Path To Power

Seemed like the Mayor’s fund raiser had opened a door. Or maybe it had been the combination of that and the Ward House fund raiser. The invitations had started coming in from all over the state, and some of them they hadn’t been able to refuse. Or at least not entirely. The noise of this party covers many things including the argument going on between Faith and Dillon. "I can’t do it." Dillon denies with a shake of his head. His hand is on Faith’s upper arm as he pulls her out on the balcony. His grip is less than gentle a clear sign of his agitation. "I won’t do it. I’ve got a girlfriend. I know you don’t like her, but she’s my girlfriend, Faith."

"Oh for Christ sake! It’s a paper target, Dillon. I’m not asking you to kill anyone!" Faith reminds him of the last thing he refused her but it’s also a reminder that he hadn’t refused her long. Back than he’d refused to pick up a handgun. Before the end of the day he’d stripped down Fowler’s hand gun and even fired it. Now he is going to the shooting gallery with her at least three times a week depending on Faith’s stress level. "Talk about the blind leading the bland. Do you really think that the first guy I was with was a someone fresh out of the gate and fumbling? He knew exactly what he was doing and how he was making me feel." Faith shakes her head at the memory and focuses on Dillon. "Your mother taught you manners. I can teach you how to shoot, how to really drive but if I teach you how to seduce a woman your brother will divorce me."

"I want to know a) her favorite movie star b) where she went to college c) what kind of perfume she is wearing and one thing that turns her on. And you can’t ask what turns her on, you have to figure it out yourself. I’m not telling you to fuck her, Dillon. You remember what I told you– when we bought that suit?" Faith runs her hand down the label of the suit and then back up so her hand is cupping the lapel with her thumb rhythmically stroking the fabric.

"The next few years are going to be hell. Girls my age won’t appreciate me and women who would-- know not to have their hands caught in the cookie jar." Dillon groans. "Faith..."

"Practice makes perfect." Faith slams the door on him trying to get out of it. "Figure out what she wants. I’m not telling you to give it to her. Listen to what she says, see how she physically reacts, smell how her perfume changes when heat is added."

"It is, baby. It is. But if you’d rather I can put it in movie terms– you’re walking into a scene you haven’t set, think of it as improv." Faith walks over to the french doors and spies the mark. "Look at her, Dillon. She’s beautiful isn’t she?"

"She’s not having a good time. You can tell just by looking at her. Sure she’s got a smile on her face but look at the shoulders. Look at the way she’s holding her head, her eyes." Faith waits for Dillon to see the same things she is. She feels his his body go still as he really starts reading the body language. Then her voice drops to a whisper in his ear. "Someone hurt her but she promised to be here and couldn’t get out of it. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a good time? Not have any pressure? To just feel good for once...."

"Okay." Faith smiles. "But I wouldn’t lead with that as an intro. You’re trying to make her feel better remember? Don’t make this about you, Dillon. Make it about her. Now go get her, Tiger."

Dillon rolls his eyes but he goes back into the party and making his way over to a table next to the wall. He actually takes a page out of his girlfriend’s book. "Hi, you don’t know me. My name is Dillon Quartermaine, and I need your help."

"I’m here with my sister in law and she keeps trying to fix me up with women because she hates my girlfriend." Dillon sees the ring on her finger. "Please tell me your husband couldn’t make it tonight and you couldn’t get out of this."

"You don’t want to know." Dillon says with a grin. "But it’s okay. Cause we’re both here to support the cause and have a good time without feeling guilty later."

Faith watches the body language at the table change and the woman leans in to hear what Dillon is saying. She still has an evil little smile when she goes back to her table. The other two women at the table start shaking their heads.

"Getting drinks. He wanted to make sure the bartender made the right thing. Cole might not have been able to be here tonight but he had a little chat with Kyle before we left." Skye sighs. "Poor Kyle. This is the furthest he’s been away from me since we left Port Charles. I told Cole I didn’t need an escort. That we’re just coming down for the benefit and to do a little shopping."

