|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
Chapter 21--December 27, 1999
Karen sat with Lucy while Scott paced back and forth across the small waiting room. Joe came into the room with coffee and some pastries from the cafeteria. He gave each person a cup of coffee except for Scott who shrugged it off.
Karen: "Scott, you should really sit for a while. Everything will be just fine."
Scott: "I can't say be calm. That's our little girl in there," He said while waving his hand in the air.
Lucy: "I wonder if she even understands what is happening. I hope she's not feeling any pain."
Joe: "She won't be. She'll be sedated and we'll try to keep her pain as minimal as possible."
In a few moments, Eve and Chris stepped into the waiting room. Scott and Lucy immediately converged on them.
Lucy: "How is she?"
Scott: "Is she okay?"
Lucy: "Is it over?"
Scott: "Is she in pain?"
Eve: "Hold on. Take it easy."
Chris: "Christina's just fine. The procedure went perfectly. She's in recovery right now and she seems to be resting comfortably. She'll have to be in isolation for a few days so her immune system can recover."
Scott: "So she's okay."
Lucy hugged Scott and he returned her hug. Lucy turned back to Chris.
Lucy: "When can we see her?"
Chris: "She should be out of recovery in about an hour and then she'll be taken to the isolation ward. We'll get you gowned up and back there just as soon as she's settled."
Lucy: "Good, Thank you."
Joe got up and walked over to Chris. The two men stepped aside to discuss the bone marrow infusion for Neil while Eve watched Karen.
Karen watched her two guys talking and wondered how long she would really be able to pull this off. How long would she be able to be with one of them while wanting the other? She looked away, trying to get her thoughts away from the two of them.
Eve noticed something wrong with Karen and walked over to speak with her.
Eve: "Hey, you look like you could use some fresh air. Want to take a walk?"
Karen: "Actually, I'd love to," She let out a long held breath.
Karen got out of her chair and followed Eve out of the waiting area. They walked down the hall, taking one step at a time.
Eve: "What's wrong, Karen? You don't seem quite yourself today."
Karen: "Nothing. I'm fine," She said quickly, answering without looking at Eve.
Eve stopped and pulled Karen into a vacant hospital room.
Eve: "What's wrong?"
Karen looked at Eve for a moment before turning away and walking across the room to look out the window. She took a deep breath.
Karen: "Just when I thought things couldn't get any more complicated, they did. I don't know how I got myself into this mess to begin with. All I did was have a good time and enjoy myself, but I can't have that."
Eve: "Karen, slow down. You lost me. What are you talking about? Joe? Chris?"
Karen: "Both," She sighed as she turned back to look at Eve, "I want to be with Chris, but I can't. I can't leave Joe this way. Not during all of this, especially now that he has to tell Frank that he knows the truth. How can I leave him that way? I can't."
Eve: "Sounds like you already know the answer to your own question. Have you told Chris yet?"
Karen: "Yeah, I have, but that doesn't make it any easier to see him and know that he's the one I want to be with."
Eve: "He really got to you, didn't he?"
Karen: "Yeah, he did," She nodded, "He knows how to make me smile and to really see me. He sees the real me beneath everything that I've tried to build to protect myself. He can make me laugh without trying, and he can make me smile just by looking at me."
Eve: "You make it sound like you're falling in love with him."
Karen looked up to Eve without saying anything. Eve sighed.
Eve: "You are falling for him. Karen, that is very complicated."
Karen: "Now you understand why I'm so confused. How do I keep on breaking my own heart, Eve?"
Eve: "You have to do what's right for you. Let Joe know how you're feeling, Karen."
Karen: "How can I do that to him, Eve? He's just found out that the son he loved isn't his. He just found out that the baby he thought would be his isn't. How can I tell him that I'm not in love with him anymore?"
Eve: "I don't suppose you can," She frowned as she walked over to Karen, "You have to do something though because it's obvious that you're not okay with all of this."
