Thirteen hours. And the clock was ticking.

[I]"I'll need time," Ric said desperately, the cogs in his mind whirring as he began to figure out the hows and musts of the one and only option Faith's ultimatum had left him.

"You don't have time," she replied coolly, sure she was in the driver's seat. "I want it done now."

"Faith, it's 11:00 at night. I have calls to make, pieces to put in place. It can't happen right this minute. Give me... give me 24 hours."

She laughed at him, enjoying his sudden uncertainty and panic, making it obvious Ric wasn't hiding his emotions well at all.

"You're so cute when you're pleading," she said. Faith raised her hand in an attempt to tweak his cheek, but he pulled away from her. She looked displeased as she reached into her purse and retrieved a compact, which she opened and used to inspect her face.

"I'll give you till noon tomorrow, lover. Jason Morgan is in handcuffs by then, or you'll be in them by 12:15. Got it?"

Ric watched as she snapped the makeup case shut and dropped it back into her purse. How in the hell was he supposed to negotiate with his understandably distrustful brother and find a way to neutralize Faith in 13 hours?[/I]

Haste made him nervous, but it wasn't making him careless. The minute Faith had been out the door, Ric grabbed for a notepad and started listing everything he needed to do if this were going to work. And it had to work.

A grimace took over his face as Ric thought on the simplicity single-minded revenge had given to his life before... before Elizabeth had woken up his heart, and before some instinct in him had demanded he take up a position at Alexis Davis' side in her fight for her child. Having nothing to lose, no innocent bystanders to be torn to shreds by his decisions was a luxury no longer his.

List made, Ric set out on the first of his tasks. It was the only one perhaps as tricky to navigate as the discussion with Sonny that was to come. But something else needed his attention first, and to accomplish it, he had to make this one difficult phone call.

"Hello?"

"Elizabeth, it's... it's Ric."

The silence on the other end of the line spoke volumes and reaffirmed for Ric that save for the favor he needed now, this chapter of his life was over.

"I'm sorry to bother you," he explained, "but I'm, uh, I'm working for Alexis now, and I was supposed to talk to Zander about doing some errands for us, but I, uh, I think Kristina must have snatched that paper from my stack, because I can't seem to, uh, to find it."

"You're calling me for Zander's number?" she asked, suspicion in her voice.

"Well, you guys are friends, and I didn't want to call Alexis and wake up the baby. I'm sorry, I guess I shouldn't have--"

"No, no," Elizabeth said, "it's fine. Hold on."

She set the phone aside a minute then returned and read off the digits to him. Ric thanked her, providing no further explanation, and then he dialed the number.

"Yeah?"

Ric noted the caution in the younger man's tone. Zander had no reason to recognize his phone number in the caller I.D. window of his cell, and he was suspicious about receiving a strange call.

"Zander, it's Ric Lansing."

"Uh, yeah?" Now confusion drowned out his apprehension.

"You know that discussion we had earlier? I'd like to continue it."

A beat of silence passed. "Did something happen to Alexis?"

"No, she's fine," Ric said, hoping to reassure his potential ally. "Look, I wouldn't be asking if it weren't that important."

"Where and when?" Zander asked.

"Can you come over to my place right now?"

"Now?"

Ric glanced at the clock. "Yes, now. I'm already running out of time."

"Give me the address."

*****

Alan poured another glass of water and moved back to the sofa. Skye wiped at her tears and took the offered drink. As she sipped at it, she shuddered, remembering how close she'd come to drinking something far more destructive a few hours earlier. But instead, she'd leaned on Alan, and he'd held her why she cried and ranted and railed at Ned and mourned that she was never, ever going to have the one thing she'd realized she wanted so much.

"I just... I really want you to know that I didn't mean to hurt anyone else. I mean, I didn't set out to do that."

She was still his daughter in his heart. Alan knew nothing was ever going to change that. He moved his hand gently up and down her arm, comforting her.

"I know you didn't, sweetheart. Believe me, given some of my past mistakes, I'm hardly in a position to pass judgment here."

"But Alexis was right," Skye admitted. "I... I did the same thing Edward did to me, didn't I? I stole time away from Kristina and her mother."

"I can't tell you that you weren't wrong, honey. I wish I could. But I do think that you love Kristina."

"I do love her. It's so hard to imagine that I might not ever see her again."

"Oh, honey," Alan took her hand in his. "I know Alexis is very angry right now, but once some time passes..."

Skye shook her head and "It's not Alexis I'm worried about. That brother of hers... he hates me. He'd probably set the dogs on me if I tried to step foot on that creepy old island of theirs."

