Chapter 2

"Sean, did you just see that?" Tiffany Hill asked her husband, who seemed more engrossed in the music then in what she was saying. "Something has to be going on, to have almost the whole staff of the Herald disappear."

'No I didn't." Sean replied as he glanced at his wife. "I was watching the boys. They’re quite good aren't they?"

"Yes, they’re great." She answered, already trying to figure out what could possibly have pulled everyone away from a night on the town. "Maybe Anna will take after her big brother, she loves the little drum set that we got her for Christmas." That work was going to intrude on the one night out a week wasn’t sitting well with her, but what could she do. More then once, his work had interfered, and she had accepted that happily, knowing how important his work was to him. "Do you think they’ll be very upset if I have to go? I need to find out what Vicky Carpenter has up her sleeve."

"Can't you call into the station before running off Tiff?" Sean asked gently. he didn't want his wife running out like this, but he understood that nothing would stand in the way of her and a story. "Why don't you call tad and maybe I'll put a call through to Bo Buchanan and see if anything has come over on the police wavescanners."

"I have someone at the station, monitoring the a scanner. I would have known if something was going on, before the commissioner would. But that doesn’t stop my competitor from trying to scoop me." She had only met Vicky once, but they had immediately taken a dislike to one another. "I could call Tad, see if he can sniff anything out, before leaving. I just feel bad doing that. He doesn’t get many nights off to spend with his family, and after everything Dixie has gone through, I don’t want to call him in without cause."

"Call him Tiff. I'd rather you send him on some quest for adventure instead of leaving on a wild goose chase."

"I don’t think it is a goose chase, maybe I’ve just been in the business too long, but I think this is something big. I just don’t know what." Tiffany said pulling her videophone out of her purse. "I’ll send him out, see what he can find and have him call me back. I still might have to leave, you never know it might be the story of a lifetime." She said, typing Tad’s name into the phone’s touch pad.

Sean grinned. "It's always a story of a lifetime with you.' He teased good-naturedly as he watched her going into her work focus. His wife was an amazing woman, and watching her make the transformation from social being to work was an entertaining thing to see indeed.

"It might not be saving the world, but it’s important just the same." She grumbled. Sean was wonderful about her work, and she knew he didn’t mean to make light about what she did. But sometimes she had to wonder if he really understood how important it was to her. When she agreed to move home to Port Charles, after spending years taking care of her husband and their beloved child, she had made it clear she was going back to work. It had been easier because of her partnership with Tad Martin, but some nights, like this one, she longed for the time when she could leg out a story, and not have to worry about who would be tucking her daughter in, or dancing with her husband in her absence.

'Tiff I didn’t say it wasn't IF there is a story to be had on there." Sean emphasized the if. Tiffany had been following too many halfhearted leads as it was and he wasn’t about to lose a night with her in the pursuit of some impossibly enticing story that didn't even exist.

"We’ll see darling," She said waiting for Tad to pick up. "Come on kid, where are you? I know it’s your night off, but at least pick up the phone." Tiffany spoke aloud, hoping that somehow Tad would hear her and get the message. She really didn’t want to leave, but if she had too, she would.

Tad martin groaned as he heard his video phone chirping. His times in solitude with Dixie and their children were becoming rarer all the time. Tad reluctantly climbed out of ed. "Pause the movie will you?" he asked as he ruffled his sons' hair as he passed.

"Can’t you ignore it Tad?" Dixie asked hopefully. "It’s your night off, for all they know, we’ve gone out. We’ve had this planned for weeks."

"I know." Tad said with a sigh. "Whatever it is, i plan on telling them we’re engaged. As the boys sat engrossed in the holovision broadcast, tad grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist and with a comical wink to Dixie, he mussed up his hair. "At least maybe now the caller will feel guilty."

"Oh I’m sure they will. No one calling tonight has a conscience to feel bad with." Even though she was happy that her husband had found his true calling after so long, she hated that it kept him away as often as it did. "Tell whoever it is, they’re not getting you without a fight, and I’m not planning on making it an easy one."

