Weatherman Says
Title: Weatherman Says
Author: speedy
Fandom: General Hospital
Rating: PG
Summary: After receiving a letter in the mail, Georgie reflects on a special secret with Dillon.
Disclaimer: I'm not the Rat, so obviously the characters aren't mine. I'm just borrowing them for awhile.
Notes: Moved over from my website. Spring 2003. Lyrics are from "Weatherman Says" by Jack Wagner (aka Frisco Jones).
Georgie Jones rushed up the stairs to her room, hoping to avoid her sister. They had been arguing constantly over Kyle and Lucas and Georgie was sick of it. It wasn't her fault Maxie was making a mistake with Kyle and refused to see it. She loved her big sister and didn't want to see her hurt. That was her only motivation. Lucas was their cousin and she wanted to nothing to do with Kyle. But Maxie had accused her of trying to ruin her life, to steal them away from her. Whatever. Georgie had her own guy and he wanted her for the person she was. That was more than what she could say for Maxie.
Once in her room, she dropped her bag on the floor and threw her discarded coat on her desk chair. Something on her bed caught her eye. An envelope with foreign stamps. Since Robin usually just used email, it could only be from one person. Her dad.
The letter was routed through a military base in Turkey, which meant he was probably still in Iraq, where he'd been for a year now. He'd probably be flushing out the last of Saddam's regime for another few months, before moving on to his next assignment.
Georgie pulled out an ornate jewelry box from her closet hiding place and set it on her bed, taking out a CD and popping it into her stereo. The sounds of a '80s-ish soft rock song filled the room. She sat in the middle of her bed and practically ripped open the letter. It was weeks, sometimes even months in between her father's letters and phone calls, but she always looked forward to hearing from him so much.
Alone I'm goin' round in circles
Moving aimlessly
Maybe he'd know what to do about Maxie, Georgie thought ruefully as she read his words. She confided in him, even though his letters were few and far between. He'd always given her good advice and had never been judgmental. He was the one person who really listened to her and understood her, had no expectations of her. She could tell him anything and he would never look down on her. As he liked to say, short of joining a terrorist group or instigating a violent revolution in some South American country, there wasn't anything she could do that he hadn't already topped.
Maxie would kill her if she found out Georgie had said anything to him. Her older sister barely spoke to their father and definitely didn't want him knowing anything about her. He wasn't a part of their lives as far as she was concerned.
Giving so much for the future
Got nothing left for me
They'd grown up with the occasional phone call, postcards from all over the world, exotic gifts, but he was never really in their lives. Mac was Dad and Frisco was like that crazy uncle that only shows up at family reunions. He did make a couple appearances, but he was always a little skittish around his own daughters. It didn't really matter anyway, he wasn't around and they didn't think much about it. Out of sight, out of mind.
Georgie was about eleven when she wanted to know why Dad wasn't with them. Her mother and stepfather had tried to explain it to her, but she wasn't sure what to believe. Why wouldn't a father want to be with his children? So she decided to ask him.
Runnin' restless through the city
To find my fantasy
Looked into your eyes and found it
She found his address in her mother's things and she wrote him a letter. Months went by without an answer. She'd believed he wasn't going to answer, when out of nowhere a letter arrived from Syria. The letter was rambling, but he'd been honest with her, echoing many of the things her mother had told her. He wrote of things that had happened in his life, why he chose a life in the WSB. A lot of what he told her, she didn't really understand, but knew that he was telling her the truth. She wanted to know more.
The first few letters were tentative, each getting more comfortable with the other. She learned things about him that even her mother didn't know and he wanted to know everything about her. She was shy and reserved, prone to keeping things to herself, but since she didn't have to see him, she started to confide in him. Her hopes, her dreams, her exploits that Mom and Mac didn't know about. She continued to write him, whether she'd heard back from him or not. And he answered every letter, everything she told him, making for some pretty long letters.
Now that the winter's over
Sweet love is takin' over
All of those dark clouds have faded away
Georgie folded up the letter and put in the box with the others, looking through its contents and softly singing along with her father's voice. The box had been a birthday present, with a nice pen, paper and pre-stamped envelopes inside. She kept his letters in there, hidden away from her family. It was their secret, one she liked having. It made her feel special. Especially when Maxie whined about only getting a postcard, despite insisting that she didn't care.
Ooh, you got the tables turnin'
Can't stop the fire burin'
You got a ticket to take me all the way
She had several pictures she kept in her box as well. Most of them were old, given to her by her mother and her uncle. But there were the few newer ones he'd sent her of him, taken where ever he had been working. Egypt, Iraq, India, Syria, Paris, Washington, Bogotá, Kenya... She picked up one of the pictures. It was of the two of them in the backyard. It wasn't a real photo, just something Frisco had someone at the WSB splice together digitally, but it was her favorite. She had no idea when she would actually get to see him again and with the danger of his work, it could be the only picture of the two of them she'd ever have.
