Quick note: AJ is played by Sean Kanan

Decisions

"Are you serious?" Michael's mouth hangs open in shock. "What do we do? Do we have to leave?" He casts a quick glance at Bella. From the sadness that slides across his face before he can conceal it, it's obvious that's the last thing he wants.

Bella jumps in. "You can't go. You just got here. Dad, can't you make him go away?" She turns pleading eyes on her father.

"It's not that simple sweetie." Carly admonishes softly. She gestures for Michael to join her on the sofa. "Michael as much as I've hated to admit it over the years...AJ is your father. I really believe he'll keep our secret because he loves you and wants the best for you. I know you've heard me say some awful things about him and I know Monica has filled you in on some of my stunts but amid our battle a very important fact got lost. We both love you."

Michael weighs that. "You've always said he was a danger to me. That's why you didn't want him around me."

She nods. "And that's true. When he's drinking, AJ is a danger to everyone around him. I would never EVER let him come around you if he was drinking."

"He's not drinking now?" Michael tilts his head in thought.

"He claims he's not. He seems different." Carly shakes her head as a thought occurs to her. "Well, not different. He reminded me of the AJ I originally knew. The one who wasn't drinking and was trying to live and support himself on his own. I don't know." She chews her lip and silently curses. "Things with AJ and I were...complicated. We did A LOT of crap to each other. It wasn't all him and it wasn't all me, you know?"

"What do you mean?" He frowns.

She glances briefly at Johnny who gives a nod of encouragement. "It's time you knew the whole story." She continues to tell him the story of her and AJ from beginning as friends to ending as enemies. For once, she doesn't add any slants to it. She figures if he meets with AJ, he'll get AJ's version of events and maybe, just maybe, he can find the truth somewhere in the middle.

Michael sits back and tries to digest all that. "Why would you do that?"

"Honestly, looking back? I was nuts Michael. I wanted a family and, in my mind, Tony Jones was the key to that family. It couldn't all be for nothing, you know? Then that fizzled and AJ was threatening me, Tony was threatening me, so I did the first thing that popped into my head and that was give you Jason. Jason was the best person I knew at the time and I knew he'd back me up no matter what and he did. It wasn't supposed to be a long-term arrangement. I just needed space to breathe. But then everything happened with your birth and my depression. When I got back, this amazing thing had happened. Jason WAS your father in every way that mattered. AJ was drinking and I wasn't going to let you be around that. So, I got this new idea in my head that Jason and I would be a family and for a while we were, but I thought love for you would eventually make him love me as more than your mother and his friend. You know how that turned out."

Bella sits next to her and lays her head on Carly's shoulder. "You were young. It's like you always tell me. Everyone makes mistakes."

Carly kisses the top of her head. "Mistakes are a part of life but I have to admit my mistakes were pretty major. I screwed up...a lot."

"You wanted to keep your son. What mom wouldn't fight dirty and to the death for her kid?" She defends fiercely.

Michael turns to Johnny. "What do you think? You were around back then, right?"

"Yeah I was around and I have my own opinion on the situation but it doesn't matter. Ultimately, it's up to you." He volleys back. "We can't change the past or the mistakes that were or weren't made. Here and now what do you want to do?"

Michael seems hesitant to answer and Carly studies him for a moment before sighing. "Mr. Man it's not going to hurt me if you decide to get to know your father. You won't be betraying me, Jason or Sonny. Take us out of the equation and what do you want?"

"I want to know him." He confesses quietly. "It's like everyone has their opinion of him whether good or bad. I'd like to form my own. I don't know if he'll be a part of my life, but I at least want to sit down with him and see for myself what he's about."

Carly and Johnny exchange looks then she nods. "Okay." She hands him the number. "You'll have to let Johnny know so he can make the arrangements. When you're ready, call and set up a meeting."

"Are you going to be there?" Michael wonders.

She shakes her head. "I think it'll be better if you do this yourself."

He takes the number silently and leaves the room. Bella follows him. She catches up to him just before he enters his room.

"Hey, are you okay?"

He runs a hand through his hair as he leads her into his room. "It's a lot."

"Yeah." She flops on his bed. "But hey at least he's agreed to keep your secret. I mean he could've TOTALLY blackmailed your mom but he didn't. That has to be a good sign, right?"

He tries very hard to ignore how she looks on his bed and takes a seat in the desk chair. "True but what if that's just the angle he's playing? I mean would you really threaten her with Julio there? What if it was self-preservation?"

"What if it was both?" Bella gives him a pointed look. "He can genuinely care about you and not want my dad to kill him. They don't have to be mutually exclusive."

He chews that over. "Valid point. So, do you think I should meet with him?"

She scoots to the end of the bed and takes his hand. "I honestly think you've been given a gift. I know it's not the same but if I had the chance to have one more conversation with my mom, there's nothing that would stop me. Even though you didn't know him, you can finally talk to him and get the answers to the questions I'm pretty sure you have."

"And if I don't like the answers?" He asks warily as he toys with her hand.

She winks at him impishly. "Then my dad can get rid of him."

"You're mad." Carly says quietly from behind him.