"Now if it's a woman that's fight I wouldn't mind seeing close up." As Dixie reached out to swat him playfully, he stepped away and gave her an innocent smile. "Let me get that before you pummel me."

"And give up such pleasure? You’re such a professional," Dixie rolled her eyes, and watched him grab his phone. "Don’t forget to turn off the video," She called out sweetly just as he turned it on, and who ever it was on the other line got a video screen full of naked chest.

"Let them lust Dixie. It’s good for my reputation. Tad grinned again before turning to the video feed. "This better be important!"

"Even if it isn’t, the show was worth the toll to call dear heart," Dixie Martin was one lucky woman, if she got that at home every night of the week. Tad was certainly something to look at. "You’re needed at work hot shot. Something is going down, the Herald’s whole staff did a thin air act about 5 minutes ago, and I need to find out why. You get the goods, and if you think it’s warranted, I’ll be there with a camera crew."

Tad shot a look at Dixie and took careful note of the quiet fury staining her features. "Tiff it's my one day off this week. No can do. You can go yourself or send Haley or Skye this time."

"But I need you Tad. I’m sure Haley or Skye would do an admirable job, but you have this Martin way of getting the story when no one else can." Tiff sighed heavily, trying to lay it on thick. "I suppose it wouldn’t kill us to be scooped once. But we’ve had such a nice record of beating that Carpenter witch, I’ve just gotten used to it."

'Then Tiff you need to cut your night short and go get the story. You remember how to do that dont you? What it was like to go out and snatch that story from mean old Vicki?" Tad couldn't stop needling his anchor and boss

"You don’t think I can? I’ve been doing this so long, I won my first award before you were old enough to know the difference between a noun and a verb." If he wanted to be nasty, she could be nasty. She was still the owner of the station that had to count for something. "I suppose that poor domesticated Tad doesn’t want to go out, it being after dark and all. But if I have too, I’ll give up my one night off in the past two months, for this story. It’s big Tad, they pulled Edmond out of here without any warning at all. And when I win major awards with this one, I won’t have anyone to share it with, because you weren’t willing to do a little favor for me."

'Tiffany I have young kids too and a wife that needs me here. I don't own the station and I put in crazy hours without getting the pay I could get in holo journalism. You send someone to check it out and if it turns out to be a story you have me."

"Is this your way of angling for a raise Tad?" What did she have to give this man to go out to the docks for an hour. "It could be arraigned you know. Without to much hassle, some stock in the company, profit sharing, a new dream house, paid for by the station." Desperate wasn’t something that Tiffany did well, but she would to get out of going out there. "Take the family, think of it as molding your boys lives by showing them a wonderful profession. They’ll love you forever."

"NoTiff I can't do that," Tad inisited. "I'll take a 19% raise and all the perks you offered, beam it over to me in writing and as soon as Dixie has that in her hands I'm there." He decided Tiff was really desperate and he was going to do his best to get the most out of it, even though he didn't really need the money.

"Where am I going to find a lawyer at Luke’s place? I’ve never gone back on a promise before, and I won’t do it now. Let me talk to your lovely wife, and tell her what I’m willing to offer to get you out there. I’m willing to add onto it if I have too."

"Tiffany just write it on your robotic organizer and he can beam it over It only needs to be signed by you for now"

He was so frustrating, and much to cute to be a know it all. "Tad, if we lose this story because you’re going to make me try and figure out how to use that thing you insist I carry, the deal is off." Tiffany fumed, looking around in her purse for the hand held gadget that Tad swore was the future. "I should just get whatever it is that Carpenter woman uses, and beam you where ever I want you."

"Your husband can teach you Tiffany. he must be a technological mastermind." tad grinned. At least he was causing her stress. "I'll make you a deal Tiff. I'll drive down there but I won't get out of my hovercar until Dix signals me that she got your signed statement." Tad smirked with self importance. He had his boss just where he wanted her.

