Emily Quartermaine sat back against the frame of the couch and crossed her
long, slender legs. Candles filled the darkened room, casting a warm glow on
her face. She took a sip of the red wine and closed her eyes as she listened
to the music of a group from her teenage years.
    The funeral was over. It had been restricted to only close family and
friends, but that rule didn't follow through and many who had interacted with
him had come to the funeral anyway.
    She had stood apart from the rest of the crowd, listening to the priest as he
recited the prayers, watching those who had come. She hadn't cried, however.
She wanted to grieve, she wanted to mourn, but the tears just wouldn't come.
Instead, she watched as her godson Michael, now seventeen years old, tried to
keep his walls from crumbling down as he consoled his mother.
    AJ had been present too, saying his final goodbyes to his only brother.
Strange, Emily had thought as she watched AJ, how something like this could
finally bring a family together.
    Turning away, she had caught sight of Sonny Corinthos standing further away
from the service than she, dressed in black, head bent down in silent prayer.
As if he had felt her eyes upon him, he lifted his head and turned in her
direction, meeting her eyes. She didn't smile or wave, however. Instead, she
held his gaze for a moment, and then turned around and headed for her limo.
    Long after the funeral had ended, she finally returned to the cemetery.
Holding an arrangement of flowers in her hand, she had walked to his grave.
Believing that no one would be there, she was surprised to see Sonny
Corinthos. Without saying a word to him, she set the flowers down on the
gravestone. Her eyes trailed over the marker. How final it had seemed,
seeing his name engraved in stone, flowers surrounding the earth around it.
Jason Morgan, beloved father, beloved husband, beloved brother-1972-2014.
    "He was a good guy."
Emily had looked up. "Excuse me?"
"Jason, he was a good person. He wasn't meant for this business."
Emily had narrowed her eyes in anger. "So why didn't you stop him from
joining in the first place."
    Not wanting to hear Sonny's answer, she had walked off to her limo and rode
away.
    Now, in the solitude of the Quartermaine mansion, Emily sipped her wine and
gazed around her. It was hers now, the estate. It had been hers for a long
time, ever since her parents had died a few years ago. It had been willed to
her. The business, the house, the money, it was all hers. And yet she hadn't
wanted it. To many memories were locked up in this house. Memories that she
had chosen not to bring up again. She hadn't come back in so long for fear
that they would become unraveled once again. So, she had remained in Italy,
not even returning home for her parents' funerals. After receiving word of
her brother's death, however, she knew that it was time to return to Port
Charles.
    Emily closed her eyes and took another sip of wine, trying to relax as the
soft music played on. The quiet was shattered, however, as the door to the
mansion opened and someone called out.
    "Emily?"
She stood and set her glass on the coffee table. Slipping on her heels again,
she hurried out into the foyer, to greet the unmistakable voice of her long-
time friend.
    "Lucky!"
The man set down his bag, smiled, and opened his arms to embrace her. "It's
been too long, Em." He said quietly as he held her tightly. Emily smiled as
she pulled away to look at him. Even though it had been close to twelve years
since she had last seen him, it was impossible to mistake him. The lock of
dirty blonde hair still fell over his deep blue eyes, his grin continued to
make him irresistible.
"I'm so glad you came." She told him, hugging him again.
"Me too, Em. I'm really sorry about Jason."
    Emily turned away, not answering him. Lucky cleared his throat. "What have
you been doing with yourself way over there in Europe? Still dancing?"
Emily nodded. "And singing, yes."
"What was it again? Ballet?"
She nodded and Lucky smiled. "I always knew you'd make it big, Em."
    "Emily!"
They both turned around to see someone standing in the open doorway.
    "Liz!" She smiled, hugging her friend. "Oh, I've missed you."
"How are you holding up Em? I'm so sorry about your brother. I wish that I
could have made it to the funeral, but my flight was delayed."
    As Lucky helped Elizabeth with her bags, Emily began to follow them inside.
She stopped however, as she saw someone coming up the front walk.
    Her lips parted and she spoke softly, "Nikolas."
The man smiled as he came to a stop in front of her. "Hello, Emily."
    Within moments, the two were embracing one another, holding on tightly.
"It's been so long." She whispered.
"Too long." He replied, just as softly. He stepped back and let his hand
trail along a lock of brown hair. "You grew it out." he commented.
    Emily laughed and reached up. "I certainly did."
"You look wonderful, Em." he held out an arm and escorted her into the house.
As Emily closed the door behind them, she wondered why she had waited for so
long to return. The memories were buried, the past was long gone. She had
the future ahead of her, and a new chapter of her life to start.

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