Hi all:

Here's my first AlanMoni fanfic. I posted it on msn and on the yahoo
group Maggie started. Tell me what you think.

It is now August 2007. Port Charles has returned to a sense of
normalcy after the Metro Court incident in February.

After Liz told Jason the truth about the baby, she got his word to
remain silent regarding the baby's true paternity and reconciled with
Lucky. A daughter was born on May 4, named Laura Audrey Spencer,
Andi for short. Shortly after birth, a defect in the baby's heart
forced Liz to confess everything to Lucky. A routine blood test,
however, showed that Lucky was Andi's father, but the damage was
already done. Lucky stated to Liz he could forgive the one night
stand, but the constant lying hurt him too much. After the baby's
defect was corrected, Lucky moved out of their house and in with
Nikolas.

Jason and Sam were slowly picking up the pieces. Losing Alan made
Jason reach out to Monica. He still held Edward at arm's length, as
did Carly. Her experience with Metro Court, plus Jax's influence,
compelled her to have a change of heart regarding Monica. She
decided to let Monica be a part of Michael's life on a full time
basis.

Monica kept herself together in public. She held her ground when Dr.
Russell Ford challenged her for the COS position. She won the vote
by 1. She missed cardiology and the rush of surgery, but being COS
was a way of keeping Alan's memory alive. In April, after
challenging Tracy as to the existence of Alan's ghost, she realized
that the memories of the mansion were too painful. With a heavy
heart, she moved out and into a penthouse ironically in the same
building as Sonny Corinthos. She kept busy with assisting Emily in
the planning of her wedding. In private, she cried every night.


MONICA'S PENTHOUSE

Monica and Emily are going over bridal gown designs. Nikolas and
Emily were to be married September 15 in a small ceremony in Lila's
rose garden. Emily was rifling through a magazine. She stopped at a
design, but looked unsure, but turned to ask her mother's opinion.

Monica is standing by the fireplace, holding a picture. She is
focused on the picture, not paying attention to her daughter.

"Mom?" Emily looks over and sees what her mother is holding. It is
a picture of Alan. She walks over to her. "Mom, are you okay?"

Monica is finally knocked out of her reverie.

"Hmm? I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

Emily gives her mother a knowing look. "Because I've been yelling
your name and you haven't heard me. Mom, if helping me is too much
for you righ-"

Monica hugged her daughter, still holding the picture. "Emily,
sweetheart. I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Helping my daughter
plan her wedding is not too much for me. It's a joy"

Emily pulled out of the hug. "Mom, I know your wedding anniversary
is in two weeks. It is why you're so sad. You've been sad ever
since Dad died."

"I'm not sad, Emily. Your father's gone. I have to accept that."
Monica inhaled heavily to hold back tears. "It's been six months"

Emily looked at her mother. "It's okay to still be sad, Mom. It's
okay to cry or to scream at the heavens. Dad was the love of your
life." She hesitated before she continued. "You don't always have
to be the strong one, you know"

At that moment, a cat walked up to Monica's leg and rubbed up against
it and purred. Monica picked the cat up and gently stroked her to
avoid the moment with her daughter. The cat, a short haired orange
tabby named Persephone, was a recent member of Monica's new household.

"Come here Persephone. Good girl." Seeing her daughter's concern,
she put the cat down.

Monica then smiled as she patted the arm of her daughter. "Emily
darling, I'm fine. I have my moments, but your father wouldn't want
me to wallow in self pity. Now, let's get back to finding you the
perfect wedding gown" as she walked towards the couch. Emily watched
her mother with a look of worry.


45 MINUTES LATER

Emily is going through bridal magazines in frustration. Finally, she
has reached her limit. She chucks the magazine at the wall, scaring
Persephone away from the couch arm where she was napping.

"That's it! I give up! Mom, none of these are right!"

Monica looked up from the magazine she was looking at and
chuckled. "Em, come on. Don't worry. We will find the right
design. The wedding will be perfect. Now, sit, take 5, and RELAX"

Emily walked over to her mother and hugged her. "I'm sorry, Mom.
It's just that this is a new beginning for Nikolas and myself. I
just want it –"

"Perfect. I understand, Em, trust me. However, in the end, it's
only a reflection of the love you and Nikolas share. Nothing else
matters. You'll be beautiful if you wear….your lab coat and
scrubs." Both began to laugh at Monica's final comment.