"Cole’s got it bad. He’s normally not such a control freak." Faith slides into the booth along the wall. "Course it probably drove him nuts that we got roped into this. That Old Woman has a lot to answer for. We get pulled into this crap because all the guys don’t want to have her feelings hurt. She gets away with murder."

Lydia takes one of the flutes that Kyle is offering knowing it is what AJ refers to as a Quartermaine Special. A concoction Cole had created for Skye but that had soon been adopted by the dry side of the Quartermaines. "He has Michael this weekend. And we’re all being..." Lydia makes little quote marks in the air. "...sensitive to Carly’s needs. Evidently bringing Michael to the City would have been a one way ticket to family court." Lydia growls but then shakes it off. "It’s fine. They will do boy things: pass the soccer ball about, put up the boat for the winter. This also gives me some time to get some real shopping in."

"You’re going to want to take Michael to Monaco when you go though." Skye protests. "You keep putting off that trip." Kyle takes a seat next to Skye.

"You can’t put it off much longer." Faith put in her two cents. "You’re not going to be flying after Thanksgiving– not unless it’s an emergency." She looks over at Kyle. He is really cramping her style and she can’t be as blunt as she wants to be or as much as she normally is. "You. Go away. Go dance; have a good time." As Kyle is about to protest. "And if you feel like you have to do the watch dog thing do it from the bar with the other bodyguards."

Lydia sighs. "No, I’m not. But I knew about this before I married AJ. I talked to Monica about this before I married AJ. Michael is just a little boy and quite sweet really. It’s huge that AJ has him everyday after school and every other weekend especially now that Carly’s back. But I do not want my husband’s ex dictating my marriage!"

"Here. Here." Faith lifts her gin and tonic in a toast. "You think Carly and Sonny are going to ask Junior’s permission before they take Michael to Sonny’s island down off Puerto Rico? I don’t think so."

"She’s right." Skye says reluctantly knowing she is setting AJ up for a fight she doesn’t know if her brother is ready to handle. "Kyle is here with me. We’re still in the state. His social worker gave her blessing just told him he had to be back in time for his visitation with Margery on Sunday. Carly is being unreasonable."

"Duh. What else is new?!" Faith interjects. "This one was a win. Dara’s new guy takes this back to court and you get this hammered out, so when Carly does snatch the brat you’ve got leverage."

Over at the bar, Lydia’ bodyguard and Bruno are joined by Kyle. "Guess this is where the rest of us are hanging out. Where is Dillon?"

"Getting busy." Bruno nods in the direction of the dance floor. "Glad one of us is." He sighs. "Faith doesn’t need me here with this bunch. Worst thing that could happen here is she breaks a nail and I don’t know how to fix that. This bunch needs to be protected from them. You see the way their heads are together. You know they are up to something."

The next morning there is a rap on the door. Faith checks the judas hole and then opens the door. Only then does she put the handgun up. Old habits that had kept her alive for many a year. Always extra cautious in a strange place even if it is a 5 star hotel that had hosted the benefit the night before. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

Dillon calls down to room service and places the order for breakfast for two. He glances over the paper that had been left outside the door. Faith isn’t long in the shower and when she comes out is dressed for the day. Which is more than he can say since he’s still wearing what he’d worn to the benefit the night before. He waits for Faith to ask him about that. To tease him about that considering she’d manipulated the situation to get what she wanted. "Well?"

Faith slides in next to him moving into a close dancing position. She can smell the other woman on him, on his clothes. Dillon keeps his hands away from both of them. She whispers in his ear. "Did her nipples get hard against your chest when you were slow dancing and you moved your hand up her back?"

Dillon goes over to answer the door but at Faith’s tsk detours to the dresser where she’d left her gun. He checks the peep hole and then seeing it is room service opens the door. He stays out of the way letting Faith sign for the breakfast and add the tip. Only once the attendant has left does he shut the door, lock it and put away the pistol. "I didn’t sleep with her, Faith." But he knows he could have. He knows he did a hell of a lot more than Georgie would ever understand.

