Strange Days

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The snow fell from the night sky surrounding the hospital as Chris Ramsey looked out his office window. Another dreary winter evening, he though to himself as he saw the memo about the Christmas party up on his desk yet again. He let out a sigh as he thought about the holidays. He could call Jack, maybe make nice with him and Livvie and get an invitation over for dinner, but what would be the point in that? He‘d never really been family to begin with after Jack‘s arrival in Port Charles, so why integrate himself now? Hearing a tap on his door, he kept his eyes fixed on the night air as the soft floral scent captured him.

“Chris, are you going to be coming out here anytime soon?” Alison Barrington's voice questioned over the silence that had overtaken him for the last hour, “they were asking about you in the lounge.”

“Why do I sincerely doubt that?” Chris questioned giving her a sideways glance, “Alison you and I both know how liked I am out there.”

“Chris, come on. It’s the holidays, I don’t think they’re going to push you aside,” Alison offered.

“Alison, they think I’m Scrooge,” Chris sighed spinning around to face her.

“Well you are most of the time, but in this instance,” she moved across the room to urge him from his chair, “well this time, we’re going to keep you from being that.”

“Because I’d much rather endure the torture from you,” she groaned as she reached for his arm, “now come on out of here before I have to send Eve in here.”

“Anything but that,” Chris rolled his eyes as he stood up, “I’ll say hello, but then I’m gone.”

“Why shouldn’t I?” Chris asked taking in a breath as he dreaded making nice with the folks of Port Charles. After all he’d been through lingering in misery seemed to be the best option for him.

“There you are Lambert,” Ian smiled wrapping his arms around Eve as he hugged her close to him, “I was starting to wonder where you’d drifted off to.”

“I just thought I’d take a moment by myself,” she said with a soft smile, “I was looking at the tree here.”

“It’s rather gloomy considering the holiday,” Ian noted with a wrinkled nose as he glanced over at the white tree decorated in black bulbs. He read the display case in front of it and he frowned slightly, “no wonder. Ramsey donated it.”

“I knew it looked familiar,” Eve replied reaching out to touch a branch as the sounds of laughter filled the air around them.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Ian questioned spinning her around to face him.

“Well, I just don’t want you to be too run down with our little one,” he answered reaching out to touch her swelled abdomen, “the doctor said you should be taking it easy.”

“Ian, if I was taking it any easier I’d be dead,” she said meeting his anamused expression, “Ian, it’s a joke.”

“I didn’t ask you,” she piped in ready to say something more when a hush fell over the crowd. Her eyes followed the silence as she noted Chris entering the room.

“Well, looks like he decided to grace us with his presence after all,” Ian grumbled slightly.

“Give him a break Ian,” Eve urged as she watched Chris cross the room, “it is the holidays after all.”

“Ian, he’s not that bad,” Eve decided, “in fact we’re going to wish him well.”

“Fine,” Eve decided stepping away as she took in a nervous breath and walked over to Chris. Clearing her throat she forced a smile, “hi Chris.”

“Eve,” he nodded shifting on his feet as he found himself drawn to her dark eyes.

“Great, just great,” she offered up, “Ian and I were just looking at your tree over there.”

“Not really. It was just taking up space at the apartment,” he shrugged, “so I figured why not put it somewhere that they’ll get use out of it?”

“So, h-how are you feeling?” he questioned nodding towards her swelled abdomen.

“Ready to get this over with and start the parenting thing,” Eve offered up with a smile, “Ian drives me nuts worrying about the pregnancy.”

“I noticed you haven’t asked for time off and it’s getting close to the due date,” Chris reminded her.

“I’ll take a leave when I’m ready,” she placed her hand over her abdomen, “I'm just not ready yet.”

“Now you’re starting to sound like Ian,” she frowned, “I was hoping you would avoid getting that way.”

“Not when she loved me,” Ian interrupted slinking his arm around Eve, “I was wondering when you’d return.”