Weatherman says it's gonna get hot tonight
There's a fever in the air that I can't control
Now I'm gonna be a fool for love
But I think it's all right
And I never wanna let this feeling go
That was the other thing she hadn't truly understood before, why he'd stayed with the WSB and not them, why he took on such a dangerous career. But 9/11 changed that. Her father's life came home and they saw the type of war he was fighting. The very people he'd been trying to stop had attacked their country only hours from their home. It was enough to silence any questions Georgie still had. She wanted him in Port Charles, but what he did was important. Even Maxie could not argue it anymore. Her dad was trying to save the world.
Weatherman says it's gonna get hot tonight
And I'm gonna fill this burnin' desire
And I'm gonna get lost in love
'Cause I feel so right
Baby, I'll raise this flame into a fire
A knocking on her window startled her out of her thoughts. She walked over and opened the window. Dillon climbed through and smiled.
"Dillon, what are you doing here?" she asked, surprised to see him.
"I wanted to see you." He listened to the music for a moment, wrinkling his forehead in confusion. "Is this the kind of music you listen to?"
"It's my dad," she answered, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Don't you have any CDs of your own? You have to steal your dad's?" he teased.
"No!" she said, laughing. "My dad used to be a musician. It's him singing."
He nodded understandingly. "Oh, okay. You just felt like listening to your dad sing. That's cool."
"Yeah. I just got a letter from him today."
Lost my vision trying to read the writing on the wall
Caught in fatal fascination
Heading for a fall
She cleared off space on her bed for them to sit down and pulled out an old picture. "This is him, back in his rock stars days," she told him, handing him the picture.
Dillon stifled a laugh at the outfit that practically screamed early '80s. "So who is this Mac that's living here?"
"My stepdad. He's just staying with us while my mom's in Texas."
"What about him? Where is he at?" he asked, giving her back the picture.
"Iraq. He works for the WSB."
"What's the WSB?"
"World Security Bureau," she answered. "He's a secret agent."
"Secret agent, huh? That's a new one," he said. "You ever see him?"
"I think I was eight the last time he was home. We don't hear from him much."
Sweet shining summer angel came to my rescue
Shook off all that old suspicion
Found a dream come true
"So getting a letter from him is a big deal?"
"Yeah," she nodded. "But Maxie doesn't think so. She's probably already thrown away his postcard."
"Why did he only send Maxie a postcard?"
Georgie rolled her eyes. "She doesn't like remembering he exists, doesn't send him letters or talk to him when he calls or anything. So she only gets a postcard. I do write to him, so he has something to say back to me." She chuckled to herself, grinning like the cat the just caught the canary. "Maxie doesn't know that, though."
"Why not?"
"I don't want her to. She'll give me some stupid lecture about how he left us. Mom and Mac don't know either. It's our secret, just mine and his."
"You told me," he said softly.
She smiled sweetly. "Yeah, I did."
He looked into her eyes and just listened to the song. "So how does this song go?"
She sang along with the song, matching her father's voice.
Now that the winter's over
Sweet love is takin' over
All of those dark clouds have faded away
Ooh, you got the tables turnin'
Can't stop the fire burnin'
You got a ticket to take me all the way
Dillon pulled her up off the bed and pulled her close, dancing as she continued to sing, their faces not even inches apart.
Weatherman says it's gonna get hot tonight
There's a fever in the air that I can't control
Now I'm gonna be a fool for love
But I think it's all right
And I never wanna let this feeling go
Georgie held her breath as his lips gently touched hers. Tentative at first, then with more passion. Not the sloppy exchange of salvia she witnessed everyday in the halls of Port Charles High. It was an old romantic movie, weak in the knees, foot popping kiss. The type of kiss she'd always dreamed of.
Weatherman says it's gonna get hot tonight
And I'm gonna fill this burnin' desire
And I'm gonna get lost in love
'Cause I feel so right
Baby, I'll raise this flame into a fire
She pulled away, realizing she was making out to her own father's voice. "I-I can't do this."
"Why?" he whispered.
"Too weird," she giggled. "This is my dad singing."
He joined her in laughing. "You're right. That is bad."
"I'm sorry," she apologized, still grinning.
Dillon pulled her close again. "That's okay," he said, running a hand over her sandy brown hair.
On the other side of the bedroom door, they could vaguely hear Mac's voice talking to Maxie in the hallway.
"You should go, before Mac finds you here," she said disappointedly. "And kills both of us."
"Yeah." Dillon kissed her lightly on the forehead and climbed back out the window. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said before disappearing from her view.
Georgie sighed and picked up the picture she'd shown Dillon. "Have I got a story for you, Dad," she said to the picture. She pulled out her pen and paper and started to write her father another letter.
