When Cassadines Fall

Unexpected Ally

Maddy sighs and looks up from the chess board. "This just isn't working for me tonight."

"I've noticed." Stefan says wryly. "You lack focus."

"Oh I got focus to spare. It's just not on chess." Maddy retorts. "Sorry. I'm going to need to re-book today." Maddy gets up and starts pacing.

Stefan leans back in his chair and watches as she paces the solarium. "You do seem to have energy to spare as well."

"If it were anything but that..." Maddy points outside to the snow and ice. "I'd go running. And just clear my head."

"Come with me." Stefan suggests and then asserts it more forcefully. "Come with me."

Maddy follows Stefan to a room she'd never seen before. Maddy whistles. "I never would have taken you for a gym rat, Mr. C."

Stefan snorts. "Unlikely. Nikolas, like you, feels the need to run when he is seeking clarity. Which was simple enough when were were living in Greece."

"But doesn't quite work with upstate New York."

"Agreed." Stefan points out a door off of the main room. "There are the changing rooms. I don't know if there is anything that would fit you..."

"I'll look. Just let me be for a bit, Mr. C. If I can get calmed down...."

"I will leave you to it then." Stefan leaves closing the door behind him.

Maddy walks over to the state of the art treadmill and checks it out. Shrugging, she goes over to the changing room. This might work.

Back in the main rooms of the Wyndemere, Stefan attempts to read in front of the fire but Madeliene's lack of focus seems to be contagious. Picking up the phone he calls the Port Charles Hotel.
 

Dara walks into the L&B offices. "Hey V."

"Hey Dara." V looks up from the reception desk. "The conference room/library is clear. Alexis is in court this afternoon."

"Thanks. I just have a family law question I have to research. Who is the best family lawyer in PC?" Dara knows the answer but wants confirmation.

"Family? You know that one. Lee Baldwin. Alexis is as good but she hates doing that messy stuff." V already knows why Dara is asking even though she doesn't let on. Talk about divided loyalties... to the boyfriend, to her girl friend and to her boss.

Dara winces. "I was hoping you'd come up with a different name. Okay, Thanks." Dara half runs up the steps at L&B to the largest room at the end of the hall. It's the conference room/law library. Alexis has as complete a collection as the city's law library, more complete, without the hassle of running into any of her former co-workers. First things first she goes over to the computer and starts running the most recent information... she'd work back from there.

Downstairs Ned is just arriving. He sheds his wool overcoat, his tie, his jacket. Hanging them on a wall tree. "You can stop right there, sir." V insists cheerfully just incase Ned was planning on abandoning any more clothes. Ned looks over at her and grimaces. V doesn't give him any sympathy. "That's what you get for going over to ELQ not on a weekend."

"Grandfather called." Ned explains and that says it all. The old goat might annoy the hell out of him but he couldn't get out of the habit of showing up whenever Edward said he needed him. "Is Alexis here?"

"Court."

"But the lights are on." Ned frowns.

"Dara is using the law library. I didn't think it would be a problem." V worries. "If it's a problem I'll go talk to her and tell her that I overstepped.."

Ned interrupts with a shrug. "No problem. Don't think Alexis will have one either as long as Dara isn't working for the opposing team." He throws himself down on the couch tossing one arm over his eyes. "Schedule my tour, V. Ten dates out of town."

"Ha." V snorts. "You say that every time you have a meeting with your grandfather. I fell for it the first few times. I'm not falling for it now."

"I could fire you."

"Please, make my day." V retorts. "Why don't you tell me instead what the old man did now."

"Nothing." Ned sighs. "This one is all Junior. He's using ELQ to cover Jason's activities. Illegal activities."

V's jaw drops. She snaps it shut and then stutters. "But.. but... but. Edward would never..."

Ned sits up on the couch leaning against the arm so he can see V sitting behind the reception desk. "Not mob activities, V. Just illegal ones. If this thing goes south it'll kill Grandmother."

Before Ned can explain a lady comes in from the cold. "I need to see Ms. Davis. I want to sue my landlord!"

V recognizes the woman as someone that had come off the street before and had Alexis draw up a will for her. Dara had actually done some of the work on it while she was waiting on her court hearing. "Ms. Davis is in court this afternoon. I don't expect her back until the very end of the day."