"Sean, my love, will you make this thing work for me? If you do, and beam over a contract to Dixie Martin, I don’t have to go out until the story is breaking and they need a front woman." She tossed the computer, no bigger then an original videophone. "Fine, you go and see what you can find, and if you turn up nothing, your cute little backside is mine Martin. I’d better be getting an Pulitzer for the money you’re getting out of me."

"What do you want on the contract?" Sean asked his wife. He was amused at her business machinations. She always helpd his interest when she was working a story. It was poetry in motion to see how Tifany went from a high strung chatty woman to a deadly serious journalist in moments flat.

"Oh you know, the basics. Dream house, 20 percent raise," Tiffany increased what Tad asked for, knowing if this was as big as it seemed, he’d have earned it. "Do you hear that Tad, I’m putting a lot of faith in you, don’t screw this up!" She said turning off her phone. "I hate it when he plays hard to get, I always end up losing a small fortune, but he’s that good, so I suppose that I owe him at least this."

"Fine Tiffany. I'll be waiting to hear from Dixie then." Tagd disconnected the videophone and smiled at his wife. I'm putting the earpiece on. You know the drill. Think about me really clearly and I'll get the message loud and clear." Tad absently rubbed the side of his head where a microchip resided under the skin. He loved the idea of being telepathic with his wife.

"I know, I still don’t like this though. That she continues to buy you off only shows her that you’ll keep doing her bidding. It’s not good for the boys to see either, I don’t want them growing up that way," She didn’t want the boys to know that she was less then thrilled with Tad’s bargaining, so she took it to their private communication. "I don’t need the kids thinking that a cute smile and a little sex appeal can get them anything they want in life."

~*~

"Jason what do you think is going on?" Dr. Karen Wexler, secretly Morgan asked as she raised her head briefly from her pillow. She thought there had been a banging on the door, but it had gone away so quickly she figured she had imagined it. "Jason?" She nudged her husband of a year gently, trying to rouse him from his deep slumber. He had been overseeing the alcohol deliveries well into the night and had the midnight shift at the interstellar hospital. Karen watched her husband carefully. Gone were his 'Jason Quartermaine' mannerisms for the moment, replaced by the cooler more remote Jason Morgan.

Karen smiled in recollection of the moment when she Sonny and Jason had hatched their scheme. She had just recently married Jason and the feds seemed close to discovering the identity of the bootleggers when Sonny had come up with the perfect idea. Jason Morgan, Sonny's right hand man since a tragic accident wiped out his memory, would miraculously regain his memory and start working at the interstellar hospital. He appeared to regain casual friendships with those he had known before the accident, among them fellow bootlegger, doctor and his secret wife Karen.

Karen felt a hand brush across her cheek and looked down at her husband. "Hi blue eyes. Did you hear someone banging on the door a few minutes ago? Maybe I imagined it."

"I'm sure you imagined it. No one could get up here babe, we're living high society you know." Jason said sleepily rolling towards his wife, "The guards would have stopped whoever it was before they got here. They might not stand right outside the door now, like in the old days, but they're still around. You were probably dreaming it."

Even though Karen was mightily unsettled, she nodded. "I guess you're right Jason." She replied as she snuggled down against him. "I wasn't going to enjoy the frantic run to the spare bedroom so I could hide from prying eyes." She admitted.

"Why run? It's not like my other girlfriend would show up here?" Jason grinned, knowing that riling her up this early in the morning would be dangerous, but he'd enjoy the repercussions. "I wouldn't let her in here until you had a chance to crawl out the window or something."

"You mean your other wife don’t you?" Karen asked as her hand roamed Jason's chest. When he didn't immediately answer, she pinched a nipple. "Wellll?" She drew out the word.

