“What?” Chris questioned in mock confusion as she remained frozen in place. 

“I just don’t think I’ve ever seen you look this happy before,” Eve admitted honestly tracing his features with her index finger. 

“I never had reason to be this happy before you and Juliana stepped into my life,” Chris answered truthfully, “it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to say I feel like my life is on track.” 

“And now,” Eve inquired, “you really feel Juliana and I do that for you?” 

“Eve, how can you even ask that?” Chris questioned seeing something behind her eyes, “hey, what’s going on? Don’t tell me that you’re having second thoughts about this, about us being married....” 

“No, not that’s not it at all,” Eve shook her head, “I was just thinking about Port Charles, about the life you have back there. Being with me is going to take a lot of explaining to the world. Are you ready for something like that?” 

“Eve, since when has anyone given a damn about me or more importantly when have I cared what they’ve said about me,” Chris searched her eyes as he felt a distance behind them, “hey Eve, look I know that we have a lot to think about, but what if we make a pact not to let Port Charles invade on this night we have together? What if we focus on us?” 

“Hmm....when you lay it out on the line in such a tempting way,” Eve half teased, “I’d say that it sounds like it might be a good offer, but how do I know that it’ll be to my benefit to give you my undivided attention?” 

“Well because my dear,” he quickly shifted from beneath her rolling her onto her back as he hovered over her his lips just above hers, “I intend to make this very pleasureful for you.” 

“Is that a fact,” she murmured the heat of his breath sweeping over her lips tempting her to relieve the ache she’d felt building within her for him. 

“Indeed it is,” Chris inched in closer to her as his hands tapered off over her body remembering her soft curves oh so well as he began to unfasten her blouse, his fingertips exploring the warmth of her skin lavishly, “the miracles I can work with these hands should be something that you will never be able to forget.” 

“I haven’t forgotten,” she confessed in a faint whisper as she bridged the distance between them kissing him gently, “I’d never forget how it feels to make love to you.” 

“Even though the last time you and I were both a bit tipsy?” he questioned holding her in his arms as they parted. 

“Honey, if you’re as good as I remember, then we won’t have a problem. Besides it‘s been a while for me, so I might be a bit rusty myself,” she teased lightly as a look puzzling look crossed over his features. 

“Just how long has it been for you, Eve?” Chris couldn’t help but ask as the time and distance between them started to break into the moment. 

“It’s been a while,” Eve shifted a bit uneasily beneath him, “actually it’s been a long while.” 

“How long?” 

“Not since Arianna was stabbed,” Eve cringed at the memory, “and even then I tried to block that out.” 

“With good reason of course,” Chris agreed with a nod as a silence fell over them. 

“What about you?” Eve questioned suddenly realizing they had a lot to talk about as she thought of his life in Port Charles, “Was there anyone special in your life back in Port Charles?” 

“Special,” Chris repeated letting the word roll off his tongue, “no, no not someone I loved. There could never be anyone who filled my life the way you did.” 

“But there was someone, right?” Eve questioned as Chris realized that the mood had shifted and he sat up on the sofa bringing his fingers through his hair as he looked away from her taking in a sharp breath. 

“Chris, you can tell me,” Eve remained frozen on the couch, “I mean I couldn’t expect you to stop living when you thought I’d died. You and I weren’t even....well, you didn’t even believe I loved you when you thought I was taken from you. When that poor woman had her accident....” 

“Eve, I should’ve known,” Chris confessed with a sigh, “something about it didn’t feel right, something about losing you.....still,” he slumped back into the couch closing his eyes as life in Port Charles came back to him, “there was this woman....” 

“Oh,” Eve tried to keep the emotion from her voice as she watched his reaction, “and you felt something for her?” 

“I don’t know if I’d quite say that,” Chris cleared his throat before looking back over at her, “you see there was this thing with this candle....Alison opened up this shop and Doree, well she got her hands on this lust candle thing which ironically enough I lit at the Recovery Room in the hopes of having you return to me. The candle did crazy things and Doree and I, well, we got into this thing....” 

