Sonny & Jason, Friends or Foes? --- April 1, 2003 --- SID "Hot Stories"

General Hospital's big break-up has left fans shaking their heads, muttering, "We never thought it would happen." This time, however, they are not talking about Jax and Brenda or Jason and Liz, but rather Sonny and Jason. This week, as danger continues to swirl around the Mob boss and those he loves, how long can he keep his best enforcer at arm's length?

"that's the thing about our relationship," says Steve Burton, speaking as Jason. "NO matter what I'll always be there. It doesn't matter what I am told to do.

"The writers are in the catch-22," the Emmy winner continues. "They've built such a great relationship between these two guys that Courtney is pretty much the only thing that could ever come between them. There's nothing else. I wouldn't do anything out of character, like try to turn on him. And he wouldn't do that to me."

For the first time, Jason now finds his loyalties torn, thanks to the love of a good woman... who just happens to be not only the boss' sister, but the one lovely lady who's been labeled "hands off" by Sonny. "It's tough for the audience, which is a good thing," says Burton. "They don't know which direction Jason should go. They know that I'm loyal to Sonny, and they'll see that I'm still looking out for him. But they also know that for the first time, Jason sees that there's more to life, that Courtney is the first person that has opened my eyes so much. When I looked at my life before, I had nothing. Now I have everything."

Even if a truce is called, don't count on smooth sailing anytime soon between these onetime pals. Burton teases, "it's going to make for great story for the next three months."