Title: Courtney and Jason

Author: Jules

Feedback: JewlP@aol.com

Rating: PG

Category: WIP

Type: Romance, Drama, maybe a tiny tiny bit Angsty... ?

Summary:  Just read it!!  For all you Journey-ers who want a little bit of hope.  And sure, the basic/main plot is what I think MIGHT happen in the show, but of course that's just my imagination.  I think that if you like Journey, you'll enjoy it, so read on!!!

A few things before I start...

This is my first fanfic in a while, so bear with me!!  I'll try to get chapters out as soon as I can but with the end of the school year it's a little tough, I just had this in my head and had to at least get the beginning down.  At the beginning of June this story should definitely be on a roll and hopefully be wrapped up.  Also, and nothing against the new Carly, but in this story the Carly is going to be played as Tamara Braun, because when I started thinking of it she was the Carly I pictured.  And, I miss her dearly.  Also, Michael and Morgan were never kidnapped and S&C are still happily married and living at the penthouse.  I guess for some of a challenge (and for the satisfaction of seeing Sam get kicked out...hehe) I'll have Jason and Sam be living together.  Although, I'm not sure if they're engaged in the show or WHAT, so I'm just going to have them NOT be engaged in this story.  I know, I know...on to the damn story!!

+ Prelude +

Courtney stood in front of the mirror and took a look at herself.  The rough-feeling white lace irritated her arms as she turned to the salesperson.  "Do you have anything less...stuffy?"  The woman looked taken aback and stammered, "But...but these are the most expensive dresses!  I, I thought..." she walked into the back room looking flustered.

Courtney sighed and blew a strand of blonde hair out of her face.  She was tired of everyone thinking that just because she was marrying Jax, the richest man in town, that she wanted everything that cost the most money.  She put her hands on her hips and stared at the ugly monstrosity of a wedding dress that was holding her body captive.  Somehow it made a rush of thoughts enter her head - what was she doing?  This wasn't for her.  She was doing this all by herself and it wasn't any fun at all.

She reached over and whipped her cell phone out of her pocket book and dialed a familiar number.  "Carly?  Hey, it's me.  Can you come down to the wedding boutique?  Yes, yes I know.  I know.  I KNOW!  I figured you were busy, geez!  Look, just come down and help me, ok?"

+ + +

Carly entered the dress boutique about 10 minutes later to see Courtney staring at herself in front of a mirror in the most hideous dress she had ever laid eyes on.  She immediately ran to her side.  "Court!  It's going to be ok!  Just take it off, NOW!"  Courtney turned and looked at her with weary eyes. 

"Carly.  This thing is atrocious beyond words."

"I know.  That's why I am telling you to take it off.  It should be considered hazardous, or something."

Courtney sighed and stepped down from the view of the three-way mirror and gave Carly a hug.  "Hey, do you think we can just go somewhere and talk?  This is starting to bug the hell out of me, I need to just get out of here.  So far, even three Starbucks haven't helped."

"Of course!"  Carly replied.  "Three Starbucks - that's a new record.  Let's go."

Courtney grabbed her bag and headed for the exit but stopped when she noticed Carly wasn't following. 

"Court, do you really want to upset the whole of Port Charles by appearing in public with that thing on?  Even though you have all the money in the world, there are so much better things to steal."

+ Chapter 1 +

"So have you thought about what you're going to do for your bachelorette party?"  Carly asked Courtney as they sat on the couch in PH4 looking over magazines. 

"Are you kidding me?  Who would even go?  'Come to Courtney's 100th bachelorette party!  And surprisingly, no, it's not another one of the Quartermaine brothers!'  Get real, Carly."  Courtney rolled her eyes and looked back at her magazine.

Carly put her hands up as if surrendering.  "Sorry, sorry, didn't know you wanted to have a boring wedding."

Courtney sighed and put her magazine down.  "No, that was stupid of me.  But really, I don't want it to be that big of a deal.  You're pretty much the closest friend I have now.  I just want to make this whole thing...small."

Carly raised her eyebrows in disbelief.  "Small?  Hate to break it to you sweetums, but you're marrying Jasper Jax.  'Small' isn't in his vocabulary.  This wedding is going to be the hugest thing of the year in Port Charles.  Heck, probably the biggest thing ever." 

Courtney leaned back in her chair and sighed.  Why was it so hard to think of a few wedding plans, invite close family and friends, and get it over with?  Why did everything have to be turned into such a huge production?  Thinking about everything she felt responsible to do before the wedding made her head ache and she reached for a glass of scotch.  The door to the penthouse opened and Sam walked in.  Carly stood up.

"Wow, the manners people have today...!  Even I can remember clearly something polite about 'knocking.'  Can I help you?"  Carly put her hands on her hips and stared at Sam, she still hadn't gotten over that Sonny had once had an affair with her. 

Sam shrugged her shoulders.  "I, uh, I didn't know if Jason was here.  I haven't seen him all day."  She looked over at the magazines.  "So, Courtney, you're planning your wedding, I see.  Have you got a dress picked out?"

Courtney looked up from her scotch and glared at Sam.  "No, I haven't gotten a single freaking thing picked out.  You want to try and plan a goddamn wedding?"

Sam looked taken aback.  "Well, glad to hear it's going well."

"Jason's somewhere with Sonny.  It's business."  Carly sternly told Sam as she turned to organize the magazines on the table.

Sam put her hands on her hips.  "Well, Jason tells me about his business things nowadays.  So, do you have any idea what kind of business it was?  Or does Sonny not tell you?"

Courtney snorted with laughter at Sam's ridiculous attempt to stick it to herself and Carly and turned away from Sam.  Carly could see the smirk on Sam's face as if she thought she had one-upped Carly Corinthos.  She turned back to face her.  "Jason tells you that kind of stuff?  Boy, that's sad."  She shook her head and turned to Courtney.  "Hey Court, Jase never told you where he went when you guys were married, right?  Why was that - oh yeah, because he wanted to keep you safe?  Oh, good old Jase.  Those were the days, when he looked out for his girl.  Oh, sorry, Sam..."  She made a face as if she hadn't realized Sam was in the room.

Courtney turned to look at Sam's reaction with a sly grin on her face.  "Yeah Carly, and I remember Sonny telling you that same thing, and then, if I remember correctly, didn't you tell him that you didn't care if you knew?  I mean, who seriously wants to know?  It's 'business.'  That's why we do things like shop - because their business is incredibly boring and not worth hearing about."  She turned back to Sam.  "Well, to most of us, anyways.  You know, those who haven't been con artists, who actually posess some humanly qualities."

There was an awkward silence in the air, which Carly broke.  She did it because she knew that Courtney had reacted a bit harshly, but she would still come to her defense.  "But anyways, I'm sure he'll be back soon.  Bye." 

Sam turned and walked out the door, slamming it behind her.

"Little rough, Court?  That was a little nasty, even for me."  Then she thought about it.  "Well, for you."  Carly put her hand on Courtney's shoulder and turned her around to face her.  "What's wrong?" Courtney had a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Carly, I...I can't marry Jax.  Not when I'm still in love with Jason."