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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Chapter Seventy Three
Reluctant Admissions
The study. Carly sits on the couch staring into the flames. She doesn't look over as the door quietly opens. But begins to speak softly, "I really don't want to rehash Ferncliffe. As far as I'm concerned it is over. Evans and his goons are in jail. Even if they get out, they're ruined. They can't touch me, Michael or our life-- unless you let them."
"Damn it, Carly! You ended up in Ferncliffe because of me. I was trying to break your trust with Jason and look what happened!"
"I ended up in Ferncliffe because at the time I thought it was the fastest way to get back to Michael. I knew that it wasn't going to be the easiest. I just didn't realize HOW hard it was going to be. What are you afraid of? That Evans raped me while I was in? Put it out of your head... it didn't happen. Evans is all about money and power. But he gets his power from playing head games and controlling people's lives. Yeah, the hair went up on the back of my neck whenever in session I'd be talking about love and he'd turn it into a discussion of sex. I scored over Evans when Jason got me out of there against Evan's advice; he hated that and his shrink cloak fell off. He was so nasty."
"But all the charges that Taggart leveled on Evans and his people...?"
"Oh they happened. The curse of everyone thinking that you're spaced, things happen in front of you... things are said in front of you. I gave Taggart names, dates, places. Everything that he could need to get a case but I can't be a witness. If am the witness, I guess that means I was faking the whole time right? I am not going to prison to get Evans."
"Okay, I can see your point there. But why would Taggart tell Jerry that you were afraid what your significant others would do?"
"Taggart said what? That bald blabbermouth!"
"He didn't mention your name, just gave enough clues about the anonymous source that Jerry thought it was you. I, on the other hand, knew it was you before he talked to Taggart. So I just want to know, why were you afraid I'd do something."
"Well you and your brother aren't exactly the type to turn the other cheek. Both of you have the guilts about Ferncliffe. I know I play on that sometimes." Carly shrugs. "You for our last conversation in Stoneybrooke and Jason wonders now if he left me in there because it made his life with his little princess a little easier." Carly takes the edge of her sweater and pulls it over her head. "You want to know what was done to me? Come here."
"Carly?!" AJ's confusion shows in his voice as he hesitantly walks over to Carly.
"I'm only going to do this once; I'm only going to discuss this once, AJ. If you chicken out so be it." Carly reaches out to AJ with her left hand tugging him down next to her. "But before I do you promise me that you aren't going to do anything-- I'm not asking for one of those promises that Jason used to drag out of me, you know, not to do anything stupid... I'm asking you to not do anything. It's handled, over, done with, closed, finito."
AJ lies with a straight face. "I promise."
"Give me your hand." Carly takes AJ's hand in hers and runs it up the inside of her left arm. AJ quickly feels what she is leading him to. Leaning over he flips on the lights in the room and grabs Carly's arm again. "Oh you can't see it. The only way you can tell is by feel. And knowing it's there was one of the most scary things in the world to me while I was there."
"What in the hell is that?!" AJ snarls. Then he starts thinking. "Is it..."
"Yeah, a Norplant. Now you don't have to worry about lunch... I know that we used protection in the limo but there was always the couple of times in the shower...."
"How can you joke about this? Damn it, Carly! It's an assault!" AJ jumps up and starts pacing infront of the couch.
"Was it? Was it really? Come on AJ, I'm a nut; I was not responsible for my legal and medical decisions. For all I know my legal guardian could have approved it. The one thing I never asked Lorraine to do was to get my file. I didn't want to know."
"No Carly, not Jason and not Bobbie. IF this had EVER been brought up to them they would have burnt the place down with Evans in it. This is BARBARIC."
"Actually if you put a positive spin on things it could have been worse back in the old days-- they would have probably have done something more permanent. When I was researching abuses in institutions all kinds of things were there-- stuff from the turn of the century on, stuff that would have made Hitler stand up and take notice, but he probably did. And after a month inside of Ferncliffe, I would have volunteered for a Norplant. I didn't want any reminders of that place when I left."
"Then... " AJ asks to horrified to finish the thought.
"Nope. Maybe if I had actually been a space case it might have. But I avoided situations sometimes by the skin of my teeth. There were too many others that I saw. Stuff I couldn't do anything about. It was always there. I didn't sleep alot of the time. Or I'd nap when I knew that I wasn't alone or if certain people weren't going to be working. There was a constant pressure of always being on guard. If I'd been in there much longer, I probably would have snapped."
"Gawd Carly." AJ sags back down on the couch. "I didn't know. What are you going to do?"
"I've done what I'm going to do." Carly shrugs back on her sweater. "Evans is history. His goons will hopefully end up being some bruiser's bitch in prison and they can be on the receiving end of what they were dishing out. I'm going to make sure that I am NEVER in that position again--helpless. I was so thankful to be out and so wanted to put it behind me-- I might have let them get away with it all until I found that your grandfather had that affidavit. I couldn't have that, AJ."
