Title: One Hour
Author: speedy
Fandom: General Hospital
Rating: PG
Summary: One hour was all she had.
Disclaimer: I'm not the Rat, so obviously the characters aren't mine. I'm just borrowing them for awhile.
Notes: Written for the CFF March 2005 One Hour Challenge.
8:54
One hour.
That was how long the black sedan had been sitting on the street across from the Scorpio home. There was a spot one house down where one could clearly see through the family room window and get a glimpse into the lives of the family that lived there.
Mother and daughter could be seen discussing something heatedly. Georgie Jones was obliviously trying to convince her mother and Felicia Scorpio Jones was refusing. Dillon Quartermaine came into view. He put his hand on Georgie's shoulder and said something. Two words could be read from Felicia's lips- hell no. Mac Scorpio also appeared, apparently backing Felicia up.
There was only one thing missing from that scene.
The WSB was an unforgiving mistress. Agents were required to routinely lie. To family, to friends, to anyone they came into contact with. Loneliness and isolation were parts of a spy's life. It was difficult, almost unnatural for someone who was usually a social person.
Just one of many adjustments.
Leaving behind family was a necessary sacrifice. The WSB practically required it, but the reasons made sense. The danger, the uncertainty, the constant traveling... It was a lot to ask from people that hadn't made this choice. It was just better to be out of their lives, protect them from the dark side of this life.
Watching your family move on from afar was as close as you could get.
Espionage wasn't an easy life. It was about more than danger or adventure. Adrenaline junkies eventually lost interest. The power junkies were exposed most of the time. Spying required a commitment beyond one's self, to protect society from itself. And sometimes that commitment cost an agent's heart and soul.
Times like this, watching family moments you should be a part of, hurt beyond anything else. Times like this made agents question their career choice. Luckily those times were few and far between. There was far too much to be done, far too many cases to be worked, far too much time undercover to spend time spying on family.
One hour.
That was all the time Maxie had to stare into the window of her own home and now it was over. She had another life now, another case to get back to. Phone calls and emails were all the contact she had with her family, to the people she was closest to. All in the name of catching the bad guys, criminals like the Alcazars, Sonny Corinthos and Domino.
One day she'd come back, join the police department. One day she'd be part of her family again. But for now, she had was this one hour.
9:52