"I have no heat! No heat in December! That damn slumlord. I pay my rent every month... there are certain things I expect in return. A boiler that works is one of them!" The woman starts winding herself back up again. "He's suppose to provide heat! My electric bill is going through the ceiling with space heaters cause he won't pay to get the boiler fixed. He's been promising since before Thanksgiving. I'm fed up! It's Christmas-- Damn it!"

Ned recognizes the woman too. "V, why don't you call Dara? This lady can't be without heat in December. You worked with Ms. Jensen when you were in before? Didn't you?" Ned confirms.

"Yes! Yes, call Ms. Jensen." The woman grabs onto that lifeline. "I want to talk to Ms. Jensen."

Ned gets up from the couch and takes the woman by the arm leading her over to the couch. "Can I get you a cup of coffee or something while V goes to talk to Ms. Jensen?"

V shakes her head at Ned behind the client's back and mouths "You sneaky sonofabitch."

Ned winks at V. Then turning back to the woman he starts what he excels in. Being charming.

"This is getting really old, old man." Ricky bitches as he starts the ignition of his car. "I had places to be tonight myself, you know."

"And where was that?" Edward fastens his seat belt.

"None of your business." Ricky relents. "Rita has practice tonight. She's playing for the Queen of Angels girl's basketball team. They have a game tomorrow. Cookie is working and the Judge is on a case. I was going to give her a lift over to the restaurant after practice."

"Damn papists." Edward mutters.

"Excuse me?"

"This is all their fault. If that damn dogooder wouldn't have been in China then my grandson wouldn't be on his way over there to pull his posterior out of the fire. Ned was no help what so ever. All he was trying to do was pacify me, humor me. ME!" Edward fumes.

"You called me over for this. Again." Ricky does a little fuming of his own. "Get out of my freaking car." Ricky pulls over to a bus stop.

"No, this is different." Edward sighs. "I have to pick up Lila's Christmas present. But I can't have Reggie drive me to pick it up. He tells Lila everything. It would be nice if once in fifty years I could actually surprise her on Christmas morning." Edward tries to look pitiful. "I'll buy you and Little Rita dinner at Porters." Edward offers. "Lila has her bookclub tonight."

"We get free dinners at Porter's anyway when Cookie is working." Ricky counters. "I'm not gonna be the guy you call whenever you are bored or at loose ends cause your lady is stepping out for the evening without you." Ricky sighs. "Fine. Where are we going?"

"Jewelry store on Main." Edward says quickly before Ricky changes his mind. "Isn't Miss Porter a little... short to be playing basketball?"

"She's way short to be playing." Ricky agrees. He pulls back into traffic. "It's a damn shame she's so good at it."

"This isn't going to interfere with her riding is it?" Edward worries. "She has a meet in a couple of months. She was robbed last time. Damn judges were playing favorites."

Ricky glances over at Edward. Why does he care if Rita rides or not? Then he realizes... This is another way Edward gets to spend social time with Carly and his great grandson. He looks back at the road. "Nah. This is just something to keep her busy when the weather is crappy." Ricky pulls in at the Jewelry store.

Edward unfastens his seat belt. "You're coming in. This might take awhile."

Ricky sighs. This is taking on really ugly flashbacks of shopping trips with his mother before he was old enough to opt out. At least when he was shopping with Carly it was for something real like an extreme stereo. "Just forget my phone number after this." He unfastens his seat belt and climbs out of the car.
 

Stefan goes into the gym... he doesn't say anything not wanting to disturb Maddy. She is on the treadmill. Her pace isn't a jog nor a sprint but the smooth wide open gait of a distance runner. Sweat sticks the white t-shirt she'd found in the changing rooms to her back. Stefan notices she'd decided to go barefoot since he hadn't had any running shoes to fit her and it wasn't something that she carried around with her. The video screen in front of the the treadmill has a varying picture of flats and hills that the treadmill corresponds with increased tension to give it a cross country feel. The run appears to have the desired affect on Madeline. Her body is loose and relaxed the tension of the day draining away. Stefan retreats from the room.