Karen: "No, I'm not," She said going over and sitting on the bed, "I don't know what to do."
Eve: "And I don't know what to tell you to do," She said as she watched Karen.
Karen: "Well, since I don't know what to do to make myself happy, I guess I'll just go back out there and be Joe's support system. I seem to do that so well."
Eve: "Don't take on too much, Karen. You have to be sure that you can make yourself happy when all is said and done."
Karen: "I don't know if that'll ever be possible, Eve, but I'm gonna try."
Chapter 22
Chris sat down in the on-call room looking over notes on a chart when the door opened, and he watched as Karen stepped inside. She watched him for a moment before smiling.
Karen: "That was good work this morning."
Chris: "Thank you," He said directing his eyes back to the chart before him.
Karen walked across the room and poured herself a cup of coffee. She turned around and sat down on the sofa, looking across to Chris who was reading the chart.
Chris was only trying to look like he was reading the chart. He was fighting the urge to turn around and look at her, to tell her to forget what they'd discussed the other night. He was fighting the urge to tell her that he wanted her despite all the obstacles in their way.
Karen sipped her coffee and wondered if she was going to feel this way every time she saw Chris. She felt like kissing him and killing him all at the same time. If he hadn't made her laugh, if he hadn't brought spontaneity into her life, if he hadn't made her start falling for him, then her life wouldn't be so complicated.
Chris placed the chart down onto the table and turned in his chair to find her. He locked gazes with hers.
Chris: "I could feel your eyes on me."
Karen: "Sorry," She said looking away.
Chris: "You have nothing to be sorry for. Who could blame you for looking at such a sexy man?" He teased.
She smiled.
Karen: "You never fail to disarm me, do you?"
Chris: "No, I don't," He grinned as he moved to sit beside her on the sofa.
She looked over at him and felt so happy as she watched him smile. She wanted to reach out to touch him, to kiss him, but she couldn't. And that was something she had to work on.
Karen: "We need to talk."
Chris: "Yeah, we do," He nodded in agreement, "Because I don't know how I'm gonna be able to keep myself from kissing you."
She felt her heart melt at the thought of his kiss. Her eyes were immediately drawn to his lips as if she expected him to kiss her. She turned her face from his to look around the room.
Karen: "I didn't think it would be this hard."
Chris: "Honestly, neither did I. I thought we would be able to go back to the way things used to be, but I can't. It's just not what I truly want."
She wanted to ask him what he wanted but it wasn't really important to what she had to do. She knew that hearing him say it would only make things more difficult.
Karen: "Then what do we do, Chris?" She asked looking back to him, "I don't want to lose this thing we've stumbled into."
Chris: "I don't either. You've done something to me, Karen, that I can't explain. I know this is all very complicated, but we'll find a way."
Karen: "I . . . . I can't leave Joe right now though, Chris. I just can't."
Chris: "I understand that. You're a good woman, Karen, with a big heart. You wouldn't be the person I admire if you didn't stand by him."
Karen: "I wish things could be different"
Chris: "I know you do, and so do I. But we'll just take this one day at a time like we'd talked about before."
Karen: "Thank you for being so understanding about this. Somehow I never figured you for that."
Chris: "I'm patient when it serves me," He grinned slowly.
She leaned over and placed her head on his shoulder, relaxing against him.
Karen: "I think this will serve us both."
Chris: "It will," He said taking her hand in his and gently stroking her finger with his.
The door opened and Joe stepped inside. He looked at Chris and Karen and allowed the door to close behind him as he placed his hand on his hips.
Joe: "Something going on I should know about?"
Karen sat up and looked over at Joe. Chris sat back and watched as she seemed shell-shocked. She shook her head.
Karen: "Nothing important. How's Neil?"
Joe: "Resting," He sighed as he sank into a chair, "Christina seems to be doing all right as well. This came at just the right time."
