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*~*Chapter Five*~*
"So has anything exciting happened in Port Charles since I left?" Chris asked as he sat in his leather chair, watching ladies take seats upon the leather sofa opposite him. "Nothing grandiose," Eve shrugged, "Kevin and Lucy are still together with their little family." "Hmm," He nodded, "How is Christina?" She glanced up to watch him as she listened to the sound of his voice. He'd spoken the words calmly enough, but there was something about the way he'd said them that struck a chord with Eve. Was it regret? Or was it a lingering essence of grief left behind from Julie's death? Eve tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "She's growing up to be a beautiful little girl." He nodded emotionlessly before he looked to Karen, "I hear that you and Frank are finally getting married. Congratulations." "Where did you..." Karen asked in a momentary confusion. "Jack told me." "You and Jack are still speaking?" Eve spoke in surprise. "Yes," Chris nodded, "I love my brother. He and I call one another from time to time just to fill one another in about our lives. So, since I haven't gotten the chance to see her, tell me about my niece. The way Jack talks about her, I'm surprised she'd not Miss America by now," He said with a smile. Karen chuckled softly, "He is a very proud father. Deidre looks a lot like Livvie with dark hair and eyes, but her smile is absolutely Jack's." "Jack goes on and on about her every time he phones," Chris paused, "I'm glad that he's been able to make a home and a family for himself. He deserves it." "What about you?" Gabi asked as she shifted in her seat slightly, "Do you have a significant other?" "No," He answered softly, "And right now, that's exactly the way it needs to be for me." "Are you doing some soul searching or something?" Eve asked skeptically. "The soul searching is over. I did that for months after I left Port Charles. When I came here, the answers that I needed just seemed to come to me. And I'm very happy in my life right now." "But don't you want someone to share that happiness with?" Eve asked as she braced herself on the sofa arm. "Right now, I'm happy to share my life with the villagers. Anything more intimate than that doesn't seem like a good idea." "You're just a coward," Eve blurted out. "Excuse me?" He questioned, taken aback by her outburst. "Once bitten, twice shy, Chris. You loved and lost. We've all been there. You're just too big a coward to try it again." "Lambert, you don't know what you're talking about." "Don't I? Is that why you're getting defensive?" "I'm not defensive," He spoke coolly, "I'm at peace with myself." "Then why do you hide up here like some hermit?" "Hide? Is that what you think I'm doing?" He asked with a slight smile tugging at his features. "Yes, I think you're hiding from the world and from yourself." "I'm not hiding from anything," Chris sat forward, "I live up here to get away from the prying eyes of the world. I don't hide from anyone." "Then why are you living up here in the middle of no where?" Eve asked pointedly. He met her eyes, "To get away from people like you," He replied with an unusual calm before he stood, "I'll have McFarland escort you back to the village. Have a safe journey in Mexico," He forced a polite smile, "Good evening, Ladies," Chris gave a polite nod before he left the room. "What was that all about?" Gabi asked as she looked back to Eve. "He'd hiding all right," Eve glanced towards the door, "And if he thinks he can get rid of me that easily, he can guess again. I'm not going anywhere until I find out what he's hiding."
