February 15, 2014

This entry is part 2 of 5 in the Noel

Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays
‘Cause no matter how far away you roam
If you want to be happy in a million ways
For the holidays you can’t beat home, sweet home

Jason’s eyes jerked open and he sat straight up. He looked around and blinked at the sight of his penthouse lit up–all the lights and decorations Sam had strewn up but he’d forgotten to switch on were blazing. There was a fire in the fire place behind him and he heard the click of heels coming from the kitchen.

He rubbed his eyes and stood. “What the hell…”

Robin Scorpio stepped out from the kitchen, an oversized mug wrapped in her hands. Jason shook his head. It was Robin, but she was younger. Her hair was longer, its color darker. Her face was a bit rounder and her cheeks were bright red. “Hey, Jason.”

“Robin,” he said slowly. He licked his lips and looked around. “You look…”

She sipped from her mug. “I look about nineteen which was the age I was when we first began dating.” She set the mug on the corner of the pool table and ignored his wince at the thought of something that hot close to the felt.

“You look a bit different yourself,” Robin said. She circled around him and tugged at his t-shirt. “You’ve been working out. And your hair’s darker.” She stood on the tips of her toes to peer into his eyes. “And something’s missing.”

He grumbled something under his breath and stepped back. “What’s going on?”

“I am the Ghost of Christmas Past!” she proclaimed, throwing her arms up in declaration. “Or, a representative of the Ghost of Christmas Past, anyway. He’s busy this time of year and rarely does jobs one on one.”

Jason frowned and peered at the mug, “What were you drinking?”

Robin sighed. “I’m not Robin Scorpio either. I’m just a familiar face to guide you on your journey,” she explained. “I’m part of your past. Or she is…it’s complicated, Jason. Anyway,” she held out her hand. “Ready to go?”

Jason shook his head. “I don’t dream, so this is really happening but at the same time, this can’tbe happening.”

Robin made a clucking noise. “Jason, you’re so literal. Just take my hand,” She wiggled her fingers. “You trust me don’t you?”

“No, but I don’t think you’re going to go away until I do what you want,” Jason sighed. He slipped his much larger hand into her tiny one and the second their skin made contact, there was swirl of wind and suddenly, everything was different.

It was Sonny’s penthouse but it was all wrong somehow. Jason frowned and looked around–the furnishings were dark, there was nothing that he remembered at all. And standing in front of him was a trio of very familiar figures–himself, Sonny and Robin.

Jason looked at his Robin and frowned. “Okay, I’m confused.”

His Robin shrugged. “Your first Christmas after the accident. You’re celebrating it early because I’m leaving.” Her smile was wistful as she watched the younger Jason move across the room to fish out a box from his jacket.

“I celebrated Christmas?”

“You understood it then,” His Robin told him. “Because I could explain things so that you not only understood them but accepted them. Your new friend Sam tells you what she thinks you ought to know and never elaborates. She doesn’t want you to change your mind about your future together.”

Jason shook her head. “She’s not like that.”

His Robin snorted. “Look, I’m privy to a few things that you’re not. So pipe down and pay attention.”

He watched himself interact with Sonny and Robin and briefly wondered what it was that had changed Sonny from this particular man to the one he was today–bitter, cold and distrusting. He searched his limited memory but was frustrated when he couldn’t come up with any sort of connection.

“You really don’t remember any of this, do you?” His Robin sighed. “I thought seeing the memory might help…”

Jason shook his head. “I don’t remember the actual event,” he admitted, “but…” he looked at her. “I remember what I felt. I remember being nervous about the gift. I remember feeling–really good when you liked it. I remember how happy I was.” He crossed his arms and peered at the figures in front of him. “That Robin was the best thing that could have happened to me at that point in my life.”

His Robin nodded sagely. “It’s nice that you can acknowledge that. You might not remember these things, but the people who love you do. And it’s hard for them when you look at them and don’t know them. Some handle it better than others.”

She took his hand and the wind swirled again. When it cleared, they were standing in a dilapidated room cluttered with canvases, paints and easels. Jason frowned when he saw his younger self lying prone on the shabby couch, his hand clutched to his side. “What’s this place? I’ve never been here before.”

“Haven’t you?” Robin asked. She arched an eyebrow and he realized her appearance had changed. Her face was thinner, her hair was cut boy short and her eyes were a little sadder. “I look like the last time you saw me on the bridge when you told me you never wanted to see my face again.”

He swallowed and looked away–that was one of the memory flashes he had received. But none of the flashes had shown him this room. And yet…he knew it. He watched his younger self shift on the couch and the other Jason focused on the small tree on a table, decorated with paper chains and an angel atop.

The older Jason stared at it as well and was struck by it. “The only Christmas tree I ever decorated,” he murmured. “And liked.”

Robin nodded. “Your first Christmas after you lost Michael and I left town. You were shot and found by someone in the snow. She took you here to take care of you.” Robin touched one of the paper chains. “She protected you from Sonny and from Carly most of all and wouldn’t let anyone speak ill of you in her presence. She taught you that there was something to live for because you were lost in nothing after Michael was gone. She brought color back to your world.”

Jason frowned and turned when the door opened and a small whirlwind rushed through. Her hair was flying all over the place, the wind having destroyed any semblance of order in the curly mass. Her blue eyes were sparkling with mischief and she had bags filled to the brim in her hands. He recognized her instantly.

“Elizabeth,” he said softly. He looked to Robin. “The woman from the diner. I didn’t realize…she never said…”

“She wouldn’t, no. You aren’t close anymore,” Robin said. “You’re on the periphery of each other’s lives. You go whole months without talking but every time you do, it’s like yesterday. She’s your best friend and you’re hers, and nothing has been able to change that. She married Sonny’s brother, and divorced him. She repeated the process but finally gave up on him because she was never going to be first on his list and being first is something this girl can’t quite recall.”

“She hums when she paints,” Jason said quietly. He watched the younger Elizabeth change his bandage all the while chattering all along like she performed this task on a daily basis. “She didn’t come to see me in the hospital.”

“She didn’t think you’d want to see her,” Robin told him. “You didn’t know her, you weren’t her Jason anymore and she certainly wasn’t going to push you.” She studied him. “What else do you remember about this moment?”

“I remember…” Jason hesitated. “I remember thinking that she was beautiful. That her smile lit up the whole room and she always made me want to smile when she smiled. It was contagious.”

“Do you remember why she was protecting you from Sonny and Carly? Why she was hiding you here in her art studio?”

Jason nodded. “Yeah. Sonny and Carly, they slept together. I was shot, I went to his penthouse and she was there.” His throat was thick. “I went to the boxcar and I…” He looked away. “I went there to die. But I remember Elizabeth…telling me to open my eyes, that she couldn’t help me unless I opened my eyes.”

“And she gave you a reason to live,” Robin finished softly. “She took you to her studio, filled to overflowing with soup, changed your bandages, saved your life, told everyone that mattered to her that you were sleeping together so they wouldn’t know you were shot. And you celebrated the second Christmas of your life that you really felt like the holiday meant something.” Robin sighed. “She was perfect for you, you know. I bet if you’d just given into one of those urges to kiss her, this whole thing would be different.”

Jason frowned. “What do you mean?”

But his Robin didn’t answer. She held out his hand and with some reluctance, he touched it wondering where the mists would send him next.

It was a large open space, much larger than Elizabeth’s studio and smaller than Sonny’s penthouse. A kitchen area was in the back and a large bed underneath the window towards the back of the room. This place, too, felt familiar but not in the same way the studio had been. He’d been here before but didn’t feel any particular connection to it.

He saw himself standing by a partially decorated evergreen tree in the corner. He was some years older than he’d been in the studio but still younger than he was now. He wondered when this Christmas had taken place and with whom he had shared it.

His questions were answered when a blonde woman came out from behind the tree, a box in her hands. Her face was down as she rummaged through the box but he recognized her instantly as Sonny’s little sister Courtney. He’d been engaged to her, married to her, he was told all of this but it still didn’t feel like it was a real part of his history.

“This is the third Christmas,” Robin said. “The third that meant something real to you. But it wasn’t because you were sharing this moment with Courtney.”

Jason frowned and looked at her. “Then why?”

“Because Elizabeth had walked out on you only two months earlier. You jumped into a relationship with Courtney who had just left her husband. She wanted to celebrate Christmas, wanted to decorate a tree with you but it didn’t feel right to you. You didn’t want to decorate a tree with anyone who wasn’t Elizabeth.” Robin sighed wistfully. “She was thinking of you, too that night. Feeling sad and vulnerable. She was ready to forgive you for lying to her, for hurting her and she wanted to apologize to you for being so cold, so untouchable for so many weeks.”

“What…” Jason hesitated. “What did I do to her then?”

“The act doesn’t matter,” Robin said. “What matters is what came after. You abandoned her, like most everyone else in her life. And because she was feeling so vulnerable, she listened when Ric Lansing talked and was charmed by him. She thought she saw the best of you in him–only without the lies and the secrets. He nearly killed her, you know. Twice. He put her through hell before she finally left him.” Robin shrugged. “You thought about going to Kelly’s, just to see her. To be near her. But instead, you took the cowards’ way out. You stayed with Courtney, and you decorated this tree with her.”

“But it was for the best right?” Jason said. “Elizabeth’s married to Lucky, she has a son. I have Sam.”

Robin’s mouth curved into a bitter smile. “Elizabeth has a son with Zander Smith, a petty criminal who threatened her and her baby. He died in a shoot out with the police two years ago and she married Lucky Spencer. Mostly because she still felt love for him–the love she’d felt as a teenaged girl. She felt comfortable with him, thought he’d be safe and that he’d never hurt her.”

She folded her arms and watched a laughing Courtney embrace a Jason that looked resigned. “Sam loves you. She does. But she’s scared. She’s terrified that what you have together can’t last. She’s a lot like Carly, you know. She wants so badly to make this work that she’ll make mistakes and she’ll do dumb things and one day, she’s going to wake up and realize that she’s lost herself in you. That she has no life other than you. And she’s going to resent you for that.”

Jason shook his head. “No, it’s not like that with Sam–”

“That’s what will happen if you stay together,” Robin said. “If everything goes to Sam’s plan, within two years, she will hate you and herself. But that’s not for me to really say. All I know is what I’ve been told.”

“You were a good man, once, Jason,” Robin continued. “You were kind and compassionate. You were a good friend that never forgot someone who had done you a kindness. You knew Sonny inside and out, you understand that you could only have Carly in your life if you kept her at an arm’s length. You had a real life that was separate from Sonny’s. That’s your past, Jason. But things have changed.”

She held out her hand and Jason touched it, the swirling mists erasing the scene before him.

+11

This entry is part 3 of 5 in the Noel

Baby I miss you
Most at Christmas time
And I can’t get you
Get you off my mind
Every other season comes along
And I’m all right
But then I miss you, most at Christmas time

Jason sat straight up and rubbed his eyes. He looked around at his dark and desolate penthouse. The tree was not lit, the lights not switched on and the fireplace was empty and dark. It had been a dream, Jason told himself. Just because he’d never dreamed before, it didn’t mean he would never dream at all.

But he remembered every detail about this dream. The way Robin had looked, the way she had changed. The words she’d spoken, the places she’d taken him to.

He stared at his hands for a long moment before dragging them through his hair. He just needed to sleep. Jason lay back down and wrapped his arm around his head to rest it on. He closed his eyes and told himself once again it was a dream.

He could feel someone looking at him. He could feel someone very close. His eyes snapped open and he jerked back, startled.

“Who the hell are you?”

A tiny brunette was straddling his waist and peering at him with her amused brown eyes. “I know I was the wife from hell, Jase, but you really don’t have to be so rude.”

Jason frowned. Had Courtney died her hair? A more disturbing thought occurred to him–had he had yet another marriage that hadn’t lasted?

“Who are you?” he demanded.

The brunette stood up and planted her hands on her hips. “I am the Ghost of Christmas Present!” she declared. She cocked her head to the side. “Actually, I’m a representative–”

“I should have known,” Jason muttered. He tried to remember if he’d eaten or drank anything out of the ordinary before going to sleep. Maybe it was indigestion.

“To you, however, I am Brenda Barrett. I am your first wife and your worst nightmare all rolled into one,” Brenda said with a hand waving in the air for emphasis. “I was once engaged to Sonny and I was married to Jax. Do I ring any bells now?”

“Not really,” Jason said. “And from this short meeting, I’m beginning to think memory loss isn’t so bad.”

Brenda gaped. “Did you really just crack a joke? Things really have changed!” She shrugged and held out her hand. “Let’s go–we’ve got a lot to do and not so much time to do it in.”

Jason sighed and decided that he would avoid Kelly’s coffee for a while–that had to be what was going on. He touched her hand and was prepared for the swirling mess around him.

When it cleared, he was standing in the middle of the Quartermaine living room. The tree was lit and his sister was curled up in an armchair next to the tree. She was staring at a row of pictures on the shelf above the desk.

“What’s wrong with Emily?” Jason asked quietly, wanting to comfort his sister but knowing he couldn’t.

Brenda was subdued when she answered. “Alexis called her tonight and told her that her divorce papers had been filed and that her marriage to Nikolas was officially over. Emily thought that’s what she’d wanted. She’d thought she’d been moving on with her life.”

Emily sighed and twisted her wedding ring around her finger. She got out of her chair and crossed to the pictures, removing the one taken of she and Nikolas on her wedding day. Her fingers traced her ex-husband’s face.

“Two failed marriages in two years,” Brenda sighed. “It was two years ago this month that she’d asked for Zander for a divorce because she wanted to spend her life with Nikolas.”

“Why did you bring me here?” Jason demanded.

“Emily went though the breakup of her marriage alone,” Brenda said. “You were too busy with Sam and then you didn’t remember her at all. Even before you lost your memory, you were too busy with your own life to visit her. Emily had to seek you out to see you. You never came to her. Just another person who let her down. She’s going to spend her Christmas pretending she’s over Nikolas. Pretending it’s okay that Courtney and Nikolas are happy together. Pretend that she doesn’t mind doing things with them and with Lucky and Elizabeth.”

Brenda held out her hand. “She’s going to spend Christmas alone because there’s no one who cares to share it with her.”

Jason hesitantly touched her hand and told himself he’d check on Emily in the morning.

Their next stop was an apartment that was also familiar to him–not the furniture or the possessions within it, but the layout. He frowned and realized his reason for the destination when he saw Elizabeth curled up in a large chair, Cameron on her lap and A Christmas Carol in her hands.

“I wonder where Daddy is,” Elizabeth murmured to her son, kissing him on top of the head. “He should be home by now.”

Cameron giggled and smacked the book. “Cookie!”

Jason found himself smiling and decided that no matter what feelings he may have had for her, they were obviously better off now.

“You’re wrong,” Brenda said in a sing song voice. “You know this apartment because Courtney used to live here and you used to spend time here guarding her. Being here is what cost you Elizabeth in the first place. You had just told her poor girl you wanted a relationship with her and then you disappeared on her. You faked Sonny’s death and let her mourn him. You let her feel terrified that you were out hunting his killer. Instead, you were guarding Courtney and you were guarding me. Is it any wonder that when she found out you were seeing Courtney that she wondered when it had started?”

Jason swallowed. “I didn’t…”

“No, you didn’t. But you never assured Elizabeth of that. So she was replaced again in her mind. Never coming first, never really mattering.” Brenda waved that away. “Anyhow, that’s all in the past. Can’t change the past. Elizabeth here is living week-to-week trying to support her baby and her new husband, who hasn’t yet made it home for Christmas. She can’t imagine why because he’s supposed to be out on medical leave until after the new year.”

The telephone rang and Elizabeth leaned towards the coffee table to grab the cordless receiver. “Hello? Lucky!” Her face brightened. “You’re not out doing any last minute shopping are you?” Her face dimmed and she looked away from her son. “Oh. Oh. Well…I understand. You need–we need the money. I wish you had–right.” She swallowed. “I love you too, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She hung up the phone and sighed. “Well, Cam, Daddy has to work tonight so why don’t we put this book away for next year and get you to sleep.”

She lifted her son into her arms and went into the back bedroom.

“He’s not working, not really,” Brenda said. “He just told her that so she wouldn’t worry. He’s not officially on the clock but Lucky feels like he has a duty to track Manny Ruiz down. He caused the train wreck and he kidnapped Elizabeth only days before their wedding.”

Jason looked at her. “What? Why?”

“When Sam shot him, he needed a nurse. He grabbed the first one he saw, who happened to be Elizabeth. She escaped because she’s got a good head on her shoulders but Lucky wants his blood. So he’s going rogue and determined to bring Ruiz in on his own.” Brenda shrugged. “He obviously doesn’t understand his wife very much if he’s thinks its both okay to lie to her and to miss their first Christmas as a family.”

She held out her hand again. “Let’s go.”

Jason eyed her apprehensively. “I’m not sure I want to,” he said.

Brenda narrowed her eyes and wiggled her fingers. “Hey look, pal, this is not my first choice for spending the holiday but I got a job to do here so just take my damn hand and let’s get this over with.”

Jason sighed and reluctantly took the brunette’s hand.

She had taken him to the bar he’d bought for Sam in Hawaii and Jason frowned. Sam was supposed to be with her brother, not hanging out in some dingy bar this late. He scowled when he saw his fiancée tossing back a shot of whiskey–and from the line of shot glasses in front of her, it was not her last.

She turned to the man sitting next to her and raised another small glass in the air. “To Jason Morgan, the man who doesn’t understand holidays!” she announced in a slurred voice before tossing it back.

Jason flinched and tried to remember that she was drunk and feeling a little frustrated. It had been a rough few months for her and she was blowing off steam, he told himself.

“Man, she does know that you lost your memory right?” Brenda scowled. “I mean, I make fun of you, but I’m entitled. I’ve known you longer than five minutes.”

“Sam’s just upset,” Jason attempted to explain but his words were drowned out by the catcalls at the men around the bar. Sam was leaning back, her collarbone exposed. The man she’d toasted with poured his liquor into the hollow of her throat and licked it up. Sam giggled and called for another round for the entire bar.

Jason swallowed hard. “Is this really happening?” he asked huskily. “Or am I just…having a vivid dream?”

“You don’t dream,” Brenda murmured. “I wish I could tell you that you can avoid this but unfortunately, by the time you wake up, it will have already happened.” She wriggled her shoulders. “Anyway, there are worse things happening in the lives of the people around you.”

“Like what?” Jason demanded. “What could be possibly worse than this?” he gestured at the bar where Sam was now sitting in the guy’s lap, continuing to giggle as he nibbled at her throat.

“This.” Brenda snatched his hand and Jason was thrust into the next scene.

Carly’s room at Rose Lawn. He recognized that immediately. Carly was curled up in her bed, staring out the window–the new bars glimmering in the moonlight.

“What…” Jason frowned. “What’s with the bars?”

“She was treating this place like a hotel,” Brenda shrugged. “So they took away her privileges. They barred her windows, locked her doors, took away her radio, her computer, her television. She leaves the room only for therapy sessions and even then, it’s under strict supervision. She can’t go home for Christmas and she can’t have any visitors.”

Carly turned to her other side to peer at a picture of her children. She reached out to trace their faces.

“But she was doing so much better,” Jason said quietly.

“Sure,” Brenda shrugged. “But Carly when she’s normal is abnormal on most people’s scales. Sonny refuses to help her get out of here and Lorenzo will have nothing to do with her. They’ve blocked her calls to everyone else. She’s trapped in here until the doctors say she’s well enough to leave.”

“What if they never do?” Jason demanded.

Brenda shrugged. “She’ll never leave.” She held out her hand. “You ready to see more?”

“No,” Jason said darkly.

“Chill. There’s only one place left and it’s quick.” She wiggled her fingers and finally Jason took them.

It was a dark alley now and Jason didn’t recognize this place at all. He saw someone crouch behind a dumpster as he watched two people in the distance. “What’s this?”

“That is Lucky Spencer,” Brenda said gesturing the man crouched, his gun drawn. “And that is Manny Ruiz. Lucky’s managed to track him down but he’s about to pay the price for interfering in a world he does not understand.”

Jason watched with a sick feeling in his stomach as he remembered Elizabeth. First in the diner, looking forward to her first family Christmas and then in her tiny apartment with her little boy and her disappointment when she’d put the book back on the shelf.

He watched a man silently stepped up behind Lucky Spencer and put the tip of a gun to the spot just behind his ear.

Lucky never even saw him coming, never even felt the gun. Jason could do nothing to stop the inevitable. The man pulled the trigger and Lucky slumped to the ground.

“The last thing he thought about?” Brenda murmured. Her sad brown eyes found Jason’s horrified blue ones. “He was thinking about the promotion and raise he’d be sure to get when Manny was brought in. That Elizabeth would be so proud of him for finding a way out of their financial mess.”

“She’d be devastated if this happened,” Jason said quietly. “She loves him.”

“She loves the idea of him,” Brenda corrected, but not unkindly. “Of having someone to come home to, of having a family. But yes, she will be devastated when his body is found tomorrow morning and Mac Scorpio and Lucky’s partner come to tell her the news. She’ll be devastated because he is dead and betrayed by the fact that he lied to her.” Brenda sighed. “Your sister is having thoughts about suicide, your best friend Carly is heading towards another nervous breakdown, Manny Ruiz is about to widow a woman you once loved more than anything and I didn’t even show you Sonny–who’s so lonely now he’s kicked your sister out. But yeah, Sam living up to her reputation and making out with strangers is the worst thing that could happen.”

She rolled her eyes. “Let’s go.”

“I never said that was the worst thing,” Jason said, frowning because he’d forgotten about Sam’s betrayal during this moment. “What will happen to Elizabeth? To Emily?” He swallowed. “To Carly, Sonny and Sam?”

“That’s not for me to answer.” Brenda sighed and held out her hand. “Let’s go home, okay?”

+13

This entry is part 4 of 5 in the Noel

Bells will be ringing
The glad, glad news
Oh, what a Christmas
To have the blues
My baby’s gone
I have no friends
To wish me greetings
Once again

The next time Jason opened his eyes, he did so slowly, peeking out from beneath his lids for any type of strange look from his penthouse or perhaps a strange person wandering near the couch. When he only saw the dark empty space, he breathed a sigh of relief, opened his eyes fully and started to sit up.

Standing near the door, hidden by shadows a figure stood. Jason jumped, startled. “Who are you?” he demanded.

The figure said nothing. Jason squinted to see him more clearly but could only make out the dark cloak they wore. “I guess you’re the representative from the Ghost of Christmas Future,” he muttered. He scrubbed his hands over his eyes and swung his legs over the side of the couch to stand. “Let’s get this over with.”

The figure held out his hand and Jason frowned before crossing the room and reaching for it. A little silence after the headache of Brenda was actually nice. He wondered what the future could possibly bring that would be worse than the present he’d just visited.

The swirling mists were familiar to him by now and he recognized the location that materialized as they faded away. It was Kelly’s diner and his sister was sitting at a table across from Sonny. Jason frowned–he would have thought that friendship would have faded once Carly came home. He blinked. Maybe Carly hadn’t come home at all.

“I’m worried,” Future Emily said softly. She reached for Sonny’s hand and Jason noticed the sparkle of a ring he didn’t recognize on her finger. “He’s been so…lost.”

Future Sonny took her hand and covered it with his other. “He’ll find his way back, Em. He’s stronger than he looks.”

“I suppose.” Emily smiled down at their hands. “Our first Christmas together,” she murmured. “It would be so perfect if he were there.”

“It’s too much for him,” Sonny told her. He stood and kissed her hand. “I have to get back to the warehouse. I’ll see you at home?”

“Of course.” Emily tilted her face up and gave Jason a jolt of shock as Sonny leaned down to kiss her.

“What the hell?” Jason demanded of the shrouded figure. “When did that happen?”

The figure didn’t answer. He only extended his hand again. Casting a dark look back at the scene, Jason took it and gratefully let the two people fade away.

An apartment faded in next–he didn’t recognize this one and felt almost closed in at the small size. It was little more than one room with a kitchenette in the corner, an open door leading to a very tiny bathroom and a bed in the opposite corner with a small crib next to it. A shabby couch and battered television completed the look and Jason began have to a very bad feeling about the whole thing.

It was confirmed when he glanced at the newspaper addressed to Elizabeth Spencer and realized it the newspaper for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He frowned and looked back at the irritatingly silent figure, “She moved?” he demanded.

The door opened and Elizabeth walked in, tugging Cameron the toddler behind her. Her son was crying loudly and Elizabeth, looking thinner than he could have thought possibly, tried to pick him up but her weak arms only got him as high as the couch where she left him, too exhausted to think straight.

She collapsed next to him and closed her eyes. The faint shadows he’d seen earlier that day were now dark. Her eyes were nearly sunken in and she looked so unhealthy he wanted to lift her in his arms and take her to the nearest hospital.

“What happened to her?” Jason demanded. “Lucky had life insurance, didn’t he? She has friends and family back in PC. Why is she here all alone?”

The figure didn’t answer and Jason began to wonder what the ramifications might be if he applied just the right amount of pressure to the neck of the representative of the Ghost of Christmas Future.

Elizabeth looked at the still crying Cameron and sighed. “I’m sorry, baby. I know you were looking forward to a tree but Mommy’s last check bounced and we can’t afford it.”

“Presents?” Cameron sniffled. “G.I. Joe doll?”

Elizabeth bit her lip and shook her head. “No, I’m sorry, baby. Maybe next year.”

Jason shook his head. He wouldn’t let his happen to her. The future wasn’t here yet, he could keep her from going to Pittsburgh, he could give her anything she needed. She didn’t deserve this –she deserved anything but this.

The figure held out his hand again and Jason took it, resolved to keep at least this from coming true.

He took Jason to a cemetery next. Jason felt a chill go down his spine. “Why are we here?” he asked. A thought occurred to him then and it nearly made him pitch to his knees. “Have I died?” he asked.

The figure gestured to a nearby gravestone and Jason stepped towards it to read the letters.

It wasn’t his.

Caroline Benson Corinthos
April 12, 1973 – March 29, 2005

Jason sank to his knees and stared at the headstone. “She’s dead?” he whispered. “How?”

When no answer was forthcoming, Jason got to his feet and grabbed at the cloaked figure. “Damn you!” he growled. He yanked the figure towards him. “Give me some damn answers!”

The figure wrestled himself from Jason’s grip and took a few steps back. He lowered his hood.

“Well, well, little brother,” an unfamiliar man sneered. “It’s so nice to see you lose that legendary control.”

Jason scowled. “And who the hell are you? I’m getting a little sick and tired of all of this–”

“You don’t know your own brother?” the man remarked. “After all, I’m the one who smashed your head into a rock and turned you in the fine upstanding citizen that you are now.”

Jason exhaled slowly. “AJ.”

AJ nodded. “That’s right. They thought it would be…” he smirked, “amusing if I were the one to give you all this happy news.” He gestured towards the headstone. “Carly committed suicide by the way. Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving bitch. Emily nursed Sonny through his neverending guilt and he was there for her when you became incommunicado because that whore of yours cheated on you. You disappeared from Port Charles and haven’t even come home once.” He shoved the cloak off and put his hands on his hips, making a circle around Carly’s grave. “As for poor Nurse Spencer, after her husband died, she found out she was pregnant–again. She miscarried–again–and this time, she found out she can’t have any more kids.” AJ’s eyes were sad now. “She was devastated naturally. And then her grandmother died. Nikolas was caught up in his own grief, in his own life and so was Emily. She had no one. So she took a low paying job in Pittsburgh after cut backs at the hospital here made her lose her job.” He shrugged. “You see what being selfish does to you, Golden Boy?”

“Go to hell,” Jason muttered. He looked away. “I want to go home.”

“Home to what?” AJ shrugged. “A cheating whore? A suicidal insane best friend? Another best friend who’s so wrapped up in his own life and seducing our little sister that he doesn’t care about your pain? Or how about to the widowed mother who lost her entire world because the life you lead?” He snorted. “What’s there to go home to?”

He walked away from Jason and bled into the mists until there was only Jason left in a cold cemetery with Carly’s headstone peering up at him in the moonlight.

Jason exhaled slowly and stared at the stone, wondering what had finally driven his friend to this ending. She’d always seemed stronger than this–how could he have let this happen to her? How could he have let any of this happen to the people in his life?

None of this was really happening, Jason decided. He would wake up and he would call Sam, and she’d be asleep. In her hotel room, like she was supposed to be. Emily and Nikolas would get remarried, Carly would come home healthy…and Elizabeth would have the life and family she deserved.

None of this could be happening.

He closed his eyes and willed himself to wake up.

+11

This entry is part 5 of 5 in the Noel

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore,
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.

Jason slowly opened his eyes and sat up. Sunlight streamed through his window, telling him it was morning. The long night seemed to have ended but had it all been a dream? Had he seen visions of holidays past, present and future?

He rubbed his hands over his eyes and reached for his cell phone. He would call Sam, she would be still celebrating December 24 with the time difference.

“Hello?” a groggy male voice answered. It was not Sam’s. It was not her brother’s.

Jason closed his phone and gently set it on the table. Somehow, in the scheme of things, it didn’t matter anymore.

He needed to see his sister.

Emily was curled up on one of the patio chairs when he approached the house from the back. She was bundled up in a pink parka, a white hat pulled over her head. She raised her eyes at the sound of his boots crunching in the snow. “Jason,” she murmured. She held out a hand. “How do you always know when I need you?”

“I wanted to check on you.” Jason took her hand and knelt in front of her. “How are you?”

“Oh…Jason…” Emily sighed. “I thought I was at rock bottom last night. I was so…so tired. So miserable.” She tilted her head back to look at the sky. “If I could have only known how much worse it could get…”

“Emily…” Jason prompted. “What happened?”

“There was a call from the police station this morning,” Emily murmured. “Justus was seeing a client down there and happened to be there when the news was called in. Lucky’s dead, Jason. He was found in an alley.”

Jason’s heart sunk. “Elizabeth?”

“Devastated. I went over there–but she wouldn’t let me in. She won’t let her grandmother in, I’m so scared for, Jason. She barely survived losing him once but it’s so different now. They had this whole life planned and I’m just…he was my best friend, Jason. Nikolas’s brother. It doesn’t seem fair.”

“I’m sorry,” Jason murmured. “Do they know what happened?”

Emily shook her head. “I’m so scared for her. She’s so proud, Jason and I don’t know what she’s going to do without Lucky’s income. They’ve been cutting her hours at the hospital and she and Lucky cashed in his insurance policy months ago to pay bills.” She closed her eyes. “He wasn’t killed in the line of duty, so she won’t even get anything from the department.”

“It’s going to be okay,” Jason told her. He squeezed her hand. “We’ll find a way to take care of her.”

Emily frowned and sniffled. “How–you don’t remember Elizabeth do you?” she asked, startled. “Did you get your memory back?”

“No,” Jason said honestly. “Not entirely but I’ve had some…flashes of memories and I know that Elizabeth and I have been friends for years.” He stood and pulled her to her feet. “But Elizabeth isn’t the only thing on your mind.”

“It doesn’t matter right now.” Emily cleared her throat. “Where’s Sam?”

“In Hawaii. We’re not…we’re not seeing each other anymore.”

Emily blinked. “When did that happen?” she asked as Jason guided her down the steps and towards the garages where his bike was parked.

“About an hour ago. It’s not important, Em.”

“But…” Emily shook her head. “I don’t understand, Jase. What’s going on? Where are we going?”

“We’re going to see Elizabeth and what’s going on is that you’re my sister and I love you and what’s going on with you is important to me, okay?” He helped her onto the bike. “I know you’re upset about Nikolas–”

“It’s not really Nikolas anymore,” Emily sighed. “It’s my whole life.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “What happened with Sam, Jason?”

“I’m not really sure,” Jason said quietly. “But this morning, when I woke up, things were different.”

Elizabeth was curled up in a corner of the couch, staring at a mindless Christmas cartoon. Cameron was toddling around the apartment, playing with the few toys she and Lucky had been able to afford.

Her eyes were dazed and slightly unfocused, her cheeks tearstained and the shadows beneath her eyes more pronounced than ever. In the background, the phone kept ringing and the answering machine kept recording sympathy calls from friends, calls of concern from her grandmother, from Lucky’s partner Jesse and his girlfriend Maxie. Nikolas had pounded her on her door a little while ago and Emily had knocked timidly.

