Dara woke up in Justus' bed, alone. She went downstairs and found Justus hovering over his computer. She went and placed her arms around him to snuggle. Justus pushed her away.

" Dara, please, not now."

" I was just trying to kiss you Good Morning."

" You could say it just the same."

" Well, we know who woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or did you ever go to sleep?"

" Yes, I have been down here for hours."

" Why?"

" Designing some business prospectus for our Asian clientele, and trying to craft a proposal that will allow me to be sent on an overseas trip."

" Are you still back with that Ned confusion?"

" There is no confusion, Dara. He stabbed me in the back, plain and simple. He wants me 'in my place'. He made it quite clear."

" Maybe he just wants to motivate you to do better."

" Dara, please. This is Ned Ashton we're talking about. Motivation isn't one of his strong suits. Eliminating threats is. He may be a weasel, but he's good at it."

" So, what do you intend to do?"

" Further ensconce myself at ELQ."

" How much deeper can you be? As is, I get to see you when ELQ drops crumbs of freetime into your lap."

" Dara, this cannot be avoided."

" Baby, you know that I support you in whatever you want. I just want to see your smile sometime. You don't show it often enough anymore. Will I get to see it more this weekend?"

" This weekend?"

" Justus, surely you haven't forgotten that this weekend was our getaway trip to the Vineyard. It's my Grandparents' 55 Wedding Anniversary. All my family is going to be there."

" Dara, I did forget it. Sorry, but I can't go."

" And why not?"

" I have to do research on this new project. I have to be prepared for the meeting."

" Justus, you promised me this weeks ago. We sat down and planned the entire thing. My family is looking forward to meeting you."

" I can meet them some other time."

" When, Justus? When will you tear yourself away from ELQ long enough to do anything. You never spend time with me, for us anymore."

" What do you call last night."

" The proverbial roll in the sack. I obviously wasn't that good for you, considering that as soon as I was asleep, you were attached to your computer. What an ego boost."

" Dara, I don't need this right now."

" Need what? Us fighting? This relationship? Me?"

" All of it. I don't need it."

" Are you trying to tell me that I have outlived my usefullness and you're dismissing me?"

" Dara, no. It's just that."

" That if I want to be here, I ought to get in line. Behind ELQ and the Quartermaines and whatever's going down between you and Ned. Well, you wanna know something Justus? You, Ned and ELQ can all go to hell."

Dara marches into the bedroom and begins to put on her clothes. Justus follows.

" Baby, please. Just calm down."

" Calm down about what, Justus. You are quite clear as to how I measure up."

" That's not true. You spoke all those words. I didn't agree to them. I'm sorry that I have been a major ass lately. No, I haven't been doing us right. I know that. But, it doesn't mean I can't do better."

" Talk is SO cheap Justus. And that's all you've been doing lately."

" I know , I know. And we haven't been spending enough time together. Something that I do regret."

" Do you? The only thing you seem to regret lately is not spending enought time in the office."

" Dara, don't you understand? I feel as if my back is against the wall. And if it isn't against the wall, then I have to constantly check to see if something isn't in my back. Namely Ned's knife."

" Then why don't you just leave it?"

" Excuse me?"

" Leave it...them...Justus. Why don't you just pick up stakes and go elsewhere?"

" How can you ask me that?"

" Simple. This obviously makes you miserable. So, why do it?"

" It doesn't make me miserable. ELQ does not make me miserable. Being with someone who doesn't understand what I want makes me miserable."

" Oh, so I don't understand you? Maybe I don't, because you never talk to me Justus. Everytime I try and talk to you, you shut down."

" PLEASE, don't pull that ' We don't communicate' routine on me."

" Routine. How can it be the routine, when it's the truth. We DONT communicate. You never tell me what's wrong."

" I tell you all the time how I'm feeling squeezed."

" But, you don't tell me why."

" Tell you why? Tell you why? Dara, you are an Ivy-League educated attorney. Why don't YOU tell me."

" Hell if I know. Cause I don't know you anymore. You're not the Justus Ward that first got my attention all those years ago. "

" Well, maybe that Justus Ward never really existed."

" I think he did. But, he doesn't now. You sound, with all your talk of mergers, acquisitions, positioning, just like..."

" Just like what, Dara?"

" I was going to say like Edward. But, then why not, he's your grandfather."

" Well, finally, you acknowledge it."

" Acknowledge what?"

" That I am a Quartermaine. You and Keesha seem to be willing and desiring of seperating me from the rest of my family."

" As I recall, you did the same thing at one point."

" Maybe I did."

" But, not anymore?"

" I don't know, Dara. But, I am tired of having to justify myself and explain what I want."

" Well, maybe you ought to make it clear, this one final time."

" OK. I want it all, Dara. I am tired of living in Ned's shadow, literally. That's what I am, the Black shadow. I am tired of banging my head on the Glass Ceiling of being a Quartermaine. You want me to say it. OK, I'll say it. I want to be CEO of ELQ."

