Chapter 16

Ally and Jack had arrived at Kelly's and taken seats at a table. After giving their breakfast order Ally prompted Jack to share with her the details of his talk with Chris.

"So how did he take it?" she asked anxiously.

"Surprisingly well," Jack answered.

Ally was astounded. "You're kidding? You told him everything?"

"I told him that I would accept his offer to pay my tuition. I also told him that my relationship with you was about to change in a big way and as such deciding not to go to Columbia wouldn't be a wise move. That seemed to make him really happy."

"If you said it like that I can see how he took it so well. It's ambiguous if nothing else."

"Maybe, but it was all the truth. It's not my fault if he chose to see it in the wrong context. But enough about Uncle Chris," he said taking her hand in his. "Is excitement about graduation and everything else catching up to you?" He inquired with a big smile.

"Somewhat, especially that everything else part," she said returning his smile as she tightened her hold on his hand.

The stars in their eyes were shining and the smiles on their faces still beaming when Jasmine and Marcus Taggert entered the restaurant.

"Oh there's Allison Harmon I need to have a word with her," Jasmine said taking Marcus' hand and leading him to where Ally and Jack sat.

"Hello Allison how are you this morning?" Jasmine asked stopping next to where Ally sat at the table.

"Mrs. Taggert, hi, I'm fine," Ally replied cheerfully. "Commissioner," she said in greeting to the bald gentleman."

"Miss Harmon," Marcus returned with a tilt of his head.

"I should make introductions, Jack Ramsey this is Mrs. Jasmine Taggert my English teacher and her husband the police commissioner Marcus Taggert. Jack is a very dear friend," she informed them.

Jack extended his hand to each of them as he now stood at the table. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," Marcus and Jasmine relayed.

"I don't think I've seen you before," Marcus said to Jack.

"Seeing as how you're the police commissioner I think that's a good thing," Jack offered lightly.

"I guess you're right," Taggert replied with a chuckle.

"Please do sit down, we'll only be here a minute," Jasmine insisted to Jack before turning to Ally. "I only came over to tell you that composition you wrote toward one-third of your final grade was amazing. I don't want to get ahead of myself but I'm almost certain you've got valedictorian locked up. I'm sure you're already aware of this?"

"I know I'm one of the top three candidates however I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch. Besides I still have to take the actual finals next week."

"I'm sure you'll ace them," Jack assured her with absolutely no doubt.

"We'll see," Ally remarked.

As the conversation at the table continued Jensyn and Dara made their way down the stairwell of the eatery.

"I have really missed the breakfast here. I swear this place has the best ham and cheese omelet in the world," Dara said upon reaching the last step.

"Mum look, Commissioner Taggert and his wife are here," Jensyn said looking in their direction. "You want to go over and say hi?"

"Yes as a matter of fact I do," Dara answered as she and Jensyn made their way over to the table.

As Dara approached the table she cleared her throat. "Is the commissioner to busy to say hi to an old friend?" she inquired with a smile.

"Dara Jensen…Scorpio," Marcus corrected as he went over to his close friend and ex-lover giving her a warm friendly hug. "It's good to see you."

"You too," she affirmed once the embrace had ended. "You look great."

"So do you. The guys mentioned you and Mac stopped over at the station once you got into town yesterday, I'm sorry I missed you."

"You're a busy man, besides we're seeing each other now."

"Dara there's someone I want you to meet," Marcus said draping his arm around Jasmine's shoulder.

"You're Dara," Jasmine said extending her hand to her. "I've heard many wonderful things about you and your husband from both Marcus and Jensyn. I'm glad to finally meet you," she earnestly submitted.

"You too, and Jen has told me great things about you as well. I look forward to getting to know you better."

"Me too," Jasmine replied.

Dara's eyes floated over to Ally as she noted her strong resemblance to Ellen. "I'm willing to bet my breakfast you're Matt and Ellen Harmon's daughter," Dara said to Ally."

Ally confirmed her suspicions with a short chuckle. "Your breakfast would be yours because you're right. Allison Harmon," she said introducing herself, "and this," she said directing her gaze to her beau, "is Jack Ramsey."

"Ramsey, as in Chris Ramsey?" Dara asked.

"Yes ma'am," Jack answered shaking Dara's hand. "He's my uncle."

"Hmm," Dara mumbled knowing there was a big story there before turning her attention back to Ally. "I saw your parents last night at the Grille and I also met your brother but I had no idea Matt and Ellen had other children."

"Well it's just MJ and me. Mom and Dad mentioned this morning that they had run into some old acquaintances last night. They also mentioned meeting your daughter," looking at Jensyn, "I guess that would be you?" Ally smirked as she realized after seeing Jensyn her parents were right in their assessment that MJ liked her; she was just his type…gorgeous.