She heard none of these things or the click of the door as the lock was undone and the door swung up. Jason stood and slipped his tools back in his jeans pocket and let Emily enter before him.

“Oh, Liz!” Emily rushed in and pulled her friend into a hug. “Honey, I’m so sorry…”

Elizabeth turned and focused on Emily. “He left me again,” she murmured. Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes and slid down her cheeks. “He meant everything to me and he’s gone.”
Cameron toddled up to Jason and remembered him from the diner the night before. He held his hands up in the air. “Up!” he demanded. “Up! Up!”

Almost absently, Jason lifted the small boy into his arms and kept his eyes on Elizabeth.

“I don’t…” Elizabeth broke then and buried her face in Emily’s hair. “I don’t understand! We were just starting our lives, we have a baby, we were supposed to be happy!”

Emily didn’t have an answer to that but only hugged her friend more tightly. Jason heard footsteps behind him and saw Mac Scorpio and Jesse Beaudry coming up the hall. He stepped outside the door to block their entry.

“We have to ask her a few questions,” Mac said apologetically. “If we could do it now…we could get the answers more quickly to find out what happened.”

Jesse shifted. “We need to know why he might have been in that alley last night,” he shrugged, trying to pretend that his partner’s death didn’t affect him.

Jason didn’t answer either of them but went into the apartment. “Elizabeth…” He set Cameron next to Emily and kneeled in front of her. “Mac and Jesse want to ask you a few questions.”

She focused on him. “What? Why?”

“So they can investigate…” Jason hesitate. “It might be easier to get it over with now.”

“Nothing about this day will be easy.” Elizabeth slowly stood and rubbed her eyes before heading towards the door.

Jason stayed with her for most of the day, watching over her as she answered the questions and absorbed Jesse’s reluctant confession that Lucky wanted to track down Manny Ruiz. That sent Elizabeth into a fit of tears–that Lucky had wanted revenge on Manny for what he’d done to her.

Later, when Audrey and Nikolas had arrived followed by a grief-stricken Luke and Lesley Lu, Jason quietly took his leave, resolving to stop by once a day to make sure his nightmare never came true. She would come out of this strong, not defeated and he would see to it that she never had to go through what his dream had depicted.

He went straight to Rose Lawn and broke into Carly’s room to see her. Her eyes brightened at his entrance. “We’re going to get you out of here,” he informed her. “I’ll get power of attorney from Alcazar and I’m going to take you home.”

Carly squeezed his hands. “I knew you’d come for me,” she said fiercely. “You always do.”

“I have to go before I’m found in here,” Jason told her. He hugged her. “One condition, though. If I get you out, you have to promise me you’ll let me live my own life and make my own decisions.”

Carly frowned. “I always do–”

“Carly,” Jason said, shaking his head.

“I just weigh in with my opinion,” she began to argue but he kissed her forehead and left her sputtering.

He returned to his penthouse where he found his sister waiting. She stood and crossed her arms. “I didn’t forget what you said about Sam this morning.”

Jason sighed. “How’s Elizabeth?” he said instead going to the kitchen to get something to eat.

Emily scowled but followed him and watched as he opened a bag of pretzels and began to eat. “She’s doing okay. We bundled her and Cameron up to stay with Audrey for a while.” She shifted. “Jason–”

“It’s important that you pay attention to her,” he interrupted. “That we take care of her and make sure she has everything she needs.”

“Of course,” Emily said, somewhat mystified. “That’s what Lucky would have wanted.” She shifted again. “About Sam–”

“I still care about her but it wouldn’t have worked,” Jason said. “She doesn’t understand me and she doesn’t try to. She doesn’t trust me to do my job and tries to decide what I should know and shouldn’t know. I don’t have the time or the patience for that.” He shrugged. “Plus, some guy answered her cell phone this morning so…”

Emily gaped. “Wait, wait, I don’t understand–”

He set the pretzels down and gripped his sister by the shoulders. “All you have to understand, Emily, is that I know what my life was before and I know what it could be like if I don’t start taking control again and protecting the people I care about. I’m okay about Sam, I really am.”

“But you were engaged–”

“It was a mistake,” Jason said. “It was based on something I thought I needed and I didn’t. Emily, you have to trust me to know what’s right for me.”

“Of course I do.” Emily sighed and wrapped her arms around him. “Will you go with me to see Elizabeth tomorrow?”

“Yeah.”

“And can you shove Courtney off a pier?” she asked, half serious.

“Anything for my sister.” He kissed her hair. “Are you okay?”

“Right now, I am,” Emily sighed. “Ask me again in five minutes when this all hits me again.”

“I know what you mean.”

“Jase?” she pulled away and smiled faintly up at him. “Merry Christmas.”

Through the years
We all will be together
If the Fates allow,
Hang a shining star
On the highest bough,
And have yourself
A merry little Christmas now

+18

This entry is part 1 of 4 in the Choose Your Moment

Previously On General Hospital…

Elizabeth opens a door. The camera pans to the bed where Lucky is lying on his back, a blonde straddling him. “Oh my God!” she gasps and backs out.

—

Patrick hastily steps back from Robin. “We can’t sleep together.”

—

“Dillon, there’s something I have to tell you,” Lulu begins.

“I know how that goes,” Dillon interrupts. “And let me just save you some time. I won’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth.”

—

“Why do I always get stuck in elevators with you?” Alexis mutters, pressing the button for the lobby repeatedly.

Carly smirks. “Must be karma.”

—

“The immediate downtown and waterfront area is experiencing a brownout. Authorities are unsure when power will be back in those areas. Residents are advised to stay where they are as the streetlights and traffic lights are also out. This is Neena Stevens with WKPC.”

PART ONE

Let’s rearrange
I wish you were a stranger I could disengage
Just say that we agree and then never change
Soften a bit until we all just get along
But that’s disregard
Find another friend and you discard
As you lose the argument in a cable car
Hanging above as the canyon comes between
— Over My Head, The Fray

August 14, 2006

Harborview Towers: Jason Morgan’s Penthouse – 7:54 P.M.

Elizabeth Spencer paced the area in front of the window restless, every once in a while staring out as if trying to will the power back on herself. She’d come for support, for a shoulder to cry on, for something to distract her from what she’d seen only an hour ago and instead, she’d found Jason, reeling from an unpleasant sight all his own.

And now with this brownout, Elizabeth was stuck here. With a silent and brooding mob enforcer making a lot of clacking noise with the pool table. The elevators were out and so were the emergency lights in the stairwell. She was not about to risk thirty flights of stairs in pitch black darkness.

Ready to jump out of her skin, she whirled around. “Are blondes really sexier?” she demanded.

Jason’s pool cue slipped and one of the balls went flying, smacking the side of the table loudly. “What?” he asked, bewildered.

“Blondes,” Elizabeth repeated. “Are blondes all that much better in bed?”

“Ah…” Jason furrowed his brow and she realized he was actually thinking the question over.

“No, I don’t really want to know.” She tossed her hands up in surrender. “I’m afraid of the answer.”

“Okay,” Jason nodded, glad not to have to answer a question that seemed ripe with traps. “I might regret this but what makes you ask in the first place?”

“Well, Lucky slept with Sarah, you left me for Courtney, Ric pretended to sleep with Carly and actually slept with Faith and then Lucky sleeps with Maxie and you know what all these women have in common?” Elizabeth demanded, her voice rising. “They’re all blonde! So tell me, why do men always leave the brunette for the blonde?”

“There’s no way to answer that, Elizabeth,” Jason replied. He set his pool cue down. “But–”

“Maybe it’s not blondes, maybe it’s just me,” she said glumly dropping onto the arm of the couch. “I’m probably bad in bed and don’t even know it.”

Jason frowned. “You weren’t drinking before you came over here, were you?”

“I should have stuck with Zander. Sure, he was a criminal but at least he liked brunettes.”

“Maybe you should drink some coffee.”

Elizabeth raised her eyes. “But you know, you didn’t sleep with me, so you wouldn’t know. And you left me anyway so maybe it’s not the bedroom.”

Jason hesitated. “Elizabeth–you left me.”

“Maybe I just suck as a girlfriend and a wife,” Elizabeth sighed, ignoring Jason’s commentary.

“Maybe your taste in men is what sucks,” Jason said, irritated with hearing her put herself down. “You did everything you could do with Lucky. You stuck by him and you supported him when he needed you. And Ric–you gave him more chances than he needed. More than he deserved.” He stepped towards her. “Elizabeth, there’s nothing wrong with you.”

“So how come you didn’t want me?” she demanded. She got to her feet and planted her fists on her hips. “You would rather have guarded Brenda and Courtney than be in the same room with me, so really–you have no room to disparage the men in my life.” She huffed and walked towards the fireplace where she studied photos of Carly, Sonny, Emily and the boys.

“You deserved better than that,” Jason said, honestly at a loss for words. “And I’m sorry if I made you feel like I didn’t want you here, with me.”

“Well, it’s four years too late for apologies,” Elizabeth muttered. “You know, I almost wish I hadbeen having some sort of wild affair with Patrick Drake. At least he brings me flowers.”

General Hospital: Elevator Shaft B – 8:02 P.M.

Patrick Drake was not having a wild affair with anyone and that would be the way of things until January. He’d decided that it was irresponsible to expose anyone else to what could possibly be end-stage AIDS. If January came and he was still negative, well then he’d celebrate. He’d take whatever woman looked appealing to the nearest room with a bed and have his way with her.

But he was going to do the responsible and grown-up thing and that meant turning Robin Scorpio down for elevator sex. It didn’t matter if they were stuck in here for the next eight hours or that she kept removing clothes because the air conditioning was out or that other women couldn’t make sweaty look half as sexy as she did. None of that mattered, he was going to do the right thing.

However, if he didn’t get out of here soon or find some clothe to wrap her in, other parts of his body might take over the decision making. That would be wrong. No matter right it was suddenly starting to feel.

He tapped his fingers restless against the denim of his jeans and kept his eyes on the ceiling of the elevator car. And ignored the woman in the tank top across from him.

“I think I’m going to take stairs from now on,” Patrick decided. “Stairs are reliable. Stairs do not get stuck between the seventh and eighth floors. They never let you down.”

Robin smirked. “Except for those emergency lights which are currently off, so if you’d been on the stairs, you might have tripped and scarred that pretty face.” She chewed her lip. “I hope there weren’t any patients on the elevators.”

“This is why we need solar power,” Patrick said, eager to keep the mindless conversation going. If they were silent, he would think of other ways he’d seen Robin silent before and almost all of those ways ended with them in a bed, and her writhing–

God damn it.

“Yeah, solar power’s great except–what’re you going to do at night?” Robin shifted, the movement causing her short flowery skirt to move up her thigh.

He thought he might have actually whimpered but he fought the urge to slide his fingers up the newly revealed skin. It was a hard battle and he nearly lost in the end, but somehow he kept his fingers at his sides.

Clenched tightly in fists, but they were still behaving themselves. He was beginning to think this business of being mature and responsible was overrated.

He was acting like a horny teenager, he berated himself. And being a teenager was not something he wanted to revert to right now. So he cleared his throat. “So, ah, how’s your cousin doing?” he asked.

Robin smiled faintly. “Which one? The one consorting with a convicted sex offender or the one who’s committing adultery with Elizabeth’s husband?”

Patrick frowned. “Ah. Both. Either. I don’t care. Just talk.”

“And to think you used to tell me to shut up,” Robin sighed, somewhat amused and very aware of Patrick fighting his inner urges. It was sweet, if not somewhat frustrating. “I must be losing my touch.” She shifted again and he glared at her.

She was doing it on purpose.

General Hospital: Roof – 8:15 P.M.

“I cannot believe we’re stuck up here,” Dillon Quartermaine muttered, yanking at the door that remained firmly locked. “Did you do this on purpose?”

Lulu Spencer sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, because every thing bad that happens to you is my fault,” she muttered. She picked at a loose thread in the hem of her hot pink tank top. She’d have to put clothing like this away, she thought idly. Mothers did not wear revealing or funky clothes, they wore pastels and shopped at the Gap.

She wrinkled her nose. She really hated the Gap.

“Well, you tricked me up here,” Dillon pointed out. He scrubbed his hands through his hair. “I was supposed to meet Georgie for dinner but now here I am, stuck with you.”

“Well, don’t worry–you won’t have to be stuck with me forever,” Lulu snarled. She’d decided that she was going to take a page from her father’s book. She was going to take the money she’d saved and take off. She didn’t need Port Charles, she didn’t need her screwed up family or her useless excuses for friends. She didn’t anyone, she never had.

She leaned against the wall of the hospital and stared out over the landscape–the dark landscape and anyone with half a brain could see that the town was experiencing another brownout, though this one seemed much larger and longer than the rest. But as soon as it was over, she was going back to the mansion, she was packing her things and lighting out. Screw doing the right thing and telling the father of her baby. Because then Dillon would be stuck with her forever and she’d be damned if anyone else was going to feel that way. Her family already did but she would slit her wrists before the guy she loved felt that way for longer than the period of time they were locked out on this hospital roof.

She didn’t deserve that. And her baby didn’t deserve that either. Lulu braced a hand on her still flat tummy and reminded herself that soon she’d have someone to love and someone who would love her and never leave her.

Besides, even if she did tell Dillon, he’d just accuse her of lying and she didn’t think she could take that. She did feel bad for what she’d done, for how she’d lied to him about Georgie and Diego but she’d tried to tell him the truth, right? She’d tried to tell him she was selfish but he wouldn’t listen to her.

But now that he knew for sure that she was lying, he’d never believe another word out of her mouth. He’d call her a liar and he’d probably come up with a few other mean things to say because he’d watched enough movies to store up some good zingers. But then he’d find out it was true (in a few more months it would be unavoidable) and he’d feel bad and he’d apologize but she’d always know how he really felt.

Besides, there was no point in ruining both their lives. He was going to get Georgie back, that was all he wanted and she could handle this on her own.

She was getting really good at doing things on her own.

“What did you want to tell me anyway?” Dillon said finally. “What was so important?”

“Nothing,” Lulu replied quietly. “Nothing at all.” She wondered what Carly would say if she found out. Probably that hey–at least Lulu knew who the father was. Not every mother in Port Charles could claim that.

Port Charles Courthouse: Elevator – 8:20 P.M.

“This is just insane,” Alexis Davis muttered, jabbing the lobby button again. “Why isn’t this–” a spasm stole her breath and she braced a hand against the wall.

Carly Corinthos, leaning against the back wall, straightened and narrowed her eyes in confusion at the sight of Alexis Davis, gasping for air. “You can’t be claustrophobic; we’ve already done this before.”

“I’m–” Alexis coughed. “I’m fine.”

“Uh huh,” Carly nodded, unconvinced. “Well, I’d just as soon not catch your cold so can you just breathe the air over in that corner for a while?”

Alexis shot her a dirty look and fumbled in her bag for a bottle of water, which she gulped. Nothing in her life was going right, nothing was going the way she’d planned. Death sentences, husband sleeping with his stepdaughter, getting stuck in hot, stuffy elevator with the AntiChrist.

Was she ever going to get a break?

Feeling slightly dizzy, Alexis slowly lowered herself to the floor the of elevator, leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. She could feel the migraine coming and it was going to be a doozy. Of course, she’d left her pills in her office.

Carly studied her for a long time and shook her head. “It’s not a cold. You’re sick, Alexis. What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” Alexis would have laughed if she’d remembered how it sounded. “What’s wrong, she asks? What’s right is the better question.” She slid a hand over her face, exhausted with the conversation, with the situation, with life in general. If she was going to die, why couldn’t she just die right now and get the misery over with?

Carly hesitated and tapped her fingers against the floor of the elevator car. She wasn’t a nice person, she would never claim to be one and generally, she enjoyed manipulating and scheming. It was her one of her…quirks. But there were moments where she wished she were a nice person, because she had a feeling Alexis needed a friend right now and well, the woman had lost a few recently, considering how Jax had left town and Nikolas was so busy with his own life.

So she took a bracing breath and dived in. “Kids are great, you know? I mean, I love my boys and I’d do anything for them. But there are days when you want to close the door and pretend they don’t exist.”

Alexis opened her eyes and looked at Carly oddly. “I’m sorry?”

“And husbands,” Carly continued. “I don’t have any use for them. They don’t tend to stick around and when they do, they drive you to nervous breakdown.” When Alexis’s expression only grew more baffled, Carly huffed. “When a woman looks as miserable as you do, it’s usually because a man or her kids are driving her crazy.”

“Hmph.” Alexis paused for a moment and finally, she felt the need to say it out loud. She hadn’t said, hadn’t really thought it past the moment but if she told Carly, well then, she wouldn’t be the only one who knew. And it definitely felt like one of those things that if one person had to know, someone else had to share in the misery.

“I found Ric in bed with another woman,” Alexis said, slowly. “I might have been able to get past it, I have before. I know that I’m not the easiest woman to live with, to be married to, I can accept that and maybe I could have lived with this. We could have seen a therapist, we have a daughter. We have a family, you can get past these things if you really want to.”

“And you don’t?” Carly asked, not at all surprised by the news. Ric had always been and would always be a slime ball.

“I could have dealt with it,” Alexis said. “But the woman was Sam.”

Carly stared at her for a long moment, waiting for the punch line. For the rest of it. For her to say it was Sam from Ric’s work, some unknown Sam that she’d never met. “Alexis…I am so…” she shook her head. “I don’t think sorry covers it.”

“I’ve been arguing with them a lot,” Alexis continued, realizing how fabulous it felt to shove this on someone else. “I’ve been cranky and I’ve been rude and I’ve been unreasonable.” She met Carly’s eyes. “I did this. I caused this, it’s my fault.”

“Unless you unzipped Ric’s pants for him, and arranged it so he’d trip and fall on that slut, then no, you didn’t cause it.” Carly exhaled impatiently. “People fight. Husbands and wives, they fight. Mothers and daughters, they fight. And Sam could have actually tried to seduce Ric, but you’re not to be blamed for what they chose to do with it.” She shook her head. “My mother and Tony. There was a crack in their marriage; it’d been there since BJ died. But my mother isn’t to blame for me seducing Tony or for him giving in. She’s the only person who is blameless and you are, too. I don’t care if you told them to go screw each other, Alexis. They didn’t have to do it.”

Alexis did laugh then, a long hysterical laugh and Carly recognized it as the laughter of someone who only laughed because she was afraid to cry. “Well, Carly, it gets worse.”

“I really can’t imagine now at this point,” Carly sighed. “Man, Sam’s been passed around this town almost as much as I have. But you know, I’ve lived here longer, so I have a better excuse.” She paused and attempted to count all the men she’d slept with since arriving in Port Charles. There was Jason, Tony, AJ, Sonny, Lorenzo, Jax and–well, she couldn’t count Patrick though she’d certainly given it her best shot. Only six. She laughed. “Well, damn if Sam isn’t catching up to me.”

“Carly, I’m dying,” Alexis blurted out, achieving something that few had. Rendering Carly Corinthos speechless.

This entry is part 2 of 4 in the Choose Your Moment

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
— How to Save A Life, The Fray

Port Charles Courthouse: Elevator – 8:40 P.M

Carly was the queen of dramatic statements–though she’d admit that more than half of those statements had been lies or at least partial truths. Life was simpler when you lied to yourself or someone else. Because then at least, you could make up the way you wanted it to be. But theI’m dying line was one Carly hadn’t really had the occasion to use and now she wished she’d had because maybe she’d be able to remember how a person reacted to such a line or how that person looked because she was pretty sure she was doing it wrong.

She laughed nervously. “That’s not–I know I said–that’s not funny.”

“It feels like such a relief to tell someone that,” Alexis said, ignoring her. “I mean, I’ve told Mayor Floyd because he ought to know that he’ll need a new DA soon but I hadn’t really figured out how to tell Ric or the girls.”

Carly blinked. “So dying is….what do you mean by that?”

“I mean that I have lung cancer,” Alexis informed her. “I don’t know why as I don’t smoke and I’m arranging for treatment but the doctors are not optimistic.”

Your kids will be a lot better off when you do everyone a favor and just drop dead. Sometimes, Carly wanted to hit herself.

“Oh, God….” She slapped a hand to her forehead. “You knew–you knew when I said–Jesus, Alexis, if I’d known, I never–” she scowled. “Oh my God, I suck as human being.”

“You didn’t know, you were just being your usual annoying and harsh self,” Alexis looked away. “Not that I believe you would have acted any differently if you had known.”

“Probably not,” Carly admitted. And she hated that about herself, she really did. She pursed her lips. “So…how long?”

“A year,” Alexis sighed. She closed her eyes and let her head thump back against the wall. “At the most, two. Which means Kristina and Molly won’t remember and my only other child…” her face twisted. “I don’t want to think about that.” She hesitated. “I changed my will to leave primary custody of Kristina to Nikolas. With Sonny’s illness, I worried–”

“No, that’s good, that’s right that you did that,” Carly said unexpectedly. She twisted a ring on her finger. “Sonny’s sessions aren’t–they’re not going as smoothly as Lainey would prefer and she’s not sure if he’s going to stay on the medication. I thought–” her voice faltered but only for a moment. “I thought he wanted to stay strong and set a good example for the kids but he’d rather have it his way.”

Alexis exhaled slowly. “I thought he wanted help.” An altogether new fear gripped her and she worried that Sonny might have another breakdown, in front of her daughter. Oh, God, how could she leave Kristina? How could she leave Molly?

“So did I,” Carly murmured. “And now I don’t really know what to do. I can’t keep the boys from their father but I’m scared that he’s going to have another breakdown, and I don’t want Michael and Morgan to see that.” Her eyes connected with Alexis, the only woman in the world that might understand. “I know that Sonny loves his kids and that they love him, but I am terrified that he’ll hurt them without even meaning to.”

General Hospital: Roof – 8:45 P.M.

Dillon paced for ten minutes. He tugged on the door handle for another five and after ten minutes of peering down the ten stories to the sidewalk, hoping to see someone who could help them, he’d spent the last five minutes sprawled out on the ground, his head banging gently against the door.

He directed his attention to Lulu, seated fifteen feet away, her knees tucked under her body, her hand absently rubbing her stomach. Probably hungry, he thought absently remembering the aborted dinner plans with Georgie. She’d never forgive him now after finding out that he’d spent the blackout with Lulu.

Which led him back to something that kept bugging him. Lulu had gone to a lot of trouble to trick him up here. She’d forged notes and snuck around so he wouldn’t see her plant them. And once they were up here, she’d started to talk, to apologize again for what she’d done. He was tired of hearing it, tired of remembering that she had, in fact, told him the truth and he’d chosen not to believe her. It was much easier to just hold her entirely at fault.

But then he’d been angry at being tricked up here, he’d cut her explanations off and tugged on the door to find it locked. Lulu kept going, kept trying to talk to him to tell him something but then he’d told her what was probably the meanest thing he’d said to anyone in a long time, excluding the venom he’d spewed at Georgie. He’d told her to shut up, that he’d never believe another word that came out of her lying mouth.

It was easier to blame Lulu for what had happened and it was simpler to pretend that he’d been an innocent victim but the truth was that he’d believed Lulu because he’d only seen her words as confirmation of what he’d already felt. And he’d slept with Lulu because he wanted to, not because he wanted to get back at Georgie or because Lulu was convenient, but because he’d thought about the way she tasted since the islands and of course, that was wrong, right? He was a married man and over the moon about Georgie.

But Lulu would smile and she’d clap her hands together in excitement about something and he liked that, he liked watching her smile, liked being the one to make her smile and he really liked making her laugh because she’d had such a crappy life, she deserved someone who made her laugh and smile and be okay. And for a little while, he’d thought he could be that person. But then she’d lied and she reminded him of his mother, not caring who she hurt as long as she got her way. And he’d watched them together, Lulu and Tracy, watched them, listened to them and it had made his skin crawl to know that there were such similarities, that he could have thought for one second he’d fall for a girl like his mother, his cold conniving mother that he loved because she was his mother, his family and you couldn’t not love your family. It was written somewhere, he was sure.

And he’d told her they were nothing, because he was terrified that the cliché was true. A boy always fell in love with someone who reminded him of mother, the way girls fell in love with men who were like their fathers and he’d been so sure he’d escaped that with Georgie.

He’d been immersed his own pain, his own betrayal and his own fears before he’d even thought it through and remembered that she’d tried to tell him about Georgie, tried to tell him that she was selfish and not a good person. She’d told him the truth and he’d told her she didn’t have to lie to him. And then he felt guilty and the more guilty he felt, the more he took it out on her because he wouldn’t feel this torn up and twisted around if she had just stayed out of his life entirely. He’d be in love with Georgie without complications and he wouldn’t be thinking about Lulu Spencer, and the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled or how her nose would twitch right before she laughed.

He was terrified now that he loved them both. That he loved Georgie’s compassion and her generosity. That he loved Lulu’s smile, her laugh and her voice and her devotion and loyalty to a father that didn’t deserve it. He understood what it was to crave a family, he’d grown up like that.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted out. She turned her head to frown at him and he continued, “I’m sorry I’m an ass and I’m sorry that I said we were nothing because we weren’t and that was a lie and I think there have been enough lies.”

Her eyes filled and then he really panicked because tears were not his thing. He never knew what to say, what to do and he was pretty sure that tears led to crying and then he’d really be in deep shit. Her lower lip trembled but she bit down on it and he was relieved because maybe she wouldn’t cry after all.

“No, you were right,” Lulu said quietly. “We are nothing and it’s better that way.” She turned her gaze back over the dark city. She closed her eyes and without thinking about it, rubbed her hand over her belly in a way that reminded Dillon of something, he just couldn’t figure out what.

General Hospital: Elevator Shaft B – 8:50 P.M.

An hour, they’d sat in here. And Robin was sure he would have cracked by now. She didn’t know what that said about her as a woman, but he hadn’t even moved an inch her way. In fact, except for the tense expression on his face and the clenching of his fists, one might suspect he didn’t have any interest in elevator sex.

Which confirmed what she’d expected since he’d turned her down a few days ago. He’d lost his appetite for her, for sex between them and he couldn’t find a nice way to tell her. She couldn’t blame him. The risk when they’d slept together had been minimal, but it’d also been an abstract thing, nothing tangible he could wrap his hands around.

But now, with an actual exposure, it was probably more real to him. That he risked his life every time he took her to bed. And he’d probably decided it wasn’t worth it. It was understandable–he had a brilliant career in front of him and it would be a shame if it was cut short in anyway.

So Robin tugged her skirt down and folded her arms across her chest. She was done trying to tempt him. If he’d wanted her, he would have had her by now and she had more self-respect than that.

“You could have just said something.”

Her voice startled him, they hadn’t spoken in nearly a half hour. He blinked at her. “Tell you what?” he demanded, grateful that she’d opened her mouth. But with his luck, she’d say something that either pissed him off or turned him on (and truth be told, the former usually led to the latter anyway) and the battle to control himself would begin all over again. He really couldn’t win tonight.

“Why I’m here and you’re all the way over there,” Robin said. “I mean, I’m a big girl, I can handle it.”

“I did tell you,” Patrick said, confused. “The other night–”

“No, I mean you could have told me the real reason,” she interrupted. “And I wouldn’t have blamed you or held it against you.”

Women. You could always count on them to start at Point A and go directly to Point F without bothering with any of the stops in between. “I’m not exactly sure what you’re talking about,” he said, spacing the words out.

“You’re not attracted to me anymore,” Robin shrugged, trying to pretend that it didn’t cut deep because no one–not even Jason–had looked at her the way Patrick had, not since she’d been diagnosed. He’d looked at her like he was hungry and she was the meal and while it had irritated her in the beginning, she found that she liked being considered desirable and being wanted so fiercely by someone so….well experienced was probably the best word.

“Not attracted to you anymore,” Patrick echoed, wondering how someone so smart could be so completely stupid. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” The fact that he was still attracted to her after eight months of knowing her, two months after sleeping with her–well that was a worrisome fact that he didn’t really want to address right now.

“Well, what else am I supposed to think?” Robin demanded. “I throw myself after you the other night, you throw me back. And I’m practically naked over here and you won’t budge, so what exactly am I supposed to think?”

He opened his mouth and shut again, irritated beyond hell. Why did she have to complicate things and why the hell had the word naked have to spill from her lips? Damn her.

When he didn’t say anything, she nodded. “That’s what I thought–”

“Don’t take my silence as some sort of agreement,” he retorted. “I’m just trying to figure out how someone who’s so smart can be so absolutely stupid. I’ve been exposed to AIDS, you idiot. End-stage AIDS. If you get exposed to that–” his breath caught just thinking about it and he shook his head. “I’m not taking that risk. I refuse to. And if that means celibacy, well that’s fine. I don’t really care.”

“Oh, so it’s just me you’re being noble with, huh?” Robin demanded. “What about the other women?”

Other women! Other women! He was going to wring her neck before this over, he was sure of it. “When the hell do I have time for other women?” he spat out. “I’m working or I’m with you. When am I supposed to find the time?”

She closed her mouth and digested the fact that Patrick wasn’t seeing anyone else. “Okay, so you’re not sleeping with anyone for six months because you might be sick.” She nodded. “Well, I am actually sick and I didn’t sleep with you for months because I didn’t want to expose you.” She glowered at him. “Who’s hiding behind their illness now, you bastard?”

He opened his mouth but shut it abruptly. He cursed under his breath. “I don’t care for the fact that you have a point.”

She nodded. “Damn right. You accused me of using my HIV as an excuse, as a way to hide from the world, well now you have an idea of why.” She glared at him. “Do you think it was easy knowing that every time we were together, I could have killed you?”

“No, no, I don’t,” Patrick admitted. He’d handled this wrong, of course but wasn’t the first time he’d done so regarding Robin and it definitely not going to be the last. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize–”

“And I’m sorry,” Robin sighed. “I didn’t–I didn’t think you were really serious about the celibacy thing. But you are and I don’t have the right to try and change your mind.” She shifted restlessly, wanting this elevator to move, wanting to get away from this. Six months. In six months, without sex to hold him, her tenuous grip on Patrick would be gone and he’d be off chasing someone else by the time he was tested again.

But that was okay, because she might have almost been in love with him, but she’d caught herself before the final plunge and it was okay now. They’d be friends and she really did value that–

“I can’t believe you’d be so thick as to think I wasn’t attracted to you anymore,” Patrick said, still stuck on that. “You’re as dumb as a brick, you know that?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Keep calling me stupid, jackass, and find out what it’s like to be in an enclosed space with the daughter of two government agents.”

Harborview Towers: Jason Morgan’s Penthouse – 9:00 P.M.

Elizabeth wished she had charcoal or a decent pencil to go with this pad of paper she’d unearth from Jason’s desk, but all he’d had was an assortment of pens and a dull number two yellow pencil with no sharpener in sight.

When she’d arrived earlier, he’d been in a weird mood–he’d been his usual silent and brooding self but there was an agitation was that unnatural, and it worried her. Jason was rarely agitated and it always with a good reason. He’d alluded to having seen something he wished he hadn’t but beyond that he hadn’t been all that good for details.

And if she didn’t know what happened, she couldn’t help. And Elizabeth liked to help Jason, she liked thinking that someone besides her toddler needed her. So she sketched and listened to him play pool and she wondered why he couldn’t be like normal people and just have a breaking point.

It had to do with Sam, Elizabeth decided. Because he would be too used to anything Carly could do to him and Sonny, she knew was safely tucked away in his mansion. Emily was away with Monica at a spa and she didn’t think that really left anyone.

So he’d seen Sam doing something or heard her saying something to disturb him. He’d been somewhat restless after Carly and Sonny had slept together, Elizabeth remembered. And the look in his eyes had been the same too. So maybe that was it. Maybe he’d seen Sam with another man. Maybe it was sinking in that he’d tossed her away and had lost his chance to get her back.

But who could Sam have been with? She wasn’t a blonde, so she definitely wasn’t with Lucky, Elizabeth thought bitterly. And if it had been Sonny, Jason would look worse, she decided. Nikolas was family, so that ruled him out.

She tried to think of all the people that she’d seen Sam around lately. There was Detective Rodriguez from the PCPD, Ric–well that was really it. She and Ric had seemed close when they’d been on the docks the other day, Elizabeth remembered. But Ric was happily married, right?

But he’d cheated on Alexis before. With Reese Marshall. And Elizabeth’s pencil dropped to pad of paper. What better way to get back at Alexis for her part in breaking Jason and Sam up than to seduce her mother’s husband?