"Hey, watch it, I bruise easily, and how would I explain that as I'm scrubbing up and getting suited for a surgery?" He asked, laughing. "How did you find out about that other wife of mine? She promised me she wouldn't say a word, in return for the use of my body. She's probably getting the better end of the deal, but I can't help it that women lust after me."

"Oh is that what it is." Karen smiled, glad that they could tease about their secrative status. "You have no other wives. The three you already have would get very jealous." When jason just gazed at her, karen grinned. Me, myself an di of course."

"Of course, who else could there be? You wear me out all on your own." He hated keeping their relationship a secret, but if they didn't want their cover blown, it was imperative. "Once I catch up on some sleep, I think that I deserve one of those special dances you do for me. I have a couple of days coming up where I only have to do rounds, so maybe you could get out of the hospital a little early?" He asked, winking at her.

"Oh you liked those dances did you?" Karen smiled and kisses his lips. Jason Morgan , Jason Quartermaine, you are a man of many many layers indeed. She ran a hand over his chest lovingly before settling down again. "Are you sure we're alone for the rest of the night?"

"Like isn't really the word I'd use to describe it, and you know it. If I had been smarter, or a lot less of a prude back in school, we wouldn't have had to go through the things we have." It wasn't often that Jason allowed himself to think about his life before the accident. He still didn't remember it, but knew what he had been told. "Sonny knows that I'm off duty tonight. He's got company, Carly's new friend and her boyfriend are over, and to celebrate their new friendship, I'm all yours."

"We weren't ready Jason." Karen assured him gently. "I was nowhere near ready to settle down and the man I loved then died, and in his place….you. I love you. I hate that you have to pretend to be him"

"Maybe even when I didn't want to be, I was always him. It's an act, but some of it, like the medical information, that's not." Jason pulled her tighter against his chest, nuzzling her hair. "He's always going to be a part of who I am, and a part of who you love in me. You might not know it, but I see how you look at me sometimes. You see him and me, and it's I've learned to accept that. Not even Lila can accept me for exactly what I am. To her, I'll always be Jason Quartermaine as much as I am Jason Morgan."

"I do see him in you." Karen announced with a nod. "The romanticism is reminiscent of him, your tenderness, but the bad boy parts of you are so appealing. And you look great in leather!"

"Oh sure, you talk about how sweet and romantic I am, but it always comes down to how I look in the leather." Jason rolled again, pulling Karen so she was laying on top of him. "You're one hell of a lucky woman. Not only do you get sweet and romantic Jason Q, who makes the big bucks at the hospital, you get me who can pull off the leather and the spacer, who makes even bigger bucks in our little side business. With the money tips Benny's given up, I don't think that we will ever have to worry about where our next meal is coming from. Actually our kids kids won't have to worry for that matter."

"Our kids." Karen grinned and pressed her stomach against jason's. "Actually, honey..." she trailed off with a secretive smile

"Actually what?" Jason asked, not sure he liked where this was going. "There is no actually, we've been beyond careful baby."

"Not that carfeul." Karen said, blushing at the memory of their hot lovemaking sessions in the shower. "Congratulations Dr Quartermaine you're going to be a dad."

Stunned, that's what he was although that was a major understatement. "A dad? Karen, I'm thrilled, but what are we going to do? This wasn't in the plans, and considering that we barely talk at the hospital, how are we going to explain this? I don’t care, but people will talk."

Karen sighed and wrapped her arms around her husband. "We have time to work all of that out. For now, let's just hold one another."

~*~

Nikolas Cassadine looked up at his spacecraft and nodded appreciatively. He and fellow Space force ranger had been cleaning the space dust and grime off their ship for hours now, but finally she gleamed, in the twilight, her majestic curves silhouetted by the setting sun. "Are we done then Will?"

"You know, anyone but your partner would think that you were anxious to get out of here Cassadine," Will said with a grin, knowing his patner probably had a hot date tonight. "For someone who doesn't want to be a prince, you sure have an active social life. What is it tonight? A cotillion? Royal negotiations with another planet in regards to their surf payments? Dinner with your father and what ever princess or duchess he wants to parade in front of you?" It had taken them a long time, but Nikolas and himself had reached a point where they could joke about eachothers lives, and the fathers who had shaped them. "Or are you going to spend the evening with the other side of your family, for what ever it is Spencer does for fun, outside of tormenting you."