"Yes I'm Jensyn. You know I find it amazing that you and your parents are so…"

"Not like MJ?" Ally submitted.

"Yes, he's so full of himself how do you…"

"We don't take him seriously when he's in his 'I am the greatest' mode. Aside from that attitude of his MJ's a really cool guy," Ally shared trying to polish her brother off in Jensyn's eyes a bit.

"I'll have to take your word for that," Jensyn remarked as her encounters with MJ flashed through her mind.

When the waitress brought over Ally and Jack's breakfast the Scorpios and Taggerts exchanged a few more pleasantries with them before settling at a table of their own to catch up.

"So Dara you want to tell me why you and Mac left so suddenly and for so many years?" Marcus asked with great interest.

"It's really not as intriguing as you're making it out to be. The mob case was finally over, Mac and I were tired and we also discovered we were madly in love with each other. We got married and…"

"Went on a honeymoon that lasted over twenty years with no word to anyone in all that time."

"We sent a note," Dara explained.

"Yes the note, the note with no return address that was addressed 'To our Friends' the movers who picked up your things delivered."

"We didn't want you guys to worry. The decision to stay in Australia was a mutually reached one between Mac and me."

"But no word no nothing all this time. Why?"

"We had our reasons," Dara said taking a sip of water before changing the subject. "So are there any interesting cases you're working on?"

"Maybe, but you know I can't talk about that with you. You're not the ADA anymore."

"It's just a general question Marcus and I'm going to assume with your tight-lipped attitude there is something."

"Actually Marcus has been working on some case for a while but he's not talking about it, but it has all of his attention," Jasmine shared.

"So it's something big?"

"Dara why are you and Mac here now?" Marcus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Jen's here," patting her daughter on the shoulder. "We wanted to be with her."

"Is that all?" He questioned.

"What else could there be?" Dara said before turning her attention to the menu.

Jensyn quietly sunk in the exchange. Her knowledge of her parents and her cop instincts told her there was indeed something more to her parents being back in Port Charles than just her being on the force. Once she got them alone together again she was intent on finding out just what that was.

************

Ellen had just arrived at the mall entrance when brief moments later Lucy joined her.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting?" Lucy said a bit breathless from her swift walk from the car to her meeting place with Ellen.

"No I just got here. Jack arrived as I was leaving and I wanted to talk to him alone for a few minutes," Ellen explained as she and Lucy proceeded to walk further into the mall.

"You'll have to tell me how that went. Is Matt being any easier on him?"

"Barely, he made an effort last night. At least he didn't throw him out."

"Well from what you've told me of Matt's usual reaction to Jack I'd say that's progress."

"Yeah well he still has a ways to go but I'm hopeful. I really like Jack although I'd be lying if I said the intensity of his and Allison's relationship and the fact that it happened so fast doesn't concern me, but I can't get into all of that right now. I do think that once Matt gets past the fact that Jack is Chris Ramsey's nephew he'll start to like him. So, what kept you?"

"Yes that. You'll never guess who showed up at the house as I was walking out."

"Mac and Dara Scorpio."

Amazed at her accurate guess, "Not Dara but it was Mac. How did you know?"

"Matt and I saw them at the Grille last night when MJ took us out to celebrate his newfound celebrity status and job promotion. We also met their daughter Jensyn, she's a very beautiful girl and MJ likes her although he's unwilling to admit it."

"Why won't he admit it?"

"Because she's a cop and she wrote him a citation for speeding and running a red light that he vehemently denies he did. You should have seen the two of them last night slamming each other left and right all the while sparks between them just flying MJ couldn't keep his eyes off her during dinner."

"That sounds promising."

"I think so too, that is if they can stop arguing long enough to admit it to each other."

"Mac mentioned that he and Dara were back to stay, did they mention last night what prompted this? They have been gone for so many years."

"They said it was because of their daughter. They have grown twin sons still in Australia so they decided to come back to Port Charles so Jensyn wouldn't be by herself."

"I can understand that, but it sounds strange. Kevin and I are here and we didn't even know they had a daughter much less that she was on the police force. We would have been more than happy to keep our eye on her and Taggert and Dara were close friends and he's the commissioner now they had to know we would watch out for her."

"You know I didn't think of that."

"I guess they'll explain it to us. Who knows maybe Mac's explaining this to Kevin right now."

************

"Aren't you going to say something Kevin?" Mac asked his friend after sharing his story.

"What is there to say, that's an amazing story," Kevin said walking over to the bar and pouring more water into his glass.

