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On Bended Knee
By Tona


*~*Chapter Four*~*

Jagger smiled as he watched his ex-wife questioning him with her eyes, "Karen, it's been a long time."

Karen stood motionless as she struggled to swallow a very tight lump in her throat.  She readjusted the files in her arms before speaking again, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

"What?" She questioned in surprise.

"Karen, a lot has happened and I really need to talk to you.  Can we go somewhere to sit and talk?" Jagger questioned as he stepped towards her.

Karen took a step back, "I'm.....no," She decided, "I can't."

"I know you're upset with me.  I screwed up and I'm sorry for that.  I wish I could turn back the hands of time," He paused and shrugged, "But I can't.  What's done is done.  All we've got is right now, and that's why I need to talk to you."

"Jagger," She took another step back in retreat, "I have a meeting that I need to get to."

"Karen, you don't have to run away from me.  We were married," He paused, "We were even friends once.  Maybe we can get together later and talk....after your meeting."

"I don't think that's a very good idea."

"Is it because we're divorced?"

"No," Karen replied as she met his eyes, "It's because my husband and my daughter are waiting for me at home.  Now if you'll excuse me," She turned and made her way towards the stairs, feeling her heart pounding and her mind racing with the knowledge that her past was back to stare her down.

Chris sat on the sofa, holding Natalie in his lap while dangling a teething ring in front of her.  She reached towards the teething ring and babbled softly as she watched the plastic keys dance about before her.  Chris smiled as he listened to her soft voice, a gentle song humming within her as she spoke towards the plastic keys.

Karen stepped into the apartment and smiled as she spotted her husband and daughter playing together on the sofa.  She placed her bag down and slipped out of her jacket.  She made her way towards them and sank onto the sofa beside them.  She placed her cheek upon Chris' shoulder and sighed.

"Rough meeting?" Chris asked as he pressed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

"The meeting was fine," She sighed as she eased her fingertips over Natalie's fine hair.

"Then what's wrong?" He asked as he glanced towards her.

Karen raised her eyes to meet his, "Jagger's in town."

Chris searched her eyes for a moment before her looked back to Natalie before him, "Oh."

"Oh?" She questioned as she looked to Natalie.

"That explains your mood," He explained as he shifted his daughter in his lap, "Do you want to talk about it?"

She looked to Natalie who held out her hand towards her mother.  Karen smiled softly as she took her daughter's hand in her own, "He showed up at the hospital.  He said he wanted to talk to me."

"Did you speak with him?"

"Very briefly," She explained, "I told him that I had a meeting to get to before I came home to you and Natalie."

"You told him you were married?"

She nodded, "But he seemed more shocked when I said that I had a daughter."

Chris looked back to Natalie, "Are you okay with his being in town?"

"I don't even know why he's here, but it doesn't matter.  Now that he knows I've moved on, and that I'm very happily married, he doesn't matter any more."

He touched her cheek, "I love you, Karen.  I just don't want you to be upset."

"I'm not upset.  I was caught off guard, but his presence doesn't upset me.  He doesn't have that much power over my heart," Karen explained as she leaned forward and kissed him tenderly, "Now, didn't someone say something about dinner?"

"That might have been me," He winked at her, "Natalie, what do you say we get Mommy something to eat?"

Natalie wobbled gently before she looked up to her father and allowed a brief toothless smile.  Chris smiled as he hugged his daughter to him and took his wife's hand, "Let's go eat dinner."

The Ramsey family adjourned to their dining area to eat dinner, knowing they had another person to face on their journey.

Jagger sat at the bar, his fingers fidgeting with the paper wrapped on his beer bottle.  He turned the bottle slowly in his hand before he looked to the bartender.  He cleared his throat, "Are you familiar with the people of Port Charles?"

"Yeah, I think I am.  Why?"

"Do you know Dr. Karen Wexler?"

"Yes, I do."

Jagger leaned onto the bar, "What do you know about her husband?"

"He's a worm.  A low life, and I can't understand what she sees in him at all."

"Why do say he's a low life?"

"He lies, cheats, and he never does anything that isn't completely calculated.  The man is a con man."

"What's his name?" Jagger asked curiously.

"Ramsey, Chris Ramsey."

"Have you ever met him?"

"Unfortunately."

"And they have a child?"

"A daughter."

Jagger stared at his beer for a moment before he tossed a few bills on the bar, "Thanks for all your help."

As Jagger stood and made his way out of the establishment, Frank took the money from the bar and smiled, "No problem."
 


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