She felt really sick.

She peered over the back of the sofa and watched Jason line up another shot, the muscles in his shoulders bunching up. “Jason,” she said quietly. She set her pad aside and stood to round the sofa.

He didn’t reply, didn’t acknowledge her voice but Elizabeth slid in between him and the pool table, stopping him in his tracks. “What?” he asked roughly. He was glad she was going to talk again. Because when she talked, he could focus on her and not on what he’d seen. It was easier to listen to Elizabeth, to fix her life than examine his own.

“I am so sorry,” she said in a soft tone. “It’s awful when you see someone you love doing something so reprehensible and so unthinkable.”

He frowned down at her–how could she have possibly known?

She must have seen the question in his eyes and she shrugged. “I know that look; you’ve had it before–when Carly slept with Sonny. I didn’t know why then, but it makes sense. And it just makes sense to me that was Sam you saw.” She touched his chest, her small hand braced over his heart, her warmth bleeding through the gray of his shirt. “I am so sorry,” she repeated.

She felt empty inside, knowing that all the while Lucky had been accusing her of infidelity, that he’d only done it throw her off and keep her from discovering his secret. She was empty and she was cold and she wanted that to go away.

And so it seemed perfectly natural to lean up on the tips of her toes and press her mouth to his. It seemed natural and in a way, it seemed inevitable. Because Jason had always been able to make her feel safe and secure and more importantly, he’d always made her feel okay in her own skin. And she wanted to give that back to him at the same time.

As if her soft kiss was the key that unlocked something inside him, his arm slid around her waist and he crushed her mouth to his, accepting the comfort she wanted so desperately to give.

This entry is part 3 of 4 in the Choose Your Moment

It’s all right to make mistakes
You’re only human
Inside everybody’s hiding something
Take time to catch your breathe and choose your moment
Don’t slide
– Slide, Dido

Harborview Towers: Jason Morgan’s Penthouse – 9:07 P.M.

He held her in an almost suffocating embrace, devouring her mouth like a desperate man who hadn’t had a drink in years. And even if she’d been unable to breath, Elizabeth didn’t think she’d have the strength to push him away. She would have gladly died in his arms, if it meant that she’d never have to give up this intoxicating warmth.

His breath was hot against her face as he pulled away to set his teeth into her neck. He nipped at the soft skin and a moan trapped itself in her throat. She couldn’t find the energy to force it out and she lost the opportunity when he brought his lips back to hers.

She was so caught up, so lost in the moment that she didn’t even register when he lifted her into the air and set her on the edge of the pool table. She could feel her feet dangling in thin air and the wood beneath her but she only let that sunk in quickly before sliding her hands underneath his shirt to find the skin beneath it. It was slick and hot but she wanted more and she tugged at the hem, wanting to see the chest she remembered so clearly and had often been the subject of many fantasies once upon a time.

He swept the shirt off his head and sent it sailing and she dimly wondered if they’d find it hanging from the desk chair the next morning but then his mouth met hers again and she felt herself falling until her back met the cool green felt.

She didn’t feel empty or cold anymore and that was the last conscious thought she had.

General Hospital: Elevator Shaft B – 9:07

The silence was thick and the air was beginning to feel heavy. Robin plucked at the damp tank top that sweat had sticking to her skin. She didn’t realize how much she valued air conditioning until it was gone.

Her watch beeped and Robin sighed, reaching into her purse for her medication. She tugged out a pouch and a very warm bottle of water and started to take each pill.

She could feel his eyes on her but he didn’t speak and she was grateful for that. He’d seen her take the medication so many times–during the epidemic, during the transplant crisis with his father, and during the brief weeks where they’d spent nearly ever night together. He’d watched her take all these pills and had never said a word about them.

But it was the first time she’d taken them in front of him since his exposure.

She finished the dose and set the pouch and bottle back into her purse and stared at the light pink nail polish on her toes.

“So you never told me about your cousins,” Patrick broke the silence again.

“You can’t possibly want to know how Maxie or Georgie are,” Robin said, suspiciously. “You don’t even know them.”

“I don’t know Georgie, I don’t like Maxie, there’s a difference,” Patrick corrected bluntly. “And don’t start on me about Maxie’s difficult time–”

“No, no…” Robin shook her head. “I wasn’t going to. I still–it’s hard to believe that she slept with him and then…” she exhaled slowly. “If Maxie hadn’t told me myself, I probably wouldn’t have believed it.” She eyed him for a moment. “So you did see them kissing on the docks.”

Patrick shrugged. “Yeah but I was hoping it was a mistake, a one time thing and there’s no reason to hurt Elizabeth over something like that.” He licked his lips. “But, you know, if I had told her, maybe she wouldn’t have had to walk in on her husband screwing someone else. Twice.”

“Or she wouldn’t have believed you either,” Robin pointed out. “And all you would have done was wreck your friendship.” She sighed and let her head fall back against the elevator wall. “I look at Maxie and I don’t even recognize her anymore. I know we all handle grief in different ways and maybe I could have been there for her more, spent more time with her–made time. But I just can’t reconcile the girl that’s so proud of herself for sleeping with a married man with the one that I watched grow up. And what’s worse? I think Maxie is the one that fed into Lucky’s suspicions about you and Elizabeth.”

“You know, I don’t care what people think of me, I never have but I wish…I could I could have figured out a way to convince Lucky that nothing was going on but how do you prove a negative right?”

“You can’t.” Robin shook her head. “And she told me that it didn’t matter what Lucky did with anyone else, because everyone knew that Elizabeth was sleeping with you. I told her–that’s not possible because for one thing, Elizabeth would never do that–even if she weren’t married because she’s my friend and number two, you and I were sleeping together most of the summer and even though we didn’t do the monogamy thing…I got the feeling that you really didn’t…” she shrugged. “Sleep with anyone else.”

“Well, I didn’t,” Patrick admitted. He wasn’t about to tell her why. That would just make the business of being stuck in this elevator all that much worse. “What did she say when you told her that?”

“She told that you’d probably lied to me about that, that you couldn’t be trusted to tell anyone the truth because you’d tried to lie about the kiss on the docks. And I just…” Robin closed her eyes. “I just stared at her because I couldn’t understand how she could lie to my face like that and try–” she licked her lips. “She had to know that it would hurt me. To think that you and Elizabeth were sleeping together. I mean, she knows–” she shook her head. ”

The words were unsaid, but they hung in the air. She knows how I feel about you and that, of course, made Patrick perk up. Everywhere, unfortunately. “She knows only what she wants,” Patrick corrected. “And she’s not really seeing past that right now, Robin. The truth is going to come out eventually and it’s only going to make your cousin look like the bitch that she is. I’m sorry but I can’t pretend I like her–”

“No, no, I wouldn’t expect you to. She’s running around town, telling anyone who’ll hear her about your wild affair with Elizabeth. You get to dislike her.” Robin bit her lip. “But I have to involve my uncle Mac now and I think that’s going to get her sent off to a nunnery unfortunately.” She tapped her fingers restlessly against the floor. “So you’re really going to go six months,” she remarked, changing the subject.

“I can do it,” Patrick said somewhat defensively, though his earlier resolve was being worn down by the way her clothing was now sticking to her skin. It was really getting hot in here. Where thehell was the power?

“Have you ever gone six months?” Robin asked pointedly. “Since you started having sex? Have you ever gone a month?”

“Yes,” Patrick said, somewhat smugly. In fact, he’d gone six months very recently and he was damn proud of that. Of course, he hadn’t yet slept with Robin and he was pretty sure that was going to be his breaking point. “Before you and I slept together, I hadn’t been with anyone since you caught me in the OR with that nurse.”

Robin stared at him and for the first time, he realized she was completely speechless. Of all the days for him not to have a video camera or some sort of recording device–because no one else was ever going to believe this.

“I don’t think that was quite six months,” Patrick continued, “but it was pretty close and let me tell you, I do appreciate you finally giving in and ending that particular dry spell.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You can’t possibly be serious. You were out all the time with women and what about Carly? Why did you go six months?”

“I’m not exactly sure if I like the fact that you think I was sleeping with other women the entire time I was trying to sleep with you,” he replied, a little offended. “And I told you, I only pretended with Carly to annoy you. And it worked, so–”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute–” Robin held up her hands and waved them in front of her, so he’d shut up. “So the second we make any progress, you give me that speech about how you’re only in it for casual sex and you spend the next two months telling me you’ll sleep with any woman you want when you want to and now you’re telling me that the only woman you’ve been with for the last eight months is me?”

He scowled. “You’re intentionally putting it together so that it sounds stupid. That’s not how it happened.” It was, but she didn’t understand and he really thought she would have. She understood him in every other way, and usually could tell him what he was thinking before he could tell himself–a fact that would probably always piss him off. How could she not see how it was? It would have been so simpler if she’d understood without his having to tell her.

But then again, things were rarely simple between them and he was getting tired of it. Maybe it was time to finally lay it on the line.

She glared at him and folded her arms tightly across her chest. “Oh, yeah, jackass? How’d it happen then?”

He crooked his finger at her. “Come here.”

“You don’t want me any closer, I might lose my mind and tear your clothes off,” Robin retorted sarcastically.

“I’m willing to take that chance. Come over here.”

“No,” Robin said stubbornly. “You can’t make me.”

“Listen, pain in the ass, I am bigger, I’m meaner than you and now I’m ticked off so get your ass over here or I will just drag you,” he threatened.

Robin huffed and rolled her eyes before sliding across the car and settling in a good foot from Patrick. He grabbed her hand and she smacked him with her free one. “I’m not going to touch that–” she began.

“You and that gutter mind of yours,” Patrick shook his head before bringing her hand to his chest. “I told you that I didn’t want anything more than casual because I thought if I said it out loud, it would be true.”

Her brow wrinkled with confusion. “What do you mean–”

“I mean, that I wanted to believe that I still wanted another woman, any other woman. All women. But, the truth is, Robin,” he hesitated. “The truth is that since the moment you barreled into that operating room, the thought of sleeping with another woman became a distant memory and you were all I could think about for months.”

“It’s really hot in here,” Robin said suddenly, “I think it’s gone to your head. It’s making you act really weird–”

He clapped his free hand over her mouth. “You talk too much. Be quiet for a second and let me finish.”

She glared at him mutinously and then with great relish bit his hand. But he’d expected that from her and had already braced himself for it. “You’re going to feel really stupid in about five seconds,” he warned her.

He took a deep breath and ignored all the voices in his head screaming at him to shut up. “Robin, I know you think that this exposure has changed things between us–and it has. Because now I understand you more. And I can understand what it’s like wanting to put someone else’s safety in front of your own and that terrifying feeling that you could hurt the one person you want to protect more than anything.”

He removed his hand from her mouth, not wanting to say these words for the first time while physically restraining him. He shifted it to her chin and touched her bottom lip with his thumb. “Robin, I love you.”

General Hospital: Roof – 9:15 P.M.

Lulu wondered what her baby would look like. If she (she really wanted a little girl to name Laura) would have her light blonde hair or maybe she’d have Dillon’s dark blonde hair. Maybe their baby would look more like their relatives–dark red hair like her aunt Bobbie or dark brown hair like Dillon’s brother Ned.

She thought their baby would probably have her eyes instead of Dillon’s but she wanted the baby to have his nose and his mouth. She really liked those features.

Lulu wanted her baby to feel wanted and loved from the first second she breathed, and to never be an afterthought or be told that her mother had wanted her but her father had tolerated her. And she was scared that if she did tell Dillon, he would look at her with horror before fulfilling his obligations. And to him, their daughter would be a mistake, a nice one, but a mistake nonetheless. And no matter what, that would always color their interaction, he would never able to look at their Laura and not wish she’d happened at a different time, with a different girl.

So, really, she was protecting Dillon and their baby by not telling him. She loved Dillon. She thought she had before, but now she knew what that meant and love meant protecting that person, even if it took them away from you. It meant wanting them to be happy, even if it wasn’t with you.

Her stomach rumbled and she wished she’d eaten something. It rumbled again, and then it lurched and suddenly, she knew she was going to be sick. Lulu stumbled to her feet and made her way out of Dillon’s sight, trying not to brace her hand against her stomach.

Dillon followed her, worried and when he realized she was throwing up, he stepped respectfully out of sight for a moment, feeling angry at himself for having yelled at her earlier now that he knew she was sick–

And then it all clicked for him. The arranged meeting, the need to tell him something, the touching of her stomach, the throwing up–his mouth felt dry and all the blood drained out of his head.

Oh, God. Oh, God.

He bit down on his fist to keep himself from speaking out loud. He was only going to get do this once, only get to give her a first reaction once and he didn’t want it be anything other than surprise. He didn’t want it be disappointment and terror, he wanted, for once, to do the right thing where Lulu was concerned.

Lulu finished and straightened, rubbing her hand over her mouth. She fished the mints she kept in her pockets for moments like this and popped one in her mouth and wished that she had water.

She went back to the main part of the roof and found Dillon standing there, his hand in his pockets, his gaze out on the darkened city. “No lights on yet,” he mused.

“I wonder what’s taking so long,” Lulu rubbed her arms, feeling goose bumps rise for some reason. She glanced at him nervously and found that he was looking at her now, in a manner that she didn’t recognize. “What?”

“You weren’t going to tell me, were you?” he asked. “Why?”

She widened her eyes in what she thought would be innocence. “Tell you what?”

He swallowed and hoped his voice and face were as level as he was striving for. “Lulu. How did you think I wouldn’t notice? I mean, you can’t hide that sort of thing.”

Her breath caught and shook her head. “No, I don’t know what you mean–”

“Lulu,” he repeated. “Come on. No more lies, remember? You promised me that before and I just told you a half hour ago that I didn’t want there to be any lies or secrets between us.” He stepped towards her. “You can tell me anything, Lu. You always could.”

“No,” Lulu shook her head. It was better this way, she told herself. It was better and it didn’t matter that he already knew. She had to keep lying, she had to protect herself and she had to protect their baby and he didn’t love her the way she loved him–

But he took her hand in his, and squeezed. “I know you have to be scared, Lu. I know it, because I’m scared, too. It’s a scary idea but hey…” he smiled weakly. “I have a history of doing things before most people our age. I’ve already been married and divorced, you know.”

“Dillon–” she began, but her voice broke and suddenly she couldn’t understand why she was protecting herself anymore. He was right in front of her, and he looked strong and she was tired of standing by herself anymore, tired of pretending she didn’t feel like breaking. “I didn’t mean for this to happen but I can’t–” she blinked back tears. “I can’t say it’s a mistake because it’s not fair–”

“It’s not a mistake,” he cut in. And then he folded her into his arms and she broke, clinging to him, pretending for a moment that he would always be there to hold her and protect her. “It’s a surprise,” he laughed weakly. “But it’s not a mistake. It’s okay, Lu–” he stroked her hair as he felt her warm tears on his shoulder. “It’s okay, we’ll get through this together.”

This must be what growing up was, Dillon thought, cradling the mother of his child in his arms and wishing he could have made this better for her somehow. It meant taking the bad and the good together and making something great out of it. It meant making things okay for someone when they were far from okay.

So he was gonna be a dad. That was okay, he’d figure it out as he went along. He’d never let the kid grow up in hotels with movies for best friends. And he’d never make him (or her) feel like an afterthought or run their life or make it miserable. He thought he’d be a pretty good dad and Lu would be a good mom and that’s what was important right now. Everything else could wait until they got off the roof but right now, the belief that he could make it work for her and make it okay again was enough.

Port Charles Courthouse: Elevator Shaft – 9:20 P.M.

Carly closed her eyes and prayed for the power to come back on, though she was surprised when she wasn’t struck down by lightening at the very idea of praying for something. After all the sins she’d committed and would likely commit before her time on this rock was finished, her room in hell was reserved and had been for some time.

But if there was ever a moment she wanted God to be listening to her, it was this one. She prayed for the power, she prayed for the air conditioning, because damn it was hot in here. She prayed for her children’s father, to give him the strength to do what was right and she prayed for her best friend, to find someone who wouldn’t sleep with his enemy. As long as he didn’t love that someone more than her, Carly qualified. And she prayed for the woman across from her, she prayed that she would have a miracle and that she would continue to live.

She opened her eyes and looked at Alexis, concerned at the pallor of the woman’s skin and the labored breathing. The sweat was trickling down her face in small streams and the air felt thicker, hotter and it was like a layer of heavy cloth being wrapped around them, more and more tightly so that breathing became more and more of a chore.

Could you get heatstroke from being stuck in an elevator? Carly wondered.

She cleared her throat, it was so hoarse from the lack of liquid. She’d given her water bottle to Alexis when the lawyer had drained her own. “Alexis,” she said, coughing because the sweat felt like it was in her throat now, like it was clogging her airways. “If we get out of here alive–”

“This feels familiar,” Alexis murmured and Carly smiled faintly.

“We’ve made it out of worse, honey,” Carly replied. “But if we get out of here, I want you know to know that I don’t think it’s too late for me to be a good person, you know? I think I could still do it.”

Alexis cracked an eye and peered at the blonde, baffled. “Okay,” she said slowly.

“No, no, listen, this is how I’m going to be a good person–well better,” Carly clarified. “I might be too far gone to be a good one. Anyway…” she waved her hand weakly. “You and me…I don’t really remember why we don’t like each other, you know? Because I think it started when you slept with Sonny, but that doesn’t matter now. Because that was then, and I was a different person, you know? I still loved him and I wanted him and I don’t know.” She closed her eyes, feeling really tired. “But you and me, we’re different now. And you have the girls and I have my boys and we’re family, you know.”

Alexis laughed weakly. “Yeah, someone’s laughing about that somewhere. I bet it’s Stefan, he always had a perverse sense of humor.”

“Could be my mama Virginia, she always told me my bad karma would come back to bite me in the butt,” Carly countered. “Anyway, that’s not the point.” She frowned. “What was my point?”

“Something about you being a good person or a better one.”

“Right, right, so here’s how I’m going to do it.” Carly straightened. “You’re gonna need someone. A friend, if we can use that term loosely. And this next year is gonna be rough, you know? So I’m gonna be a better person by being a friend to you. There’s a reason we keep getting stuck in elevators, Alexis and I think it’s God way of telling us we should stick together.”

“The heat’s getting to you, Carly. I think you’re hallucinating,” Alexis mumbled.

“Or maybe it’s the devil, but either way, Alexis, you’re gonna need someone to help you out and seeing as how we’re family, there’s really no one else who understands what you’re going through with Ric and Sam more.” Carly reached out her hand. “So what to do you say to a truce? Pinky swear?” She arranged her hand so her pinky was out.

“What the hell?” Alexis shrugged and latched her own pinky to Carly’s. “Pinky swear.”

Harborview Towers: Jason Morgan’s Penthouse – 9:30 P.M.

Elizabeth reached under her back and retrieved the cue ball. She giggled and then stopped. “I can’t believe I want to laugh,” she said.

Jason leaned up on an elbow next to her and peered at her curiously. “You want to laugh?” he repeated. “That’s not usually the reaction I get.”

Now she did laugh, her shoulders shaking. “Oh, I’m sorry, should I have gone with, ‘Wow, that was the best I’ve ever had?'”

The corners of his mouth twitched. “I think I’m insulted now.”

It was wonderful, she thought, closing her eyes and stretching her hands over her head. It was wonderful to feel this loose and this warm and this peaceful inside. It appeared that she’d finally nailed the concept of comfort sex. She giggled again. Nailed, she repeated to herself.

“It’s nice to see you smile.” Jason toyed with a strand of her hair. She brought her fingers up to trace his mouth.

“You’re smiling too. It’s nice to see that again,” she told him. She slid her fingers in his hair and drew his face back down to hers. After a long moment during which she forgot her name, age and place of residence, she sighed. “This pool table looks a lot more comfortable than it actually is.”

Jason chuckled and rolled off the table, getting to his feet. She sat up and realized that they were both completely naked. And there were some things that only got better with age, she decided, taking a good look at him–or at least as good as the moonlight filtering through the windows would allow. The candles they’d lit earlier had long since flickered out.

“Why don’t I take you upstairs?” he suggested, scooping her up in his arms like she weighed less than a feather. “You can look for your clothes later.”

She frowned. “How did you know I was thinking about looking for them?”

He didn’t answer her but just started to the stairs. Halfway to the first landing, the lights in the penthouse flickered on, then off, on and then off again before finally staying on the third time around.

“Power’s back,” Elizabeth murmured.

This entry is part 4 of 4 in the Choose Your Moment

If you knew how lonely my life has been
And how long I’ve been so alone
And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along
And change my life the way you’ve done
— Feels Like Home, Chantal Kreviazuk

Harborview Towers: Jason Morgan’s Penthouse – 9:35 P.M.

Jason glanced over at one of the lamps and a brief smile spread across his face. “Well, at least we’ll be able to find your clothes later.”

She bit her lip and cast her eyes towards the stairs. Somehow, in the dark, she hadn’t had to say it to herself–she’d just had wild, crazy, passionate sex with Jason on his pool table. She hadn’t really had to come clean with herself that her marriage was definitely over now.

But with the lights on, it didn’t seem so inevitable or so dream like. It was almost as if going upstairs, to his bedroom, with the lights shining and the power back on, reality had resurfaced and it would now be a conscious decision to continue their interlude.

And it was a decision that she decided she wanted to make. She tightened her arms around his neck and grinned. “So, we going upstairs or what?”

Port Charles Courthouse: Elevator – 9:36 P.M.

The emergency lights in the car flickered and Carly moaned–even their backup was going out. In moments, it would be pitch black.

But they only flickered and then the lights came on full force.

And so did the air conditioning. And then the elevator lurched and started to move. “Hallelujah, prayer works!” Carly raised her fists in the air. “We are getting out of here!”

“Fabulous,” Alexis sighed. “So I get to go back to my life with my adulterous husband, my tramp daughter and oh, yeah–my death sentence.” She pulled herself to her feet. “I almost preferred the idea of death by heat stroke.”

Carly bounced to her feet, the idea of getting out this elevator giving her an adrenaline rush. “The difference is, now you got me.”

Alexis peered at the blonde and sighed. “And I thought 2006 couldn’t get much worse. Now I have Carly on my side.”

General Hospital: Elevator Shaft B – 9:35 P.M.

As soon as the words had left Patrick’s lips, the flights flickered on and Robin blinked, pulling away from him. Thank God for interruptions, she decided. She’d always thought if those words left either of their mouths, it would be hers and then he’d be horrified, it would end badly so she was pretty glad she wasn’t stupid enough to say those words.

She’d never thought he would and now she didn’t know what to think–what to say–what to do. “I wonder why the elevator isn’t moving,” she mused, hoping enough time had passed that he’d realized that he’d made a mistake, that she didn’t need to hear those words, especially when she wasn’t sure what he meant or why he’d said them.

Patrick scrubbed a hand over his face and wanted to smack himself and her at the same time. Were they really going to do another round of this? “Robin–”

“I mean, the elevator must be stuck or something because with the power back on, I figured it would just start moving but it’s not and we’re still here and–”

“Robin,” Patrick cut in. “You don’t have anything to say to me?” he demanded.

Her eyes wide, she sputtered for a moment before coherent words emerged. “What do you want me to say?” she asked almost weakly.

This was exactly his worst nightmare, he realized. Why did they never do anything the easy way? Why did they always have to take one step forward and three back? “Well, reciprocation would have been nice,” he muttered.

“Because I’m not saying it just because you said it,” Robin began. “And I’m not even sure why you said it, I mean, you don’t want to feel that way and I can’t believe you said it–”

To stop her from babbling and for his own sanity, he again clapped a hand over her mouth. Her panicked expression quickly morphed into irritation and she tried to jerk away. “No, no, Scorpio. I’m done. Listen, you’re going to say because you’ve already said it and now that I’ve said it, you–” He glared at her. “Don’t shake your head at me, you did so say it.”

Robin jerked away and got to her feet. “I did not,” she denied. “A-and you can’t prove differently.”

“See, you know how I know when you lie? You get that little twitch right here by your nose–” he gestured. “You said it when we were in bed–”

“Oh, well you can’t believe what people say in the heat of the moment,” Robin cut in. “That’s just—you’re really good in bed,” she finished lamely.

He wiped the back of his hand over his mouth and really wished for the strength not to just reach out and wring her neck. Why was it so difficult for her to just admit it? She was supposed to be the mature one in this duo, not him. “I didn’t need confirmation, I already knew that, but thanks. No, you thought I was asleep.”

Her eyes widened at this and he smirked. “Coming back to you now, isn’t it?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Robin folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. “Clearly, you just want to believe that I said it first so you can pretend you’re reciprocating and not actually having to say it–”

“For the love of–” Patrick raised his eyes to the ceiling and muttered some unkind thoughts under his breath. “Okay, fine. Have it your way. You never said it, but I am saying it so will just give me a break here?”

“You’re…you’re really saying it?” she asked hesitantly. She bit her lip and peered up at him. “Like you mean it?”

“Robin, I love you, though only God knows why at this point.” He gripped her elbows and drew her closer to him. “So can we just skip the portion of the program where we bicker over it and just go to the part where you say it back?”

“Fine, but you know, if I say it, I’m going to want strings,” she warned. “Strings and commitments and exclusivity–”

“No problem,” Patrick cut in. “Just say it, damn it.”

“You’re really cute when you’re mad, you know that?” Robin teased, something settling inside of her. She grinned. “Man, if someone had told me you’d be begging to hear this, I would have told them they were nuts–”

He actually growled and she giggled. “Fine, fine, I’ll do it right this time.” She sobered. “Do it again.”

It might have been the only declaration of love she’d ever receive in which the man declaring it would be staring daggers at her and clenching his teeth. But this one meant the most. She’d really fought for this one, had given up hoping for this one and most of all, she thought this might be last one.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, stood up on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips to his. “I love you, too.”

The elevator lurched then and they went flying back against the wall. Before they could right themselves, the doors slid open and half the hospital staff–including Patrick’s father Noah, the Chief of Staff Alan Quartermaine and Robin’s parents, Robert and Anna, were standing in front of the doors.

“Your father never could pass up the opportunity to neck in the elevator with a pretty girl either,” Alan said to Patrick.

General Hospital: Roof – 10:00 P.M.

“Do you have service yet?” Lulu asked as Dillon sat back down at her side and slid his arm back around her shoulders. “My cell’s dead.”

“Mine, too.” Dillon glanced at the door. “Well, with the power back on, it still doesn’t solve our problem of being locked out here. Let’s just hope someone comes up here soon.”

They were quiet for a while but then Lulu spoke. “So, you took this better than I thought you would.”

“Me, too,” Dillon admitted. “I panicked at first, Lu, I’m not going to lie. Because this is….” he exhaled shakily. “It’s almost too terrifying to really think about just yet. But I wanted to do better, I wanted to be what you needed.”

She glanced up at him. “So what happens next?” she asked quietly.

“Well, next, we’re going to hope someone lets us off this roof,” Dillon remarked. “But as to after that…I hope you’re okay with the fact that…I have no clue.” He met her eyes. “But you know what? I do know that whatever happens, it’s gonna be okay. You know? Because you and me, we are amazing together. And you know, things happen for a reason. I don’t believe in accidents. You’re going to be a good mom and I’m going to be a good dad, and we’ll figure it out as we go along.”

“You’re going to love her right?” Lulu asked. “I mean, you’re not going to look at her and wish she were Georgie’s or that she’d come along like ten years later, right?”

Scary questions. He wanted his answers to be the right ones, he honestly did. So he took a deep breath and just went with it. “It’s okay that she’s ours and not mine and Georgie’s. I’m okay with that. But it’s hard not to wish that it had happened even a year from now, you know? Because this is going to be so hard for you.” He brushed his lips over the top of her head. “You’re going through all this crap with your family and now you factor in that my mother is probably going to kill us both–but you don’t have to worry about me not loving her. She’s part of you, she’s part of us. And my family, and your family. And I just…” he shook his head. “We’re going to do better for our baby than our parents did for us. And I just have this feeling–” He paused. “I just have this feeling inside that she’s going to be the best of both us. Of our families. Lulu, I already love her. Or him. Either way.”

“You’re coming up with really good answers,” Lulu said after a moment. She closed her eyes and leaned into him, glad for once she wasn’t standing alone. “I’m glad you know. I thought I’d be okay with you not knowing and me leaving, to be on my own but I’m glad that didn’t happen.”

“Me, too,” Dillon said. “However, if we don’t get off this roof soon, I might cry. I’m just saying. Because I’m starving.” He looked down at her. “And you should eat. And we should get you to a doctor. And then find some sort of way to tie my mother up for the next nine months.”

August 15, 2006

Harborview Towers: Jason Morgan’s Penthouse – 7:34 A.M.

The sunlight peeked in through the cracks in the shades. Elizabeth blinked and rolled over to shade her eyes. But they flew open when she couldn’t move. Something was pinning her down. A strong something. A warm something. She peeked over and grinned. It wasn’t a dream.

“There you go, smiling again.” Jason’s voice didn’t sound the least bit sleepy but she was sure he’d only just woken up. He must be one of those annoying people that could go to from sleeping to be awake without that icky stage in between. Bastard. “You keep doing that and I’m going to get used to it,” he continued.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve wanted to,” she admitted. She closed her eyes and snuggled into his arms, feeling safe and warm and completely at peace. That would change when she left this penthouse, she knew that. The real world filter in and she’d have to deal with it. But for now, she wanted to bask in being in the arms of someone who never let her down and had never treated her badly–even though she’d probably deserved it.

“So, what next?” Jason asked, idly stroking a hand down her bare back.

“I go home, I kick Lucky out long enough to pack mine and Cam’s things and then I go to my grandmother’s.” Elizabeth hesitated. “And then I just…breathe for a while, you know?” She glanced up at him. “What about you?”

“Breathing sounds good,” Jason answered. “I could go for that.” He paused for a moment. “I could drive you home.”

Elizabeth sat up and peered at him. “When you say drive, does that mean–”

He chuckled. “I guess some things never change. Yeah, we can take the bike.”

“Excellent. Can I drive?” Elizabeth asked.

“No,” he answered, good-naturedly. He crossed to his dresser and tossed her a t-shirt to wear since her clothes were strewn down stairs.

“Okay,” she accepted that. She was out of practice. “Can we take the cliff road then?”

“That’s not on the way to your place,” he pointed out, pulling on a pair of black briefs.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and huffed. “So? We’ll take the long way.” She grinned brightly. “C’mon, Jason, it’ll be like old times. And then, you can let me drive.”

“Cliff roads, yes, driving no.”

“You’re such a killjoy,” Elizabeth sighed. But her smile didn’t fade. “Jason?”

“Yeah?” he moved towards the bathroom to run the shower.

“Thank you,” she said simply.

He shook his head. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You always say that, but it’s never true.”

+11

This entry is part 3 of 3 in the Fiction Graveyard: The Sisters

Corinthos Penthouse

“So, Will told me you stopped by Kelly’s tonight,” Sonny said over dinner. Carly glanced up at him. “He told me that while you were there, Zander Smith stopped in.”

Carly shifted in her seat. “That’s true,” she admitted. “He stopped in to talk to Elizabeth.”

“Does Jason know this?” Sonny asked.

She shrugged. “How am I supposed to know what the princess does or doesn’t tell her boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend?” Sonny repeated. “Since when did that happen?”

“I don’t know. Courtney mentioned it in passing while I was there,” Carly replied. “I’ve been meaning to tell you what happened tonight,” she said. “Zander told Elizabeth she should stay away from Jason because something was going to go down.”

“He said this. In front of you,” Sonny stated.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me,” Carly stated. “I’m sure Elizabeth is telling Jason, too. So, maybe you’ll believe it coming from her–”

“That’s not what I meant, Carly,” Sonny said, almost exasperated. “I meant I can’t believe Zander would do that. It’s such a stupid move.”

“Oh.” Carly shrugged. “Well, this is Zander we’re talking about. Personally, Elizabeth, Courtney and I all think–”

“Wait, the three of you discussed this?” Sonny asked amused. “Without killing each other?”

Carly glared at her husband. “You’re kidding, right? Is that all you think I do with other woman? Fight? Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence,” she drawled.

“I’m sorry,” Sonny said. “Okay, what did the three of you come up with?” he asked, amused.