"Okay." Faith shrugs. She takes the covers off the food and pours them both coffee. She takes a seat and points to the one across from her. "So why wasn’t she happy?"

Dillon takes a seat across from her and reached for the coffee. It’s what he needs the worst. "Her husband is really busy at work. Hasn’t been around much. Cancelled out of this at the last minute."

"Probably diddling his secretary or hooked on internet porn. Men are so predictable." Faith retorts around a forkful of egg. "She should have balled your brains out. Maybe she goes to the Skye school of payback. Planning on getting both the houses and the retirement fund."

"You should send her a present. At work, I think. Little something she can take out and wear when hubby’s being a shit to remind herself he isn’t as smart as he thinks he is. Scarves are good. Sensual, but not threatening and if you get silk... very handy."

"Okay, but you’re missing out on a lot of things that have nothing to do with sleeping." Before Dillon can protest, Faith backs off. "Fine, fine, fine. You want to learn the basics before you get into the graduate studies. You did find out where she worked right?"

This shouldn’t make him crazy but it did. His hands are itching. He should be driving. But Lydia’s bodyguard is driving and Bruno is riding shotgun. The rest of them are in the back. Kyle had the morning off to sleep in since he’d taken the bulk of the Quartermaine Women watching the night before. Today Dillon is running herd on Faith, Skye and Lydia.

Faith true to breakfast says she is shopping for ties. But it isn’t stopping her from checking everything else out. Because Lydia is shopping for the baby, she’d been picking stuff up for Kristina. The kid is growing like a weed and doesn’t have that many winter clothes. Because Kyle is not with them, Skye is shopping for men's clothing. They should have brought a bigger vehicle but most of the places would arrange for delivery back in Port Charles. Which is handy and scary. There is nothing to slow them down. Dillon finally gets a break and a chance to sit down when they hit the shoe store. If there is something Faith, Skye and Lydia all agree on it’s shoes. They are going to be here awhile. Just then Bruno comes in with a grim look on his face. He has a cell phone to his ear. Dillon spots him before Faith does. "Is Kristina okay?"

"It’s Reginald. About the Old Lady. Faith needs to take this one." Bruno brushes by Dillon and hands the phone over to Faith. She steps away from everyone to take the call. Dillon doesn’t take her eyes off her. Skye and Lydia are both wondering what is going on.

"The Old Lady is in the hospital. Reggie said she had a bad morning. They’ve admitted her at General Hospital, and they’re doing tests."

"Lydia’s dude has already called the hotel. The packing job isn’t going to be neat but they’ll have all the gear at the front door when we swing by to pick up Kyle."

"We have to go back. Reg says Lila has been trying to set them straight but nobody is listening to her. Alan and Monica have gone vampire on her and Edward is blustering and wringing his hands." She stalks out of the store and the others race to catch up with her.

"It’s out now; so lets lay it out there." Faith waits until everyone is buckled in and then takes Dillon’s hand. She keeps the sentences short knowing that they wouldn’t be comprehending much soon. "Lila is old. She is dying. She’s known about it for months. She has cancer. She’s had the first opinion and the second. Both doctors gave her the same news– six months and if she wants to do treatment she’ll add on an extra month of puking and pain. She’s refused treatment."

"She came to me back at the beginning of summer and told me." Faith says calmly. "She knows I hate surprises, and she knows that I might be the only one of us who can back Edward off. We’re going back to Port Charles but its not to stand vigil over her hospital bed while every doctor anyone has ever thought of runs tests. We’re going to get Lila and take her home. Anyone who has a problem with that has a problem with me."

"And the garden club. And giving Skye all the information about the fourth of July and suggesting she have the party out at her house. She’s been planning this for months. You probably made it easier for her-- volunteering to do Thanksgiving. Dividing up all of her responsibilities and getting things situated the way she wants them rather than having someone else try to do it for her after she’s gone."

The rest of the trip to the hotel is made in silence. Bruno helps Kyle load the luggage into the back of the car. Bruno takes shotgun again. Kyle climbs into the car and looks from one to the other. The faces are grim and Skye is crying. "What the hell?"