Chris stood and took his chart from the table. He turned and winked at Karen before leaving the on-call room.
Karen moved closer to Joe and took his hand.
Karen: "We finally get some good news, huh?" She asked with a faint smile.
Joe: "Yeah, it's about time. But there's a problem."
Karen: "Problem? What sort of problem Joe?"
Joe: "Frank and Courtney are wondering who donated the marrow."
Karen: "You haven't told them yet?"
Joe: "I couldn't. I have no way of doing it without it being the most painful experience of my life," He said before stopping, "I wish he was my son."
She frowned.
Karen: "I'm sorry Joe."
Joe: "You're not the one that did this to me, Karen. Courtney and Frank did. Don't apologize for something you can't change."
Karen sat watching him, wondering when the time would come when she'd have to tell him about her own deception. She wondered how she would be able to tell him that she couldn't be with him any more. She wondered if she would be able to do it.
Chapter 23--December 28, 1999
Chris stepped into the isolation ward and walked into Christina's room. He picked up her chart and looked over her latest vitals. Eve walked up beside him.
Eve: "How's it going Roomie?"
He smiled as he closed the file.
Chris: "Going just fine. Christina and Neil are both resting comfortably."
Eve: "And what about you?"
Chris: "What about me?" He half-smiled, "I'm just fine."
Eve: "Sure you are," She said skeptically.
Chris: "I am. Everything is working out for the best."
Eve: "And you and Karen?"
Chris looked over to her and frowned.
Chris: "What about me and Karen?"
Eve: "Is everything going to work out for the best with you two? Karen didn't seem too happy this morning."
Chris: "Eve, you're wanting to say something. Just say it."
Eve: "Are you sure you know what you're doing? You two have some . . . . something between you. Karen looks at you differently now, and you, well, you've been a little different since Julie was sent to prison."
Chris: "Karen's been incredibly good to me. I owe her."
Eve: "Is that all it is? You owe her?"
Chris: "That's not all it is, but I can't explain it."
Eve: "Yes you can. You know what's going on."
He closed his eyes.
Chris: "I can't do that to her, Eve."
Eve: "What? Love her? She doesn't seem to think that would be such a bad thing."
Chris: "I can't love her, Eve. Everytime I think I'm in love . . . well. . it never ends well."
Eve: "It doesn't have to end, Chris," She said with half a smile.
Chris: "It will. It always does."
Eve: "You're not exactly optimistic here, Chris."
Chris: "I can't be. Being optimistic would imply that we have a chance, but we don't. She's with Joe and she's trying to help him through this thing with Neil. She's going to come to her senses eventually and realize what a great thing she has with Joe."
Eve: "Chris, she's not in love with him anymore. Things haven't been perfect between them for a long time. She actually smiles when she sees you. She hasn't done that with Joe in a very long time."
Chris thought about Karen and broke a small smile.
Chris: "I want to make her happy, Eve. I just don't know if I will be able to do that. I always seem to be too late to do that."
Eve: "Then why wait? Make her happy, Chris," She said with an encouraging smile.
Chris: "I'm going to try," He smiled before walking away.
Chapter 24
Joe stood on the porch at the Scanlon house looking out at the night stars. Things couldn't have gone this badly for him. He had always tried to do the right thing, but bad things kept happening to him. He frowned as he thought about all the things that Frank had done to him over the past year. And now to find out that it had started ten years ago. He sat down on the railing and leaned his head back against the house.
Karen started up the walk and saw Joe on the porch. She frowned as she saw how down he looked. She continued up the walk and stepped onto the porch.
Karen: "Can't you get any rest inside the house?" She asked with a half-smile.
Joe looked up and watched Karen for a moment. He shook his head.
Joe: "No, I can't think in there. I go in and I start thinking about Neil and all the good times we've had. It's just too hard."
Karen: "Have you decided to tell Frank yet?"
Joe: "No," He shook his head.