She was being overly dramatic, but it made Alan feel relieved to see it. He understood how close she had come to drinking again today, and he would always be grateful that she had reached out to him instead.

"Stefan can be... difficult," Alan offered. "But he's not a monster."

"I beg to differ," Skye said, not elaborating because she didn't want to detail for Alan the horrors of her past Stefan had threatened to expose.

"He's protecting his sister, Skye. Quartermaines have been known to be a bit harsh themselves when they're defending their family. You should be used to that by now."

She stood and crossed to the mantle, the glass of water clutched against her. She could remember the look of absolute cold hatred on Stefan's face in the hospital when he'd given her his ultimatum. The look he'd given her today in the Grille was different. It was a look of... what had it been... disappointment, disgust?

"He said that..." Skye paused, hating the truth in what he'd said. "I saw him earlier, and he said that I was disrespecting what Kristina meant to me by thinking of drinking just because I didn't get what I wanted."

Alan stood and walked over, his arms wrapping around his daughter. "And he would have been right, except you didn't drink, did you?"

She turned in his arms, facing him, a slight smile on her face. "No. No, I didn't."

"Honey, if you want a family, if you want to be a mother, then you can do it the right way. Maybe not biologically... but don't you see from how much I love you that biology has nothing to do with how much a parent can love a child once they find a child who really needs them?"

Skye set her water glass on the mantle, and then she returned Alan's embrace. "Thank you for being here when I needed you."

"Anytime," he replied softly.

She believed he meant it, and Skye was going to need that support. It was clear the future she'd planned for herself was gone... Ned's use for her was at an end and Kristina was no longer an option. She'd also already ruled out her favorite escape hatch--there would be no more drinking. That left Skye with only one option--it was time to figure out once and for all who Skye Chandler Quartermaine was. She only hoped she liked the answer.

*****

It had been a long time since Zander had looked Jason Morgan in the eye, and that had been by design. Their last violent encounter had nearly cost Elizabeth her life, and since then, it had seemed the smart move to avoid Sonny's enforcer altogether. Zander still wasn't entirely certain what he wanted to do with his life or where Emily might fit into it, but he did know that a war with her brother was the last thing their fragile reunion needed.

No other force on Earth other than loyalty to Alexis could have made Zander go and seek out Jason now, but for her, he would. Only the things Lansing had said to him about how this trouble could come back on Alexis had made him agree. And now here he was, walking along the waterfront toward a meeting with someone he knew hated his guts. As he'd made his way past Pier 32, Zander had glimpsed the moonlit shadow of Wyndemere. He hoped Kristina and her mother were enjoying good dreams, unaware of the potential maelstrom that was brewing back here on the mainland.

He entered Jakes and headed upstairs to his room. As they'd planned, Jason was waiting inside, looking more than a little annoyed.

"This better be damned important."

"It is," Zander assured him. "I have a message for you... and for Sonny."

Jason's brow furrowed. "From who?"

"Ric Lansing."

"Lansing's got nothing to say we want to hear."

Zander shook his head. "You better think twice about that, because what he's got could put you on death row, Jason."

This time, he at least saw more than disinterest coming back from the man standing across the room.

"He just wants a face to face with you and Sonny," Zander continued to explain. "Just give the guy 15 minutes. I'll tell him when and where, but it's gotta be fast, and it's gotta be someplace where no one can find you three."

"Zander, what the hell is going on?" Jason asked. "Why is he sending you to us? Why didn't he just call or come himself?"

"Because Faith is probably having him watched. And, no, I didn't bring a tail back with me. Her guys aren't that good. Anyway, she only gave him till noon tomorrow to do this, or--"

"Do what?"

"Well, he didn't want to give me too many details," Zander replied. "But the gist I got was to put you in prison so she can make a move."

"A move on our territory. She's tried it before. I can handle that."

"No, no." Zander shook his head. "Not your territory--Sonny. She's going to try to hit him, Jason, the second you're out of the way."

*****

In another lifetime, when Ric had been building his underworld resume in order to get closer to his brother, he had learned some skills that today would prove invaluable. He'd watched the movement outside his apartment building after Zander's departure, and his suspicions had been confirmed--Faith had put men in place to watch him. Her distrust wasn't at all surprising, but it did complicate things.

To make sure he was prepared when the call he hoped for came, Ric gathered up the things he would need, changed into a black suit, picked up his briefcase, and made his way to his car. For the next agonizing hour and seven minutes, he drove around Port Charles making stops at locations he hoped would keep Faith off the scent of his real activities. First up had been the bus station. He went to the locker area and retrieved a black duffle bag from one of the long-term lockers. Once that was secured in his trunk, he headed for the ATM and withdrew several hundred dollars in cash. Then he stopped at his 24-hour access storage lockup, emerging 20 minutes later with a medium-sized cardboard box that he added to the trunk. His inept but dedicated tail followed his every movement, creating a nice, detailed roadmap for Faith to waste time retracing later.

