by Lisa B
Chapter 101
"Dead?" Brenda repeated incredulously. "Did he just say dead?"
Julia knelt by her sister checking to see how much damage Jason's actions had inflicted. Raising her finger to her lips, she motioned again for Brenda to stop talking. Julia turned on the radio next to the bed and set the volume loud enough to drown out their conversation.
"Oh Bren, your neck is already turning black and blue. How do you feel?"
"I don't think I'll be singing any time soon but that's no loss. Julia, don't count on me to shout for help. It ain't gonna happen." Brenda's hands massaged her manhandled vocal cords. "Julia he did say Sonny was dead didn't he?"
"Yes but what does it mean and how does Jason tie into all this."
Brenda closed her eyes and let the memories wash over her. She dredged up the old haunting recollections of her relationship with Sonny. Vividly, she remembered the day that Jason Quartermaine ceased to be. The sweet, brilliant young man lost to the hoodlum that loomed within. AJ's drunken ride left his brother brain damaged and wanting for guidance. Unfortunately, he found that guidance at Sonny Corinthos' knee. He loved and emulated Sonny. For the first time in a long time, Brenda was afraid of Sonny Corinthos. He was stronger dead than alive. In life, he had tried and almost succeeded in ripping her life to shreds. In death, he would finally finish the task. Since Jason believed she had somehow killed his mentor, he would stop at nothing to make Brenda pay.
Brenda had walked right into his trap…his death trap. She was convinced that she would never leave this house alive. Since there was no saving herself, Brenda decided it was time to focus on the one thing she could do. She had to find a way to save her sister. For years, every one warned her that if she played with fire she would eventually get burned. Well, the fire was finally raging around her. For so many years, she had thumbed her nose at the things that she wanted most in her life…stability, love and family. Funny how life has a way of changing when you least expect it.
She had spent so much time and energy trying to latch onto Sonny that she had missed what love really was. Jax, her beautiful golden haired husband, loved her so much that she was shrouded by his love. It was in the air. Without thinking, Brenda had opened herself up to that love and for the first time in her miserable life she had found happiness. Their impromptu wedding on the yacht, the honeymoon, the comfort of being herself and enjoying the adventures of each new day were frightening to her. She loved Jax, truly loved him before they had ever gotten married. She loved him in Malibu. She loved him as he sat by her side at the hospital but she didn't know it because she didn't understand it. Her mind had wrapped itself around the idea of love and fidelity and single-mindedly she decided it could only be found with that sleazeball Sonny. Brenda had come to expect Jax to always be there helping her, supporting her…her constant friend and companion. He was her lover without them ever making love. When he looked into her eyes, he saw her to the depths of her soul and he loved her. And so she loved him, yet she had been willing to throw it all away by succumbing to her old ideas of love and fidelity which were forever linked to Sonny. He was the prize, the proverbial brass ring. He was more like the booby prize but she had been to naïve to realize it.
And so she started her journey of self-awareness. She had let Miranda run her out of town. Actually, Miranda was just the catalyst. Shame is really what drove her away. The shame of realizing she had betrayed the man she loved just to have the prize. Bedding Sonny in that freaking cave had nothing to do with love but the childish wish to have to win. It had taken Brenda many sleepless nights to figure out what made her tick. It had taken Sofia and Vincent to teach her what marriage and commitment meant. Sofia had accepted without ever questioning that she was Mrs. Giovanni, a young widow. Her friends had opened their lives and their home to her. Brenda loved them and their children. In Como, she belonged. She belonged because instead of plotting and planning she just lived. During those months, Brenda realized that love was not about what could have been it is about what is. It's not about trying to fit a mold or finding a way for it to happen. Love survives because of and despite of itself. Love just is.
She remembered the moment Jax walked into Mr. Tordanado's café. He was a dream in motion. All of the feelings swirled around her when she saw his face. They had each battled the demons that threatened to strangle their love. It always amazed Brenda that Jax could let go of the past. In her heart, she knew that what happened in the cave had ceased being a part of his life long ago. He had placed it in a box and tucked it away in a dark corner where it belonged. Their relationship was about them. In loving each other, they accepted the baggage the other brought to the table.
The wedding in Como was the fulfillment of their destiny. They faced the beasts that lived within and before God and family pledged their love and commitment. Brenda stood tall and weathered Lady Jane's cold shoulder and Jerry's blatant disdain.