Cole meets the plane. Kyle had called him once they were in the air. He’d had a bad feeling about this trip but this isn’t what he’d been expecting. Just a bad feeling. He takes Skye in his arms and just rocks her back and forth not saying a word. He hands Kyle the keys and mouths the word luggage.

"We’re going to the hospital." Kyle tells his uncle. Then he goes over to the belly of the plane and starts pulling out the bags that can easily be identified. Anything left behind would have to be sorted later. It just isn’t that important.

"Reggie?" Faith is already on the phone as soon as the plane landed. "Ned already at the hospital?" She nods in Dillon’s direction knowing he is listening. "We just landed and we’ll be there in about 15 minutes. Head out of the hospital now and get Lila’s room ready. She’ll be home in an hour. Less maybe." Faith hangs up the phone. "Dillon, get the luggage. Bruno, sweep the Lincoln. Dillon is going to drive us. If any of them give me a problem..."

"Oh you’ve got to be fucking kidding me." Faith mutters. She snarls at Skye. "You have fifteen minutes to pull your shit together or just stay the hell out of my way. All of you just stay the hell out of my way."

Skye pulls back and taking a deep shuddering breath starts to tell Cole but is interrupted by Kyle who has just arrived with the bags. "We’re breaking Skye’s Grandmother out of the hospital."

There are too many people in the room, even if it is the closest to a Penthouse suite that General Hospital can provide. The nurse is skilled but young and intimidated by the Quartermaines. Her patient is getting somewhat agitated but the family is talking to themselves rather than to her. The name dropping is getting thick too: all the big hospitals, all the most famous doctors because money is no object. Louder and louder, and you’d think that the Drs. Quartermaine would know better.

All of a sudden there is a new influx of people. A platinum blonde ignores everyone else in the room and goes right over to Lila. She leans over and whispers in her ear.

It doesn’t take long after that. There is a brief moment of silence and the nurse quickly states her patient’s wishes. "Mrs. Quartermaine wants to talk to her granddaughters... alone. Could I have everyone else clear the room please?" The nurse starts ushering them out and keeps her fingers crossed that once they are all out that she’ll be able to take control back of the room. Just as she steps out into the hall the door shut behind her. She tries to get in but it’s locked so she resorts to standing guard like that was her intention all along.

"Fine." Faith takes the needle out of Lila’s arm and bends it up, looking around for gauze and a bit of tape. "Is the Oxygen helping?"

Skye is already at the closet getting Lila’s clothes. She’d been brought to the hospital still in her nightclothes and robe. She helps Lila up into a sitting position and starts changing her out of the hospital gown and back to her own things. She winces and apologizes every time she thinks she might have hurt Lila in the least.

Lydia goes around the room and collects any miscellaneous items stuffing them into a bag. She realizes that there are no makeup or toiletries here. Once Lila is seated in the wheelchair she brushes the older woman’s hair, braids it, and pins it coronet fashion around her head. Digging thru her own purse, she gets out a compact of pressed powder and a little bit of blush as well as a very neutral lipstick with just a bit of creamy frost tone to it. She tells Lila the plan as she quickly makes up her face and shows her a mirror. "My bodyguard and Faith’s are right outside the door."

"Faith has already talked to Reggie and he has your room ready. Faith, we should bring a nurse too. I know you aren’t crazy about the idea, Grandmother, but it would save a lot of fights with Dad and Edward too." Skye suggests.

"They’ll eat her alive but it will do for now." Faith shrugs. She looks at the other women. "We don’t stop. Not for them. Not for the press. Nobody stops. Cole will have the elevator waiting. If there is going to be a fuss it’s going to be at the mansion. Everyone clear?" At the nods of the other three women, Faith moves to the door. "Then smile for the cameras." Faith opens the door. She stands aside while Skye and Kyle clear a path. Lydia pushes the hospital issue wheel chair. Faith brings up the rear with a well hidden gun in the side of the nurse. "You’re coming with us."