Emily stopped after a moment. "That's what Dad said about you. He
said when you got married the first time that you could have been in
scrubs after surgery, or a gunny sack. When he saw you walk down the
aisle, you lit up the room."

Monica felt a shadow of sadness overwhelm her. She remembered that
day. As she walked down that aisle, she felt fear, anguish, love,
all at the same time. She didn't realize it then, but her feelings
for Rick were not of true love. It was a yearning of the familiar.
Alan was like no one else she had ever known. Never had someone
shared themselves with her or wanted her to be a part of them. It
felt as she was going on a roller coaster. Little did she know at
the time that the roller coaster she boarded would last 30 years.
Getting off left a void that would never heal.

Emily saw her mother's expression change. She inwardly kicked
herself, afraid she upset her with memories of her father. Her
parents bickered and fought, but they held on with a love so strong
and true that not even death could break it. Emily felt that if she
and Nikolas had half of what Alan and Monica Quartermaine shared,
their love would last forever. Emily was suddenly struck with
inspiration. She walked over to a glass cabinet that held books,
unseen by Monica. When Emily found what she was looking for, she
returned to her mother.

Monica was so engrossed in her thoughts of her 1st wedding with Alan
that she didn't hear her daughter calling her name.

"Mom……Mom……Mom!"

Monica turned to the source of her disruption with a start. "What?
Oh, I'm sorry, Em. I was distracted"

"Dad, wasn't it?"

Monica gave a knowing smile. "I can't help it. I have days that
proceed accordingly. I also have days where moments in which a
movement, a noise, a comment brings it all back. God, I miss my big
guy" as a tear shed down her cheek.

Emily dropped her thought for the moment to comfort Monica. She
walked over to her mother, but it seemed as if Monica was reading her
mind as she quickly composed herself and wiped the tear away.

"I'm okay, Emily"

Emily remained concerned. "Are you sure, Mom?"

Monica took her daughter's hand. "Yes, I am. Emily, Alan is
everywhere. At GH, in my dreams, in your eyes. I know you are not
our biological daughter, but you have Alan's kind soul in your eyes.
You are a part of the love Alan and I shared for 30 years. So don't
worry about me, okay? I've had loss before and I will deal with it.
Now, I notice that you have a particular album out. Care to share?"

Emily smiled. "Yes Mom. I know what I want for my wedding dress.
It's here" She opened the album to her chosen page and showed it to
Monica. "That is, if it's okay with you"

Monica beamed from ear to ear, a rare showing of happiness
lately. "Of course it is. I would be proud for you to wear my
wedding dress in your wedding. It will look much lovelier on your
than it did on that witch Nikki Langton." As she hugged her
daughter, Emily saw the time.

"Oh no, I have to go. I'm meeting Nikolas for dinner. We're going
out to dinner and a movie tonight courtesy of Uncle Lucky
volunteering to baby-sit Spencer."

Monica laughed. "Okay, you go and have fun"

Emily hugged her mom again. "If you need anything, call me please."
She released her mother. "Oh, Mom, thanks again for letting me have
your wedding dress."

"No problem. Now go!" As Monica closed her door, she walked back
into her living room. Monica came back to the mantle and took down
the picture of Alan that had so captured her attention earlier. She
took it down and with her as she walked to the couch. It was one of
her favorites, one of when he was older. The same one she was gazing
upon on the day of his memorial service. She touched it gently with
her left hand. Her engagement ring glistened slightly while she was
doing this. The tears began to fall as she hugged the picture for
dear life.

"Oh Alan, I need you so much…."

PARKING GARAGE

Emily exited the penthouse building to the parking garage.
She hit the remote to unlock the door and turn off the alarm. Just
as she grabbed the handle, a hand came to her face. She struggled,
and then went limp. The person put her in the backset, covered her
with a blanket, then got into Emily's car and drove away. As they
get to the gate, the driver salutes the attendant, who nods.

PRIVATE AIRSTRIP

Emily is carried aboard a private jet. She is placed in a
room. It is spacious with a bed, nightstand, and television. Her
cell phone is removed from her belt buckle. After a careful
examination, the kidnapper walks to the door, and tosses the phone.
After making sure Emily is secured, the kidnapper walked to a phone
in the main area and pushed one button.

"Ready to take off"

When the plane completed takeoff, the kidnapper made another
call.

"It's Craig. Ms. Quartermaine is aboard. It's time to
implement the next phase of our Queen's plan." He hung up the phone
with a smirk.

"Spencers….Quartermaines…..you never should have induced the
wrath of the Cassadines"