"Just ignore him. he doesn't torture me." Nikolas gave Will a smile. "And I have no plans. I ceertainly don't have a girl like Jessica Buchanan to distract me morning, noon and night." He shrugged. "my Royal hands are getting tired, that's all."

"Sure it is, and I'm going to be crowned king or something next week." Will said with a laugh. "You probably had a shot at Jessie, but you don't fit the Face of Enchantment. Too dark and brooding. I've got great cheekbones, at least that's what her loony old boss thinks. But you know Serena's single if you're looking for a great girl. She's a doll, and loaded in her own right. Not a queen or anything, but a nice kid. Plus, she’s the Face of Deception, the whole dark brooding thing would work for her look."

"She's a beautiful girl." Nikolas replied, nodding. "But I just don't think she's it for me Will. there is someone out there that is perfect for me and I just have to find her."

"Now if you had said blonde with a bad personality, or at least an attitude, I'd say I could hook you up with my mom. She's definately older, and has a thing for young rich men. But in curvy, I don't think you mean baggy, although she's not bad looking for an older woman I guess," Will shrugged, and tried not to think of his mom in that context. "But I don't think you could get along with her for long. But just think, if you two did hit off, you could be my new daddy. Don't you want to be my new daddy?" he asked, with a laugh.

"Not really Will." Nikolas said with a smile. "By older I mean maybe five or ten years, not old enough to be my mother." He shook his head in a distinctly amused way

"If I could get a mom like yours, I don't think I'd much mind. She's really hot, and the nicest woman in the world on top of it." Will loved Laura, she was everything his mother had never been, as far as being a normal mom. She made cookies, she worked out side of the house, she actually liked her kids. "What she sees in that old man, I'll never know. But if it weren't for the fact that Jessica and Luke would both kill me if I even looked at her, I'd seriously be thinking about it. That's my kind of woman."

Nikolas hit Will on the shoulder playfully. "She wouldn't have you. She likes her guys to have style and you my friend." Nikolas glanced at Will's grease laden coveralls. "Do not qualify. As for what she sees in Luke Spencer, who can explain that." Nikolas tried to attain a nonchalant shrug even though this was a subject that bothered him greatly. He still harbored a hope that his mother would find her way back to his family.

"But I wash up well, when my partner doesn’t insist on spending the day fixing up this rust bucket. Give me fifteen minutes to take a shower, and you’re going to see a whole new man. One who is going to have not only the face of enchantment on my arm, but the face of deception." Two more beautiful women he’d honestly never seen, and to be the one escorting them around town and saving them from their admirers was always fun. "Why don’t you scrub up too and come out with us. The girls want to go see some band over at Lukes, and you could probably get us a decent table. And you could at least talk to Serena. You never know Cassadine, when love is going to bump into you and give you a little tap. And you won’t know until you at least talk to the woman."

Niklolas considered this for a moment before nodding. "I would like that." He said, a thin stream of vulnerability in his voice. Being part of the only royal family in these parts had terrible disadvantages sometimes. He had never been allowed to cultivate friends as a child and only recently had learned what male friendship was all about, both with his brother Lucky and with his new friend Will. Part of being friends with something was the social interaction that Nikolas craved and even though he was uninterested in Serena as a date, spending the night with she Jessica and Will would be wonderful.

"You’ll have a great time Nik. Why, you might enjoy yourself so much, that you’ll come out with us on a regular basis. Being the boyfriend of a super model has its advantages and disadvantages," Will admitted, with a sly grin. "But the advantages tend to weigh out the bad stuff. There’s always a party or club to be at. Why, it’s probably similar to your balls and things, but a lot more fun. I’m bound and determined to teach you how the other half live. It’s about time you’ve gone slumming my boy."