“Thing....” Eve sat up fixing her blouse as she sat upright watching his features seeing them darken, “so you and she....you had.....” 

“A fling,” Chris searched for a word, “if you could call it that. I was just so lost and well, with that candle, she and I...we got into this physical thing and while it was fine at first,” Chris sighed closing his eyes at the memory, “it got pretty ugly as time went on.” 

“How so?” Eve questioned pulling her legs up beneath her as she curled into the couch watching him. 

“She couldn’t get enough of me. She started showing up at the hospital, coming to the apartment at all hours expecting me to service her if you will,” Chris confessed with a sigh, “at first I was flattered that a woman couldn’t get enough of me because it had been so long since you and I......” he reopened his eyes looking back at her as if at a loss. 

“Go on,” she urged, “Chris, you can tell me.” 

“Eve, I don’t know if we should really get into this....” 

“Chris, you’re about to be my husband,” Eve reached for his hand, “you know all my deepest, darkest secrets. I think I can handle a few of yours.” 

“Eve, if I’d known that you were alive,” he started again as she pressed her finger over his lips to silence him. 

“Chris, you don’t have to say it,” Eve offered up letting him off the hook, “this was out of our control. We couldn’t help the predicament we were both tossed into,” she tried to assure him, “so this Doree person....” 

“Eve, she and I are through. I mean really, truly over. As I said she went completely nuts on me. She started showing up at work demanding that I do what she wanted, be with her every second of the day and I found out that her idea of being together involved my not having any room to breathe for myself. Granted while I’d fallen into this physical thing with her, I wasn’t looking for a relationship,” he hesitated trying to read her features, “I just wasn’t ready. I know what a jerk that makes me sound like...” 

“Given the circumstances, I suppose you were only human and there was this beautiful woman coming on to you....” Eve mustered up. 

“It just wasn’t your normal relationship. It wasn’t even a relationship,” Chris shook his head, “it was just like there was this woman who walked into the Recovery Room and then bam there she was throwing herself at me offering me sex whenever I wanted it, however I wanted it and well, like I said at first it was fine, but....” he stopped once again, “you don’t really want to hear this, do you?” 

“Not particularly,” Eve admitted honestly, “the thought of some other woman having her way with you doesn’t exactly sit well with me, but well I think we need to finish this conversation, but can we fast forward past the sexcapades?” 

“That’s probably a good idea,” he nodded taking in another breath, “basically when I realized that the relationship wasn’t going anywhere, that I couldn’t see myself pursuing a relationship with her or having any feelings for her beyond that stupid lust thing that the candle started with us, I tried to put distance between us. I told her I needed a break from us, but she wouldn’t let up. She still followed me, stalked me in her own way and though I told her repeatedly that it was over, I don’t think she got a clue. Even when I left Port Charles she was still calling my apartment on a daily basis hanging up on my machine and showing up at the hospital.” 

“Oh my god,” Eve gasped, “She sounds like she’s someone you could’ve done without in your life.” 

“You can say that again,” Chris groaned, “and in all honesty it got worse before Jack and I arrived here. She had me thrown in jail repeatedly.” 

“Jail?” Eve gasped, “Chris, why would she do a thing like that?” 

“Oh did I fail to mention she’s a police officer?” Chris blurted out realizing that somehow they’d just hoped a whole new can of worms in their relationship as there was no avoiding the past. 

Alison expelled a soft breath as she lay in against Jack, snuggling into his chest as they lay together basking in the aftermath of their love. She rubbed his chest feeling the blanket surrounding them as she looked down at him, a soft smile spreading over her features, “I love you,” Alison confessed feeling the warmth of his body against hers, “I love you so much Jack.” 

“I love you,” he whispered in response kissing the top of her head, “I’m so lucky to be able to have you in my arms like this.” 

“I’m the lucky one,” She looked to him, “when I thought I lost you before...” 

“Shh,” he placed his finger to her lips silencing her, “that’s all in the past now.” 

“I know,” Alison nodded, “but still when I think about what it would’ve been like to live without you, to never be able to hold you again....” 

