The Best Laid Plans - Chapter 38
 

Keesha and AJ are on the ELQ Jet.

" So, AJ. No hints?"

" Nope. Not a one. Keesha, I want to go on this weekend for so many reasons. For the first time, ever, I feel so good about my life, and see a future. When I ask myself where I think I'll be in 5, 10 years, I have don't have a lot of answers. But, one thing is sure. I see it with you."

" AJ...."

" I know. We have to take things slow. But, I know what I want Keesha. And it's you. Do you feel the same about me?"

" Wow, AJ. I never thought I'd hear that from you. How do I feel? Well..."

The phone rings.

" Yes....Ok, patch it through."

AJ gives the phone to Keesha. " It's for you."

" Me?" Keesha gets on the phone, " Hello? Mother? Oh My God. Of course I'll be there as soon as possible. Bye.....AJ, that was my mother."

" I gathered that."

" It's my brother. He was involved in a serious accident. I have to go to him."

" Of course." AJ calls the pilot. " Change of plans. We're going to Philadelphia."

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" Well, I bet you'd thought you'd never be here."

" You got that right.", Alexis said as she stared at Ned.

" Now, I know what you're thinking."

" Ned, you have NO idea as to what I'm thinking."

" Yes, I do. You're thinking, I'm a Cassadine, He's a Quartermaine, so how did we land here, in this heap of tacky."

" Dear Lord, you do read minds."

" Well, there is a method to my madness. I tried to think of the one place that our families would never look for us."

" And this is it?"

" Actually, Vegas was the first choice. But, that was too far. And I thought that it might be pushing it on our first runaway from home. And as soon as I nixed Vegas, this came to mind. Come on Alexis, Niagra Falls. Who comes here BUT toursists, and people who won't know you."

" Point taken.."

" Look, Alexis. We have the heart shaped bed. The bear skin rug in front of the fireplace and the heart shaped hot tub. The champagne is on ice, waiting for us. Will you join me? And is it really the place? Or the people there?"

" Place matters, Ashton. But, the company is the best. OK. But, I don't have a swimsuit."

" Neither do I.", Ned says as he flashes those dimples.

" You've got to 5 Ashton."

Both Alexis and Ned are in the hottub, sipping champagne.

" You know I've never done anything like this."

" Alexis?"

" Been so uninhibited, Ned. I KNOW that this place didn't have this champagne."

" No. I had it sent from Grandfather's wine cellar. You know, something is missing."

" What?"

" Music."

" I'm almost afraid to ask."

" You should be", Ned laughs as he takes the remote and turns on the CD player. And Alexis instantly recognizes the music.

" TOM JONES?!?!"

" You know Tom Jones?"

" I had a client that played him incessantly. We even negotiated a deal at a Tom Jones show in Atlantic City."

Alexis begins to laugh almost hysterically.

" What's up?"

" I was just thinking that you are right. This is the last place anyone would look for us. And that it is perfect. And, so are you."

Alexis goes over to Ned, and they begin to kiss passionately. They continue to enjoy their time in the hot tub. And wind up sitting there, Ned holding Alexis, until they both go to sleep.

They spend the rest of the weekend doing as much touristy stuff as possible. When they get back to the gatehouse, with bags and bags of horrendous souvenirs, they both laugh. Because they know that no one they know would EVER want any of the stuff. Alexis makes a fire, and Ned gets a blanket, and they sit there, just enjoying listening to the other one breath.

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Sasha was standing in the window in her bedroom at Wyndemere. She was thinking about Justus. She couldn't seem to get him off her mind. Sasha prided herself on her self-control. She had a plan. And she sticks to them when a course of action is decided upon. Sasha couldn't get that kiss off her mind. How it made her FEEL.

Ah...that was the sticking point, wasn't it. How Justus Ward was making her feel. She thought that Jerry was the best lesson in the world about the dangers of feelings. What Jerry cost her, had taken years to recoup. But, she had. She had everything she wanted in her life right now, and nothing was going to mess that up. Least of all, Justus Ward. She glanced over to her dressing table. On it, was a gift from Justus: a minature Carousel, just like the one that they enjoyed in San Francisco.

Sasha's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

" Come in."

It was Stefan. " Hello, Katya."

" Papa."

" I wanted to inform you that I planned on entertaining Katherine this evening."

" You're  entertaining Katherine. Is that a polite way of asking me to make myself scarce, Papa?"

" If you would like to interpret it that way, then yes."

" I can't believe it, Papa. You never once, in my life, ever brought your mistresses home to the house. This is so out of character, and quite frankly, it's tacky, Papa."

" Enough. I don't care to argue with you again on the subject of Katherine."

" I don't see it as arguing. I see it as me telling you how inappropriate your latest companion is. And, as usual, you're being a typical male. Not quite thinking with the appropriate parts of the anatomy."

" Katya...."

" I will be gone, Papa. Believe me, the LAST person that I want to see is Katherine Bell. Do enjoy yourself."

" Thank you. I will." Stefan leaves.

Sasha packs a small bag and leaves.

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Nikolas is at the Hospital when he hears a page for himself. So, he goes to the nearest phone.

" Nikolas Cassadine."

"Hi Niko."

" Sasha. You're the one who paged me?"

" Yes."

" What's the matter?"

" I just wanted to let you know that I am going up to the retreat, if anyone cares."

" Oh, goodness. Sasha is sounding dramatic. What happened? You and Uncle have a falling out?"

" Something like that. So, if you need me, call me, OK?"

" Fine. Have a safe trip."

" I plan to. Ciao."

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Alan Quartermaine had found a pharmacy out of town where he hadn't started running up suspicions about prescriptions. He just had a number of them filled. He knew the pharmacist. A former worker at GH, who settled in that small town, for the better quality of life. Now that he had his stash, he was happy.

Sasha Cassadine was on her way up to the Cassadine Retreat. She wanted to do some thinking about the trip with Justus. And what it meant. If it meant anything. Since Papa was going full steam ahead with that Bell Wench, she had absolutely no use for even being in town.

Alan was getting the shakes. It had been a while since he had a pill.  As he drove with one hand, he tried using he teeth and other hand to get the bottle of pills out of the bag. He got the bag open, but the bottle was a completely different story. It was one of the new childproof models. Alan is getting more nervous as he can't get the bottle open. More adjitated. He begins to chew at the bottle to get it open. Suddenly the top flies off and all the pills spill out of the bottle onto the floor. Alan, in is desperation, bends down to get some of his little friends and.......

Sasha saw the car coming into her lane and straight at her she swerved and put on her brakes, but she was out of control. The car ran through the barrier and off the side of the road. It tumbled over and over, becoming more twisted and mangled metal by the time it got down to the bottom of the cliff. The Mercedes was unrecognizable. It was a heap of metal. Squashed. Smoke coming from everywhere. The faint smell of gas was in the air. And Sasha? She was strapped into the car. But, you could barely see her.

Alan sat on the road for a minute. He didn't know what had happened. Had something happened while he was looking for his pills? He decided it would be best to hurry home, before people started to ask questions. As Alan proceeded to go home, he started having flashbacks. Of another car, in his periphery vision. Could there have been another car? When he looked back in his rear view mirror, he hadn't seen anything. Well, nothing except for that broken piece of barrier.  As he drove towards home, the possible magnitude of what could have happened while he was going after his pills suddenly began to dawn on him.

He jumped out of the car and practically ran into the Den. He felt fortunate that the family was out attending some sort of charity function. He poured himself a stiff drink and said out loud,

" Dear God, what have I done?"