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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Family Dynamics
Carly turns away from AJ brushing her hands against her face she stares out the window until under control.
"You can't let her get to you-- you can't let any of them get to you."
"There are two people I have consistently screwed over since coming to town: Bobbie and you. Everyone else..." Carly shrugs. "They got what they had coming but not Bobbie. I hurt her, AJ. I'm so tired of hurting her. I'm not going to lie to her anymore-- if she asks me what I'm doing with you or why I'm blowing off Jason; I'm going to tell her.
"Okay, just know you could be making things harder on yourself. You show any weakness to Jason, and he's going to come after you."
"It seems to be a family trait. He might not remember, he may never acknowledge it. That whole nature v. nurture thing that you read about in the child development books-- Jase and I are case studies, someone should write a paper. Bobbie didn't raise me...."
"But you are Spencer through and through."
"And everything about the old Jason may have been erased in the accident. People call him amoral but I've seen Edward, Ned-- you. You're all about power and doing anything to get it."
"Just cause you are ticked right now, don't take it out on me." AJ replies flatly. "This time was coming from the day that Michael was conceived. It was just a matter of when. We're living with the choices we've made. It can be heaven or hell. That's our choice as well."
"Oh isn't that just so glib." Carly mocks crossing her arms.
"No, not really I just thought I'd put it in a way you'd be used to since Jase is so big on choices and consequences." AJ swears before continuing. "I've been living in hell for the last year so that I could have this chance now, and not a chance at power but a chance at having a family of my own. Putting up with daily abuse from Ned, Grandfather's blatant power plays, my parents'; benign at best, neglect. And Jase... Jase's roadblocks to you... to our son."
"You didn't seen to have any trouble seeing me over at the brownstone?!" Carly reminds.
"By then the damage had been done." AJ replies cryptically.
Carly throws up her arms. "Oh please, what damage?!"
"God, it's so pitiful that you don't even see it." AJ gets right in Carly's face not allowing her any retreat. "You thank Jason for the air that you breathe for goodness sake. You think that you're nothing without him. When are you going to realize that you have nothing because of him."
Carly looks around desperately and sees Michael standing up in his playpen watching the discussion like a tennis match. "I won't have this discussion in front of Michael; I won't let you badmouth Jason in front of Michael."
"Fine, but this isn't over, Carly. Just think about it alright? Because where I'm standing the last decision you made was the one to go to Jason the day that I blew up at you. Since that day every major decision in your life has been made by Jason."
"Is my Mr. Man, tired? You think maybe it's time for nap time. Just an hour. Then we'll go out and play, okay?" Carly talks around AJ to Michael willfully not hearing his last comment. AJ shakes his head and grabbing his brief case goes to the table. Carly picks up Michael and takes him to lay down for a nap.
The Brownstone--
Bobbie hangs up the phone after her conversation with Carly. Her hand rests on the phone as she reviews the conversation.
"Well-- did she tell you where she was?" Jerry inquires growing impatient in the silence.
"No. She said that they'd be back in two days and then she'd explain everything. She seemed upset but that was from our conversation--being caught in another lie. As soon as she started getting upset AJ pulled the phone away from her." Bobbie muses.
"I heard that part. A snake, Bobbie? Not exactly the way to endear yourself to the lad."
"Well, he hasn't done anything to endear himself to me!"
"Not like Morgan right?"
"If you are going to say stupid things, I'm not going to discuss this with you."
"Whoa there. Back up a tad, shall we? Maybe I'm not up to speed with all the players in this whole scenario but it seems to me that a... Carly called as soon as she knew you were home. b... nobody stopped her and c... even when you were getting pissy with AJ, he still put Carly back on the phone." Jerry counts out the points on the fingers of one hand.
"Jason has been very good to Carly, to my grandson."
"And I'll tell you now-- taking sides right now may well have you ending up the loser. You need to take a step back find out what Carly wants."
"Carly?"
"Yeah, you remember her... your daughter? Maybe it's just 'cause you were gone and I was here but I heard things, saw things. Carly can hold her own with AJ. With Morgan on the other hand...." Jerry shrugs.
"You can't just say something like that and then stop. Jason's been good to Carly. He stops her from doing stupid things-- Jerry, you don't know how self destructive Carly can be."
"Which stupid things did he stop her from doing-- lying to you, lying to everyone, breaking her out of the hospital when she should have been under a doctor's care for depression after the baby was born, shooting Tony, playing psychotic, being locked up in a nut house for six months, living with Robin for goodness sake which anyone with half a brain could see was going to be a disaster?"
"You don't understand."
"Nope, you're right there. I don't understand. The Q's may be the biggest collection of dysfunctional control freaks. But Jason rivals my father when it comes to hoarding things, controlling things, assigning positions in a family dynamic. I understand him too well." Jerry replies bitterly.
"Just what do you suggest I do?" Bobbie snaps.
"Take a step back, Bobbie. You haven't heard what Carly has to say yet. You haven't heard what AJ has to say.. what he has planned. You're walking a tightrope, woman. And right now you have no idea of how high up it is or if there is a net below you."
"Pretty metaphor, Jerry, but there is one thing I have to do." Bobbie picks up the phone and calls the penthouse. "Jason? yeah, it's Bobbie; Carly just called.... No she didn't say where she and Michael are.... Only that they would be back in two days. I asked her what I should say to you.... She said to tell you that she loved you and that she'd be home soon." Bobbie disconnects the phone. "Well? Do you think that I made a mistake?"
"We'll soon find out, luv. Now if you'll excuse me the Jack's family fuck'up has to go try to mend fences with the Jack's family golden boy." Jerry shrugs into his jacket and leaves without another word.