Karen: "Putting it off is only going to make things worse."
Joe: "I know, but I just can't bring myself to do it."
Karen: "Joe," She began, "I know how much Neil means to you. I know that you wish this all just a nightmare. We have to face the truth though. It's right in front of us and we can't turn away. You need to tell Courtney and Frank that you know the truth."
Joe looked up at Karen and nodded.
Joe: "You're right. I do, but I just don't know if I can."
Karen: "You can. And I'll be right here to help you."
Joe nodded and half-smiled. He looked at her for a moment before he spoke again, taking her hand.
Joe: "Karen, when this is all over with and we know that Neil's recovering, let's go away for a while. Let's go some place where we don't have to worry about anyone else but us. What do you say?"
She was taken slightly off guard by his eagerness and she looked at him.
Karen: "Oh, Joe. . . I . . . I don't know if that's such a good idea."
Joe: "Why not? We'll go away and we'll have just us."
Karen: "Because you wouldn't be going away to be with me. You'd be running away from what's right here in Port Charles."
Joe: "You don't want to," He offered.
Karen: "I don't think it's a good idea, Joe. I think you need time to yourself. I don't think running away from Port Charles together is going to make either of us happy."
Joe: "There's something you're not telling me," He said after a moment of silence. "What is it?"
Karen: "Nothing that we need to talk about right now."
Joe: "What is it Karen? No secrets."
She looked at him for a moment then finally spoke.
Karen: "Joe, I don't know how to tell you this."
Joe: "Whatever it is, Karen, you can tell me," He said in an understanding voice.
She really wished that he hadn't been so nice about the situation. It would have been so much easier to tell him this in anger than it would while he was looking at her with a sympathetic look in his eye. She took her hand from his and pulled her jacket tighter around her as she moved across the porch to look away from him.
Karen: "It's about us, Joe. Things haven't been right between us in a very long time. You and I haven't been able to connect for months."
Joe: "Because of Frank," He nodded, "I haven't forgotten, Karen. He's going to pay for that."
Karen: "Joe, just hear me out. This is hard enough to do as it is."
Joe: "What's wrong?" He asked as he stood and walked over to her, "Tell me."
She turned to look at him and felt her heart sink even further.
Karen: "Joe, I don't think there's a future for us. Things keep working against us, over and over again. And I don't love you the way you should be loved."
He watched her for a moment before taking a step back and running his hand through his hair.
Joe: "You're not in love with me anymore, are you?"
She felt the tears come to her eyes involuntarily as she nodded.
Karen: "You're very dear to me, Joe. You always have been and you always will be, but I don't feel for you like I should. You deserve so much more."
Joe closed his eyes and took a breath.
Joe: "You really are with Ramsey, aren't you? You're sleeping with him, aren't you?"
Karen: "No, I'm not sleeping with him," She said as she wiped a tear from her cheek, "But I do have feelings for him. I never meant for it to happen, but it did."
Joe turned away from her and folded his arms across his chest.
Joe: "You're in love with him, aren't you?"
Karen didn't know how to answer him so she remained silent. She walked over to the steps of the porch and stopped as she looked back at him.
Karen: "Joe, for what it's worth, I will always care about you."
She turned back and walked down the steps, leaving the Scanlon house.
Chapter 25--December 30, 1999
Joe stood at the door of Neil's room watching Courtney as she read to Neil. Neil was soon asleep and Courtney walked to the door. She stepped outside and smiled when she saw Joe.
Courtney: "Joe, is everything okay with Neil?"
Joe: "Yes, his white count is already showing some improvement. It's just a start, but hopefully it'll continue that way."
Courtney: "It's good to know that he's doing well. If you hadn't found the donor, it would be months before this baby," She said placing her hand over her stomach, "Could help him. But maybe now, Neil will be healthy when his little brother or sister arrives."
Joe: "I certainly hope so," He said as he looked at her then away.