" Why? What could you possibly gain by it?"

" Power, respect."

" You had respect before you went into working for ELQ. And you were building your own sense of power in public life. Justus, that's where you belong. That's what made you happy. It did once.."

" I can't go back to public life, Dara. That's not an option."

" Why not?"

" That time of my life has passed."

" Time of your life? It WAS your life. I thought it would be your destiny."

" Well, destinies change."

" Why? You loved it, and you were good at it. You were a natural."

" And I'm not a natural in business."

" I didn't say that. You're putting words into my mouth. It's just that  everything I saw about you Justus, indicated that your life's path was in public service. You were on your way."

" Well, things change, Dara. Goals, directions, they change."

" But why? Why Justus?"

" Because one day Granny Mae stood up and told and open court that the man on trial for murdering my father, was my Granfather."

" I can't believe that it's that, Justus."

" Of course, it's not just that. But it started a chain of events. And how I thought my life would be, isn't how it is. That Justus Ward is gone. If he was ever there to begin with."

" And what does that mean?"

" It means that THIS is who I am. Me, the workaholic that stands before you, full of ambition."

" I never said that you didn't have ambition. But, it used to be used for.."

" For what? The greater good? For everyone else but myself?"

" Yes, to better the conditions of those around you."

" And you don't think that I can better conditions in corporate life?"

" Well, no."

" Dara, if I wanted a preaching to me on the decline in my morals and ethics, I would go to 'Lil Bit. I thought that you had seen enough of the real world to know how the game is played."

" Yes, I have been in the real world, and I know the game. But, whether you choose to play it or not is a personal choice."

" And you are a better person than myself,  because  you have chosen NOT to play?"

" How did this get to be about me. We were talking about you and the choices that you are making for your life."

" Choices which you obviously disapprove of.."

" Yes, I do. I don't like this part of you, Justus. I don't like what going to ELQ has done to you."

" And what do you think it has done?"

" Brought out the darker side of your personality. And what scares me is that you don't seem to care. You seem to wallow in it and enjoy it."

" And what if I do?"

" Then, I guess we're over. Because I don't like that guy."

" Don't forget to leave the key on your way out."

Dara is left speechless as Justus goes into the bathroom to take a shower.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emily is waiting for Nikolas in the Pediatric Playroom. Lucky comes in.

" Hi, Emily."

" Lucky."

" So, waiting for Nikolas?"

" Yes."

" You're spending a lot of time with him, aren't you?"

" I didn't know that you were so observant, Lucky."

" Me, no. Just seems as when someone sees you, they see him."

" And this is a problem, why?"

" No problem for me at all. Actually, I was thinking the other day about our cross country jaunt. Do you remember it?"

" Yeah. Boy, it seems so long ago, I can't believe it. Like a lifetime. I'll never forget how we made it all the way cross the country together. We were so good as scamming."

" Like that really nice hotel that we got into in Boston?"

" Or the planerides that we got at half-price. I was never scared with you, Lucky. Not even when that mishap happened in the cave. Somehow I knew that we'd be OK. And we were. I missed you Lucky."

" And I missed you too, Emily. I am sorry that I got so wrapped up in the Webber Girls, that I sort of forgot where you lived."

" Oh. I was under the impression that you forgot that I was alive."

They both start to crack up at that statement, which is exactly when Nikolas enters.

" So, what's the joke?"

" Just a private one. So, Nikolas, are you ready to go?"

" Sure."

" Bye Lucky."

" Bye, Em. Cassadine."

" Spencer."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jax is reading contracts when his doorbell rings. He opens the door to find Dara there.

" Dara? Did I forget that we were supposed to meet?"

" No. I just.." Jax sees the tears forming in her eyes.

" Dara, come on in."

Dara sits on the couch.

" Dara, what's wrong."

" Justus and I had a fight. No, more like a complete blowout."

" I see."

" I don't know how it spun out of control, but it just kept on escalating and all these things that I guess we kept bottled in erupted to the surface and..."

The phone rings. " I have to take this call. Jasper Jacks."

Jax continues on the phone and after a few minutes, Dara gets up to leave. Jax motions for her to stay but Dara shakes her head no, and just goes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" See, I win, again. GIN!"

" A.E. Is there a card game that you don't know how to play?"

" None. I think I must have minored in card shark in college."

" Well, I believe it. You are a ferocious player. And a good teacher. I will use those pointers in brigde. Although, I don't think that the Basketball star and actor that you swindled are too happy."

" Well, don't they know the old addage, "don't judge a book by its cover'? They just assumed that we were dumb bimbos."

" Until you took them for everything in their wallet's. I'm surprised you gave them back their wedding rings."

" I almost didn't. But, in a weak moment, I had sympathy.." There was a jolt on the plane. " What was that?"

" I don't know. Turbulence?"

A.E. looks out the window. " OH, My God!"