*~*Chapter 6*~* Chris stood on the balcony of his large house, looking out over the village as it shimmered in the morning sun. The village people moved about their daily business, the sounds of joyous laughter carried all the way up the mountain to create a smile within Chris' heart. When McFarland had first alerted him to his visitor yesterday, he'd never imagined that he'd find Eve Lambert standing in his sitting room. He'd left Port Charles two years ago to avoid the unyielding pain of seeing Eve Lambert face to face every day. He'd harbored the secret for so long, but there had been a time when it had become a knife twisting in his heart on a daily basis. The pain had been too much to face, driving him away from Port Charles and towards the happiness he now enjoyed. And then there she was. Standing in his sitting room and demanding answers from him. He'd resisted the initial temptation to throw her out of his house without so much as an explanation, but it had taken all of his self control. Even now he was questioning what had possessed him to reveal himself to her. He'd worn his mask to protect his anonymity. He'd become accustomed to being known as only El Americano. He'd never bothered to reveal himself to any other visitors. So why had he been so quick to unveil himself in front of Eve? He knew why and he cursed himself for it. All the time between them, all the space he'd put between them, and all the running away from her that he'd taxed himself in doing had not managed to erase her effect on him. He looked towards the village and saw the white SUV being loaded to take the tourists back into the city. Very soon, Eve Lambert would be gone from his life once again, and his life would once again be peaceful. He watched as the SUV left a trail of dust behind it as it disappeared into the dense jungle canopy. He breathed a sigh of relief before closing his eyes and listening to the ocean's comforting rhythm as the water crashed onto the beach. He smiled as he allowed himself to relax for the first time since Eve had arrived at his home. "Señor," Sofía spoke from the balcony's doorway, "The young lady from last evening is here. She wants to see you." "What?" Chris involuntarily snapped as he spun to face Sofía, "Where is she?" "In the sitting room," She frowned, "You do not want to see her?" "She was suppose to be leaving," He grumbled to himself. He ran his fingers through his hair before groaning, "And she's going to if I have to carry her out of here myself." Chris stalked into the house, intensely focused upon his destination. His footfalls resonated through the hallway before he entered the sitting room. He spotted Eve as she sat on the sofa, looking as relaxed as if she belonged there. Her luggage sat beside her as she toyed with one of the tags, lightly flipping a corner with her fingers. She caught her first glimpse of him and smiled. "Surprised to see me?" Eve asked with a smile. "You are supposed to be gone," Chris declared firmly. "I know you wanted me to leave," She said softly, "But I know you better than you'd like to think, Chris Ramsey. I know that you're trying to hide something from me, and you know," She said with an exaggerated tone of voice, "My curiosity just gets the better of me. I can't leave until I find out what's going on behind those eyes of yours." "You can and you will. McFarland!" Chris shouted before his valet joined them, "Gather Ms. Lambert's bags. She's leaving." "No, I'm not," Eve stated as she stood and made her way towards Chris, "And you can't make me." "Oh?" He eyed her closely, "You think not?" "I'm not leaving, Chris. You should just get used to it," She said with a clever grin. Chris took a deep breath, "Well, I guess I'll just have to do what needs to be done." "That's right. You will," She said with a smile as she patted him gently on the chest. Chris glanced from her hand to meet her eyes. He flashed her a devious grin before he bent and hoisted her over his shoulder in one sweeping motion. "What are you doing!" Eve squealed, struggling against him as she tried to worm out of his grasp, "Chris, put me down." "I told you that there were two ways of doing this, Eve. You chose the hard way. So now you have to live with it," He explained as he tightened his grip on her. "Chris.....put me down!" She shouted, doing her best to push him away. She continued to struggle against him as his house staff watched with amazed gasps. Chris continued out of the house and began through the courtyard as Eve squirmed, "Will you be still? This was your choice, Lambert. Not mine." "Chris, you can't do this to me. Put me down," She shrieked, pounding on his back. "You want down?" "Yes!" She declared with a loud scream. A moment too late, she realized it wasn't the answer that she should have given. Chris stopped, turned on his heel and deposited Eve right into the pool of his large Roman fountain. Eve emerged from the water with an outraged shriek, "Oh!" She shrieked as she raised up on her knees, "How dare you!" "How dare I?" Chris repeated as he glared at her. He placed his hands on the marble lip of the fountain to meet her at eye level, "I warned you, Lambert." "You haven't changed at all!" She shouted, "You're still a heartless bastard." "And you should have remembered that before you came charging into my home with your sanctimonious preaching," He declared, "You're leaving, and that is final." "I'm not leaving. I will not let you think you've won!" She challenged him, water dripping from her hair and face. "This is not a game, Eve. This is my life, and I don't want you intruding." "Well that's just tough!" She shouted before she grabbed his arms and gave a harsh tug. Chris fell into the water in a fluster of harsh curse words. He pushed himself up from the pool and turned his anger towards her, "Are you out of your mind?" "I am not leaving, Ramsey. Get it through your thick head!" She demanded as she hit the water with her hands, "I'm staying, and that's final!" Chris watched as Eve crawled from the pool and stood upright. She flipped her wet hair from her face and proudly marched directly into his house. He groaned as he looked up towards the skies and sighed with exasperation, "Why me?" Reluctantly, he climbed from the pool and went to confront his uninvited and unwelcome guest.
