Ellen encounters Sebastian at the hospital. He has gone there for tests, but tells her that he brought an injured business associate to the hospital. He invites her for a cup of coffee. She refuses, saying that she's too busy. He insists that he only wants to talk to her for ten minutes. Sebastian tells Ellen that it was fate or a cosmic force that brought them back together after ten years. Ellen tells him that it was coincidence and that nothing is going to happen between them because she is involved with Matt and she is happy with that relationship.

Matt, sensing that Sebastian might be coming on to Ellen, visits Joe Scanlon and voices his worries to Joe. Matt feels that Sebastian has a hidden agenda for being in Port Charles and chasing after Ellen. Ellen visits with Lucy Coe and tells her about Sebastians' visit to her at the hospital. Lucy convinces Ellen that she and Sebastian were thrown together by fate - Ellen reluctantly acknowledges an attraction towards Sebastian and agrees that it might be fate. As Ellen and Lucy talk, Ellen voices her commitment to her relationship with Matt and tells Lucy that she has to break off all contact with Sebastian.

In the process of following Ellen, Sebastian meets Eve in the hospital cafeteria. While talking to Sebastian, Eve quickly figures out that Ellen was the Lady of the Moon and Sebastian was the Duc d'Orleans. in Lucy's dress infomercial. While talking to Eve, Sebastian has a weak spell. Eve immediately wants to take him into the hospital for tests. He refuses, but tells Eve that he has changes in his blood pressure that requires a certain prescription. Eve offers to consult his doctor in New Orleans and prescribe the medicine for him. Sebastian then admits that he has cardiac problems. He later tells Eve that he has a connective tissue disorder that will eventually kill him. Eve will arrange to have his medical records transferred, and Sebastian swears her to secrecy.


We next see Matt and Ellen having a romantic dinner at the Port Charles Grille. After they are seated, Matt leans over close to Ellen, and takes her hand in his. Looking deep into her eyes, he tells her, "You look ravishing tonight." "You're biased," she says. Matt says, "Well, who wouldn't be where you're concerned. Let me guess - judging from that beautiful glow I'd say that when you disappeared this afternoon you went straight for the spa." Ellen smiles, "My glow is from being where I finally wanted to be all day long - here with you. My afternoon on the way home was spent gabbing with Lucy." Matt smiles at her, "no wonder my ears were burning." "Oh? Were they?" Ellen teases. "I assume all you did was discuss me?" says Matt. "Oh sure, that's all women have to do when they get together, discuss their menfolk." "That's my point exactly," Matt says smugly. Ellen says, "Ummm, how sexist ... I thought I had you trained better than that." Matt leans closer, " Well, I was hoping for a bit more hands-on instruction." Ellen moves closer, "You've come to the right place, baby."


Just then, Sebastian enters the dining room and is seated at the table behind them. Ellen watches as he is seated and says to Matt: "Of all the places the man could be eating ...," Matt smiles at her, "Maybe we should invite him over ...," "Don't you dare," says Ellen. Matt laughs, "Well why not? I mean he knows you --- I know you ..." "Matt, stop teasing." "Well, old boyfriends are full of information ...," says Matt. Ellen interrupts, "Will you stop - we spent one day together - that hardly qualifies Sebastian as an old boyfriend. Matt says, "Well, that's what I thought, but every time you look over there, you look back, you look away --- it's like watching a tennis match." Ellen is indignant, "I am not looking over there - I am not looking away - I am simply trying to have my dinner."





Matt tells her, "Well, methinks the lady doth protest too much." Ellen leans back in her chair and says, "You're just loving this, aren't you - you're just having a ball." Matt says, "It's a good thing you have a sympathetic ear at this end of the table. You know it happens all the time - you're with someone and then BOOM - your past comes bursting into the dining room out of nowhere. I've been there. "Oh really?" says Ellen, "When was this?"



Matt teases Ellen, "Well, all my life - I mean, you realize that I've had a long line of slinky women in my past ..." "Let's not go there, though ... Oh no - lets ...", says Ellen. "Well, if you insist." says Matt. "Back in my day in the Junior Downhill Cup circuit there were ski bunnies, ski instructors - ski lifts ... Ellen is amused? Don't laugh - I was "Da Man" - Aspen, Vail, Jackson Hole - there wasn't a ski town in America that hadn't heard of "Mad Dog" ..."



Ellen says, laughing, "Mad Dog? " Yes," says Matt, " it all ended after Jennifer Assunti and I got together - yeah, things were never quite the same after that. Ellen is astounded, "THE Jennifer Assunti - the movie star?" Matt shruggs and says "Well, I don't like to drop names, but - well - yeah ..." Ellen laughs at him, "Ok - no more rice milk for you tonight." Matt tells her, "Hey, me and Jenny - ooooh, I mean - steamy ... but lets not get into it ..." Ellen says, "Hey, my boyfriend dated Jennifer Assunti - practically makes me a movie star ..."



