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Gia looked up at her mother’s cold face and a lump immediately began to become lodged in her throat. Tears stung the back of her eyes and she fought that urge to cry. She just looked at her mother. She had never seen anyone as pathetic as her. “Actually I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time mother.” Gia said in a bored tone. “What, you think you’ll have some kind of normal life now? You think that just because Phil has been arrested that that will some how protect you from him and you’ll be able to have a happy life? You can never have that Gia. You will not be aloud to see your baby brother, and you’re going away to boarding school.” Florence said. Gia smirked. “Don’t you get that this is over? Marcus would never let that happen. He’s going to make sure that I’m with Jacob and that I’m happy for the rest of my life.” Gia said. Florence advanced on her, coming dangerously close to her face. Gia didn’t back down, her eyes clashed furiously with her mother’s. “You are so wrong if you think that you will live happily ever after Gia. You bitch. Will you finally be happy when you’ve taken everything I love away from me?!” Flo yelled. “I take everything away from you? You can’t think that.” Gia said, her tears rapidly falling now. “Everything would be perfect if you weren’t in my life Gia.” Flo said bitterly. “I hate you mother! I HATE you!!” Gia screamed. Florence slapped her, and Gia’s head whipped to the side, before she could even recover, Flo raised her hand to hit her again, and just as she was about to strike, her hand was grabbed.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Taggert yelled as he jerked his mother away. Florence pushed her son off of her; she shook her head in disgust. “You are no better than your screw up sister. Where did I go wrong?” Flo said. Gia huffed, her eyes glistening from the sting of the slap. “Where did you go wrong? Try moving in with a man who hates me and then ignoring the abuse he inflicted onto me over and over again! You went wrong the day that you were greedy enough to let your personal issues interfere with your parenting mother! Now stop blaming me for your life being so fucked up!” Gia screamed, her heart pounding. Florence looked at her daughter, with tears dancing in her eyes. “I wish you were never born Gia.” She whispered. It was loud enough for it to soar straight to Gia’s heart. “Me too.” She chocked out. Marcus was livid. He paced the steps of his home and looked between the to women in front of him. “Don’t you ever say that Gia. Don’t ever say that…” He said. His words nearly lost in the noise of the nature surrounding them. Everyone was silent. Gia didn’t even notice the mass of tears that were dripping down her cheeks as she stood there. Marcus turned to his mother. His chin quivered in disgust as his eyes landed on her tearless cheeks. “Florence Campbell, I’m placing you under arrest for child abuse.” He approached her. Florence looked at her son like he was crazy. “Don’t be silly Marcus.” She waved her hand at him. “No! You’re going to pay for the hurt that you’ve caused my sister. I’m taking you down to the station and while I’m at it, I’m going to have a talk with Phil.” He said. Florence shook her head slowly. She glared at him as he pulled a pair or handcuffs out of his pocket and grabbed her arm. He handcuffed her and Florence turned her head to look at Gia. “See what you’ve done.” She said. “Marcus.” Gia whispered, fear invading her. Taggert shook his head. “Don’t worry Gia, she won’t hurt you anymore. Just go back in the house until I get home OK?” He said. Gia shook her head and let out a panicky sob. Taggert frowned; when he looked at her, an image of her as a little girl flashed in his mind. It was an almost Deja Vu moment. The panicked look on her face that she was about to be abandoned by her older brother. “Gia call Zander and have him come stay with you OK?” He said. Gia nodded her head numbly. “I love you Gia.” Marcus said. Tears glazed Gia’s eyes. “I love you too Marcus.” She whimpered softly.

Gia stepped into her brother’s home and wrapped her arms around herself. She felt lost and alone. Her mind was racing and then she finally landed on what her brother told her to do. She walked to her brother’s kitchen where his phone was located and dialed his number. “Gia, what’s wrong?” Zander asked as soon as she said his name. “Zander I need you, my brother just arrested my mother. Will you come stay with me please?” Gia asked. Zander knew that his father would be working all night. “I’ll be right over Gia.” He said. “Thank you.” Gia said softly, before she hung up the phone.

Zander put the phone down in its base and picked it back up and dialed a number. “Hello?” Nik’s groggy voice came through the phone. “Nikolas, it’s Zander. I thought you might like to know that Gia just called me upset. I think she needs you.” Zander said. Nikolas nervously looked behind him, as if his father might be lurking in the darkness of his bedroom. “I can’t come until the morning.” He whispered. “OK well I’m going to stay with her tonight, I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Zander asked. “Yeah I’ll be there man.” Nik answered.