She buried her face in her hands as pictured Jerry weeping in Jax' arms. The burden he carried just now coming to light. Brenda had condemned Jerry without bothering to know him. Because he had closed his mind to her, she fell into the old trap and closed her mind to him. How foolish Brenda had been. The entire family had pigeonholed Jerry into a role. He was the swashbuckler, the dare devil, the carefree and uncaring Jacks brother. Even watching him weep had not been enough to make Brenda change her mind. Glimpsing the bond between Emily Thompson and Jerry had not been enough to make Brenda change her mind. Jerry had held Emily's hand. He took her to say goodbye to her daughter. He had been forced to face the fact that Karen's blood was on his hands. It was so easy to be judgmental when would Brenda ever learn to let compassion guide her way.
Now, it was too late. As surely as she breathed, Brenda knew she would die at Jason's hand, which brought her back to Julia. Julia had to survive. She had to live because she didn't deserve to die for her sister's mistakes. Julia had to live to explain to Jax how much she loved him. On Kronos, Brenda had vowed to herself she would never walk out of Jax life again. She would never leave him wandering the globe trying to find her. She wouldn't have him pining over her coffin blaming himself for her death. In death, she refused to be a wedge driven between Jax and Jerry tearing them apart. Jax had to understand that she came to England alone because she had to. Julia was her sister and she had to help her just as Jax had to help Jerry. It keeps the planets in alignment. Family was forever.
Brenda picked up her sister's hand. It was time to fill Julia in on all the years she had missed in Brenda's life. It was time to sing the praises of her love for Jax and Lady Jane, John, even Jerry. Julia had to be able to make him understand. Julia had to be able to help Jax accept what was and go on with his life. The one thing Brenda did not want was for Jax to never love again. He had so much to give what a waste if he just let it shrivel up and die with her.
And so Brenda started her story. At first it came out in incoherent phrases and words but eventually Brenda painted the picture she needed Julia to see.
Julia wept openly afraid of what lie ahead for this young courageous woman she was privileged to be able to call sister.
********************* Damascus Syria *************************
"Jax!" Emily shouted. "You're thinking to rational. Jerry is not that logical. He acts and reacts. He doesn't plan things."
Stomping around the room, Jax bit his tongue before answering. "I know that but we've tried everything. I've bullied, badgered and blustered still nothing. I don't know where else to look."
"Think women. I've never known a man to be such a con artist with women as your brother. Karen used to fill me in on his escapades all the time." Emily finished the sentence before she realized how natural she sounded talking about Karen in these eerily unnatural circumstances. Emily was positive she was thinking in the right direction. If ever there was a hand of God guiding her, she was convinced it was now. Jerry was a good man. He had his faults, tons of them in fact but he was good and kindhearted. What happened to Karen happened because there were cruel and greedy people in this world. Emily wanted Remi Bodega brought to justice. She wanted him stopped before another mother had to suffer. That's when she realized there was someone else who could help them. Someone who would fight as hard as them to stop Bodega. It was time to call reinforcements. "Jax, call your friend…Isabella's brother…what was his name."
"Eduardo?"
"Yes, Eduardo. Isabella is his sister so he deserves to know if she's in danger. He also knows Bodega. The guy is his brother-in-law. If something happens, how do you think you'll feel if you don't call him? I know how I'd feel."
"I guess you're right." Jax answered hesitantly.
"Baloney, you know I'm right. Find out where he is and get him here. The more minds working on this the better. While you're taking care of that, I'm going to pursue the woman theory. I've never known Jerry not to have women involved somehow."
Jax headed into the other room to make a phone call that would be painful to say the least. He didn't know how he was going to tell Eduardo that he thought his sister was in danger and that his brother-in-law was a killer.
****************************** Boson, MA *********************************
Jock waited until the nurse left before checking the package that had been left in his closet while he was out for tests. He ripped the paper off to find a pair of beat up blue jeans, a button down, a jacket and his old beat up deck shoes. Frank had come through big time. Now all he had to do was find a way out of Fort Knox.
Wiggling into his pants, Jock was careful not disturb the tubes pumping into his veins. He'd have to have his plan in motion before he ripped those suckers out. The alarms they set off would get everyone in the metro area hauling ass to track him down.
Jock wheeled his IV pole towards the door. There was just one guard on duty outside. Trevor always did loosen security up a little during the middle of the night. Jock pulled the cell phone out of the packet and shoved the paper into the basket.
Time to set the ball in motion. Jock hung up the phone and waited for the commotion to start. The sound of alarms blaring started right on cue. Jock pulled out the tubes and skirted through the doors as the guard went to find out what was going on. By the time, they figured out it was a false alarm he'd be long gone. He was down the hall and out the doors by the time the malfunctioning alarm on the 4th floor was shut off.
Jock headed for the airport and picked up the ticket waiting for him at the
terminal. Port Charles, New York…what a joy it would be to get to visit
that fair city. He prayed that Joanne hadn't done anything foolish like try
to track down his would be assassins alone. Of course, he knew she had why
else would he have bothered breaking out of the hospital. He just hoped he
was in time to stop her.