Frank walked up to the pair and smiled.
Frank: "Hey, how's Neil?"
Joe: "He's doing just fine. He's responding to the bone marrow and it looks like he's got a good shot at recovery now."
Frank: "That's great," He said taking Courtney in his arms to hug her.
Joe looked away and then back towards the room where Neil was sleeping.
Frank: "So who is this bone marrow donor?"
Courtney: "Yeah, we really owe them. I want to tell them how much I appreciate it."
Joe looked at them for a moment then saw Chris and Karen down the hall. He wanted to scream as he saw Karen smile at Chris. He caught Chris's attention and motioned for Chris to join them.
Joe: "Maybe you can."
Frank: "Well, who is the donor?"
Joe looked over to Chris who had joined them.
Chris: "Your daughter, Frank."
Frank: "What? What are you talking about Ramsey?"
Chris: "Christina. She's your daughter Frank. And she was a match for her big brother."
Courtney looked to Frank as she worried about Chris telling the truth. Frank looked back at Chris with a menacing look.
Chris: "Surprised, Frank? Surprised that you had another kid that you didn't know about?"
Frank: "If you don't shut your mouth, Ramsey..."
Joe: "I know the truth, Frank. I know that Neil's not my son. How long did you think you could keep it a secret?"
Frank: "Look Joe, it's not what you think. I didn't know until Neil needed a marrow donor."
Joe: "But you were sleeping with Courtney ten years ago, Frank."
Frank: "Yeah, I was. What's this about Christina?"
Chris: "She's your daughter. With Julie."
Frank: "Julie?"
Chris: "Yes, you thought she was crazy, but she wasn't. She was pregnant. And she had Christina."
Frank: "Christina's my daughter?"
Chris: "Yeah, and she was a match for Neil."
Joe looked at Courtney.
Joe: "And this baby?" He said pointing at her stomach.
She looked at him still shell-shocked at what had happened.
Courtney: "Frank's."
Joe looked back at Frank and then walked away.
Frank looked over to Chris.
Frank: "You knew?"
Chris: "Yeah, I knew. Why do you think her name is Christina?" He smiled and then walked away.
Chapter 26--December 31, 1999
Lucy walked to the door of the firehouse and opened it up to see Karen standing there. Lucy smiled.
Lucy: "I was just on my way to the hospital to be with Christina," She said before she noticed Karen's somber look, "Oh no, nothing has happened to her, has it?"
Karen: "No, no, Christina's just fine."
Lucy: "Then Karen, what's wrong? You don't look so good. Come on in," She said taking Karen's hand and bringing her inside.
Karen: "Joe left town. He left a note for Mary and he just left."
Lucy: "Oh Karen, honey. I'm sorry. Why did he leave?"
Karen: "For a bunch of reasons. He left because I told him I wasn't in love with him anymore, because Neil isn't his son, for a hundred different reasons," She said as she sank onto the sofa.
Lucy: "I thought you and Joe were working things out."
Karen: "I think we were. At least I thought we were. But then he came along and showed me what I was missing."
Lucy: "He? He who?" She asked sitting beside her, "Who is he?"
Karen: "Oh Lucy, he makes me feel like I haven't in a very long time. And he was right here in front of me this entire time. He makes me laugh and he just makes me feel like me."
Lucy: "Who is he??"
Karen: "And I guess I should feel guilty for not being in love with Joe, but things were already going wrong between us when Chris and I started seeing one another. And it's not like Chris and I meant for this to happen. It just seemed to click into place."
Lucy: "Whoa, hold it!" She said finally getting Karen's attention, "Chris? As in Chris Ramsey?"
Karen: "Yeah," She smiled dreamily, "He's not what he appears to be."
Lucy: "He appears to be a conniving cheating con artist, and that's exactly what he is."
Karen: "You don't know him like I do, Lucy. He's different."
Lucy: "He's a con, Karen."