Carly narrowed her eyes. He wasn’t going to take her seriously–she could already see it. “We think that Zander wants you to be on your toes because he’s got a way to blindside you anyway.”

Sonny shook his head. “That kid couldn’t find his way out of a paper bag,” he said, scornfully. “And Roy doesn’t have the resources.”

“Maybe they’re working for someone else,” Carly suggested.

Sonny rolled his eyes. “Carly, we knew that already.”

“Well, excuse me for breathing,” Carly muttered. She stood and headed for the stairs. “I’m going upstairs. When you feel like treating me like an adult rather than a child, you let me know, k?”

“Carly–” Sonny tried, but she ignored him and went up the stairs.

Studio

“I think you should stay away from Zander.”

Elizabeth sighed and shook her head. “Yeah, like that hasn’t already occurred to me,” she grumbled.

“I’m serious, Elizabeth,” Jason tried again. Elizabeth just shrugged and continued her sketching. Jason stood from the couch and stood behind her. “Are you ignoring me?”

“No,” Elizabeth replied. She set the sketchpad down and turned around to wrap her arms around his waist. “I’m just sick of talking about Zander, aren’t you?”

“I’ve been sick of Zander since the day I met him,” Jason muttered.

“Hey, have you found anything else on Marisa?” Elizabeth asked eagerly.

Jason shook his head. “No. Carmen covered her tracks pretty well–I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t expect to find her right away,” Elizabeth told him. “But thanks for at least trying.”

“Uh huh.” Jason eyed her. “Don’t think I don’t know what you did.”

“What?” Elizabeth asked, wide-eyed and innocent. “What did I do?”

“You’re avoiding the subject,” Jason replied. “Did he say anything else to you?”

“Nope,” Elizabeth said. “Just that something big was going to go down and he didn’t want me anywhere near you.” She bit the inside of her cheek, hesitating. “Carly, Courtney and I were talking about it after he left and we think he warned us because he’s got an angle you guys won’t think about.”

“Don’t worry about,” Jason told her. “Sonny and I will take care of it.” He frowned. “Maybe I should put someone on you.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “I don’t want a guard, Jason. I don’t need one.”

“Elizabeth–”

“Do we have to keep talking about this?” Elizabeth asked. She stood on her tip toes to press a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “I have other things I was looking forward to.”

“Oh, really?” Jason asked, amused. He tilted his head back a little as she continued moving her mouth down his neck.

“Uh huh.” Elizabeth pulled away from him and took his hand in hers, backing up towards the couch. “You have any plans for the rest of the night?”

“Elizabeth–” Jason began. He was cut off as Elizabeth fell onto the couch, pulling him on top of her. She kissed him again, thrusting her tongue in his mouth and he let himself give in for a little while before pulling away. “Elizabeth, this isn’t a good idea.”

She groaned and let her head fall back against the arm of the couch. “All right. Fine. Can’t blame a girl for trying.”

Jason chuckled and stood, pulling Elizabeth to her feet. “I’d better go before you tempt me further.” He kissed her briefly. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“I’ve got work and then Courtney and I were going to go shopping. You want to do something?”

“I’ll pick you up at eight?” Jason said as he headed for the door.

“See you then.”

Docks

Elizabeth stood on the docks looking out over the water. For the first time since leaving the hospital, she felt good. At peace. Like she had accomplished a major feat. And she had. She’d stood up and declared exactly what she wanted. What could be better?

“Elizabeth.”

For one, he could disappear. She sighed, irritated. “What do you want Zander?”

“You need to leave.” He didn’t wait for her answer and started dragging towards the stairs.

“Get your hands off of me.” She yanked her arm away and glared at him. “Don’t ever touch me again. I’m not going anywhere–”

Zander glared at her. “You need to go. Now.”

“I didn’t realize this was your property,” she snapped. “I don’t have to do anything.”

“Don’t be stubborn. You need to go.” He took her arm again.

“Why? Give me one good reason?” Elizabeth demanded. “You meeting someone to set up Jason?”

“It’s always about Jason,” Zander shot back. “Well you can tell your little boyfriend I’m not scared of him.”

“No? He put you in the hospital. That’s reason enough to be scared.”

“He got lucky.”

“Stay away from me. Stay away from Jason and stay away from Sonny, do you understand?” Elizabeth glared at him a few seconds more and turned to leave when she collided with a taller man with dark hair. He looked familiar in some way but Elizabeth couldn’t place him.

“I’m sorry, Miss…?” the man trailed off.

“Webber,” Elizabeth replied, not bothering to volunteer her first name. “And you are?”

“Alcazar. Luis Alcazar.” He flashed a smile that chilled her down to her bones. Luis Alcazar…Alejandro’s brother. Elizabeth paled. What was he doing in town?

“Pleasure meeting you,” she replied. She turned to glare and Zander one last time and fled up the stairs. She stopped around the corner and decided to eavesdrop. Zander hadn’t wanted her on the docks for a specific reason and she’d be damned if she’d leave before finding out more. Sticking close to the corner, she could hear their conversation.

“You shouldn’t have given your real name. She knows who I am.”

“I’m not worried. Morgan and Corinthos have no clue what’s going on. Is she really Jason Morgan’s girlfriend?”

“If she’s not, she will be. Why?”

“Just…an interesting turn of events. We’ve got a problem.”

“What?”

“You’re making mistakes.”

“No I’m not!”

“Yes, you are. Don’t try and deny it, little brother. We had a plan and you’ve changed it. Don’t worry. I’ve got a way to fix it. You stay safe and the plan moves forward.”

“How?”

“Get Morgan before he gets you.”

Elizabeth was still recovering from the “little brother” remark when the meaning of the older man’s remarks smacked her in the face.

Get Morgan before he gets you.

“You want me to kill him?”

“You think you can handle that?”

“Not a problem.”

Elizabeth closed her eyes. If Emily could hear her ex-boyfriend now. Snapping to attention, she realized they were winding down their conversation. She slid away from her hiding spot and started running.

She had to warn Jason.

Harborview Towers

Stepping off the elevator, Elizabeth leaned against the wall to catch her breath. She had taken off and hadn’t stopped running until the elevator doors shut. She’d covered the fifteen minute walk in five minutes.

She was about to go to Jason’s when reality set in. She’d eavesdropped on purpose. Her intentions wouldn’t matter. He wouldn’t understand she was only trying to protect him. She’d tell Sonny first. Sonny could tell Jason. Run interference.

She turned left and noted that the ever present guard was absent. Frowning, she knocked on Sonny’s door.

The door swung open. “Elizabeth-” Sonny said, surprised.

“Sonny, I have something majorly important to tell you,” Elizabeth burst out. Her white face and shaking hands worried Sonny. He took by the arm and led her in. Without waiting for him to say anything, she launched right in. “I was on the docks arguing with Zander when this guy showed up. He gave Zander orders to kill Jason and he said something about a plan and he’s Zander’s brother and Zander said he’d kill Jason!”

“And he said all this in front of you?” a voice came from behind her. She whirled around. So much avoiding Jason.

“Um, not exactly,” Elizabeth said, sheepishly.

“Not exactly?” Jason lifted his eyebrows. Elizabeth had the grace to look guilty.

“All right. Sit down and start from the beginning. Take deep breaths and go slowly,” Sonny said. Elizabeth nodded and sat on the couch.

“Like I said I was arguing with Zander. He wanted me to leave and I was being stubborn. But eventually I turned to leave and ran into this guy. He asked for my name-”

“You didn’t give it to him, did you?” Jason asked, exasperated.

“I’m not a moron,” Elizabeth replied, irritated. “But it’s not like it makes any difference. He overheard Zander calling you my-” she stopped, flushed. “And Zander said my name a couple of times. Anyway, I asked him for his name and you’re not going to believe this, but it’s his brother, Luis. Luis Alcazar is here and they’re–”

“Alcazar?” Sonny cut in. He looked at Jason. “How did we not know that Zander was Alcazar’s brother?”

Jason shifted. “I knew. I found out the other day but I was trying to get some more information in before I told you,” he replied.

Sonny shook his head. “All right, Elizabeth. What else happened?”

“I felt weird and left then. But I, um…” she trailed off and looked at her hands.

Sonny had to grin. “You hid and listened.”

“Well, yeah.”

“Elizabeth-” Jason began.

She turned and glared at him. “Don’t start with me. If I hadn’t, then I wouldn’t be here and you two wouldn’t have this information. You want be protective? Fine. But can I finish first?”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“And, Alcazar asked if I was really–” She stopped, embarrassed.

“Go on. If you were what?” Sonny asked.

She sighed and looked at the ceiling. She mumbled something that neither of them quite heard.

“What?” Jason asked.

“If I was really Jason Morgan’s girlfriend,” she repeated, aggravated.

“And where did he get this piece of information?” Sonny asked, amused.

Elizabeth let out a frustrated breath. “Zander told me to tell my little boyfriend that he wasn’t scared of him.”

“This is not good,” Jason said, rubbing his eyes.

“Well it doesn’t get better. Alcazar said it was an interesting turn of events.” Jason groaned. “But then he went on to say that Zander had created a problem, but he knew how to fix it.”

“I’m guessing the problem would be getting thrown out of the organization,” Sonny stated.

“Probably.” Elizabeth shrugged. “It was around this time that he said to get rid of Morgan before he gets rid of you.” She grimaced. “Took a few seconds to sink in, but if I hadn’t understood, Zander would have made it real clear. He said ‘you want me to kill him.’ Alcazar told him if he could handle it. Then Zander said no problem. That’s when I came here.”

Sonny started pacing. “So Luis Alcazar is the man behind Roy.” He scratched his chin. “I don’t get it–we’ve always been friendly with the family. What the hell is Ramon’s kid doing in Port Charles?” Sonny demanded. “He ducked out on a murder charge a couple of years ago.” He shook his head. “And now Luis is in town. Great.”

“Sonny, we should discuss this later,” Jason said.

Elizabeth frowned. “I know a cue when I hear it. I’m going back to my studio.” She stood up. Sonny pushed her down by her shoulders.

“Oh, no you don’t. Stay right there.”

“Sonny-” Jason began.

“I can leave,” Elizabeth offered again. She didn’t want to be within ten feet of Jason after this conversation was over. He looked ready to set into her about eavesdropping and she wasn’t in the mood.

“I don’t want you in that studio alone,” Sonny said, thoughtfully. “Anywhere you can go?”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No.”

“Then you’ll stay here.” Elizabeth jerked her head up.

“Um, you know that Carly’s not my biggest fan, right? I mean, we’re sisters and all, but that’s like in name only. She’s not going to be thrilled with this.”

Sonny waved it away. “I’ll talk to her.”

Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably. “Okay,” she replied, her tone clearly stating she didn’t think Sonny could talk Carly into it.

“First, we gotta figure out what the Alcazars are doing here.” Sonny headed to the phone. “I’ll ask Benny to look into it. Jason, take Elizabeth to her studio and get some things.”

Elizabeth stood reluctantly. She’d rather face rabid dogs than the argument she was about to get into. “I have plans for today,” she told them. “I have a shift at noon and I was supposed to go shopping with Courtney.”

“Make excuses,” Sonny said. “See if Bobbie will give you a few days off. I really want to make sure you’re safe, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth gave him a brief smile. “Thanks, Sonny.” Well, the upshot was that if she, Carly and Courtney were going to go ahead with this plan of theirs, then at least she’d be in the penthouse to plan it.

Jason opened the penthouse door wordlessly. She walked through it and headed to the elevator. He followed her. He punched in the down button and turned to glare at her. “I want to make it clear that I’m not happy with you eavesdropping.”

“Crystal clear,” Elizabeth replied. She stepped into the elevator when the doors opened.

“I’m not kidding, Elizabeth. Don’t do it again. I thought I explained that this isn’t a game.”

“Darn. And I was having so much fun.”

“Elizabeth-”

“Jason, I never said it was a game. And if I didn’t know it, getting kidnapped and thrown into a crypt would have set me straight.” She put her hand on his arm and looked into his eyes. “Believe me; I know this isn’t a game.”

“All right. Then don’t do it again.”

“I’m not promising you that,” Elizabeth replied. She shrugged. “Face it. You can’t tell me what to do.”

Jason swore. “Damn it, Elizabeth, you’re not getting it. These people can and will use you to get to me.”

“You really ought to find new excuses.” She raised an eyebrow. “They already have.”

“And you want to go through that again?” Jason snapped. She looked down, stung. “I’m sorry, but you’re not making it easy. All I’m doing it trying to keep you safe.”

“I know, and I appreciate it. You know that I-” Elizabeth broke off. She didn’t want to go there so soon. “Look, Jason, I know there are things you can’t tell me. Quite frankly, there are things I don’t want to know. But if I think I have the opportunity to help? I will. I won’t think twice.” They stepped out of the elevator and headed towards the back where Jason’s bike was.

He grabbed her arm as she was about to get on the bike and pulled her towards him. He wrapped his arms around her and she let herself sink into the familiarity of his arms. “I don’t want to lose you.” His voice was low.

“I don’t want to lose you either.”

Corinthos Penthouse

Carly walked into the penthouse, and pulled off her sunglasses. “Where’s Max?” She looked at Sonny standing in the middle of the room — like he was waiting for her. She gulped and felt a guilty flush flash through her body. Wait a second, she thought rationally, I haven’t even done anything. She gave her husband a bright smile and decided to walk straight past him.

“Wait, Carly. I have to talk to you.” Sonny grinned. “And you might want to sit down for this.”

He’s smiling. It can’t be about Alexis, Carly decided. She sat on the couch and looked at him warily.

“It’s about Elizabeth-”

“Elizabeth?” Carly said, surprised. She frowned. “What about her?” Her eyes widened. She jumped off the couch. “Did she hurt Jason again? I’ll kill her!” Eyes gleaming with anger, she headed towards the door. Sonny chuckled and caught her by the waist. He pulled her back.

“No, no. She didn’t do anything to Jason.” Carly didn’t look convinced. “She actually helped Jason.”

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “How do you figure?”

Sonny scratched his forehead. “I can’t really tell you. But suffice to say because she, uh, helped Jason, she’s not exactly safe by herself.”

“What do you mean–” Realization dawned in her eyes. “She is not staying here. No way. Are you insane?”

“Carly, she doesn’t have anywhere else to go,” Sonny replied.

“Sure she does. She can go back to Kelly’s. To her grandmother’s. She can go to the Spencers. There’s a ton of places she can go.” She shook her head. “She is not staying here.”

“Besides Jason’s, this is the only place where I know she’ll be safe.” He grinned. “Do you want her at Jason’s?”

“Hell, no.” She started pacing. “Why, Sonny? How did she help Jason? Give me a hint. You can’t ask me to take in someone I hate without a really good reason.”

“You don’t hate Elizabeth.”

“Don’t tell me who I do and do not hate. I hate Elizabeth. Jason left town because of her.”

“I sent him away on business.”

“And he stayed away because of her.”

Sonny shook his head in amusement. “Elizabeth overheard a conversation that provided some good information for me. She came straight here with that information.”

“If she overheard it, then they don’t know she did. So she’s not in danger.” Carly looked hopeful.

“You’re not going to like this part.”

“I don’t like any of this.”

“The people that had this conversation know Elizabeth is Jason’s girlfriend.”

“And your point?” Carly crossed her arms.

“They were very interested in that fact. Now you know that Jason cares about Elizabeth. I know you hate that, but I also know you’d do anything for Jason.”

“Yeah,” Carly said, grudgingly. He was going to play the best friend card.

“And I would do anything for Jason. Including keeping Elizabeth safe. Can you do this for him?”

She glared at him. “You don’t play fair. You can’t play the best friend card.”

“Yes I can. Do it for Jason.”

“Fine.” Carly narrowed her eyes. “But she hurts Jason just once and she’s gone.” She looked at him carefully. “Is that clear?”

“Crystal.”

Carly sat back on the couch and glared at nothing in particular. Just because she, Courtney and Elizabeth had gotten along the other night at Kelly’s and had come to an understand and an agreement to work together…that did not mean she wanted the little twit under her roof. This was Carly’s domain. Carly’s world.

And if Elizabeth Webber didn’t understand that, then Carly would just have to beat it into her.

Later

Elizabeth entered the penthouse behind Jason. She stopped when she saw Carly waiting her, unhappily. Oh boy, she thought.

“You,” Carly said, her voice dripping with disdain, “can stay in the guest room at the top of the stairs.” She pointed a finger towards the stairs.

Elizabeth stayed rooted to the spot by the door. “I know this is a difficult situation,” she began stiffly, “but I do appreciate it.”

“I’m not doing it for you little girl.” Carly glared at her.”I’m doing it for Jason. Just because he has rotten taste–”

“Carly-”

“No, Jason. I’ll handle this.” Elizabeth smiled at him briefly before looking at Carly dead-on. “I think you and me have got a few things we need to work out.”

“Oh, we got more than that,” Carly replied.

“So why don’t you show me my room and maybe we can get started.” Elizabeth grinned. “Unless of course, you can’t handle that.”

“I can handle anything you can dish out.”

“Uh, ladies-” Sonny began.

“Back off,” Carly said. She crossed her arms and raised her chin. “I’m a big girl. Unless of course, the princess here needs rescuing.” Raising her eyebrow, “Why don’t we go upstairs?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” Elizabeth picked her bag off the floor and headed towards the stairs, Carly right after her.

“That’s…that’s not good,” Jason said, his eyes on the stairs.

“Please, no bloodshed!” Sonny called up after them. “It’s expensive to get blood out of rugs.” Turning to Jason, he only grinned, “Nah. I think they’ll be fine. It’s also long overdue.”

“Has Benny turned up anything?” Jason asked.

Sonny nodded. “Yeah. He found out that Luis Alcazar arranged for his brother to work for Sorel under the name Zander Smith. Almost makes me wish that idiot wasn’t dead so we could get more details about the deal.” He grinned. “Almost.”

“So, whatever they’ve been planning has been long-term,” Jason noted. “Maybe they wanted Zander to get really involved here.”

“It’s possible. In the last two years, he has managed to make a few connections. With your sister, Carly, me, and Elizabeth. When it comes right down to it, the only people he’s been around are connected to either you or me,” Sonny remarked.

“You want me to tail him?” Jason asked.

“Yeah. That sounds like a plan.”

Elizabeth’s Room

Carly threw open the guest room door and stalked in. She turned to face Elizabeth who put her bag on the floor and closed the door. “Let me make this simple. You hurt Jason, you pay.”

“I think you need to shut up.”

“Excuse me?” Carly retorted.

“You heard me. For once in your life, listen to someone else.”

“I would if I thought you had anything constructive to say.”

“Look, you don’t get it. I care about Jason. More than you know,” Elizabeth admitted. “Sometimes so much that it scares me. And the only reason I’m telling you this is because despite our mutual dislike, I know you care about him too. You are his best friend, Carly.”

“Damn right. Which means you don’t get to hurt him.”

“I’ve made mistakes when it comes to him. I’ll be the first one to admit it. But, Carly, we all make mistakes when it comes to the people that we lo…” Elizabeth broke off and turned away. “When it comes to the people that we love,” she finished in a hushed voice. “You know that better than most people. We think we’re helping a situation and we end up making it worse.”

Carly was beginning to worry. The little twit was making far too sense for her taste.

“And then we try to fix it, but it just keeps getting worse and worse until there’s no going back.”

Carly crossed her arms. “Okay. You do have a point. I have done a few things that I regret.” She stopped and looked up. “All right. More than a few. Especially when it came to Jason and Sonny.” She bit her lip. “And I have made a couple of situations a lot worse than they would have been because I was trying to help.”

“All right.” Elizabeth picked up her bag and set it on the bed. She unzipped it and began taking clothes out of it.

“Oh, no. We’re not done yet. See, Jason, he becomes a bit tight lipped when it comes to you. So all I know is that you hurt him. I figure, you tell what you did and why and maybe I won’t hate you.”

“Why should I tell you anything?” Elizabeth asked quietly. She started putting clothes in drawers.

Carly took a deep breath. She was making a fresh start. Being honest. Being a better person. She could do this. “Because I’ve been where you are. I had a lot of guilt wrapped in me because of things I did. I didn’t have a person in the world to turn to when I betrayed Jason and slept with Sonny. I would have appreciated having somebody to talk to.”

“We’re not friends, Carly.”

“I never said we were. But I think we understand each other.” Carly took a deep breath. “And it’s obvious that you are close to the most important men in my life. It would probably be in our best interests. Besides, we are supposed to be working together. I need to be able to trust you.”

“That looked like it hurt,” Elizabeth said, amused. She sat on the bed.

“You have no idea. So?” Carly asked.

“Well, when Jason came back to town last year, I knew I was attracted to him.”

“Girl, nuns would be attracted to that man.”

Elizabeth grinned. “Well, that’s true.” She shook her head. “Anyway, but besides that, we were really close. He was the only one who could help me when Lucky died. But last year, it all changed. I was with Lucky, and I was beginning to have problems with him. But I wouldn’t let myself see them.” She started to wring her hands. “Lucky was insane with jealousy, and I realize now that I gave him a lot to be jealous about. But he asked me to stay from Jason.”

“Don’t tell me you actually listened.” Carly stared her, dumbstruck. “Letting a man order you around? That’s pretty bad.”

“Yeah. But, you have to realize something was off with Lucky. I didn’t want to see it, but it was there. When he attacked Jason both times–I didn’t want to believe it.”

“So hurting Jason comes in how?” Carly asked. “Believe me, it didn’t matter to him you didn’t believe that Lucky attacked him the first time. He was more worried about you.”

“When he attacked Jason that last time…I finally realized that something was wrong with him. Jason asked me to leave with him.”

“He what?” Carly shot off the bed. “Jason asked you to leave town? And you turned him down?”

“Yeah. I know I was crazy. He offered to take my to Italy. And believe me, if I could take it back, I would. But he knows that. But before he did, he…” Elizabeth closed her eyes. “We both admitted that we wanted more.”

“And you still turned him down?” Carly yelped. “Forget crazy, you’re insane.”

“I had an obligation. I had to help Lucky.”

“Why?” Carly demanded. “What could you do that no one else could?” She put her hands on her hips. “You’re lucky I’ve done worse or you’d be dead.”

“Lucky once helped me. He helped me through one of the worst experiences of my life. He never flinched, he never backed down and he never looked back. How could I leave knowing he needed my help?”

Carly pursed her lips. “So, you were told to stay away from Jason.”

“I was trying to. But every time I tried to get myself to tell him, I couldn’t do it. I mean, I’d tell him. He’d accept it. But then I’d run to him with another problem. You were right Carly; I didn’t have the guts to go after what I wanted.”

Carly decided to pass on the chance to gloat. She’d do that later. “So you were jerking him around.”

“Yes.” Elizabeth eyed her. “You gonna hit me?”

“No. That was only last year. You haven’t even gotten to the big stuff yet.” Carly resumed her position on the bed. “What have you done lately?”

“Something really bad. And it kept getting worse,” Elizabeth groaned. She laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. “I slept with Zander. And Jason found out.”

This was beginning to sound familiar. “Yeah, I was wondering about that. So, what happened? How’d he find out?”

“That’s the worst part. He came to my studio the next morning. There’d been a fire and he wanted to make sure I was all right. He knew I hated fire. I was hoping to get him out of there before he saw Zander. But…” Elizabeth sighed. “Zander pushed open the door and told him I was fine. And that so was he.” She shook her head. “It was like he couldn’t wait to tell him. Look, Jason. Look what I got. And for some reason, I forgave him.”

“It could have been worse.” Carly tilted her head. “He could have been shot and you could have been wearing Zander’s shirt.”

“That’s true.”

“Now that we got the how, let’s get to the why.” Carly looked at her carefully. She didn’t like the twinges of respect she was started to gain for this girl and she was hoping her explanation would crush them.

“Did you know that I was kidnapped?”

“I remember something about it.”

“I was locked in a crypt with Zander. I wasn’t worried at first. I mean, I knew Jason would find me. And he did. But Zander and I had time to connect. I thought I was getting to know him.”

“Never trust a man when his life is in danger,” Carly advised. “They tell you what you want to hear.”

“You know this how?” Elizabeth asked.

Carly shrugged. “My experience with men. No, actually when I was in Florida as a teenager, my best friend—the real Carly Roberts–was killed in an accident. I was in the car with her and so was one of our friends. He had been driving–and he was drunk. He wanted to me lie and tell everyone I was driving. I was underage and hadn’t been drinking. I’d get off easier. On the other hand, he was eighteen, he’d been drinking and it wasn’t his first offense. He would go to jail.”

“What happened?” Elizabeth asked, curiously. She sat up.

“He told me he loved me and that he always had. Wanted to tell me how much I meant to him. Crazy me, I believed it. I had a crush on him and he took advantage of the fact. I almost did get blamed. But in the end, I came clean.” She shook head, clearing it. She was bonding with Elizabeth Webber. This was getting scary. “Anyway, so you and Zander connected.”

“Well, I got locked in the stairwell one night. It raining and dark, I was having some trouble breathing. But Zander got me out. We went back to my studio and I was still having trouble getting my bearings back. Zander hugged me, and all I wanted was to be comforted. So I let him. And then he kissed me. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“So if Jason hadn’t found out, what do you think would have happened?” Carly asked. The stupid little twinges weren’t going away.

“I don’t know. I don’t really want to think about it either. It hurts too much.” Elizabeth made a swipe at her eyes.

Damn it, the twinges were growing. Come on, Webber; say something I can get mad at. “So after Jason found out, what happened?”

“I knew I didn’t want anything more with Zander, so I told him it had been a mistake. Zander didn’t take that well–you’ve seen his reaction. So I tried to make it better with Jason. Right in the middle of that, my father died, I found out I had two sisters, that Zander wanted to kill Jason and somehow somewhere in there…Jason and I got together.”

Carly frowned. “I can’t believe you’re still around him. If I did half the things you did, I would have been gone.”

Elizabeth snorted. “Carly, what I’ve done couldn’t even measure up to you. You nearly got him arrested for kidnapping, you drove Robin away, you took Michael away, you married his brother, you slept with his best friend, you married his best friend–”

“Okay, okay, okay,” Carly glared at her. “I get the point. I’m a bitch and you’re no angel.” She sighed. “So, truce?”

Elizabeth stared at her. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Carly shuddered. “That’s the scary part.”

“All right. And you accept that Jason is my friend and so is Sonny, and that’s not going to change because you want it to?”

Carly gritted her teeth. “They must see something I’m missing.”

Elizabeth stuck out her hand. “So, we don’t bite each other’s heads anymore?”

Carly shook it. “Agreed. Besides, we actually have some things in common.”

“Who knew?” Elizabeth smiled. “You’d better go reassure Sonny that we’re both alive.”

“As if he’d believe me. Don’t be too shocked if he comes to make sure.” Carly walked towards the door. She turned back. “Elizabeth, for what it’s worth, Jason deserves the best. And for some reason, he seems to think that’s you. Don’t make him regret that.”

She closed the door behind her.

— Living Room —

Sonny looked up as his wife descended the stairs. She looked a bit too calm for his liking.

“Please tell she’s still breathing.”

Carly grinned. “Don’t worry. We came to an understanding. Hell, we even called a truce.”

“A truce.”

“Yeah. Believe it or not, we had a civil conversation.” Carly sat on the couch and started flipping through some papers. “She really cares about Jason doesn’t she?”

Sonny blinked. “What?”

“Elizabeth. She cares about him.” Carly clenched her jaw. “You know what that takes for me to admit that.”

“I do know. And the next time you see Jason, I want you to let him know you and Elizabeth are getting along.”

Carly stood up and looked at him. “Why? Aren’t you going to tell him?”

“Yeah, but I know he’d appreciate it coming from you.”

“He wouldn’t believe it coming from me.” She looked around. “Well, I’m going pick up Michael.” She grabbed her purse. “See when I get back.” She kissed him and left.

Sonny looked after his wife in amusement. Every day, something surprised him about Carly. At least today’s surprise was good.

— Elizabeth’s Room —

“Yeah, so I’m at Sonny’s,” Elizabeth told Courtney. She shifted the receiver from ear to the other and sighed. “I don’t know how long I’m staying here.”

“Well, Bobbie said you can have as much time as you want,” Courtney replied. “So, how’s living with the Godfather and his evil sidekick?”

Elizabeth giggled. “Courtney, he is your brother.”

“Maybe by blood. Seriously. I know you and Carly were getting along the other night, but you don’t really think you’re going to survive living under the same roof.”

“Of course not,” Elizabeth replied. “No, we’re going to do what we set out to do–we’re going to have to change our plan a bit since there’s no way I’m going to get anywhere near him after he threatened to kill Jason.”

“That’s no problem. So, since I don’t step foot inside the lair, why don’t you and Carly come to Kelly’s tomorrow?” Courtney suggested.

“It’s not that bad here,” Elizabeth argued.

“Well, no, you are living across the hall from your boyfriend, so I can see why you wouldn’t think it was that bad. I step foot inside there and Sonny will start thinking I’m ten and he can order me around. Nope. Not going near the penthouse. It’s Kelly’s or your studio or my apartment.”

Elizabeth snorted. “Could you see Carly in my studio? She’d be complaining about the couch before she even sat down.”

“And you know if she even came near my apartment, she and AJ would be attacking each other. So, Kelly’s it is, then. Come in after the lunch rush, okay?” Courtney said

“We’ll be there,” Elizabeth replied. “See you tomorrow.”

— The Lakehouse —

Skye eyed the safe. She was wondering how difficult it would be to crack it when a knock at the door distracted her. She walked to the door and opened it only to find no one there. She was about to turn away when she noticed an envelope on the floor. Curious, she picked it up and turned it over. It had her name written in large and looping script. She opened it and removed the letter.

Do you want to get out of your contract with your grandfather? Be at the Elm St. Pier at 8 o’clock tonight. Tell no one.

— Felicia’s House —

Across town, Felicia was reading her own letter.

If you want to keep Roy DiLucca alive, be at the Elm St. Pier at 8’clock tonight. Tell no one.

— Elm St. Pier —

The pier was dark and deserted when Felicia arrived. She stood to wait. After a few moments, she heard footsteps and turned. A figure emerged out of the darkness.

“What are you doing here?” Felicia demanded. Skye tossed her head arrogantly.

“I have an appointment,” Skye replied.

“And so do I,” Felicia shot back.

“Good, I’m glad you could both make it,” a female voice said from beyond them. They both turned.

“Oh my God,” Felicia whispered as a woman she hadn’t seen in four years came into view. “You…you’re…”

“Dead?” Brenda Barrett smirked. “Sorry to disappoint you my dear, but rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

“Who are you?” Skye asked, curiously. She shot a look at Felicia. “I’ve never met you before in my life.”

“No, you haven’t,” Brenda replied, “but your fiancé knows me very well. In fact, I was his second wife.”

“Oh my God,” Skye breathed. “But you’re dead.”

“If we can move on from that,” Brenda said, “I’ve got a proposition for you both.”

Felicia traded suspicious looks with the redhead. “What kind of proposition?”

Brenda smirked. “Felicia, your boyfriend is out for respect but he’s not willing to let you in on anything he does. Skye seems to have a contract that she just can’t remove herself from. Have I got it straight?”

“Yes,” Skye said, irritated. “How did you know about that contract?”

Brenda waved her hand. “That doesn’t matter. What matters is taking matters into our own hands. You see, I have a grudge I’m taking care of.”

“A grudge against whom?” Felicia questioned.

“All the people who didn’t care enough to search for my body. The people who have hurt me,” Brenda replied, her dark eyes burning with anger. “Sonny and Jax are at the top of that list.”

“And what are we supposed to do about that?” Skye demanded.

“Just a few things to ensure my goal is reached,” Brenda replied coolly.
“I’m not going to help you destroy Jax,” Skye declared. “He’s my fiancé, and I love him.”

“That’s very sweet, but I don’t care. Just because you now believe he loves you doesn’t change that little old contract,” Brenda said. She crossed her arms. “And I’m not really interested in destroying Jax as much as Sonny. I just want Jax to suffer. ”

“And if I help you,” Skye said hesitatingly, “you’ll see that my contract disappears?”

“Jax won’t even have to know if ever existed,” Brenda promised. “What about you, Felicia?”

“I don’t know,” Felicia bit her lip. “What would we have to do?”

“Just help me play little mind games with them. Little notes, messages.” Brenda smiled coolly. “Nothing that will be traced back to either of you.”

