Garcia is waiting for Katherine in her office when she comes in.

“ Alex. I am sorry to keep you waiting. So, do you have good news for me?”

“ I hope so. I am accepting the job offer.”

” Excellent. Well, would you like to start?”

” Now?”

“ No time like the present. We’re starting a new line of cosmetics, and we will be having to so a serious promotional tour. I want you to be over seeing that the security for the spokesperson is well done.”

” I don’t see any trouble in that.”

” Excellent. Why don’t I introduce the two of you. Come on.” Katherine gets  up and Garcia follows her out of the office. They wind up in a photography studio. He walks up and sees a woman sitting in the chair, getting makeup applied.

“ Well, here’s our new model. I have someone for you to meet.”

Keesha turns to Katherine and Garcia.

” Detective Garcia?”

” Ms. Ward?”

” You two know one another.”

” Not really. Detective Garcia  was helpful to me when Ward House burned down. So, you’re not on the force anymore?”

” He won’t be. After today. Alex is my new Head of Security. He’s going to personally oversee your promotional tour.”

” Well, I feel very safe.”, Keesha says with a bright smile.

” Thank you, Ms. Ward.” Garcia Spots a crystal vase with an enormous bouquet of roses. “ Nice flowers.”

” Keesha, please. If we’re going to be working together. And, aren’t the flowers beautiful? AJ made sure that they were waiting for me when I arrived this morning.”
 

“ Well, now that introductions have been made, I have to steal Alex away, so that we can finalize some details about the campaign. You’re aboard now, Keesha, so, we’re going full throttle. Hang on, I am going to make you famous.”

Keesha laughs.” I don’t know if that’s a good thing, or a bad thing.”

” It’s definitely a good thing. See you later.” Alex and Katherine leave.

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

“ Here are your beers, gentlemen.”, the waitress says.

“ Thanks.”, Garcia says.

Garcia and Taggert take their bottles of beer and drink.

” Well, here’s to new beginnings.” Garcia clinks his bottle to Taggert’s.

“ Amen. So, what do you think? Me, Chief of Detectives.”

“ I think that the entire board must have been on drugs.”

“ I don’t think so. I think that they’re scared of me.”

Both Taggert and Garcia Laugh.

” So....Alejandro.....You’re selling out.”

” No. I’ve movin’ on up. You know, like George and Weezie. Really, Marcus, come on, you know the score.”

“ Yeah, man, I know the score. So, how’s your sister?”

“ My Mom says she’s doing better. Of course, she and my Dad have their hands full with the three kids, but, it’s seems to be getting better.”

“ Glad to hear it.”

“ Yeah, she’s getting the best. But...”

“ The best is expensive.”

“ Exactly, my brother. So, tell me, what do you think got you the job.”

” Well, I am irresistable.”

” You are so full of yourself, it’s pathetic.”

“ Who knows? Maybe they got enlightened. Maybe the Charles Street Comminuty got on them. Maybe my two Master’s Degrees did it. Whatever it was, I don’t care. I’m going to do the job, and do it well.”

“ I heard that.”

“ So, do they have you pushing pencils already? What about that Bell chick? You know, I can’t get a read on her. I don’t think she’s too bright, but, she’s not to sore on the eyes.”

“ If you like that type..”

“ What? Built, blond, rich?”

They both laugh.

“ Actually, I got my first assignment.”

“ What? Sharpenening pencils?”

“ No. They have a new spokesperson, and she’s going to be doing this tour. And, I have to make sure the route is secure. “

“ What, Brenda Barrett sneak back into town?”

” No. You’ll never guess.”

“ Who?”

“ Come on, try.”

“ Stop messin’, Alex. Spill it.”

“ Keesha Ward.”

“ That FINE sista, Keesha Ward? “

” Yep.”

“ Justus Ward’s cousin?”

” Yep.”

“ You have to protect her?”

” Well, not exactly protect. But, I have to go along with her on tour, because, it’s my first assignment, and hers.”

“ So, you get to go around, first-class accomodations, and be in the company of a beautiful woman. Hope you’ve got your Mack ready.”

” Marcus, it isn’t like that. She’s attached to that Quartermaine guy.”

” What is it with her and those rich brats? First, she hooks up with Anger Boy.”

” You know damn well he wasn’t Anger Boy when Keesha was with him.”

“ Oh, that’s right. Back then, he was every parent’s wet dream. But, he was killed, BY the OTHER one, and Robot Man was born. Did the Q heir do a LICK of time in jail for killing his brother? “

“ Of course not.”

” Nope. Because of that last name and bank account. On top of everything else, that clown gets on the City Council. How could she go with him after finding out that she didn’t have the previous boyfriend, because he splattered his brain over the pavement? He should be doing 5-7 in the State Pen.”

“ No doubt. I guess she loves him. And, part of love is forgiveness.”

“ Forgiving a guy who lied to you every step of the way? “

“ What’s it to you if she forgives him?”

” It’s nothing to me. Just that she seems to be a pretty decent sister, and outside of money, she definitely is going with someone not up to her level.”

“ What can you say about love?”

“ That sometimes, it’s blind, deaf and especially dumb.”

“ Well, you tell no lie on that. Good, here’s the food. I’m starving.”

The waitress serves them their food, which they almost attack like wild men.

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

Keesha and AJ are in the private dining room at the Port Charles Hotel. There is Champagne for her, roses  waiting, candelight, and a string quartet sitting in the corner.

“ AJ, is all this for me?”

“Of course. Who else?”

“ AJ, why are you doing this?”