Matt says to Ellen, "You just don't understand. It's a sad story. Show business changes people, and not for the better, let me tell you. Ellen laughs at him, "Oooooooh - you and Jennifer just weren't meant to be." "No, Ellen, unfortunately not - medicine is my mistress ... I hear she's still single, tho - I should call her - maybe she'll come to town - hook her up with Sebastian over there - maybe the four of us could have a double date.





Ellen is shaking with laughter, "Ahhhh - your past meets mine -""Sound like a plan Ellen?" Matt and Ellen both crack up laughing as they shout "NO." Ellen tells Matt, "I think we're stuck with each other." "That's music to my ears," says Matt. Matt kisses Ellen hand and they look at each other adoringly.

Sebastian rises and walks over to their table. Matt looks up at him and says amiably, but with a hint of sarcasm, "Sebastian - our new best friend !! You seem to be everywhere these days."

Sebastian has ordered a New Orleans treat, Bananas Foster, for Matt and Ellen. Matt invites him to join them, but he states that he has to leave. Later, at Matt's apartment, Matt tells Ellen that he is becoming increasingly annoyed with Sebastian and says that he is starting to cross the line with his "Let's be friends" stuff. He then suggests that they end the day under flannel sheets and a big down comforter. He further suggests that she get comfortable while he moves to place a mint on her pillow.

Over the next few days, Sebastian continues to follow Ellen around. She attempts to fend him off by telling him that she has no interest in him and that she is in a relationship with Matt. Sebastian learns that he has a very serious condition involving a split in his aorta near the heart. It is apparently inoperable. He makes Eve, who is his physician, promise not to tell anyone about his medical condition. He explains to Eve that he is determined to live in the moment and that he had to try and find Ellen to find out what might have happened if they had not been separated ten years ago.

Matt meets Ellen in the hall at the hospital and they talk about Sebastian's job as a consultant for Lance Pharmaceuticals. "I just think it's a bit odd that a guy you met years ago would go to such lenghts to track you down," Matt tells Ellen. "And then gets a job that puts you in contact with him every day. Coincidence?" "It doesn't matter why he's here," Ellen says. "I've made it clear to him that I have no desire to see him. You, on the other hand, I desire too much," Ellen whispers to Matt. Matt looks at her suggestively and says, "Well, you know I don't subscribe to the philosophy that you can have too much of a good thing - I'd be happy to demonstrate that reasoning for you later on tonight." "Mmmmm, sounds inviting," says Ellen, "but if I don't get my work done, I won't have my evening free." Matt grins at her, "Well then what are you doing sitting around here chatting - go finish your work." He smiles to himself, as he watches Ellen move away.

Matt sees Sebastian and lets him know that he expects Sebastian to stay away from Ellen. We later see Matt and Ellen having breakfast at the Recovery Room. Matt has just remarked that he feels so all alone because Sebastian isn't there, when Sebastian walks in. He sits at the bar and ignores Matt and Ellen. Ellen tells Matt, "Now see, he's leaving us alone." Matt says, "Yeah, sure he is - he's busy ordering Eggs Bourbon Street to send to our table." "Be nice," Ellen tells Matt. "Why? This time, I'm heading him off at the pass." Matt goes over to talk to him about a Lance questionaire that he has asked Matt to complete. They discuss the problems that General Hospital has had with Lance, Matt moves back to Ellen. "Well, one meal today interrupted by Sebastian down, two more to go." Matt tells Ellen. "How about we tell himwhere we're having lunch? Make it easier for him." "Somebody who didn't know you might think you're being sarcastic," Ellen laughs. "Moi?" Matt shoots back. Just then, Sebastian gets up to leave and collapses on the floor. Ellen runs over to him as Matt looks on.

They rush Sebastian to the ER, and Matt and Ellen learn from Eve about Sebastian's heart condition. They learn that it's only a matter of time before Sebastian dies. Ellen becomes obsessed with trying to make things right for Sebastian. She apologizes for being so cold towards him when he first came to Port Charles. Sebastian reassures her that he did not come to Port Charles to disrupt her life. He asks her to have dinner with him after he is released from the hospital. Eve encourages Ellen to be nice to Sebastian, telling her that Sebastian wanted to meet her again as his dying wish. This knowledge shakes Ellen to the core. She turns down a date with Matt to have dinner with Sebastian. Matt begins to realize that he is in the middle of a very unique situation. On the one hand, he wants to fight agressively for Ellen - but on the other hand, his opponent is a dying man. He is playing second fiddle to a dying man, he doesn't like it, he's confused, angry, and hurt by Ellen's actions, and he doesn't know what to do about it. Matt and Eve have a snack together at the hospital and Matt discloses that he dreams of a very domesticated life with Ellen. Ellen, in the meantime is having dinner with Sebastian, where he is coming on strong to her about his dreams, which include her. He uses his condition as a means of trying to influence Ellen to have a relationship with him.Ellen is slowly falling under his influence, and she imagines that fate and chemistry have brought them together again. She weighs throwing caution to the wind against her love for Matt.

Continue to March 1999 - Page 2

Copyright 1999 by Barbara Allen & Alayna Proffit