Picking up the phone in his study, Stefan calls Nikolas. "Are you aware of anything that would have... upset Madeleine today?"

"I've been trying to get hold of her. Emily has been calling for her. Something happened at the mansion today. Em was tight lipped about the whole thing. Is she there?"

"Yes, and I think I will convince her to stay for dinner." Stefan nods even though Nik can't see it.

"I'm on my way over."

"No, This is best handled over a chess match after dinner." Stefan disagrees. "I have yet to talk to Madeliene about Victor."

Alexis coming from court runs into her client outside of L&B. "I'm sorry did we have an appointment?"

"No, I made one with Miss Arad.. with your receptionist." The client has the light of battle in her eyes. "When I come back I'll have all the things Miss Jensen told me I need to nail that bastard to the wall!" She marches off to her car.

Alexis looks after her. "Bastard... wall... Miss Jensen?" Alexis shakes her head and sighs. "I need aspirin." Alexis pulls open the door. "V, do you has some aspirin somewhere?" Then she notices Dara is leaning against the reception desk. "Dara?"

"I take it that you had Judge Carter this afternoon. He was always my biggest headache." Dara says cheerfully. "Luckily he mostly sticks to the civil cases. That's where he can do the most work for Edward Quartermaine."

Alexis growls and takes the aspirin and water that V offers her. She tosses back the pills and chases them with a swig. "Did we have an appointment, Dara? To go over your civil suit or something?"

"Dara's here to use the library." V interjects. "Mr. Aston said it was okay." V looks around for Ned to get him to confirm. But all of a sudden Ned is nowhere around. "Chicken." V mutters.

"So in the meantime you were advising one of my clients?" Alexis raises a brow.

"I worked on some of her paperwork before." Dara reminds as she straightens from the desk. "She didn't have the basics you would have needed to take action. She wants to sue her landlord. When she comes into the office for her real appointment she'll have her lease, copies of letters etc. I didn't tell her anything that a paralegal or V wouldn't have told her to calm her down and get her focused. Someone told her I was in the building or I wouldn't have even talked to her."

Alexis looks from V to Dara. She sighs. "I'll kill him later-- when my head isn't ready to fall off. So are you here to work on your civil case?" Alexis changes her tone a bit.

"Maddy dropped something in my lap she wants researched." Dara shakes her head. "And Justus has changed his tune and my status with the department. I received a letter saying that I wasn't really fired I've been on paid leave all this time. I checked my account and there was a lump sum deposited in my checking account. Not as big as my accrued vacation owing... just about a month's salary."

"A letter." Alexis snorts.

"Well I haven't been returning his phone calls." Dara shrugs. "I did go talk to Ford over at the FBI."

Alexis shakes her head. "I wouldn't have done that."

"Oh yes, you would." Dara retorts.

"Okay... I wouldn't have recommended that." Alexis restates. Alexis tilts her head in the direction of the stairs; Dara starts following Alexis up the stairs. "So what does Madeliene need research on? Anything I can help with?"

"Who is talking? Alexis Davis, Attorney at law, or Alexis Davidovich, Auntie of The Cassadine Prince?"

"Yes." Alexis' voice fades as she and Dara go into the library and shut the door.

"You can come out now, Chicken." V calls out.

Ned comes out of the back carrying a cup of coffee. "Did you say something? Where did Dara go?" Ned says mendaciously.

"As if you didn't know." V frowns at Ned. "What are you up to?"

"I have something to show you." Ned goes to his hidey hole and pulls out a cocktail napkin. He brings it over to V. "This is what I'm up to."

V whistles. "They haven't said anything."

Ned rereads the partnership agreement gleefully. "Well they were both kind of... happy at the time. I still might get my south pacific vacation with Alexis yet!"

"Drunk. They were drunk."

"Details." Ned dismisses.

The hostess looks up from the podium at the front of Porter's. "Rita, hey!"

Rita looks around the restaurant with knowing eyes. "We need a table for three. What's open?"

The hostess calls out a table number. "I'll send your waitress over and let Cookie and Johnny know you are here."

"Thanks." Rita replies. Edward is kinda miffed when the hostess walks away without seating them but Ricky just follows Rita who is leading the way to a table.