“And that’s it?” Felicia asked.

“That’s it. I’d go to Roy, but he might tell Luis. And I want Luis to go about his business. He’s still of some use. So, do we have a deal?” Brenda asked.

Felicia took a deep breath. “All right. I’ll help you.”

“Skye?” Brenda pressed.

“I help. But Jax can’t ever know,” Skye said, desperately.

“You have my word.”

— Kelly’s —

“I hate this place,” Carly grumbled, sliding into a seat at a courtyard table. “It’s so ordinary.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “You’re such a whiner.”

“Where is Courtney?” Carly demanded. “How much longer is it going to be?”

“Well, if Sonny and Jason would let me work, then Courtney wouldn’t be handling the rush all by herself,” Elizabeth reminded her sweetly.

“Let you?” Carly snorted. “I didn’t realize that Jason ordered you around. I thought you hated that.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Carly, you’re being ridiculous and I was being sarcastic. Sonny suggested that I take a few days off and I agreed. Then Jason asked me to take a leave of absence until they know what’s going on a little more. He calmly and rationally explained that he just wanted me to safe. He doesn’t order me around, he’s not like that.” She paused for effect. “I mean, he’s not Sonny after all.”

Carly narrowed her eyes. “You trying to tell me I’ve got a controlling husband?”

“I don’t need to tell you,” Elizabeth replied. She shrugged. “After being with him for so long, you probably already know it.”

Carly frowned. “Yeah, well, I need the discipline. Left to my own devices…” she smirked. “Who knows what kind of trouble I’d get into?”

“I think we’re about to find out,” Elizabeth murmured.

Carly grinned. “I love scheming. It’s my favorite hobby.” She sat back in her chair, keeping her eye on Marco and Francis in the distance. “First, I think we’re going to have to come up with a cover story.”

“Cover story?” Elizabeth asked. “Why?”

“Because Sonny and Jason are going to want to know why we’re meeting Courtney,” Carly told her.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Why not just tell them we met her for lunch?” she asked pointedly. “No reason to lie if we can avoid it.”

“They’re not going to believe us.”

“Correction, Jason will believe me because he knows I wouldn’t lie to him,” Elizabeth replied. “And Jason will convince Sonny.”

Carly eyed her. “You think you’ve got Jason pegged, don’t you?”

“I know Jason very well,” Elizabeth replied. “I’m in his life, Carly. Deal with that.”

“I’m working on it, but I’m afraid I don’t see the attraction,” Carly snarled.

“Good,” Elizabeth replied simply. “I don’t swing that way.”

Carly stared at her a moment and started to laugh. “You know what? If I didn’t hate you, I might have to like you.”

“Can’t have that,” Elizabeth replied, grinning.

“I hate this job,” Courtney muttered, coming to a stop in front of the table. “You know, we miss you in here,” she remarked sweetly.

Elizabeth grinned. “After all these years, it’s nice to know I’m appreciated.”

“Very funny,” Courtney remarked dryly. “You sure you don’t want to pitch in?”

“Sorry. I’ve got my vacation and I’m going to enjoy it.”

“Yeah, well, when you come back, I am so going to make you pay for this,” Courtney threatened good-naturedly. “Anyway, I wanted to get your orders before I go on my break.”

“The usual for me,” Elizabeth remarked.

“Same for me,” Carly replied. She shifted. “And make it quick. It’s too hot out here.”

“Coming right up, your highness,” Courtney said sweetly as she headed back into the diner.

“That girl needs to learn some manners,” Carly remarked.

“Lay off,” Elizabeth advised. “I happen to like Courtney just the way she is. Besides, truce, remember?”

“I agreed to a truce with you,” Carly reminded her. “Not the Quartermaine wife.”

“You know, I know this is hard for you to believe, but AJ and Courtney really love each other,” Elizabeth told her. “He’s changed. He’s cleaned up his act.”

Carly snorted. “Impossible.”

“Why? Because no one changes?” Elizabeth demanded. “You and Sonny used to hate each other. That changed.”

“That was different. Circumstances changed that. Sonny tried to warn Courtney about AJ and she wouldn’t listen.”

“Maybe because Sonny’s opinion isn’t the end of the subject,” Elizabeth replied. “Maybe AJ is more than just who he used to be. Maybe he is the recovering alcoholic disinherited Quartermaine who now operates a forklift on the docks, lives in a tiny apartment and is married to a waitress. Why is that so difficult for you to accept that he makes Courtney happy?”

Carly stared at Elizabeth for a second. “What, are you going for sainthood or something?”

“Here are your orders,” Courtney interrupted. She set their drinks and plates down in front of them and pulled a chair up to the table. “Let’s get cracking. I’ve only got fifteen minutes for break.”

“Okay, my original idea was to tail Zander,” Carly said, “but I think that Jason is probably on that now.”

“How can you tell?” Courtney asked.

“Because I saw Zander on the docks on our way over here and Jason was around the corner,” Carly smirked. “It’s been a while since Jason tailed anyone-it’s not in his usual job description. He’s a little off. Not enough for Zander to find him though.”

“I personally wish Sonny would have put someone else on Zander,” Elizabeth said. “I mean, Zander’s trying to find Jason to kill him. How’s it look with Jason following him?”

“So, anyway, we need to find another angle,” Carly decided. “Elizabeth mentioned that the brother was in town now. Can we use that?”

“We can if we knew why,” Courtney said. She looked at Elizabeth. “Did Sonny say anything we can use?”

“He mentioned that they were always friendly with Ramon Alcazar, that he didn’t understand why that’s changed,” Elizabeth replied. “So, I don’t think this is about business.”

“Not if Zander’s been here for two years,” Courtney said. “And let’s look at that. Who did he get himself involved with?”

“Sorel, Sonny’s enemy,” Elizabeth answered. “And then he switched sides.”

“He dated Emily, befriended me and you,” Carly pointed out. “Everyone he’s come into any kind of close contact with is directly linked to Sonny or Jason.”

“Whatever has been going on, they’ve been planning it for some time,” Courtney pointed out. “What kind of plan requires that type of strategizing?”

Carly frowned as she sipped her drink. “You know, I must have planned out my revenge plan for my biological mother my entire life. Every single detail was mapped out. I’d integrate myself into her life, take what I wanted and rip it into shreds. I put a lot of work into it. Revenge. Carefully planned revenge.”

Elizabeth snorted. “Great. Now we just have to figure out which one of Sonny’s numerous enemies wanted revenge this time.”

“This isn’t the typical mob-related revenge,” Carly said decisively. “Way too much planning, too much consideration. This is personal revenge.”

“But who?” Courtney asked. “Who has a reason to hate Sonny and Jason if it’s not for business?” She hesitated before adding, “Besides AJ.”

“I think we’ll just have to keep our ears open,” Elizabeth said. “I’m sure we’ll figure out something.”

“If that’s it for today,” Courtney murmured, checking her watch. “I’ve got to get back to work. Call me later, k?” she asked Elizabeth. “I get off around eight.”

“I’ll do that.” Courtney stood and disappeared into the doors.

Carly was about to suggest that they leave themselves when they saw Skye Chandler-Quartermaine and Felicia Scorpio-Jones enter the courtyard. She frowned. “Now, when did the two of them become friends?”

“They look worried,” Elizabeth murmured as the blonde and redhead took a seat at the table across from them.

Carly shifted positions in order to hear parts of the conversation. “They can’t believe this is happening to them,” she murmured. “Something about a contract and Roy DiLucca. Delivering a letter…” her eyes lit up. “Something about Sonny and Jax.”

“We’d better go,” Elizabeth said. “We don’t want to get caught.”

Carly nodded and tossed a twenty on the table. “We’ll talk about this back at the penthouse.”

— Penthouse —

“So you think Skye and Felicia are in on this whole thing?” Elizabeth asked, flopping down on the couch and pulling out her sketch pad. She flipped open a box of pencils and selected a color.

“I think what happened today was very suspicious,” Carly replied, sitting next to her. “I think we also have an angle to work.”

“What do you mean?” Elizabeth asked.

“I think we should follow Felicia,” Carly said decisively.

“Why Felicia and not Skye?” Elizabeth asked. “Wouldn’t it make sense to follow them both?”

“I don’t like Skye,” Carly remarked stubbornly.

“And you like Felicia?” Elizabeth asked doubtfully.

“No. But I really don’t like Skye.”

Elizabeth shrugged. “All right. But we’re gonna have to ditch the guards.”

Carly grinned. “Leave it to me.”

— Harborview Towers: Lobby —

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Felicia muttered, glancing around as she stopped in front of the mail boxes. She found Penthouse 4 and looked around one more time to ensure no one was looking. She slipped the letter out of her purse and into the box. “When this is over, I am so moving to Texas. I am done with the mob and all this crap,” she mumbled as she left the building.

— Penthouse: Later —

Sonny frowned at the envelope in his hands. No return address, only his name scrawled across the front.

He slit it open and pulled out the paper inside.

Once upon a time there was a beautiful model that was on top of the world. She had everything–money, beauty and love. Until the man she was in love with ran away. It destroyed her and she’s never been the same.

What’s done is done and there’s more to come. Keep those you love close and your enemies closer. There’s no one left trust. If I were you, I’d watch out. Because the past is back and she’s a bitch.

— Corinthos Penthouse: Elizabeth’s Bedroom —

“I’m worried,” Carly declared, barging into her room after dinner that night. Elizabeth set her sketchpad aside and frowned.

“Well, it was your idea. We can always call it off.”

Carly shook her head. “No, not the Felicia thing. I’m worried about Sonny.”

“What about him?”

“He was distracted at dinner tonight,” Carly told her. “And so was Jason. You could tell. Something happened.”

Elizabeth chewed her lip for a second. “Yeah, they were, weren’t they? I wonder what’s up.”

“They wouldn’t tell us, that’s for sure.” Carly sighed and sank onto the bed. “Something doesn’t feel right about this whole thing.”

“I wish Sonny would assign someone else to tail Zander,” Elizabeth mused. “I really don’t like the idea of Zander’s assigned target tailing him.”

“You know, I don’t know why Jason was given this. After all, he’s not some guard, you know?” Carly said. “He’s like…”

“The second-in-command,” Elizabeth finished quietly. “Things are so different this time around. The last couple of times he was in town, he wasn’t so focused on business, you know? Even when the stuff with Sorel was out of control, we always found time to take a ride or talk and it’s not like that now.”

“Are you regretting being with him?”

“Never,” Elizabeth said firmly. “It’s just…I get to know a new part of him every time he’s home, that’s all. It’s not a bad thing…it just takes time to adjust.”

Carly shifted. “This all feels really surreal,” she said. “A month ago, we were barely on speaking terms. Now, we’re half-sisters, scheming to help the men in our lives.” She glared at Elizabeth. “None of this means I like you.”

“Of course not,” Elizabeth smirked. “If the two of us teamed up permanently, why, the whole world would shift on its axis.”

“Right. This is temporary,” Carly told her. “You’ll move back into your studio and you’ll be far away from me.”

“Jason’s looking for Marisa,” Elizabeth reported. “Did I tell you that?”

“Marisa….” Carly said slowly. “That would be the sister we share with Zander and all, right?”

“Yeah. Our other half-sister. I didn’t want to ask Jason originally, but he offered and let’s face it, I never would have found her on my own.”

“I don’t know how I feel about all this,” Carly told her. “I mean, for my entire life, I just had my mother, Virginia. And suddenly, I’ve got these two sisters I knew nothing about. It’s like finding out I was adopted all over again.”

“I think it’s pretty amazing,” Elizabeth reported. “But I’m the only Webber who thinks though. I talked to Sarah and Steven and neither of them are happy about it. Sarah remembers you and she thinks being related to you would be bad for her career. Steven doesn’t really…he and I don’t talk much, so it’s like he’s not even part of the family anymore. Or maybe it’s me who’s not part of the family…” Elizabeth sighed.

The already ajar door slid open a little more and Jason stepped in. “Hey,” he said, frowning when he saw the two women sitting civilly on the bed. “Everything okay?”

Carly smirked. “You know the best thing about this truce of ours?” she asked Elizabeth.

“What’s that?”

“The fact that it confuses the hell out of the two of them.” Carly stood and sighed. “Tomorrow? The park? Sketching with Michael?”

“Yep.”

Jason watched Carly suspiciously as she left and then looked at Elizabeth. “The two of you are getting along?”

“Don’t sound so surprised,” Elizabeth remarked, amused. “Carly is my sister after all. Even I got along with Sarah every once in a while.”

He frowned and studied her. “Are you okay here?” he asked.

Elizabeth shrugged. “Sure. It’s a nice change, sleeping on a bed. Why?”

“I just don’t like that you had to make this huge change because of me,” Jason replied. He sat next to her on the bed. “I mean, I understand if–”

“Jason, stop,” Elizabeth told him firmly. “I eavesdropped, no one forced me too.” She shrugged. “Honestly, it’s not that bad. I get to eat Sonny’s cooking on a regular basis, I’m getting to know a side of Carly I didn’t know existed.”

“I’m gonna be kind of busy for the next few days,” Jason told her. “This thing with Alcazar…I’m not ignoring you or anything and I’ll try to stop by and–”

“It’s okay. I understand. Besides, Carly and I are working this series of sketches of her and Michael for Bobbie’s birthday in September.” She smirked. “Come to think of it, I probably won’t have time for you,” she teased.

Jason chuckled and kissed her briefly. “I should go,” he told her pulling back a little.

Elizabeth grinned and hooked her arm around his neck. “You sure you can’t stay?” she murmured, kissing him again. She frowned when his lips remained motionless and decided that two could play that game. She nibbled and use her tongue until he finally kissed her back hard. His mouth devoured hers greedily and he started to lean her back on the bed.

But abruptly, he stopped and stood. He smirked. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She threw a pillow at his retreating back, seething. “Tease,” she muttered.

— Club 101 —

“Okay, she’s parting with Roy,” Carly murmured, putting her binoculars down. Elizabeth peered at her from the driver’s seat of her grandmother’s car which she’d borrowed for the day.

Ditching Carly’s guard had been almost too easy. After their morning session of sketching, Carly had dropped Michael off with Leticia and they’d gone to Elizabeth’s art studio. Elizabeth had insisted that Will stay near the stairwell while she and Carly used the opportunity to sneak out the back stair well.

Luckily, Elizabeth had managed to talk both Sonny and Jason out of assigning her a guard so once they’d ditched Will and snagged Audrey’s car, they were good to go.

“Carly, you don’t need binoculars,” Elizabeth sighed. “She’s ten feet away.”

“Whatever,” Carly replied, slipping a pair of sunglasses on. “She’s going somewhere. Let’s go.”

Elizabeth slid the car into gear and pulled onto the road behind Felicia’s car. She frowned when Felicia drove into the parking garage of Harborview Towers. “What’s she doing here?”

“I don’t know.” Carly chewed her lip. “Okay, if she sees me, she might freak. She doesn’t know you’re really involved. You go follow her.”

“Okay.” Elizabeth turned off the car. “Wait here. We’ll need to get back to the studio soon.”

Elizabeth followed Felicia from the garage into the lobby of the building, keeping a good distance. Felicia was carrying a parcel and muttering to herself, nothing that Elizabeth could hear.

Felicia went to the mailboxes, opened one and slipped the box in. When she turned to look at her surroundings suspiciously, Elizabeth ducked behind a large planter. Felicia exited the building through the garage and Elizabeth hurried over to check the mailbox.

“Oh, yeah, Felicia’s involved,” Elizabeth murmured. Penthouse Four, Sonny’s place. She sighed and headed back to Carly.

— Elizabeth’s Studio —

“Okay, so Felicia put a box in Sonny’s mailbox,” Carly said. “Well obviously, we have to get back to the penthouse and get the mail.”

“Obviously,” Elizabeth replied. She unlocked her studio door. “She seemed really nervous,” she continued, opening the door. “It’s not–” She broke off abruptly and frowned. “Jason. What are you doing here?”

“I came to see if you wanted to go for a ride,” Jason remarked. He crossed his arms and studied the two women. “Will said you’d both been in here for a few hours. But obviously you ditched him.”

“Ditched,” Carly snorted. “He makes it sound like high school, doesn’t he?”

“We didn’t ditch anyone,” Elizabeth said, irritated. “I told you I didn’t want a guard and I don’t want Will reporting to you when I’m with Carly.”

“That’s not–”

“And further more, what if I did encourage Carly to ditch her baby-sitter and go somewhere?” Elizabeth pressed. “We’re fine. Nothing happened.”

“He’s not a baby-sitter,” Jason managed to get in finally. “He’s her guard. He’s supposed to take her places and look out for her.”

“Seems to me that Carly’s been looking out for herself for most of her life. Why does she need a guard now?”

“Okay, I know what you’re doing and it’s not working,” Jason remarked. “Where did you go?”

“You’re my boyfriend, not my father,” Elizabeth said sweetly. He narrowed his eyes.

“Elizabeth–”

“Careful, Jase,” Carly warned. “I think she’s said all she’s gonna say on the subject.”

“Carly, stay out of this,” Jason told her. “In fact, go meet Will and tell him to take you back to the penthouse.”

“Oh, I know I didn’t just hear you order me around,” Carly replied. “You know, you’re starting to adopt some of Sonny’s less than attractive qualities.”

“Carly, please?” Elizabeth asked. “I’ll meet you at home and we can talk about the sketches.”

“Fine.” Carly leveled one last glare at her friend before leaving. When she was gone, Elizabeth glared at Jason.

“I wasn’t aware one of the rules of this relationship was that I have tell you exactly where I am and where I’ll be,” Elizabeth said coolly. “But if that’s the way you want–”

“Elizabeth, stop trying to turn this around,” Jason snapped impatiently. “You and Carly are up to something–”

“I love the little bit of condescension you stuck in here,” Elizabeth cut in. “You and Sonny do your job, but Carly and I are up to something, like we’re good little mob molls with no real minds of our own.”

“You know that’s not what I think–”

“No?” Elizabeth replied, raising her eyebrows. “You didn’t come in here and immediately start grilling me and Carly on our whereabouts? You didn’t immediately insinuate that we’re up to something? You didn’t demand to know where we were?”

He exhaled slowly. “I don’t want to fight with you, Elizabeth. I just want to know what’s going on.”

Elizabeth hesitated. “It’s nothing. We just went down to the docks. Believe it or not, Carly feels kind of suffocated constantly having a guard breathing down her neck. She knows he’s there to protect her, but sometimes a person just wants some time to themselves.”

“I understand that, but I don’t think that’s all you were doing,” Jason remarked.

“Oh, so now I’m lying?” Elizabeth retorted, feeling the smallest smidgen of guilt now–well, because she was actually lying. “Okay, fine. Carly and I went and tracked down Luis Alcazar. She searched the place while he and I had a quickie. Is that better?” She pushed past him and stared out the window.

“That’s not funny. This is serious–”

“You think I don’t know that?” Elizabeth demanded, whirling around. “Do you honestly still think that I see this as a game?”

“Well, when you joke about it like that, what am I supposed to think?”

“Jason, I was kidnapped. I was locked in a dark crypt with dead bodies for days!” Elizabeth cried. “I think I got the picture then that your job and your lifestyle is anything but a game.”

“You’re not treating it that way. You and Carly ditched the guard–”

“Her guard, not mine,” Elizabeth stuck in. “I won’t let the fear of what could happen destroy my life. I did that once–I let the fear eat away at me until I could barely breathe. After the rape, I was scared to walk down a brightly lit sidewalk at night. It hurt to be inside my own skin. When I was finally able to get past that, I promised myself that I would never do it again–that no matter what I had to sacrifice, I wasn’t going to live my life, looking over my shoulder.”

“Asking you to have a guard is not the same thing as living in fear,” Jason said patiently.

“It is to me.” She crossed her arms. “I don’t want to fight with you, Jason. But the longer you try to control me, the more and more I’m gonna pull away. It took me a long time see that I wasn’t happy with Lucky–that I wanted to live my life for me. I’m not going to get trapped into another relationship where I have to do what my boyfriend wants. I can’t live like that.”

He nodded. “Yeah. Okay, that’s fair.” Jason shook his head. “I need to go. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Wait, we’re not done talking,” Elizabeth said, stepping forward.

“I’ve said what I need to say. This isn’t a game, Elizabeth. Ditching Carly’s guard, disappearing for hours on end, lying to me. You can’t be with someone who controls you…and I can’t be with someone who doesn’t get my life.” He pulled the open the door he’d had installed and shut it behind him.

She blinked and wrapped her arms around her trembling body.

— Corinthos Penthouse —

Carly entered the penthouse, the mail in her hands. She closed the door, and set it all on the desk. The package Felicia had put in the box wasn’t very large and was actually addressed to Carly.

She frowned and slit the tape on the box. She opened it and pulled the flaps back. The second a part of the package material moved, the red clock began to count down and the box began to tick.

Carly shrieked and moved back immediately. “Will!” she shrieked. “Will!”

— Kelly’s —

Courtney came out of the kitchen and smiled when she saw Elizabeth sitting at the counter. “Hey, you,” she greeted, warmly. “How’s it going at the penthouse?”

Elizabeth cleared her throat and kept her eyes on the counter. “I just stopped by to tell you that the thing with Felicia…panned out. She sent a package to Sonny. So, she’s involved.”

Courtney nodded. “Okay. So what was in it?”

“I don’t know. I stopped in on my way back to the penthouse. I gotta go.” Elizabeth slipped off the stool, but Courtney reached and grasped her arm.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked. “You look upset.”

“It’s nothing,” Elizabeth said. “I just…Jason and I had a fight and it’s just upsetting, that’s all.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Courtney apologized. “Look, I’ll stop by after my shift and we’ll talk, okay?”

Elizabeth cracked a small smile. “You’ll step inside the lair? What if Sonny tries to take over your life?”

Courtney shrugged. “I’ll just bash him over the head with one of those god awful vases Carly’s decorated the place with.”

“I’ll see you tonight,” Elizabeth said. She waved as she headed out of the diner.

— Harborview Towers: Hallway —

Elizabeth stepped off the elevator and her eyes widened as she took in the guards swarming the hallway. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“Ms. Webber,” Marco said, pulling her aside. “We need you to go Jason’s penthouse. You can’t go into Mr. Corinthos’s.”

“What?” Elizabeth looked towards penthouse four. “What happened? Where’s Carly?”

“She’s in there already. Ms. Webber, please. We’ve got make sure everyone’s safe. Mrs. Corinthos will explain.”

Elizabeth didn’t reply, she just pushed past the rest of the guards and entered the other penthouse. Carly was sitting stiffly on the couch while Jason was near the stairwell on his phone. She paused and their eyes met before she broke contact and hurried to Carly.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Elizabeth demanded. “Are you okay?”

Carly nodded. “I’m fine,” she said faintly. “There was a package addressed to me and when I opened it, the clock on it began to count down and it started to tick.”

“It was a bomb?” Elizabeth asked, her voice rising with fear. “Did it go off? Where’s Michael and Leticia?”

“I called for Will and he made me come over here. Michael and Leticia are at my mother’s,” Carly explained. Elizabeth sat next to her and did her best to concentrate on Carly rather than Jason.

Jason hung up his phone. “Okay, it wasn’t a bomb. It was just a mock-up of one. Sonny’s on his way home now.”

Carly let out a whoosh of breath, relieved. She closed her eyes. “Thank God.”

“He wants to send you to the island,” Jason told her. “You, Michael, Leticia and Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth bit her lip, knowing a refusal now wouldn’t go over well at all. She and Jason were already on rocky ground–they didn’t need the extra trouble.

Carly shook her head. “No. I’m not going. I will send Michael and Leticia but I’m not going anywhere.”

“Carly, Sonny would be able to work better if he knew you were safe. He’s not doing this to control you; he’s doing this because he’s worried.” Jason met Elizabeth’s eyes and looked away after a moment. “Will you…will you at least think about it?”

“Yeah, I’ll think about it,” Carly agreed. “Can we go back in there?”

“Yeah,” Jason told her. “Sonny will be home in a little while. You can argue with him then.”

Carly sighed. “Yeah, fine. Come on, Elizabeth.” Elizabeth followed her until she was out of the room but she turned around to face Jason.

“Can we talk?” she asked softly.

He shook his head. “I’ve got some things to do. Later, okay?”

“Yeah…later,” Elizabeth said. She sighed and left the penthouse. “Story of my life,” she muttered.

— Corinthos Penthouse —

Carly was pacing when Elizabeth entered. “I can’t believe some lunatic sent me a fake bomb!” she fumed. “Addressed to me, not Sonny. What the hell?”

Elizabeth sighed and crossed her arms. “Carly…I think we should tell Jason and Sonny that Felicia delivered the package.”

Carly halted. “What? No! We don’t know she’s working for!”

“Carly…” Elizabeth shook her head. “We’re not going to be able to find out. They want us to go to the island.”

“Bah,” Carly said, waving her hand in dismissal. “Sonny always wants to send me to the island. This is no different. We can’t give in.”

Elizabeth sat on the loveseat and curled her legs underneath her body. “I don’t like lying to Jason,” she told Carly. “It’s not fair to him. We’re just starting our relationship and…I don’t want to start it off with so many lies.”

“It’s a lie to protect them,” Carly insisted. She sat on the couch. “We’re doing this for them.”

“If I keep lying…I’ll lose him,” Elizabeth told her. “And I just got him back in my life. I couldn’t handle that.”

Carly frowned. “What happened after I left the studio?”

Elizabeth sighed heavily. “We got into a huge fight. I accused him of trying to control me and he told me I was treating this all like a game. He left saying he couldn’t be with someone who didn’t get his life.”

“Wait, so did…did you like break up?”

“I don’t know really,” Elizabeth replied. “I tried to talk to him just now but he just brushed me off, saying we’d talk later.”

“I’m sorry, Elizabeth. I guess…well, I’ve been scheming and plotting behind Sonny’s back for so long, he just tends to expect it from me now. But I didn’t really get that you and Jason are that honest with each other.”

“He knows when I’m lying,” Elizabeth offered weakly. “I’ve never been able to keep anything from him.”

“Okay, let’s make a deal. Let’s investigate just a little more. If after a week, you still feel this way, then we’ll tell them everything, okay?” Carly asked.

“Okay,” Elizabeth agreed.

Sonny pushed open the door. “Carly?” he called.

Carly stood up and crossed the room to hug him tightly. “I’m okay,” she promised him. “It was fake.”

“You’re going to the island,” Sonny told her forcefully. “You, Michael, Leticia and you, too Elizabeth. I don’t want any arguments.”

Carly smirked. “You obviously don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

Elizabeth stood. “Sonny, I know that you just want us to be safe, but I don’t want to go to the island. I want to be here.”

“Elizabeth, you’re already out there without a guard,” Sonny protested.

“If it means that much to you and Jason, you can give me a guard,” Elizabeth replied. “I just…I don’t want to leave town. There’s too much going on.”

Carly bit her lip and leaned closer to Sonny, lowering her voice so only he could hear. “She and Jason had a really bad fight today. She doesn’t to leave it unresolved.”

“Okay.” Sonny sighed. “All right. Michael and Leticia are going, and the two of you will stay.” He pulled away from Carly. “You’ll have Will and Elizabeth, if it’s okay, I want to assign Travis. When the two of you are together, you’ll only have Will. When you’re separated, Travis will take you anywhere you want to go.”

“Will I be able to go back to work?” Elizabeth asked.

“Sure, as long as Travis is with you.” Sonny kissed Carly on the cheek. “What do you say we head over to the Brownstone to pick up Michael and talk to him about the island?”

“Sure. Will you be okay?” Carly asked Elizabeth.

“Yeah. Courtney’s coming over in a little while anyway,” Elizabeth replied.

“Okay. We’re going to head out then,” Sonny told her. “If Jason stops by, let me know, okay?”

“Yeah, sure.”

— Hallway —

Courtney stepped off the elevator and ran smack into Jason. “Oh, sorry,” she said, stepping aside. “Is Elizabeth here?”

“As far as I know,” Jason remarked, stepping onto the elevator. He hit the lobby button, but Courtney pressed her hand against the doors to stop them from closing.

“She was real upset when she came by Kelly’s earlier,” Courtney told him. “I hope you know how much she cares about you.”

“I don’t have time for this,” Jason said, impatiently.

“Yeah, well if she means anything to you, you should make time,” Courtney snapped, stepping back. “You’re no better than my brother.”

He frowned but before he could reply, the doors slid shut.

Courtney sighed and headed for the penthouse. The guard in front held a hand up. “I wasn’t told to expect anyone.”

“I have got to get my girl out of here,” she sighed. “Courtney Quartermaine? Sonny’s sister?”

“Oh. Sorry, Mrs. Quartermaine. I didn’t realize that was you.” The guard slid the door open. “Ms. Webber? Mrs. Quartermaine is here.”

“Thanks, Travis,” Elizabeth replied.

Courtney shook her head as she entered the room. When the door was shut, she said, “This is ridiculous. It’s like you’re a prisoner.”

Elizabeth sighed. “No. Security was just tightened a little while ago. Carly got a fake bomb in the mail and everyone’s a little jumpy.”

Courtney shrugged and sat on the couch. “So, have you talked to Jason?”

“I tried. But he just said we’d talk later.” She picked a piece of lint on her jeans. “We fought because he was waiting at the studio when Carly and I got back. He wanted to know where we’d been. He was…I don’t know how to describe it, Courtney. He was so demanding, and even a little condescending. He said that we were up to something–making it sound like we were children. I know that it’s partly my fault, I mean…I am lying to him, but it just feels like he’s trying to control me.”

“Did you tell him that?” Courtney asked.

“I tried to, but he doesn’t see it that. I know he’s just trying to keep me safe, but it just feels so…constricting. I’ve been in a relationship where my boyfriend had to know where I was at all times and I was miserable. Lucky controlled everything about me–from who I hung out with to where I spent my time. I know Jason’s not like that, but it just…I never want to feel like I’m not in charge of my own life.”

“I feel bad for you,” Courtney said. “I mean, you’ve made this huge sacrifice for him–you left your own place to stay here because he and Sonny wanted you safe. You took time off from work. You made all the sacrifices and it’s not unusual for you to want some kind of freedom.”

“I love him,” Elizabeth admitted softly. “I want this to work between us. But not at the price of my self-respect.”

— Felicia’s House —

“Mom,” Maxie whined. “Why do we have to go to Texas so early?”

“Because I said so,” Felicia snapped. “Finish packing and make sure your sister’s almost ready. We’re leaving for the airport in an hour.”

Mac Scorpio shook his head as he watched Maxie climb the stairs. “Why are you sending the girls to Texas a week early?”

“Because I want to send them there,” Felicia replied, irritated. She sighed and pushed her blonde hair off her forehead. “Mac, don’t argue with me. Why is everyone arguing with me today?”

“You’re acting a little odd lately,” Mac said, narrowing his eyes. “What’s with you?”

“Nothing’s with me,” Felicia sighed. “I’m just…tired. And run down. Having the girls out of the house for a while will be good for me.”

“Is this about Roy? Are the two of you getting into trouble?”

“Mac, I know this is hard for you to understand–but I’m not five,” Felicia remarked. “I’m perfectly capable of handling my own life and my own family. My grandmother is looking forward to having the girls down there early and you have a police department to run, so why don’t we leave it that?”

The ring of the phone interrupted any further arguments from her ex-husband and Felicia hurried to answer it. “Hello?”

“Hello, darling,” Brenda greeted cheerfully. “How did it go today?”

Felicia sighed. “It went fine. Did you need something?”

“Nope. I’m just checking in. I’ll call when I need you again. Toodles.”

Felicia glared at the receiver, the dial tone echoing in the room. She replaced it in a hurry when she noticed Mac’s strange look. “Just an irritating client,” she told him. “Very bitchy. Never satisfied.”

“Right,” Mac nodded, unconvinced. “I’m going to head back to the station.” He crossed to the stairs. “Girls, I’m leaving. I’ll give you a call when you get down there.”

“Bye!” Maxie called.

“See you later!” Georgie yelled.

“Good bye. I’ll talk to you later,” Mac told Felicia.

“Why do I get this feeling that a lecture is coming?” Felicia complained.

— Lakehouse: The Next Day —

Skye slipped her letter in with the stack of incoming mail and sighed as she crossed the living room to set the entire pile on the table next to the mini bar. She could do this. She could deliver a few cryptic letters if it meant that Jax would never find out about that stupid contract.