"Amazing yes but true. How could I make up a story like that?" Mac said getting up from his seated position on the couch and joining Kevin at the bar.

"I don't know," Kevin replied downing the glass of water before replacing the glass back on the bar. "So Tanganeva thinks it's okay for you to be back in Port Charles now?"

"He doesn't think it's okay, but I think it's necessary. Things are happening here, my daughter is here so Dara and I have to be here too."

"There's still a lot you're not telling me."

"I'm in no position to tell you anything more because I really don't know anything more to tell. What I've told you is what I can tell you, everything else you just have to trust me."

"I do trust you Mac this is a lot to swallow but I believe it. I remember what you told me about Tanganeva and how his visions have been pretty accurate. This situation sounds like it could be very serious."

"Which is why I'm here, I couldn't take chances with Jenny being here alone. So do you understand, no hard feelings?"

"No," Kevin said shaking his head. "I don't know what I can do but if there is anything at all don't hesitate to ask. Oh and Mac don't go off and disappear for over twenty years without a word again okay."

"I won't I promise," Mac assured him with a smile. "Friends?"

"Friends," Kevin said pulling him into a hug. "So tell me, how's married life treating you?" Kevin asked after the hug ended.

Mac raises his eyebrow curiously.

Walking back over to the couch and taking a seat. "Look this conversation was supposed to happen twenty-four years ago, humor me."

"Okay," Mac said sitting in the easy chair across from Kevin. "Married life is great. I love Dara so much and she's easily the best thing that has ever happened to me and of course our children too, we have three," Mac smiled.

"So when do I get to see Dara again and meet this wonderful family of yours?"

"The boys are still in Australia but whenever you want to just say when."

Kevin's expression becomes a little more serious before he speaks again. "You know Felicia is back in town."

"Really?" Mac replied indifferently.

"Yes, she came back about five years after you left. Seems Luke got preoccupied with some Swedish blond."

"Why am I not surprised. How are the girls? Girls? They're grown women now."

"They're fine, I mean I guess. Maxie was entering her first year of college by then so she never came back and Georgie moved to be with Maria right after she graduated high school. They couldn't get away from Felicia fast enough. From what I now understand they're both married and happy."

"From what you understand, you don't keep in touch with Felicia?"

"Felicia's in her own world, there's no talking to her and both Lucy and I have tried. We haven't been on friendly terms with her in a long time. Felicia's gone back and forth from Frisco to Luke as soon as they call her. When they get tired of her she comes back and the cycle continues. All the while she's insisting that you married Dara on the rebound and you'll be back for her soon."

"On the rebound? Felicia and I had been divorced for over a year before she ran off with Luke and she had been gone at least that long when Dara and I got married."

"Mac you don't have to explain to me. I saw your face when you married Dara and I have never seen you happier. I just wanted to let you know that Felicia is here and she feels like a woman scorned on more than one front so I just thought I'd warn you."

"Thanks but I have a lot more important things on my mind than Felicia. I can't fathom what I ever saw in her, but thank heaven she's not my problem anymore." Rising from his seated position, "You know what I'm hungry. I was a bit worried about how you would take seeing me again and hearing my story so I didn't eat anything. Dara told me I didn't have anything to worry about and she was right as usual," Mac smiled. "What do you say; you want to grab a bite to eat? Dara and Jenny are at Kelly's so maybe we can still catch them there."

"That sounds like a plan, let's go," Kevin said getting up from the couch and following his friend out the door.

**************

Matt was toweling the sweat from his arms and now bare chest after discarding his tee shirt during the course of his workout. He was still drying the continual streams of sweat from his pecs and biceps when MJ handed him one of the two bottles of water he retrieved from the miniature refrigerator in the corner.

"Thanks," Matt said guzzling half of the contents of the bottle before taking the towel and drying his face.

"That was a good work out we just had. I knew I could handle pushing myself to the limit but I have to say I was surprised you had so much energy on reserve. The sweat's not stinging those scratches on your back too much is it?" MJ laughed taking a seat on the weight bench.

Matt's silence and long unamused stare went a long way in silencing MJ.

"Okay," MJ uttered clearing his throat.

"Since you seem to be getting such pleasure in discussing my personal life let's discuss yours. When are you going to ask out Jensyn Scorpio?" Matt asked.

"Do you and Mom want to adopt that woman, because you haven't stopped talking about her since you met her last night," MJ said removing his sweat soaked muscle shirt before donning the jacket of his warm-up suit and zipping it halfway up.

"We like her, and we don't mind admitting it," Matt remarked pointedly finishing the rest of his water.

"Well that's fine for you and Mom, but the wonder of Jensyn Scorpio is lost on me," he returned in his best indifferent manner as he finished the remainder of his water and tossed the empty bottle along with Matt's in the nearby wastebasket.