“You don’t have to think about that anymore,” he pulled her up to him bringing her lips to his in a tender kiss, “because I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to stay with you from here on out, or well, at least as long as you’ll have me.” 

“How about forever? Can I have you forever, Jack?” she questioned with a hint of a smile as his arms wrapped around her securely. 

“Well, I don’t know if I can promise forever just like it is now, but I can promise you that wherever I am, whatever life brings me that I’ll always love you Alison. You’ll always be in my heart,” he touched her cheek sliding his fingers over it gently as he tried to memorize her features, “it was your love that brought me back to you and I intend to hold you close for as long as the heavens allows me.” 

“Jack,” Alison leaned in to kiss him tenderly, “when I think about what happened, how I almost lost you...” She grew silent as she reflected on the past, “Jack, there are some things we need to take care of,” she hesitated as she looked away. 

“Like what?” he questioned urging her to look at him again. 

“Like Livvie and Rafe,” Alison blurted out knowing that she really didn’t want to focus on them, yet it was something they couldn't avoid. Rafe helped bring you back to me and when I lost you, well I was very nasty with him. I screamed at him, pretty much blamed him for everything that had gone wrong in my life, yet here you are....” 

“I guess we both owe him some kind of apology,” Jack decided after a moment, “or at least thanks for helping us be together.” 

“Indeed,” she nodded as her thoughts lingered to Livvie, “and Livvie, well she must know by now that you’re still alive.” 

“I’m sure Rafe’s told her,” Jack thought it over for a long moment, “she was so shaken up before when she had you. Alison, I don’t know if you should be around her right now. She’s not exactly in the best frame of mind.” 

“I think you’re right on that one, but still I’m worried about her. She’s done so much to hurt everyone who’s cared about her lately. Livvie’s alienated her family all in her need for revenge and while I know that she hates me right now, I’m worried about her Jack, really worried.” 

“So am I,” Jack confessed, “I know it’s not my place anymore, but I wish she’d just find some happiness in her life.” 

“She’s been unhappy for a long time,” Alison agreed, “and all the while she’s blamed me for it. She blamed me for losing you and maybe in a way it is my fault.” 

“She lost me all on her own,” Jack reached out to Alison seeing the distance behind her eyes, “hey look at me. Alison, what happened between us, how we fell in love with one another, it’s been a long time in the making. While Livvie and I had our time together, it’s the past. You know that, Alison.” 

“I know, but still I can’t help but worry about her,” Alison let out a nervous laugh, “here I go doing it again.” 

“Doing what?” Jack questioned in response. 

“I’m finding a reason why something is going to go wrong? Why the love in my life isn’t what I deserve....why I can’t possibly deserve being this happy....” 

“Well I think it’s time you just stop that,” Jack urged further, “because you deserve this happiness. We deserve this happiness Alison. You and I we have it all together and I know that this is what we’ve both waited for.” 

“I waited a lifetime to have this,” Alison agreed thinking of all her years of being alone, “even now I wonder when I’m going to wake up and it’ll all slip away just like it did for Livvie.” 

“It’s not going to slip away,” Jack promised drawing her into his arms nearer, “this is one dream that won’t fade away. The beauty of it is that it’s here to stay and you won’t ever lose it again.” 

Returning to the living room, Eve offered up a mug of coffee to Chris as she realized he was slumped over the coffee table placed out in front of the sofa she‘d just left. His gaze was traveling off into the distance with no particular focal point as she slid the mug across the table towards him as she spoke up once more, “Here drink up.” 

“So much for a romantic evening together huh,” he sighed rubbing his temple as his gaze drifted back to her, “Eve, look I never meant to spoil the mood by bringing up...” 

“We needed to talk about Port Charles sooner or later,” Eve insisted taking a seat beside him, “we were just fooling ourselves in thinking that we could ignore it.” 

“Still I ask you to be my wife and I’d hoped we’d spend the night in one another’s arms, making love, yet here we are talking about my stalker ex-girlfriend and we’re no where near where I’d hoped we’d be.” 