“Good morning,” Jax greeted as he strode out of the bedroom. He kissed her soundly and reached for the mail. “You’re up early.”

Skye smiled. “There’s a shipment coming in at Club 101. I’ve got to get there early to take care of it,” she replied. She kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll see you later?”

“I’ll come by for some late lunch,” Jax assured her as he flipped through the mail and stopped at a small envelope with his name written in large, loopy script. It had no postage and no return address. Frowning, he slit it open and unfolded the letter.

Once upon a time, a man rescued a beautiful woman who had lost her true love. He married her and took care of her. She left him after a while for her true love, and nearly married the man. She was abandoned by him and nearly lost her mind. The man rescued her again, but the beautiful woman died a year later and he barely searched for her. If he had only looked a little harder…

What’s done is done and there’s more to come. Keep your loved ones close and your enemies closer. There’s no one left trust. If I were you, I’d watch out. Because the past is back and she’s a bitch.

Jax stared at the letter, frozen. That was Brenda’s handwriting. He’d know it anywhere. He stood up, letting the rest of his mail fall from his lap. So Brenda was angry with him.. He hadn’t looked for her long enough. Or hard enough. Didn’t she realize he’d searched to the ends of the Earth for her?

“Darling, is there something wrong?” Skye asked. She watched him nervously. She hoped he never found out she was involved. She’d made so many mistakes…and this seemed to be one with the least amount of risks. Brenda just wanted to hurt Jax, right?

“Nothing,” Jax said, softly. Clearing his throat, he looked up at her. “Just a bit of surprising news. I have some calls to make.” Still clutching the letter, he left the room leaving the mail strewn on the floor.

Skye sighed and left the lakehouse.

— Docks —

“Ms. Webber, we shouldn’t be out in the open,” Travis told her. Elizabeth sighed and slipped her hand into her pockets.

“Just a little longer?” she asked. “Carly and Sonny aren’t due back from the airport for another hour and I don’t want to go back to an empty penthouse.”

“All right,” Travis replied. Elizabeth sat on the bench and peered out at the river.

“How long have you worked for Sonny?” she asked him.

Travis shrugged. “About a year. This is the first guarding assignment I’ve had.”

“Well, this is the first time I’ve really been guarded,” Elizabeth told him. “Well, except for a few weeks a few years ago when Francis guarded me. Do you know him?”

“Yeah. He trained me actually.” Travis straightened and the friendly look disappeared from his face. Elizabeth frowned but sighed when she heard Jason’s tell tale boots on the stairs behind her.

“Travis, I’ve got her,” Jason told him. “I’ll take her home when we’re done.”

“Okay, Mr. Morgan,” Travis remarked. He walked away without another word.

“I know I’m not supposed to be out in the open,” Elizabeth sighed, “but I just didn’t feel like going back to the penthouse until Carly and Sonny were back.”

“That’s not what I was going to say,” Jason replied. “I wanted to talk to you.”

She bit inside of her cheek and looked at the wooden planks. “Jason, I know you just want to protect me.”

He stepped towards her. “Elizabeth you mean so much to me–I don’t want something to happen to you because of me.”

“I know that, and I understand that. But you’ve got to understand that I am not always going to agree with how you want to keep me safe. I don’t mind having a guard when security is heightened right now, but when things are okay–and I know you guys have periods when things aren’t like this, right?”

“Yeah,” Jason admitted. “We do. Not often and they don’t last long.”

“When that happens, I don’t want a guard, okay?” Elizabeth asked. “I don’t want to have to depend on someone to take me places. I’m independent–I’ve always been independent and I don’t want to lose that.”

“I know.” He exhaled slowly. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

Tears built in her eyes and she shook her head. “Don’t say that, Jason.”

“Elizabeth–”

“I always knew a woman would bring you down eventually, Morgan.”

At the sound of Zander’s voice, Jason spun around and glared at the intrusion, cursing himself for not hearing the other man’s approach.

Elizabeth glared at her former friend. “Go away,” she snarled.

“Shut up,” Zander snapped. “You had your chance. I warned you to stay away from him, but you wouldn’t listen. It’s your own fault now.”

“Zander, what about Emily?” Elizabeth demanded. “Do you think she’d want you to do this?”

Zander hesitated only a moment. “Emily’s not here now,” he replied stiffly. He reached behind him to withdraw a gun. “And I’m going to take care of my mistake.”

“Elizabeth,” Jason said carefully, “Go. Go to the penthouse.”

“What?” she demanded. “No!”

“She moves, I shoot,” Zander threatened.

“Elizabeth, just go,” Jason ordered. Elizabeth hesitated. “Go now!”

She took a step and Zander cocked the hammer back to pull the trigger. Elizabeth froze, her wide eyes trained on him. “You would really shoot me?”

“You’d better believe it,” Zander retorted. “I made mistakes with this. I fell in love with Emily when I wasn’t supposed to. But I made a promise to my family to see this through and believe me, I will.”

“Zander, we share a sister,” Elizabeth told him. “Marisa. She’s my father’s daughter–”

“I honestly don’t know her,” Zander shrugged. “I’ve only met her a few times. I doubt she’d give a damn about you. She hates the mob life. That’s why she chose to go with my mother. The lastthing she’d want is a sister who willingly chose it.”

“Elizabeth, please go,” Jason said again.

“I won’t warn you again,” Zander snapped. “Move and I will shoot her.” He smirked. “I’ll probably have to shoot her away. Can’t leave any witnesses.”

Elizabeth hesitated only one more moment before bolting for the stairs.

The sound of the gunshot echoed on the docks.

Elizabeth was around the corner when she heard the shot. Not caring that Zander could still be there, she whirled around and clattered down the steps.

Jason was on his phone, standing over Zander. The younger man was lying on the docks, a bullet wound to his abdomen.

At the sound of her approach, Jason turned and waved her away. “Get out of here, now, Elizabeth. You can’t be found here.”

She bit her lip, not bothering to hide the tears streaming down her face. “Jason–”

“Yeah, the Elm St. Pier,” Jason said, turning around, concentrating on the situation at hand. “He needs medical attention and to be taken to a safe house. Okay.” He hung up his cell and tucked in his pocket.

He turned back around and strode towards Elizabeth, forcibly turning her around and steering her towards the steps. “Please just go back to the penthouse, okay?”

“What if the police come before the others?” Elizabeth asked. “You’ll need someone to give you an alibi.”

Jason exhaled slowly. “Elizabeth, you can’t be found here. I’m almost sure the shot was muffled by the water, okay? Please just go.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight and quick hug. “Please be careful,” she begged.

“I will,” Jason replied, allowing himself a moment to hug her back. “Please just go, okay?”

She nodded and pulled away, climbing the steps quickly until she was around the corner and out of sight.

— Corinthos Penthouse —

Sonny only stopped in briefly before leaving for the safe house to talk to Jason about Zander and when he was gone, Elizabeth had an announcement for Carly.

“We need to tell him about Felicia.”

“Elizabeth,” Carly sighed. “We had a deal.”

“Yeah, but that was before Zander Smith tried to kill us,” Elizabeth remarked. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on, I don’t know who’s behind this, but I know that we are not capable of handling this by ourselves.”

“You’re probably right,” Carly replied. She crossed her arms and stared out the window. “It just doesn’t feel right. None of this does. Felicia’s delivering fake bombs and working with Roy, who’s working for someone else. Zander’s connected to a mob family from New York who suddenly have this grudge against Sonny and Jason that’s obviously personal. I mean…two years, they’ve been planning this. Two years.”

“Maybe the person Roy and Felicia are working for is Luis Alcazar,” Elizabeth said.

“I don’t think so. Luis gave Zander the order to kill Jason. Why would he waste time with having Felicia play weird mind games?”

“I still say this is all connected,” Elizabeth told her. “We’re missing something.”

“Yeah…we probably are.”

— Luis Alcazar’s Yacht —

Luis managed to duck as the bottle of brandy smashed over his head. “Watch it, you nearly hit me!”

“That was the point!” Brenda Barrett seethed. “You stupid, stupid fool. All of this is going to hell now!”

“Look, it’s time to step this up and get over it!” Luis shouted. “I’m tired of waiting.”

“This is my plan, my revenge, not an attempt to enlarge your damn territory!” Brenda cried. “This was my way of making them pay! And you send Alex to kill Jason! What for?”

“Because Morgan was on to him,” Luis snarled. “And they know that Zander Smith is Alejandro Alcazar. Something had to be done. His cover was blown. It wouldn’t take long before they tracked down photos of you in New York!”

“I was finally ready to finish this, finally ready to make them pay and you had to go and fuck it up.” Brenda shook her head. “It’s too early for violence.”

“It’s been two years since we planted Alex here. How long did you expect us to wait?”

“I guess I underestimated my value to you,” Brenda said softly. “I thought family was supposed to be important to you.”

“It is important,” Luis remarked. “You are my sister and I promised to take care of you, to help you with this. And I will. But I am not in the mood to play stupid mind games after two years of sitting in New York, waiting for Corinthos to trust Alex.”

“It’s no wonder Alex was nearly tried and convicted,” Brenda hissed. “You two have no fucking patience. I know Sonny and Jax. I know them better than anyone. I knew what I was doing when I contacted Edward about trapping Skye and forcing her to help. I knew what I was doing when I asked you and Alex for your help. Alex was on his way in the organization–he was getting the important jobs. But he went and fucked it up by getting greedy and turning on him. Once Jason came home, Sonny had no use for him.”

“And getting rid of Morgan was the necessary option. We tried to make him vulnerable by kidnapping that girlfriend of his and we nearly succeeded when the little twit latched onto Alex, but he screwed it up by pushing too hard, sending the Webber girl straight back to Morgan.”

“We need to immobilize Jason,” Brenda decided. “We need to do it now before Alex screws this up even further.”

“And how do you suggest we do that?” Luis mocked. “We’ve already tried the obvious, going through the girl.”

Brenda laughed then. “You almost had it, but you sent Alex in with her. That was fucking stupid. Jason was about to find them because the incompetent morons you hired gave it away. Sending Alex in there with her, making her form an attachment–it only served to make Jason focus on work more. You have to make sure he doesn’t have a choice!”

“What do you want me to do?” Luis roared. “Kidnap her again? Kill her?”

Brenda smirked. “Not exactly. In fact, maybe it should go a little like this…”

— Safe house —

Dr. Joel McKean stepped into the hallway, closing the bedroom door behind him. “He’ll live.”

“Pity,” Sonny murmured. “How long will he be out?”

“Until tomorrow, I would assume. The wound was clean, didn’t hit any organs but I gave him a mild sedative anyway. Do you need me for anything else?”

Sonny shook his head. “No. Marco will drove you home. Thank you.”

Dr. McKean nodded and moved down the hallway into the living room. When they heard the door shut, Sonny sighed. “I’m glad you’re quick with that gun. Who was he aiming at? You or Elizabeth?”

“Elizabeth,” Jason stiffly. “I told her to run so that she didn’t have to see me shoot him. But he aimed at her as she was running so I shot him before it was safe.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I aimed to kill, but I only managed to get that shot off.”

“That’s fine. He’s more valuable alive. We need to find out what’s going on with the Alcazar family and why they’ve suddenly targeted us.” Sonny shook his head. “Let’s head back to the penthouse. I want to check on Elizabeth, make sure she’s okay.”

“You want me to stay with him tonight?” Jason asked.

Sonny frowned. “I thought you’d be more than willing to go home and check on her. The two of you still fighting?”

Jason shook his head. “We’re not fighting. We’ve just both agreed that it’s not a good time to be in a relationship. How did you find out?”

“Carly told me. Seems Elizabeth doesn’t want to go to the island with this unresolved. You sure you both agreed?”

“Sonny, I don’t want to talk about this.”

“Fine,” Sonny shrugged, heading towards the living room. “You can talk to Carly.”

“She doesn’t understand how serious this is,” Jason remarked. “She and Carly ditched Will the other day, disappeared for hours on end and then she lied to me when they got back. She thinks I’m trying to control her.”

“And you explain that you just want to protect her, right?” Sonny prompted.

“Right,” Jason replied. “But…”

“And she didn’t really see it that way, so you tossed in towel.” Sonny nodded. “Okay, giving up was your first mistake.”

“I don’t want her to sacrifice her independence to be with me,” Jason argued.

“Who says she has to? The two of you just need to work together to find a balance that works for you.”

“It’s not a good time to be working out a balance,” Jason said, shaking his head. “With everything that’s going on…”

“What if Zander had shot her?” Sonny asked. “What if he’d shot her and killed her?”

Jason grimaced. “Sonny, I don’t think about what ifs.”

“Yeah, live for today and all that. But what happens when you wait too long to work this out with her? You, more than anyone, should know what I mean. Look, until Zander wakes up and unless they make another move, we’re just sitting ducks. We can’t develop an offensive–we can barely handle a defense. So, I’m going to go home to my wife and try and concentrate on what is going right in my life. I suggest you do the same.”

— Corinthos Penthouse —

Sonny’s idea of a pleasant evening was cut off the second he and Jason entered the penthouse and saw Elizabeth and Carly sitting on the couch, talking intently.

Carly sighed when she saw them in the door way. “Get the funeral march ready,” she whispered to Elizabeth. “Hey. We have something to tell you.”

Elizabeth stood and folded her arms tightly, keeping her eyes low on the ground. “You didn’t really listen to us when we warned you that Zander was after you. It took the discovery that his brother was here, too, for you to believe us.”

“By that time, Elizabeth, Courtney and I had already agreed to look into this ourselves,” Carly informed them.

Jason narrowed his eyes. “Oh, really.”

“We saw Felicia Jones and Skye Chandler-Quartermaine acting strangely so we decided to follow Felicia,” Elizabeth continued. “Felicia is the one who put the package in the mailbox.”

Sonny stared at them. “You knew this yesterday and didn’t tell us?”

Carly sighed. “We’ve been arguing about it all day and now that it’s turned violent, we knew we had to come clean.”

Sonny rubbed the side of his face. “Carly, we have discussed this over and over again. It just doesn’t seem to sink in. You can’t get involved.”

“Look, it just fell into our laps!” Carly argued. “What were we supposed to do?”

“Tell us?” Sonny suggested, sarcastically. “We might have been able to flush out whoever sent Felicia with that package!”

“Oh, so now it’s our fault?” Carly sputtered.

“Carly–”

“If you guys don’t mind, can Travis take me to work now?” Elizabeth cut in. “I’ve got the closing shift.”

“Elizabeth, you might want to ask Bobbie for more time off. Tomorrow morning, the two of you are leaving for the island if I have to tie and gag you to get you on the plane.”

“Fine,” Elizabeth sighed. She smiled wanly at Carly. “See you when I get back.” She pushed past Sonny and Jason and left the penthouse.

“Typical,” Carly snorted. “Send away what you can’t deal with.” She glared at Jason. “And, you, my good friend, are a jackass.”

“You both lied to me,” Jason spoke up finally. “You can’t get mad because I called her on it and she just lied some more.”

“She was trying to help you,” Carly retorted. “And this lying thing was really eating her up inside.”

“When did you start defending Elizabeth?” Jason demanded.

“Why does that matter?” Carly retorted. “She’s family. I didn’t want her in my life, but now she’s here. I’ve got a sister who for some reason is in love with you and all you can do is concentrate on the fact that she lied to you–”

“I don’t have the patience for this,” Jason snapped. “I’m going back to the safe house. Call me when you leave for the airport,” he told Sonny.

When he was Sonny just sighed and shook his head. “Carly.”

“What?” Carly asked, defensively. “It’s not like I lied to you. I just didn’t tell you.”

He managed a small smile. “So, I see that you and Elizabeth are getting along.”

Carly frowned. “Take that back.”

He wagged his finger at her. “Watch it, honey. First you call her family, you stick up for her with Jason, you plan schemes with her…you like her don’t you?”

“I do not!” Carly said, outraged. She shook her head vehemently. “That’s just ridiculous.”

“Yeah, okay.” Sonny chuckled. “I’ll go make some dinner, okay? We’ll have a quiet night here and then you’ll go pack.”

Carly snorted. “Whatever.”

— Later —

“Okay, I’ll get the phone,” Carly said, “but you have to get me a slice of that pie I know you’re hiding in the kitchen.”

Sonny laughed and they went in opposite direction–him towards the kitchen and her to the phone.

“Hello?”

“Carly, it’s Courtney.”

“What do you want?” Carly asked, frowning. Courtney only called the penthouse for Elizabeth and she was at work.

“I’m calling to check on Elizabeth,” Courtney replied.

“What do you mean?” Carly asked. Her frown deepened.

“Well, she’s an hour late for her shift and she didn’t call out. It’s her first night back, so I was worried. Is she feeling all right?”

“You mean she never showed?” Carly demanded. “Courtney, why didn’t you call earlier?”

“You don’t know where she is either?” Courtney cried.

“Carly,” Sonny called, entering the room. ‘What’s wrong?”

“I gotta go Courtney, I’ll let you know what’s up.” Carly hung up hastily and started dialing Jason. “Elizabeth never showed up for her shift. I’m calling Jason.”

Sonny headed towards the door to tell one of the guards to find Travis when a knock sounded. He jerked the door open to reveal an ashen-faced Johnny. “What?”

“We found Travis ten minutes ago. Francis stumbled over him during one of his rounds.” Johnny scrubbed a hand over his face. “He’s dead. Ms. Webber is gone. This was in his pocket.” He extended the folded paper to Sonny who snatched it and ripped it open.

“What’s it say?” Carly demanded.

You know, I honestly expected more difficulty in procuring Ms. Webber. But, like the first time, it was just almost too easy. You should really be more careful with those you love. She’s alive. For now. I’ll be in touch.

“Call Jason,” Sonny murmured.

“What does it say?” Carly cried.

“They’ve got her.”

— Safehouse —

By the time Jason arrived back at the house, Zander had come out of his sleep a little and was murmuring things. The guards had been noting all of the words, which included Jason’s, name, Elizabeth’s, Alcazar, his mother Carmen and a surprising one.

Brenda Barrett.

Jason was on the phone to Benny trying to track down a possible connection between Brenda and the Alcazar family and missed the first frantic call from Sonny. He hung up with the other man about twenty minutes later. The only link Benny had unearthed was that Harlan Barrett and Ramon Alcazar frequently did business together.

But it was a start.

His phone rang almost immediately and Jason answered it without checking the display. “Yeah?”

“Where have you been?” Sonny demanded. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for almost a half hour.”

“I was on the phone with Benny,” Jason replied. “I think I’ve got something–”

“Elizabeth’s gone,” Sonny interrupted.

Jason didn’t say anything for a moment as the news sunk in. Finally, he asked, “What do you mean gone?”

“Travis was taking her to Kelly’s. She was supposed to show up for her shift an hour ago, but Courtney just called and said she never made it. Francis found Travis’s body on the docks a little while go.”

Jason was already heading for the door, intent on returning to the penthouse. “What do we know?” he demanded.

“It’s definitely Alcazar behind this,” Sonny told him. “He left a note in Travis’s pocket saying that he’d be in touch. We’re just waiting for the call.”

“You’re just sitting around and waiting?” Jason asked incredulously. “Do you have someone canvassing the docks? Looking for clues? A witness?”

Sonny took a deep breath, forcing himself to be calm and reminded himself that Jason was just in panic mode right now. “That’s being done now. You’d better come back here.”

“I’m on my way.”

— Corinthos Penthouse —

By the time Jason had gotten there, the results of the docks sweep were in and the men had found nothing.

“I want to see the note,” Jason said immediately. Sonny handed it to him and Jason skimmed it before handing it back. “It doesn’t say when he’ll be getting in touch.”

“No,” Sonny replied, “but he wants something. He’ll be in touch.”

“I swear to God, he messes with one hair on her head, I will rip his throat out,” Carly muttered as she paced in front of the couch.

“Zander was mumbling in his sleep,” Jason told Sonny. “He was saying people’s names. Mine, Elizabeth’s, Alcazar’s, their mother Carmen and Brenda’s.”

Carly halted her in tracks. “Brenda?”

Sonny arched an eyebrow in question. “Brenda?”

“Yeah. All Benny could find that Harlan Barrett and Ramon Alcazar did business together in the late seventies. Barrett financed Alcazar’s first takeover,” Jason explained. “Benny’s still looking for more.”

“Okay, Brenda might explain a few things,” Carly said after another moment. “I mean Elizabeth and I figured all along it was a personal thing. We just couldn’t figure out the reason why Felicia and Skye–” She halted in her words. “Oh. Did I mention we think Skye’s involved?”

Sonny narrowed his eyes. “You know, I’m tired of learning things about this after the fact.”

“Sorry,” Carly apologized. “But the reason we decided to follow Felicia was that she and Skye were acting oddly at Kelly’s yesterday. So if Felicia’s involved, Skye must be too.”

“Felicia delivered the package,” Jason remarked. “You think Skye’s a delivery girl for someone else?”

“Maybe this is about Brenda,” Carly pointed out. “And maybe someone thinks that you and Jax are to blame. Skye could be delivering stuff to Jax.”

“She’s got a point,” Jason said. Before Sonny could say anything in response, the phone rang. Sonny waited another moment before picking it up.

“Corinthos.”

“Ah. Corinthos. I don’t think we’ve been introduced. I am Luis Alcazar.”

Sonny made eye contact with Jason. “Luis. How can I help you?”

“I believe I’m in possession of something that means a great deal to your wife and your best friend,” Luis replied.

“Look, Alcazar, I don’t know what game you’re playing,” Sonny began, his patience wearing thin.

“It’s simple actually,” Luis cut in. “You want Ms. Webber back? Come and get her.”

“I’m supposed to believe you’ll just have Elizabeth waiting at a bus stop or something.”

“Well no. You’ll have to come to a place of our choice and agree to our terms.”

“Our terms?”

Luis ignored Sonny’s questions and continued smoothly. “Bring my brother to the warehouse on Pier 45. I think you know which one it is. Come with your pretty wife and your enforcer. I’m sure Ms. Webber would love to see them.”

Sonny narrowed his eyes. “I am not bringing my wife.”

“You don’t bring her, she never sees her sister again.”

Sonny muttered a curse under his breath. “When?” he demanded.

“Tonight. At midnight. Goodbye.”

Sonny hung up the phone and sighed. “He wants the three of us to go to a warehouse on Pier 45. We’re to bring Zander with us.”

“We can’t bring Carly,” Jason remarked.

“We have to,” Sonny snapped. He looked at his wife. “I’m not happy about it, but I know you want Elizabeth back as much as we do.”

“Yeah,” Carly admitted reluctantly. “For some reason that appears to be the truth.” She folded her arms across her chest. “So, any idea what this is all about?”

“No.” Sonny sighed. “But one way or another, we’re going to find out tonight.”

— Pier 45 Warehouse —

Elizabeth glared at Luis Alcazar’s back and tried to force the gag from her mouth. She was seriously getting tired of this tactic. Stupid frigging mob idiots and their idiotic vendettas. Why the hell wasn’t Carly ever kidnapped? Why was it always her?

“A car just pulled up outside,” someone told Luis and Elizabeth glared at the door. Idiots. Walking right into a trap.

Luis turned around and met his hostage’s murderous eyes. He smirked. “Looks like you matter to your sister after all. Will wonders ever cease?” He looked back at the man who’d reported the arrival. “Bring them to me. It’s time to end this.”

She would have opened her mouth in shock if the gag hadn’t prevented that, but the sight of Carly entering the room behind Sonny and Jason just floored her. What the hell…?

No bruises or cuts , Carly noted with some relief. Elizabeth looked fine, albeit slightly pissed as she was tied to a chair and gagged.

“Okay.” Sonny shrugged. “We’re here, Luis. What do you want?”

Luis stood behind Elizabeth and removed the gag, but left her tied to the chair. “It’s time to end this,” he said simply. “Where’s my brother?”

“We have him,” one of the men said. “He’s being taken to the yacht now.”

Luis nodded. “Fine.” He met Carly’s eyes. “You’ve got a very beautiful sister here. I understand you were just recently made aware of your relationship.”

“That’s right,” Carly said slowly. “She’s a pain in the ass.”

“Same to you,” Elizabeth retorted.

“You want to save the bonding until later?” Sonny asked his wife in exasperation. “You’ve got Zander back. I want my sister-in-law and I want to know what the hell this is all about.”

“That’s what I want to know!” an enraged female voice demanded. She stepped out of the shadows, her dark eyes boring into her half-brother. “Luis, what in the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Sonny blinked. He blinked again. “Bre–Brenda?”

“Oh my God,” Carly groaned. “I thought it couldn’t get any worse. First the twit is my sister and now you’re alive. Jesus, who did I piss off to deserve this?”

Brenda Barrett shot a scathing look at the blonde before looking back at her brother. “I thought we agreed that we were going to do this my way,” she said, seething. “We were just going to grab her. There was nothing about exchanging Alex.”

Luis started to untie Elizabeth’s ropes. “There’s been a change in plans, Brenda. You can get your revenge all you want but I prefer my brother alive and breathing. I have a territory to run. I don’t have time for this.”

“Oh?” Brenda demanded. She reached into her purse and withdrew a pistol. “Do you have time for this?”

“Of course, the psycho has a gun,” Elizabeth muttered. Luis glanced up from his task.

“Brenda. Put the gun down. You shoot me and you don’t make it out of here alive and you know that.”

He untied the last rope and Elizabeth, fighting the urge to bolt and run into Jason’s arms, stood slowly and walked leisurely over to her sister. “Do people ever stay dead around here?” she asked.

“Not as much as I wish they would,” Carly muttered.

“Well, I can see the two of you have some business to discuss,” Sonny said, visibly shaken from Brenda’s emergence. He took a step back. “You’ve got Zander, I’ve got Elizabeth. I think it’s time for–”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Brenda retorted. She didn’t glance away from Luis. “You’re going to stay right and we are going to finish this.”

“Finish what?” Carly demanded, out of patience. “What is your problem?”

“She blames Corinthos for her accident,” Luis revealed, slightly bored. Brenda’s eyes filled with hurt at her brother’s betrayal. “She blames him far more than she blames the real culprit, her own mother. You see, my darling half-sister isn’t exactly in her right mind.”

“Your what?” Carly asked incredulously. She exchanged glances with her husband before looking at Jason, who’d been silent up until now.

“I’m fine!” Brenda shrieked, her hands shaking. “I’m fine!”

“She has her mother’s disease,” Luis continued. He stepped forward. “She knows her time is close and she wanted her revenge before she died.”

“Shut up!” Brenda ordered.

“I didn’t see any harm in indulging her this one last time. After all, I’d gain a very profitable territory.”

“Luis, stop it,” Brenda begged. “Stop this.”

“But it’s not working in my best interest and I’ve decided to pull out and go home.” Luis shrugged. “No harm, no foul.”

“You can’t!” Brenda cried. “Luis, you promised!” She charged at him, but one of his men snatched her easily and before Brenda knew what was happening, he’d rolled up her sleeve and injected her with something.

“A sedative,” Luis remarked. “She’s gotten worse since we came to Port Charles. Another reason this is ending.” He waved his hand. “Take her back to the yacht. We’re finished here.”

“Not yet,” Sonny said. “We have some issues we need to take care of.” He looked at the girls. “Why don’t the two of you wait in the limo?”

“Sonny–” Carly began to protest.

“Mrs. Corinthos, Ms. Webber, I hear we have a sister in common,” Luis cut in swiftly. “Marisa Galvez?”

Elizabeth’s eyes lit up interest. “Do you know where she is?”

“Elizabeth,” Sonny began, “we can discuss this later–”

“Mr. Corinthos, I believe that family is more important than business,” Luis said, with a charming smile. “Our other business will keep for a few moments while we talk about Marisa.”

Sonny narrowed his eyes. “I don’t think–”

“Sonny,” Jason interrupted. “Just…let him tell her, okay?”

Sonny glanced at his enforcer in surprise but after a looking at Elizabeth’s hopeful eyes, he sighed and nodded. “All right.”

“Not here,” Luis said. He gestured around the dank room. “I do not wish to discuss my sister in this environment. My yacht is moored outside. We can go there and I can arrange for a driver to take the ladies home while we discuss business.”

Sonny hesitated but nodded. If it was a trap, it was a trap. But he didn’t think it was, so they filed out.

— Yacht —

“Have a seat,” Luis said as they entered a sitting room. “Would you like something to drink?”

“No,” Sonny remarked.

“Fine.” Luis sat in an arm chair. “I didn’t know that Marisa was my half-sister until a few years ago. My parents divorced shortly after she was born and she took Marisa and my brother Ricky to live with her while Alex and I stayed with my father.”

Sonny shifted, obviously bored with the conversation and anxious to get down to the real business, but Elizabeth was very interested to finally have the holes filled in.

“I don’t see her as often as I wish, but more often now that I’ve taken over the business. She’s a very lovely girl, around your age, Ms. Webber. She lives in Arizona and I’d be happy to get in touch with her to tell her about you.”

Elizabeth blinked, not really believing it was that easy. “You’ll just…tell her about me and Carly? It’s that easy?”

“Why not?” Luis asked, “You wish to meet your sister and I like to make my sister happy. I’ll call her when my business is done here.”

Elziabeth met Carly’s eyes for a moment and nodded. “Okay. Thank you,” she said, feeling strangely odd about thanking a man who had kidnapped her a few hours ago.

“Is that it?” Sonny asked, impatiently.

“We’ll go now,” Carly said. She stood and Elizabeth followed suit.

“Jason, go with them,” Sonny directed. “Make sure that they get home safely. I’ll be fine.”

Jason hesitated but led the girls back to the deck.

Luis shifted and smiled. “You don’t believe in putting off business for anything, do you?”

“I want to know why you suddenly just decided to stop helping Brenda,” Sonny remarked.

“Once Alex’s identity was uncovered, I knew it wouldn’t take long before word reached New York and I’ve been trying to get him off a murder charge for the past two years. It wouldn’t serve me well to have my younger brother in jail for the rest of his life,” Luis replied. “So, I began making the plans to withdraw.”

“But you gave Zander the order to kill Jason.”

“Alex was being careless as always,” Luis told the other man. “Confronting Elizabeth in public places, not taking care of the situation. He got himself thrown out of your organization because he was greedy and that couldn’t be tolerated. I gave him the order knowing he’d be unable to carry it out.”

“And what if Jason had killed him?” Sonny asked pointedly.

“You still needed information from him,” Luis said simply. “I took a risk and it paid off. I do apologize for the guard that died while we were procuring Elizabeth. The man who did it was dealt with in a similar fashion. I don’t have room in my organization for men that don’t follow orders.”

“So I’m to believe you’ve just stopped it and you’re going to go back to New York quietly?” Sonny asked skeptically. “And how is that she’s your sister?”

Luis stood and Sonny did as well. “For now, we’re at peace as far as I’m concerned,” the taller man said. “I have a sister to take care of and a brother to clear. Until those are done, I don’t think that I have time to fight a territory war.” He cleared his throat. “As for being my sister, her mother and my father had an affair that resulted in her birth. She discovered this shortly after her accident and she’s been staying with me in New York ever since.”

Sonny nodded, accepting the words as truth. The man had no reason to lie. “You’ll let me know, of course, if there’s anything I can do for Brenda.”

Luis shook his head. “I think it would be better if she didn’t see you once you leave her. I have some damage to repair now the plan has been aborted.” He showed Sonny out then, arranging for the man to be taken home.

— Corinthos Penthouse —

Elizabeth entered the penthouse, yawning. “It’s been a long day,” she said. “I’m going to sleep.”

“Oh no you’re not,” Carly said. She slammed the door shut and put her hands on her hips. “You are going to stand right there until I’m finished yelling at Jason and then you two are going to deal with whatever fight you had and then I’m going to sleep.”

“Carly–” Jason began.

“If you’d get over your pride for eight seconds, you might see that we were just trying to help,” Carly said, ignoring his glare. “She didn’t want to lie to you, I made her do it–”

“Carly, don’t take the blame. No one makes me do anything I don’t want to do,” Elizabeth interrupted.

“Fine. Well, then it was my idea and I talked her into it,” Carly corrected. “You are an idiot–”

“Carly–”

“And I think you should give her a chance to explain herself before you all stone silent on her because it’s only fair–”

“Carly–”

“And I swear to God if you start yelling at me to mind my own business, I’ll deck you. That’s my sister and that makes it my business,” Carly finished, glowering.