Back in the car, Ric glanced at the clock, then he started the engine of his Mercedes and pulled out of the lot. He was just turning onto Derado Street when his cell phone rang.

"Yeah?"

"It's me," Zander said. "There's a building under construction, Owensmouth and Westbrook. They'll meet you there at 3:00."

Ric sighed with relief, though his toughest task was just beginning. "I won't forget this, Zander."

"Just keep your promise," the younger man demanded. "You do that, we're even."

With the meeting set, Ric pulled into the parking lot of the first open restaurant he saw. The all-night spot was filled with college students, some studying, some looking for a hot meal after a night of partying. Dressed in his designer clothes, he stood out like a blinking neon sign in a dark room. That was just the way he wanted it.

After sliding into a booth, Ric opened his briefcase quickly and pulled out a notepad. He began jotting down things idly, and after about five minutes, a waitress approached his table.

"What can I get you?"

"Coffee, please," Ric said, his bright smile earning a flirty grin from the blonde 20-something woman that stood before him. "And could I ask you a favor?"

He'd eyed his watchdog carefully, and knew that from where the tail stood, there was no way the man could see the $100 bill he slid across the table casually to 'Cassie.' She winked at him after he made his request, then assured him it would be no problem. A few minutes later, she returned with his cup of coffee and gave him another wink, indicating the favor had been taken care of. Several more minutes passed, and then Ric stood up, leaving his notepad and pen on the table, but taking his briefcase with him.

It was a casual stroll to the men's room, and the tail had no reason to think Ric wouldn't be coming back, not with Cassie delivering a plate of food to the table while he was gone. Still Ric spared a glance back down the hallway just to be certain. The tail hadn't moved a bit.

Grinning, Ric headed for the handicapped stall, locked the door and opened his briefcase. He pulled out a pair of tennis shoes, jeans, a long-sleeved sweater, a denim jacket, a baseball cap and a CD. After changing into the far more casual clothes, he tossed his suit into the briefcase, snapped it shut, and placed it in the back corner of the stall where no doubt later, a cleaning person would find it and turn it in as lost and found. He then slid the CD into his jacket pocket.

By now, Ric knew Cassie had found the other $100 bill he'd left on the table for her, with a note on the top page of his legal pad that read, "Thanks for coffee." He didn't see her when he looked back into the dining room one last time, the baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. The watchdog still sat at his post at the counter. Ric turned and walked out of the back door of the restaurant to the waiting cab in the alley--the one the very helpful Cassie had called for him. As he climbed inside and told the driver where to go, Ric couldn't help but be amazed that something he'd been forced to learn by Luis Alcazar during his money laundering days had paid off. The money drop trick still worked like a charm.

He was almost amused by the idea of Faith's man realizing he'd lost his target, then jimmying open the trunk of his car to find the black duffle bag filled with clothes and cash that Ric had stashed in the bus station locker the day he arrived in town, in case he'd had to flee from his brother or Luis without much notice. That coupled with the box of law books he'd retrieved as a red herring would have the blonde stomping her spiked heels in frustration as she tried to figure out what he was up to.

The construction site looked deserted when he arrived, but Ric didn't doubt that Jason was probably already there, checking every angle, making certain that if he and Sonny were being set up, the tables could be turned. The absurdity of the fact that Ric was actually meeting with them to undo a setup wasn't lost on Ric. He held back a bitter laugh as he paid off the cab driver, and then headed cautiously onto the property. When he saw the elevator gate standing open, Ric got the hint and stepped in. The moment the gate closed, the lift began to rise. It stopped on the fifth floor. Sonny was waiting. Ric assumed Jason was wherever the control box was for the elevator, but would appear shortly.

"You got five minutes," Sonny barked. "I don't like what I'm hearing, I'm gone and you can take your song and dance somewhere else."

Just as Ric had predicted, Jason appeared out of the shadows and took a position beside his boss.

"Fine, then I'll get right to it. It's about Fowler's murder."

"Well, that's easy," Jason said. "We had nothing to do with it."

"I know," Ric admitted, drawing surprised looks from both his conversation partners. "Faith killed him."

"And you know that how?" Sonny asked.

"I saw her do it. Then I knocked Jason out and put the tire iron in his hand, made sure his fingerprints were on it."

Jason shook his head and then fixed his glare on Ric. "You just don't know when to quit, do you?"