Author: speedy
Fandom: General Hospital
Rating: PG
Summary: After receiving a letter in the mail, Georgie reflects on a special secret with Dillon.
Disclaimer: I'm not the Rat, so obviously the characters aren't mine. I'm just borrowing them for awhile.
Notes: Moved over from my website. Spring 2003. Lyrics are from "Weatherman Says" by Jack Wagner (aka Frisco Jones).
Georgie Jones rushed up the stairs to her room, hoping to avoid her sister. They had been arguing constantly over Kyle and Lucas and Georgie was sick of it. It wasn't her fault Maxie was making a mistake with Kyle and refused to see it. She loved her big sister and didn't want to see her hurt. That was her only motivation. Lucas was their cousin and she wanted to nothing to do with Kyle. But Maxie had accused her of trying to ruin her life, to steal them away from her. Whatever. Georgie had her own guy and he wanted her for the person she was. That was more than what she could say for Maxie.
Once in her room, she dropped her bag on the floor and threw her discarded coat on her desk chair. Something on her bed caught her eye. An envelope with foreign stamps. Since Robin usually just used email, it could only be from one person. Her dad.
The letter was routed through a military base in Turkey, which meant he was probably still in Iraq, where he'd been for a year now. He'd probably be flushing out the last of Saddam's regime for another few months, before moving on to his next assignment.
Georgie pulled out an ornate jewelry box from her closet hiding place and set it on her bed, taking out a CD and popping it into her stereo. The sounds of a '80s-ish soft rock song filled the room. She sat in the middle of her bed and practically ripped open the letter. It was weeks, sometimes even months in between her father's letters and phone calls, but she always looked forward to hearing from him so much.
Alone I'm goin' round in circles
Moving aimlessly
Maybe he'd know what to do about Maxie, Georgie thought ruefully as she read his words. She confided in him, even though his letters were few and far between. He'd always given her good advice and had never been judgmental. He was the one person who really listened to her and understood her, had no expectations of her. She could tell him anything and he would never look down on her. As he liked to say, short of joining a terrorist group or instigating a violent revolution in some South American country, there wasn't anything she could do that he hadn't already topped.
Maxie would kill her if she found out Georgie had said anything to him. Her older sister barely spoke to their father and definitely didn't want him knowing anything about her. He wasn't a part of their lives as far as she was concerned.
Giving so much for the future
Got nothing left for me
They'd grown up with the occasional phone call, postcards from all over the world, exotic gifts, but he was never really in their lives. Mac was Dad and Frisco was like that crazy uncle that only shows up at family reunions. He did make a couple appearances, but he was always a little skittish around his own daughters. It didn't really matter anyway, he wasn't around and they didn't think much about it. Out of sight, out of mind.
Georgie was about eleven when she wanted to know why Dad wasn't with them. Her mother and stepfather had tried to explain it to her, but she wasn't sure what to believe. Why wouldn't a father want to be with his children? So she decided to ask him.
Runnin' restless through the city
To find my fantasy
Looked into your eyes and found it
She found his address in her mother's things and she wrote him a letter. Months went by without an answer. She'd believed he wasn't going to answer, when out of nowhere a letter arrived from Syria. The letter was rambling, but he'd been honest with her, echoing many of the things her mother had told her. He wrote of things that had happened in his life, why he chose a life in the WSB. A lot of what he told her, she didn't really understand, but knew that he was telling her the truth. She wanted to know more.
The first few letters were tentative, each getting more comfortable with the other. She learned things about him that even her mother didn't know and he wanted to know everything about her. She was shy and reserved, prone to keeping things to herself, but since she didn't have to see him, she started to confide in him. Her hopes, her dreams, her exploits that Mom and Mac didn't know about. She continued to write him, whether she'd heard back from him or not. And he answered every letter, everything she told him, making for some pretty long letters.
Now that the winter's over
Sweet love is takin' over
All of those dark clouds have faded away
Georgie folded up the letter and put in the box with the others, looking through its contents and softly singing along with her father's voice. The box had been a birthday present, with a nice pen, paper and pre-stamped envelopes inside. She kept his letters in there, hidden away from her family. It was their secret, one she liked having. It made her feel special. Especially when Maxie whined about only getting a postcard, despite insisting that she didn't care.
Ooh, you got the tables turnin'
Can't stop the fire burin'
You got a ticket to take me all the way
She had several pictures she kept in her box as well. Most of them were old, given to her by her mother and her uncle. But there were the few newer ones he'd sent her of him, taken where ever he had been working. Egypt, Iraq, India, Syria, Paris, Washington, Bogotá, Kenya... She picked up one of the pictures. It was of the two of them in the backyard. It wasn't a real photo, just something Frisco had someone at the WSB splice together digitally, but it was her favorite. She had no idea when she would actually get to see him again and with the danger of his work, it could be the only picture of the two of them she'd ever have.