Jason smirked. “Your sister?”

Elizabeth arched her eyebrows and looked at the blonde oddly. Carly blanched, stricken. “Ah…that’s not what I mean. I meant that…she’s…um…related to me…and that we….reached…” She threw her hands up in the air. “Oh, to hell with it. Yes, my sister and perhaps we should have a discussion about which body parts get cut off when you hurt her–”

“Carly–” Jason tried to cut in again.

“Because you of all people should know I look out for what’s mine and for some twisted and really unfair reason, she does happen to be mine–”

“Oh, really?” Elizabeth remarked amused by this entire display.

“Oh, be quiet,” Carly hissed. She was quiet then and crossed her arms to glare at Jason. “Well?”

“Well what?” Jason asked.

“Oh for the love of God!” Carly muttered. “For some reason, you seem to love her and God knows, she’s crazy enough to be in love with you so what I do not get is why you are being so damn stubborn–” Carly broke off abruptly when Jason grabbed Elizabeth’s by the arm and all but dragged her out of the penthouse, closing the door behind her. “That was unbelievably rude!” she shrieked. “I was in the middle of yelling at you!”
— Morgan Penthouse —

Elizabeth was still highly amused when Jason shut the door behind them. “I can’t believe she just did the big sister routine on you. I think hell must have frozen over or something.”

Jason managed a weak smile. “Yeah, well, once Carly decides she likes you…there’s no going back.”

“The scary thing? I think I like her too.” Elizabeth shook her head. “I’ll never hear the end of this from Courtney.” She looked away and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans. “So…did you pull the Neanderthal act to get away from Carly or did you actually have something to say to me?”

Jason exhaled slowly and leaned against the desk. “I’m not going to lie to you, Elizabeth. You know what my life is like. You’ve been kidnapped twice now, shot at…”

“I do know all of that but it was always a risk I was willing to take,” Elizabeth assured him. “Look, I’m sorry I lied to you. It’s not something I wanted to do or anything I’m particularly proud of, but I was just trying to help.”

“You’ve got to understand something, Elizabeth. You can’t help,” Jason told her. He shook his head. “I mean, I understand if sometimes things just fall into your lap and then yeah, I want you to tell me. But you can’t go investigating on your own–”

“We did tell you but you didn’t believe us,” Elizabeth reminded him. “So when the thing with Skye and Felicia happened, we assumed that you still wouldn’t believe us.”

“You’re right. We should have taken you more seriously. The two of you have good instincts.” He grimaced. “That doesn’t mean I want you to put yourself in danger.”

Elizabeth shook her head, amused. “Jason, I may be only twenty-one, but I’ve seen a lot in my life. And I’ve taken on Helena Cassadine–I highly doubt any of your enemies would ever compare to the havoc that psycho caused. I’m not five, Jason. I can take care of myself.”

“Like you did tonight?” Jason asked pointedly.

“Okay, so I still have a few things to learn. Maybe Carly and I will take some self-defense classes,” Elizabeth slid up onto the desk next to him. “I know that I don’t want to give up on making it work between us. We’ve come too far, Jason, to just let it fall apart now.”

“I agree but we’re going to have to make some compromises,” Jason told her. “I don’t want this life to touch you.”

She shook her head. “That’s not realistic. I’m in this now. Maybe not like you are, but I am. This life…it’s your life and it touches me because it’s your life.”

“But you can’t do what you and Carly did,” Jason argued. “You can’t run around trying to help. You don’t have all the information–”

“You don’t trust me at all, do you?” Elizabeth asked, stung. “Carly and I didn’t do anything that we wouldn’t do normally. Zander came to us. Not the other way around. It’s not our fault we ran into Skye and Felicia and picked up on their behavior. It’s not like we went looking for trouble.”

“But you didn’t turn away from it either,” Jason reminded her.

Elizabeth smirked. “Where’s the fun in that?” Seeing Jason’s exasperated look, she rolled her eyes. “Okay, you’ve got to lighten up. Look, that’s not the type of person I am. You say you want me safe. Well, is it so hard to believe that I want you safe too?”

“I understand that,” Jason answered. “But I don’t want you involved, Elizabeth. Not if you can avoid it.”

“All right. I’ll stay out of it. I won’t go looking for trouble but can we agree on something? It’s not always my fault. Sometimes it finds me.” She slid off the desk and faced him. “But you’ve got to promise me something.”

“If I can.”

“I don’t want a guard,” Elizabeth told him. “Not if we can avoid it. Okay?”

“I don’t know about that, Elizabeth. Carly’s okay with a guard–”

“I’m not Carly. I like my freedom.” She sighed and looked down. “Look, I get that you want me safe but I do not want this to be the deal breaker.”

“I know how much your independence means to you and I don’t want you to lose that to be with me.”

She slipped his hands into his. “And I don’t want to lose you to have it, either,” Elizabeth told him. She stepped closer to him. “Can’t we just…work it out along the way? Do we have to have all the answers tonight?”

“It would make it easier,” Jason admitted.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and slid her fingers into his hair. “Now where’s the fun in that?”

“What are you doing?” he asked as she stepped closer and shoved him slightly so he was just sitting on the desk and they were about eye level.

She shook her head. “If you have to ask, it has been way too long.” She leaned down to kiss him, but he stopped her. “What?” she asked, frowning. He always stopped them before it went too far.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked her quietly. “I mean…really sure?”

“I love you, Jason,” Elizabeth told him. Without waiting for him to respond, she kissed him, fisting her hands in his hair. He wrapped his arms around her waist and stood suddenly, lifting her off her feet. He turned them around and set her on his desk instead.

He pulled away and she glared at him, slightly out of breath. “Oh, don’t tell me you’re pulling away again,” she said, irritated.

Jason framed her face in his hands. “I love you,” he told her. He felt his face match her smile and he kissed her again.

— Corinthos Penthouse ––

Sonny entered the penthouse and frowned when he saw Carly wolfing down a slice of the apple pie he’d hidden in the kitchen.

She glanced up guiltily. “Um…you promised I could have a slice.”

“Where’s Jason?” Sonny asked instead of chastising her. “I need to talk to him.”

Carly frowned and glanced at the clock on the mantel. “Well, he dragged Elizabeth out of here about a half hour ago. I’m going to give her about fifteen minutes to have talked some sense into him and since they’ve been apart the last few days–”

Sonny held up a hand. “Okay, stop. No more information needed.” He sat down next to her on the couch. “Can I have a bite of that?”

She fed him a piece and decided just to get it over with and ask. “Is Alcazar really leaving?”

Sonny glared at her. “You know I can’t talk about that.”

“Well…come on…I was there when he said it,” Carly whined. “Besides, I know how much finding Marisa would mean to Elizabeth so I figure she’s got a right to know if he’s going to go through with it–”

“Okay.” Sonny sighed. “He says he’s taking Zander and Brenda back to New York. That he’s done here.”

“But you don’t trust him,” Carly said. “Right?”

“No. I’m sending men to follow him and keep an eye on him in the city,” sonny replied. “I think that he might be serious about pulling out right now, but I wouldn’t put it past him to try again.”

“Good,” Carly decided. “That’s a good decision.”

“And now you and me are going to go over the rules again.”

Carly grimaced. “Do we have to?”

“Are you going to stay out of it from now on?”

Carly grinned. “What do you think?”

“Then, yeah, we have to,” Sonny replied.

“You know what? Let’s put it off,” she suggested. She stood and lowered herself into his lap. “I know where we can find some whipped cream and–”

“Carly, you are not going to distract me,” Sonny said firmly, trying to still his wife’s hands as she unbuttoned his shirt.

“Oh, yes I am,” Carly replied. “Don’t be mistaken about that. We can talk about the rules again tomorrow.” Her eyes lit up. “Or if you really want…” She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a pouting a look. “You know…I’ve been a really bad girl.”

He laughed then. “One track mind Carly, one track mind.”

— Morgan Penthouse: Upstairs Hallway —

“I can’t find the door knob,” Jason muttered, trying to look past Elizabeth’s hair and concentrate on something other than her lips trailing down his neck.

She giggled. “Am I a distraction?”

“Are you kidding me?” Jason grumbled. He leaned his back against the door and fumbled with the doorknob. Finally, it twisted and the door fell back, catapulting them both to the ground.

Elizabeth pulled herself up a little, bracing her hands on Jason’s chest, still laughing. “Well, this is romantic,” she teased.

He sat up, situating her on his lap. “Does it bother you?”

“Not at all,” Elizabeth replied, reaching for the hem of his shirt and tugging it off him. “I’ll take you anyway I can get you.”

“We should get off the floor,” Jason told her even as he was unbuttoning her shirt and pushing it off her shoulders. He started kissing her collarbone.

“Yeah…probably.” Elizabeth pushed at Jason’s shoulders and laid him against the ground. “If you ask me, the floor’s good.”

“You’re not the one laying on it,” Jason grumbled. She cut off any further complaining with her mouth and her hands fumbled with the button on his jeans.

He kicked off his boots when she started pulling his jeans down his legs. He reached for the front clasp of her bra and practically tore it off her. He wrapped his arms around her back and rolled them over. “Are you sure you don’t want to get off the floor?”

“I don’t think I can wait that long,” Elizabeth murmured. “You know…I’m ready if you are.”

Jason raised his head and looked down at her oddly. “What?”

She reached for his hands and brought them to the snap on her jeans. “Any time you’re good.”

“You mean…just skip the rest of it?” Jason asked, curiously.

She nodded eagerly. “I want you, Jason. I’ve been trying to get into your pants since the day we got together, or didn’t you notice?”

He chuckled and let his drop into the crook of her shoulder. “You’re not like anyone else I know, do you know that?”

“Why are we still talking?” she asked, slightly irritated. She braced her hands on his shoulders and rolled them over again.

He sat them up again and framed her face in his hands again. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she murmured. She narrowed her eyes. “Now…are you gonna sleep with me or not?”

— Yacht —

Brenda slid her eyes open and frowned when she saw her brother sitting by her side. She rolled over. “I’m not speaking to you.”

Luis sighed. “Brenda. You know I made the right decision.”

“You’re supposed to be my family. You were supposed to love me,” she mumbled into the pillow.

“I do love you, Brenda. You’re my sister. And you being in Port Charles, trying to make Corinthos and Jacks pay for something that wasn’t their fault…it’s only making you worse.”

“I’m not sick,” Brenda denied stubbornly.

“Yes, you are,” Luis told her. “You know you are. I was trying to give you want you wanted but it’s not, is it? You don’t know what you want.”

“I want you to leave,” Brenda hissed.

“We’re leaving for New York City in the morning,” Luis told her. “I’m going to send Alex away to Europe to hide from the authorities until I’m able to get him cleared of these charges and I want you to go with him. You love Europe.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does.” He smoothed his hand over her hair. “You have such precious little time left. Let me help you make the best of it.”

“Stop saying that like I’m going to die,” Brenda whispered. She rolled over, her eyes glossy with tears. “I’ll kill myself before I turn into my mother.”

“Brenda–”

“I’m tired, Luis,” Brenda murmured. She closed her eyes. “I want to sleep.”

–Morgan Penthouse–

Elizabeth closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath. “Mmmm…well…we made it to the bed.”

She felt Jason laugh next to her. “Yeah…only took three tries.”

Elizabeth stretched her arms over her head and sighed happily. “I think that was almost worth waiting for.”

Jason braced himself up one elbow and glared at her. “Almost huh?”

She opened one eye and grinned. “Well…maybe a little more bit more convincing could change my mind.”

“More convincing?” Jason shook his head as he tugged body on top of his. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

She inhaled sharply as he slid into her again. She arched her back. “Well…it’s a good way to go,” she managed to say.

— Elm St. Pier —

Felicia stepped gingerly onto the docks and peered around suspiciously. This entire summer had been a disaster, she decided and she was through with it. If Roy wanted to involve himself with this, that was his problem. She had better things to deal with, more important things to worry about–namely her daughters.

She spied Skye standing at the end of the pier and crossed to join her. “So you got another summons?”

“Yes,” Skye bit off angrily. “But I am going to tell that psycho that it’s off. I’m telling Jax the truth–participating in Brenda Barrett’s revenge scheme is only going to make things worse.”

Felicia nodded. “That’s what I’m going to do. If Roy wants to get himself killed, that’s his business. Who knows what she had me mail to Sonny Corinthos? Roy’s not worth making Sonny my enemy.”

“Which is precisely why I’m here.”

The unfamiliar voice had the two women whirling around to see who had crept up behind them.

Luis Alcazar’s lips curved into a smile that would have almost been characterized as charming had it not been for the cold expression in his eyes. “This is over,” he told them. “Brenda will not be requiring your assistance any longer.”

Skye narrowed her eyes. “I don’t believe that we’d get off that easily. Who are you?”

“I am friend of the family,” Luis said simply. “Brenda’s scheme has been ended, ladies. You’re free of all obligations to her.”

Felicia shook her head. “No, I don’t believe that. She wouldn’t give up on this–”

“It is no longer her choice,” Luis cut in. “You can choose to believe that Brenda will divulge your secrets, that is your prerogative. You can wait for the other shoe to drop, so to speak. You will be waiting some time, naturally.” He nodded to them and walked away, fading into the shadows.

Skye crossed her arms, warding off a chill that did not come from the weather. “If I tell Jax the truth, it won’t matter,” she said almost absently. “I’d rather not have to depend on that man to keep my secret.”

“Well I don’t have to worry about anything,” Felicia remarked. “I was only in this to keep Roy alive and now I don’t even care enough to do that.” She held her hand out to Skye. “Good luck. It’s been…I wish I’d never had to work with you.”

Skye cracked a small smile. “Ditto.”

— Jason’s Penthouse: Bedroom —

Elizabeth propped herself up on her elbows and watched as Jason tugged a pair of jeans on. She wiggled her eyebrows. “And where do you think you’re going?” she asked. She pulled the covers up under her arms.

“We have to eat sometime.” Jason brushed a kiss over her forehead. “I’m just going downstairs to grab something. I’ll be right back.”

“Eating is entirely overrated,” Elizabeth murmured but she leaned back and rested her head against the pillows.

Jason found his phone in the jeans he’d been wearing before and as he descended the stairs, he scrolled through the missed calls. There were only a few–two from Benny, one from Bobbie and one from Emily.

He was listening to his voicemail as he pulled a bag of pretzels from his cabinets.

“Hey, Jase!” Emily chirped. “I just wanted you to be the first to get the good news! I’m being sprung from the rehab clinic next month and I can’t wait to see you!”

— Lake House —

Skye paced the living of the lake house nervously. She knew she should tell Jax. He might even forgive her. After all, she’d barely done anything. Other than deliver some letters that she wasn’t going to even consider telling him about. Signing a contract with Edward because she was upset was one thing – giving him letters from his ex-wife with the purpose of hurting him was another.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn’t hear Jax come in. She finally heard him chuckle and she looked up. How long had he been standing there watching her lose her mind?

“Something on your mind Skye?” Jax asked, grinning. He strode forward and kissed her. She was so tempted to give into the kiss but pulled back.

“Jax, we need to talk,” she said in a small voice. “I need to tell you something.”

“Skye?” he asked, concerned. “What’s wrong?”

Skye suddenly felt unable to stand. She sank onto the couch and stared at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap. “I did something horrible,” she breathed.

He kneeled in front of her. “Skye, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?” he pressed.

“I thought you cheated on me. I thought that you didn’t love me,” Skye whispered. She refused to look into his eyes. One look into those worried blue eyes and she might lose her resolve. She had to say something. “I did something that I shouldn’t have and I’ve been paying for it ever since.”

“Skye, what’s happened?” Jax demanded. He took her hands in his. “Look at me.”

“I can’t,” she said, softly. “I made a deal with Edward. I was so angry and I was hurt and all I could think was that I had to hurt you because you had hurt me.” She took a deep shuddering breath. “He wanted to bankrupt you and in exchange for my help, I was going to be sole heir.” She heard him draw in a sharp breath, but she continued anyway. “I thought I could do it, but then you proposed and you explained away everything that had happened and all I could think was ‘what have I done?’ I took this love and trust and I just threw it out the window. I tried to get out of the contract, but Edward won’t let me. He’s giving me ultimatums and I can’t do it.” Skye stopped, her voice showing signs of hysteria. “He told me if I backed out he’d tell you. But I can’t do it, Jax. I can’t.”

Without looking at him, she withdrew her hands from his and stood. She faced the wall, letting the tears streak down her face. “I knew that by telling you that I would more than likely lose you. But I couldn’t help Edward and I couldn’t let Edward be the one to tell you.”

She heard him stand up, but he made no move towards her. “Are you telling me everything?” he asked, quietly. Her heart broke at the tone in his voice. He was never going to forgive her. Might as well tell him everything. It was too late now.

She covered her mouth with her hand and looked at the ceiling. “No, that’s not it,” she said, shakily. “I’m the one who delivered those letters,” she breathed.

She felt an arm on her shoulder and turned her roughly around to face him. He jerked her chin up so she was forced to look him in the eyes. She shut her eyes almost immediately. She couldn’t look at him and see the anger and betrayal in his eyes. “What the hell do you mean you delivered those letters?” Jax demanded. He shook her shoulders. “Tell me!”

“I got a note,” Skye said, softly. She opened her eyes and concentrated on the top open button of his shirt. “It said if I wanted my contract to disappear, all I had to do was go the pier. I went and…” Her hands started to shake. “Brenda met me.”

He let go of her shoulders and took a step backwards. “Why would you do that?” he asked, stunned. “Why would you deliberately hurt me like that?”

Drawing in a shaky breath, Skye said, “I never knew what was in the letters, I swear. I just wanted to get rid of that contract and forget it ever happened!” She covered her eyes with her hands. “If I had known what was in the letter, I swear I would never have gone along. She promised she could get rid of the contract.”

“Why are you telling me now?” Jax demanded. “If Brenda was going to get rid of the contract, why tell me?”

“Sonny Corinthos found out I was delivering the letters,” Skye replied. “He wanted to know why, so I told him. And he told me that Brenda told you not to trust me.” Rubbing her forehead, she finished, “And he told me that it would be better if you heard if from me.” She waited for a few moments as Jax stared at her in stunned silence. Skye lifted her hand and slowly slipped her engagement ring off her finger and placed it next to the phone. She picked up her purse and left.

Jax picked up the ring and looked at it. He closed his fist around it and sat back on the couch. Hostile takeovers he could handle. He could deal with Sonny Corinthos and his organization.

Betrayal from the woman he loved was something completely different.

— Felicia’s House: Felicia’s Bedroom —

Mac crossed his arms and glared at his ex-wife. “You’re still not telling me the whole story.”

Felicia huffed and shoved some more clothes into her suitcase. “I don’t have to tell you the whole story. That’s what being divorced means. I was working on a project and now it’s done, so I’m joining the girls in Texas. Comprende?”

“No,” Mac said dryly. “I know you when you’re lying and this is your face when you’re lying. What was the project?”

“Making monkeys dance,” Felicia muttered. She zipped the suitcase shut.

“Felicia.”

“Fine.” She threw her hands up in the air. “I was helping Brenda Barrett get revenge on Sonny Corinthos because she threatened to kill Roy.”

Mac narrowed his eyes. “If you’re not going to tell me the truth–”

“All right, fine,” Felicia said, exasperated. “I was channeling an alternate dimension full of demons. It’s a great dimension, it’s always Wednesday there which you know is my favorite day of the week because Law and Order and West Wing are on. Satisfied?”

Mac arched his eyebrows. “So Brenda’s alive then?”

Felicia tugged another suitcase from her closet. “Nah,” she said dryly. “In addition to witchcraft, I’ve decided to make the dead rise from the grave. You know I get bored when my girls are gone.”

“Cut the wise cracks.” Mac crossed the room and put his hands on her shoulders forcing her to meet his eyes. “Just because we’re divorced, it does not mean I stopped caring about you. I worry about you and I get to because we’re friends, got it?”

“I know,” Felicia sighed. She sank onto the bed. “Look, I got in over my head with Roy, I know that. I’m willing to cut my losses and chalk it up to extreme loneliness.” She eyed Mac. “As someone who once dated Katherine Bell, you might have some sympathy for me.”

“Low blow,” Mac muttered. He sat next to her. “So, how did you help Brenda Barrett get revenge on Sonny?”

Felicia shrugged. “I delivered a box to him. I don’t know what it was and I don’t care. I’m not interested in making him my enemy.”

“Do you know why Brenda wanted revenge?” Mac asked.

“Sonny never searched for her body, and neither did Jax. They just accepted her for dead. She was upset, she wanted to make them pay. She’s connected to Luis Alcazar by the way,” Felicia said as an afterthought.

“The New York mobster?” Mac rubbed his chin. “Would have been nice if you could have mentioned that earlier. If I’d known Luis was in town, I would have looked into why.”

“Doesn’t matter. His yacht’s gone from the harbor.” Felicia sighed again and stood to resume her packing. “I told Roy last night that we’re done. He can do whatever he wants because he’s obviously not going to listen to me and stay out of this whole thing. I’m going to go to Texas, spend the rest of the summer with the girls and when we come back, this whole thing is going to seem like a bad memory.”

“We can only hope,” Mac replied.

— Corinthos Penthouse —

Carly smiled at Michael and drew her napkin over her lap. “Mmm, Belgian waffles,” she sniffed. “Do I get strawberry sauce?”

Sonny set the small pitcher in front of her. “I never forget the strawberry sauce.”

“Are Uncle Jason and Liz coming over for breakfast?” Michael asked, digging into his meal.

Carly shook her head. “I doubt it, Mr. Man, I think they’re going to be a bit too tired to get up this morning.”

“Carly,” Sonny hissed.

“They shouldn’t stay up late, it’s not ‘sponsible,” Michael said gravely.

“No, it’s not and I will tell them as soon as I see them.” Carly started to cut her waffles. “I’m actually meeting her at her studio later this afternoon. She’s moving into the penthouse, she called me last night to tell me.”

“Sisterly bonding,” Sonny sighed. “It’s almost scary to see.”

“You think me and the Muffin getting along is scary?” Carly snorted. “Courtney’s supposed to be there too. This should be interesting.”

“Mama and Liz are sisters?” Michael asked curiously.

“You never told him?” Sonny asked pointedly.

“Well, no.” Carly shrugged. “At first, I was trying to forget and then I just…a lot of was happening.” She looked at her son. “Yes, Michael, Elizabeth and I are sisters–half sisters. We share the same father.”

Michael nodded. “Okay, so she’s my aunt like Aunt Court is.” He looked at his father. “How come we don’t see Aunt Court more?”

“Yeah, Dad, how come we don’t see Aunt Court more?” Carly teased.

Sonny cleared his throat. “Because your aunt seems to think I am slightly…overbearing.”

Michael furrowed his brow. “What’s overbearing?”

“Your father likes to believe he’s in charge of everyone’s lives,” Carly said dryly. “That he can make everyone’s decisions for them.”

“I just want to make sure they’re making the right decisions,” Sonny said, almost primly.

“He’s a bit of a bully,” Carly confided to her son. “A very sweet, well-meaning bully.”

Sonny scowled but Michael just giggled. “A bully can’t be sweet!”

“Ha!” Carly snorted.

— Elizabeth’s Studio —

Carly peered suspiciously at a canvas. “Are you sure you want to take this?”

Elizabeth glanced over from the art supplies she was boxing up. “I’m taking all the canvases–” she peered at the one Carly was indicating and grimaced. “Except for that one.” She picked it up and tossed it in the scrap pile. “No canvases of Lucky.”

“Best news I’ve heard all day,” Courtney said from across the room. She frowned at an old Styrofoam package from Kelly’s. “I’m only just guessing that this is tossable.”

“You might as well toss everything in the fridge,” Elizabeth shrugged. “I haven’t been here in a while so most of it’s bad.”

“And besides, Sonny stocks Jason’s fridge weekly, so it’s not like you’ll need to hit the grocery store.” Carly’s finger caught the edge of the one of the canvases she was boxing and she yelped. “Splinter.”

“Here, let me get it–” Elizabeth reached for a needle from her table and took Carly’s hand in hers. “I’m an old pro at this by now.”

“Aww,” Courtney teased with an mischevious smirk. “It just warms my heart to see sisters who love each other so much.”

“Bite me, Barbie,” Carly muttered. “Or I’ll sic Sonny on you.” She all but growled as Elizabeth dug the splinter. “Hey, watch it, Muffin! That’s real skin there!”

“Oh, don’t be such a baby.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes and let Carly’s hand go. “See, it’s gone now.”

“You’re a butcher,” Carly whined, sucking the tip of her finger. “It hurts!”

“I’d hate to see you get a real injury,” Elizabeth smirked. “You’d probably keel over right there.”

“Listen, you–”

As their bickering continued to escalate, Courtney rolled her eyes and turned back to her packing. Some things would never change.

This entry is part 2 of 3 in the Fiction Graveyard: The Sisters

Corinthos Penthouse

Carly Corinthos glared at her husband. “Why did you do that?” she asked, stomping her foot and sounding like a five-year-old.

“Do what?” Sonny asked, setting the fork next to the spoon.

“You invited Jason!” Carly whined. She watched her husband set the table, making sure the forks and knives were just the right distance from the plates.

Sonny glanced up, frowning. “Why not?”

“Because I don’t want her to feel comfortable here,” Carly replied.

Sonny sighed and rested his hands on the back of one of the chairs. “Carly. Elizabeth has been a good friend to Jason–” when she snorted, he held up a hand to hold her off, “–and as much as you hate to acknowledge that, you know it’s true.”

“I know no such thing,” Carly said. “And I don’t want her thinking she can use this new…complication…to get back in good with Jason.”

“I don’t think–”

“And you always take her side.”

“Carly…I invited Jason because I consider him part of my family. Don’t you?”

“Yes,” Carly said, grudgingly.

“And is about as close to a family dinner as we’re ever going to have,” Sonny continued. “Which means my brother and your sister get to eat dinner here. It is not my fault if they’re attracted to one another.”

“He is not attracted to that pasty-faced–”

“Carly.”

“Limp-noodle looking–”

“Carly,” Sonny repeated forcefully. “What do you have against Elizabeth exactly?”

“She’s not good enough for Jason,” Carly said immediately. “She doesn’t understand what he needs.”

“And you won’t let Jason be the judge of that?” Sonny asked.

“Jason has extremely bad taste in women.” She frowned. “Excluding myself of course.”

“Of course.” Sonny shook his head. “I know you didn’t like Robin, and the two of you enjoyed taking each other apart–and you blame her for telling AJ about Michael. But Elizabeth has never done anything directly to you.”

“You always take her side!”

“Carly, just…for one night, can you do me a favor?” Sonny asked, adjusting the wine glasses.

“What?” Carly grumbled.

“Remember something: You have been given a chance in life–you have a sister and you have the opportunity not to screw it up, not like I did.”

Carly sighed. “Elizabeth and I will never be close.”

“Why?” Sonny challenged. “Because you’ve convinced yourself of this?”

“I know it,” Carly snapped.

“Fine. So, this is the favor–”

“I thought the favor was to remember that I have a sister,” Carly muttered.

“No. I want to look at Elizabeth objectively tonight and give her a chance.”

“What?” Carly yelped. “Are you nuts?”

“No–”

“Because there’s no way she’ll be able to impress me.” Carly was firm on the subject–she wasn’t going to budge.

“Good. Then you’ll do it.”

“Wait…what?” Carly asked. “I didn’t agree to that!”

Sonny smiled at her. “If she won’t impress you, then you have no problem giving her a chance.”

“You tricked me,” Carly accused. “That’s what happened.”

Sonny just shook his head and grinned. “Okay, Carly. Whatever.” He headed back to the kitchen to check on dinner. “Oh…I asked Jason to pick Elizabeth up.”

He let the door swing shut, cutting off Carly’s shrieks.

Elizabeth’s Studio

Elizabeth finished brushing her hair and tossed the brush on a table. She wasn’t really looking forward to this dinner–but she liked Sonny and it was nice to be related to him a sense.

She was more excited about the project she and Courtney were going to be starting the next day after their morning shifts. They were going to look for information about the Alcazar family. Elizabeth was looking forward to tracking down her other sister, Marisa.

Courtney had volunteered to help after Carly left earlier that day and they’d made plans to hit the library and look at old issues of newspapers. She knew it was probably a dead end, but short of asking Sonny or Jason, it was their only option.

A knock on the door interrupted her musings and she flipped open the bolts. “Jason.”

“Hey,” he greeted. “Sonny asked me to pick you up on my way home from the warehouse.”

“Oh.” Elizabeth nodded and turned to retrieve her purse. “So, I guess you’ve heard about my…uh…ties to Carly.”

“Yeah. It’s…interesting to say the least,” Jason said following her into the hallway. She locked the door and they headed to the stairwell.

“I haven’t told my grandmother yet,” Elizabeth said as they walked down the steps. “Because technically, she’s Carly’s grandmother, too.”

Jason chuckled and Elizabeth glanced up at him. “What?”

“Just the thought of Sonny being related to your grandmother.”

Elizabeth laughed then. “I bet Gram will get a kick out of that.”

Corinthos Penthouse

“She’s evil.”

Sonny rolled her eyes and adjusted the forks again. “Carly, Elizabeth Webber is not evil.”

Carly crossed her arms and glared at him. “Okay, maybe evil’s a strong word.”

“She’s a good person.”

Before Carly could start arguing with him, Jason pushed the door open. “We’re here.”

Carly glared at the young woman who entered with her best friend. “Goody.”

Kelly’s

“And it went downhill from there,” Elizabeth sighed. She flipped the sign from closed to open. She turned back to Courtney. “Every time I looked up, she was insulting me.”

Courtney set the sugar canister down at a table and looked at her. “So, no cozy relationship between the sisters, huh?”

Elizabeth snorted. “We’re going to be about as close as me and Sarah. Or you and Sonny.”

Courtney headed back behind the counter. “So, how are things with Jason?”

Elizabeth couldn’t hide the small smile that crossed her lips as she crossed the diner. “They’re better.”

“Better?” Courtney echoed. She grinned and leaned forward, folding her arms on the counter. “Better how?”

“Well…” Elizabeth drawled. “He picked me up for dinner last night and took me home afterwards.”

“Uh huh,” Courtney said, clearly digging for more.

“It’s not so much as what we did…” Elizabeth stopped, struggling a little to explain it. “It’s just…that awkward feeling is gone, y’know?”

“I’m glad,” Courtney said. “Because like I said, I think he really cares about you.”

“I care about him, too,” Elizabeth said, sincerely. “But I’ve screwed up so many times in the past–I have to be careful.”

“You can’t be careful when your heart’s on the line,” Courtney said. “Sometimes…you have to take a risk.”

“Maybe,” Elizabeth said, shrugging. “Anyway, as soon as we get off, we’re going to the library, right?”

Accepting the change in topic, Courtney nodded. “Definitely.” She grinned. “I think I may be more excited than you are.”

Library

Elizabeth stared at the article in stunned silence. “What did you find?” Courtney asked, leaning over from her microfiche machine.

Elizabeth leaned back to let the blonde see. “Alleged Crime Boss Ramon Alcazar Killed In Shootout–” Courtney’s blue eyes flicked to Elizabeth. “No way.”

Elizabeth nodded numbly. “Apparently.”

“So, wait, he’s kinda like Sonny…” Courtney sighed. “Is everyone in the mob or something?”

“Welcome to Port Charles,” Elizabeth mumbled. She clicked the print button and turned to Courtney. “Did you find anything?”

“No, still looking,” Courtney replied. She went back to her machine and flipped through a few more issues. She frowned and read the headline out loud. “Alcazar Heir Vanishes.”

Elizabeth leaned over to look. “What sort of newspaper prints something like that?”

Courtney smirked. “The Sun. Anyway…” she squinted to read further. “Twenty-one-year-old Alejandro Alcazar has vanished just before his trial. The youngest brother of alleged crime lord, Luis Alcazar, was to be tried for first degree murder…” Courtney scrolled down to read more and gasped.

“What, what is it?” Elizabeth asked. “Did you see something about Marisa?”

“N-no,” Courtney stammered. “I found a picture of Alejandro Alcazar.” She pressed the print button and crossed to the printer. She sifted through the articles they’d already printed until she found the one she’d just printed. She handed to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth stared at the picture for a few moments before raising her gaze to Courtney. “This is impossible.”