The enforcer took a step toward him, but Sonny put his hand up, stopping Jason's movement.

"Why are you telling us this now? You're here all alone. We could take you out, and no one would know."

"Because this isn't about me, all right?" Ric shifted nervously where he stood. He couldn't afford to screw this up. "Look, I hate you, Sonny, I'm not gonna stand here and pretend that's changed. And your friend here doesn't rate much with me either. But I changed my mind, all right? I wasn't planning to go through with the frame-up, not anymore."

"But?" Sonny said, practically spitting out the word.

"But Faith is forcing my hand. She... I don't know, she had one of her men or someone slap her around, and she's threatening to go to the cops and accuse me of attacking her if I don't lead the cops to the evidence and get Jason off the streets."

"Like Sonny said, why should we care?" Jason asked. "I didn't kill Fowler. I'll find a way out of it."

"Yeah, what, with magic?" Ric questioned back. "Your prints are on the tire iron, Jason, the same piece of metal that has Fowler's blood all over it. And Baldwin's just waiting for something to use against you two. How exactly are you planning to get out from under this if I don't help you do it?"

Sonny chuckled. "Oh, you set him up and now you want to help him? I should have just..."

"Should have what, Sonny, killed me?" Ric let out a disgusted huff of air. "Maybe you should have, but you didn't, and now the situation is what it is. Now I have an idea about how to get us all out of this, but we're going to have to work together to get it done."

The look on his brother's face told the full tale of how much hatred the elder man held for Ric. "I don't give a damn about what happens to you. You try to put this noose around Jason's neck, and you're gone. No more chances. You don't, and you get taken down by Faith? Fine. Either way, you're goin' down, so again, I ask you, why the hell should I care?"

Ric swallowed hard and laid his cards on the table. "Because I'm not the only one it's gonna hurt, Sonny. I go down for any of this, and Alexis Davis gets pulled down with me."

Shock, disbelief and then anger all flashed over Sonny's face. Ric knew by the parade of emotions he'd been dead right about the effect his new friend still had on his brother.

"How the hell have you managed to drag Alexis into this?"

"I helped her get her daughter back, Sonny. You think if I get accused of assault and battery or rape by Faith or if I get implicated by her or you in Fowler's murder, that the Quartermaines won't use that to drag Stefan back into court and try to undo all the work I did to get that little girl back with her mother?"

The realization of the power his own poor past judgment could give the Quartermaines had made Ric physically ill. Admittedly, his first thoughts had been about saving his own neck, salvaging his second chance. But then Ric had begun to imagine the conversation that Scott Baldwin, who was still livid at being shut out of the custody hearing, and that vindictive old man Edward Quartermaine, and he could hear it. 'We'll go back into court, point out that a man who beats women is the one who argued Alexis' case, that her own lawyer's a criminal.' God, he could practically hear them salivating at the opportunity to go after Kristina again.

"You didn't think about that before?" Sonny asked angrily. "It didn't occur to you that putting your filth anywhere near Alexis was gonna put her case in jeopardy?"

"Well, I didn't see you doing a hell of a lot to help her get Kristina back." Ric hurled back. "And it was about damn time someone did something to make this thing right!"

Sonny's furious response was cut off by Jason stepping between them, his eyes flashing alternately at both men.

"Can we all just please stay on the topic, which is how the hell we all get out of this?"

Sonny glared at his best friend. "You're not really gonna work with this freak, are you?"

"You know he's right about the Quartermaines." Jason turned his back to Ric and focused solely on Sonny. "You said yourself you didn't think it was fair for her to lose her kid over Alcazar."

"You're telling me that after everything that's gone down, you're gonna trust him?"

Jason glanced over his shoulder at Ric as he considered the question, then turned back to face Sonny.

"No, I don't trust him. But I distrust him less than I do Faith or Scott Baldwin. If we can somehow shut this down right now, then let's do it."

Sonny turned and walked away from both men, just far enough to give him some brooding distance. Jason turned back toward Ric.

"What are you thinking?"

Ric spared a glance at his brother, but decided to focus on arguing his case with the man willing to listen.

"First, I tell you where the murder weapon is. We need to get rid of it. Even if there is trace evidence on it that can implicate Faith, it's not worth the risk to the rest of us."

Jason nodded. "I can handle that. What next?"

"We need to find whoever she paid to rough her up, convince him he's better off telling the truth than settling for what Faith paid him.

Another nod.

"I'm your alibi for Fowler's murder." Ric continued. "I'm already on record with the police about your whereabouts. So all we need to do is hand the police evidence that can't be traced back to you or me, but that puts them on Faith's trail."