“We have a lifetime for that,” Eve urged reaching for his hand giving it a light squeeze as her eyes held the promise for the future, “but right now, well right now we really do need to talk about things. That way there won’t be any surprises ahead of us.” 

“You’re right,” he nodded returning the squeeze as he laced his fingers in hers before he cleared his throat, “so where do we start?” 

“Where would you feel most comfortable?” Eve questioned seeing the lost look behind his eyes, “tell you what, how about we take the heat off of you for a few moments and I’ll tell you about what’s happened with me, with Juliana.” 

“I think I’d like that,” Chris nodded in agreement, “I have so many questions, so many things I want to know.” 

“Then we’ll start from that,” Eve took in a breath releasing his hand before sipping her coffee, “you asked me before when she was born and well, I told you how and where, but you wanted to know when...” 

“I kind of had some idea about the when, but please,” Chris couldn’t help but smile, “tell me when is our little girl’s birthday.” 

“Well, she was born in November, the first of the month even,” Eve couldn’t help but smile, “a few hours earlier and she and her daddy might’ve shared even more in common than they already do.” 

“You mean she was born right around my birthday?” Chris’ eyes widened, “the day after?” 

“She didn’t want to wait any longer,” Eve shook her head, “and I can still remember all the children outside DV’s compound when they were taking me to the hospital.” 

“So where were you exactly?” Chris questioned. 

“Just south of here,” Eve explained thinking back, “he had this place on the water, this island that well, it didn’t have much anything else but him and his people. If there’s one thing about David, he knows how to plan for something he wants and he makes sure that it goes his way. The only thing he wasn’t planning on was my desire to return to you and make sure our daughter was safe. I’d have done anything to avoid being there with him.” 

“Eve, I wish you didn’t have to go through that,” Chris reached out to her, “if I’d known, if I’d truly realized...” 

“No one could know,” Eve shook her head, “after the shooting, he worked very hard to let us all believe he was in no position to return, but it was all part of his plan. Somehow he found a way to get to me at the cabin and knowing about what had happened between us, well he made his move.” 

“Eve, I just wish,” he sighed closing his eyes, “when I shot him that night, when he was there at the cemetery in Port Charles. Eve, I just wanted to scare him, to warn him to stop hurting you, but then, well, he just wouldn't back down and I was afraid, so worried about what he could do to hurt you. When he taunted you about your son...” he trailed off. 

“Chris, I know why you did it and I love you all the more for what you tried to do,” Eve pressed her forehead into his as she closed her eyes letting out a breath, “David was just a man of means beyond you or I.” 

“Still, if I’d known what pain he’d cause us, I wouldn’t have screwed up with shooting him...I would’ve made sure he didn’t live to see another day of hurting you,” he reached out to her. 

“Chris, it’s over,” Eve promised him, “he’s dead and he can’t hurt us now. He didn’t succeed in what he wanted. He didn’t keep us from finding each other again and he didn’t keep you from Juliana.” 

“Still I feel like there’s so much I missed out on,” Chris sighed feeling the weight of it all settling in over him as she reached out to touch his face tenderly. 

“Chris, we can’t go back, but what we can do is look forward together,” Eve reminded him after a moment, “what we have now....we have a second chance for us. We are getting married and you are finally reunited with Juliana. There’s so much about her I want to show you, so much that you both need to share.” 

“I want that,” Chris confessed reaching out to her and pulling her into his arms in a loving embrace, “I want to learn everything there is about my little girl.” 

“And you will,” Eve squeezed his arms around her tighter, “we’ll both learn it together. We’ll get to go through this parenting thing and see what it’s like to be grown ups together,” she teased lightly as she sank into his chest making herself comfortable on the sofa. 

“Us as grown ups,” Chris laughed lightly, “being responsible and the such, I shudder at the thought.” 

“Oh you,” She tilted her head back to meet his gaze as the underside of his palm swept over her smooth skin, “I know that you’re looking very forward to being able to boast about being a father and leaping into the role of responsibility.” 

“I admit while I’m very eager to learn everything there is to learn about Juliana, I noticed earlier that she seems to have your spunky side,” Chris teased lightly. 