"Mr. Q, you gonna just stand there?" Ricky looks over his shoulder to Edward. "This is seat yourself, man." Edward catches up to them in time to hold Rita's chair as she seats herself. Then he takes a seat next to her. Ricky is across from Edward. The free chair gives all of them a view of the rest of the restaurant. "So what are you going to have tonight, munchkin?"

"Whatever Cookie makes and I'll like it." Rita retorts.

Ricky snickers. He'd known the answer to the question before he asked it but asked so Edward would be prewarned. "You see, old man, you might think that you've sat down in the top restaurant in Port Charles but you have actually just pulled up a chair in an extension of Cookie's kitchen at home."

"Then I suppose Turkey is out." Edward quips back. He looks around the packed restaurant. The grille hadn't looked like this the last time he was there. Hell it hadn't looked like this on Friday night. "The place is quite busy."

"Yeah, normally they only need one cook on weeknights but this close to the holidays we've been getting slammed with Christmas parties. Actually we've been slammed since the day after Thanksgiving. You can't get a table without a reservation on the weekend... and any other day of the week you're going to have a wait if you don't have a reservation."

"And if you hadn't spotted this table?"

"Then we would have had dinner up at Johnny's place. If only Cookie or only Johnny were cooking then we could have dinner back there..." Rita points back to the kitchen. "...at the family table. But if both of them are cooking it's really not... safe."

Edward snickers but then changes the subject. "So Miss Porter, I was quite impressed with your performance at practice today... but I have to say that gymnasium you were working out in is falling down around your ears. I think I have a splinter from the bleachers."

"We're getting a new gym after the season." Rita decides to not say who is paying for it.

The waitress shows up with waters and beverages for everyone. "Johnny set aside some specials he wants your opinion on. It's something he's working on for next week."

Rita speaks up first before the guys can. "Since Cookie and Johnny were only expecting me and Ricky...They'll have the specials. I'll have my usual." The waitress nods and walks off.

"Why don't you want the special?" Ricky asks suspiciously.

"Cause I don't know what it is in advance. It could be fish or something with sauce." Rita grimaces. "Besides I don't have an educated palate yet Johnny says. He'll get better feedback from you guys."
 

"I really can't stay, Mr. C." Maddy protests. "I have to do my route."

"Nikolas volunteered to cover that for you. He'll have all of the journal notes for you when you go back to the house." Stefan leads Maddy over to the table that is already set for two. "Besides I have yet to talk to you about Victor." He holds Maddy's chair which she automatically takes. Stefan takes the seat next to her.

Mrs. Lansbury comes out of the kitchen bearing the soup course. She sets them down before the two of them and then retreats. "Why are you two trying to manage me today?" Maddy picks up her spoon.

"You seemed... out of sorts. Although your run does seem to have improved your disposition." Stefan replies. "This way Mrs. Lansbury and I may insure your well being. How did you find out about Victor?"

"I was doing my research before I moved in with Niknik. You know that. I just got a letter back from the priest before I went to Nik. It took that long for it to get to me."

Stefan frowns thoughtfully. "That has been months."

"I know. But things should go much faster now that we got the connection made. Victor will get his package by Christmas. That's a for sure. Mr. C... why is this guy still in Jail? I thought you Cassadines were sneaky enough to not get caught."

Stefan grimaces. "There was a period of some confusion after Nikolas' grandfather died. Victor's defense was not a priority."

Maddy leans her elbows on the table. Not particularly ladylike but showing her interest in the subject matter. "Ms. Davis must not have been running your legal department then."

"This was before Alexis was fully qualified." Stefan agrees. "But even so... it was when my brother Stavros and my mother were in charge of the estate and the family. I was away at school myself. I didn't return to the island until after Stavros... became engaged."

"Granny Helena." Maddy muses and then shakes her head. "Let me guess. She perceived Victor, her late hubby's bro, as a threat. She didn't want the Then Prince getting advice from anyone but her. Or maybe she thought that Victor would have challenged your brother to run the family. Are you sure she didn't set Victor up?"

Stefan leans back in his chair. "I see we won't have to get out the chess board tonight. We seem to be having a verbal match."

"Nah, that implies that we'd be on opposite ends of the board."

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