"If you say so."

"I do," MJ insisted. "Besides I don't want to talk about her anyway."

"What do you want to talk about?" Matt asked.

"Sal Mancusi."

"What?" Matt questioned certain he had to have heard his son wrong.

"Tell me about Sal Mancusi," MJ repeated.

"Why do you want to know about him?"

"I guess I'm taking a page out of Alex Haley's book. I want to know about my roots."

"You want to know about your roots? Son let me tell you something unlike the way Mr. Haley's book ended there's no happy ending with Sal Mancusi. What prompted this?"

"Curiosity."

"And what else?" Matt inquired knowing there was something more.

"An idea I have. I haven't mentioned this to Ms. Donnelly yet but I want to do an expose' on the Mafia."

Matt expression is one of complete disbelief. "Well I'm glad you haven't mentioned it to Ms. Donnelly yet because there's no way in hell you're going to do an expose' involving that man."

"Dad come on. The way I plan to pull it off it will be a huge step in my career."

"If you do an expose' on Sal Mancusi you won't have a career. This chair I'm sitting in is not a prop. I can't walk."

"Technically Dad you were walking a few minutes ago."

"Don't get cute with me!" Matt snapped. "I have a bullet in my back compliments of my brother from the orders of Sal Mancusi this man you want to 'expose'. I'm lucky to be in this chair and not dead. MJ I don't talk about him because I know what this man is capable of. I don't want to remember what I almost turned into because of him and I most certainly don't want you digging into this man's life and lifestyle. Take my word for it he would waste no time in killing you for just digging into his business and if he got an inkling that you were my son he'd want you gone just that much faster."

"I'm not trying to bring the man out. It's more of a general expose'. I won't name names but this subject is hot stuff now. There's rumblings that something big is going to happen in the underworld really soon."

"And how would you know this?"

"I'm a member of the fifth estate, the media knows all. Tell me about old Grandpa Sal. How he ran his business and how you managed to escape it."

"Okay, he ran it with an iron fist and I escaped it by the skin of my teeth. I'm not going to share mob stories with you MJ, but I'm going to advise you to drop this ball before you get it to rolling. Your 'Grandpa Sal' is a killer. He's a man without a soul and I'm telling you to stay the hell out of his business."

"Dad look I can find out the information I want, I'd just rather it come from you, you know to add a more human feel to it. It's all going to be generalities I want the public to get the low down on these low down people. I promise no one will know you helped or that I'm talking about Sal and his 'family' in particular. This will be so huge for me. If this goes like I think it will I'll be the hottest most sought after investigative reporter in the country by the time I'm twenty-five."

"If you continue with this notion of doing an expose on Sal Mancusi or the 'Mafia in general' as you say you won't make it to twenty-five. Listen to me, I mean it, drop…this…now!" Matt demanded measuring every word. "I don't want to hear another word about this, you understand me! Not another damn word!"


Meanwhile miles away behind the confines of his luxurious mansion Sal Mancusi is concluding his meeting with a group of less than savory individuals, their dark Armani suits and wing tip shoes giving them the illusion of being respectable businessmen.

"Report that things are progressing as we expected. I foresee no trouble in our plans unfolding just as intended. Most importantly remind them of who's in control now and that they don't want to cross me. I can end this as quickly as I'm making it happen," with a wave of his hand Sal dismissed the group of gentlemen.

After the men were escorted off the property Sal's right hand man Ernesto Aiello joined him in his study. "How long you looking at Sal?"

"Two weeks I suspect," Sal answered reaching into his antique humidor and lighting one of the Cuban exports. Now settling back in his huge black executive leather chair as the rivulets of smoke floated above his head. "Two weeks Ernesto and I will have amassed more power than Capone and Gotti combined." Enjoying the flavor of the expensive cigar as he thought of what the coming weeks would bring him. "Yes indeed Ernesto I'm finally going to achieve what I've always longed for, complete and utter control." Sadness now clouding his eyes as he longed for the one thing that would really make this coup complete. "If only Bobby were here to share it with me, but no Eric took him away from me all those years ago." A chill running down his spine as the memory of seeing his beloved son Bobby in a casket and his turncoat son Eric, Bobby's assassin, leaving the little funeral home in Port Charles with a still beating heart and that woman, the woman he killed his Bobby for.

"Sal, Sal are you okay?" Ernesto asked seeing that Sal had suddenly drifted a million miles away.

Returning from his painful trip to the past, "I'm fine Ernesto just thinking about some people I think I've been out of touch with for far too long," Sal answered taking a long deep drag from the cigar as renewed thoughts of revenge danced in his head.