"Oh, and let me guess," Sonny chimed in, turning back toward them but keeping his distance. "You just happen to have that, right?"

"I learned my lesson with Faith. She's a backstabbing viper."

"Yeah, that you already tried to kill once," Sonny added.

"Do you want to know what I've got or not?"

It was obvious that Sonny was quickly weighing his hatred of his half-sibling against his poorly hidden concern for Alexis. No doubt he was hoping that all of Ric's dire predictions were lies told to manipulate him into agreeing to this ridiculous group effort against Faith. But Ric could see that Sonny was coming to see how terrifyingly real those possibilities might be.

"All right," Sonny said, walking forward. "What do you have?"

Ric reached into his pocket and pulled out the CD. "Faith on film hitting Fowler over the head. Call it my own insurance policy."

"You filmed it?" Jason asked, clearly stunned.

"If she was planning to take me down with her, I was gonna make sure she fell harder and faster," Ric explained.

Sonny reached up and took the CD into his hands. "So we do the dirty work, get this to the cops and take Faith down, and you stay out of it?"

"And Jason stays out of jail and, yes, I stay out of it... and so does Alexis. No headlines screaming 'Davis attorney Ric Lansing Arrested,' no TV news reports, no Quartermaine second chance."

After another moment of contemplation, Sonny nodded and handed the CD to Jason.

"You tell Jason where to find what we need. I'll get to work on tracking down which one of Faith's guys was in on her little beating scam. Oh, and, little brother."

There was no mistaking the exaggerated, sarcastic way Sonny had addressed him.

"You care so much about Alexis, you might want to think about getting yourself out of her life. Garbage like you doesn't deserve to be around a woman like that."

Ric bit his tongue to keep himself from returning the sentiment. He couldn't afford another verbal brawl with Sonny, not right now. They had exactly eight hours left.

*****

Alexis startled awake and looked around the room, getting her bearings. The bedroom in Wyndemere was twice as big as hers at home and far more austere and unwelcoming. Stefan had told her to change whatever she wanted to in order to be more comfortable, but Alexis held out hope she and Kristina wouldn't be here long enough for any major redecorating efforts. Much as she loved being so close to her brother and nephew, her own life in her own home was waiting for her... and for Kristina... once the courts finally gave them the okay. Alexis couldn't wait for that day to come, because it meant no one else had legal say over her baby anymore.

Speaking of that baby, Alexis had found Kristina wide awake yesterday when she'd gotten up this early, and so she pulled on her robe, eased her feet into her slippers, and headed next door. She then crept into the room and took three steps toward the crib.

Kristina wasn't there.

Panic shot through her, but Alexis fought it down and told herself to think rationally. There were three other people in this house who all might have come and checked on Kristina and, finding her awake, taken her out of the room. There was no reason to think anything bad had happened.

It was a logical, reasonable explanation, but it didn't stop Alexis from running down the staircase into the grand hall while she thought of where to look first. Rationality was fine, but too many people had been trying to get their hands on her baby for her to be calm until she saw with her own eyes that Kristina was fine.

The kitchen was empty, so was the dining room and so was living room. A loud giggle, however, gave away her little one's location, and Alexis headed that direction. Through the open study door, she spied Stefan looking about as casual as one can in a $200 silk robe. He was sitting in the chair behind his desk, the laptop open, Kristina cuddled in his lap, happily chewing on a blue plastic ring.

"Remember, just because you're a princess, that doesn't mean it's all about being beautiful," he instructed. Alexis suppressed a giggle in hopes of hearing more of her brother's "life lessons" imparted.

"You see, the best kind of princess to be is one like your mother--beautiful, but with a head for business. That way, if your prince tries to swindle you out of your inheritance, you'll be able to catch him. And you have to be able to invest your own money. For instance, this stock here. We'll just click on this..." Stefan's fingers hit three buttons. "And there you are, my beautiful girl, as soon as the market opens, our broker will buy you 100 shares of IBM. Always go with the good, solid companies."

At that, Alexis pushed the door the rest of the way open and strolled in.

"You don't think she's a tad young to own $10,000 worth of stock?"

"Cassadines are never too young to learn the value of money," he shot back as he shifted Kristina in his arms. The little girl waved at her mother, the blue plastic stuffed in her mouth as her other hand reached greedily for her uncle's computer.

"Speaking of money," Alexis said as she reached for her daughter, pulling her safely away from the expensive machine, "aren't we trying to save money, not spend it?"

Stefan scowled at her. "How I spend my personal monies is my concern, and spending them on Kristina is my pleasure."