*~*Chapter 7*~* Chris dripped upon his marble floor as he stood in the foyer, staring at an equally soaked Eve. Her face was flushed, her spine strung taut, and her eyes blazing with anger. He took a deep breath before he glanced to an amused Sofía. The older woman held out a towel to him before also giving one to Eve. The amused Sofía stepped out of the foyer, but Chris knew she would be listening closely nearby. Eve wrapped the warm terry cloth around her shoulders as she glared at Chris. She would begin doubting her decision to stay if he hadn't tried so vehemently to get her to go away. Now she was even more sure that whatever he was hiding was important and perhaps even personal. She couldn't let his secret go now, and she wouldn't. She would get to the bottom of whatever he was hiding even if it killed her. Chris hung the towel around his neck and held tightly to the ends, giving his hands something to do an alternative to immediately throttling her, "Tell me something, Lambert. When exactly did you go completely insane?" She snapped her eyes to cut a hole through him as she finger combed her wet hair, "What is it that you're so determined to see me go?" "Why is it you're too stubborn to abide by my wishes?" He countered. "I will not be bullied, Chris." "Bullied? This is my house!" He growled. "And I'm your friend." "Not any more." "What?" She screeched. "You heard me. Maybe it escaped you that I left Port Charles without telling you, Eve. Maybe you missed the part where I walked out without saying goodbye. Maybe you misunderstood when I demanded you leave," He shouted. "You just don't get it, do you? I didn't come here on some mission to glorify myself. I came here because I consider you a friend, Chris." "A friend?" He repeated, "Now, you want to be my friend?" He snorted before turning to walk into the sitting room. "What exactly is your problem?" She challenged as she followed him with powerful strides, "I am trying to be your friend, but you just make it so damn hard." Chris laughed out loud before he turned to face her. He tossed his towel aside before looking back to her, "You want to be my friend now only because it suits you. You want to stick your nose into my business when I'm not interested in having you anywhere around. I don't want your input, Eve, and I don't need it." "Why are you being this way?" Eve demanded, "Dammit, you owe me some answers." "Isn't that always your way? Everyone owes you something? Well guess what, Eve, I don't owe you anything," He said harshly, "You, on the other hand, owe me. You owe me some peace of mind in my own house. I want to be left alone. Why can't you just honor that?" "Because I see the pain in your eyes, Chris." "What pain?" He scoffed. Eve stared directly at him as she took a deep breath, "The pain of being alone, Chris. You can run away from your friends, your career, you can even leave the country. But you can't run away from the silence of being alone, can you?" She watched as he turned away, "Don't turn away from me, Chris," She grabbed his arm and forced him to face her. "Eve, leave it alone," Chris plead quietly as he searched her dark eyes. He placed his hand over hers, gently freeing himself from her grasp, "Just leave it alone," He stated each word clearly before he left her alone in the silence of his sitting room, silently answering her demanding questions.
*~*Chapter 8*~* Eve sat in the guest room, staring into space as she pulled a brush through her thick dark hair. She had tried to take a step forward with Chris only to be pushed back four. How a rather simple mission become so difficult? She'd only intended to find the truth of what Chris was hiding. Instead, he had only managed to create another challenge for her, breaking down the walls he'd build to deter her incessant curiosity. She took a deep breath as she placed her brush upon the dressing table. She looked into the mirror and sighed. How was she going to get him to talk to her much less reveal whatever secrets he was hiding? Once, speaking with Chris hadn't been a problem. She could always reveal whatever she wanted to him, knowing he would understand her reasoning. Somehow, that was no longer the case. Eve changed her clothes, finding a cool pair of slacks and soft blouse in her suitcases. She admired herself in the mirror for a moment before stepping out of her room. She slowly made her way down the hallway, finding Sofía arranging a vase of fresh flowers in the foyer. Sofía spotted her guest and smiled, "He's in the gardens." "Thank you," Eve replied before she paused, "I'm sorry things got so out of hand earlier. Chris and I have a rather colorful way of dealing with one another." Sofía nodded with an understanding smile, "I believe it from what I saw," She started to speak before she touched Eve's arm, "Don't give up on him." Eve watched Sofía's dark eyes for a moment before nodding. Eve stepped away from Sofía, masking her confusion as best as possible while making her way to the gardens. Had Sofía hoped to give her a clue to her employer's mysterious ways? Eve couldn't be sure, but she would definitely take Sofía's advice in not giving up on Chris. Eve stepped into the gardens, ducking below some vines cascading over the