Johnny sighs and places his drink back on the bar. "I'm not mad. I'm worried. I'm frustrated. I don't know if trusting AJ is a good idea."

"What choice do we have?" She takes his drink and gulps it down. "He's here. We could kill him but at what cost?"

Johnny makes another drink then sits in front of the fire. "To keep you safe. To keep the secret safe. The only way it works is if only we know. That's what we said from the very beginning! We planned everything down to the smallest detail." He scoffs and takes a long sip of the cognac. "AJ fucking Quartermaine of all people."

"We couldn't have planned for that." Carly counters. "Hello, he was dead. We just have to adapt and trust that he loves Michael enough to keep his secret."

He doesn't comment for a while as he stares into the fireplace. "You should've told Michael the truth."

"I knew you were mad." She perches on the arm of the couch.

He growls. "I'm not mad. I'm pissed that you didn't tell him what a fucking weasel his father is. AJ pulled a lot of shit. You lost months with Michael from the stunt he pulled at Shadybrooke. All he cared about was getting that CEO chair off Edward. It was never about Michael. When he finally had Michael in the mansion how much time did he actually spend with him?"

"I'm not excusing what he did." Carly holds up a hand. "All I'm saying is we both made mistakes. Maybe he wouldn't have been so obsessed with proving himself to everyone if I hadn't dumped him in that laundry cart. We never know what would've happened if I'd played it straight."

Johnny snorts. "You know exactly what would've happened."

"No, I don't and neither do you." Carly insists. "Maybe we could've found a way to co-parent. Maybe I never would've gotten involved with Sonny. Maybe Michael wouldn't be in the position he's in now. We don't KNOW. All we know is AJ is here now and I can't help but think maybe there's a reason."

He stares at her in amazement. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yeah." She lays her head on his shoulder. "I just have a feeling about this."

He pulls her into a hug. "For all our sakes I hope you're right."

"If I'm not you'll get your wish." She leans back to look at him.

His brow furrows. "What wish?"

"Remember when we started this? You wished he was alive, so you could kill him." Carly smirks up at him.

Johnny sighs and moves out of the embrace. "It would've been easier BEFORE Michael knew he was still alive."

"Hey, trust me okay." She reaches out to grab his arm. "It's not easy for me either but I think Michael needs this. Can you just back me up, please?"

He turns back to her. "I've always had your back but I'm telling you now if AJ makes one wrong move, I'll drop that motherfucker."

"Of course you will." She leans up and kisses him on the cheek then settles contently into his side.

He shatters their comfortable silence. "You were wrong by the way."

"About what?" She snuggles deeper into him.

He lightly strokes her side. "You and Jason. He does love you as more than Michael's mom and his best friend. He loved you back then too. He was just blinded by what Sonny and Robin told him love was supposed to be."

She sighs. "I know you still believe it but Jason never loved me like that John. I wasted a lot of years believing he would one day see me as someone worth his heart but let's keep it real. I wanted that. Jason never once said he did. In the beginning yeah, he wanted me in his bed but once that was over, he never looked at me in that way."

"Bullshit."

She moves away from him. "No bullshit. I was naked in his bed and he kicked me out. THAT should've been a big neon clue of how he felt about me, but you know me, I'm a glutton for it."

"He was still drinking the Scorpio Kool-Aid. That doesn't count." Johnny protests.

Carly eyes turn sad. "It counted." She tries to shake off the mood. "What does it matter anyway? I'm never going to see him again. He's going to rebuild his life and move on with Sam and Jake and whatever other little ones that might come along. The era of me hoping and praying for a Jason and Carly ending are over. You need to get on board."

"Well hell son you don't mess around do you?" Luke walks into the penthouse. "When I told you to find a mission; I didn't mean go and kill half of Port Chuckles elite."

Jason places his guns on the table. "What do you want Luke?"

"Just to congratulate you on a job well done. How'd you get the dirt on the mayor?" He lights up a cigar. "That was beautiful man. Almost makes you worthy of being called an honorary Spencer."

Jason takes the cigar and puts it out. "I had nothing to do with that."

"Really?" His disappointment is clear.

"Really."

Luke turns thoughtful and leans back in his chair. "Well that is interesting, isn't it?"

Jason offers him a beer. "It must have been Johnny."

"Mancini?" Luke chokes on the beer. "He's back?"

Jason doesn't bother to ask how Luke knows he's still alive. He's long learned Luke just knows things. "He was doing some cleaning of his own."

"Hmmm." Luke nods as his mind makes leaps and twists that only a Spencer can accomplish. Jason and Johnny are cut from the same cloth and it was already a stretch to think that Jason pulled such an elaborate move against the mayor. He highly doubts Johnny would've wasted the effort when a bullet to the head would have sufficed. No, this has Spencer written all over it and it wasn't him or Barbara Jean. Lucky and Lulu liked to take after their mother so they're out. That only leaves one who would have such a vested interest.

Luke stands abruptly. "Welp take care of yourself kid. I'll be seeing you."

"You too, Luke." Jason shakes his head as he watches him exit the penthouse then goes back to cleaning his guns.