Alexis chuckled and looked down at her daughter, who had settled well into her mother's embrace, cuddling against her chest while she kept her gaze back on her uncle.

"She really is quite extraordinary," Stefan offered as he stood and walked over to them. He placed a soft kiss on his niece's forehead, then repeated the process with her mother.
"Not that I'm surprised."

A smile crept across her face. It was rare Alexis got to see him like this, his mantle of darkness set aside for a few precious moments, revealing the Stefan she had loved ever since she could remember.

"Obviously the Cassadine genes blocked out any questionable influences."

With the snark at Kristina's paternity, the Stefan who often maddened her returned, and Alexis rolled her eyes at her brother and sat down in one of the chairs, where Kristina began to play with the collar of her bathrobe.

"So why are you up so early?" she asked, ignoring his comment.

Stefan sighed and moved back to his own chair. "I haven't been sleeping all that well."

Alexis nodded. "We're going to sort this all out, Stefan. Helena can't have done so much damage that the three of us and Ric can't sort it out."

When he didn't respond, Alexis felt her heart grow heavier. So much of his life had been spent trying to protect the Cassadine legacy from Helena. She knew Stefan felt guilty for having left his family even temporarily. Despite all of her and Nikolas' reassurances, he believed himself culpable in all the calamities that had befallen them during his absence.
She knew him well enough to understand his disappointment in himself, but she hated to see it.

"I think you'll like Ric's first proposal. He's planning to have it for you and Nikolas to look over in the next couple of days."

"Well, I'll look forward to it," Stefan said. "We need to make some significant moves these first few weeks to buy us time for the rest."

Alexis nodded. "I know, and we will." She shifted and lifted Kristina up so she was looking up at her beautiful daughter. "Now that little missy here is safe and sound, I can devote all my free time to helping get us out of the mess Helena created."

Stefan smiled and stood up, walking around to gain a few more moments with his niece. Alexis released the baby into his hold and leaned back, watching them together once again.

"By the way, I ran into that wretched Quartermaine woman today," he shared as he bounced Kristina in his arms.

"Skye? Where?"

"The Grille. About to drown her sorrows, no doubt. The utter insanity of that worthless woman thinking she had any right to our Kristina."

Alexis loved the sound of that. 'Our Kristina.' They were finally together, a family, and they could fight together for each other.

"Well, you know she's not one of my favorite people, but I do think she genuinely cared about Kristina."

His scowl told her he thought that idea ridiculous. "Really, Alexis. Sometimes if I didn't know you were a Cassadine..."

That made her laugh, and she stood, leaning against his shoulder. "Stefan, don't be a bear. Kristina is in your care, soon enough, she'll be back in mine. I don't want to waste any more time or energy on the Quartermaines. I'd much rather focus on the future, which right now is going to consist of bath time for me and my little angel, isn't it?"

At the mention of a bath, Kristina began to wiggle in her uncle's arms. The baby's love of water struck a familiar chord in Alexis, but she forced away any thoughts of the past. She replayed her own words in her head. It was time to focus on the future. But even as Kristina settled into her arms, Alexis could still see a pensive, angry glare on her brother's face.

"I mean it, Stefan. Let it go. We have enough to deal with without any Quartermaine vendettas, all right?"

"As you wish," he said, but she didn't believe him for a minute. Alexis withheld her accusation of insincerity, though, and simply turned and walked from the room with Kristina.

"Your uncle Stefan is so transparent. Wanna bet he'll have a list of ten different ways to try and torture Skye before lunch?"

Kristina sniggered and Alexis laughed in response as she started up the stairs. "Okay, funny girl, let's go take our bath, and then we'll dress you up, and you can come work with Mommy and Uncle Stefan until Mommy goes to her doctor's appointment. And later, you know who's gonna come see you? Uncle Ric is going to come over."

It had to be impossible for Kristina to have already formed any deep attachment to Ric or to know that he was in fact her actual uncle and not just the man who had helped them get their lives back. But Alexis could have sworn she saw her daughter's eyes twinkle at the mention of his name. She also felt her own heart flutter a bit with the anticipation of seeing him again.

Alexis took Kristina straight into the bathroom to start the tub. The two then sank into a
rose-scented bubbly heaven, the baby enjoying a good deal of splashing that left her mama's hair wet and beginning to curl by the time they climbed out and snuggled into thick, warm towels. It wasn't until after her little girl was dressed and safely tucked into the playpen in her bedroom that Alexis spared a glance at the top of bureau. She'd started toward it to pick up her hairbrush, but moved to grasp a different object when she saw the voice mail icon on her cell phone was lit.

