Getting To The Truth (Open)

[Alexis Davis]

My table at Kelly's was completely covered in file folders and stacks of papers, just like my desks at work and home, not surprising. Laying on the table in front of me was an overwhelming pile just by looking at it - but what was written on the papers was even more so. I suppose when you wait over twenty years to investigate a matter thoroughly, the materials you get to do so will be overwhelming, time-consuming, and tedious. It didn't matter to me, though. All of this hard work, all of this investigating and research was going to hopefully give me some real answers for the first time in a very, very long time.

I picked the next folder up and held it in my hands, somewhat frozen, before opening it and looking at the next round of information. "Do you really want to do this.." I asked myself as I eyed the folder that could contain information that would, once again, change my life. Doubts and some fear had to be normal when working on a matter as huge as this one. Not only will I possibly be getting the name or the location of my son, but I'd be getting everything else that comes along with that. Then comes the doubts - what if he doesn't know he's adopted, or if he does and doesn't care to know me because he has a great family? Or maybe even his own family - it could be possible.

I put the folder down and sighed, sinking back into the hard wooden chair. Why did absolutely every relationship I've had, all forms, have to get so complicated? Why couldn't it just be easy for once..the answers could just come to me and I would know what to do. I wanted to know what's right - would it be right to find out the true identity of my first child and go barge in on their life suddenly, or just let it go and move on with my own life and focus on different things? But, there's no easy answer, no easy fix. The experience I had with Sam left a sinking feeling and doubts that I couldn't shake. If she could fool me, if she could make me believe that I was her mother, if she knew my information..what's to say that whatever I find out about my son will even be true?

I reached down beside my seat and grabbed my bag. I swiped all of the papers up and put them back neatly into their folders and packed them back up into place. Out of sight, out of mind..and maybe, eventually I'll be able to bring myself to look at what those papers say - but today was definitely not going to be that day.

[Gwendolyn Matthews]

I’d had a rough first day in Port Charles, seeing as I was without Jordan, but I was growing accustomed to the idea of taking some time to think about where we stood. I walked into Kelly’s Diner, looking every bit the FBI agent, but undercover. I had been offered a job with the World Security Bureau, or the WSB, and I had yet to head over to the building it was housed in.

Now I headed up to the counter and cleared my throat to get the man behind its attention. “Excuse me, but may I get a coffee for here?” I asked politely. Both Mama (bless her soul) and Aunt Phoebe had matured me with lessons in manners, and I thank them both very much. Pulling my purse down from my shoulder, I started digging around in it for some change, and finally found some, setting it down on the counter after he served me my cup of coffee.

Before I could snatch it up, another hand reached around and took it, and I whirled around. “Excuse you, but that was MY coffee,” I hissed. The guy only smiled, and I seethed. I promised both Aunt Phoebe & Indy that I wouldn’t get into any fights while I was here, so I resorted to tapping my foot impatiently.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” the guy said, finally done downing the coffee. “That was yours? How rude of me! Let me order you another.”

“Don’t bother,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’ll get it myself.”

[Chloe Morgan]

I walked into Kelly’s, craving something, anything white chocolate. Or maybe I just needed a decent lunch. I went for a hike earlier, so I hadn’t eaten much, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to eat. I always kept myself in shape. I headed to the counter and put in my order, white chocolate chip cookie and a sandwich, and smiled at the girl I didn’t recognize. She seemed upset about the guy next to her so I decided to leave her alone for now. Turning around, I spotted Alexis covered with paperwork, her usual spot, and headed toward her. “Alexis, hi! Too busy to talk?” I leaned down and gave her a hug, not sure if she wanted one right now but she looked overworked so I gave her one anyway. I had paperwork of my own to do for the company but I was just going to enjoy myself for a little bit, maybe help my best friend out.

I eyed the stack closely and caught a few words here and there. I could never be kept out of the loop for too long. “Is this about your son?” I gestured to the papers. Alexis and Sam had never had that great of a relationship, but I couldn’t believe how much Sam had hurt Alexis by lying to her. She had tried to be her mother and then she found out Sam was never hers to begin with. It couldn’t be easy. I wanted to be there for Alexis as much as I could, but I didn’t know what it was like. I wasn’t a mother and I might never be. “Have…have you told him?” I didn’t know who he was but I did know she was afraid of getting rejected. Alexis wasn’t afraid of anything, so I knew this was more important than just finding her long-lost child. She wanted him to like her and I didn’t blame her.

Biting into my cookie and wiping the corners of my mouth, I waited until I was done eating before speaking more. “You know I’m always here if you want to talk, right?” True, I had been out of the country for the last couple of years, working on expanding Chloe Morgan Designs, probably wanting to get away from Stefan too, but I was here now and I didn’t plan on going anywhere. “What do you think you’re going to do?” I didn’t see how he couldn’t like Alexis, not with how determined, smart, and generally wonderful she was. But then again, I knew I was an optimistic person. Maybe Alexis was protecting herself with being how worried she was. “Have you told Kristina yet?” I knew Alexis was kicking herself for letting Sam trick her, but it wasn’t Alexis’ fault and I hoped that she realized that.