“Spunky side?” Eve raised a curious brow. 

“That’s right,” Chris nodded in amusement, “and your stubbornness as well it seems. When she wanted to stay up for one more story even after it was long past her time to go to bed, she kept pushing until neither one of us could refuse her any longer.” 

“I’m not stubborn,” Eve objected with a frown. 

“Yes you are,” Chris chuckled at her expression, “you’re the most stubborn woman I know.” 

“Hardly,” she argued, “I’m not stubborn at all. I’d like to think I’m very easy going.” 

“It’s never good to delude oneself, Eve,” Chris mocked struggling to keep from laughing as her nose wrinkled up in response to him. 

“Oh right, like you are all sunshine and roses for a woman Mr. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,” Eve shot back at him. 

“Oh please Eve, is that the best you can come up with?” Chris raised a curious brow, “anyone would turn to a compulsion after having to share an apartment with you seeing as you believe the living room was designed to be your own personal closet.” 

“No one asked you to be my maid, Ramsey,” Eve gave him a look, “I was clearly capable of cleaning up after myself.” 

“Really? Hmm...well that’s a novel idea coming from you considering how you left the bathroom back at the apartment when we lived together,” he continued to tease seeing the anger build behind her eyes. 

“I’ll have you know that I’m a great housekeeper now a days and even you can’t argue that one,” Eve shot him a glare, “I think I’ve gone a great job here with Juliana and this place looks great.” 

“It does,” he began to laugh lightly, “it really does, Eve which only proves one thing.” 

“What’s that?” Eve turned in his arms as she faced him. 

“That you indeed can be trained,” Chris offered up in mock amusement as he tapped her nose jokingly, “you’re going to make me a fine little housewife.” 

“I’ll give you housewife,” she began to tickle his sides as she pinned him down on the sofa feeling him shifting beneath her as laughter overcame him, “you’re going to have the best wife ever and you’re going to love everything about me good and bad...do you hear me Ramsey,” she questioned as she continued her tickle assault on him. 

“Eve, Eve stop....” Chris couldn’t help but find himself overcome with laughter as he tried to end off her hands, trying to keep her from touching all the right places to make him squirm beneath her, “Eve...” 

“Admit it Ramsey, you love me. You love everything about me, even my stubborn and very sloppy side,” Eve insisted her own laughter bubbling over her as he slipped his hands around her waist holding her still momentarily before he spun her over onto her back pinning her beneath him as the laughter faded. 

“I already do,” Chris admitted honestly as her own laughter filled the air with a warmth surrounding the both of them filling them up with something comforting, inviting in its own way, “I love everything about you, Eve Lambert.” 

“And I love everything about you even if you can be a huge pain in the butt sometimes,” Eve confessed her laughter dying down as she was suddenly aware of the warmth of his body over hers as his breath swept over her. Her eyes were drawn to his sensual lips as her own breath caught in her throat and her voice softened a bit as she thought back to the night they shared together when Juliana was created, “how is it you tend to find ways to keep getting me in this position time and time again?” 

“I believe the last time this game was played, you were the one who initiated it,” Chris answered as his hand rested gently over her hip cradling it to his body as a hint of a smile swept over his features. 

“I wasn’t the one who initiated it,” Eve objected as he cupped her body closer to his and she let off a soft moan, “you’re not playing fair, Ramsey.” 

“Since when did I ever do that?” Chris flirted his eyes sparkling with mischief as he captured her mouth in a searing kiss. 

“Chris,” Eve whispered his name finding herself breathless and longing for more of him as he tore himself away from her. 

“Eve, you’re so beautiful,” he cradled her hip momentarily before his fingers fanned out over her thigh easing over her curves. 

“I’ve missed you so much, Chris,” Eve confessed curving her leg around his body as his skilled hands slipped beneath her soft form cupping her bottom as their mouths met in another hungry kiss. 

“I love you,” Chris whispered feeling the warmth of her body beneath his as he held her, squeezing her closer to him as her arms wrapped around him. Untucking her shirt with one hand, he eased his fingers up over her spine feeling the warmth of her body beneath his touch igniting a fire deep down in his soul as his lips tapered off over the curve of her neck tasting her with an urgency only she could bring to life in him. 

