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SONNY TO JASON: IT'S ME OR COURTNEY

Sonny Corinthos is no fool. Jason and Courtney learn that the hard way this week on General Hospital when they decide to tell her brother the truth and it threatens to destroy their relationship for good.

"The trial is over, so Jason feels that he can tell everybody they care about that they're together," sets up Steve Burton (Jason). "It wasn't that Jason was necessarily hiding it from Sonny, because there were a few times where he was going to tell him. But things came up. The time was never right."

"They never wanted to keep it from him," chimes in Alicia Leigh Willis (Courtney). "The longer they did, the worse they felt about it. Now Jason finds out Sonny is going to send Courtney out of state to college, and he's like, 'We've got to go now. We've got to tell him we're together.'"

Neither one can predict how Sonny will react. "The way Jason sees it is, why wouldn't he want Jason to be with his sister?" offers Burton. "he's going to take care of her, he's going to keep her out of danger, no one's going to hurt her. It's as close to family as he can get. There are a lot more pros than cons."

As Jason and Courtney head off to reveal their love to Sonny (who is tucked away at a romantic cabin with Carly during a blizzard), their car crashes. "It's her third one of the year," laughs Willis. "Jason gets hurt pretty badly because he wasn't wearing a seat belt. She tries to keep him awake and alert. There are times when she thinks she might lose him."

As Jason fights for life, they admit their feelings for each other. "She's already said, 'I love you', but he didn't say it back; he was about to go to prison," recounts Willis. "In the car, he tells her." Burton affirms, "He loves her. This is real."

But their relationship is about to spin out of control. When Sonny and Carly are called back home for a club emergency, Liz spills the beans to Sonny -- and insinuates that Courtney and Jason left town to elope. Then Ric tells Sonny that his sister and his right-hand man have their own secret love nest, Sonny erupts, especially when he discovers Carly knew all along.

"Sonny accuses her of keeping secrets and lying, and that she promised not to keep secrets or tell lies anymore," relates Tamara Braun (Carly). "I don't recall Carly promising not to keep secrets; she did promise not to tell lies. But she puts it right back to his face, to take a look at himself and why he's got such issues with this. Carly says, 'Look at the way you're acting right now. You're pretty damn transparent. If they thought they could come to you, they would have.' Sonny has got to stop controlling everybody's life."

Carly also orders Sonny to take a look at their own relationship. "She's like, 'You're not the easiest person to live with, and you live an extremely dangerous life, but it's worth it. You cannot take away true love, if this is what it is, because you think someone might get hurt. You have to let these people learn for themselves.'"

Jason and Courtney are rescued and taken to GH. Sonny rushes over there and immediately forbids the relationship. "Courtney's like, 'Wait a minute, you can't run my life. I love this guy. He's a good guy despite what he does for a living,'" previews Willis. "Who is he to talk? He has a wife and a son that he brought into his world, and if he can bring them into it, then why can't Courtney? He's a hypocrite."

Sonny orders a critically injured Jason to kiss Courtney goodbye. "Sonny is putting Jason in a bad position," sighs Burton. "It's going to be the hardest choice Jason will ever have to make".

[Picture of Jason & Courtney {find it in the Magazine Scans Section} and the caption says: Torn Apart: Will Jason sacrifice his newfound love for Courtney? 'It's going to be the hardest choice Jason will ever have to make.' - Steve Burton (Jason, GH)]