[Gwendolyn Matthews]

Why did I have to be noticed by a guy that was downright rude in my first day in Port Charles? I wished again that Jordan was here, because he would definitely punch the guy out. Jordan was protective of me, despite the fact that we have to keep our relationship a secret from everyone in our FBI unit.

I hated being disrespectful, especially in front of other customers, and when another woman walked up to the counter to place an order, smiling at me even though I was seething mad. I smiled back at her, before she turned and sat down with a woman who had to be around Aunt Phoebe’s age.

Turning back to the man, I looked him up and down, regarding him thoughtfully. “So, are you from around here?” I asked, with a sort-of angry smile aimed at him. “I was hoping that someone would show me around town, since I’m new here.”

I followed him out of Kelly's, and smiled, knowing I had him hooked.

**exits thread**

[Alexis Davis]

I looked up, relieved to see Chloe approach the table, and returned her hug before she sat down, joining me at the table. and then sit down. I was only in the mood for selective company. Thankfully Chloe was one of those people. "I'm not too busy to talk to you, ever. And..yes, this is about my son." I didn't bring the subject up with anyone. After being wrong about Sam, and living a lie, I couldn't open up about this until I knew for sure what the truth was, and if I had undeniable proof.

“Have…have you told him?” I didn't want to open my mouth and admit that no, I hadn't told him. I hadn't told him because I didn't have the courage to even look at his name. "I haven't told him yet," I blurted out, shaking my head. "..To be perfectly honest with you.. I haven't even looked at the name written down in the file. I know that seems ridiculous because I've been trying to get to the bottom of things for a while, and now I literally have the answer at my finger tips.. and I'm not looking at it." That did seem rather odd, I suppose.

“You know I’m always here if you want to talk, right?” With a reassuring nod and smile, "Yes.. I'm fully aware of that. And I appreciate it very much." I did value and appreciate her friendship very much. She was one of the constants in my life, even if we didn't see each other every day, it didn't change anything in our friendship. I could trust and depend on her no matter what, which is a nice feeling. “What do you think you’re going to do?” "Well," I sighed, "I think that what I need to do is to finish reading these files and find out what his name is," I shrugged. It was a scary thought, but it was necessary.

“Have you told Kristina yet?” I shook my head and pick up my cup, taking a sip of my tea. "No.. I haven't told her anything." I put the cup back down on the table. "She has no idea that I decided to look into it again after I found out Sam was lying. I know she has a right to know, and I do want her to.. I just want to be positive and have all of the facts together when I go to her and tell her this. As much as it effected me, I think it gets her worse. She deserves to have that connection to her sibling, and I'm trying to do everything I can to help that happen." Now all I had to do was read one line on one piece of paper and that would be possible.

[Chloe Morgan]

Alexis returned my hug, which just made me smile at her. She didn’t seem like she was in the mood for company so I was happy that she didn’t mind having me around. Not that I thought she would, necessarily. Still, having her say she was never too busy to talk to me brightened my spirits more than they already were. I shook my head. “It doesn’t seem ridiculous, sweetie. It’s perfectly understandable, knowing what you went through with…” I stopped myself, not wanting to bring up Sam, not wanting Alexis to keep hurting. Something had to go right with my best friend. “You’ll look and you’ll tell him, I know you will. It just takes time hon, don’t rush it.” I tried to put myself in her shoes, think about what I would do if I had a son or daughter that I had given up. Of course, thinking of my nonexistent kid made me think of my estranged husband and I wasn’t going to let myself go there.

I smiled at her, shrugging my shoulders in a “don’t worry about it” kind of way. “What are friends for?” I didn’t need her appreciation; I wouldn’t be much of a friend if I didn’t let her know I was there for her. It was my duty, she didn’t need to thank me. “Do you…do you want me to stay and help you open them?” I knew it was easy, just open the folder and read the name, but this wasn’t one of her cases. This was finding the child she thought she had found, the one she gave up so many years ago. I nodded. “I think that’s the best decision, waiting to tell her until you’re sure. I know you are and you will. You’ll know your son and Kristina will know her brother, I know it. I just have this feeling.”

I rubbed her shoulder for a minute and then decided to change the subject to something that was still hard but hopefully hurt less. “Have you heard from Jerry?” It was easier years ago, when it was us four against the world. Alexis, Ned, Jax, me. I had loved Jax but I didn’t anymore, not for years. I still thought of him as a close friend and I still wondered what would have happened if everything had worked out for the four of us instead of turning into one big, complicated mess. “Oh, you don’t have to answer that.” I knew I had asked her, but on second thought, that might be as painful as someone asking me about Stefan. With my luck, he would show up here and now but I hoped not. I didn’t need my lovely day ruined, not when that hike had helped me think through so many things.