"No, He didn't know, Carly. I'm not saying that he wouldn't have used it anyway if he had known. Sorry to say, he probably would have." AJ grimaces. "What a family when I have to actually admit-- if grandfather had known what was going on, he wouldn't have gotten an affidavit from Evans, maybe, but he would have threatened you with putting you back in there if it meant that you'd have given in on Michael."
"And people think, I'm crazy." Carly laughs bitterly. AJ pulls Carly into an embrace and just holds her as they both stare into the flames.
AJ's mind starts racing. "Well Johnny was proud of you on the set up on Evans. Says that you only screwed up on one aspect-- watching the arrest. Babe, I think he's right on that one."
"Yeah, the news crew." Carly bites her lip. "And Taggart being such a blabbermouth."
"Taggart knew that he was talking to Jerry. I'm not worried about him. I wish you had talked to me, let me know it was all going down. You and I would have been in the Bahamas or something waiting for it all to blow over. Bowles is like a dog with a bone. She's connected you to being the anonymous source and if not that, you're being at the jail reminded her that you were a guest at Ferncliffe for six months. She's going to come after you wanting an exclusive on a prominent Port Charles citizen with first hand information."
"Well then she can just go bark up Dr. Julie Devlin's tree. I've already given her enough ratings between Edward's arrest and then Evans." Carly says flatly. "The ratings of the General Homicide Killer should be good for a few viewer points."
"That might work." AJ continues to think aloud. "I think I want to bring Jordan here from Jakarta. He was my driver there-- ex Marine. You met him at the party in Darwin. He could be your driver for awhile until the heat dies down or until you finish the driving course and can handle being ambushed by the press whenever you leave the gates."
Carly winces. "I thought I'd gotten rid of the bodyguards when I moved here."
"I know. The house is still a safe place; I think, but do you want to stay in the house until after the whole thing blows over? It could take months for Evans and his minions to be tried and sentenced. It could encompass the May news sweeps and the November ones as well. And here is another worse case scenario-- what if Taggart decides that he can't make the case without you?"
"Oh you are just a bunch of glad tidings tonight." Carly pinches AJ's thigh ruthlessly.
"Ow. Hey knock that off." AJ takes Carly's hand from his thigh and lifting it to his lips kisses it thoughtfully. "If you are okay with it, I think that Jordan is the best bet for protecting you and Michael until this blows over."
"Okay. But just until things die down." Carly rises from the couch and walks over to the door. "AJ, did you bring my boots back?"
"Yeah, they're in the hall closet." AJ says absently still staring at the flames and focusing on his thoughts.
"Are you coming upstairs?" Carly asks hesitantly.
"In a few minutes. I have a few phone calls to make. Stuff I didn't get done 'cause I came home early... and took a long lunch." AJ grins cheerfully.
"Well don't take too long cause if you wake me up I'll do something violent to your person." Carly jokes then leaves.
AJ's grin falls away and his face turns grim. "Damn it; Damn it; Damn it!" AJ looks around for something to break and doesn't find anything that Carly wouldn't notice. He grabs the poker from by the fireplace and viciously prods the logs shooting sparks as the fire intensifies. Taking a deep breath, he goes over to the phone. He makes the easy calls first.
"Jordan? AJ Quartermaine. I have a situation here that needs your capable hands. I've got people threatening the mother of my son. Yeah, Carly. You danced with her in Darwin. How soon can you get here?... Send me the flight information and I'll have someone meet your flight. Charge everything to ELQ."
"Jerry, it's AJ. We need Carly's file from Ferncliffe. It has to be destroyed and any copies destroyed as well. Is that something that you can arrange? I don't want it to be leaked to the press... the affidavit that Carly was fit to stand trial is the only evidence of her Ferncliffe stay that I want on record.... right. I'll talk to you tomorrow." AJ disconnects the call and makes a much tougher one.
"Jase, it's AJ. Look I'm not going there right now... THIS IS ABOUT CARLY so would you please just SHUT UP?! You dropped Lorraine Miller off at her house. Carly says that she never asked Lorraine to get her file from Ferncliffe but I bet that bitch copied... yeah, blackmail city. That file can't come out and if you could remind dear Lorraine at the same time that she has no direct knowledge of Carly's stay at Ferncliffe... There is no way that Carly would have said anything to her. Even if she did, it would be Carly's word against Lorraine's and we have the better lawyers. But until we sued her ass the press would be hounding Carly. Nothing can happen to Lorraine. She is Taggart's star witness against Evans. IF he doesn't have her then he might decide that his anonymous source shouldn't be so anonymous.... Yeah, I'll touch base with you later if anything comes up." AJ hangs up and then after a moment makes one last phone call.
"Grandfather?.... I think that I found something that will begin to get you out of the doghouse with Carly. Get your crony Judge Carter to hear Evan's case. He doesn't have to fix it or anything. All I want are copies of the witnesses lists and prior notice of any subpoenas that go out.... Yeah, I'll see you in the office tomorrow." AJ hangs up.