Karen: "Didn't people use to say the same thing about you, Lucy?"
Lucy: "Yes, and they were right at the time."
Karen: "Well, I think Chris is like you. He has another side to him that he doesn't let other people see. But he let me see him, the real him."
Lucy: "Oh Karen, please tell me that you're not serious."
Karen: "I'm very serious, Lucy," She said with half a smile, "I'm falling in love with him."
Lucy: "Oh Karen, your father is not going to be happy with this. And it's only because he doesn't want to see you get hurt. And I don't either."
Karen: "Lucy, listen to me. Keep Scott from going crazy. I want this to work on it's own. No interference."
Lucy nodded: "Okay, I'll try. But if Chris hurts you..."
Karen: "Then Scott can do whatever he wants," She smiled as she started towards the door, "I wanted to come by and give you fair warning because he'll be at the party at GH."
Lucy: "I hope you know what you're doing, Karen."
Karen: "I do. I'm making myself happy."
Chapter 27--New Year's Eve Party at GH
Chris stood in the on-call room flipping channels on the television. He finally switched it off as the door opened and Karen stepped inside.
He smiled.
Chris: "You look beautiful."
Karen: "Thank you," She smiled before twirling around and then laughing slightly, "So, you ready to start off a new century?"
Chris: "More than ready, especially if I get to kiss you at midnight."
She grinned.
Karen: "Want me to tell you that I hate you before the clock strikes twelve?"
Chris: "How about we start the new year with a new tradition?" He asked as he walked towards her, "How about I just kiss you because I want to?"
Karen: "You haven't done that already?" She asked with a grin as he took her in his arms.
Chris: "Maybe once or twice, but not as a habit," He smiled before placing his lips to hers in a soft kiss.
Karen: "Hmm, I think this tradition has something to it after all," She said as she wrapped her arms around him and returned his kiss, "But we'd better get upstairs if we're going to see the fireworks."
Chris: "Yeah, I suppose so," He smiled, taking her hand as they walked out of the on-call room and started to the roof.
Lucy, Scott, Christina, Serena, Eve, Kevin, Courtney, Frank, Neil, Mary, Victor, and Rachel were all gathered there as well as other doctors and patients from the hospital. They all looked out towards the harbor where the fireworks were set to be launched from.
Chris and Karen walked to a corner of the room and smiled at one another.
Chris: "Have you made your new year's resolutions yet?"
Karen: "Yeah, I've made one and it involves you especially."
Chris: "Me? And what resolution would that be?" He asked, looking into her eyes and holding her in his arms.
Karen: "To have fun and be true to myself."
Chris: "How does that involve me?"
Karen: "Because you are fun, and besides that. . . you see the real me. The me that no one else sees, but who I live with every day. You let me be that woman and I can't thank you enough for that."
Chris: "I have a resolution of my own."
Karen: "What's that?"
Chris: "To keep that smile on these beautiful lips," He said tracing her lips with a fingertip, "And to enjoy how you make me feel."
Karen: "Oh Chris," She said wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly.
He held her to him and smiled. She pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes.
Crowd: "10. . . . 9 . . . 8 . . . "
Chris smiled as he lowered his lips to hers, kissing her and holding onto her as the countdown continued.
Crowd: "7 . . . . 6 . . . . . . 5. . ."
Karen held onto him, losing herself in his kiss, and not caring who saw them together.
Scott glanced over and saw the embrace between Karen & Chris.
Scott: "What the hell..."
Lucy glanced over: "Hey Pal, it's new years," She said gathering his attention back, "People get a little crazy."
Scott nodded and held Lucy as the countdown continued.
Crowd: "4 . . . . . . 3. . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . 1! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!"
Chris and Karen slowly parted and they smiled at one another.
Chris: "Happy New Year."
Karen: "Happy New Year."
They looked at one another once more before returning to their kiss, looking forward to the beginning of something beautiful and new.