“I know,” Courtney said, her voice clearly stating her doubt. “But…that picture…”

“It can’t be…” Elizabeth trailed off. She looked back down at the picture of Alejandro Alcazar.

And looked into the face of Zander Smith.

Elizabeth’s Studio

“This is just impossible,” Elizabeth said for the hundredth time. “None of these articles mention the other children or even Carmen. They’re all about Ramon, Luis and Alejandro.”

“Well, maybe Ramon and Carmen were divorced,” Courtney suggested. “She might have gotten custody of the other two.”

“That’s true.” She stared down at the picture of Alejandro. “This can’t be Zander. I mean…this is just crazy.”

Courtney sighed. “You know what you have to do, you know….if you need confirmation.”

Elizabeth glared at her. “If you’re suggesting I tell Jason, you’re nuts.”

“Honestly, Elizabeth, Jason will be able to find out if this guy and Zander are the same person. Not to mention…he might be able to find Marisa if Ramon Alcazar is involved in organized crime.”

“I just can’t go and ask Jason for help,” Elizabeth replied. “I have to stop going to him when I just need help. Too much of our friendship has been like that–I can’t do it anymore.”

“Fair enough,” Courtney agreed. “But how’s he gonna feel when he finds out you kept this from him?”

Elizabeth didn’t answer and busied herself organizing the various articles they’d found about the Alcazar crime family in New York City.

“You just don’t want to bring up Zander, do you?” Courtney asked.

“Look–I just…we just got past me sleeping with Zander…the last thing I want to do is bring him up again.”

“Elizabeth…you can’t keep this from him,” Courtney admonished. “You know he’s going to find out and he’s not gonna like that you didn’t tell him.”

“I know,” Elizabeth grumbled. “But how am I supposed to explain that this guy I slept with is possibly a member of a crime family–oh and his sister is related to me…yeah…that might not go over well.”

Courtney bit her lip and looked away. “I know–but aren’t you big on honesty?”

“You know…you’re not supposed to convince me to tell him. You’re supposed to be on my side,” Elizabeth muttered.

“Sorry,” Courtney shrugged.

“Look…I think I need to think about this for a while, y’know, before I make any decisions.”

Courtney stood and headed for the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ve got the day off, but you’re closing right?”

“Right. See ya. Thanks again for all your help,” Elizabeth said, honestly.

Kelly’s

She knew Courtney was right. That was the biggest problem. She knew it wouldn’t do any good to keep this information from Jason, but part of her just wanted to keep their friendship tension free for awhile.

They’d barely managed to get past her sleeping with Zander without Elizabeth bringing up that she and he might have family in common or that he might be more than the former drug dealer they’d thought he was.

There was also the factor of Marisa–the sister that Elizabeth wouldn’t mind finding. She had so little family–her mother, Marcia, who she hadn’t seen in five years. Steven, the doctor brother she never talked to. Sarah…the whore extraordinaire that Elizabeth refused to talk to. Audrey, the grandmother who couldn’t understand her choices and had stopped trying.

And then there was Carly. The new sister who she’d already disliked.

She could use a sister who she didn’t know and had no history with.

She also knew her chances of finding this sister were slim to none unless she swallowed her pride and asked for help. And she was in a position where she could go to her brother-in-law–and she knew Sonny would help her.

But if she went to Sonny, Jason would find out. And he’d be hurt that she hadn’t gone to him.

But she didn’t want Jason to think she was using him. She’d done that so much the last time he was in town–she wanted a chance to be with him, but she didn’t think that would be possible unless she tried to put their friendship on a more equal footing.

She finished wiping down the tables, lost in her thoughts and didn’t even notice when Zander entered the diner.

“Hey.”

She stopped and looked at him, the irritation and exhaustion written in her face. “We’re closed, Zander.”

Zander drew closer to her. “I haven’t seen you around Jason all that much. Why is that?” he asked.

“I’ve been working,” Elizabeth muttered moving away from him. “Could you please go?”

“Your big bad mob enforcer didn’t want you did he?” Zander taunted. “I bet you wish you hadn’t been so quick to dump me.”

In about five seconds she was going to lose her temper and she didn’t think she’d be responsible for her actions. “My relationship with Jason is none of your business. Leave me alone.”

She grabbed her purse and headed for the door. “I have to lock up. Now go.”

Zander glared at her one last time before stalking out the door. Elizabeth sighed and followed him, stopping to lock the door.

She was about to walk in the opposite direction when Jason stepped out of the shadows. “Hey,” he said.

“Hi,” she said, surprised.

“I wanted to see if you needed a ride home,” Jason explained. “But I…I saw Zander and–”

“I am about this close to knocking his head off,” Elizabeth fumed, interrupting him. “He keeps coming in and insinuating that I made a mistake in dumping him. Dumping him would mean we actually dated and that’s just ridiculous.” She broke off and smiled, embarrassed.

Jason was unable to keep the small smile off his face. “So, you need a ride home after all?”

“Sure,” Elizabeth replied. She hesitated. “I actually have to talk to you anyway.”

“Oh?” Jason asked, leading Elizabeth to his bike. He handed her the helmet.

“Yeah…and it’s really important. Do you have time tonight?” she asked, anxiously.

Her expression worried him and he nodded. “Yeah, sure. Your studio?”

“Yeah,” Elizabeth agreed.

Studio

Elizabeth grabbed the folder off the table and leaned against it. Jason folded his arms and stood in the middle of the studio. Whatever she needed to say, she’d say in her own time.

“I debated about telling you this,” she said finally, “but we’ve always been honest with each other.” She looked down at the folder full of the newspaper articles. “You remember that letter I gave Carly and Sonny about my father?”

“Yeah,” Jason replied.

“Well, it was from a woman named Carmen Alcazar,” Elizabeth replied. “She and my father had a daughter together, named Marisa. Carmen was married to my father’s best friend, Ramon. They had four children, including Marisa. Apparently, Ramon was involved organized crime in New York City and was killed back in the eighties after I think he and Carmen divorced. His son Luis took over for him and his younger brother disappeared after being charged with first degree murder.”

Jason knew the name–but he didn’t let on to Elizabeth. He needed to run this by Sonny before letting Elizabeth know anything. “Elizabeth–”

“Courtney offered to help me find Marisa and we went searching anything we could find and we found all these articles.” She opened the folder–on top was the article about Alejandro fleeing the jurisdiction. “Courtney found a picture of the younger brother.” She handed it to him.

Jason took it and looked down at the article. He wasn’t really good at photographs, but he could tell the guy in the picture was familiar. He looked up at her.

She bit her lip–she knew he had trouble with pictures, but she’d been hoping he’d able to recognize him and she wouldn’t have to say his name. She hated bringing Zander up sometimes. “Courtney and I seem to think it looks a lot like Zander.”

He looked back down at it and this time he could see it. “Yeah…I can see it a little.”

She bit her lip. “I just thought…you know…you ought to know if he’s Alejandro, y’know…I figured you might appreciate it in case…” she stopped and looked at him. Honesty is the best policy, she chanted. “I didn’t want you finding out another way and thinking I kept it from you to protect him.”

Jason didn’t say anything for a few minutes but when he finally did, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Can I tell Sonny about this?” he asked. “Because you’re right–we do need to know.”

“Sure,” Elizabeth said. She shoved the folder at him. “This is all the information we found actually. Take it–it didn’t help me anyway.”

Jason set the article inside the manila folder and set it aside. “So, how are you going to find your sister?” he asked.

She grimaced. “I have no idea. We were hoping to find anything in the New York papers, but the most we came up with was her birth announcement. Courtney and I are at a dead end.”

“You weren’t going to ask me?” Jason asked.

She flushed and looked away. “I would, normally but…” she stopped and shrugged.

“But what?” Jason pressed.

“I didn’t want you to think I was using you,” she admitted. She clasped her hands in front of her and looked at the floor. “I did a lot of that last year and I’m trying really hard not to do it anymore.”

“Elizabeth–” He stopped, knowing it would do no good to argue with her when she’d made up her mind to blame herself. “What if I offer to help?”

“I don’t know,” she said, hesitating. “Would you?”

“I’ll help you find your sister,” Jason told her.

She grinned and her eyes lit up. “Thank you!” Elizabeth was so excited that she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him for the first time since the whole Zander debacle. He was startled but wrapped his arms around her waist.

The hug lasted a few seconds too long and she pulled away abruptly. She turned and headed for the lone clipping she’d kept out of the folder. She kept her back to him long enough to take a deep breath and get her breathing under control. When she turned back around she held out the article. “This is Marisa’s birth announcement in The New York Journal.”

Jason took it from her and looked at it.

Marisa Alda Alcazar was born at 7:56 a.m. on September 21, 1982. She weighed 6 lbs. and 8 oz. She is the youngest and only daughter of Wall Street whiz Ramon Alcazar and his wife Carmen, nee Galvez.

“And this was the only mention of her?” Jason asked.

“Yep.” She nervously wrung her hands. “We looked in all the major newspapers in the area, but there was nothing else. After Marisa was born, the only Alcazars mentioned are Ramon, Luis and Alejandro. They don’t mention Carmen, Marisa or the other twin, Enrique.”

“Well, you said they were divorced, so it’s possible Carmen got custody of the other two children and moved,” Jason replied. “I’ll do some checking.”

“Thank you so much,” Elizabeth said gratefully. “It really means a lot to me.”

“It’s no problem,” Jason told her. He smiled at her and she couldn’t help but return the smile. She missed how easy it used to be between them before she screwed it up.

At the thought of Zander, Elizabeth frowned and looked away. She bit her lip. “I just wish there was something I could do for you–you’ve done so much for me, Jason.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

She walked towards. “Yeah, yeah, I do. I know you don’t think so, but I feel like I do.” She sucked in a deep breath. “I can never erase my mistakes. I can’t take them back as much as I want to. I just hope that in time you forgive me.”

“Elizabeth, there’s nothing–there’s nothing to forgive.” He looked at her carefully. Choosing his next words carefully, “You and I…we weren’t together. We didn’t have any sort of understanding. You could gone back to Lucky and I wouldn’t have the right to be mad.”

“This isn’t about having the right to be mad.” She pushed her hands through her hair and looked at the ceiling. “This about me doing something stupid. Something I wished I could take back. I know you have to be mad.”

“Elizabeth…it’s not that I’m mad. I just don’t understand it. I don’t understand the things you do sometimes. You’re always trying to make everyone else happy and take care of everyone else. When…when was the last time you did something to make you happy?”

She didn’t answer for long time. She bit her lip and turned back around to face the table. He stuck his hands in his jeans and waited. When she finally spoke, her answer stunned him.

“That night when I found Sarah and Lucky.” Her voice was barely above a whisper and yet, he had no trouble hearing it. “When I brought you back to my studio and I kissed you.” She turned around to look at him. His face was unreadable–his eyes dark. “I kissed you because I wanted to. Because I had been dreaming about it since the day I walked away from you in the park. Since that day in your room. That was the first decision I made that was for me and me alone.”

He looked at her, the surprise etched in his features. “Then…why–why did you…” he stopped, not sure how to ask the question, and not completely sure he wanted to hear the answer.

“Because I was angry that night. I wanted our first time to be completely about us, and not about my anger. I explained that to you then, but I guess I need to clarify it.” She looked down. “I slept with Zander because I was reaching out for something. I don’t know what, but he was there. It was nothing more than sex. It didn’t mean anything to me. He was my friend at one time, but I regretted it the moment it was over.” She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “And the second I opened the door to you the next morning, all I could think about was making sure you didn’t know.”

“If Zander didn’t mean anything to you, then why did you fight so hard for him?”

“Because I thought…I thought you didn’t want me anymore.” She swallowed hard and focused on his eyes. “I decided that I didn’t want to be alone. It was a mistake and I never should have put any trust in him.” She swiped at her eyes. “I was stupid and I was trying to make it right, and I failed. I made it worse.” She hugged herself. “I lost you.”

“Elizabeth, you didn’t lose me. I’m right here. I’d never turn you away.” He stepped towards her and she closed the distance. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him. He pushed away slightly and let his hands cup her face. He used his thumbs to wipe away her tears. They locked eyes. He started tilting his head down.

This wasn’t like the other times–this wasn’t out of anger and she wasn’t going stop him. She was going to kiss him and it was going to be for the right reasons. Their breaths mingled and his lips brushed hers.

And then his cell phone rang.

She hesitated but Jason didn’t–his mouth settled over hers and she returned the pressure. If he wasn’t going to let the cell phone interrupt them–well, neither was she.

The incessant ringing didn’t stop and he eventually had to break contact and answer it. “Sorry,” he apologized, digging into his coat pocket for the cell.

She could only blink in response as he answered it.

“Yeah?” he said. “Okay, I’ll be right there.” He hung it up and looked at her. “Elizabeth–”

“I know you–you have to go,” she said, finally finding her voice.

“We need to talk,” he told her. He kissed her on the forehead before leaving. She stared at the closed door for a few seconds.

“Oh yeah,” she murmured. “We definitely need to talk.”

Kelly’s
“I told you,” Courtney said triumphantly the next morning during the breakfast shift.

Elizabeth just shook her head and poured a cup of coffee. She set it in front of a customer who set down a dollar and left for a table. “Courtney, don’t make me regret I told you.”

Courtney laughed. “Come on, Elizabeth, you know you’re psyched.”

Elizabeth couldn’t help it–she grinned and looked at her. “Okay, maybe little.”

“A little?” Courtney teased.

“All right, all right,” Elizabeth said, “A lot.” She took a deep breath. “Anyway, he offered to help find her, so this is good news.”

“With Jason’s help, we’ll definitely find Marisa,” Courtney agreed. She turned, her back to the counter. “So, do you think he’ll tell you if he finds out Zander is Alejandro?”

Elizabeth’s face paled and Courtney frowned. “What’s the matter?”

“Hello, Courtney.”

Courtney froze and slowly turned. “G-good morning, Zander,” she stammered. She held up the coffee pot. “Something to drink?”

Zander glared at Elizabeth. “No. In fact, I don’t want anything. I’ll be leaving.” A second later he turned and stalked out of Kelly’s.

“Shit, I am so sorry,” Courtney said. “I really didn’t think–”

“It’s all right,” Elizabeth said quickly. “It’s a mistake I probably would have made. Don’t worry.”

“Really, I am sorry–I should have known better.”

“Courtney, I’m okay and I’m not mad. It was a mistake–I know you didn’t do it on purpose.”

Elizabeth pushed past her to go wait on a customer. Maybe Zander hadn’t heard the entire conversation. Maybe she and Courtney were safe.

But just to be sure–she’d tell Jason what had happened as soon as her shift was over.

And maybe they could have that talk.

Docks

Elizabeth pulled her purse strap higher on her shoulder as she headed down the steps. She was on her way to the penthouse, intent on finding Jason. If he wasn’t there–well, she’d have to go see Sonny. She couldn’t wait much longer to let someone know what had happened earlier that morning.

She was rushing so fast that she didn’t even see Zander until she crashed into him.

“You should watch where you’re going,” Zander said, shoving her away from him.

“Z-zander–” Elizabeth stuttered. “I’m sorry…I wasn’t looking.”

“You should.” Zander folded his arms and glared at her. “You should also learn to mind your own business.”

Oh, no. He had heard. She swallowed. “Zander, about what Courtney said–”

Zander grabbed her arm. “Who else knows?” he bit out.

“N-no one,” Elizabeth stammered. “Let me go.”

“If you tell anyone else,” Zander threatened, “I will make you regret it.”

“She said to let her go.”

Zander turned his head and cursed.

Carly Corinthos stood at the foot of the stairs, with her guard just a step away. She smiled at Zander and crossed her arms.

Carly had debated on whether or not to step in at first–but she knew that Will, her guard, would certainly say something to Sonny about the scene and he’d wonder why she hadn’t done anything.

It had nothing to do with Elizabeth being her sister.

Carly took a step forward. “Let her go, Zander…or I’ll have Will deal with you.”

Zander glared at Carly for a few minutes before abruptly letting go of Elizabeth’s arm. “Remember what I said,” he growled before stalking away.

Carly raised her eyebrows. “You certainly have a way with men.”

Elizabeth rubbed her sore arm. “Bite me, Carly,” she muttered.

“Mrs. Corinthos?” the man who’d been standing with Carly said. “Mr. Morgan is on his way.”

Carly spun around. “What?” she snapped. “Will, who asked you to call Jason?”

Will shuffled his feet. “Well, Mr. Corinthos made it clear that if Ms. Webber needed help, to call Mr. Morgan immediately.”

Carly glared at her half-sister before taking a deep breath and smiling sweetly at guard. “Will, be a sweetie and call Jason to tell him he’s not needed.”

“Actually, Will, I do need to speak with Jason,” Elizabeth spoke up, “so don’t worry about it.”

“Uh…” Will’s eyes darted between the two women. His loyalties were definitely torn–his orders were to take care of Carly Corinthos and abide by her wishes, should they be within reason of course. But it had been stressed by some of the top men in the organization that Elizabeth Webber was a top priority in Jason Morgan’s life and if she needed him, she got him.

Luckily, Will was saved from making a choice by the appearance of Jason at the top of the stairs.

“What’s going on?” he asked immediately, his eyes flicking to Carly, suspiciously.

“Hey, knock it off, I didn’t even do anything,” Carly said, a little hurt.

“No, no,” Elizabeth said. “Carly actually helped.”

“She did?” Jason asked.

“I did?” Carly asked.

She gave the blonde a small smile. “I don’t really want to think about what would have happened if you and Will hadn’t showed up.”

Jason’s eyes narrowed. “Elizabeth, what happened?”

“Zander Smith,” Carly replied. “He had her by the arm and wouldn’t let go. All I did was threaten him with Will.”

“And he let go,” Elizabeth said. “So, thank you.”

“Yeah…you’re welcome.” Carly shifted. “Well, as much fun as this is, I’ve got a dentist appointment I’d rather go to. So…” she motioned to Will. The two headed up the stairs and out of sight. Jason turned to Elizabeth.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Elizabeth shrugged. “I got my answer.”

“Answer to what?” Jason asked, grasping her arm and examining it.

“I’m fine,” she murmured. “It’s just sore.” She looked up at him. “He’s Alejandro Alcazar.”

“How can you be sure?” Jason asked, not letting go of her arm.

She bit her lip and looked away. “I wasn’t sure–but I thought Zander might have overheard a conversation. I was on my way to find you and tell you when I ran into him on the docks. He told me I needed to mind my own business and not to tell anyone else.”

Jason finally let go of her arm. “A conversation with who?” he asked.

“Courtney.” Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “Oh, no. What if he goes to Kelly’s?” She turned, intent on heading to the diner, but Jason grabbed her hand.

“She’s got a guard,” Jason told her. “Max won’t let him near her if I tell him not to.” He fished his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. He did this all with his left hand, his right never letting go of Elizabeth. “Max, it’s Jason. How’s everything at Kelly’s? Okay…don’t let Smith within fifteen feet of Courtney. I’ll explain later. Thanks.” He hung up. “She’ll be fine.”

“Thank you,” Elizabeth said, breathing a sigh of relief. She watched him put the cell phone back into the back pocket of his jeans. “I’d hate for something to happen to her just because she was helping me.”

“Speaking of that, I think I got a lead on your sister,” Jason replied.

Her eyes lit up. “Really? What?”

“Are you busy right now?” Jason asked.

“No,” Elizabeth replied. “I just got off work.”

“Let’s go for a ride,” he said. “And we can talk.”

And she suddenly got the feeling he was talking about more than just a lead on Marisa.

Vista Point

Elizabeth leaned against the railing of the observation deck. “It’s beautiful here–I don’t think I ever realized this place was here.”

“It’s supposed to be the highest point in the city,” Jason replied.

“I’d love to sketch it,” she replied. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “So, you said you found out something?”

“Yeah. It’s not much,” Jason told her, “but it’s a start. Carmen and Ramon divorced in 1983. She took her maiden name of Galvez and got custody of Marisa and Enrique. The two kids both took the name Galvez, as well.” He put his hands in his pockets and met her eyes. “But it’s obvious that Carmen didn’t want to be found–we haven’t found any trace of them yet.”

She sighed and looked away. “I guess it was too much to hope for that Marisa would only be a plane ride away.”

“I’ll find her, Elizabeth, I promise.”

She offered a smile. “I’m grateful for any help you can give me, but if you can’t find her it’s all right. I understand.”

He took her hands in his. “I wanted to talk about last night.”

She bit her lip and looked down at their hands. “What about last night?” she asked, trying to stall. The last thing she wanted was to be let down with a I-Just-Wanna-Be-Friends speech.

“I’m not going to apologize.”

Her head jerked up. “What?” she asked.

“I’m not sorry I kissed you,” Jason said.

“Yeah…well neither am I, honestly,” Elizabeth admitted. Her cheeks flushed as she continued. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to kiss you last night.”

“What about right now?” he asked, taking a step closer to her.

“I’d like that,” she confessed, her voice low and breathy.

He leaned down and their lips touched. Almost instantly, her hands were in his hair, dragging him closer. Her mouth opened underneath his and deepened the kiss.

His ever present cell phone interrupted them again and he didn’t even bother to muffle the curse as he broke away to dig it out of his pocket. “Yeah?”

Elizabeth moved away, giving him some privacy for the phone call. She leaned over the railing and peered out at the town, running the last few minutes through her brain. Could it be so simple? Could she and Jason get past the hurt she’d caused and the mistakes she’d made in only a few days?

“We have to go back,” Jason said, coming up behind her. She straightened and turned. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she said. “Besides, I’m suddenly inspired to do some sketching.” She headed towards the parking lot, but he grabbed her arm.

“I still want to finish this,” he said.

She tilted her head to the side. “We can do it in ten words or less,” she said, suddenly feeling brave. “I want to be with you, Jason.”

“I want to be with you, too,” Jason told her.

“That wasn’t too painful, was it?” she teased.

“Not as bad as I thought,” he replied, a half-smile on his face as he tugged her towards him for a brief kiss. Pulling away, he said, “Come on. I really do have to go.”

Corinthos Penthouse

Carly heard the door downstairs close and she was down the steps in a flash. “Is it safe to come down now?” she asked.

Sonny turned and frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me what happened on the docks today?” he asked.

Carly shrugged. “It didn’t seem important. I mean, Jason came. The situation was resolved.”

“Carly.” Sonny sat and just shook his head. “Zander Smith obviously sees Elizabeth as a threat for some reason and you broke in on that. I don’t want to give him a reason to go after you, too.”

“It was kind of weird,” Carly admitted, sitting next to her husband on the couch. “I mean, I thought she and Zander were friends.”

“Yeah, the last time I checked they were,” Sonny replied. “I wonder what’s changed.”

“Well, maybe Jason can tell you,” Carly said. “Elizabeth said she was looking for Jason, I assume she told him.”

“So, you stepped in to help your sister,” Sonny said, patting Carly’s knee, unable to keep the smile off his face.

Carly grimaced. “Well, if I hadn’t and something had happened to the princess, then you just know Jason would never let me get away with it.”

“So it had nothing to do with you being related to her?” Sonny asked.

Carly glared at him. “Stop staying that. It’s just wrong.”

“What’s so wrong about it?” Sonny asked. “Elizabeth is a good person–I think if you gave her half a chance you might find out that the two of you could get along.”

“Get along?” Carly snorted. “Co-exist maybe, but we’ll never get along, and you’d ought to get used to that.”

“It’s just…neither of us have a lot of family,” Sonny reminded her. “I’ve got you, Courtney, Jason and Michael. You’ve got me, Jason, Michael and now Elizabeth. You never know–you might learn to like her.”

“Don’t make me hurt you.”

Kelly’s

Elizabeth and Courtney were both working the evening shift the next day and they kept looking up every time the door swung open, both hoping desperately that Zander Smith wouldn’t come through them.

“I hate this,” Courtney muttered, coming to stand next to Elizabeth behind the counter. “It’s absolutely dead in here now and all I can think about is Zander.”

“Jason said we were safe as long as we stay here,” Elizabeth replied. “Max is taking you home and Jason’s picking me up. Everything should be fine.”

“AJ absolutely hates that Max takes me home, but I keep telling him–at least it saves us bus fare, right?” Courtney sighed. “I love him, but he’s always so sure Jason’s out to beat him.”

“At least he’s consistent,” Elizabeth replied.

“Yeah.” Courtney gave her a weak smile and then looked towards the doors. “One of us is going to have to clean up outside.”

“I know.”

Neither of them made a move.

“If you think if I ask Max to you know…stand outside with me, he won’t think I’m a complete baby?” Courtney asked.

Elizabeth shrugged. “Well, his job is to protect you.”

“True. But I hate being a burden. I brought him coffee on the house and he kept trying to pay for it.”

Elizabeth smiled. “I know–the guards can be so polite. Francis used to guard me and we used to argue all the time. He refused to accept free coffee and I refused to be called Miss Webber all the time. We compromised after about a week–he paid for half the coffee and ended up calling me Webber.” Elizabeth laughed. “I’ll never forget the first time Sonny heard him do that. The look on his face.”

Courtney giggled. “I just don’t understand why they have to be so formal.”

“Well, a lot of them are used to Carly,” Elizabeth confided. “And she’s not the easiest person to be around.”

“I can imagine.”

The door swung open and both women tensed. When it was only Carly, Courtney sighed, visibly relieved.

Carly stalked forwards, hands on her hips. “All right, Princess, I want answers.”

“Answers?” Elizabeth echoed. “What are you talking about?”

Carly’s eyes narrowed. “It’s been bugging the hell out of me since yesterday. What crawled up Zander’s ass and died?”

Courtney and Elizabeth exchanged glances. Jason told her the information was only on a need-to-know basis, and somehow Elizabeth didn’t think Carly’s insatiable curiosity counted.

“Look, I’m just gonna find out on my own, so save me the trouble,” Carly said. She slid onto a stool. “Besides, he probably hates me now since I stopped him from throwing Elizabeth in the water.”

“I think you’re exaggerating,” Elizabeth remarked dryly.

“Whatever. So since I’m probably in just as much danger as the two of you, you might as well tell me.”

Courtney looked at Elizabeth. “She’s got a point.”

“Look, Carly…Zander’s not who he says he is,” Elizabeth told her. “He’s someone else, a person with a different name and past. He found out Courtney and I knew, so we’re a little jumpy.”

“So who is he, really?” Carly asked, eager to gossip.

Elizabeth shook her head. “Don’t worry about it.” She hesitated. “Did Jason tell you he’s helping me find Marisa?”

Carly frowned. “Marisa?”

“Yeah Our other sister,” Elizabeth replied. “Jeff and his best friend’s wife had an affair and she had a daughter.”

“He certainly got around, didn’t he?” Carly asked, wrinkling her nose.

“Remind you of anyone you know?” Courtney asked sweetly.

“Bite me, blondie,” Carly muttered.

The doors swung open and Zander stalked in. “Just who I wanted to see.”

“H-hi,” Courtney stammered. She held up a coffee pot. “Coffee?”

Elizabeth jabbed her in the side. “Stop offering him coffee,” she hissed.

Zander stuck his hands in his pockets. “Did you tell Morgan what you know?” he asked bluntly.

“Does it matter?” Elizabeth asked.

Zander frowned. “If you stay out of my way, you’ll be fine,” he told her. “Just don’t get any more mixed up with Morgan.”

“Why in the world are you telling me this?” Elizabeth asked, mystified. “In front of Sonny’s wife, no less.”

Zander smirked. “Sonny trusts Carly about as far as he can throw her, so I’m not worried.”

“Hey!” Carly exclaimed.

“Look, Liz, I’m not going to go out of my way to hurt you,” Zander said. “You’ve been a good friend and Emily would never forgive me.”

“But going after her brother is okay?” Carly asked sarcastically.

Zander shrugged. “All’s fair in war, babe. Emily would understand it’s just business.”

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. “You don’t really know Emily very well, do you?”

“Well, if you open your mouth to her, I’ll just tell her that you slept with me,” Zander said.

Carly gasped and whipped her head around. “You did what?” she screeched.

“I made a mistake,” Elizabeth said, her teeth gritted.

“I’m just saying–bad things are gonna happen,” Zander said. “And you don’t want to be anywhere near Morgan when it all goes down.”

“What are you going to do?” Elizabeth asked.

“It doesn’t matter.” Zander walked out, letting the door swing shut behind me.

“Okay, that’s creepy,” Carly said, jerking her thumb towards the door. “He basically told us he’s gonna make a move against at least, Jason. He has to know Sonny will believe me if I tell him this. I’ve got witnesses and for some reason, my husband trusts you.”

“It’s like he wanted us to know,” Courtney murmured. “You think that’s part of the plan? To make sure you’re prepared and then find a way to blindside you anyway?”

“It’s possible,” Elizabeth said. “But Zander doesn’t have the resources to pull off anything big and Roy’s not like that. He’s not going to go after Jason for no reason.”

“Well, he did burn down his pier,” Courtney reminded her.

“Well, Roy tampered with the coffee,” Carly interjected. “But I agree with Courtney, he wanted us to know he’s up to something.”

“Which means he thinks he can’t be caught,” Elizabeth said.

“He’s got to be working for someone other than Roy,” Carly replied.

“But who?” Elizabeth asked.

“And why?” Courtney said. “I mean, if he wanted Sonny’s territory, he’d go after Sonny.”

“He’s made it personal,” Elizabeth said. “He sees Jason as a threat, someone he has to beat.” She glanced at her co-worker. “It’s almost like AJ. Except Zander’s a little more impulsive.”

“And AJ doesn’t have any real balls to pull anything off,” Carly said. “Sorry, but it’s true.”

Courtney shrugged. “I don’t want to argue about AJ. But you’re right, I think Zander definitely sees Jason as someone he’s got to beat, especially now that you’re dating Jason.”

Carly glared at the brunette. “You’re what?” she asked.

Elizabeth folded her arms. “And to think we were getting along.”

With a start, Carly realized the other woman was right. The three of them had been so busy dissecting Zander’s behavior, she’d forgotten all about making fun of the other two.

And the really worrisome thing?

Carly had been enjoying it. She loved scheming and it was always fun to try and decipher what someone else was up to. It’d been fun brainstorming with the two women.

With her teeth gritted, she said, “If you hurt him, I’ll kill you.”

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows in surprise but nodded. “Fair enough.”

“So, Zander basically thinks you chose Jason over him,” Carly said, bringing the discussion back to the original topic.

“I’d say so,” Elizabeth agreed. “Because, I guess, in all fairness I did.”

“He’s jealous,” Courtney said. “And he’s already hot-headed and impulsive. Adding jealousy and anger into the mix is a volatile combination.”

“I’m going to tell Sonny about what happened tonight,” Carly said. “But I think we ought to keep our suspicions to ourselves.”

“Carly,” Elizabeth said. “We–”

“No, you see, Sonny doesn’t value my opinion in matters like these. You might get through to Jason–he doesn’t think women are useless like my husband,” Carly said, smirking. “But the second Jason would tell Sonny one of us came up with it, he’d laugh it off. He’s infuriating like that.”

“So we need proof,” Courtney said. “But how do we get it?”

Carly smirked. “Simple. We use our best resource.” She locked eyes with Elizabeth. “He’s already got a weird loyalty to you through Emily. Use it.”

“I don’t know,” Elizabeth said, hesitantly. “I don’t want to hurt Jason.”

“I get that, but you don’t have to lead him on,” Courtney said. “Carly’s right–Zander almost trusts you. He’s also emotionally involved with you, at least he thinks he is. You could get him angry enough to let something slip.”

“All right, but if I get caught, I’m blaming you,” Elizabeth told Carly.

“Fair enough,” Carly said. She eyed the two women. “So, we’re putting aside our differences?”

“Temporarily,” Courtney said. “I love to fight with you, it’s the highlight of my day.”

Carly laughed. “Yeah, I do make arguing fun.”

“Yep. You’ll argue until you turn blue in the face,” Elizabeth said, grinning. “It doesn’t matter how invalid or trivial your points are. Until you win, you won’t shut up.” Her eyes sparkled. “And I’m the same way.”

Carly grimaced. “I guess we have that in common,” she said grudgingly.

“Well, what do you know?” Courtney asked, grinning. “Sisterly bonding.”

“Bite me,” Carly snarled.

Author Archives: Melissa

February 15, 2014

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