" What?"

" The engine's on fire."

Over the loudspeaker. " Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We have to attempt an emergency landing. Please get back to your seats immediately, and follow the flight attendants as they instruct you on what to do."

The Captain shuts off the mike, he begins to speak on the Airplane beacon. "Port Charles Airport. This is United Flight 734 from San Francisco en route to LaGuardia. Our #4 engine is gone and on fire. I am also losing hydraulic power fast. We will have to attempt an emergency landing. Please alert the proper authorities. We are 10 minutes from your airport. I hope that we make it."

" Flight 734, this is the Port Charles Airport. The proper authorities have been notified, as well as the medical facilities. God speed."

" Thanks."

A.E. is grabbing Bobbie's hand. " I'm scared, L.D."

" So am I."

" What should we do?"

" Pray." Bobbie and A.E. start reciting the Lord's Prayer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" Amy, why are you calling me at home?"

" Alan, we just got a call from the airport. Seems as if there is going to be an emergency landing. A big jet."

" OK. Have you called in all the rest of the medical personnel."

" Yes, there are four of us tracking everyone down. Is Monica with you?"

" Right here. We'll be right in."

" Alan, what's wrong?"

" I think that we're gonna have a disaster on our hands. A downed plane. We have to go to GH."

" I'll get my coat."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The plane is beginning to shake. The pilot is almost completely out of hydraulic power. He is, in essence, not controlling the plane at all. He is trying to use the wind to maneuver the plane in, on a balance, He knows that he won't make it to the airport, but there is a clear field that he has located. The plane gets more and more violent as they approach ground. Unfortunately, there is a major wind storm, and instead of being even, the plane is tilted. When it hit the ground, it begins to tumble over and over, breaking into pieces. When it is all over, there are basically 6 big sections of the plane. People begin to get out from some of the wreckage. There is a section on fire and the screams of the people can be heard. Cast off, about 300 yards from the rest of the wreckage is four seats. Bobbie and A.E. and the row behind them. Bobbie awakens first. Her seat is alone. She is cut, but basically fine. She goes to the row behind her. There are a man and a woman. The man has a head wound and is unconscious. The woman has a broken arm and leg, but they are fine. Bobbie goes in search of A.E. She finds her. There is a  piece of metal from the plane that has embedded itself in her side. She is bleeding profusely. Bobbie somehow gets the metal out of her, and rips off her blouse and winds up tying it around A.E., trying to put pressure on the wound. She drags her to where the others are. She gets the woman to use her good hand to apply pressure. Bobbie runs to the rest of the wreckage, which is spread across the field. She finds the Captain, who, along with the rest of the cockpit crew, miraculously survived. The Captain informed Bobbie that the Emergency personnel should know where they were. When Bobbie commented on a foul smell that was permeating throughout the air, one of the cockpit crew told her that it was burning bodies. He knew it from his stint in Cambodia during the Pol Pot regime. Bobbie got sick right then and there. Soon she heard the helicopter. It was the MediVac. The first ones out were the Scanlon brothers. She led them over to A.E. and their group. Once she was lifted onto the copter, Bobbie went from section to section with Joe, performing makeshift medical procedures. More and more emergency personnel arrived, and Bobbie made her way with another serious patient, back to General Hospital. Once at GH, they wheeled A.E. in for Emergency surgery to stop the internal bleeding. Despite what could have happened, all that did happen was that she had a punctured spleen. It was a miracle that none of the internal organs were destroyed by the metal. Bobbie arrives at the hospital. She sees Amy.

" Amy, I'm looking for a patient."

" Bobbie, in case you hadn't noticed, we're in the middle of a crisis here."

" I know all about the crisis Amy.  I was ON the crisis."

" You were on the plane?"

" Yes. I'm looking for someone. A young woman. She would have been brought in with first flight. Frank Scanlon, where is he? "

" I think over there."

Bobbie does see Frank.

" Frank, do you remember the young woman from the first chopper flight?"

" Lots of bleeding."

" Yes. Where is she?"

" They took her up to surgery as soon as she came in. Past that, I don't know. Bobbie, I have to go. Now."

" Fine."

Bobbie was going to look for her when more victims came in and she had to attend to them.

One of the nurses aids was going through the  money belt that A.E. had on her. The money was soaked in blood, as was her passport. But, she used some shampoo and washed it off.

" Well, I'll be. I guess I do have someone to contact after all."

Bobbie found A.E. in a room, right off ICU. When she entered her room, Dr. Burgess was there.

" Ellen, how is she?"

" Bobbie, hi. Well, she'll live. She lost a lot of blood, but she was damn lucky. I heard that you were the one who did the procedures on her?"

" Yes. Well, I did the best I could."

" You slowed the bleeding and saved her life. There's no name on her chart. Do you know her?"

" Yes, and no. I know that her initials are A.E. And that she has a father out there somewhere who'd want to know that she was at GH."