“He’s obviously delusional yet again,” Ian laced his fingers in Eve’s, “so how the hell are ya Ramsey?”

“There’s that holiday spirit,” Ian rolled his eyes, “as always it’s been a pleasure. Now Eve, if you don’t mind Lucy wanted to discuss plans for the shower with us...”

“It can wait, but our little one,” he wrapped his arms around her possessively, “well that’s right around the corner.”

“It’s alright we were just about finished,” Chris answered sharply, “Eve, you wouldn’t want to disappoint your husband.”

“Yeah you too,” he nodded stepping away as he tried to ignore the aching in his heart. Months had passed, he could keep going on. He didn’t need Eve and he just had to keep reminding himself that.

“Ian, what was that all about earlier?” Eve frowned as they stepped into their apartment.

“Lucy wanted to talk to us Eve,” Ian informed her, “I was just trying to get your attention.”

“Ian you’re better than that,” Eve huffed, “you don’t have to rub it in his face what he lost.”

“Ian we didn’t go anywhere. We’re together,” she sighed, “I married you.”

“Yes you did and I’ll be forever grateful for that,” he pulled her into his arms, “I love you Eve.”

“I love you too Thornhart,” she replied leaning up on her toes to kiss him, “you still could’ve been nice to Chris.”

“You’re too nice to him, but I suppose I wouldn’t have you any other way,” he admitted kissing her again, “I love you all the more for it.”

“He’s a friend and when it gets down to it he’s not so bad,” she hugged him, “he’s just had some rough times lately.”

“Well, whatever they are, I’m glad that fate has smiled down on us. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.”

“You’ll never have to worry about that,” she informed him embracing him once again as she thought of her distant best friend.

Chris opened the door to his apartment. Stepping inside he didn’t bother with the lights as he tossed his jacket across the room. Making his way towards the bar he reached for a bottle ready to mix up some martinis when he opted to just take it straight from the bottle. Discarding his tie, he stepped across the room taking a hearty swig of the alcohol as he thought of the Christmas party. Why had he allowed Alison into talking him out of his office? Why did he have to see Eve and further more why hadn’t he just decked Thornhart like he’d wanted to for years now? From the moment Ian Thornhart had walked into his life everything had fallen apart, but even more so since Ian had his sights set on Eve.

“Eve,” he sighed her name as he wanted to kick himself for not begin able to let go. For so long he’d loved her and hoped one day she’d come around, but alas she hadn’t been able to do so as she found love with every other man in Port Charles, but him. She’d given her heart time and time again leaving Chris out in the cold and this time Ian was the recipient.

Taking another drink from his bottle, Chris looked out into the snow covered terrace before him. He moved forward lost in his thoughts of the past and what might’ve beens. Reaching for the lock, he stepped out into the night feeling the snowflakes fall around him as he took in the view of Port Charles. This time of year the city was filled with lights and festivities, but now after midnight all had grown silent as he stood out on his terrace looking into a world he’d never been a part of, a world that had turned him away. Slinging the bottle over the ledge, he looked down to the snow covered world below before a throaty laugh built inside of him. He finished off the bottle before dropping it over the ledge. He watched it fall to the ground before it landed upon the blanket of snow. The shattering of glass could be heard faintly as Chris leaned over the ledge of the terrace.

“What have you given me world?” Chris called out to the invisible viewers surrounding him, “what have you given me?” Hearing his voice echoed in response he let out another laugh as he slipped over the ledge. He stood forward feeling his toes curl over the balcony, “the one thing I wanted, the one thing I needed was Eve, but no I wasn’t good enough to have that. I wasn’t good enough to have the life I’d dreamed of....” he shouted out feeling the tears burning his eyes as he leaned forward, “Oh hell what’s it worth anyways,” he shrugged in defeat as he looked down once more and he contemplated his move. He leaned forward thinking about taking a leap when his conscious got the best of him. Sighing in defeat, he turned back towards his apartment when a patch of snow fell from beneath his footing and he fell backwards tumbling down to the world below.