"Hi, Alexis, it's, uh, it's Ric. Look, I just wanted to let you know, I'll be out of touch today. Something came up that I have to take care of. I promise I'll call tonight if, uh, if everything goes okay. You and Kristina have a good day, okay? Bye."

She pushed the "end" button on the phone, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. Alexis wasn't sure what it was about the words 'if everything goes okay' that had caused her to start worrying, but she did. Somehow she knew 'everything' was probably something about Sonny. That didn't worry her because she feared betrayal. Alexis had sworn that yesterday was her last moment of doubt over Ric's word. And maybe that, in sense, was what was fanning her concern now. Ric hadn't said anything about whatever situation he was in. He had promised not to let his problems with Sonny crossover into their business relationship.

Two and two always added up to four. Alexis drew her hair up into a ponytail, moved to her closet and drew out the first pair of jeans her hands hit.

*****

Jason stood in the back of Simon's Auto Shop and watched as the furnace fire turned the once damning tire iron into a puddle of liquid metal. He didn't move until he was sure that it had been destroyed. When he turned for the door, he didn't wave at Simon and Simon didn't look up to acknowledge his presence. As far as both men were concerned, the visit had never happened.

Though he was still apprehensive about trusting Ric Lansing, Jason had to hand it to the guy. Most people would have gone overboard trying to hide the murder weapon, generally outthinking themselves and making it something an enemy or the cops would stumble on or eventually find. Ric had gone a different route. After triple-wrapping the tire iron in plastic wrap, the fingerprints and blood evidence carefully preserved, he had hidden it under the floorboards of the liquor storage room in The Cellar. How he'd managed it was irrelevant. All it would have taken was one anonymous phone call, and the cops would have had both Jason and Sonny in lockup in 20 minutes. The whole time Jason had been sneaking into the nightclub to retrieve the weapon, he'd been wondering if Ric was still planning to let just that happen. But no cops had arrived, and their plan was ready to move forward.

Before he hopped back on his bike, Jason flipped open his cell phone. It was 9:30. He hit speed dial one. The call was answered after the first ring.

"It's done."

"Max is working on the other," came Sonny's reply.

"We're running short on time. Maybe I should..."

"No," Sonny said. "You need to handle the third part yourself. We'll find the guy."

"All right, I'm on my way."

Back in penthouse four, Sonny said his good-bye, then he hung up the phone. Carly was already up and at a doctor's appointment, and he thanked God, because the last thing he needed was her getting a hint of what was going on today.

Sighing, he walked to the sofa and sank down on it. Of all the damn people for him to have to team up with, for it to be his hateful, vindictive brother... it was almost too much. Only one person could have made him do this.

He remembered how angry she'd been yesterday at the hospital. Sonny wished she'd just understood that he was worried about her, that he didn't want to see her hurt by Ric the way Carly and Liz had been. But she was too damn loyal for her own good. He understood Alexis feeling she owed Ric a debt for getting Kristina out of the Quartermaines clutches, but damn it if she wasn't going to get herself hurt by refusing to wash her hands of that conniving bastard. Ric Lansing was nothing but trouble... and he was going to get away with planning to frame Jason for murder because...

Sonny shook his head. Because... because some part of him knew that Alexis was right. He was pissed that Alexis had turned to his brother and gotten the help she needed. And he also knew Ric was right... Sonny was angry with himself because he had refused her when she'd come asking for his help.

No, he corrected himself, when she'd humbled herself to come begging for help from a man she hated.

Some part of Sonny was never going to forgive himself for that. Yeah, he had his reasons, but she hadn't been there asking him for a loan or a favor to help herself. She'd come for her child. And he'd said no. Maybe putting Ric into the equation now was God's way of making his penance for that wrong really hurt.

The knock at the door came at 10:07. Sonny opened it to find Max.

"We got him. He's at the storage warehouse on Resnick."

Sonny nodded and followed Max to the elevator. It was time for him to play his part in Ric's little drama.

*****

"How do I know this isn't some kind of scam?"

Jason narrowed his eyes at Mac, the CD still resting in his extended hand. A breeze ripped past them, bringing a chill off the water that flowed beneath the bridge.

"You and I have our problems, Mac, but you know I wouldn't come to you unless this was rock solid."

It was the truth. Whatever his feelings about the police in general, Jason knew Mac was a good man. Besides, Robin would never forgive him if he did anything to endanger her uncle or his career.

"And you won't tell me where you got it?"

"I'd rather not."

Mac stared at him a moment, then he picked up the CD. "The person you protecting deserve it?"

Jason thought of Alexis. She was the only reason Sonny had gone along with this, and Jason knew it. A lot of bitterness had flowed between them in the last year, but she had fought for them both too many times in the past. They owed her at least this.