trellised archway. She stopped for a moment on the cobblestone pathway, taking in the lush greenery and vibrant colors of the gardens. Bright pastel flowers contrasted with dark green vines and shrubbery which created various trails throughout the large complex. Eve smiled as a light breeze blew through the area bringing with it the luxurious aroma of fragrant flowers in the garden. She slipped her hands into her pockets, weaving her way towards a fountain that served as the centerpiece. She slowly approached the fountain, seeing Chris sitting upon the marble lip of the fountain. She stopped a few steps away, silently watching him as he gazed towards the fountain. His chestnut hair lightly waivered with the breeze while the collar of his pale blue shirt tickled his neck. His eyes were half closed from the mid afternoon sun, his long lashes providing the perfect canopy. He turned slightly, spotting Eve from the corner of his eye. Eve closed the distance between them and shifted on her feet. Chris watched her for a moment before he looked back to the pale blue water in the fountain, "Here to take another swim?" "Chris," She began softly, "Can we talk?" When he turned to face her, she met his eyes with seriousness, "I mean really talk." He noted her serious tone before nodding and pointing to the fountain, "Pull up some marble." Eve sat on the lip of the fountain and watched a rainbow form in the mist created by the fountain, "I didn't come here to upset your life, Chris." He looked towards her for a moment, "Then why did you come here?" She met his eyes and spoke honestly, "When I saw you last night, all I could think about was our friendship. I never really expected to see you again, Chris. I thought," She paused, "Well, it doesn't matter what I thought. Last night, you caught me off guard, but what I really wanted to say was how much I missed you." "Excuse me?" He questioned, not trusting his own senses. "Do you remember what it used to be like between us?" She looked back to the water, "Do you remember how we used to talk for hours and just be ourselves?" She sighed as she looked back to him, "I've missed that, Chris. I've missed how comfortable we always were with one another." "Eve..." He shifted slightly before she silenced him by lifting her hand. "Chris, what happened to us?" She asked, searching his eyes, "We were friends once, really good friends. I counted you as the only person in the world who has ever understood me." "Please," Chris groaned as he stood and spun back to face her, "You wanted to be my friend only as long as it was convenient for your own purposes. You never gave a damn about what was going on in my life." "Chris, if this is about Julie..." "It isn't just about Julie, but yeah, that's a large part of it. Why couldn't you ever support anything I did? I supported you even when I didn't think you were doing the smart thing." "Like when?" Eve asked as she stood and confronted him, "When did you support one thing?" "Ian, or maybe you forgot that one. I told you to hold onto him and not to let him go," He declared, "But obviously you weren't smart enough to take that advice." "And hold onto someone who I couldn't trust? Chris, I learned so many things about Ian and his past that I could never trust him again. I couldn't live my life that way." Chris shook his head, "So the one time that I give you an unconditional vote of support, you turn your back on him?" "You didn't know the entire story, Chris. Just like I didn't understand what you had with Julie until she was gone," Eve stepped away from him, a breeze whipping by her. She rubbed her arms from the slight chill as she continued, "I never understood that you really loved her until I saw the pain in your eyes after she died. I'm sorry for that, Chris. I'm sorry that I didn't support you when I had the chance." He watched her closely, waiting for some crack to negate her serious tone. When it didn't come, he reached out to touch her shoulder, "Hey...." Eve turned and met his eyes, pausing as she gazed into his dark eyes, "Chris, I just want to be understood again," She said softly as she placed her palm against his chest, "I've only ever had that with you." Chris searched her eyes, finding only pain hidden within. He touched her cheek gently before he withdrew his hand and found a genuine smile coming to his face, "Maybe..." He paused, "Maybe it's possible to be the friends we used to be." "Do you think we could?" She asked as she allowed a smile to cross her face, "Do you think that we still have it in us?" Chris allowed his hands to caress her shoulders gently before he released his hold on her and smiled, "You know us, Lambert. We always have one more fight left in us," He gave her his best smile. Eve smiled as she slipped her arm into his and squeezed him gently, "Think I could talk you into making some of those amazing martinis of yours?" She asked, giving him her best puppy dog eyes. When he gave her a soft smile in response, she felt a hope renewed within her that maybe just maybe her best friend was still alive within the man before her. As they began the walk back towards the house, Eve allowed herself to feel some peace of mind for the first time since Chris had left Port Charles.