"Is going home now. You can either hold her hand and ride with us or you can take another car. But we’re moving, Old Man." Faith says coldly. "Your wife has everything she needs at home and if she doesn’t-- you can get it. There is no reason for her to be here."

"You don’t need that." The nurse tells Faith referring to the gun. "She’s my patient, my only patient. And I really hate those things."

"Taking Lila home." Faith’s voice is flat. "You can meet me there or at the house. No, not even that. Get your mother and Alan and take them back to the mansion."

"You don’t know what I know. Get them." All the time the conversation is going on, Faith hasn’t slowed down. They have reached the elevator and Faith and the nurse are the last ones on. Faith shuts the elevator door in Ned’s face.

Reggie is waiting as is Cook when the car pulls around to the mansion. Dillon gets the chair out of the trunk and Bruno is already helping Lila out of the car and into her chair. Faith takes hold of Edward’s wrist with a vicious grip. "Lila, I need to borrow The Old Man before the screaming hordes drop on this place. You, Cook, right? I pray they didn’t have time to feed her at the hospital but you can bet whatever it was, was crap."

Edward loses the feeling in his legs and collapses on the couch burying his head in his hands. Faith goes over to the bar and pours Edward a double. Bringing it over to him, she holds it in front of his face until he looks up and takes the glass. "I can’t do this. I can’t lose her."

Faith’s voice is like an icy shower. "Time for you to step up and be the man, Edward. Alan and Monica are going to come in here and want to do all kinds of tests. Fly her off to specialists in Switzerland or Swaziland or wherever there is some miracle cure. Needles, tubes, drugs, radiation, surgeries and at the end of all that she is still going to die."

"Lila’s not stupid. She got the diagnosis. She got the second opinion. If she were forty, hell if she was 60, she might have tried blowing off the odds but she’s not. Lila wants to spend the rest of her life in her house, with her family, with all her faculties and without pain. All you need to remember is that Lila wants to stay here. Not in a hospital."

"Bruno will make sure you aren’t interrupted." Faith offers Edward her hand to help him up. Keeping an arm around his waist she walks him to the foot of the stairs. Where Bruno is talking with Dillon. "Mr. Quartermaine wants to speak uninterrupted with his wife."

"You got it, Faith." Bruno keeps pace with Edward going up the stairs making sure that he has a hand near the older man’s arm in case he needs any help.

"I need a drink." Faith walks back into the family room and over to the bar. She takes the first sip and then hears the front door slam open. Wincing, she downs the rest. Then putting on her game face she has a seat in the chair at the far side of the room. Dillon stands behind her by her right shoulder. Luckily the first ones thru the door are Skye, Cole and Kyle. Lydia, AJ and Michael are the next people. "Should he be here?" Faith indicates with her glass to the kid.

"No. She’s going to die. That’s what old people do. She just wants to have fun before she does. The hospital wasn’t fun so she left."

Faith hands Dillon her glass. He goes over to the bar and pours her another drink. Bringing it over, he hands her the glass and takes up a guarding position behind her. He gives the others the update of what has happened since Lila arrived home. "Grandfather wants to talk to Grandmother alone. Bruno is making sure they aren’t interrupted. Faith calmed Grandfather down. Ned is going to be arriving soon with Uncle Alan, Aunt Monica, and Mom. They are going to lose it." Dillon defends Faith’s suggestion.

"Michael, may I have my phone please?" Lydia suggests to her husband’s son. She doesn’t look away from her husband as she takes a seat on the couch.

"Thank you, Darling. I’m going to call Sally and let her know you will be going home just as soon as you say goodnight to Grandma Monica and Grandpa Alan. Your father and I don’t know how late we will be here making sure that Great Grandmother Lila is comfortable. I want you to take my phone with you. Grandmother Lila’s number, the number here, is number three on the speed dial."

AJ squats down in front of Michael. "You don’t have school tomorrow but you do have to be up early for Church. So don’t try to stay up late. Go to bed at your normal time but call to say goodnight, please."