“I love you too, Chris,” she confessed in response threading her fingers through his hair tightly as she recaptured his mouth with hungry urgency. She parted her lips inviting him to taste of her as his free hand pressed over her cheek. 

Stroking her mouth to ecstasy, Chris slipped between her lips darting repeatedly inside her mouth offering up a hint of the passion to come as an involuntary moan ripped through her causing her to cry out as she shifted beneath him. Her hands encircled him tracing the contours of his body as she began to tug at his shirt wanting to feel the warmth of his skin against her, to remember what it felt like to be lost in his passion. 

“Make love to me,” she whispered shallowly from her lungs as she began to slide his shirt further up his torso revealing the hard, warm muscles of his chest to her touch, “I need you.” 

Refusing to wait for his response, Eve pulled the shirt up over his body as Chris moved away from her long enough to alleviate his shirt and she tossed it aside onto the floor before she reached out to him drawing him against her once again. Kissing him with all the passion she’d kept inside for so very long, she promised herself that this time, this moment was going to one they never forgot as their passion threatened to take control of them. 

“Oh Eve,” Chris whispered her name as he began to unbutton her shirt revealing her warm, creamy flesh to his hungry eyes. Slowly he pulled back taking a moment to memorize her curves as her chest rose and fell in anticipation of his touch. 

“Chris,” she spoke his name feeling a head build from deep within her as his eyes caressed her reaching over her in ways that no man had been capable of before this moment in time. Just the way he was looking at her, his gaze so focused on her as his eyes slowly made love to her caressing the contours of her body filling her so completely without even laying a hand on her. 

Finally after what felt like an eternity, Chris leaned in towards her, his fingers pressing up against her as her body shuddered against him, and a gasp rushed forward through her full, parted lips. Capturing her moan with a kiss, he glided his hand over her, feeling the intensity of her reaction to his touch. Easing his palm over her curves, he traced the soft, black lace that lined the top of her bra with his index finger watching her breath catch in her throat before he tested her fullness in his palm remembering how glorious it felt to be with her as she cried out once more, only this time her cries weren’t the only ones filling the house as Eve broke from the kiss. 

“Juliana,” she whispered her daughter’s name realizing their daughter had awakened as she looked to Chris. She took in a breath trying to still the pounding of her heart as the spell between them had been broken by the reality of parenthood, “I should go check on her.” 

“No, don’t,” Chris decided trying to keep himself from giving in to the moment between them as his daughter’s cries continued, “I’ll go check on her.” 

“Chris, you don’t have to,” she began as her pulse raced at the memory of his touch. 

“I want to,” Chris explained giving her a quick kiss before heading into Juliana’s room. 

Eve watched him leave before sinking back into the sofa with an exasperated breath as she thought of their latest encounter, “Oh Eve,” she sighed, “what are you getting yourself into?” 

Chris let out a tiny chuckle hearing the frustration in her voice mirroring his own as he entered the nursery finding Juliana sitting in the center of her crib, tiny tears flowing from her eyes as he moved in to look at her. 

“Hey baby girl,” he watched as her lip quivered in response to him, “hey, what’s wrong?” 

Juliana extended her arms out to him as she responded with yet another quiver of her lip. Reaching out to her, he pulled her into his arms seeing so much of Eve in her as she let out a slow, exasperated breath. 

“It’s okay now,” He tried to assure her as his arm hugged her closer only to discover the surprise that had awakened her as she was completely soaked, “Uh oh...you had an accident, didn’t you?” 

With that she let out another tiny cry, the tears flowing from down her chubby cheeks as he carried her over to the changing table. 

“It’s okay Juliana,” Chris tried to assure her as he set her down, “daddy can fix this. I’ll get you all cleaned up and good as new. You have my word on that princess,” he promised placing a tender kiss on her tiny forehead before he collected a change of pajamas and he worked on cleaning his daughter up. 

