last one off the plane, Bobbie runs up the stairs entering the interior of the plane. "Jerry?"
"I'm in here, luv."
Bobbie slides back the partition separating the cockpit from the cabin. "I missed you."
"I missed you too. And the rugrat." Jerry finishes the last of his log entries and completes the shut down of the plane.
"I'll tell him you said so." Bobbie pressed between the two seats and leaning over Jerry using his shoulder as balance plants a kiss on him that would wake a dead man. "I mean I really missed you."
"Well then lets go home." Bobbie starts backing up to make room for Jerry to get out of the pilot's seat. In the anteroom between the cockpit and the cabin Jerry reaches into what passes for a closet and grabs his over night bag. Bobbie snatches it from him and throws it over her shoulder. Jerry reaches in and grabs another bag and a cooler.
"I swear you left with only an overnight bag. Jerry? What have you done now?"
"Don't worry, Darlin'; you'll like it." Jerry plants another kiss on Bobbie to distract her. "Come on. Lets let the stiffs put this baby to bed. I got my own baby to get home."
"Oh sweet talker." Bobbie murmurs and then tries to shake it off. She is the first of the plane keeping a good hold of the railing on the way down. Bobbie leads Jerry over to her SUV. She clicks the lock disengage on the remote and opens the back passenger door sliding in Jerry's bag. Jerry puts his packages in after. "Do you want to drive?"
"All I want to do is look at you."
Maddy pulls out her keys and unlocks the kitchen door of Wyndemere lite and then gets out of the way as Lucky and Nik haul things into the kitchen. "Candy, I have no idea how you could have accumulated so much stuff. We were only gone for three days."
Lucky looks at Nik and quirks a brow. Nik shrugs easing his burden to the floor. "We didn't spend every minute together." He goes back out to the truck to get the last load.
"She doesn't know that's her stuff?" Lucky says from behind Nik keeping his voice down.
"Like I said if I hadn't intervened it would have ended up in a dumpster or with one of the charity organizations." Nik reaches for the next to the last box. "She was rushing. This way she can discard it later if she chooses but it will be a considered decision."
"Yeah right, bro." Lucky balances the last of the boxes on his hip and then slams the gate back up on the truck. Muttering to himself as Nik is already climbing the back stairs to the kitchen. "You just want to make sure that all her stuff won't fit in the back of her van." Lucky takes the last box into the house and sets it on the kitchen table. "That's the last of it. Maddy, it's good to have you back. The coffee has sucked around here since you left."
"Thanks Lucky. I guess." Maddy shivers. "I can't believe I got used to New Orleans so fast. I feel so cold."
"Cold? This isn't cold. Cold is February. This is still a brisk upstate New York autumn." Lucky teases. He gives her a hug. "Elizabeth has an early class in the morning or she'd have been here to welcome you back. She's got the scoop on everything you missed while you were gone. Talk to you later." Lucky zips up his jacket and heads back to the carriage house where Liz had left a light on for him.
Maddy turns to look at Nik. "I'll just crash in the spare room tonight if that is no problem. I'll make other arrangements tomorrow."
"Maddy... you were leaving... preciptiously because of what happened before. I think we've gotten past that, don't you? There is no need to rush things now. You said couldn't put your plans in place until after your birthday at the end of the month. Stay."
Maddy looks at Nik consideringly. That last statement was too practiced, too planned. "You had Lucky clean out my van and put my stuff back."
"Yes."
"Candy!"
"You've had too much to deal with in the last few days. Give yourself some breathing room. You'll be playing catch up with everything else... school, your business. Finding someplace else to stay can wait."
"You are not going to get your way on things the way you have for the last few days. Don't think I haven't seen your fingers in my business." Maddy takes a deep breath. "Fine. I'll stay. Until I get someplace else. Now I'm going to bed. I have to be up in a few hours to get back to work." Maddy marches to the basement door and slams it behind her.
"She's back. She's definitely back." Nik says ruefully. He looks around all the boxes in the kitchen. He had to get them out of here and into a secure location until he could put the next phase of his plan into motion.