Title: If A Had A Million Dollars
Author: sarahbell05
Fandom: General Hospital
Characters/Pairing: Ethan Lovett/Kristina Davis
Table:
LyricsPrompt: #2 - Barenaked Ladies
Rating: PG to be safe.
Warnings: Brief mention of a car bombing.
Word Count: 1299
Summary: Kristina attends a Quartermaine picnic and runs into Ethan.
Notes: I really don't like the way the writers are making Kristina come off, so I tried to make her childish antics of recent weeks seem a little more realistic. Enjoy!
If I had a million dollars, baby I would buy your love
It's Easter, and I have no idea what I'm doing at the Quartermaine mansion.
When Michael had told me he would be attending the annual holiday festivities of his biological father's family, I had been surprised but supportive. Then, Abby had cancelled on him, and he had insisted that I had to come along for "moral support." It never even crossed my mind that he would be here. Much less with her.
I don't know why I'm surprised. She is a Quartermaine, after all. And he's the stepson of a Quartermaine. Of course they would be here, celebrating with their family, looking every inch the married couple in love.
My mind flashes back to my dad and Brenda's wedding. It's only been a few weeks, but it seems like a lifetime ago. There, Maya had been the last thing of my mind. I had just been a girl in a pretty dress, dancing with the boy I kind-of-sort-of-maybe loved. It had been as close to a perfect evening as I had ever had, until it had (quite literally) gone up in flames. There had been chaos and crying and I had done my best to keep Molly and Morgan from falling apart. I had been in shock, and then I had blurted out my plans to not give up on Ethan. I had meant it, but looking back I knew I had come off as Creepy Stalker Girl. Ethan and I had come so far in the last year, I felt like I had taken two steps forward and one step back.
I stayed by Michael's side for most of the afternoon, until the sight of Ethan with his arm around his wife became too much to bear and I escaped into the immaculate gardens that encircled the Quartermaine estate. After the boisterous activity of the party/picnic, the gardens are a welcome refuge. I figure that I have about fifteen minutes before Michael comes looking for me, so I decide to make the most of the time that I have. I find a small bench nestled between two bushes and relax there, closing my eyes and trying to get everything Ethan-related out of my mind.
"Hiding out?" I hear a very familiar voice say, and for a moment I think I'm hearing things, until I crack an eye open and there he is in front of me, leaning against a tree and giving me that damned confusing look her always does.
"You caught me." I reply, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. My stomach is in knots, and I hate that he has this effect on me, while I don't seem to affect him at all. He takes a seat beside me and I have to force myself to to tense up. He's my friend, after all, and friends are more than welcome to sit together.
In an empty garden.
Alone.
With his wife nearby.
I shake my head in an attempt to drive away the thoughts, wanting to enjoy the moment while I can. It's not often these days where we're alone together.
"I don't blame you." he says, tossing his head in the general direction of the party. "A Quartermaine event can be difficult to handle."
I shrug in reply. After all, if I can handle the Cassadine and Corinthos events, I can certainly survive a Quartermaine picnic.
"Michael didn't want to come alone, and Abby bailed on him." I still don't care for the stripper, but my brother disapproves of Ethan, so I figure that we're even.
"I was surprised to see Michael here." Ethan says, clearly just making conversation. "I didn't even know he was a Quartermaine."
"His biological father was Edward's grandson." I explain. "I think it's Carly's work. She says that she wants Michael to move away from Dad's life, but honestly I think she's realized Michael is one of Edward's only heirs."
"Well, that's perfectly fine by me. Maybe Edward will stop trying to groom me into his heir."
"I think you'd make a great CEO." I say, and it comes out more than a little hero-worshippy and I inwardly cringe while Ethan chuckles.
"I'm serious." I insist, smiling. "I've met my share of executives and they're mostly just legitimized conmen. You'd fit right in."
Ethan doesn't respond, just gives me that look like he's studying me. I smile and we fall into a companionable silence. It's what we always do. Despite the tension, the attraction I knoe he feels deep down too, we always manage to enter this comfortable friendliness with each other. I'm usually with my mom or Molly, who always seem to have something to say, or with Taylor, where I feel a near-constant need to fill the silence. It's nice to have one person with whom I can just relax around and enjoy the silence.
"I was wondering where you went off to." I hear a voice say, laced with sarcasm.
Well, so much for silence.
Maya steps into our little sanctuary, and I have to fight down the pang of annoyance at her appearance.
"Krissy needed a little break." Ethan replies, and I want to glare at him for making me seem like I was a little girl in need of a chaperone.
"Edward's asking where you are." Maya replies, completely ignoring me. It shouldn't bother me as much as it does, but I am a Davis as well as a Corinthos and we don't take being ignored easily. I stand up, turning so that my back is to Maya. Two can play at that game.
"I'll see you around Ethan." I say, twisting on my heel and breezing past her with a cursory glance (to be honest, I had to fight the urge to knock my shoulder into hers as I walked past). As I continue, I can't fight the urge to turn around. They're talking, but I can't make out what they're saying. Then, just as I'm about to turn away, I watch him kiss her, and even I'm shocked at the pain I feel at the image. I've told myself over and over that's it's simply a marriage of convenience, that he's only staying with her for the money. I should ahve known, though, that there was more to it. That Ethan was not the kind of man to stay married to a woman just for money. I'm sure it's a large part of it, but it's clear he does feel something for the woman who now bears his name. The realization is a heartbreaking one.
After a few minutes of searching, I find Michael hiding out himself near the exit. I desperately hope that means he's ready to go.
"Where have you been?" he asks, and I reply with a shrug and move to stand beside him. Our relationship has been strained lately - mostly thanks to me - and I was hoping this party would help us regain some of that sibling camraderie we had lost.
"Thanks for coming today. I don't know what Mom was thinking, making me come here."
"Well, he was your dad, biologically at least. These people are your family, and they can't really be worse that the one you already have."
"I guess." he replies, but I'm distracted when my eye catches Ethan and Maya emerging from the garden, looking decidedly disheveled. My stomach drops and I feel my entire body react to the sight. I turn away as I feel tears stinging in my eyes, ashamed at how much I let Ethan Lovett affect me.
"What's wrong?" Michael asks, and I look up to see his worried eyes meet mine.
"Nothing." I reply, turning to get one final glance at Ethan before I move toward the exit.
"I just wish I had a million dollars."