"Slumming is that what you call it?" Nikolas gave Will a cocky grin. "Let's go onward, prince William, show me this slumming that you speak of."

~*~

"I'm sorry I'm late luv!" Jerry Jacks rushed into the penthouse that sat high about the city of Port Charles. He had been caught late at work again, for the third time in a week. His wife was sure to be angry about this. "Luv are you here?" Jerry asked, a little more tentatively this time. His wife could be high tempered sometimes. "Liza are you shopping again?"

"No one would blame me if I were, but I'm here waiting patiently for my husband." Liza said coming into the living room carrying the most recent addition to their family, year old Jakob. "You're just in time to go with me and pick Colby up from her dance lessons, she was pretty upset that you weren't here to tuck her in last night," She knew that if she was going to lay on the guilt, it was going to have to come from someone other then herself. Jerry seemed immune to her attempts, but any mention of the kids, and he was putty in her hand. "There was a matter of a story that never got finished from this weekend that she would like to try and resolve."

Jerry nodded and raked his hand through his hair. "I'm so sorry luv." He replied as he kissed his beautiful blond wife's cheek and cuddled his son. "Work has been very busy of late and Jasper's off doing....well whatever he does to avoid working at the company. that leaves dad and I with an enormous workload."

"I know Jer, but I'm not six and in love with her daddy. I can understand all to well about late nights and tons of work. I didn't give up my job until number three here." She said kissing her son's curly dark hair. "But telling Colby that the favorite of her daddy's can't be home to tuck her in and read her Paddington Robot isn't easy. And I don't do the voices right for her. And little Janie isn't interested in going to bed if she doesn't get her daddy kiss. I've managed to get creative, but your brother be damned, your kids are missing you."

"And I miss them, you." Jerry pulled Liza into his arms gently. "This isn't any more enjoyable for me, but dad needs someone to help him run the company and like it or not, I'm the responsible one in the family."

I never thought I'd hear the day you fess up to that. You've spent so much of your life trying to keep up with your little brother and his exploits, that I never thought I'd see the day you could settle down into life as a businessman." She loved the wild child that she first fell in love with, but Liza was happiest with this man, the responsible one who trys to tuck in his kids, and takes care of his parents. "But when I see Jax next, I'm going to kill him."

"I had to Liza. I'm not getting any younger. Following that daredevil around would just get my dead."

"Why do you think I upped your life insurance policy?" She asked wickedly, a glint of amusement in her clear green eyes. "I had to have some sort of protection, just in case you decided to follow that idiot down the wrong path and it got you both killed. I'm just glad I'm not going to need that. I've grown too fond of you to want to have to identify your remains on some backwater planet, because you got eaten by some of the local wild life."

"Or some of the local women. Jax seems to be spending more and more time on Amazonia." Jerry reminded gently.

"Oh, I don't even want to consider that. I might not like him all the time, I'd like to think he's got better taste then that. I thought he was dating Princess Alexis anyway?" She asked, not sure what she saw in Jax, "Doesn't cheating on a ruling family member bring on some stiff punishment?"

"Alexis could undoubtedly tell you more than I." Jerry said with a small shrug. He knew the princess and Liza had spent some time together recently. As for what I know, I see her moving between Jasper and Ned Ashton, while each maintains another relationship on the side."

"Oh, to be young," Liza said with a shake of her head. Those were days she’d rather put behind her, and for the most part had. "Alexis and I do have a lunch date planned, and I’d ask her, but I’d hate to see your parents hurt because of your brother. If she was so inclined to do away with him, I would hate to be the one who brought it around."

"I think she is comfortable with him." Jerry started slowly. "And anyway why are we talking about Jasper. You're husband is home woman. What about a proper welcome?" Jerry pulled Liza into his arms and sealed his lips to hers, banishing all the troubling thoughts. He was where he belonged and for now, nothing else mattered.