” Because, I owed it to you.”

” And, what do you think you owe me?”

“ Remember, our aborted trip?”

” Oh, yes. AJ, it was MY family’s emergency that took us away, not yours.”

” Well, for once, it wasn’t my crazy clan. And, also, I just wanted to spend an evening with the woman I love.”

“ The woman you love?”

” Yes, don’t you know that’s who you are?”

“ I want to be. AJ, what the hell is happening here?”

” I’m hoping that we’re back with one another.”

“ AJ, we’ve made so many mistakes.”

” No, Keesha. I’VE made so many mistakes. Too many to count. But, the worst is over, and I want to be with you. I need you. I love you.”

“ Do you? Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear that from you? I’m terrified AJ. When I would be sitting in my room above Kelly’s, alone, at night, I would think about us and where we went wrong. I began to doubt everything and anything. My thoughts. My feelings. Your feelings. If I could really trust again. I’m scared AJ.”

“ To believe me?”

“ Yes..no... I’m scared of calm, AJ. Since Granny Mae died, it’s been one blow after another. I’ve learned to react to crisis. I got used to it. It became normal. That I could be here, with you, and there be no more problems for us. No Carly. No booze. No Quartermaines. Can we really be here? “

“ We ARE here.”

“ I believe you. And, I feel the same way. I love you too, AJ.”

AJ and Keesha kiss one another, long and slow. They come up for breath, and Keesha whispers in his ear, “ Let’s go upstairs. I know you have a room.”
 

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

Dara Jensen didn’t really know why she was performing tonight at the Outback. When Mac called, she said yes immediately. She’d missed singing, and now that she didn’t have other things to occupy her time, well, why not?

She had decided on a medly of the oldies from the 50’s and 60’s. Tonight was a tribute to Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. There were a number of couples celebrating anniversaries: Felicia had told her so. Mac had sent the bill to the local Senior Citizens Council, and the place was packed with the older generation. As Dara got up on stage, she realized that not all the customers were seasoned citizens. Because, sitting right up front, in the room full of graying hair, in all his blondness, was Jax.

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

“ You have a great view, Justus.”, Sasha said in between sips of her white wine.

“ Thanks. That’s the advantage of living in the Penthouse.”

“ I would agree. Even the grimmest of cities has a certain charm from above.”

“ And, is that what Port Charles is? The grimmest of cities?”

“ Certainly not. I’ve seen worse. But, it’s no London.”

“ True.” Justus goes over to Sasha and takes his hand and slightly touches her face. “ You know, there was a time when I thought an evening like this would never happen.”

“ Aren’t you glad that it is happening?”

“ Absolutely.” Justus leans in and kisses Sasha. At first hesitantly, then with more passion.  Their mouths and tongues seemed to be in endless exploration when Sasha backs away.

“ Not that this isn’t delightful, Mr. Ward. But, we do have business to conduct this evening.” Sasha goes over to the sofa and sits down. Justus follows her.

“ You certainly know how to ruin a good evening with business, Ms. Cassadine.”

“ Business before pleasure.”

“ So, I will get some pleasure this evening?”

Sasha just smiles at Justus as she retrieves the papers from her brieface. She hands Justus a folder.

“ You’re serious. We’re going to conduct business this evening?”, Justus asks.

“ Absolutely.” Sasha opens her folder. “ Inside, you will see the outline of a project that I want you to take to Jax. In it, I have set up an elaborate chain of dummy corporations, that, when Jax is through investing in them, once we start the chain reaction, it will blow a hole right through J&J Jacks’ South American Division.”

“ I see you have it on ELQ Letterhead.”

“ Of course. The way to get Jax to nibble on it, is to believe that you’re doublecrossing your family. It will make the proposition absolutely irresistable.”

” This proposition is not the only thing irresistable in the room.”

Sasha ignores the comments. “ Now, this second folder is a deal that I think you should give to your Grandfather.”
Justus looks over the papers. “ This is a phenomenal deal. Why are you putting it in my lap?”

“ Well, not for altruistic reasons. This is only controlling interest, Justus. I will still be a major part of it. But, for our purposes, I am willing to give up 52% control.”

” And, what are ‘our’ purposes, if I may ask?”

” To make you look good, in front of your Grandfather. Justus, you are a very wealthy man. And, you have ELQ stock. But, do you REALLY have any power where ELQ is concerned? No. It’s still Ned’s territory. I thought that this project would give you the chance to mark your OWN territory. UNLESS, you like being in Ned’s shadow.”

“ No.” Sasha could not help but note the faint trace of bitterness in Justus’ voice.

“ I didn’t think so, Justus. You are too smart a man to be in ANYONE’S shadow for long. “

“ So, what are you, my Guardian Angel?”

“ No. Someone who recognizes brilliance, and wants to see it bloom. On top of it, it never hurts to be friends with the future CEO of a multi-national corporation.”

Justus laughs. “ Is that how you see me? As CEO?”

“ It doesn’t matter how I see you. The question is, how do you see yourself?”

“ Touche. Well, before I take over Ned’s corner office, I admit that he’s not stupid. And, that he’ll go over this deal with a microscope.”

” I know. Which is why I have provided all the documentation you’ll need. Ned won’t trace this back to me. He’d have to go through layer after layer. No, this deal will shine, and you’ll shine with it. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of seeing him squirm.”

Justus had the vision of Ned being fooled in his mind. It brought a smile to his face. He noticed that there was a third file. He picks it up?

“ What’s this?”

“ THAT, should you choose to use it, would be the downfall of Ned Ashton.”