After a short while, Chris smiled proudly looking at the job he’d done with his daughter as she was in fresh pajamas and a smile swept over her features as she played with Mr. Wiggly. Grinning, he pulled her into his arms around feeling her curl into him as she held her toy protectively. 

“What do you say we show mommy that we made it through this first crisis together?” Chris questioned as he lead her out into the living room boasting proudly, “Eve, Juliana and I survived our first major crisis here,” He spoke out to her as he 
saw her curled up on the sofa. Stepping in closer he realized she’d fallen asleep his shirt wrapped over her as he sat down beside her and Juliana looked to her mother with curious eyes. 

“Mama,” she spoke up to Eve before looking to Chris with questioning eyes. 

“She must’ve been more tired than we thought,” Chris offered up as he moved into the chair across from the sofa. He reached for one of Juliana’s books as she lay against him enjoying the warmth of his arms as she and Mr. Wiggly cuddled into him, “what do you say we read another story? Would you like that princess?” he questioned opening the book as he shared the night with his daughter retelling the tale of the floppy eared rabbit until Juliana fell asleep in his arms giving him a sense of peace and happiness that he hadn‘t imagined possible before this moment in time. It seemed that life had finally come full circle as Chris Ramsey seemed to have it all. 

“Excuse me,” the man called out to the night security as he stepped in out of the storm brewing outside in Port Charles. He looked around the empty lobby rubbing his palms together as the young desk man looked up at him. 

“Can I help you?” the man behind the desk questioned as he turned his attention away from the horror film that had captured his attention most of the evening. 

“Yes, is Sal around?” the man questioned. 

“Sal,” the young man behind the desk shook his head in response, “no he’s off tonight.” 

“Oh well, it seems I have a problem,” the man hesitated, “but then again maybe you can help me,” he eyed the young man’s tag, “Jeff.” 

“If I can, I’d be more than glad to,” Jeff answered. 

“Excellent,” the man smiled, “it seems I locked myself out of my apartment and silly me, I tend to do that every now and then, but luckily Sal’s here to help me out of this situation every now and then.” 

“Oh I see, well Sal isn’t here,” Jeff repeated. 

“I realize that, but if you could help me out...maybe hand me over the spare key you have, then I can run it back to you after I get into my apartment, or better yet I could bring it back to you before I leave tomorrow.” 

“Gee, I don’t know,” Jeff hesitated, “I don’t think that I can....” 

“Look Jeff, I realize that you’re new here, but I really had a long day. It’s been one of those days you’d just as soon forget with a good martini in the comfort of your own home. Tell me you can help me out. I’ll owe you one.” 

“Well, I really shouldn’t do this, but....” Jeff reached into the drawer before him pulling out a set of keys, “what was your name again?” 

“Ramsey,” the man answered, “Chris Ramsey.” 

“I assume you have your identification with you,” Jeff noted, “for security purposes of course.” 

“Of course,” he nodded reaching for his wallet and drawing out the ID within, “you can never be too safe these days now can you?” 

“No you can’t,” Jeff agreed running a quick check before handing back the ID, “there are a lot of nuts out there, Mr. Ramsey.” 

“You're telling me,” he answered taking the key, “oh well, I’m ready to put the world behind me for the day.” 

“It sounds like a plan,” Jeff nodded, “have a good one.” 

“I intend to,” the man nodded making his way to the elevators as he chuckled at how easy that was. Once he’d made his way to the penthouse apartment, he stepped inside realizing that things were looking up. Sure, Chris might not be around, but he was certain not to let this luxurious apartment go to waste because he’d earned this much after all. As the man shed his trench coat, he made his way over to the desk noting the photograph on it as he looked to Chris and the dark haired woman beside him raising martinis to the camera. 

“Interesting. Very interesting,” he chuckled lightly setting the photograph down as he realized that he was going to rather enjoy being in Port Charles. Something told him that this was exactly the right place to be at the right time and nothing could stop him from getting what was rightfully his. As he looked to the photo of Chris once more, a proud smile swept over his features as he realized Chris would be just the man to give him what he wanted and not a moment too soon.