*~*Chapter 9*~* Chris filled the martini glasses before dropping two olives into each glass. As the green fruit sank to the bottom of the glass, he watched Eve outside his balcony doors. She braced herself on the rail as she gazed out to see, her dark hair dancing about her lovely face. She closed her eyes and accepted the soft ocean breeze upon her face, the sun caressing her features with tender loving care. He slowly stepped onto the balcony and cleared his throat to announce his presence. Eve turned to see him, smiling with the comfort she felt in the atmosphere. She accepted the martini before taking a seat on one of the sofa cushioned benches on the balcony. Chris took a seat opposite her, sipping his martini before speaking. "Tell me about Daniel," Chris requested. Eve's proud maternal smile burst onto her face, "He's an amazing wonderful little boy, Chris. He's so smart and he learns things so quickly." "Just like his mother," He smiled. "Well, fortunately for him, he usually does things the easy way." "You mean he didn't inherit your passion for making his own way?" "He does things in his own way," She smiled, "He just accepts no for an answer when he's told." "Something you never learned to do," Chris directed his gaze to the horizon, "It's something I didn't learn either." "You? No," She teased with mock surprise. "Yeah, I know. Big shocker," He smiled, "I've learned to accept it better, but I still don't like it." "Sounds like life, doesn't it?" She sighed, "I've learned to accept things that don't go my way, but I still definitely don't like it." "You never did, but you always fought for what you wanted." "Having Daniel has taught me that sometimes what you want isn't what you need. My son has also taught me to choose my fights carefully," She spoke as she looked into her glass. "You really miss him, don't you?" Eve nodded, "I miss him so much, Chris. He's everything in the world to me." She paused, "I never thought I was mother material. After my son died, I spent so long thinking that I didn't deserve to have a child. When Daniel was born, he brought hope and joy back into my life." "I always knew you'd be a good mother," He admitted before sipping his martini. "You did?" She questioned. He nodded, "You always had this caring and tender side of you. You just needed someone to focus all that loving attention on." Eve smiled, "Danny's so special. He inherited my curiosity," She winced through her smile, "Which gets him in trouble from time to time, but when you tell him not to investigate, he agrees. I may not be so lucky when he gets older, but for now, his curiosity still has some limits." "Does he look like you?" Chris asked, watching how Eve's face illuminated when she spoke of her son. "My hair, my eyes, my smile, Ian's dimples." "Well, I suppose he had to inherit something from the other side. Just tell me that he didn't get Ian's temper." "Surprisingly enough, Danny's very level headed. Surprising because even I've been known to lose my cool from time to time." "I remember actually," Chris grinned. "Don't start," Eve warned with a laugh, "So tell me Chris, what have you really been up to since you left Port Charles?" He placed his martini on a nearby end table and leaned back in his seat, "I've just relaxed, rested," He shrugged, "Tried to make some sense out of life." "Find any answers?" "None that make any sense," He smiled as he looked back to her, "Mostly, I just traveled and tried to make myself happy." "Did it work?" "It did," He nodded before sighing, "Until this very determined brunette showed up in my house." Eve chuckled as she nudged him gently, "Come on, Ramsey. Admit it. You've missed me." "Did I say that?" He teased. "In your own way, but I want to hear you admit it." Chris allowed a smile before he nodded, "Okay, I admit it. I've missed you." Eve flashed a bright smile, "See, that didn't hurt, did it?" "Not much," He teased before sipping his martini again. "Excuse me," Sofía spoke from the doorway, "But I was wondering if we should set the table for two this evening." Chris looked to Eve with a smile, "Yes, and please see to it that the guest room is prepared for Ms. Lambert." "It's already been done," Sofía smiled, "I'll see to dinner," She spoke before leaving them alone. "She likes you," Chris noted as he glanced back to her, "What kind of stories have you been telling her?" "Nothing," Eve defended innocently, "I merely told her you were my best friend, and she knows that I'm right," She smiled, patting his hand gently as she thought of what she'd been able to regain since coming to Costa Rica. She'd recaptured a certain magic with her best friend, and she knew in her heart that she'd never be able to leave it behind again. *~*~*~*~*
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