"Yes," he finally answered.

*****

Ric walked into his kitchen and poured yet another cup of coffee, though it was the last thing his frazzled nerves needed. He'd been on overdrive for days, and now he'd been awake for going on 33 hours. But he knew he couldn't rest until he was sure this was all over... or until he picked up the phone and did what he'd decided he'd have to do if somehow Faith managed to destroy him today.

He would call Alexis and tell her to take her daughter and leave Port Charles before anyone could try and take her away again.

Sitting back at his desk, Ric tried to focus on the proposal in front of him. He read the same page from the Mikkonos shipping budget three times before his mind slipped away from the numbers and back to the nagging worry that despite their concern for Alexis, Jason and Sonny were going to somehow put him in the jackpot before this was over. His logical mind told him to stop--they weren't doing this for him, no, but they wouldn't let Alexis down. Still, he'd long believed the "no honor among thieves" adage applied to everyone in the worlds inhabited by Corinthoses and Morgans and Alcazars. And so he vacillated between thinking it would all be fine and expecting the cops to pound on his door at any minute.

The doorbell ringing nearly sent him to the ceiling, he was wound so tight. The clock read only 11:40, though, and he couldn't imagine Faith had pulled the trigger. Not yet anyway.

"Who is it?"

"Ric, it's Alexis."

Her voice through the door both elated and terrified him. He'd hoped his message would quell any curiosity she had over his absence today. Yet here she was, and he wanted to send her away for her own good as much as he wanted to pull her inside and just talk to her and ground himself in his new life again.

"Ric, is... is everything okay?"

He warred with himself all the way to the door. When he opened it, his mind was screaming "tell her to go home." Instead he said, "Hey, come on in."

There was concern in her eyes, but she smiled anyway and stepped inside.

"You, uh, you want some coffee?"

"No, thanks. I... I can't stay long. I just... your message just..." She laughed and shook her head, her ponytail bouncing from side to side. It made her look about 15 to him.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I know that we don't know each other that well, but you've been so good to us... to me. I just... I'm sorry, I'm rambling. I know I said that I didn't want anything to do with the other parts of your life, but, Ric, I just want you to know that if you are in trouble, I do care."

He couldn't believe that with an ax still looming above his head, he could smile so wide, but Ric felt his cheeks aching at the joy her words brought to his expression.

"I really do appreciate that," he said. "I can't tell you how much, actually. But it's important to me that I keep my word, Alexis. So if I don't come to you about something, please know that it's only me trying to do the right thing."

She nodded. "Okay. Well, look, I just wanted to... I just wanted you to know that. And now I should get back because I know Stefan has a stack of files he wants me to go through today."

When she started toward the door, Ric followed. He twisted the knob as he spoke. "I'm working on the Mikkonos proposal. It should be ready tomorrow. I can--"

The phone sounded shrill, and it made Ric jump just as the doorbell had before. He glanced toward it, then back at Alexis, his body already moving toward the desk.

"One second, okay?"

If she actually answered him, Ric never heard it. His whole focus was on the receiver and the mystery of whose voice would be greeting him on the other end.

"Ric Lansing."

"It's done," Sonny told him, his voice flat. "Faith's been arrested. Her man already gave a statement about her asking him to rough her up, but he told the cops it was to setup Jason. She can scream your name from here till next Sunday, but no one will buy it."

His body felt as if 100 tons of pressure had evaporated as a sigh of relief tore out of Ric. He gripped the desk with his hand to steady himself.

"So we're all clear then?"

He didn't know if the pause was just Sonny's idea of a little more torture or if his brother was just struggling with saying the words, but finally they came. "Yeah, we're all in the clear. Now remember what I said. If you really want to do what's best for Alexis, get the hell away from her."

Ric turned and looked at the woman in question. She smiled at him, her dimples showing through even though her eyes were still filled with obvious worry for him.

"I'll take that under advisement," he said into the phone, and then he hung up and walked back to the door.

"Was that good news, I hope?"

Nodding, Ric leaned against the doorjamb. "Seems like it, yes. So tomorrow, is it okay if I come out on the early side so Kristina and I can play a bit before we start wheeling and dealing?"

Her smile brightened, the anxiety fleeing her eyes. "I'm sure we'd--she'd love that. She seems to be a morning baby, so just come out whenever you're ready."

When she stepped through the door opening, Ric felt his hand instinctively move to the small of her back so he could guide her through. He only lost contact with her when she turned and looked back at him.

"See you tomorrow then."

"Yeah," Ric said, his hope renewed, "I'll see you tomorrow."

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