“No!!!!!!” Chris cried out as his eyes snapped open. He sat up in bed feeling the cotton material of his night shirt sticking to his body. His heart was racing, his throat tight as he could feel the memory of the fall overtaking him. He clasped his chest tightly feeling himself overcome by a panic attack as an unfamiliar scent surrounding him.

“It was just a dream,” he tried to remind himself as he tugged at the blanket above him, “just a dream.”

“Are you alright?” a voice called out to him as he felt a strong, masculine hand upon his shoulder.

“What the......” Chris began with a shudder as the lamp beside the dresser turned on and he found himself in bed next to none other than Ian Thornhart, “what the hell?” He screamed out leaping from the bed as Ian reached out towards him once more, “stay away from me!”

“What is it? Did you have another nightmare?” Ian’s voice questioned concerned.

“Stay back Thornhart. I don’t know what kind of sick game you’re playing here and how I ended up inside your bed is beyond me, but I know this is a mistake. I must be in hell,” Chris concluded as Ian began to emerge from beneath the blankets, “don’t move!”

“Okay,” Ian answered cautiously keeping himself covered with the sheet as he looked to Chris puzzled, “what happened?”

“Eve, what’s going on,” Ian frowned slightly, “you said you were tired, but I had no idea that the exhaustion had over taken you like this,” Ian leaned forward, “why don’t you come back to bed and I’ll hold you, maybe tell you a story.”

“You’ll do no such thing,” Chris snapped back in response before something dawned on him, “Eve? Why did you call me that? Where is she?”

“Where’s Eve? Did she put you up to this?” Chris questioned sharply, “did she decide to screw around with me?”

“Lambert what are you talking about?” Ian questioned concerned, “were you drinking at the party?”

“Obviously more than I should’ve, but when I find Eve, I’m going to kill her,” Chris insisted, “she’s dead. Truly,” he spun around to leave the room.

“Wait, where do you think you’re going?” Ian called out after him as he scurried out of bed.

“The hell away from you,” Chris shouted rushing towards the door before him as he stepped inside only to discover he was in the bathroom. “Damn,” he threw his fist into the door as he looked to his hand seeing red polish over his perfectly sculpted nails, “what the.....” he trailed off as he turned his eyes towards the mirror before him to find the very feminine reflection staring back at him, “What the.....?” Chris questioned stepping forward as he reached out to touch his face seeing the reflection before him, “it can’t be...”

Eve rolled over onto her side letting out a groan as she thought about the day she had ahead of her. Perhaps she would take Chris up on his offer to give her time off. She hadn’t ever felt so exhausted as she did in that particular moment. Stretching out, she extended her arm to reach for Ian only to find the bed empty. Rubbing her eyes she sat up instantly feeling something different around her. Her eyes fixed on the light entering the room as she recognized the bed she was in.

“Chris,” she gasped as she looked down at herself to make sure she was dressed. She though to her many dreams about being with Chris, but this....as she reached out to touch her abdomen, she felt it’s lean flatness as another more masculine gasp rushed from within her. She looked down seeing the strong male form before her as her eyes widened.

“What the?” she questioned running her hands over the body as she felt her touch, “how in the....” she blinked back in disbelief as she sprung from the bed rushing over to the mirror, “this can’t be....” she blinked back in astonishment as her eyes took in the hard, naked, male form before her very eyes. She ran her hands over her body wondering why her eyes were deceiving her so as she saw Chris staring back at her in the mirror. He was mimicking her every movement as her eyes took in his every line. She shifted her gaze over him appreciatively as her eyes drifted downward to take in all of him. Suddenly she shook her head expecting to wake up from this moment, this nightmare as she stepped across the room looking into the other mirror only to discover Chris’ face reflected back at her. She opened her mouth to speak as Chris’ voice surrounded her, overwhelming her as she looked to the mirror once again before the world grew black around her and she fell to the floor passing out.