The Penthouse --

Emily waited till she heard the door slam before she took one step down the stairs. She had put Devon back in his crib after feeding him his breakfast, she figured he'd go back to sleep for a few more hours, that seemed to his routine lately. She made her way down the stairs just as Zander and Ric began talking about something she shouldn't be hearing, because as soon as they noticed she was in the room, they clammed up as usual.

"Don't mind me, I'm just heading to the kitchen, please continue to hold your conversation that you don't want me to hear." she cracked as she passed through the living room on the way to the kitchen to get breakfast for herself.

"Is she always like that?" Ric asked with a chuckle. "The attitude?" Zander asked. "Yeah ever since Devon came along, it's gotten worse." he added with a roll of his eyes.

They both sat down on the couch as Emily walked through the living room again, and smirked in Zander's direction. As she made her way up the stairs he shouted to her ...."And no listening at the top of the stairs, either." She peeked down from the landing ... "I wasn't going to, but that's not a bad idea." she teased. "Hey aren't you suppose to be resting? she asked. "Can't rest, not with Steele out there building a case against me or whatever he's out there doing." Zander replied and watched her disappear up the stairs.

"So what do you want me to do?" Ric asked as he poured coffee from the decanter that sat on the table, into a coffee cup that sat on the tray next to it. "About Steele? Nothing. Let's see what he digs up first. He may end up doing all of the work, and we can reap the rewards." Zander replied as he placed his hand on his side again.

"First thing we have to take care of is Jason. I have that shipment coming in tonight and I don't want anything to go wrong with it." Zander continued as he winced because he leaned to reach his coffee cup on the table in front of him. "You don't have worry, I've got things taken care of." Ric replied.

"Yeah that's what I heard the last time, and I got shot. I'm not taking any chances this time. I spent a week cooped up in the hospital, and I didn't waste my time playing checkers. I have a plan already set to go in motion tonight, a few hours before the shipment is suppose to be delivered. Just make sure someone else in the department knows about the shipment tonight and the rest will take care of it itself. Trust me." Zander said with a devilish grin.

Ric wondered what his little brother had up his sleeve. He was planning something and usually that meant Sonny or Jason was taking the fall. "Care to fill me in?" Ric asked wanting to know what he should expect at the warehouse.

"No, the less you know the better. It keeps you out of danger and lets you keep your job." Zander replied as he got up from the couch and started walking around the room, hoping by moving the twinges he was feeling would go away.

Ric took the last swallow of his coffee and set the cup down on the table. "Well, I must be going. I have a few appointments this afternoon at the courthouse. We will talk later." He excused himself and left.

Nightfall came soon enough as everything Zander had planned was in place. He had sent his men to the warehouse and had them prepare for the shipment, just as they were expected to. He knew if Jason couldn't be there, Sonny would, he wouldn't let a shipment pass through his territory that wasn't his own. Zander laid back against the cushion of the couch and thought about the satisfaction he would be getting in a few hours.

Emily had taken Devon to visit with her parents, so Zander was left alone to fend for himself till she returned. He was interrupted though as Cord knocked. "Yeah, what?" he asked as he lifted himself from the couch, holding his bandaged area with his hand.

"You have a visitor, sir." Cord announced as he opened the door and stepped inside. Zander didn't get the chance to ask who it was before they stepped inside the apartment. "Sorry sir, she didn't want to wait. She says it's important."

"Elizabeth, you shouldn't be here." Zander said as she stepped further inside the penthouse.

"Yeah I know but I wanted to see the man who shot my husband." she said as he stepped towards her. His eyes widened in surprise that she'd risk it to confront him about the shooting.

"Hey wait I didn't shoot Jason, remember I was shot myself." he replied as he showed her his bandages.

"Yeah well, Jason isn't that lucky, Zander. He's still in the hospital thanks to you."

"Okay, I can see this isn't going to go anywhere, so why don't you go back to the hospital and be with your husband." Zander replied trying to convince her to leave. She turned to leave just as Cord opened up the door and Emily stood face to face with her friend.

"And what are you doing here, Elizabeth? Shouldn't you be at the hospital with my brother?" Emily lashed out. "I just came to see Zander and to confront the man who put your brother and my husband in the hospital! Zander should be the one lying in the hospital bed, not Jason!" Elizabeth snapped back at Emily.

"You know what, don't even go there with me, Elizabeth. We both know that Zander nor Jason deserved to be shot that night, they should of been with us, but they weren't, they made their own choice to be on docks. It happened, and there's nothing that can change it. Now I am sorry Jason was hurt and that he's still in the hospital. He's my brother for God sake and I love him! I never wanted any of this to happen, but it did. Now if you want to stand here and compare rap sheets .... by all means, fire away. Cause you and I both know, neither of our husbands are saints and neither of them have a squeaky clean background! But go ahead, let's see who racks up the most points. Shall we?" Elizabeth turned to leave after Emily's rant. "Yeah didn't think so." Cord followed Elizabeth to the elevator and Emily slammed the door.

"Wow, you are a fiesty one aren't you?" Zander said as he followed Emily into the living room area.

"Yeah got something to say about it?" she spouted off at him.

"No I just think it's mighty sexy on you, though." he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. She giggled at his remark.

"Uh huh, I suppose you're going to tell me I shouldn't of done that, ranted like that with Elizabeth?" she asked as he leaned down and kissed her.

"No not at all, actually I found it quite entertaining." he said jokingly.

"Hey I thought you were bringing Devon home with you?" he asked as he noticed he wasn't with her.

"No mom's keeping him overnight. He was out like a light and I hated to wake him to bring him home, besides they love to have him sleep over." she replied.

"Have you had dinner yet?" he asked as he still held her in his arms.

"No what did you have in mind?" she teased.

"Well, not that since I'm suppose to be taking it easy, doctor's orders." he smirked.

"We could order in .. I don't feel like cooking tonight, if that's okay with you?" she sighed heavily as if she was exhausted from a hard day's work.

"Yeah that's fine with me." he replied as she smiled cause she got her way again.

"Great, I'll go get the take out menus, you sit and relax. You're suppose to resting." she giggled as she squirmed away from his grasp on her and left the room.

He sat down on the couch and leaned back, still snickering at the fiestiness she possesses. He didn't know she had it in her, but when push comes to shove, he knows Emily will stand by him, she always has.

Later that night ---

He and Emily had ordered in pizza for dinner, which made her happy, and that in turn made him happy. He was glad Devon was spending the night with the Quartermaines, just in case the plans for bringing down Sonny were to go wrong, he was sure Mac would be knocking on his door first. His cell phone rang shortly after midnight, which wasn't unusual. Emily turned away from him as he got up to answer it.

"Yeah, this better be good news." he said to the person that was calling.

"Turn on your television, boss." You're not going to like it." the voice said and he quickly went to turn it on.

The screen became clear as he stood watching the chaos that had erupted on the docks.

"Dammit! Talk to me, what did we lose?" he questioned.

"I don't have the exact figures, but enough, whatever was in that shipment is now scattered across the Port Charles bay."

Zander wasn't liking what he was hearing about his shipment. "Anyone hurt?" he asked concerned about his guards who went down to make sure the shipment arrived.

"Nobody hurt, just a whole lot of bang." said his contact.

"Yeah I can imagine. Well, get the men back here, I want to meet with all of you .. now." he ordered as he stood and watched what the local news was reporting about the explosion in the harbor earlier that night.