After he passed his mother over to another officer, Taggert walked over to his desk, checking over the cell numbers, his finger ran down the line and stopped at his desired destination. He nodded his head and briskly walked over to the cells, and located the one he was looking for. Not bothering to make his presence known at all, Taggert unlocked the cell and stepped in. “I think it’s time you and I have a little talk.” Taggert eyed the man before him. He stood up and faced Taggert. “How does it feel to be the pathetic piece of trash that you are? Does it make you feel like a man when you hit innocent young girls?” Taggert said through clenched teeth. “Innocent? Innocent little girls don’t go running around Port Charles in fancy cars with teenage boys like Nikolas Cassadine. Girls like your sister only want boys like that for one thing, their money. OK well in Gia’s case, two things. I don’t think I need to spell it out for you, just look at her, she’s such a slut.” Phil said with disgust. It took all of Taggert's will to not draw his gun on the man in front of him. “And you hit her because of that? No I think it’s because you’re a cowered and a prick and it makes you feel like a man!” Taggert said angrily. He knew he got him. Anger flashed in Phil’s eyes and in an instant, he was advancing on him. Taggert permitted the blow, and a smirk spread across his face, that’s all he needed was one hit from him. All of Taggert’s rage took over, and he began to pound on Phil. Throwing blows at him from many angles until he dropped down, and then kicking him in the stomach. Phil was on the floor in pain, clutching his stomach. Taggert stood over him, his fingers grazing his gun in its holster. He slowly shook his head. Even he had boundaries, and he couldn’t go beyond them. He gripped Phil by the throat. “I should kill you, but my sister needs me. So instead I’m telling you this. You will pay for what you have done. I’m going to make sure that you are punished for this and you will go to prison. If things go my way it will never come to this, but take this to your grave Philip. If you by some miracle get out someday, and touch so much as one more hair on my sister’s head, I will make sure that you will never again see the light of day. I will kill you.” Taggert said with a conviction that would make any man shiver. By this time, the grip on Phil’s throat was quite tight, and Phil nodded his head vigorously to get this madman off of him. Taggert let him go, but didn’t leave without sending one more blow to his stomach. Taggert looked up at the officer who was guarding the cellblock that they were in. “You saw that right?” He asked. “He hit you first.” He nodded softly. Taggert nodded in response and then walked out.

Gia lay with Zander on the bed that her brother had set up for her. He was fully clothed and she was in her pajama’s curled up next to him, feeling safe with his arm wrapped around her. She raised her head from his chest and looked at him. “Zander what if my moms right? What if I can never have a normal life?” She asked, desperation seeping through her eyes. “Of course you will Gia. Don’t think that. Florence is just an evil witch who’s jealous of the incredible life that you will have someday.” He said. Gia smiled at him. “What’s your idea of a perfect life?” She asked. Zander thought about it. “A beer and a really hot chick to drink it with.” He shrugged. Gia laughed and hit him playfully as he grinned at her. She let out a long sigh. “I just want to be happy Zander.” She said. “You will be Gia.” Zander said, leaning in and kissing her cheek. Gia looked down softly. “I don’t know, maybe having both Nikolas and Jake in my life is just too much to ask for.” She said as she rested her head on his chest again. “It will happen Gia, I know it will.” Zander whispered in her ear as she drifted into sleep.

Nikolas lay awake in bed, with his hands behind his head as he stared aimlessly up at his ceiling. He was thinking of Gia an aching in his chest arose as he pictures her face in his mind. She needed him. He knew it was late but he didn’t care, and he knew that she might very well be asleep by the time he made it to her, but he just had to see her. He got out of bed, slipped a pair of jeans on over his boxers, and quickly grabbed a shirt and put it on. He quickly put his shoes on and slowly made his way out the door of his room. He quietly walked down the stairs, looking around to make sure that no one saw him. His house was quiet, he was sure that everyone was asleep, as it was well passed midnight. He walked to the door and when he reached to turn the knob, the light suddenly came on. He jumped and then with his heart pounding, he turned around. Stovros stood on the steps in front of him, a furious look on his face. He was above him, making him seem even more intimidating. “And just where the hell do you think you’re going?” Stovros asked.

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