Weatherman says it's gonna get hot tonight
There's a fever in the air that I can't control
Now I'm gonna be a fool for love
But I think it's all right
And I never wanna let this feeling go
That was the other thing she hadn't truly understood before, why he'd stayed with the WSB and not them, why he took on such a dangerous career. But 9/11 changed that. Her father's life came home and they saw the type of war he was fighting. The very people he'd been trying to stop had attacked their country only hours from their home. It was enough to silence any questions Georgie still had. She wanted him in Port Charles, but what he did was important. Even Maxie could not argue it anymore. Her dad was trying to save the world.
Weatherman says it's gonna get hot tonight
And I'm gonna fill this burnin' desire
And I'm gonna get lost in love
'Cause I feel so right
Baby, I'll raise this flame into a fire
A knocking on her window startled her out of her thoughts. She walked over and opened the window. Dillon climbed through and smiled.
"Dillon, what are you doing here?" she asked, surprised to see him.
"I wanted to see you." He listened to the music for a moment, wrinkling his forehead in confusion. "Is this the kind of music you listen to?"
"It's my dad," she answered, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Don't you have any CDs of your own? You have to steal your dad's?" he teased.
"No!" she said, laughing. "My dad used to be a musician. It's him singing."
He nodded understandingly. "Oh, okay. You just felt like listening to your dad sing. That's cool."
"Yeah. I just got a letter from him today."
Lost my vision trying to read the writing on the wall
Caught in fatal fascination
Heading for a fall
She cleared off space on her bed for them to sit down and pulled out an old picture. "This is him, back in his rock stars days," she told him, handing him the picture.
Dillon stifled a laugh at the outfit that practically screamed early '80s. "So who is this Mac that's living here?"
"My stepdad. He's just staying with us while my mom's in Texas."
"What about him? Where is he at?" he asked, giving her back the picture.
"Iraq. He works for the WSB."
"What's the WSB?"
"World Security Bureau," she answered. "He's a secret agent."
"Secret agent, huh? That's a new one," he said. "You ever see him?"
"I think I was eight the last time he was home. We don't hear from him much."
Sweet shining summer angel came to my rescue
Shook off all that old suspicion
Found a dream come true
"So getting a letter from him is a big deal?"
"Yeah," she nodded. "But Maxie doesn't think so. She's probably already thrown away his postcard."
"Why did he only send Maxie a postcard?"
Georgie rolled her eyes. "She doesn't like remembering he exists, doesn't send him letters or talk to him when he calls or anything. So she only gets a postcard. I do write to him, so he has something to say back to me." She chuckled to herself, grinning like the cat the just caught the canary. "Maxie doesn't know that, though."
"Why not?"
"I don't want her to. She'll give me some stupid lecture about how he left us. Mom and Mac don't know either. It's our secret, just mine and his."
"You told me," he said softly.
She smiled sweetly. "Yeah, I did."
He looked into her eyes and just listened to the song. "So how does this song go?"
She sang along with the song, matching her father's voice.
Now that the winter's over
Sweet love is takin' over
All of those dark clouds have faded away
Ooh, you got the tables turnin'
Can't stop the fire burnin'
You got a ticket to take me all the way
Dillon pulled her up off the bed and pulled her close, dancing as she continued to sing, their faces not even inches apart.
Weatherman says it's gonna get hot tonight
There's a fever in the air that I can't control
Now I'm gonna be a fool for love
But I think it's all right
And I never wanna let this feeling go
Georgie held her breath as his lips gently touched hers. Tentative at first, then with more passion. Not the sloppy exchange of salvia she witnessed everyday in the halls of Port Charles High. It was an old romantic movie, weak in the knees, foot popping kiss. The type of kiss she'd always dreamed of.
Weatherman says it's gonna get hot tonight
And I'm gonna fill this burnin' desire
And I'm gonna get lost in love
'Cause I feel so right
Baby, I'll raise this flame into a fire
She pulled away, realizing she was making out to her own father's voice. "I-I can't do this."
"Why?" he whispered.
"Too weird," she giggled. "This is my dad singing."
He joined her in laughing. "You're right. That is bad."
"I'm sorry," she apologized, still grinning.
Dillon pulled her close again. "That's okay," he said, running a hand over her sandy brown hair.
On the other side of the bedroom door, they could vaguely hear Mac's voice talking to Maxie in the hallway.
"You should go, before Mac finds you here," she said disappointedly. "And kills both of us."
"Yeah." Dillon kissed her lightly on the forehead and climbed back out the window. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said before disappearing from her view.
Georgie sighed and picked up the picture she'd shown Dillon. "Have I got a story for you, Dad," she said to the picture. She pulled out her pen and paper and started to write her father another letter.